The Adventures Of A Marine Newbie...

[jennybugs]

So, the next instalment...

starting to create the refugium in the rear chambers...
take 2 led lights

one of these

LR rubble and some wool and chaeto
add rubble to chambers 1 and 2 and soak well adding a layer of filter wool here and there and stuffing the ever growing chaeto on the top of chamber 1. Add lighting and simmer slowly

Test for some time to see how chaeto growth is affected. If slow growing remove black backing from tank and illuminate from the rear.

At last - the wig washer is no more and the murk begins to lift

A strange and miniscule 2mm long beastie is observed on glass and am amazed at camera's ability to focus on such a tiny wee thing

On shouting out friend or foe to the creature it remained mysteriously silent

So my small refugium takes some sort of shape. I'll be happy if it isn't pear-shaped

Readings taken before my eyes burst - it's been a long day -

Amm 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Ph 8.5 or not very far off
temp 25.1
SG 1.025

Sounding ok so far? The other tests will follow tomorrow when I can make sense of the mixing destructions

 

[shibby]

alll looking wicked good start so far

 

[ox5477]

Looks good Jenny. As to the hitch-hiker, no clue, but looks sort of looks like a small anemone or possibly a small nudibranch (sea slug)... as to what species, no idea as literly hundreds of species of nudibranchs

Ox

 

[jennybugs]

Well it's not in the tank any more

Any hoo...I noticed a small crab last night. Guess what I am doing tonight? Need to catch him so I can ID him then you can all tell me what to do with him after that

Tank's crystal clear this morning so may get some nice pics tonight

 

[jennybugs]

Well the crab evaded me last night so it's more of the same tonight, changing the bait to see if it prefers raw shrimp to mussel.

I am kinda hoping it's a veggie but until I get to look at it properly I can't ID it

0 ammonia, nitrite and nitrate so far! All looking good

 

[VictorMeldrew]

looking great so far jenny looking forward to seeing more.

 

[kj23502]

Nice tank. And I like the way in which your going about writing about it too



Kj

 

[jennybugs]

Thanks!

I am in the middle of waging a war of trappage against Mr Crabby at the moment. I found his underground secret lair tonight and a trap has been prepared and is laying in wait in a tall glass in the hope that I can catch the little monster tonight for ID purposes

He will not defeat me and if I don't catch him soon he will be getting a cold RO shower in a big orange bucket

 

[jennybugs]

So, the monster continues to tease me, flirting with my patience by sticking out a leg here and there just to tease and irritate my normally patient self.

I have placed a bacon lure down attached to a piece of thread....

I await in the shadows having attempted to dazzle him with my camera flash...

Meanwhile, Patrick Starfish happily meanders round oblivious to the power struggle below

Goodie or yet another 'geddimouttadare' guy?
Next to his wind turbines

The struggle continues. Cold showers are my next option - can't see how they will help the crab situation though

 

[jennybugs]

Tug of War with a cm wide crab is amusing! Not for the faint hearted, and definately something to try with toughened thread

The swine got me good and proper last night...tried to tempt him out with some bacon and the little monster decided to try and drag the whole lot into his lair!

This morning after a night of disturbed sleep I gave up and fished the rock out. Dousing with cold RO and squirting it into every hole I could find proved futile! He resisted every attempt so the next option was the big hammer in the bathroom with Captain Mustard

One dozen poundings later and out fell the crab with it's claws in it's ears, no doubt saying a few choice words in the process

Sadly Mr Crabby is no more and was an ex crab on delivery to the bottom of the bath.

Good job really - he had the blackest pincers going so was definately and enemy agent!

 

[kj23502]

Those pinchers look like massive fish grabbers I wonder what it was

 

[jennybugs]

I'll tell you what it is...outta there!

The brown diatoms are attacking! For once it's a good sign

The beginnings of a CUC at the weekend methinks

 

[jennybugs]

Hmmm...Patrick Starfish has a twin. Guess I'll be fishing him out tonight.

 

[VictorMeldrew]

Hi Jenny, about two days after i first put my LR in, i found what looks exactly like the crab you have found, mine turned out to be a crab molt, i am really hoping that i still do not have it living in my tank

 

[jennybugs]

Fingers crossed it's not lurking somewhere chicks! It was a feisty little monster but I can guarantee that it will like bacon