The Journal Of A Marine Beginner

[zeo]

Prolly macro algaes . For raising salinity there's a simple trick . Allow evaporation to occur to 1.024 and topoff with saltwater of 1.024 and you're there. Much simpler than trying to add higher-concentration water with changes.

cool, I'll keep that in mind.

 

[sophos9]

Prolly macro algaes .

Dont think these ones are, they are bright green shoots, about 3mm thick?

For raising salinity there's a simple trick . Allow evaporation to occur to 1.024 and topoff with saltwater of 1.024 and you're there. Much simpler than trying to add higher-concentration water with changes.

Cheers for the tip. All I meant was I'm changing the saltiness of new water so each 10% change will slowly turn the tank from 1.023 to 1.024.... This little change just makes mixing easier for me

 

[idlefingers]

Are those LED moonlights the ones you get of ebay? I've been looking at getting some of those for my tank.. are you pleased with them?

 

[sophos9]

Hi mate,

Yup, they are the sealed ones off eBay, thought them better than the neons (after the neon tranformer went up in smoke!!!)

As for happy..... TOTALLY. They are great, strong enough (may actually want to turn em down by 2v) and makes the tank look great when lights are off. Recommend them as a cheap but effective enhancement!

 

[idlefingers]

Cheers, I think I'll get some then! My only worry is that the sticky pads would come loose and make them fall into the water but I guess I could superglue them on to be safe. Where do you have yours in the hood? From the pic they look like they're right against the back glass?

Sorry to hijack your journal a little. I'm done now! You tank looks grand, btw!

 

[sophos9]

No problems at all... its what the thread is about!

The pads that come with package are super sticky, I used the same ones from Maplins on my tropical and they never budged - try pulling these things off once attached!

These lights are stuck along the back of the tank (10 leds, 5 either side of the central strut), they are attached via the pads and tiewraps.

Thanks for the compliment, I've not been getting on very well with the design of the live rock placement so on Saturday, we went for a major rescuplt which IMO, looks very nice!!

 

[sophos9]

Latest update....

So, the plan was to wait a couple of weeks before doing anything further with the tank, algae cycles were in swing with a growing amount of red cyno appearing on rocks. Green filamentous algae has also been growing - I've been taking this out by hand, I think I'm winning....

Water parameters have been rock solid, I think making and monitoring your own RODI water takes out any 'potential to defect', currently the RODI water is coming out a 001ppm which is great!! I'm maintaining the 10% water change per week which seems to get parameters OK.

We hit the LFS on Saturday morning, wanted to get an algae blenny - I think they look cool. After looking around we ended up buying a Peacock Wrasse, a different blenny and a pulsing xenia.

Got the fish home, in a bowl whilst acclimatising then added em, the wrasse disappeared under the sand (where it hides to sleep - under the substrate hey, freaky) and the blenny hit the first hiding spot possible which just left placing the xenia, easy hey? Not this time....

Someone early in this journal said that the wall effect is difficult to place corals on, I can only but agree now. So it was crunch time....

In a xen like statement, "in order to go forwards - first you must go backwards".... So 25kg of rock came out an littered the front room floor. Had to poke around in the substrate like some 'mine clearance team' to make sure the wrasse, snails and crabs did not meet an ugly demise! The rock went back in quite easily and seemed to fit like a jigsaw puzzle in its new and *final* home, the fish were not happy....

Do everything is back in, the xenia and leather coral are in their new homes - I rarely blow my own but I'm over the moon with how this turned out! Using the xenia as a test, I've altered the positioning of 3 pumps as to create better turbulence (i.e. not to have a coral always being pushed one way by the current). This has been done, the xenia loves it (it told me), it randomly gets pushed around which is cool!

Pictures hey, well as readers of this journal from scratch will know - I'm not the best at getting pictures up. To show how happy I am with the outcome, will get some up tonight.....

 

[sophos9]

Right, as promised (for once )

New scape 1


Scape 2


A Blenny - Not Sure Which One - ID Please?


A Hermit...

 

[shibby]

wahey some pictures! i dont think ive piosted in this yet shocking! but i will now looks good like the aquascaping and all! peacock wrasses are awesome, how much it cost ya, i may look into getting one or a flasher dependent on price of course

 

[sophos9]

Hi mate

The wrasse was £15, its a funny thing and good for beginners... watching it dissapear under the substrate to sleep is amusing!

So what do people think of the new scaping, better, worse, indifferent??? Comments appreciated!!!

Before

After

 

[shibby]

rather cheap then!


as for the aquascaping looks alot better imo!

 

[idlefingers]

I like!

 

[sophos9]

rather cheap then! as for the aquascaping looks alot better imo!

Yea, its a cheap one! Thanks for the thumbsup!!

I like!

Cheers mate!!

 

[sophos9]

Moderators - can you please move this journal over to the journal section please and delete this post once its done???

Cheers!!

 

[barker_23]

hi mate, thanks for the help. Just wondered if i did need to upgrade my lighting, where could i get it from at a good price. Where did you get yours from?

Also what heater would you say is best for the 180's. what kind of wattage have you got

Thanks