my 46 Gallon

[Mik_101]

So far I got my tank drilled at OA (1 hole only because glass would be to weak). I also got sand in (caribsea aragonite 30 pounds) as well as lighting 2x 175w ushio mh and Hagane T5HO 2x actanic. I also have a seaclone 150 skimmer(i know not the best but im just starting off with it) a 200w hydro heater and 350 mag pump. Also have a marine test kit by aquarium pharmisuticals and hydrometer By instant ocean. Picture of my lighting


http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/Picture016.jpg

[Midknight]

If you need a hand I am not too far away.
Just over by Guildford.:wink:

[Mik_101]

k thanks

[Mik_101]

any suggestions:question:

[NateL]

Is that tinfoil your using as a reflector?

I have some real reflective material if you want. I live near The Delta Lion.

[Skimmerking]

get reflector's if you can and your better off getting t-5 Reflector's man they will be alot more brighter.

HTH

other than that awesome job...

[Mik_101]

I got reflectors for my MH they are pritty good (I did the bad cutting job) THanks NateL for the reflector:biggrin: Defenitly better than tin foil
hears a picture.1630

[Mik_101]

163216331634

[Mik_101]

Suggestions plz

[albert_dao]

I'd bail on the skimmer and get a better one, Seaclones aren't exactly stellar...

[Mik_101]

isent ok to begin with??

[Mik_101]

just a picture of lighting but now i updated it to reflectors

[Mik_101]

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/Picture024.jpg picture of the full tank

[Mik_101]

Well it looks like by mid July befor i start adding water to the tank. Im planing on having 30-35 pounds of Live rock and im gona use Jakarta, Tonga ridge, and tonga deep water those are the main thre types im planing on using.
This week im planing to put the tank were its going to be located, plumbing and applying a background.

Do u guys have any sugestions on what kind of back ground I should apply??

[Mik_101]

I just lowerd my light canopy from 14 inches to 9 or 10 inches(dont realy remember:redface: ) but I have 1 problom... my ballasts are sitting on top of my canopy and all the wires are visibla and it looks realy ugly. Do you have any ideas on what i can do to hide the wires and ballasts.
hear are 2 pics of the ballasts and wires....
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/Picture035.jpg
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/Picture036.jpg

[Mik_101]

I just lowerd my light canopy from 14 inches to 9 or 10 inches(dont realy remember:redface: ) but I have 1 problom... my ballasts are sitting on top of my canopy and all the wires are visibla and it looks realy ugly. Do you have any ideas on what i can do to hide the wires and ballasts.
hear are 2 pics of the ballasts and wires....
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/Picture035.jpg
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/Picture036.jpg

CRITTISISM PLZ:lol: :lol:

[Mik_101]

Is abs good for plumping the tank?

[Mik_101]

I finished up my plumbing. I used abs plastic and i cant complain it defently works

[Mik_101]

I got some new stuff fro my tank. got carbon nylon bag for the carbon a soc and salt...sry no pics of nylone and salt but the salt im using is instand ocean and adding my own calsium suplament and for calsium im using purple up by caribsea.

http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/?action=view&current=Picture041.jpg

http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/?action=view&current=Picture040.jpg

[Mik_101]

I made some deionized water about 60 gallon and witch was exactly enough to fil up the tank and my 30 gallon sump. My spacific garavit is between 1.020and 1.021. Should i rais my salinity??????????

[Mik_101]

Today i got abou 30-35 pounds of fiji live rock from Tropical Paradise(a canreef member) he gave me a unbalivablt deal i got the LR for $40 and plus it nisly incrusted with pink and purple coralline algea exepth ther was a bit of buble alge wihch i picked of ther are also some sps coral and 1 softi and ther were abou 5 britle star.

http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/?action=view&current=Picture046.jpg

http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/?action=view&current=Picture045.jpg

http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/?action=view&current=Picture044.jpg



I also made up my light schedual

7:00 am actinics on
8:00 am Left metal halide on
8:30 an Right metal halide on
9:00 am actinics off
9:00 pm actinics on
9:30 pm Right metal halide off
10:00 pm Left metal halide off
10:30 pm actinics off



Would it be a good idea to get LED moon lights??

[michika]

Looks good so far. I like the looks of the last photo!

Yes I would recommend you raise your salinity, albeit very slowly, to around 1.025.

Can I ask why you've chosen such a short photoperiod for your MHs?

You may want to google info on Purple up. While I personally haven't used it myself, I've read a bunch of back and forth opinions on it.

[reptile guy]

14 hours doesn't seem like a short photo period to me more the opposite though not sure why you have the left on for 14 hours and the right on for 13 ?

[Mik_101]

14 hours doesn't seem like a short photo period to me more the opposite though not sure why you have the left on for 14 hours and the right on for 13 ?


So it kind of like sunraise sun set idea

[NateL]

That is quite a long photo period. Maybe switch the left one off first so the they are on the same amount of time. BTW the sun doesnt rise and set on the same side. Looking good and it is coming together nicely.

[Mik_101]

Thanks guys hears my "new":lol: photo period


7:00 am actinics on
8:00 am left metal halide on
8:30 an Right metal halide on
9:00 am actinics off
9:00 pm actinics on
9:30 pm Left metal halide off
10:00 pm Right metal halide off
10:30 pm actinics off

[reptile guy]

? all you did was change left and right but still one side is on for an hour longer and both on for a long time

[michika]

Your plan seems sound for lighting. Is your tank near a window? What do you plan to keep with that lighting? SPS, LPS, softies, or mixed system? You may have to cut your photo period down temporarily in the near future if you develop an algae outbreak. Otherwise I don't see why you should run it for so long. I run mine for around the same time.

As for your earlier question about your ballast ontop of your canopy, you could try tie wraping your cords together to clean it up a bit. Do you have other placement options for your ballast?

How about another full system shot? I see in your lighting photos that you have a sump and skimmer under your tank.

[Mik_101]

Hi everyone.
Yes my tank is near a window but sunlight never realy strikes the tank at all. Also applyina a back groun any ideas on what colour backgroun I should apply.:smile:

Im goning to have a mixed system a bit of everything and also some fake corals that look like acroporas the are acctuly a copy of acroporas. But yes im going to have mainly real corals. Planin on geting10-15 sps 10-15 lps andaround 10 soft coral.Im not very crazy about softeis but I do gota edmit ther are defenetly some nice ones.

Yes im cuting my phot period down a bit during cycleing but i might go back to my old one or stay with this one.
6:30 AM- actinics on
7:00 AM- 175 watt left halide on
9:00 AM- -175 watt right watt halides on
9:30 AM- actinics off
5:30 PM- actinics on
6:00 PM- 175 watt left halide off
7:00 PM- 175 watt right halide off
8:00 PM- actinics off



Yes I will tie up the wires to clean it up a bit (thanks Cathrine) and build a box on top of my canopy for the ballasts.

No i dont realy have any other placement optens because the dresser is going to be relocated soon.

http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/?action=view&current=Picture050.jpg <---- that is a full system shot with the halides on

http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/?action=view&current=Picture049.jpg <full system shot with actinics on


http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/?action=view&current=Picture051.jpg <left side of the sump


http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/?action=view&current=Picture052.jpg <--- right side of the sump



Sorrey that i couldent get a better picture of the sump because A- their is a bar running down the middle of the stand and B- I couldent back up because ther was a couch ther.:cry:

[Mik_101]

Do you guys think i could get away with adding two or three blue green reef chromis because the LR is about 5 years ol ther is about 25 pounds?

[michika]

The pictures look great, and they give me a great visual on what your whole system is like.

I would say blue or black for a background, but I'm kind of a traditionalist in that sense. Some people have painted the bottom black and then transitioned into a blue to give the illusion of depth.

I see you reduced your photoperiod. Did you choose the early on & off times because they coincide with your lifestyle? If the sunlight doesn't hit your tank, it probably won't affect it that much.

So what is your next step? Just waiting for everything to finish cycling? Are you going to be adding a refugium, or reactors?

Any thoughts on what you eventually want to keep for livestock?

[Mik_101]

Yes I am going to add a refugeum but it might be quarantine tank(quarantine tank will be refugeum as well as hospital tank) I wil most likley add a calsium reactor with in the next year and half.

lol for the lighting i chose the shorter light span because of the heat the MH generate and my + my heater is a bit to strong but this morning when i checked the temperatue it was around 73 deggers much beter than befor when it was at 80 degrese. To cool the water i froze a water batle and placed it in the sump and honestly it helps alot.

my livestock plans are as follows
2x true percs
3x blue green reef chromis
fire goby
tiny tiny naso tang
orcird dotty back
yellow wachman goby
lawnmore bleny

Maby list
flame angle (nice fish but it nips corals)


Invert
rocca clam carpet anenmoe blue leg hermits red scarlet hermits
bumble bee snails
nassarius snails
cleaner shrimp red sea star flame scalope

[NateL]

One suggestion that I have heard from a lot of people is that the flame scalops dont live very long.

[Mik_101]

One suggestion that I have heard from a lot of people is that the flame scalops dont live very long.

Thanks that one is of my list:lol:

[justinl]

I would scratch the orchid dottyback. pretty fish but it can get mean. you know the naso will outgrow that tank... plan to upgrade or have someone who will buy it off you.

I would also skip the flame angel for the same reason you listed. a better dwarf angel is a coral beauty... not quite as prone to coral sampling, but still no guarantees.

Some people complain that their lawnmower blenny spills sand over all their corals which stresses them. just be aware of it.

hermits have come under fire lately... many people dont consider them reefsafe anymore. I dont. only ones that are even close to it though are the scarlets. some agree, some dont.

definitely skip the flame scallop.

as a general rule of thumb, i discourage sea stars in any but the most mature tank in the hands of a conscientious capable disciplined and experienced aquarist. lol unfortunately you dont qualify (and neither do i). maybe one day though.

[Mik_101]

Ya for the naso i know that he/she will out grow my tank so im gona eventuly trade it once it gets to big.

One problom with the dottyback my mom ABSULUTY LOVES THEM and i dont know if she will listen to me(:lol: )

Lawnmore maby off my list---more like probably

Hermits i dont know scarlrts defenetly

sea star latter on

thanks JustineL

[michika]

You may want to opt for a pair of shrimp, as their eggs are often a good souce of food for other inhabitants.

[Mik_101]

You may want to opt for a pair of shrimp, as their eggs are often a good souce of food for other inhabitants.

how often do the lay eggs?

[michika]

My pair seemed to do it about once every week or two. Its pretty cool to see.

[Mik_101]

My pair seemed to do it about once every week or two. Its pretty cool to see.

lol do fish go crazy over the eggs?

[Mik_101]

Im planning on getting some chromis today do you think they could survive?

[justinl]

man if i let my mum run my 60gal tank i would have a crosshatch trigger, a few lions and a school of anthias. oh and it would be full of gorgonians and dendros supported by 65W of light. mothers, mothers though they are, should not be allowed to run tanks (unless they are the reefers themselves of course). just tell her that if you get it, the thing will end up bullying the other fish to death (not unlikely). then ask if she really supports that kind of behaviour. lol, guilt trip her into not wanting it.

shrimp hold on to the eggs until they hatch. fish eat the larvae and love it

have you cycled the tank yet?

[Mik_101]

HAHA ok il teller that!:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


No i havent cycled my tank(ok 3 days) but i do have live rock that is about 5 years old and nicly incrusted with coralline algea.

[justinl]

never add any livestock (fish, cuc, corals) to a tank that is or hasnt cycled. only after.

[michika]

lol do fish go crazy over the eggs?

They don't release them overtly, so I never watched the fish go crazy for them. The corals, mostly LPS, near where the shrimp made their home did eat the eggs. I'm sure the fish had some, but I mostly saw my LPS, frogspawn, and my hammer, enjoying the eggs.

[Mik_101]

Lol i went to the store befor reading what justinL put so to late now i got 2 clowns and 3 chromis hear are some pics

http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/?action=view&current=Picture054.jpg

http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/?action=view&current=Picture053.jpg

I have 1 problom thogh my clowns see ther reflection and when ever they swim by each other they fight??

[justinl]

sweet fish. but go return them. I dont mean to flame you, but you really should have known that NO fish or other livestock can go into a cycling tank. start this hobby right and return the fish before they die.

[X-Treme]

Not trying to be an a$$hole, but am I the only one who has a REALLY tough time reading his/her spelling???

[Mik_101]

Not trying to be an a$$hole, but am I the only one who has a REALLY tough time reading his/her spelling???

HAHA ya im not the best speller:redface: :lol:

[michika]

Mik,

Have you tested your your parameters lately? What are they reading at? I'm also going to have to second JustinL's comment about returning them. If your tank is still cycling then they shouldn't be in there.

[Mik_101]

If things turn to the worst NateL will keep my fish for 3-4 weeks (i cant even express how much i appretiate that)

[Mik_101]

Mik,

Have you tested your your parameters lately? What are they reading at? I'm also going to have to second JustinL's comment about returning them. If your tank is still cycling then they shouldn't be in there.

water perimters seem fair
ph-8.3
amnia-0.01
nitrite-0.1
nitrate 0
SG1.024

[justinl]

cycle is only halfway there i think... you gotta test weekly throughout the cycle to know where it is. conditions may worsen later so i would highly advise taking NateL on his offer.

btw nate, that really is very kind of you. lol we canreefers take care of our own. we're a big happy family :biggrin:

[Mik_101]

cycle is only halfway there i think... you gotta test weekly throughout the cycle to know where it is. conditions may worsen later so i would highly advise taking NateL on his offer.

btw nate, that really is very kind of you. lol we canreefers take care of our own. we're a big happy family :biggrin:


Man i gotta buy him a frag or somthing after ah:razz:

[NateL]

No problems, ive got a QT tank all set up, though they may be a bit cramped in a 20g, its better than nothing.

[Mik_101]

Hey Nate dont worry about it as long they have something to stay in theat is cycled it perfect :smile:

[NateL]

So... how about today's water paramaters?? Inquiring minds want to know...lol.

[Mik_101]

So... how about today's water paramaters?? Inquiring minds want to know...lol.
Did not chek it yet. Il go chek it now.

[Mik_101]

Did not chek it yet. Il go chek it now.

SG: 1.021
pH:8.8:sad:
Nitrate:0ppm
Nitrite:0ppm
Ammonia:0.25

[michika]

And bingo you have a cycle! I would say re-test the pH. Since your tank is empty I wouldn't worry too much about it. Assuming the test it correct you could do one of two things, a water change, or you could leave it for a day or two and see what happens.

[Mik_101]

And bingo you have a cycle! I would say re-test the pH. Since your tank is empty I wouldn't worry too much about it. Assuming the test it correct you could do one of two things, a water change, or you could leave it for a day or two and see what happens.

Thanks Cathrine:biggrin:

[michika]

No problem!

[Mik_101]

Im getting more liverock this week(most likley on Thursday). I found a outstanding deal the guy is willing to sell me 70 pounds for $50.00(il probably get 40) But if I realy like it heck why not get all of it and the guy will send me some picturs and I will post the on my thread.

[Mik_101]

I have a few corals that came with the LR i bought some sps som lps and ther is a couple i need help finding out what kind of coral it is.
http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/?action=view&current=Picture058.jpg
http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/?action=view&current=Picture057.jpg

Sorry the first pictur is blurrey but thats the best i could do because it is tiny tiny.

[michika]

The first looks like zoas of some sort, but I can't really tell. The second, I'm not sure, are the ends blunt, or pointy?

[Mik_101]

The first looks like zoas of some sort, but I can't really tell. The second, I'm not sure, are the ends blunt, or pointy?

The second one is hard and the edges are blunt.

[michika]

Like this? (http://www.frontiernet.net/~playfair/4sale/ornge&grndigi.jpg)

[Mik_101]

Like this? (http://www.frontiernet.net/~playfair/4sale/ornge&grndigi.jpg)

lol the pink one yes but I was talking about the Yellowish/orange coral to the right

[michika]

I'm confused, grr these not-Monday's!

Okay so in the second photo, there is one on the left, the pink one, and then the orange one. The first one, the pink sounds to be montipora digitata.

The other one I'm not sure about. Can you describe it? Bumpy? Generally following the pattern of the rock, or not growing upwards like the digitata?

[Mik_101]

I'm confused, grr these not-Monday's!

Okay so in the second photo, there is one on the left, the pink one, and then the orange one. The first one, the pink sounds to be montipora digitata.

The other one I'm not sure about. Can you describe it? Bumpy? Generally following the pattern of the rock, or not growing upwards like the digitata?

Harf sort of bumpy and follows the figure of the LR.

[Mik_101]

Ok hear are some more pictures of the zoas and the yellowish/orange coral.
For the yellowish/orange coral these might be better pictures I dont know but I think ther better. Ther is also 1 more coral and Im pretty sure its acropora(it apears all white(i dont know why) but its actuly realy nice and blue on the tip-1/2 down then brown) I also have 1 more montipora digitata exept it is green.

http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/?action=view&current=Picture060.jpg
http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/?action=view&current=Picture059.jpg
http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/?action=view&current=Picture058-1.jpg
http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/?action=view&current=Picture062.jpg
http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/?action=view&current=Picture061.jpg
http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/?action=view&current=Picture064.jpg

Sorrey about the flashes

[Mik_101]

I took Cathrines idea to tie up the wires behind the ballasts(actinic and 2xMH) and I did looks atleas 10x better. Next step make a nice black wooden box around the ballasts.

hear are some Befor and after photos.

http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/?action=view&current=Picture036.jpg BEFOR

http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/?action=view&current=Picture065.jpg AFTER

[michika]

Definitely a huge improvement!

[Mik_101]

Today I tested my water and everything seems well.
ammonia=0.25
pH=8.5
Spacific Gravity=1.022
no3=0ppm
no2=0pmm

One provlme I have is diatoms. Do you giys know what chemical/janitor is good to kill/eat the diatoms.
Thanks.

[michika]

Just leave the diatomes alone, they will work themselves out of your system. Any particular reason you've chosen 1.022 as your SG?

All you really have to do is keep an eye on your ammonia, as soon as it hits 0, I would recommend waiting a couple more days, after hitting 0 to confirm, but your cycle should be over at that point.

[Mik_101]

Ya i know that the ammonia is kind of high but its funny because my fish are realy playful eat regualarly and have realy nice coloration no fish seems un happy at all but like I said if things go realy realy bad im gona ask NateL to watch them for.

I oicked 1.022 because Iv heard lots of storys your SG has to be 1.025 or 1.021 so I just picked what wis in the middle 1.022 and Im hapy with it.

Im getting more live rock this week unfortently some guy I found on vancouvers.craiglist was going to sell me about 70 pounds for $50.00 but someone else is buying his whole system but lukely I found anther person to buy LR from still dont know what she will ask for it but it looks like realy good LR. Probably getting it this weekend.

[Mik_101]

I thik iidentifyef the yellowish/orang coral. Its a type of Cyphastrea.(its a sps)

[Mik_101]

Today I added 30 more pounds of caribsea aragonite so the brings it all to 60 pounds of carib aragonite.

[michika]

I'm curious to see how your two corals grow out. I'm also glad you identified it!

[justinl]

im curious as to why the fish are still in the tank.

[Mik_101]

Like i said my water parlements look fune(so far) if they turn to the wose nateL will take care of them.

[Mik_101]

Ok maby time to get my fish to nateL...
WATER PARLAMENTS
pH-8.4
Ammonia-0.25ppm
No2Betwwen 0 and 0.25 ppm
No3-5.0 ppm
SG.-1.022
:sad: :cry:

[Mik_101]

Quick question how do I know when my tank cycle is over??

[justinl]

when ammonia and NO2 are zero and NO3 has reached a peak.

[Redrover]

The main thing is take your time,this is happens to all of us when we first start out...Cycle tank first 3 to 4 weeks, doesn't matter how old the rock is.
All new tanks will go through this

[Mik_101]

Ok hear are the water parameters for today

Ammonia-0.25 ppm
pH-8.2
SG-8.3
No2-10ppm
No3-0 ppm
temp.-80 degrees Fahrenheit

[Renegade]

seriously man its your money but SLOW DOWN this hobby does not happen over nigh and before you know it you'll be quiting b/c you've spent all this money and every things DIES. do some more reading, i don't mean to be mean but when it says something in a book or on a reliable web page take there word for it they have been doing this alot longer then you, (and me) just b/c your parameters are measuring ok (which there not) does not mean its ok to fill your tank up in a week. IMO and the opinion of others on this board a new tank isn't stable untill after at least 6 month. GO SLOW. Don't Impulse buy READ< READ, READ.

People might get less frustrated with you if you listened to the advice they are offering you and didn't just brush it off. If your not willing to take advice then don't ask.

[Mik_101]

Yes I took thire advice and dident buy anything im goin to wait for about another 2-3 weeks.

Is it ok to add more liverock though.

[michika]

If you do, be prepared, you may have another mini cycle, and have to wait longer to start adding to your system. Even though you may have to wait longer in the end, now would be a better time to add rock then later.

[Mik_101]

Ok I'm getting another 40/50 LBS of live rock from overwhelmed.

[Mik_101]

Hear is the LR i piked up to overwhlmed.

http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/?action=view&current=Picture066.jpg

Already in my tank and aqua scaped.

[Mik_101]

Amonnia-0.25
PH-8.4
No2-0
No3-5.0
Calsium-480(i think it might be to high eh)

[Mik_101]

I dont know why Photobucket is not working for me. It says this page can not be accsesed pleas tell me if you can get on ther.

[goby1]

Hey, we have the same tank!

I set mine up in Sep/04 and have had good luck with it. With a young family and full time work, I've kept it fairly low maintenance which probably has a lot to do with success in this hobby (maintenance that is). Keep a diary of everything, it'll come in handy when you need to look back.

I started with FOWLR (50lbs), a Remora skimmer and PC lighting. Over the last 2 years I have dabbled a bit and added a sebae anenome for the clown, some frogspan and star polyps a friend gave me and some pulsing zenia. There's also a rose tipped BTA that hitch hiked on and has grown from tiny to about 3 inches across.

I was interested in the comment about the sea star. I added a white sand shifting sea star after about 3 months of setting up the tank and have had zero issues with it. It does a fantastic job of keeping the sand clean. My sand pretty much looks like the day I put it in there. But then, that's pretty much how this hobby goes, one person has one experience and someone else has another. That's not to say not to learn from others' mistakes - that can help you to save a lot of money and headaches.

Take your time and have fun with it.

[Mik_101]

Hey nice tank man. You should add some LPS and softies. It would like better not saing it looks bad. Heck you have a better LR arangment thatn me.

[michika]

Mik,

The new rock in the tank looks great! Just keep tracking your parameters, and you should be good to go soon.

How are your two hitchhiker corals doing?

[Mik_101]

Hey Michica Heck their prospering very well and I got a bunch of new ones on the Rock got. I got atleast 3 diffrent mushrooms and a HUGE montipora as well as the #1 pest Apatasia. apatasia anemones are separate from the other rock until I get apatite control. Which one is the best?

[michika]

I'm not sure what your asking...sorry

[Mik_101]

I was asking witch apatsia killer works the best.

[michika]

I've tried Peppermint shrimp, and I have a Copperband butterfly, all by the way were duds when it came to aptasia.

I used a syringe with lemon juice and that was quite effective, although the trick is to get it right into the stalk. You also have to be careful about not injecting too much lemon juice into the system.

[Mik_101]

When injecting the lemon juice how much should you use like 0.5 mL?

[michika]

I just try to be stingy in its use. 0.5mL is probably fine!

[Mik_101]

I shot 1 apatisia with lime juice not sure if it worked.

[Zoaelite]

I shot 1 apatisia with lime juice not sure if it worked.

Just gota be difficult and use Lime juice instead of Lemon dont ya :lol:.
Nice tank system though, I just started up a 28G JBJ cube so I know what your dealing with. If I can give you a tip though, the biggest thing in this Hobby is to consider what is sutable for your tank and which decisions will stress out your fish the least. Saying that A Naso or any sort of tang in a 46 jus wont work :(. Small or not its a living animal and trapping it in an enclosure that can threaten its life in unresponsible as a reef keeper.
Levi

[michika]

Assuming your not color blind, you'll see the aptasia turn purple within a little while, say 30 minutes of injection.

This is what usually happens when I did it:
1) Aptasia is out and mocking me.
2) I sneak up on it and jab quickly so I can get the needle tip into the stalk before the aptasia retracts.
3) I pump it full of a bit of lemon juice.
4) I wait and watch, if I failed the aptasia will come back out, its usual color, still mocking me. If I was lucky they usually turn a purplish color, are swollen looking, and then they start to shrivel and disintegrate.

[Mik_101]

OK it has been a month of cyceling in a few days( about 4) and I am going to wait 1 more week befor getting a fire goby what wher the experinces you have had with a fire goby fo I need to add a glass top onto my tank to orvent him from jumping out.

[Jason McK]

Hey Mik the Rock work looks great. Lots of good holes and caves.

It really isn't a time thing with cycling the tank. it a chemistry thing. Since you've added more rock your cycle will have started again. All be it smaller as it came from an established tank.
first you MUST wait until your ammonia is zero and your Nitrites are also ZERO. Then you can perform a water change to bring your Nitrates down. some time after this you will begin to get really bad brown algae outbreak and every attempt to get rid of it will fail. This Brown algae cycle takes between 2 weeks and a lot longer. During this you can get a clean up crew and fish but you need to go slow. One day when your just about to end it all because of the brown algae you will wake up look at the tank and it will have disappeared.
That is truly when your tank is "Cycled"

J

[Mik_101]

Hear are the water parlaments for today

Ca=465ppm(to high for my likeing)
SG=1.023
Ammonia+0.25
No2=0
No3=0
pH=8.6

[Mik_101]

Ok hear are some pictures of my corals and 1 fish.
My clownfish (i have 2)
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/Picture076.jpg
some mushrooms
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/Picture075.jpg
new and final aquascape
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/Picture074.jpg
monti
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/Picture073.jpg
acropora
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/Picture072.jpg
hirey mushrooms
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/Picture070.jpg
another monti
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/Picture069.jpg

[Mik_101]

Sorrey about the bad pictures.

[michika]

Hear are the water parlaments for today

Ca=465ppm(to high for my likeing)
SG=1.023
Ammonia+0.25
No2=0
No3=0
pH=8.6

Your Calcium is okay, its of no danger to your system for it to be a bit high. Don't worry about it. :biggrin: You still probably want to raise your SG to around 1.024-1.026. Your cycle may be restarting because of your new rock, or it could be ending keep testing, but you can definitely see a change. I think your pH is a bit on the high side as well. You may want to try a water change to combat that.

Do you have an alkalinity test?

Some of your SPS look like they are receeding, or experiencing RTN (rapid tissue necrosis). Have you seen changes in them over time, or have they always been like that?

[Mik_101]

They have beem like that scince i got them one has grew.

[michika]

Well hopefully they will reclaim their abandon skeletons and you'll start to see some new colors and growth develop!

[Mik_101]

Do you think my lights are strong enough. The corals are about 9-10 inches in the water and im planing to have all sps on the topand just before the middle and then softies and LPS.

[Mik_101]

Well hopefully they will reclaim their abandon skeletons and you'll start to see some new colors and growth develop!

The coral reclaiming it's abandoned skin and is getting a florescent green color I will post some pictures as soon as I get new batteries in my camera.
I got a new acropora from OA(ocean aquatics) its quite nice and starting to color up at the base and the tips. The tip are blue and the base of the coral is florescent green. The middle par is getting a green tip. I am hoping that the whole coral will color up. BTW it is a frag.

My water parliaments are as follows.
Temp. 80 degrees Fahrenheit
SG. 1.024
pH. 8.4
Mg. 1026(on the raise got to take it in to get it re tested)
Ca. 425
Dkh. 10.6
No2. 0
No3. 0
Ammonia. 0

I am getting some more flow into my tank when I buy the tunze nano stream 6055(I believe) and later on a Koralia 4 power head witch will bring my flow up to about 2000 gph. ( will this be to much flow for my 46?)

[Mik_101]

Few picture. I will post pictures when I get new live stock or corals.

Tiny naso-will be relocated to a 200 g.
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/Picture077.jpg

Royal Gramma
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/Picture080.jpg

New acro.
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/Picture082.jpg


Sorry about the quality of the pictures.

[Mik_101]

New digitata an other coral that I received from my friend(I almost lost this coral during shipping). I LIKE IT ALLOT! and some DIY stuff.

New coral that I have no idea what it is but almost lost it during the 1 hour ride home.
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/Picture086.jpg

(next 2 pictures) my new digitata
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/Picture087.jpg
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/Picture088.jpg

DIY coral grow out center.
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/Picture089.jpg

DIY tank cover.
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/Picture091.jpg

[Mik_101]

full tank shot
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/Picture125.jpg

New bali green slimer
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/Picture126.jpg

[Sebae again]

Nice rock work.

[michika]

Looks like its coming along well.

You may want to try looking to see if your camera has a macro option (looks like a little flower). It will allow you to take better photos of your corals, and when you want to look back to compare growth it will make a huge difference.

[Mik_101]

Looks like its coming along well.

You may want to try looking to see if your camera has a macro option (looks like a little flower). It will allow you to take better photos of your corals, and when you want to look back to compare growth it will make a huge difference.

Unfortently I have a pice of cra* digital camer. I can juts take photos and videos. I will try to take my brothers digital camera and it has the option:lol: .

[Mik_101]

Hear is another FTS along with the blue star fish

FTS
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/Picture133.jpg

Blue star fish
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/Picture131.jpg

[bv_reefer]

o man reefs coming along real good man, keep it up

[Mik_101]

Video of the tank. Hope you like it sorry about the quality.

http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/miki_17_o7/?action=view&current=Picture134.flv


The yellow tang(his name is Hawaiian lemon) is shy anyone comes near the tank he will hide. Bit wired but it happens.