jm82792 Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Well I'm new to all of this,my dad stills says I should have done Cichlids because they don't have much work and cost is minimal. I wanted something better than my FW(freshwater in general) 10 gallon tank,could only do one more tank so I did some researching 4 months ago.. So I'm very happy I discovered a local forum, perfect for buying/trading opportunities and maybe meetings.. I'm 15 and live in the Coos County area.. I moved form California then moved to Hawaii lived there for 4 years now I've been in Oregon for a year.. I'd love to get myself to a meeting just can't be driven anywhere further than an hour... I was pointed here by a Nano-Reef member about here since it is local forum.. On the tank itself I've had it setup for 5 days,I have been using Instant Ocean Reef Crystals, have 64 watts of PC lighting and have some nice LR. My parameters are not stable(a cycle) I'm giving it to the end of the month to add a goby or False Perc clown pair,along with alot of softies along with a possible LPS like frogspawn or a hammer.. My parameters: Ph 8.2 Amounia barely detectable like .1-.2 Nitrites ???(need to test) Nitrates 10 SG 1.025 So my cycle is already going(a soft cycle),water changes are what has kept my hitchiker shrooms,feather duster and unfortunately manjo happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsoz Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Welcome (from the NR member that pointed you here) Glad you could make it. It looks like you have a good start. Is that an AP? Is it the 12g or the 24g? That is some nice looking rock, with some good coraline algae growth. You may want to rearrange it so that it is more "open" in the middle. Like have a couple of rocks as "legs" and then use the big flat piece that is in the front, lower, right as a "table top". Doing this will give you a couple of benefits. #1 it will allow more flow inside the rocks with fewer "dead spots" that will collect detritus. #2 it will get your future corals closer to the PC lights. #3 it won't just look like "a pile of rocks" If you do have a mojano, then you should try to get rid of it ASAP. I am sure that the folk at NR have said the same thing, and told you how to do it. Anyway, again welcome to this site. I hope that there can be a meeting near you soon so you can join in the fun of trading frags locally. dsoz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
180Brandy Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Hello and welcome to the website. Nice set up you have there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aqua-ed Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Welcome! Great looking tank. I'm with dsoz, make yourself a nice little structure with those rocks. If you get a goby, he'll thank you for it. Good luck, and don't hesitate to come to the board with questions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JManrow Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Welcome to the Forum! We are slowly getting a few people here from Southern Oregon & the Oregon Coast. Hopefully a local "Meet & Greet" will be held in your area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm82792 Posted June 21, 2008 Author Share Posted June 21, 2008 A meet and greet thing around ehre would be great I'll rework the rock asap Dsoz,It's an AP 24 with like 25 pounds of LR some of it came Fiji sand man off of ebay(base rock then $8 a pound live.. So like scape it to make it more spread out and less piled right ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aqua-ed Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 more nooks and cranys for fish and water to move through. Like dsoz said, at least a "table" shape would look and work awesome. If your anything like me, arranging the rocks is one of the funnest parts. I moved my tank last week and got the opportunity to rework my rock structure. Ah, the bliss of reef keeping Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm82792 Posted June 21, 2008 Author Share Posted June 21, 2008 Okay I fixed it my red shroom is really small and angry otherwise it looks much better. Don't mind the small pieces of base lava rock,I'll move them and keep them for frag plugs... I found more hydroids that are hard to remove and a bubble of bubble algae. Couldn't get the hydroids(there getting no now flow though) but got the algae without popping it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsoz Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 Yup. Much better. It has the "cove" look to it. You still may find a dead spot in the middle of the cove, but if that happens, just point one of the loc-line in that direction, should clear it right up. Now it looks like your tank is "more full" even with the same amount of rock. Don't worry, the shroom will open back up. It is just its defense mechanism to shrink up like that. You may want to consider removing the lava rock sooner, rather than later. Some lava rock has heavy minerals in it, and they can leach out. Heavy metal may be good to listen to (If you like it), but it is not good for your water quality. The experts recommend using dead coral skeleton for a reason. If you have been using it for a long time in a FW tank, it may be OK. I just don't trust it myself. Maybe get some opinions over on NR. You got a great start. I wish you were closer, then I would be able to give you some zoas to get you started. dsoz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm82792 Posted June 22, 2008 Author Share Posted June 22, 2008 A problem :\ Half of the rock is Live Lava rock base from West Mariculture.. It was in a vat for a while the main system is like 10k gallons with corals and so on.. I'm hoping I didn't screw up on this,... I can always run carbon if that helps or since it was from West Mariculture I' massuming it's good stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm82792 Posted June 22, 2008 Author Share Posted June 22, 2008 A problem :\ Half of the rock is Live Lava rock base from West Mariculture.. It was in a vat for a while(becoming "live") the main system is like 10k gallons with corals and so on.. I'm hoping I didn't screw up on this,... I can always run carbon if that helps or since it was from West Mariculture I'm assuming it's good stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsoz Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 Never heard of them. I googled them, and all they had on their website is phytoplankton... I did not see any aquacultured rock. Do you know where they are physically located? Is it down on the coast near you? If it came from a business, then it is may be OK, if they know what they are doing. I hope you didn't pay a lot for it (and add shipping to that... YIKES!!!). I would recommend either sticking with coral-based LR, or maybe making some DIY LR. There are several of us that have been making it here. I am getting pretty good at it, and my latest pieces are looking much better than my first tries. Once it cures, the rock that I am making will be going in tanks for classrooms. I am enjoying making rock so much that I just might start selling it once I aquaculture it for a few months. Who knows, it may just help support my reefing habit. Keep going. It looks good. dsoz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm82792 Posted June 22, 2008 Author Share Posted June 22, 2008 There mostly on ebay now,they have 98.?? positive feedback. Here is the ebay item of the base I bought : http://cgi.ebay.com/11LBS-LIVE-LAVA-BASE-ROCK-3-6-FREE-SHIPPING_W0QQitemZ260253941449QQihZ016QQcategoryZ3212QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem I didn't pay much,I'm just REALLY hoping I don't have to buy more base from somewhere else/the lava rock is crude and I have to buy something else. Worst case,I'll ask about buying some DIY base then get it shipped via flat rate I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriswaters Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 (welcome)(To)(P)(N)(W)(M)(A)(S)! Your tank is already looking great! I can remember when I first set mine up and how it looked sooo empty. It is now a softy and LPS haven! Again, welcome aboard! Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm82792 Posted June 24, 2008 Author Share Posted June 24, 2008 Thanks I rescaped it more to make it even better I found out lava rock can cause problems but the problems are algae related no death or anything. If I get algae problems Ill toss the lava rock. Umm heres my levels for an update: Nitrites 0 PH 7.8 to 8.2 fluctuates I think with my water change it goes up. Nitrates 20(water change time) Ammonia, This portion of my API test kit isn't accurate I tested it my freshwater tank (and my reef) 1. ammonia right. My guppies,coryies,danios and tetras would have been dead 6 months ago. So I'm assuming 0 since I have a good(forgot the name) snail thats happy,shrooms that are happy,bristle worms and other stuff thats happy. In july I will be getting some snails and cheato then later a false per pair and/or a sort of goby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsoz Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 WHERE ARE THE PICTURES OF THE NEW ROCK WORK!!!!! Good to hear that your tank is coming along. Glad to hear that you are taking it slowly. Take care dsoz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm82792 Posted June 24, 2008 Author Share Posted June 24, 2008 I just improved it slightly Well going slow saves me money ,then I don't get amount spikes and dead things My mom says I'll break the glass so no more moving,I have hydroids they have these long tentacles(other are polyp like),they need to be destroyed! I have at least 30 some are big some are small. A small syringe,lemon juice,baking soda and maybe kalk is what I"m gonna try each of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsoz Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 Hydroids usually don't last long. There is not enough food in an empty tank. But smothering them in kalk paste should take care of them quickly. You can get a bottle of Ms. Wages from the grocery stores (or Wal-Mart) soon. They start carrying it at the end of the gardening season. People use it to make pickles (I am told???) Make a paste of it and smear it all over. I have used it on aptasia several times with good success. I hear you on the slow=less money. I have to do extra work at my job (tutoring students, going to extra meetings, filling in on my prep) to earn my fish-tank money. Even then, I don't always get it. Sometimes the kids have a special event, or the car breaks down, or the garbage disposal goes nuts. Each time something like that happens, there goes my fish budget. :( dsoz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm82792 Posted June 24, 2008 Author Share Posted June 24, 2008 Well I get $40 am month for chores I do alot more than the average kid though, then there is my dad who pays me for random projects then a lady down the street who pays me $6 an hour for mole destruction it all adds up The hydroids came from my LFS,the rock has been in the tank for awhile,I want to doase my tank with phyto and culture it for my little feather duster but that'll keep the hydroids growing.. I will get that from wallmart or ask my LFS for abit of kalk paste. Thanks for making me feel very welcomed here Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biomekanic Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 Welcome aboard Josh! As others have said, just use some kalk on the hydroids - kalk and pickling lime are the same thing, just that pickling lime is much cheaper. You can get a fairly large syringe to spread the paste at a farm supply store, like Coastal. Just talk to a cashier or manager and let them know what you're using it for, they were glad to help me out. I used to have the lava rock in my tank, and it never caused any issues for me, so I wouldn't worry about it. So far your little nano looks nice, good luck with the cycle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm82792 Posted June 28, 2008 Author Share Posted June 28, 2008 Thanks My cycle is almost over,.25 to .5 ammonia with 0 nitrites and 20 nitrates. I have killed most of the hydroids but now I have those hydoids that have long white tentacles so I need a syringe to fill their holes with kalk. I can get a syringe easy,the feed store knows me and my siblings since I used to have goats and my sister has a horse(way more expensive than a medium sized reef tank ).. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevinmc Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 Welcome to our site, it is great to have you here with us. It is always nice to have new people visit our site and share with others that are into this hobby. Thank you for your interest in our club Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tidalsculpin Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Welcome! It is great to have a younger person interested in reef keeping too. Good thing you did not raise cichlids! You are a brave one. Don't worry about the lava rock. Enjoy the development of your new little piece of the reef. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm82792 Posted June 29, 2008 Author Share Posted June 29, 2008 Welcome! It is great to have a younger person interested in reef keeping too. Good thing you did not raise cichlids! You are a brave one. Don't worry about the lava rock. Enjoy the development of your new little piece of the reef. I was initially very scared about spending $500(not easy to earn money for my age) into a reef setup,I thought about going ultra cheap(10 gallon,cheapo lighting base rock) but then I thought "A little more money then I can get much something better." I did alot of research to make myself feel somewhat confident Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm82792 Posted July 2, 2008 Author Share Posted July 2, 2008 Yay! I got the cheato thanks Kris Well phase 2 is complete my water is perfect nitrates are 5-10,the cheato will lower it further.. Phase three is a clean up crew, 4 is corals and fish I'll post a want to buy coral thread soon I may cheat and do corals and fish before the CUC since I'm ordering the snails.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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