My First SW Tank: Feedback and Advice?

[12cahill]

Hi Guys,

I've been keeping freshwater aquariums for a few years now, but I figured I'd give saltwater a try. Thought I'd chronicle my tank's progress here and hopefully socialite some advice from a knowledgeable forum too:

The 12-Gallon Nana-Cube DX

The supplies: 10 pounds live rock, 1 pound crushed live rock for the filter, 10 gallons SW, and 10 pounds of live sand

All assembled: waiting for it to settle

All settled

Visited a friend in San Antonio and he hooked me up with some frags (maybe only a week into the cycle)

To be continued...

 

[12cahill]

Continued...

I waited another 2 weeks with the coral to add fish (2 mocha clowns)

Here's the tank with all coral placed and clowns

Waited another week or two to add my first coral on my friend says it's called candy cane coral)

Here's how it looks now

 

[Reefing Madness]

You added coral to a cycling tank, and they survived? WOW
Looks Good!!

 

[preston469]

I would have waited to add anything...

 

[12cahill]

I know adding coral was probably ambitious. I also smuggled them on a plane in freezing temperatures for 3 hours too. They seem to have settled in nicely though.

 

[Reefing Madness]

WOW. some have trouble with overnite shipping with heaters in there. WOW

 

[clem1975]

Looking good.

 

[Alabamareef]

I'd put the heater in the back out of sight

 

[aceer15]

Chicago....represent SA-town...but yea, put the heater in the back lol

 

[alpineroush]

Slow is the way to go

 

[aceer15]

have you considered adding a firefish? I've heard they're pretty awesome...

 

[12cahill]

You know I love firefish. I'm hesitant though because I don't want the water changing to be more frequent than it already is (weekly).

I moved the heater and the rocks around a bit. Here are a few pics.

The left one (colt coral?) looks to be doing well, but I can't tell if the coral on the right is happy. I've moved its position around quite a bit. The guy at the LFS said it didn't enjoy too much current

This guy (AoG?) is doing really well

 

[aceer15]

Lookin good buddy. Lovin the mochas in there. Colt and AOGs are lookin nice, the candy can looks ok...can't tell too much. Are the mouths of each branch open?

 

[aceer15]

I was promised an updated....lies

 

[12cahill]

Update as promised. Notice the bits of algae grown

Can see one clown in the shot

Colt and Candy Cane

AoG 1

AoG2

Next step is looking for more corals.

 

[12cahill]

Update: I had a pretty major overhaul to my tank recently when I met a guy off CL who was breaking down his tank and selling off some coral.

As you can see it's a lot more crowded now. I got a sweet deal. Basically all the new coral cost me $50

Here you see my colt coral and what is called "pink waving hand Xenia"

Not sure what either of these in the front are called (Green bird's nest?) but the back is a Cryptonite Green Candy Cane Coral

Unfortunate news is one of my clowns nipped the other to death so his replacement is a bicolor blenny. He's been hiding so far so I'll see if I can't find him for the next update

 

[ifrizk]

Nothing good happens fast in saltwater, just the way it is.

 

[jason g]

Pretty cool little setup. Sorry to hear about your clownfish. Your tank looks very well stocked. Its going to be great watching all those corals grow.

 

[slate744]

In the front are green star polyps not birdsnest just a friendly fyi.

 

[Zero Nitrates]

Great looking tank!