My first saltwater journey

[ChefReeferThomas]

5 gallon tank, 30W Nicrew ReefLED, standard HOB gutted and filled with Biomax media, Purigen, Filter floss.

2 months

temp sits at 78-79°F; pH of 8.0; 0ppm Ammonia; 0ppm Nitrite; >0.5ppm nitrate

need more testing equipment before I can say confidently my parameters are safe for coral. But if it means anything, I water change weekly 10-20% with clean RO/DI mixed with instant oceans reef crystals.

just small crustaceans in the tank to pick off diatoms, etc.

Cycle has established, Looking for a wave maker suitable for a small body of water like this.

Any small nano fish that can go solo to recommend here?

also, hoping to keep zoas to start.

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

A small goby like a Yasha Hashe would be ok. A clown goby, or trimma or eviota goby.

 

[SPR1968]

Very nice, and keep the pictures coming!

 

[ChefReeferThomas]

Update: I went with a yasha hashe, & he’s beautiful.

he’s drip acclimating right now, so I’ll have pics in a few hours

 

[ChefReeferThomas]

photo quality isn’t the greatest, the iPhone really struggles with the tank light.

haven’t settled on a name yet, and I’m super excited to welcome my first saltwater fish.

question though, is it typical of a goby to just chill in the back corner on day 1 and just pick off the pods in the water?

 

[ChefReeferThomas]

some changes, and an addition has been made. The 5 gallon pico is now a 15 gallon nano.

but sadly I will be replacing the 15.125”^3 15 gal aqueon as I have already notices areas of the silicon seal giving way.

holes have been plugged with super glue and baking soda.

just a new vessel, all the rock, sand, and equipment has been cycled through but bacteria is adjusting to new size of the water table.

copepods and hydroids exploded.

call me crazy but I added a 1.25” frag of some fallout pocillopora from wwc.

seems to be adjusting nicely. Showing polyps, turned a bit brown there for a day but is slowly showing green in the polyps again.

has been just over 48 hours since I received it. Plan on doing a dip tonight before I move it slightly closer to the center of the light. Still waiting a few weeks before I take it up into that second third of the tank.

wish this madman luck.

 

[ChefReeferThomas]

“done being pouty?”

I do really enjoy this Pocillopora frag. I’m aware of it’s bad rep, but at least it’s not GSP.

lil one got an iodine dip, took all night before it peeked out the polyps.

before the dip I observed that skin started to look a little pale, despite what i believe is new polyp formation. I know it’s supposed to be pinker, than a creme color right?

water looks good, so I relocated it a little closer to the center of the light after dip process was over with the assumption the zoox just weren’t feelin it’s current spot. Still too early before it goes up in the tank though, I’d rather not fry it. (Doubt my light even could tbh)

 

[Gedxin]

> copepods and hydroids exploded
Nice looking tank and looking for more updates! Also curious what you mean by hydroids exploding. You're sure you have hydroids, what do they look like?

 

[ChefReeferThomas]

> copepods and hydroids exploded
Nice looking tank and looking for more updates! Also curious what you mean by hydroids exploding. You're sure you have hydroids, what do they look like?

Thank you!
By hydroids I mean these guys (see pics)

Hitchhikers from my emerald. He usually just hides under the rock and when I got him I had no idea what to look for. But here they are, he does graze on them at night but there has to be zero light. He’s super shy. Noticed them on his leg fuzz today. So it’s my assumption that’s where they came from.

System is relatively new. Just 3 months old. So hopefully they die off, if not I’ll have to chase the emerald out and peroxide dip the rock. No corals are yet attached so it’s a measure I can take comfortably.

 

[ChefReeferThomas]

Update: Added some new structure to the scape, and some clownfish. They seem to be making themselves at home no problem.

once my Pocillopora is in place, I’m thinking of grabbing an aussie elegance. Kinda fell in love with the look, but more due diligence needs to be done before I’m comfortable getting one.

 

[ChefReeferThomas]

WC day, gotta love a quick cleaning. My poci was looking happier now that I’ve got it out of the sand bed and closer to the light.

coral rx dip was applied today, even more buggers came off it. Goes to show how important dipping for different things goes.

hopefully that should be the last dip before we decide on a final spot for it

 

[ChefReeferThomas]

Update: poci looks a little sad.

Maybe I moved it too much, but I did notice my nutrients were a little umm… off the charts.

improper mixing practices is where I’m at fault. Have been slowly reducing with 10-33% water changes.

The tank is also experiencing a red cyano bloom of epic proportions. I’m either not eliminating enough, or too much nitrogen & phosphorous.

clownfish are happy, and active. I’ve also added an Aussie lord to the tank.

last test I did was on 9/27 before my water change, results were:

salinity - 35 ppt
Spec. g - 1.026 (ati spectrometer - cal @ 35ppt)
Temp - 75°F (analog)
pH- 8.0 (api)
dKH - 8.0 (salifert)
Ca - >500 (salifert)
Mg - >1500 (salifert)
NO2(-) - 0 ppm (api)
NO3(-) - 10ppm
OPP/PO4 - ???? (Not yet testing for)

saving for some of them Hanna checkers. Hopefully I get my hands on some soon.

 

[ChefReeferThomas]

Full tank shot as it is, just this morning.