Tank Journal Archive

[ethana123]

alright it's been a while since i was on so here is an update. I shut this tank down about a year ago and have just started it back up today. Can't wait for the cycle to be over so i can at least put a fish in lol.

start up date: 21/09/15

tank: aquaone nano 40 55Litres (40x40x40)

sump: no sump

water circulation: 1x MP10 and 1x 1400LPH wavemaker

filtration: tunze 9004 protein skimmer, 2 inches of sand and around 10 kilos of rock

top up: tunze osmolator nano

lighting: cherry aqua inano led light

maintenance: weekly water changes of around 10 litres

here are some pics, the tank is still cloudy but you can see the scape.

 

[Dean Lovett]

God. That is one massive piece of live rock. Massive. You're bound to have a bunch of hitchhikers!

 

[ethana123]

nothing live on it unfortunately i bought it dead and have had it sitting around for a year and a half

 

[Dean Lovett]

Oh damn!

How do you plan on starting the cycling of the tank?

 

[ethana123]

grabbing a small piece of live rock either at the end of this week or start of next week but for the meantime i have a prawn floating in there

 

[Dean Lovett]

Oh right I see. I did mention this in another post.

But there are two broad types of bacteria, good and bad.

Typically with the addition of a prawn, bad bacteria - or if you like, pathogenic bacteria are much faster growing and are much more likely to be responsible for the degradation of your prawn.

Live rock has a mixture of both good and bad. And often more good than bad...

It is worth keeping that in mind.

 

[Dean Lovett]

The good, healthy bacteria won't come much by the addition of a prawn. Live rock is in my opinion, the only way to go.

 

[ethana123]

i figured a prawn would at least get it started (or at least make me feel better haha) then when i get the live rock (hopefully a 1 kilo piece) it can actually start. I'm aiming for a 6 - 8 week cycle anyway.

 

[Tannum_Paul]

Nice prawn! ;)

 

[ethana123]

the prawn is shy and prefers to shower unwatched. hence the light has not been turned back on so as to keep the perverts away.

 

[ethana123]

Got a small piece of live rock and had a play with the scape. Here is a photo from the front and side

 

[Tannum_Paul]

Lol, just was talking to a newbie about cycling. Told him live rock and a green prawn!

He laughed thinking I was joking......newbies I tell you!

 

[saltyfish808]

I love new starts, clean reef canvas

 

[ethana123]

Alright i got a bit bored this arvo so i thought i would do some tests (red sea test kit). Nitrate 20-50. Nitrite 1. Ammonia 0.2. The cycle seems to be coming along nicely.

 

[Tannum_Paul]

Should move along nice now.......hardest part is done.

 

[Agent M]

Whenever I see 'peow peow little nano!' in your signature it makes me smirk, love it!

 

[ethana123]

So I've changed my scape again it was too cluttered i was going to chip a few bits off the big rock but it seemed like a waste so i replaced it with some smaller bits i have around the house

 

[Agent M]

I really like that new scape - its all about the corals at the end of the day and you have the structure set up perfectly for them now.

 

[ethana123]

Yeah i have a few higher spots in case i wanna get a couple small hammers and either some nice zoas or mushrooms on the little rock at the front the rest will be leathers cause i love flubbers :D

 

[ethana123]

tested today:
salinity (refractometer) 1.026
dkh 9 or 10 kinda lost count haha
ph 7.8 - 8
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate untested because it will be insanely high

things to do over the weekend:
clean mp10 foam cover
organise chords
turn skimmer on
90% water change
buy a cheap pump and see if i can find a container that holds more than 30 litres to premix my water in

things to do next weekend:
20-50% water change depending on nitrates
buy 2 or 3 snails maybe 4 peppermint shrimp