Another 29g BC Build

Bunnee911 · Mar 13, 2016

I don't remember if you have a power head in there or not. Direct it to break the surface for a test of ph. Check it before and a while after.

FindingEmily · Mar 13, 2016

Bunnee911 said:
I don't remember if you have a power head in there or not. Direct it to break the surface for a test of ph. Check it before and a while after.

I have one mp10 in there now (planning on getting a second one) so it can't be angled. It's been pretty decent the last few days

FindingEmily · Mar 13, 2016

Here is an updated tank shot. I need some suggestions for corals that like higher light and higher flow. All the ones I have are happy being on the sand bed.

pdt7361 · Mar 13, 2016

Most chalices, fiji leathers, and Devil's hand all like high light & flow.

FindingEmily · Mar 13, 2016

pdt7361 said:
Most chalices, fiji leathers, and Devil's hand all like high light & flow.

Awesome, thanks!! I'll look in to those. I'm tired of color on the sand and an empty rock

IdahoNano · Mar 14, 2016

Great looking build! Which starfish is that?

michaust · Mar 14, 2016

ImageUploadedByREEF2REEF1457969952.877733.jpg

nice bio cube here's mine I need to get some coral

FindingEmily · Mar 14, 2016

IdahoNano said:
Great looking build! Which starfish is that?

I believe it's a fromia starfish. Don't get one. My boyfriend came home with it one day, without doing any research. They are very difficult starfish to keep.

Flameback Pair · Mar 14, 2016

Every seastar I've had forced it's legs into a powerhead and shredded itself.

FindingEmily · Mar 14, 2016

powers2001 said:
Every seastar I've had forced it's legs into a powerhead and shredded itself.

I'm surprised mine hasn't done it yet considering he has stuck himself to the glass right next to it several times.

I will say that these guys are super fast. He does laps around the tank!

Omar Torres · Mar 14, 2016

Going to keep checking in regularly!

Went with the slim skim nano, did some mods to keep the water level up and am able to skim some pretty dry stuff 1 month in to my tank. My clowns currently have internal parasites and I'm treating my tank with http://www.amazon.com/Ruby-Reef-ARR...556&sr=8-1&keywords=marine+parasite+treatment by recommendation of my LFS. They said the metro will take care of the intestinal worms but would not take care of the bacterial infection once the worms are gone. It turned my tank a green color, but so far so good as my clowns have been a bit more active after being about 5 hours in this stuff. White stringy poop is less stringy and white. Good sign I hope. My skimmer is in chamber 2 over chamber 1 as i figured that bending the plastic wall and the vibration coming from the skimmer could cause problems. How do you like your skimmer?

How do you like your leds?

I'm upgrading mine to steves LEDS here in a week and will be installing my hydor ATo tonight since i finally found a water level i like.

Anyways, GOODLUCK!!!

I'll be tuned in!

FindingEmily · Mar 25, 2016

Omar Torres said:
Going to keep checking in regularly!

Went with the slim skim nano, did some mods to keep the water level up and am able to skim some pretty dry stuff 1 month in to my tank. My clowns currently have internal parasites and I'm treating my tank with http://www.amazon.com/Ruby-Reef-ARR...556&sr=8-1&keywords=marine+parasite+treatment by recommendation of my LFS. They said the metro will take care of the intestinal worms but would not take care of the bacterial infection once the worms are gone. It turned my tank a green color, but so far so good as my clowns have been a bit more active after being about 5 hours in this stuff. White stringy poop is less stringy and white. Good sign I hope. My skimmer is in chamber 2 over chamber 1 as i figured that bending the plastic wall and the vibration coming from the skimmer could cause problems. How do you like your skimmer?

How do you like your leds?

I'm upgrading mine to steves LEDS here in a week and will be installing my hydor ATo tonight since i finally found a water level i like.

Anyways, GOODLUCK!!!

I'll be tuned in!

Skimmer is working pretty well for me. Still mess with it every once in awhile, trying to find the perfect height and how wet to skim but it's only been up for maybe a month or two. As for the kessil, I love it. Beautiful shimmer and all of my corals seem to be growing and happy. Good luck with your tank!

Also here is an updated FTS. Don't mind the sand, still a work in progress.

DustyXB9Reefer · Mar 25, 2016

You can always try some birds nest. It's an SPS but an easy one from what I'm told. I picked some up from my LFS for $5 for a decent size frag.

FindingEmily · Mar 25, 2016

DustyXB9Reefer said:
You can always try some birds nest. It's an SPS but an easy one from what I'm told. I picked some up from my LFS for $5 for a decent size frag.

I'd be willing to try that for a cheap price. I need to start buying smaller pieces (aka my boyfriend needs to stop buying colonies) so I can actually put them on the rock instead of in the sand.

furam28 · Mar 26, 2016

Nice build. That's an impressive looking gold torch! For a new tank, the little bit of algae / diatom that you have is not bad at all. With good husbandry they will slowly go away.

Flameback Pair · Mar 27, 2016

Is that coral in the corner a hammer or bubble coral?

Emily, what are you testing for and do you plan on dosing anything anytime soon?

I'm thinking of saving up for the Milwaukee digital refractometer. Because I've got an eye piece refractometer that's hard to read, a swing-arm hydrometer that wasn't made to be accurate, and a floating glass hydrometer that I seems to me way off. (I've got a sixth sense that tells me that. haha) On my quarantine tank the swing-arm reads 1.021 and the floater reads 1.024. I'm sick of relying on cheap junk instead of making a sound investment because I plan to be in the hobby for a long time. I paid nearly $50 for the refractometer and can't read it because you can't read them with glasses on and without my glasses it's all a blur.

FindingEmily · Mar 27, 2016

powers2001 said:
Is that coral in the corner a hammer or bubble coral?

Emily, what are you testing for and do you plan on dosing anything anytime soon?

I'm thinking of saving up for the Milwaukee digital refractometer. Because I've got an eye piece refractometer that's hard to read, a swing-arm hydrometer that wasn't made to be accurate, and a floating glass hydrometer that I seems to me way off. (I've got a sixth sense that tells me that. haha) On my quarantine tank the swing-arm reads 1.021 and the floater reads 1.024. I'm sick of relying on cheap junk instead of making a sound investment because I plan to be in the hobby for a long time. I paid nearly $50 for the refractometer and can't read it because you can't read them with glasses on and without my glasses it's all a blur.

The pink one in the back on the left is an octospawn or frogspawn. Bicolor green one next to it is also a frogspawn and the pink one in front is a hammer. If you're talking about the right side, the green one is a gonipora.

I test for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, calcium, alkalinity (all Red Sea), magnesium (Salifert) and phosphate (Hanna ULR checker). pH and temp are with my Apex and salinity with a refractometer.

I can see how using a refractometer would be difficult with someone using glasses; sometimes I even have a hard time reading it. While the Milwaukee one is definitely an investment, I think I've only heard good things. I believe in spending money on quality items, and spending money on things that will make your life easier. So if you want the unwarranted opinion from a 25 year old random stranger on the internet, I say go for it!

Gatorfan · Mar 27, 2016

Very nice setup!

DustyXB9Reefer · Mar 29, 2016

Kind of hard to see but up in the top right corner of my rock is that $5 birds nest. I've had it over a week now and it's showing small growth. I really need to start a thread to keep track of my progress.

FindingEmily · Mar 29, 2016

DustyXB9Reefer said:
Kind of hard to see but up in the top right corner of my rock is that $5 birds nest. I've had it over a week now and it's showing small growth. I really need to start a thread to keep track of my progress.

Looking good! I think I might try that soon. I know it likes high light, but what about flow?