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Restarting... 18g

V

vangvace

So I've had my 18g up and going for a couple weeks now and figured I post some pics.

So far the inhabitants includes CUC, domino damsel, hitchhiking crab that I've only seen once during the cycle. I've swapped out the bulb for a new Phoenix 14k one. I've also seen the first hints of coralline today. ;D

Specs:
Via Aqua 18g
Aqua medic 150W DE pendant
2 aquaclear 200s
1 aquaclear 300
running empty hob filter that's close to dieing.

The future (besides corals)
hob overflow
sump/fuge

Enjoy


Front
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Side
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Once upon a time :'( I miss that tank.
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This last one is near the end before teardown
 
V

vangvace

Full tank shot from today. Then following three have been auto-adjusted using paint.net
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Undoctored
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Coralline is starting to grow faster now. :)
 
V

vangvace

Well, it's been a couple months so...

I've removed my hob filter and the aquaclear powerheads and replaced them with 2 koralia nanos. New inhabitants include a pair of young clams, a frogspawn coral, and a threefer in leathers for the price of one. Thanks hidden reef!

Since changing to the nanos I'm having trouble keeping my hammer happy. I'm thinking about dropping it into the sandbed. Placement suggestions? Go back to the aquaclears?

I've got a hitchhiking crab that I need to get out. FW dipping the rock didn't work. Must build trap soon. (took pick of it's molted husk post with next camera download)

But onto the unedited (minus size) pics...
fts
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one of the clams
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larger of the leathers
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growth pic on my micro(?)
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Thanks for the look
 
Hawkeye

Hawkeye

depending on where the crab is - you could try and use the bottle trap or anything that has somewhat steep walls. Put something meaty at the bottom of it at night and then the crab may come out.

with regards to the hammer - you could try lowering it but I'm guessing the more flow may somehow be irritating it?

what happened to the feather dusters? :'(
 
V

vangvace

Yeah, I think I'm going to lower it tomorrow and maybe move stuff around in general in there.

As for the feather dusters though. The last two pictures from my first post are from when I had the tank set-up in Utah. I miss that set-up. :'( I didn't realize until you said something that the aquascaping looks to similar from then and now. Maybe I'll try moving the big rock on the left so it extends to the corner instead of the middle.

Man is my wife gonna kill me tomorrow night when she sees me start working on it. (Must buy flowers... or ricordias :p)
 
V

vangvace

My hammer is still upset with me and I'm getting scared that I'm going to lose it. :-X I've lost a small section of it already. One head of my frogspawn didn't make it but the rest of the colony seems to be doing just fine.

I lost the baby clams, it was too soon to add them I think :'(


So I shifted stuff around a little. I kinda like the two cave thing going on in the center. I still might break out the angry hammer but for now...

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I've placed the hammer in the sand between the two rocks hoping it'll like the flow there better. :-\
 
V

vangvace

I really like the light. The only two issues I have with it is hiding the cables for a clean look and that I can't retrofit additional lighting into it. No big deal really because I really like the look of my open top tank. Bulb choice though does come more into play for eye enjoyment.

I keep the lights around 7-9 inches above the water surface and have a fan that blows across the water's surface when the lights are on. I bought the fan from the dollar store and it's propped between the wall and tank. I'm planning on adding a sump to the system and will buy a clip on fan then for inside the cabinet. Without the fan I'd hit mid 80s or better.

Before the next restart of this tank it so going to be drilled.
 
V

vangvace

So after the icecap open house, we went to Walmart and Lowes. I got the greenlight for a sump. :)

I've lost half of my wall hammer though. Looks like brown jelly might be the cause. :'(
 
J

jonathan.

vangvace said:
So after the icecap open house, we went to Walmart and Lowes. I got the greenlight for a sump. :)

I've lost half of my wall hammer though. Looks like brown jelly might be the cause. :'(
Click to expand...
\

Immediately take it out and QT it. Give it an iodine dip. If you don't do that, you're likely to lose the whole coral and any other LPS you have.

In fact, I'd give all of your LPS iodine dips just to be sure. Use a Lugols and saltwater solution (WWM should have info about the dip make).

But, if it's brown jelly, the whole hammer is likely gone unless you dip and QT it.
 
J

jonathan.

vangvace said:
Will do. I get paid Thursday so that night I plan on dipping.

How susceptible are acans and micros to brown jelly?
Click to expand...

Less than most, I would assume.

I know that Euphyllia species and their relatives (frogspawn, bubble, torch, etc.) are all EXTREMELY susceptible to it, unfortunately. So susceptible that they should always be dipped before placed, IMO.
 
V

vangvace

Bad 24 hours. I picked up the lugol's but the hammer was a gonner, almost no flesh left.

Then I moved on to prepping my sump and the ten gallon I bought to do the job is too long. Son of a...
 
V

vangvace

lol at the warning for dredging up old threads... oh... wait... :'(

I finally got my hitchhicker crab out that was eating my shrimp when we moved to the new place. Now to get some peppermint shrimp. :)

I'm still rocking the 14K Phoenix bulb and am letting the tank do it's thing. I have a ridiculous number of minibrittle stars.

anyways here are some updated pictures...

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anyone interested?
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Even though you can't see it there is a feather duster in there, but it likes the back of the tank.


My wife bought me a 75 gallon. ;D I don't know if it's drilled, with a stand, or what but
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am I about to be out of my element.
 
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