Not a true build thread, but a progress thread

[JacquieBeginnerReef]

Hello!
I’ve had a look at several build threads on here, and my journey won’t be nearly as sophisticated, but it is my journey nonetheless.

Last spring/summer we underwent a large renovation/extension. The kids (3.5 and 7 at the time), were troopers through it all, but it was unsettling - living in a construction site, living in a temporary home (over an icecream parlour, so a few perks!), and then basically camping in a shell of a home for a few months with builders all around. My son was also going through a slew of tests over the summer, so to lighten the mood I promised the children that once the house was complete, we would buy pet fish as something to look forward to.
There is an LFS (learning the acronyms!) very close by, so at the end of the summer we walked down to take a look. At this stage I didn’t know anything about saltwater aquariums, and didn’t realize that the LFS was dedicated to saltwater. However, after looking at the gorgeous fish, and learning a little about coral, I wanted to go this route instead of the ‘goldfish’ one. It was interesting and enticing to see the rapport the staff had with the customers, and how there was this whole ‘club/hobby’ I never knew existed!
I really liked the idea of the biocube as a beginner. Then I found out about the cost. I left the store feeling a little sad that really the cost would be quite a lot more than I had originally anticipated.
The kids were disappointed as they really thought we’d have our first pets. After discussing with my husband, we decided this could be a Christmas present for the family instead.
Before the start of school, the kids and I went back to the LFS. As I had promised them fish with the completion of the house, we compromised. I said we could go look at the fish again and buy the biocube stand as a commitment to eventually getting the rest.
Well, I got the stand alright. And the biocube. The sand, the salt...oh boy.
Needless to say, my husband barely spoke to me for days!
Here are pictures of the beginning. Once I got the cleaning crew, I was completely hooked. So fascinated by the snails and especially the blue hermit crabs. I frantically started reading up on everything, and realized there was so much to learn!
Okay - that’s a lot of writing - will keep trying to catch this thread up, as the above brings us to September

 

[reacclimating 2 the hobby]

Seems like you're off to a great start and it helps to have a great LFS to help along the way. The best thing to read on here sometimes is new reefers having interest in reading up on what to do and how to go about it. You'll have plenty of back up here to make sure you are successful. Congrats!

 

[JacquieBeginnerReef]

Seems like you're off to a great start and it helps to have a great LFS to help along the way. The best thing to read on here sometimes is new reefers having interest in reading up on what to do and how to go about it. You'll have plenty of back up here to make sure you are successful. Congrats!

Thank you! It was from reading up on the hobby that I stumbled across this website, and then joined when I had to ask my first question

 

[KrisReef]

Nice tank, but this was back in September and you and your husband were still together but not speaking. The suspense is killing me. Did he stay? Did he split, is he paying support? Who got custody of the Kids? Tank?

This isn't fair! (Great start. Looking forward to the next chapter.)

 

[JacquieBeginnerReef]

Nice tank, but this was back in September and you and your husband were still together but not speaking. The suspense is killing me. Did he stay? Did he split, is he paying support? Who got custody of the Kids? Tank?

This isn't fair! (Great start. Looking forward to the next chapter.)

Haha! That’s hilarious!! He eventually started speaking again, but the aquarium topic still comes up when we talk about money - it will be a sore spot for a while . It is my hope that he will show some interest one day. Sometimes I think he does (be he would never admit it)!
I will try to write more tomorrow - I want to get caught up too!

 

[JacquieBeginnerReef]

Part II

Next we added our two clowns. They had just arrived at the store, so we got a discount just in case...

The larger one was named Devo. My daughter originally named her Nemo, but my son thought it was too common, so my daughter quickly changed the name to Devo. The smaller clown was named Incineroar - an appropriate name for such a small fish .

It wasn’t long after I had my first lesson in hitchhikers. I saw one of the ugliest things (in my opinion). Assuming it was a bristle worm. Perhaps someone can confirm. Also I inherited a few aiptasia. First real lesson learned from owning live rock. I had no idea I should treat it first to get rid of any hitchhikers.

Once the clowns settled in - and more importantly survived - I added my first few corals. Easy soft ones. The aquarium was beginning to take shape, and it didn’t take long before the clowns were eating from my hand.

Oh - and I was still obsessed with the cleanup crew. So fascinating!

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Part II

Next we added our two clowns. They had just arrived at the store, so we got a discount just in case...

The larger one was named Devo. My daughter originally named her Nemo, but my son thought it was too common, so my daughter quickly changed the name to Devo. The smaller clown was named Incineroar - an appropriate name for such a small fish .

It wasn’t long after I had my first lesson in hitchhikers. I saw one of the ugliest things (in my opinion). Assuming it was a bristle worm. Perhaps someone can confirm. Also I inherited a few aiptasia. First real lesson learned from owning live rock. I had no idea I should treat it first to get rid of any hitchhikers.

Once the clowns settled in - and more importantly survived - I added my first few corals. Easy soft ones. The aquarium was beginning to take shape.

Thanks for sharing

 

[norfolkgarden]

Looks like a great beginning! [emoji846]

 

[JacquieBeginnerReef]

Looks like a great beginning! [emoji846]

Thanks!

 

[JacquieBeginnerReef]

Part III

I’m off today, so I can keep going - trying to get caught up!

Okay, so first Biocube lesson. I was under the impression it was ‘all included’. When my water began to appear less clear, I realized after reading posts on here that protein skimmers are required. Not wanting to spent too much, I bought a Biocube skimmer, and a vacuum.
We then added our yellow wrasse, chosen by my son and aptly named Dark Wolf (I should probably stop letting my kids name them!).

I was worried at first when she disappeared for the first day, but she was surprisingly quick to settle in. She was the reason I joined Reef2Reef - I couldn’t believe a fish could sleep for so long! The fish seemed content and harmonious - despite the fact that my husband thought Dark Wolf was constantly looking for a way out.

We also had a scare when I went away for work for a few days. Dark Wolf had not been seen the whole time, but soon reappeared upon my return. I’d like to think she missed me, but it’s more likely because she sleeps so long.

To my surprise, the snails were happy too - so happy in fact that we soon had many little baby snails around the aquarium. I assumed they wouldn’t survive, but they are growing every day.

 

[Sod Buster]

You've been bitten. Congrats and welcome to the group. Wait till you get a Halloween hermit and hand feed it a small piece of fresh clam shooing away the blue legs.

 

[JacquieBeginnerReef]

You've been bitten. Congrats and welcome to the group. Wait till you get a Halloween hermit and hand feed it a small piece of fresh clam shooing away the blue legs.

I want one! I had never heard of that type of crab before, but just googled it. If it will eat from my hands that would be a new one for me!

 

[Sod Buster]

Be careful, I've never had a Halloween go rouge, but some claim polyp nipping. Mine is well fed with clam or a chunk of algae wafer.
I think all the life in the tank is very interesting, even the CUC. Get your man to locate one for a special occasion, and a blue porcelain crab because he should anyway. They have personality also, but need to be fed small particulates in the water = more difficult.

 

[JacquieBeginnerReef]

PART IV

I’m on a roll!

This takes us to about Nov. fish are good, coral aren’t dead but don’t seem to be thriving.

This time it was my daughter’s turn to choose a fish. A royal gramma. It had a bit of a traumatic exit from its aquarium at the LFS. It jumped from one aquarium and into another...and then hid quite well in the rocks. As it was the last one in the store, there was no backup.
Once home, I noticed it had some brown marks on its side. Not knowing much about fish, I assumed that was just how it was - and assumed that’s why it was the last one left in the store. However, unfortunately the poor thing didn’t last much more than 24 hours in our aquarium. It stayed at the bottom of the tank, and died .

We waited a while before introducing another royal gramma just in case whatever it had was contagious. This one was named Rainbow Dash by my daughter. She is feisty even though she is small. After the first night I assume she met the bristle worm as she had some spikes in her face. Happily they didn’t stay for long, and no long term damage. I haven’t seen any more spikes in her since.

We also had a sad experience with a beautiful starfish. It was gorgeous, but perhaps my tank wasn’t established enough. It slowly began to lose its limbs, and then died . I wish I knew what really happened.

I was always against tank decorations like sunken ship wrecks, etc. My husband kept saying we should get some, and my kids liked the idea. For Christmas they bought some for the tank - a bridge, 2 treasure chests, and a temple. So, I humoured them with these additions. The hermit crabs changed their shells around this time too.

By this time the Cyanobacteria was starting to get out of control. I was doing weekly 15% water changes, vacuuming, removing... at first I assumed it was the sun light, so began closing the curtains in the day. Then I thought it was the tank decorations, so I took them out (any excuse! ). Then I thought perhaps because I took some rock out to fit in the decorations...so I put the rocks back in. However, the cyano kept growing and even though water parameters were great, I couldn’t fight it. The fish and clean up crew seemed happy, but not the coral. Nothing was growing and even one considered a weed hardly grew as it was being strangled by the cyano.

A trip to the LFS, and I had my second Biocube lesson. More water current is required! Who knew? Why wasn’t the biocube designed with the correct amount? Why would we have to buy more with an ‘all in one’ system?

I bought 2 more current fans, more clean up crew (crabs and snails again), and added phosphate minus to the back along with bio-calcium to help the poor coral.

The aquarium is slowly looking better, and the coral are slightly better. After seeking advice on here, my next step will be to use RODI water instead of tap.

Now I’m up to date! I’m assuming as these entries are so long no one is really reading them - they will be shorter in future now I’ve caught up!

Oh - and I am still fascinated by the crabs and snails

 

[JacquieBeginnerReef]

Be careful, I've never had a Halloween go rouge, but some claim polyp nipping. Mine is well fed with clam or a chunk of algae wafer.
I think all the life in the tank is very interesting, even the CUC. Get your man to locate one for a special occasion, and a blue porcelain crab because he should anyway. They have personality also, but need to be fed small particulates in the water = more difficult.

Thanks! I’m pretty sure the LFS only sells blue legged hermits, but I could always try on-line...and not just yet. Extra effort right now isn’t exactly what I’m looking for!

 

[norfolkgarden]

Definitely R0DI vs tap. [emoji846]

How is the cyano now?

 

[JacquieBeginnerReef]

Definitely R0DI vs tap. [emoji846]

How is the cyano now?

This week is seems much better - not much on the sand, and less on the rock. I probably won’t beat it until I stop using tap, though.

 

[JacquieBeginnerReef]

C’est moi encore.
So, I have a few questions. After another water change, the cyano is looking much better (I should say it’s not looking good meaning I don’t have as much in my aquarium).
I would now like to focus on improving the health of my poor coral. Currently nothing is glued. I like the idea of being able to move things around, and experiment with placement. However, some coral keeps falling during cleanings, and yesterday a rock fell on one. As such, I think it’s time to make things more permanent!
Is it really safe to use normal glue (I.e. gorilla glue)? What if I glue the coral in the wrong place by accident (not the optimum location for the particular type)?
I’m scared to commit!
These are the pics of my particularly unhappy coral:

 

[Corey Shelk]

I picked up some Loctite glue from my local dollar tree and it worked fine for my coral fixing. Just apply a dab to the plug outside of the tank and hold it to the rock/etc you want to place it on for about 20-30 seconds and then it’s safe to put in the tank. I don’t know about directly glueing to the coral though, I’ve never done that. I do know what you mean about placement though, but I wouldn’t worry too much about them meeting their needs, as long as they get enough light and the proper flow they should be fine.

 

[JacquieBeginnerReef]

I picked up some Loctite glue from my local dollar tree and it worked fine for my coral fixing. Just apply a dab to the plug outside of the tank and hold it to the rock/etc you want to place it on for about 20-30 seconds and then it’s safe to put in the tank. I don’t know about directly glueing to the coral though, I’ve never done that. I do know what you mean about placement though, but I wouldn’t worry too much about them meeting their needs, as long as they get enough light and the proper flow they should be fine.

Thank you! Will give it a go. I thought normal glue might change the chemistry of the water, so I’m glad it’s safe!