Gizmo's first tank

[Dozo]

Hey guys, so its been a while since my first post when this thing got started. I've been tackling this build very slowly and its finally kicked off! I've had some ups and downs already (more downs ) but you have to start somewhere, and that is to be expected. I decided a while back that I wanted a small aquarium as I am in an apartment and due to weight restrictions and just being new I wanted something small to get my feet wet. I loved the idea of a "nano reef" ever since I saw the first amazing ecosystems people were making in such a small space. So here I am now with a BioCube 29 and I'm going to journal my first aquariums progress here for me and you all to see!

Just out of the box and on its stand.

[Dozo]

Sand and water! 15 pounds of Caribsea special grade reef sand.

[lazylivin]

Looks good Gizmo. Consider painting the MDF that it is sitting on to protect it from the water drips. Assuming that is bare wood, a bit hard to tell for sure.

[Dozo]

About 10 pounds of BRS Pukani dry rock. I see why everyone says this stuff is the best, I've never seen rock at the lfs look as good as this. Also BRS did a heck of a job selecting my pieces! Kudos to them!


FTS..


How's the rockscape look? Honestly anyway I looked at the rocks they looked great so I kinda just put the flattest side down so there's not much chance of them falling over.. Also I do have a cave in there so hopefully there will be some good hiding spots for my inhabitants..


View of the rock from where I sit at my home computer.

Cycle started 2/22/2012 when the rock went in. Have been feeding the tank ever since. Tomorrow I will try and get a shot of the diatoms I think I'm finally seeing on the top of the sand. pH has been all over the place since I started the cycle, which I heard is to be expected. One day it did drop to around 7.4 which made me a little nervous I was gonna stall the cycle but it has since picked back up to hovering around 7.8. Should I consider adding a buffer?

[Dozo]

Looks good Gizmo. Consider painting the MDF that it is sitting on to protect it from the water drips. Assuming that is bare wood, a bit hard to tell for sure.

Thanks! That stand is just temporary while I have a custom one built. Already have it drawn up in autocad, just need to get the materials. Should be done by next weekend!

[lazylivin]

The rock scape looks great. Once of the nicer nano scapes I have seen.

[Dozo]

Much appreciated Lazylivin, going at this all alone has me wondering sometimes if this is gonna work or just be a expensive disaster.

Right now I'm just gonna focus on taking it slow and steady, that seems to be the recipe for a good tank!

[Sunny]

Nice tank.  The rock work looks good like that.  Slow is very good when you're starting out.   Keep the pics coming.

[SapperChris]

Really like the tank Gizmo! Looks good. Definitly take it slow, when you get in a hurry to get more stuff in the tank is when disaster happens. Learned that the hard way. Keep us posted on the progress.

[The WuSue]

Looking good so far.

[HUNGER]

looks great

[itsalifestyle]

nice tank

[Twizted1]

Looks good. I really like the cubes. Rock looks real good.

[Dozo]

Can you say diatoms?!


Actually I love to see this! It is really fascinating to me, this whole cycling business. Watching this tank mature is really going to be awesome, and hey, if I get a bunch of GHA or cyanobacteria(sp?), its all apart of the learning! You guys think I'm ready for a small CUC? I was planning on getting a few snails and a hermit or two in the tank this weekend. I know its kinda quick but I didn't think I'd have diatoms like this already, as I've read they don't come till towards the end of the cycle.

I am consistently reading 0 on both ammonia and nitrites but here's the weird part.. My nitrates have actually gone down! I am actually reading around 0-5ppm! I thought they were supposed to rise! not drop from around 15-20ppm at the worst to all the way back down? I suspect this is because the diatom algae is using the nitrates but maybe you guys can fill me in!

[Boonjob]

What is the test kit/method you are using...

Diatoms will consume silcates along with nitrates.

They can come at just about any stage, and they will last till the excess silcates are consumed.


I don't believe it is uncommon for a small tank as this to cycle in a short period(2 weeks)... But I would worry that your bacteria population may not be scaled yet to support fish or a measuarable bio load...

How much are you feeding the tank?

[Ashlar]

Agreed with Boonjob.. you may want to add livestock s..l..o..w..l..y.. and let the biofilter catch up.

[Dozo]

What is the test kit/method you are using...

Diatoms will consume silcates along with nitrates.

They can come at just about any stage, and they will last till the excess silcates are consumed.


I don't believe it is uncommon for a small tank as this to cycle in a short period(2 weeks)... But I would worry that your bacteria population may not be scaled yet to support fish or a measuarable bio load...

How much are you feeding the tank?

Right now I am using the API saltwater master kit which I know isn't the greatest but for now its the best I can afford and its got to be better than nothing! You know the more I research and think about it I think your totally right about the bacteria population, I'm scared that I might have even wasted these couple weeks considering I've seen people say that fishless cycling is really a waste and the only way to start an aquarium is with fish. I am feeding a pretty big pinch everyday, at one point I think it was way too much but I wanted something to happen ya know. Anyways I am probably gonna get a small CUC today or tomorrow and get some life in there, jeez I better be able to keep a snail alive!

[Boonjob]

You are cycling just fine... Just add fish/life slowly... Let your bacteria ramp up as you go to prevent another cycle

[Dozo]

Well I FINALLY got some life in the tank! Hows that for going slow! I got some pictures of my new friends/janitorial staff. Ended up over the weekend picking up a super tongan nassarius, two astraea snails (who move about a millimeter an hour..), and one scarlet reef hermit crab, which I wasn't going to do but now that he's in the tank I'm really glad since he's knocking down the diatoms pretty good. I love the nassarius too cause he's FAST! I love watching him motor around the tank! I'm really glad I'm doing this slow actually, it's giving me time to appreciate these little guys and well, make sure nobody croaks before the real fun starts. At least I know now my params aren't totally off, since everyone seems ok.

FTS..


The tongan nassarius snail who is awesome! I love his little snorkel!


The two astraea snails who seem to just be wobbling in place, but sand is all clean around them..


And last but not least, the hermit crab, who seems to be always doing something..



So what ya guys think? Now obviously I know I'm going to need a bigger crew then this, but I'm not sure how big for now? If these guys all make it to next weekend I will probably be introducing either a cleaner shrimp or my first fish(es) then. Most likely one or a pair of clowns. So how big of a crew would be satisfactory if I had say the fish and/or shrimp and maybe a couple beginner corals to start?

[Ashlar]

If I were you, I'd put those astrea on the glass or the rocks. They tend to get stuck on sand, and they can't flip themselves over.

Why not start with corals, rather than fish? Some of the hardier corals will help suck up nutrients. Depending on what you plan on adding, there are relatively tolerant softies, LPS, and even SPS that I'd recommend.

Softies: Xenia, GSP, zoas, kenya tree, colt corals
LPS: Frogspawn, candy canes
SPS: Monti cap, montipora digitata

[The WuSue]

Looking good!

Plus one on the corals. Except the Kenya tree....  (they be evil) IMHO

Another invert to consider is a fighting conch. One of those'll keep the sand tilled for the whole tank bed.

Keep up the good work.

[Dozo]

If I were you, I'd put those astrea on the glass or the rocks. They tend to get stuck on sand, and they can't flip themselves over.

Why not start with corals, rather than fish? Some of the hardier corals will help suck up nutrients. Depending on what you plan on adding, there are relatively tolerant softies, LPS, and even SPS that I'd recommend.

Softies: Xenia, GSP, zoas, kenya tree, colt corals
LPS: Frogspawn, candy canes
SPS: Monti cap, montipora digitata

Thanks for the tip! I wish I had done a little more research on these guys. I just put both of them over by the glass wall and already one dude has attached itself to the glass and is moving way more. The other one is stuck to the extra shell about 3x too big! I thought all snails were pretty much self righting.. According to one website, astraea's can be an issue in reef tanks and usually don't live very long..

The coral has definitely been considered, I'd love to start of with some zoas and/or lps like the candy cane or frogspawn, I've just always felt like a fish would seem to be a little more newbie friendly? I'd love to be wrong tho.

[Ashlar]

Well, the 'conventional wisdom' is being turned on its head a bit, IMHO.

Fish = mostly waste producers.. food goes in, most of the food comes out as waste.

Corals = mostly waste consumers.. light and nutrients go in, very little comes out as waste.

Now going with corals would mean you have to start looking at parameters like calcium / alkalinity / magnesium sooner, but it would give your tank a more healthy ability to deal with excess waste when you eventually put fish in.

[Dozo]

Need some help guys. These astraea snails are giving me such a hard time.. I am finding them every day on their shells and don't know what to do. I've been sitting them right up against the glass so that they can grab on but they just eat around the bottom near the sand and a hour later I will find them in the sand. The last time I just left one in the sand, when I looked at the tank the next time, the hermit crab was right on top of one and I thought it was over for the little guy. Luckily I was able to seperate the two before one was the others meal. So then I tried putting one on the rock for a test and sure enough this morning he was sprawled out in the sand next to it! Should I be baby sitting these guys so much? Should I let nature take its course and let them be? I feel like this is a little much, I wanted to just relax and watch em clean the tank but I find myself constantly worried about them. I know they all are only a couple bucks a piece but hey, who like to throw away money, however little it is??

[Sunny]

That's why I buy extras.  I have a snail graveyard in one corner.  And as far as crabs (Yes, I'm a crab hater) I only have 2 in my DT.  One blue legged and one white legged.   The sump has a few crabs that got banished there because I seen them on a snail.
If I see a snail on it's back, I will flip it over.