33g first tank

[1337cr3w]

I bought this tank used form reef_surfer and plan to house a dwarf lion in it. some specs on the tank are.

-33g tank 30.5"Long x 12.5"wide x 18.75" high
-seio 650 water pump
-25lbs live sand and coral rubble
-aprrox. 40 lbs live rock
-aquaclear 50 filter
-coralife super skimmer 65
-250W Metal Halide light with ballast

the tank was down for a week so its cycling now only been 4 days so far. I came across the topic of uv sterilizers and was wondering if it'd be something i should have, i plan to have a dwarf lion, a clown fish and a yellow tail damsel in the tank with a few corrals.

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7713.jpg
first on stand empty
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7717.jpg
halide only w/camera flash
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7719.jpg
in dark no camera flash

[1337cr3w]

so yesterday my amonia came down to zero and everything else was zero so today i got my fish put in

I added a false percula, a yellow tail blue damsel, an unknown anemone and a green star polyp.

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7731.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7738.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7740.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7754.jpg

I also slighty moved the live rock, making room for another piece i want to add on the right.

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7741.jpg

help identifying the anemone would be nice, i could not get a good picture of him, ill keep trying for a better picture.

[Reef_surfer]

hey bud the anemone i forgot to tell you is a sand sifting anemone. hope everything, one is doing good in the tank

[Reef_kid]

i would really suggest something to remove nitrate and nitrite, phosphate, and ammonia form the water. it will help eliminate green algae and promote Coraline algae. you may need to increase your filtration on the system if your going to increase the bio-load.

[saltynuts]

if you cut the tube from the pump to the skimmer. your skimmer will skimm much better.

[1337cr3w]

if you cut the tube from the pump to the skimmer. your skimmer will skimm much better.

cut as in shorten?

and what would i add to reduce nitrates, nitrites, amonia and phosphate? i have coraline algae growing, it showed up a few days ago and is starting to grow faster and faster.

[saltynuts]

yes shorten the hose.

[Myka]

Heya! You've got a great start on your tank! Your live rock has really nice shapes. Where did you get it? Good to see another Skatchie on the forums!!!

You may want to consider progressing slower, as I foresee some possible deaths in the near future from pushing on too quickly. It would have been wise to wait at least a week with 0 ammonia/nitrite before adding livestock. It would have also been wise to just add one fish at a time, especially in a tank of a smaller size. Anemones are also quite sensitive creatures, and appreciate a more established reef. Keep an eye on your critters for signs of stress as you may need to move back a step before stepping ahead again. Your anemone almost looks like a hairy mushroom in the pic though. Or a Rock Anemone of some sort (there are many different species)?

How's the temperature in the tank with the big halide? Do you get fluctuations from night/day?

[Reef_kid]

for nitrate use a nitrate remover
http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/sc-dnit1/SeaChem+de+Nitrate+Filter+Media+-+1+Litre.html

and for phosphate you can use ferric oxide

http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/rw-phos0100/RowaPhos+Phosphate+Removal+Media+-+100+mL.html

small tank build up excess of these nutrients as your tank cycles.
in larger tanks you can have sumps
most people cycling occurs much faster then it actually does..

you can add a little sack of these chemical filters to your aquaclear filter.

[1337cr3w]

Heya! You've got a great start on your tank! Your live rock has really nice shapes. Where did you get it? Good to see another Skatchie on the forums!!!

You may want to consider progressing slower, as I foresee some possible deaths in the near future from pushing on too quickly. It would have been wise to wait at least a week with 0 ammonia/nitrite before adding livestock. It would have also been wise to just add one fish at a time, especially in a tank of a smaller size. Anemones are also quite sensitive creatures, and appreciate a more established reef. Keep an eye on your critters for signs of stress as you may need to move back a step before stepping ahead again. Your anemone almost looks like a hairy mushroom in the pic though. Or a Rock Anemone of some sort (there are many different species)?

How's the temperature in the tank with the big halide? Do you get fluctuations from night/day?


well reef_surfer had the tank down for only a week buit the live rock live sand and everything was still in a running tank so, i hope i was safe to put them in already but ya i probably should have waited a bit longer. and with the light i have to turn down the heater when i turn it on or it will rise over a degree per hour. but i keep an eye on it checking every hour and adjusting to compensate.

I have two bags of carbon and a sponge in the filter do i replace one carbon with a bag of a mix of these?

and reef_kid thanks ill look into those.

[Myka]

A GFO (phosphate remover) might be a good idea, but I see no need for a nitrate sponge. If I were you I would remove the regular sponge in the AC unless you are replacing it weekly as it will become a "nitrate factory" all in its own accord.

In the end though, keep it simple. You will be well rewarded. :) I kept a 33g LPS dominated tank quite successfully for 2 years with a very simple setup. Didn't even have a skimmer on it. You can find pics and details on here if you search for "Myka's 33g".

[Reef_surfer]

yes shorten the hose.

it has already been modified. i took about 2 inches off when i had it.

[1337cr3w]

the polyp has nwo shot out its green grass things and the anemone is eating all fish seem happy so far, ammonia is up a bit since i added the fish, up to .25 wondering if i should jsut let it work it self down or should i add an amonia remover of some sort? also , the lionfish will come within the next month i figure, will live in a qt for awhile, what kind of clean up crew can i use with a dwarf lion, i was thinking a sansifting starfish and a few snail, i read lions will sometimes not eat snails but usually eat all crabs.

[Myka]

Your tank is too small for a sand sifting starfish same with conchs. The sandsifting starfish are difficult to keep even in quite large aquariums. You can try larger snails like Astraea or Trochus for cleaning the rocks and glass. I think you're out of luck for a sand cleaner of any sort in a tank that small with a dwarf lion. You can always use a gravel cleaner to clean the top 1/2" of sand. Just use your thumb on the end of the siphon to pause it every once in awhile to let the sand fall back down.

For the ammonia, I woud suggest the use of Prime. If you haven't done a water change since adding the fish I would suggest you do a 25% change.

[1337cr3w]

ok, i will do a 25% water change and add prime when i do it, unfortunately theres nothing open until boxing day, think it'll be fine until then?

photo update: the damsel flew out of hiding when i turned the light on so i got some better pictures of it and everything else too

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7771.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7776.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7784.jpg

and picked up some supplies to finish off my stand,red oak boards and some slate tile.
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7785.jpg

[Myka]

Lookin good! I love slate on a stand!! Your fish are looking happier today, they were looking pretty stressed in the other photos. The ammonia will probably settle down by the time you can get Prime. It's good to have on hand anyway though. A small bottle goes a long way as it's only 1 mL for 10 gallons if I remember correctly. I'm in BC right now otherwise I'd offer you could come over and grab some Prime from me, I have GFO you could buy too (it's expensive otherwise I'd give it to you). Don't add anything live to your tank while there is ammonia, especially any inverts. The algae you have right now really isn't much of a concern. Time to let it chill for a bit.

[1337cr3w]

lmk about the GFO stuff when you're back. know what bayside is doin on boxing day?

finally got a decent picture of the anemone, when i shut the light off he starts to stand up like this??? but wiht light on he just flies to lay flat. this normal for it? its up on top of the middle arch rock i want to move it to a shaded spot i think.

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7791.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7794.jpg
in bottom pic he stand about 3 inches tall... wtf is this? and reef_surfer i can't find anything anywhere talking about a sand sifting anemone.

[Myka]

Your anemone looks fine, they change as the lights go on and off. I wouldn't try to move it if I were you, it will move on it's own if it wants to. I've never heard anyone use "Sand sifting anemone" as a common name, but to me it looks like some type of Rock Anemone of which there are various species. Many are known to capture small fish (like Gobies) at times.

[1337cr3w]

went to bayside's boxing day sale and spent too much but came home with 10 spiney throchus snails, and a dwarf lion, plus alot of chemicals i need. some pics of the lion and his qt. do you think its too small? its like a 2 liter beta tank i had sitting around, will have an air stone and has a few pieces of lr in it for him to hide behind.
Mid water change right now of 8 ish gallons waiting for new water to heat up a bit. my phosphate lvl is 2.0 ppm. i just got the phosphate test today so i have no idea is this too high of a lvl. also my anemone has only eaten 2 maybe 3 mysis shrimp since i got it four days ago.

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7809.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7808.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7807.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7806.jpg

[1337cr3w]

so definately didnt know that a heater couldn't be left on and set out of water lol. it was only for like one minute but i went to pik it up burnt my finger, touched it in the water and it blew up...literally blew up, then right after i also managed to step on a thermometer i bought today... fun times

[1337cr3w]

so its been a few weeks, alot has changed first of all the anemone just decided to pack his things and move randomly he sat still for a month now hes moved into a hole in the rock and looks really neat.
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7863.jpg

I want to get an open brain but i want to make sure i dont kill it so i bought some zoas to try and keep alive and i'll work my way up to a brain.
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7858.jpg

and my lionfish is in the tank now and swimming around happy with the other fish, eating 1 ghost shrimp every other day. ill try to train him onto frozen foods soon.

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7862.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7875.jpg

and one more picture of the whole tank you call it fts??? i guess so.

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7878.jpg

[fishytime]

Love the little kitty:wink:

[1337cr3w]

well, almost have the sump going now just waiting for a few pieces of glass thats ready monday and a pump thats in the mail.
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7898.jpg

I have a couple concerns though, first of all this white thing poped up a few days ago. so did a few white things that looks like flower bulbs but are the size of a pea.
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7899.jpg

also my one zoa doesnt look very healty a few of its end dont open anymore and apear to have sealed over the end. but the other parts open perfecty, it was just recently moved but didnt look much better before either.
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7901.jpg

any answers would help. but besides that everything is doing good hers a pic of everything togethr and a fts.
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7911.jpg

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7895.jpg

[1337cr3w]

so, i got a strawberry dottyback chromis. qt'd him then added him in and that stupid blue damsel chased her all over the place and ate half her tail. within 9 hours he was sold and with a new tank.. so heres pics of whats left of the chromis tail and the onlt one i could get of her. shes very afraid to come out but is getting better.
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7947.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7946.jpg

in the efforts to catch the damsel i had almost all my rock out so it got a slight re doing, making room for more when i find a nice big piece for sale.
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7940.jpg

i also noticed something growing on one of my snails.. looks like a tiny feather duster.. any ideas?
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7937.jpg

Also my cabinet is basically finished, i still need to attach the magnets to both sides to hold the panels up but for now they just lean on.
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r56/waltz_of_death/IMG_7945.jpg