Squishie's 90g FOWLR

Squishie89 · Sep 30, 2012

Well the sand all cleared, and I am thrilled with the aquascape. And everyone else who has seen it likes it much better. There is now an archway, and a slight cave (more of an arch, but it is deeper).

FTS. Please excuse the sand in the water, I took this after I was getting sand off of the rock.

Left

Right

Arch

Cave

I found this when taking out the rock, and I replanted it as I am not sure what it is. It is definitely something plant like as it had roots. Does not seem to be aptasia, but I could be wrong.
I found so many amazing things when looking the rock over yesterday. There was quite a few imbedded dead clams or oysters, found some sponges (biggest one of course is on the piece of rock that is dying), lots of old worm shells/tubes.

Water temp is already back to normal, and I tested the water this evening. SG 1.022, Nitrate 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Ammonia 0-0.25ppm, High range pH 8.2-8.4.
And I did my first tests on the QT. SG 1.031, high range pH 8.4, Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 5ppm. I am pretty baffled as to why the nitrates were showing up as the QT hasn't had anything in it but water. I am going to be re-doing that test tomorrow or having the LFS do the testing to double check my results.
I have a piece of rock in my saltwater bin curing as he was half covered in dead stuff when I pulled him out yesterday. I need to decide what to do with the rock, as I need the bin for saltwater (and need to clean it now thanks to the rock)

Squishie89 · Oct 2, 2012

*drumroll*

Isn't it gorgeous? I love it

Finally got around to mounting these to the wall.

The sump. I need to fully clean the socks ASAP. As I believe the inch of water over them is due to them not being clean. Would love a verdict on that.

Should I be scrubbing the blackish/purple bumps off? Really was not sure.

I made a video showing some of the stuff growing moving with the current. Have no idea what any of these things are. Click the "picture" to view.

Such weird formations on these rocks.

jonnye46 · Oct 2, 2012

Looks good! Btw theres a frag swap ths weekend in lancaster pa at that pet place. Just wantes to shear that incase u wantes to pick up some great stuff

Paul C. · Oct 2, 2012

Those socks do need to be cleaned. U may want to check into buying the mesh filter socks. I change mine about once a week, depending on the feedings. But I found the mesh socks last vs the fabric. I never cleaned the fabric, just replaced. Mesh, i have 4 pairs of, so its a simple process.... Looks awesome btw.... Love ur rock work....

fsu1dolfan · Oct 2, 2012

Tank is looing very nice...love the aquascape. This brings me back to when i first started my tank and was enjoying finding all kinds of things living in the rocks. I get the feeling it might not be a FOWLR for long lol.

Squishie89 · Oct 2, 2012

jonnye46 said:
Looks good! Btw theres a frag swap ths weekend in lancaster pa at that pet place. Just wantes to shear that incase u wantes to pick up some great stuff

Thank you very much for the information, however I am not doing corals in this tank, and wont have a reef tank for a few years. But very much appreciated.

Paul C. said:
Those socks do need to be cleaned. U may want to check into buying the mesh filter socks. I change mine about once a week, depending on the feedings. But I found the mesh socks last vs the fabric. I never cleaned the fabric, just replaced. Mesh, i have 4 pairs of, so its a simple process.... Looks awesome btw.... Love ur rock work....

I had the LFS order more socks so I can have extras to transfer in and out. Hopefully they have them in so I can pick them up tomorrow. Thank you so much!

fsu1dolfan said:
Tank is looing very nice...love the aquascape. This brings me back to when i first started my tank and was enjoying finding all kinds of things living in the rocks. I get the feeling it might not be a FOWLR for long lol.

Ahahaha this is going to stay a FOWLR because I adore fish more than corals. But I do plan on a reef tank in the future. Thanks so much!

Pkunk35 · Oct 2, 2012

This is going to looks so amazing when fish are swimming through those arches.

I'm really amazed at just how much i like your decorative coralscape...it looks awesome! Is it one big piece and do you plan on taking it out ever to clean?

Great setup, looks great and there aren't even fish in it yet.

Squishie89 · Oct 2, 2012

It is actually two stacked pieces and they are ziptied together. It is this piece- Reef Aquarium Decoration #R034S for Saltwater Fish Tanks, Large I don't want to take it out for cleaning, so I am hoping my CUC will do their job and keep it clean. I think they will really like it because there is tons of nooks and crannies for them to find stuff. Plus taking it out would mean having to take the cap off and both glass tops, and most likely two people to take it out, as it is very large, and quite heavy and cumbersome (you can't grab any of the corals as they are flexible resin and will come off). Thanks so much! I can't wait to see what the fish I get think of it.

Squishie89 · Oct 3, 2012

Well had an eventful night. LFS tested my water and said I was good to go to get hermit crabs! So I picked out 10, they are quite small, can fit on the head of a quarter, but, I am sure they will grow with time. Also got new filter socks so I can clean these dirty ones. I also got my skimmer back. Owner of the LFS said it was fine, the valve just needs to be all the way open. So I set it up again, and it still is over flowing. I am going to bring it back and ask to me shown how to make it work, because this is nonsense. I love the hermits though, and they love the rock. Turns out one of the ones I picked out was an empty shell, completely my fault, I insisted on it, but at least now there is an extra shell, so is just 9 little hermits. They are a mix of blue legs, black and white legs, and no distinct color legs. I am just glad I am not staring at things growing on the rock now.
No post of mine is complete without pictures.

I have a serious love for boxfish. This guy was SO tiny. (LFS, not mine)

Adorable frag tree at a LFS.

Conversing about their new home

Peeking

Hey guys! Let's explore! There might be food!

Scaling the rock

2 of the crabs have barnacles, and the empty shell has 3 barnacles.
They seem to be doing great though. All 9 have been moving around, eating, and pooping. This might be the last night I ever see all 9 in one area. I look forward to visiually hunting for them each day.

revsgirl · Oct 4, 2012

Nice additions!! Tank's lookin' good!

Squishie89 · Oct 4, 2012

I wasn't expecting to update with pictures again so soon, but, that's how it goes.

I noticed this mark on the heater this evening. Temp is still stable, and the crabs seem fine, so I have no idea what this is. Any advice on this would be great, please.

There is also all this stuff on the overflow. This is about 3/4 down on the overflow. Not sure if this is sand and crud or what it is.

I managed to get this amazing picture of this teeny-tiny-itty-bitty thing. It almost looks like a polyp!

The crabs also decided the embedded oyster/clams had to go. 2 of them are on the sand bed, I do not believe they are alive, just the shells. And one crab already changed shells. I think I will be stopping by the LFS to get more empty shells to make sure no one is uncomfortable.

And because this guy was just so cute and sat still for a photoshoot.

Squishie89 · Oct 13, 2012

Well, time for an update. Maybe I will make Friday evenings update day. I attempted my first water change, I also re-did a lot of the rock scape. 7/9 hermits are still around, no idea where the other 2 are. One of the hermits is molting or dying, I am hoping molting. Water parameters are staying awesome for the DT. QT still has nitrates, which is just crazy because nothing but water has been in that tank. I did another small WC and I also changed the filter for the HOB filter system is has. I am hoping that does the trick. I also figured out my AccliMate Pro and have that ready to go for when we start getting fish. Going to add some snails this weekend to help clean up all this hermit crab poop. I have the skimmer running, but I have it running with the o-ring plug removed from the cup so the water does not accumulate inside the cup. It has started to pull out very very small levels of stuff from the water, just enough so the cup is spotted with brown/red gunk. I am trying to see if it just needs to adjust to the water. If it is not working properly probably by the middle of next week or next weekend I will probably take it back and ask for a new one or a different model. Ah yes, and I started running carbon in the sump to try and help the skimmer out (was suggested this by the company that makes the skimmer). Also have been tweaking and adjusting the stock list for the tank which is always fun. Otherwise everything is going great. I am MUCH happier with this new 'scape because I felt the arches before were just too small, and the only bare sand was in the back.
And I noticed that some of the shells the hermits are currently wearing seem to be disinegrating. Any thoughts on this?
Water parameters as of this evening. DT: SG 1.022 (a bit low), high range pH 8.4, ammonia&nitrites&nitrates are 0. QT: SG ~1.026 (a bit high), high range pH 8.4, Ammonia .25ppm, Nitrite 0, Nitrate ~5-20ppm.
Pictures, as always.

Complete with a medium and a small barnacle by VidaRock.

90g Saltwater FOWLR :: 018-1.mp4 video by Dcksgomoo - Photobucket
A video of the tank. (Click the link)

One of the plants that is growing.

Hermits. The two with barnacles seem to always be meeting up. And orange shell is a little ham and seems to love having his photos taken.

My little polyp. Still not sure the exact type, but he is still growing (his stem has grown).

I have tons of these little green sprouts that have tiny hairs or something.

I believe this is the coraline algae. Very hard and a beautiful red.

The QT, complete with large barnacle! (I had gotten the 3 pack, and the large is just too large for the DT)

Some other photos:

Poor starfish at a pet store looking just horrible.

An awesome bunch of sea cucumbers and urchins at a semi-LFS.

I have no idea what this curly plant like thing is, but I love it. At the semi-LFS

Mike171 · Oct 13, 2012

looks nice! I love Zebra Dwarf Hermits, i keep about 15 of them in my 70G. they're always so active and have personality.

Squishie89 · Oct 21, 2012

Well I met today with someone who runs a local aquarium consultancy business and he was a huge help. Apparently the guy who set up my tank was wrong and my tank should cycle, so both the DT and the QT have a (dead, raw) shrimp each in a stocking to start a cycle. Going to return the skimmer and hopefully get some store credit and buy a different one in a few weeks/months. He is also going to help me set up a ATO, auto feeder, controller and RO/DI. I am sad I have to wait even longer for fish to be added, but I rather have a stable system and be able to keep the fish alive than throw them into a death trap. Otherwise everything is good. We did have our first known deaths: a hermit and a snail. I have already trained the snails and hermits that 9pm is feeding time, which I need to go do.

Squishie89 · Oct 26, 2012

Well I got my Dr. Tims One and Only today. I put 15ml into the QT and I put the rest in the DT (~225ml). I am very excited and curious to see how this goes, as I would love to start getting fish in there. My area is expected to get a big storm this weekend/next week and I still have not made calls about a generator being installed, nor do I have my battery back up hooked up to the tank. So maybe it is good I do not have fish yet as we may end up without power. I do have a battery operated air pump that I will be hooking up tonight that comes on when the power goes out. I managed to count 7 hermits the other day out of a possible 8. And still only counting 3 snails out of a possible 4. It is so much fun putting food in the tank and the snails coming out from under the sand, like little zombies. Hopefully I can update soon saying the cycles are done and I am adding fish!

Squishie89 · Nov 21, 2012

An update! Tanks are doing great. DT currently has a few hermit crabs including 1 Dwarf Hermit whose name is Zebra, there is also 3 small snail and 2 large snails, and 1 Pom Pom Crab (just added last night!). DT did not go through a cycle despite the bottle of Dr. Tims, but I think the ~90lbs of liverock had something to do with that. The QT has been cycling and taking its time as well. DT has a huge algae bloom of HA and cyano. The largest snail, Walrus, is currently working on the HA. But the tank is stable otherwise. Tomorrow I am installing a Reef Angel controller with someone, which is very exciting. Not going to do anything to fancy with it yet. And I have a pair of beautiful clowns waiting for me, and if all goes well next week they could be coming to their new home. I am also going to be upgrading the sump to something larger and more roomier than the Aqueon one. Hopefully tomorrow I can update with the RA, and then soon after, with my new clowns (which will also be the first fish!).
Pictures, as always.

Tank as of earlier this evening. All the shells are extra shells I bought, only a few are from hermits that died.

This is Walrus. I truly cannot believe how large his poops are. But he is a great lawnmower.

The cyano pasture.

Overflow is getting a bit.. overgrown.

The HA is actually kind of beautiful.

This is the Pom Pom Crab being acclimated. He is being shy so I did not see him at all today and so far no sign of him tonight.

And the clowns that are waiting for me.

I think I may have scared Zebra XD

mark7x77 · Nov 21, 2012

Good looking tank Squishi.

Squishie89 · Nov 30, 2012

Well a lot has happened! I now have a Reef Angel controller helping me with the tank. And today I got my first fish into the tank! A beautiful pair of clowns from AlphaAquaculture, the female is Black and White ocellaris and the male is a Snowflake with beautiful blue scales. They were only added about 45 minutes ago so they are still working out what is going on. But acclimation went great (45 minutes floating the bag, then 1.5 hours drip acclimation). In another week or so I will be upgrading my sump to a custom made one that is larger and will have an area for ATO. Oh yes, and the RODI unit is installed and working. Despite the lack of sleep because I was so worried about missing the delivery of the clowns, I am so thrilled to finally have fish. Kris from AA was so wonderful to work with and I strongly recommend his services. Now onto the best part, pictures and videos!

^--Video, click the picture to watch

One of the hermits was doing laps

Very odd growth I found. Still have not been able to ID it.