A Newbies attempt at a 48gal Corner tank

prsnlty · Feb 4, 2015

Yes, they're diatoms

Good sign!. I always cycle my tanks with my lights on a timed schedule.

ryleary · Feb 4, 2015

prsnlty said:
Yes, they're diatoms Good sign!. I always cycle my tanks with my lights on a timed schedule.

I'm still working on figuring out how to get my blues and whites on different timers. My light came with one North American plug and 2 euro style plugs. I'm going to have to get crazy with adapters.

For now I have the whole thing on a timer and turn on the whites right before I leave for work and when I get home. I'm curious to a seasoned veterans light cycle, I've read so many different opinions on this subject, how do you run yours?

I also have a fuge light that is currently running on opposite schedule of the dt

prsnlty · Feb 5, 2015

Yeah I know what you mean.... Well on my 48 I'm running 2- 24"pc lights (equivalent to t5s) 1 is a 50/50 and the other is 460mn (royal blue) plus a single deep blue LED stunner stip for night viewing. I have them on a day/night timer. Meaning when the PCs turn off the led comes on. The lights are on an 8 hr schedule. No sump on this tank.

My 180 dt is another animal however. This tank has 2 AI Sol Blue LEDs and 6 85w 60" ATI T5s plus a sump light on opposite the dt lights.

The LEDs come on with royal blues and gradually add in blue then whites at 6:30am and ramp to half by 9 am when 2 blue+ turn on, then at 10 am 2 coral+ turn on and at noon the last 2 blue + turn on. By this point the LEDS will be at their peak and don't begin to slowly ramp down until 4 pm. At 6pm - 8pm it's reverse of the on schedule and off at 8pm but the LEDs are still ramping down until 10pm when they go into moonlight mode. Even the moonlight varies in intensity due to the moon phases. Then at 1am they go off.

prsnlty · Feb 5, 2015

I would get the plug adapters and 2 timers in order to control them separately.

ryleary · Feb 5, 2015

prsnlty said:
Yeah I know what you mean.... Well on my 48 I'm running 2- 24"pc lights (equivalent to t5s) 1 is a 50/50 and the other is 460mn (royal blue) plus a single deep blue LED stunner stip for night viewing. I have them on a day/night timer. Meaning when the PCs turn off the led comes on. The lights are on an 8 hr schedule. No sump on this tank.

My 180 dt is another animal however. This tank has 2 AI Sol Blue LEDs and 6 85w 60" ATI T5s plus a sump light on opposite the dt lights.

The LEDs come on with royal blues and gradually add in blue then whites at 6:30am and ramp to half by 9 am when 2 blue+ turn on, then at 10 am 2 coral+ turn on and at noon the last 2 blue + turn on. By this point the LEDS will be at their peak and don't begin to slowly ramp down until 4 pm. At 6pm - 8pm it's reverse of the on schedule and off at 8pm but the LEDs are still ramping down until 10pm when they go into moonlight mode. Even the moonlight varies in intensity due to the moon phases. Then at 1am they go off.

Wow. Your moonlight varies with the cycle of the actual moon...the fish must be like "who needs the ocean?"

Yeah I want my cycle to be somewhat regular so I need to come up with a solution to this adapter thing. Guess I will try and find some adapters at the hardware store.

prsnlty · Feb 5, 2015

Lol, yeah but you better get something cool like that at $400 a light unit. AI (aqua illuminations) are the leading competition for radions. But mine are 3 years old and came out just before the multicolored LEDs. They do have some pretty cool settings like cloudy days, lightning and you can even set them to your local weather. However I don't use all that because the T5s are so bright that you notice little of the effect unless it's after the t5s are off. Now, if I could afford 3 AI 52s I would add them to the 2 I have and be done with t5s and changing bulbs. But I'm not about to spend an additional 2k on lights. Lol.

ryleary · Feb 6, 2015

prsnlty said:
Lol, yeah but you better get something cool like that at $400 a light unit. AI (aqua illuminations) are the leading competition for radions. But mine are 3 years old and came out just before the multicolored LEDs. They do have some pretty cool settings like cloudy days, lightning and you can even set them to your local weather. However I don't use all that because the T5s are so bright that you notice little of the effect unless it's after the t5s are off. Now, if I could afford 3 AI 52s I would add them to the 2 I have and be done with t5s and changing bulbs. But I'm not about to spend an additional 2k on lights. Lol.

Year it's amazing how expensive lighting can be. Eventually I'll probably sell the aquamana and go for a Kessil, but for now I'm going to see if I can make this work.

Good news is my ammonia and nitrites are down to 0 and nitrates are at about 5ppm. I have been ghost feeding after removing the shrimp to keep things moving. I may grab a cuc this weekend and see how that goes.

Almost there!

prsnlty · Feb 6, 2015

This is great news! Cycle complete

5ppm for Nitrates is a good number and in safe range. Just remember that everything you add will bring that number up some so don't add too much at one time. Clean up crew this weekend and maybe a fish or 2 next weekend. You might want to add some chaeto to your sump also.

ryleary · Feb 6, 2015

prsnlty said:
This is great news! Cycle complete 5ppm for Nitrates is a good number and in safe range. Just remember that everything you add will bring that number up some so don't add too much at one time. Clean up crew this weekend and maybe a fish or 2 next weekend. You might want to add some chaeto to your sump also.

Yea I am very excited. I'm going back and forth between ordering a cuc from reef cleaners or going to my LFS. Last time I was in there they had an anenome that died in the tank with all of the snails and hermits, could that possibly mess up my tank if I got my cuc from there? I know reef cleaners only has cuc in their tanks, and they say there's no chance of any diseases or parasites being transferred. So I'm a little nervous to get cuc from my LFS.

prsnlty · Feb 6, 2015

ryleary said:
Yea I am very excited. I'm going back and forth between ordering a cuc from reef cleaners or going to my LFS. Last time I was in there they had an anenome that died in the tank with all of the snails and hermits, could that possibly mess up my tank if I got my cuc from there? I know reef cleaners only has cuc in their tanks, and they say there's no chance of any diseases or parasites being transferred. So I'm a little nervous to get cuc from my LFS.

Sadly I know where you're coming from. My lfs sold me 50 astrea snails that were infected with pyramidal snails. I never knew they could come in on snails and didn't see them when i added them to my tank. I am STILL battling them. I'd go with reef cleaners but check them anyway when they arrive.

ryleary · Feb 6, 2015

prsnlty said:
Sadly I know where you're coming from. My lfs sold me 50 astrea snails that were infected with pyramidal snails. I never knew they could come in on snails and didn't see them when i added them to my tank. I am STILL battling them. I'd go with reef cleaners but check them anyway when they arrive.

Well that seals the deal, reef cleaners it is.

prsnlty · Feb 6, 2015

Great choice!

ryleary · Feb 8, 2015

Got my cuc today! All parameters have been steady for about a week. I got a bunch of snails, few hermits, and a cleaner shrimp. Nice to finally have some life in the tank!

The Cleaner shrimp has been very busy, really fun to watch. They took care of the diatoms I had on the sand and rock within a few hours, absolutely amazing what they can do. I guess I will ghost feed until I get fish so they don't starve.
Working on setting up a qt for my first fish. Going to LFS with my little guy for a pair of clowns next weekend. I'm going to let him pick. Last pic is of him watching his favorite movie, I bet you can guess what it is.

prsnlty · Feb 9, 2015

Good news, glad to hear it! You're little guy is adorable

He's going to enjoy the tank as much as you lol

ryleary · Feb 9, 2015

prsnlty said:
Good news, glad to hear it! You're little guy is adorable He's going to enjoy the tank as much as you lol

Haha well if he likes the tank half as much as Finding Nemo, I'll be happy.

After months of work, planning, reading, glueing, tinkering, I finally got to sit down and enjoy it. I will be a reefer for life!

prsnlty · Feb 10, 2015

It's an addiction for sure!

ryleary · Feb 10, 2015

I went to a local fraggers house today, most amazing collection I have ever seen. He has over 1000g of frag tanks. It blew my LFS away. He also taught me a lot, as this is my first tank, and ended up giving me a bunch of frags for free. People in this hobby are amazing. Everything seems to be opening up and doing well! Great day.

My tank is no longer bare, and having things glow under the blue light is pretty cool.

The coral that I remembered the names of were pulsing xenia, dont think i got a pic of that one, zoas, and a mushroom. Still clueless as to the others, as I was overwhelmed by seeing his place, anyone have any ideas?

ryleary · Feb 10, 2015

fishroomlady · Feb 10, 2015

beautiful additions! just saw this thread. I'm excited for you! I love hearing from people that just "fall in love" with the hobby. That your little guy's favorite movie is nemo is awesome - he will enjoy it with you.

ryleary · Feb 10, 2015

Thank you! Even without fish, he loves staring at the tank, makes it all worth it. I wasnt planning on going home with that many frags, I have to admit, I was a little overwhelemed finding a place for them all and securing them. Hopefully nothing gets toppled over by my turbos!