My reef journey -Jocelyn

[NightShadeFairy]

Hi there,
I have had a 55g for the last two years, and have done very little with it due to lack of knowledge, I stuck with what I knew. Which really, isn't much. I have managed to keep alive my Regal tang, my Blonde Naso tang, my Piccasso Clarkii clown fish & anemone, and my fav of all, my regal angel.
I have been watching and waiting for the opportunity to get a bigger tank, and I finally got one. With this new tank I have promised myself I would learn all I can, get lots of help, and make my new 120g what I originally started out wanting, a reef tank.
This is my journal of that journey.
So thrilled to have found this forum! :) here are some pics of the transfer process, I had to move the 120 into the same spot the 55g was, meaning I couldn't empty one into the other, I had to completly dismantle the 55 and move it, to be able to begin setting up the 120.
I had also bought new sand so the rinsing took over two hours, and the tank was still so cloudy when I set it up that all I could do was get all the rock into the new tank so I could get the fish in and get it running.. The fish where in a bucket for almost 8 hours..
Once the water cleared up the next day a bit, I was able to arrange my LR and then leave it alone for awhile!
It was looking pretty dicey there a few days, I was worried I would loose some fish, but everybody (except my bangaii cardinal who swam straight into my anemone :()
I am falling asleep.. I will continue this tomorrow /)

[gregzz4]

Nice upgrade Jocelyn !!!

Can't wait to see some pics :wink:

[gregzz4]

Dang 'can't edit' feature ....
Is this a 6 foot 120g ?

[NightShadeFairy]

Thank-you Greg :)
No, this one is not nearly so long, rather, it is fairly deep, and tall. I will post the parameters this eve after work :) and try to get the pics up :)
I had a 6 foot long freshwater a few years back, and I like the looks of this one much better :)

[NightShadeFairy]

Haha I will try to tone down the smiley faces, but I smile most of the time in real time, I guess it's habbit to portray that, I just noticed when I went back and viewed my reply lol! ;)

[NightShadeFairy]

So, I finally get a chance to continue my journal! I thought I should do some back tracking with regards to the contents of my 55g that I just switched over from. My angel has been in there for a year, and my clown just under that. I waited till I was within 5-6 months of getting my new tank before I got my tangs, first the regal, then about 3 months ago the Naso. I got them quite small, and knew I would be getting a new tank before they where uncomfortable in the 55. That is why I waited so long before getting them. And other than the cardinal that I sadly lost immediately after the transfer to the anemone, those are the only fish I have had in my tank for the last year. I felt the 55 was much too small to have more.
Now that they are in the 120, they look tiny again!
Now that I have more room, I am really looking forward to adding more fish!!
I plan on trying to use J&L aquatic's display tank as my 'role model' for the my tank, I am very un-knowledgeable about corals, so I thought thT would be a good way to learn. One fellow in particular has been extremely helpful, thanks so much John! Although I have to say, everyone there is always helpful when I call.

So, back to my 120g progress!
It has been switched over for 1week and 2 days, and it has moved full on into the terribly ugly phase!! I stir my sand each morning and by the end of the day it's covered in brown algae again.. I forgot about this first few weeks cycle, bleh! I can't wait till its over!!

I currently have 4 T5HO's going, but will need to upgrade, I am planning on going to an 8 bulb set of T5HO's and once I have done that I will begin putting in corals. While I save up for the lights I will begin stocking the fish.

I will post a list of what I am planning to get, and perhaps I can get advise on that list :)

I use my iPhone for building this thread, and the app I use just upgraded, allowing me to post pics. I will post one and see if it actually shows up as a pic to others? Or if it comes up as a link or some such thing.

I have been busy reading other tank build threads, and I must say, mine will be quite boring by comparison! Some amazing things happening out there!! But I have a tight budget, and so will be doing this as affordably as possible. I know this hobby isn't cheap, but there is defiantly a LARGE range on how much can be spent!!

Here is a pic of my old tank beside my new tank before the transfer, if others are able to see it please let me know, so I don't post a bunch of pics and unknowingly post a bunch of links to pics instead!
Thanks!

[reefwars]

no pic:(

[NightShadeFairy]

Arg! I am sorry! I am trying to figure this out. I will keep trying till I get it!

[NightShadeFairy]

http://i1162.photobucket.com/albums/q540/SadieSativa/my%20reef%20tank/be9853d7.jpg
That is the new tank beside the old tank, about to begin the dismantling of the 55 to be able to move the 120 into the same place.

[reefwars]

looking good nice looking tank ya got there ;)

[NightShadeFairy]

http://i1162.photobucket.com/albums/q540/SadieSativa/my%20reef%20tank/ca6abe4b.jpg
Even after rinsing the new sand vigorously for almost three hours, and then carefully lowering it in bowl by bowl, it was still this cloudy when I was finished. Too cloudy to see to do my rockscaping.

[NightShadeFairy]

Thank-you! :)

[NightShadeFairy]

http://i1162.photobucket.com/albums/q540/SadieSativa/my%20reef%20tank/aaebb313.jpg
This is the next morning. Clear enough to see everyone has survived, and to arrange my rock to my liking :)

[NightShadeFairy]

http://i1162.photobucket.com/albums/q540/SadieSativa/my%20reef%20tank/72993ea1.jpg
This will do until the dry rock that I got with the new tank (Craigslist) has cured, at that time I will do one more re-arrangement to prepare for the future arrival of corals :)

[reefwars]

looks great , has your green carpet eaten any fish yet??

[NightShadeFairy]

http://i1162.photobucket.com/albums/q540/SadieSativa/my%20reef%20tank/481d5c80.jpg

[gregzz4]

Lookin' good :smile:
Got the Bangaii straight away :sad:
If you think that's ugly algae, you should see mine !!!

[NightShadeFairy]

The little green carpet ate two tiny saltwater Molly's that I thought might be easy to breed (eggs for a secondary food source) they where not very intelligent (obviously) other than that, it hasn't in the 8 months I have had it. I have had a large saddle anemone as well for over a year, and the only fish it ever ate is one tang that was looking unwell straight from the store.. It was a purchase made unwisely as I really wanted a new fish, and it was the only appropriate selection in the store. (And i drove almost two hours to get to the store lol!) I was hoping it would recover in a good system. I learned my lesson the hard way when it declined quickly and basically swam right into it. Aside from that my other fish have been fine, my clown lives in there. I am thinking I will get rid of them before going heavy into stocking the new tank, although I would like to find something that my clown will like to live in as much.

[reefwars]

The little green carpet ate two tiny saltwater Molly's that I thought might be easy to breed (eggs for a secondary food source) they where not very intelligent (obviously) other than that, it hasn't in the 8 months I have had it. I have had a large saddle anemone as well for over a year, and the only fish it ever ate is one tang that was looking unwell straight from the store.. It was a purchase made unwisely as I really wanted a new fish, and it was the only appropriate selection in the store. (And i drove almost two hours to get to the store lol!) I was hoping it would recover in a good system. I learned my lesson the hard way when it declined quickly and basically swam right into it. Aside from that my other fish have been fine, my clown lives in there. I am thinking I will get rid of them before going heavy into stocking the new tank, although I would like to find something that my clown will like to live in as much.

if its already playing in the anemone it will most likely play in others.

[reefwars]

Got the Bangaii straight away :sad:




yours did??

[gregzz4]

That's what I thought I read in her first post, but no mention of it in post #18

[reefwars]

That's what I thought I read in her first post, but no mention of it in post #18


ah gotcha;)

[NightShadeFairy]

Well the cardinal I kind of don't really count, not that his life wasn't important, but it was my panic at how long everything had been out of the tank and in buckets that induced me to put everything into the 120 when it was still so cloudy.. Everything had been in buckets for 7 & 1/2 hours.. My anemone without heat even.. He was so stressed out that he didn't even try to close on the cardinal, the cardinal swam right into him and was stuck there, I pulled him off and he swam away, and managed to live for several more hours but sadly the damage was done.
I made a few mistakes when it came to this huge endeavor, I had never done something like this, the 55g was my first saltwater tank. Unfortunately the cardinal was the one that suffered my mistake. But considering all factors involved, I am very greatful that I only had one fatality, and I learned some valuable lessons for future reference.

[NightShadeFairy]

Lol I wonder if I am the only one who would blame myself over the anemone in that situation? Lol!

[NightShadeFairy]

http://i1162.photobucket.com/albums/q540/SadieSativa/my%20reef%20tank/ab072810.jpg

[NightShadeFairy]

http://i1162.photobucket.com/albums/q540/SadieSativa/my%20reef%20tank/7db8792c.jpg

[NightShadeFairy]

http://i1162.photobucket.com/albums/q540/SadieSativa/my%20reef%20tank/6931b93d.jpg
http://i1162.photobucket.com/albums/q540/SadieSativa/my%20reef%20tank/23d011e8.jpg
http://i1162.photobucket.com/albums/q540/SadieSativa/my%20reef%20tank/e7e2f99f.jpg
http://i1162.photobucket.com/albums/q540/SadieSativa/my%20reef%20tank/fca7dd60.jpg

[NightShadeFairy]

So. That is my progress to date! All survivors are very happy, and I can now let the tank do its thing for a bit.
What a difference in water retention having a closed system!! The top was open in the 55, as well as the sump. I was constantly loosing water to evaporation.. I didn't really realize how big a difference a closed system would make! Plus, it is so much quieter! :)

[NightShadeFairy]

By the way, I apologize in advance for the quality of pics, my iPhone is my only way of taking pics.

[NightShadeFairy]

Well today was an exciting day. It's been a week and a half since I switched my 55g into my 120. I tested my water parameters today just to double check everything before I headed down to Burnaby to J&L's for some salt, and of course... a new fish!
Water was perfect. I can't wait for the two week uglies to go away though!
At the store I was torn between a Scopas tang and a Yellow tang.. I was really leaning more towards the Scopas but my daughter was with me.. And pretty much begged me to get the yellow. So I did. I also got a much anticipated and long awaited fish, but was unable to get it as the 55g was open on top. I finally got my purple firefish!! Yay!!
Both fish settled in very nicely! The yellow took maybe 20 mins to start picking at the rock.. As for the fire fish it gave me a heart attack for a bit.. Couldn't find it ANYWHERE! And I mean anywhere, tubing, outflow chamber, sump etc.
I couldn't figure it out.. When I finally noticed just his tail sticking out of a tiny cave he has already created under a rock in the sand! He peeks his head out, but comes out quite a bit as well..
The are both awesome and I'm so happy! Pics to come tomorrow :)

[gregzz4]

Kool :smile:

Can't wait to see some new pics !!!!

[NightShadeFairy]

Well, I haven't posted pics yet.. My tank is almost finished the ugly stage of the new tank transfer from the old one.. The brown alga bloom is almost finished.. It's been ugly and difficult to keep on top
of. I have been cleaning glass every second day and have left it for three days a few times, as my hippo (regal) tang got ick (of course he did arg) from the stress of the transfer. So reaching my arm down in there to muck about is an extra stress Jack (my tang) doesn't need. He is almost over it, alga is starting to back off.. And now I'm going to throw things into chaos again by getting my new lights on sat.
But then I will be able to start getting any kind of corals!! Wooo!!!
Progress.
I am seriously considering purchasing a new tank though.. I am not sure yet if I am digging the acrylic.. Arg. That will be an even bigger job than switching from the 55g to the 120g as the 120 will be extremely difficult to get sand out of, it only has openings in the top.
We shall see.
Will post pics soon.. :)

[NightShadeFairy]

So, I have decided to let things be for now and go ahead with things as planned, I will just be super careful, and hope for the best, as I really love the dimensions of this tank.
Yesterday I got new lights, was hoping the legs would work with the dimensions of the tank, but as I was buying them off a fellow member I got an excellent deal than what I was originally planning for (new) so I wasn't about to be too choosy about measurements as long as it was enough light for my tank :)
So my choice is using the hanging kit and eventually having a canopy built to put them into.
Here are finally some pics of my new yellow Tang, and purple fire fish http://i1162.photobucket.com/albums/q540/SadieSativa/my%20reef%20tank/36b8c5df.jpg
http://i1162.photobucket.com/albums/q540/SadieSativa/my%20reef%20tank/36b8c5df.jpghttp://i1162.photobucket.com/albums/q540/SadieSativa/my%20reef%20tank/21fae257.jpghttp://i1162.photobucket.com/albums/q540/SadieSativa/my%20reef%20tank/c82034f3.jpghttp://i1162.photobucket.com/albums/q540/SadieSativa/my%20reef%20tank/b40d0590.jpghttp://i1162.photobucket.com/albums/q540/SadieSativa/my%20reef%20tank/4a301824.jpg

When the kids and I where trying to pick out names for the yellow tang, I jokingly suggested Big Bird, as the new tang was the smallest of the group and yellow of course.. My daughter was so vehement that "NO you are NOT naming it that!!" that I kept saying "I think we should name it Big Bird!" several times to bug her lol!
(she is 15 and a real character)
I actually didn't want to name it that, but now it's kind of stuck because of the joke..
So it's unofficially Big Bird until we find a better name, and the firefish we named Sméagol (Gollum's name from Lord of the Rings) because the firefish immediately made itself a home in a cave.. So Sméagol it is ;)
I only have 4 types of mushrooms in the tank so far, today I am going to pick up what I call my first 'big girl' corals.. I am a bit nervous as I am so new at the corals, but super stoked as well :)
Will post pics later :)

[NightShadeFairy]

I notice the firefish looks like its in a different tank, but I think it's just because of the angle the pics were taken at, and the new sand is still slightly battling the alga bloom.

[NightShadeFairy]

Oh yes, I am also trying to figure out the best way to put a background on the glass.. I see on here many people paint their tanks, I am too nervous to do that, I am thinking I will put a background up, now to decide if I should do blue or black.. I'm leaning towards black so the cords that I am not able to hide don't show as much..

[NightShadeFairy]

Yay! I got my first coral today! (I love my mushrooms but they are so easy I don't really count them lol)
I got a beautifully colored purple and green frogspawn. I am a nervous Nelly waiting to see if it adjusts and likes my tank.. I will post a pic in a few days.
This is big for me as I've always jut had fish aside from the various types of mushrooms. :)

[daplatapus]

I think the hardest time I have with getting new corals is tank placement. For some reason, no matter how much reading I do I'm never quite sure how to interpret instructions like "medium light, medium flow" with my personal tanks conditions. The indecision and fear of not giving a coral it's optimal spot first off always makes me nervous. And yet I think the only coral I've hurt was a Blastomussa I put too close to the light and it melted away to almost nothing before I realized that's what the problem was. It has since recovered and is very healthy.
But corals (IMHO) definitely round out the look of a SW tank and I'm probably more fascinated with my corals than I am with my fish.
So congrats on venturing into the world of corals :) I love frogspawns, they're very cool especially once they fill out. Mine seems to like being right on the bottom in an area I'd describe as medium to lower flow.