Taking the plunge

[dowsetts101]

Welcome to the R2R family!!

Thanks Maddy...now that I’ve actually got something happening I will have a bit more to contribute...or at least more questions to ask!!!

 

[dowsetts101]

love the scape

Thanks Sam...I’m pretty happy with it so far. I really enjoyed the RealReef rock, though a bit sad to not have lots of critters etc to look at...though that will come.

I managed to get a lot of nooks, crannies and caves into the scape, which hopefully the livestock appreciates!!!

 

[dowsetts101]

welcome.that's a build you can be very proud of.

Yes, I’m very happy with the build overall...now I just need to work on my speed of delivery!!!

I’ve still got the hood to build and I’m scared to think of how long that will take...though I must admit, now that there is water in the tank, I’m a bit more motivated to get moving on it!!

 

[code4]

Great job! My husband helps me with my tank. I can appreciate how much work this has been for you. Glad to hear you already are thinking of quarantine.

Shelley

 

[dowsetts101]

Great job! My husband helps me with my tank. I can appreciate how much work this has been for you. Glad to hear you already are thinking of quarantine.

Shelley

It’s been good fun putting it all together...lots of new things, drilling glass, siliconing (which I suck at!!), bending ply for curved doors and lots and lots of PVC plumbing. Learnt heaps. I’ll post some pics of my quarantine setup.

 

[hdsoftail1065]

Welcome to R2R! Your doing a great job, it's going to look great!

 

[dowsetts101]

Quarantine Tank

Have setup a quarantine tank in a spare room. Intend to have two tanks in here, unfortunately they’ll need to be sitting above each other as I’m limited to the alcove, but better than nothing. I plan to have the invert/coral QT above the fish QT as that sounds like a lower risk of copper dosed water splashing up!!!

Tank is a 2 footer, and I’ve got a small HOB filter and internal sponge/air stone filter the other end. Heater, thermometer and Ammonia alert also.

I got a couple of bits of live rock to add as rubble to the small fuge in my DT so thought that I’d practice observing in the QT first before I move it over.

It’s only a small light as I figure it’s only really for observing the fish whilst they are in QT.

Must be almost time to buy some fish to start the 76 day timer!!!

 

[dowsetts101]

Isn’t it funny how about exciting starting to see some algae starting to form in the tank!!!

I’m sure I’ll live to regret those words, but to me it’s a sign that the next stage of my tanks evolution has begun!!!

I’m fairly sure that this is the start of the diatom bloom...it’s just on the rocks at the moment, sand seems pretty clear.

Last weekend I bought my first livestock as I started to see the first signs. 4 snails ( 2 Nassarius and 2 Trocchus) and 2 glass cleaner shrimp.

The trocchus are great, all over the rocks and seemingly enjoying themselves. The Nassarius have disappeared.

The cleaner shrimp are cool to watch. They scared me the first night that I got them as the next morning I saw what looked like their dead bodies. I wondered if it was a moult, but thought it was too soon. Didn’t see them for the next 3 days then out one popped!!!

Anyway going to get my first fish to quarantine tomorrow. The LFS has some nice small Azure Damsel (they call them Kapung Damsels) which I think 4 will be a good start.

Tempted to get a couple of corals, but I reckon that it’s too early for that...but the LFS is having a 30% off coral sale this weekend...maybe it’s worth the risk!!! I’ll try to resist.

Anyway, really happy to be seeing some activity, even if it is snails, shrimp and diatom!!!

 

[Ruben's Reef]

WOW !!!! I just look at all the progress you have done and you did an amazing job. Welcome to R2R!!!

 

[Reefing Madness]

 

[dowsetts101]

WOW !!!! I just look at all the progress you have done and you did an amazing job. Welcome to R2R!!!

Thanks Spyder...I suppose I have done a fair bit...but given its taken me just over 14 months to get to this point, it hasn’t been a quick journey. Still a long way to go though.

 

[dowsetts101]

Thanks, it’s been great to be here soaking up everyone’s knowledge and enthusiasm

 

[dowsetts101]

Welcome to R2R! Your doing a great job, it's going to look great!

Thanks for the encouragement, been a long time in the making, but been a blast so far

 

[AlyciaMarieee]

Welcome to the family!!!

 

[dowsetts101]

Welcome to the family!!!

Thanks Alycia...it’s a fun place to be so far

 

[dowsetts101]

My first fish

I managed to resist the urge to get some corals...but got my first marine fish on Sunday afternoon.

4 Azure Damsels (the LFS called them Kupang Damsels) are now in my QT.

All pretty good so far. They are active and eating well.

One has had a bit of a chunk taken out of its right flank...it’s one of the more assertive ones so perhaps there was a bit of biffo on the first night in there.

I’ll look up the proper general treatment and work out which of the myriad of bottles is the right one (I’m sure I’ve got Humblefish’ post saved somewhere!!!)

 

[dowsetts101]

Always nice to have confirmation that you put together the RODI unit correctly

Just installed the TDS meter (probably should have got one at the time I bought the unit but hey...got one now!!!)

TDS of Tap Water

TDS of water after RODI

 

[dowsetts101]

First corals

Went down to my LFS today and picked up my first two corals.

Australian Duncanopsammia

Fungia

I acclimated them with tank water over a couple of hours, then did a 15 minute dip in Seachem Reef Dip. The heads on the Duncan closed up a fair bit following the dip, but I figure that’s to be expected.

I’m a bit worried about my lights, so I’ve started with what I hope are corals that have lower lighting needs, but we’ll see how we go.

 

[dowsetts101]

The Duncan has opened up nicely now

 

[dowsetts101]

Installed my ATO

Finally installed my ATO now that the reservoir has had a week or so to cure. I had to make a custom size reservoir to fit in my cabinet.

Ordered the glass from my local glazier and put it together last weekend. Ive done a fixed half lid, into which I’ve drilled in for a 25mm bulkhead, and also a couple of smaller holes for the ATO delivery tube and power supply.

My ATO is a Tunze Osmolator 3155.

When I looked this morning it had overfilled the sump, so I’ll need to check the sensor. I took the water level back down and am monitoring it.

Overall image of the sump with new ATO reservoir

Close up of ATO Reservoir

Also did a bit of work in my control cabinet. I’ve done up a “false” door, with most of the power supplies fixed to the back of the cabinet and hidden from view. On the front false door I’ve put the controllers for my MP40, Seneye and Tunze ATO controller. Also have the switched powerboard which I’ve got the return pump and a few of the ones that I need to regularly access.

A much cleaner layout, with most of the cable spaghetti hidden from view.

Updated layout in control cabinet

And I also got a new coral, a Leather, on the weekend. I’ve just placed it on the sand bed for the moment and will look at positioning it up a bit higher in the rock work in a week or so.

New Leather

Overall tank shot