My Ocean In A Box :)

[HappyGeorge]

LR is infinitely more interesting than cricket, as is toenail cutting, putting together ikea furniture and having your head squeezed in a vice.

There should be lots of stuff crawling out that rock soon enough.

 

[Chris_C]

Why do i get the feeling nobody likes cricket on here


Anyway england was knocked out so there wont be any more pics with cricket on the tele haha. i promise


So anyway back on topic I went out to get a test kit today but my LFS had none in was abit annoyed after driving down there but life goes on. I have ordered one off ebay so have to wait a few days before i get my hands on it.


I still need another 10kg of live rock in my tank so do i need to wait until i have that before any CUC can go in? I am hoping the levels will be ok when i test because i have taken the water and rock from an established tank of over 2 years. Doesn't guarantee everything will be good but i'm hoping so.

Any suggestions on CUC? especially critters who will scrubb the rocks up nice and clean


One final thing .. i connected my external up today. Its a fluval 405 external now instead of the eheim i mentioned in my first post. Its quite noisy for my liking and was wondering on what people who say is the quietest setup to run with or without an external etc.. i want to have a yellow tang at some point and have been told you need to run a uv sterilizer for any tang you keep. Any advise would be much appreciated.

 

[ALW]

You are going to want about another 10kg of live rock.

No you dont need to wait to add the CUC.

You are going to want some of the following:

Hermit Crabs (Blue legs, Scarlet, Halloween etc.)
Snails (Turbos, Nass, Cerith etc.)
Starfish (Brittle, Sand sifting)
Shrimp (Cleaner, Blood etc.)

And maybe an Urchin and Reef Lobster.

A UV isnt required for tangs. I dont use one. UVs have both advantages and disadvantages.

 

[Chris_C]

You are going to want about another 10kg of live rock.

No you dont need to wait to add the CUC.

You are going to want some of the following:

Hermit Crabs (Blue legs, Scarlet, Halloween etc.)
Snails (Turbos, Nass, Cerith etc.)
Starfish (Brittle, Sand sifting)
Shrimp (Cleaner, Blood etc.)

And maybe an Urchin and Reef Lobster.

A UV isnt required for tangs. I dont use one. UVs have both advantages and disadvantages.

Thanks for the reply mate. What setup do you run out of curiosity?

 

[ALW]

You are going to want about another 10kg of live rock.

No you dont need to wait to add the CUC.

You are going to want some of the following:

Hermit Crabs (Blue legs, Scarlet, Halloween etc.)
Snails (Turbos, Nass, Cerith etc.)
Starfish (Brittle, Sand sifting)
Shrimp (Cleaner, Blood etc.)

And maybe an Urchin and Reef Lobster.

A UV isnt required for tangs. I dont use one. UVs have both advantages and disadvantages.

Thanks for the reply mate. What setup do you run out of curiosity?

I have a 60g reef tank atm, Stocking is:

FISH
Pair of wc Perc Clownfish
1 Yellow Tang
1 Regal Tang
1 Humbug Damsel
1 Randalls Goby
and am waiting for my lfs to aquire me a Potters Angelfish and a Tailspot Wrasse (no date as yet)

INVERTS
1 Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp
1 Pink Brittle Star
1 Red n White Banded Star
1 True Turbo Snail
1 Scarlet Hermit Crab
1 Blue Leg Hermit Crab
2 Cerith Snails
3 Nass Snails

CORALS
1 Toadstool leather
1 Duncan colony (5 heads)
1 Hammer (6 heads)
1 Green buttons colony
1 Purple mushroom colony (about 10-15 mushys)
1 Blue mushroom colony (2 mushys)
2 Waving hand colonys

My system has been running about 18 months now. I do a water change every month (change 25l sometimes 50l). Run under T5 blubs. Turnover is 6500lph via 4 pumps. It has 35kg-40kg of live rock n has a sand bed about 6cm deep and also run a skimmer too. Only problem i have had with it was a broken heater around xmas, resulting in a few deaths (Temp dropped from 26 to 12 must have been like that for a couple of days at least). I dont have a UV unit neither.

EDIT: Will be uping the snails hopefully soon. Am also on the look out for a Blue Tuxedo Urchin.

 

[simonas]

loooking good so far

a goodsized tank as well I could do with a bigger one!! marine tank that is

what else other than a tang do you intend to keep?

Simon

 

[Chris_C]

You are going to want about another 10kg of live rock.

No you dont need to wait to add the CUC.

You are going to want some of the following:

Hermit Crabs (Blue legs, Scarlet, Halloween etc.)
Snails (Turbos, Nass, Cerith etc.)
Starfish (Brittle, Sand sifting)
Shrimp (Cleaner, Blood etc.)

And maybe an Urchin and Reef Lobster.

A UV isnt required for tangs. I dont use one. UVs have both advantages and disadvantages.

Thanks for the reply mate. What setup do you run out of curiosity?

I have a 60g reef tank atm, Stocking is:

FISH
Pair of wc Perc Clownfish
1 Yellow Tang
1 Regal Tang
1 Humbug Damsel
1 Randalls Goby
and am waiting for my lfs to aquire me a Potters Angelfish and a Tailspot Wrasse (no date as yet)

INVERTS
1 Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp
1 Pink Brittle Star
1 Red n White Banded Star
1 True Turbo Snail
1 Scarlet Hermit Crab
1 Blue Leg Hermit Crab
2 Cerith Snails
3 Nass Snails

CORALS
1 Toadstool leather
1 Duncan colony (5 heads)
1 Hammer (6 heads)
1 Green buttons colony
1 Purple mushroom colony (about 10-15 mushys)
1 Blue mushroom colony (2 mushys)
2 Waving hand colonys

My system has been running about 18 months now. I do a water change every month (change 25l sometimes 50l). Run under T5 blubs. Turnover is 6500lph via 4 pumps. It has 35kg-40kg of live rock n has a sand bed about 6cm deep and also run a skimmer too. Only problem i have had with it was a broken heater around xmas, resulting in a few deaths (Temp dropped from 26 to 12 must have been like that for a couple of days at least). I dont have a UV unit neither.

EDIT: Will be uping the snails hopefully soon. Am also on the look out for a Blue Tuxedo Urchin.

Thanks for that mate. Its good to see a setup for a tank similar size to mine for idea's etc.. I will ditch the external soon enough then. Just going to use it to clear some of the bits floating around the tank and to disturb the water surface for the live rock. One of my wavemakers packed in so only got one running at the moment.

Can i ask which pumps you are using? i have been looking to pick some new ones up.

 

[Chris_C]

loooking good so far

a goodsized tank as well I could do with a bigger one!! marine tank that is

what else other than a tang do you intend to keep?

Simon

Hi Simon.. Ive not decided 100% on what fish i want. I would like a yellow tang, regal tang, pair of orange clowns and a pair of black clowns. Can i have two pairs if i introduce at the same time or is it one pair or the other?

Not really decided on any others yet. I know some people will disagree with me having tangs in my tank but i know 2 people who have kept a couple of tangs in a 50 gallon tank and they have survived happily for years and are still going strong. My plan is to get them as juvies and will probably upgrade my tank down the line anyway to something bigger.


Has anybody got any suggestions on fish? im looking for striking fish!

 

[Morri]

loooking good so far

a goodsized tank as well I could do with a bigger one!! marine tank that is

what else other than a tang do you intend to keep?

Simon

Hi Simon.. Ive not decided 100% on what fish i want. I would like a yellow tang, regal tang, pair of orange clowns and a pair of black clowns. Can i have two pairs if i introduce at the same time or is it one pair or the other?

Not really decided on any others yet. I know some people will disagree with me having tangs in my tank but i know 2 people who have kept a couple of tangs in a 50 gallon tank and they have survived happily for years and are still going strong. My plan is to get them as juvies and will probably upgrade my tank down the line anyway to something bigger.


Has anybody got any suggestions on fish? im looking for striking fish!

The 220L tank is way to small for any tang to be honest 300L is the smallest for a kole or a yellow.

A Regal tang will require at least 650L

you would only be able to keep 1 pair of clowns in the tank as anymore and they would be fighting like mad.

 

[ALW]

You are going to want about another 10kg of live rock.

No you dont need to wait to add the CUC.

You are going to want some of the following:

Hermit Crabs (Blue legs, Scarlet, Halloween etc.)
Snails (Turbos, Nass, Cerith etc.)
Starfish (Brittle, Sand sifting)
Shrimp (Cleaner, Blood etc.)

And maybe an Urchin and Reef Lobster.

A UV isnt required for tangs. I dont use one. UVs have both advantages and disadvantages.

Thanks for the reply mate. What setup do you run out of curiosity?

I have a 60g reef tank atm, Stocking is:

FISH
Pair of wc Perc Clownfish
1 Yellow Tang
1 Regal Tang
1 Humbug Damsel
1 Randalls Goby
and am waiting for my lfs to aquire me a Potters Angelfish and a Tailspot Wrasse (no date as yet)

INVERTS
1 Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp
1 Pink Brittle Star
1 Red n White Banded Star
1 True Turbo Snail
1 Scarlet Hermit Crab
1 Blue Leg Hermit Crab
2 Cerith Snails
3 Nass Snails

CORALS
1 Toadstool leather
1 Duncan colony (5 heads)
1 Hammer (6 heads)
1 Green buttons colony
1 Purple mushroom colony (about 10-15 mushys)
1 Blue mushroom colony (2 mushys)
2 Waving hand colonys

My system has been running about 18 months now. I do a water change every month (change 25l sometimes 50l). Run under T5 blubs. Turnover is 6500lph via 4 pumps. It has 35kg-40kg of live rock n has a sand bed about 6cm deep and also run a skimmer too. Only problem i have had with it was a broken heater around xmas, resulting in a few deaths (Temp dropped from 26 to 12 must have been like that for a couple of days at least). I dont have a UV unit neither.

EDIT: Will be uping the snails hopefully soon. Am also on the look out for a Blue Tuxedo Urchin.

Thanks for that mate. Its good to see a setup for a tank similar size to mine for idea's etc.. I will ditch the external soon enough then. Just going to use it to clear some of the bits floating around the tank and to disturb the water surface for the live rock. One of my wavemakers packed in so only got one running at the moment.

Can i ask which pumps you are using? i have been looking to pick some new ones up.

I use two koralias, a external fillter that does 1200lph (dont think that there is any media in it but may have bio balls), and one that came with the tank.

I would only have one pair of clowns.

Some stocking ideas for you to have a look at:

Dwarf Angelfish (coral beauty, bicolor, eibli, flame, cherub, pearlscale to name a few)
Grammas (royal or blackcap)
If you are doin FOWLR Butterflyfish (threadfin, burgess, bluestripe, kleins)
Wrasse (too many to list so fairys, flashers, six lines etc)
Chromis (Blue or Green)
Blennys (algae, midas, bicolor, redspotted)
Gobies (orangespotted, randalls, pinkspotted, chalk etc)
Dartfish (purple firefish, red firefish)

 

[Chris_C]

You are going to want about another 10kg of live rock.

No you dont need to wait to add the CUC.

You are going to want some of the following:

Hermit Crabs (Blue legs, Scarlet, Halloween etc.)
Snails (Turbos, Nass, Cerith etc.)
Starfish (Brittle, Sand sifting)
Shrimp (Cleaner, Blood etc.)

And maybe an Urchin and Reef Lobster.

A UV isnt required for tangs. I dont use one. UVs have both advantages and disadvantages.

Thanks for the reply mate. What setup do you run out of curiosity?

I have a 60g reef tank atm, Stocking is:

FISH
Pair of wc Perc Clownfish
1 Yellow Tang
1 Regal Tang
1 Humbug Damsel
1 Randalls Goby
and am waiting for my lfs to aquire me a Potters Angelfish and a Tailspot Wrasse (no date as yet)

INVERTS
1 Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp
1 Pink Brittle Star
1 Red n White Banded Star
1 True Turbo Snail
1 Scarlet Hermit Crab
1 Blue Leg Hermit Crab
2 Cerith Snails
3 Nass Snails

CORALS
1 Toadstool leather
1 Duncan colony (5 heads)
1 Hammer (6 heads)
1 Green buttons colony
1 Purple mushroom colony (about 10-15 mushys)
1 Blue mushroom colony (2 mushys)
2 Waving hand colonys

My system has been running about 18 months now. I do a water change every month (change 25l sometimes 50l). Run under T5 blubs. Turnover is 6500lph via 4 pumps. It has 35kg-40kg of live rock n has a sand bed about 6cm deep and also run a skimmer too. Only problem i have had with it was a broken heater around xmas, resulting in a few deaths (Temp dropped from 26 to 12 must have been like that for a couple of days at least). I dont have a UV unit neither.

EDIT: Will be uping the snails hopefully soon. Am also on the look out for a Blue Tuxedo Urchin.

Thanks for that mate. Its good to see a setup for a tank similar size to mine for idea's etc.. I will ditch the external soon enough then. Just going to use it to clear some of the bits floating around the tank and to disturb the water surface for the live rock. One of my wavemakers packed in so only got one running at the moment.

Can i ask which pumps you are using? i have been looking to pick some new ones up.

I use two koralias, a external fillter that does 1200lph (dont think that there is any media in it but may have bio balls), and one that came with the tank.

I would only have one pair of clowns.

Some stocking ideas for you to have a look at:

Dwarf Angelfish (coral beauty, bicolor, eibli, flame, cherub, pearlscale to name a few)
Grammas (royal or blackcap)
If you are doin FOWLR Butterflyfish (threadfin, burgess, bluestripe, kleins)
Wrasse (too many to list so fairys, flashers, six lines etc)
Chromis (Blue or Green)
Blennys (algae, midas, bicolor, redspotted)
Gobies (orangespotted, randalls, pinkspotted, chalk etc)
Dartfish (purple firefish, red firefish)

Some food for thought there thanks mate.



Test kit should be here today so looking forward to finally testing the water. My external filter has gone alot quieter now its been running a day or so, i am considering keeping it now. Can some give me some idea on how best to run it for marine? it is a fluval 405 so has 4 baskets inside and alot of sponges down one side.


Another thing i wanted to ask is about the sand. I got live sand off a guy breaking his tank down but would like abit more i think. Can i just buy a bag of aragonite sand and top it up?


Can i ask peoples opinions on Uv sterilizer? just like to here peoples positives and negatives

 

[ALW]

I run my external with nothing in its empty, i use it to circulate more tank water. Yes you can add more aragonite sand if you wish although dont add huge amounts at once.

UVs pros: they kill bacteria, phytoplankton, algaes and other parasites living in the tank water. Keeps these sorts of organisms under control. A UV works by sterilizing water that passes through the unit at slow speeds and blasting it with UV rays before re-entry back into the tank resulting in clean clear water. Keeps tanks inhabitant looking clean and healthy.

cons: Can be expensive to run. The UV bulbs need replacing after about 6 months due to loss of effectiveness they drop by about 40% after 6 months. They dont alway kill ich as it can only kill the parasite in its free swimming stage. Not only kills the bad bacteria but also the good. Fish can become dependent on the UV and so there natural immune system weakens.

 

[Chris_C]

Test kit arrived a while ago and i did my first set of tests.

I cant test the salinity until this weekend because there is a problem with my refractometer. Will be sorted ASAP.


PH - 7.8 - 8.0 (Do i just need to get some buffer to get this up?)

Ammonia - struggling to read this its coming out a light cloudy colour.. i did the test twice to double check. Im using the API test. Its none of the dark colours so im guessing its low. Baffled

Nitrite - 0

Nitrate 20 - 40


I did alot of rock moving yesterday so dont know how that has affected the test. Suppose i will see over the next few days.


Comments welcomed.

 

[Chris_C]

Results for today ..


pH 8.0

Ammonia - 0.50

Nitrite - 0

Nitrate 40-80




Advise on the best thing to do next would be much appreciated .. i took everything from an established setup but who is to say how good his tank was. Could these levels be free die off on the live rock because he had already started breaking the tank down when i collected (live rock in a tub with pump but no light or heater i dont think)


I am having a drive to stockport tomorrow to the abyss, so will get my refractometer sorted this weekend and get some salted RO water.

 

[ALW]

Yep most likely due to die off. I would leave it a couple of days now and then test again. I wouldnt change any water as yet. Can and will slow the cycle of the tank down. When you get your refracto just remember to prime it with plain RO water.