Bits and Pieces Salt Tank! (54l)

[Maebh]

Hi everyone! Finally making a build thread after months of lurking.
My tank's a bit scraped together and is seven months old, with plenty of history. Its 54 litres or 14.26 gallons. I recently found rust in the lid that the tank came with, so currently my lid is a rubbish bag that I taped down (very fancy!).

Tank and Heater- Second hand. (tank unbranded!!) 60x30x30cm.
Filter-Eheim Pickup filter 60l- ceramic beads, a tiny bit of filter floss.
Pump/Wavemaker-JBL pro flow t300
Air bubbler-Nicrew
Light-Nicrew (SlimLed?)

This tank has been a... journey. Curently only have one nassarius snail, no macro algae and no corals.
Im holding my selfs to a 20% water change every saturday. I do tests every two weeks (Salinity, pH, Nitrates, Nitrites, Ammonia, Alkalinity).
I had my phosphates checked after two deaths (nassarius snail, blue legged hermit crab) and they were, cover your ears, over 1. I was advised to feed more, and I guess took that to much to heart. I've got Phosguard running and will trying to get my hands on tests for phosphates soon.

Plan: I need to get a lid, I'm going for acrylic. Then its just tests and water changes until I'm happy with the stability. I want to get some more biodiversity, I think my lfs just gave me wet rock rather than live rock :/. Ive seen one copepod in my tank...ever. Then if all goes well, its sps and fish /inverts!!

 

[NeedAReef]

you will learn to hate bubble wands....salt creep everywhere

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Hi everyone! Finally making a build thread after months of lurking.
My tank's a bit scraped together and is seven months old, with plenty of history. Its 54 litres or 14.26 gallons. I recently found rust in the lid that the tank came with, so currently my lid is a rubbish bag that I taped down (very fancy!).

Tank and Heater- Second hand. (tank unbranded!!) 60x30x30cm.
Filter-Eheim Pickup filter 60l- ceramic beads, a tiny bit of filter floss.
Pump/Wavemaker-JBL pro flow t300
Air bubbler-Nicrew
Light-Nicrew (SlimLed?)

This tank has been a... journey. Curently only have one nassarius snail, no macro algae and no corals.
Im holding my selfs to a 20% water change every saturday. I do tests every two weeks (Salinity, pH, Nitrates, Nitrites, Ammonia, Alkalinity).
I had my phosphates checked after two deaths (nassarius snail, blue legged hermit crab) and they were, cover your ears, over 1. I was advised to feed more, and I guess took that to much to heart. I've got Phosguard running and will trying to get my hands on tests for phosphates soon.

Plan: I need to get a lid, I'm going for acrylic. Then its just tests and water changes until I'm happy with the stability. I want to get some more biodiversity, I think my lfs just gave me wet rock rather than live rock :/. Ive seen one copepod in my tank...ever. Then if all goes well, its sps and fish /inverts!!

Nice looking aquascape!

 

[Maebh]

Nice looking aquascape!

youre so kind, but thats kinda just how they fell I think I might change it up in the future!

 

[Maebh]

Update! So everything is going well with the tank, my phosphates are way lower, Ive gotten a bit of algae growing on one of my rocks which Im actually kinda happy about! Means my tank can actually sustain life
Anyways im thinking of adding some macroalgae, as I had it before my phosphates went mad, and loved it! If all goes well Im thinking a tuxedo urchin might be added in a while
I might add a background, but dont know what colour would be best. Im thinking black? Any recomendations?

 

[Maebh]

 

[Not_Erick]

It’s looking good! Are you going to remove the air bubbler?

 

[JAS927]

Looking good so far! …and the pilea and maculata next to your tank too!

 

[Maebh]

Looking good so far! …and the pilea and maculata next to your tank too!

Thanks!

 

[Maebh]

Update! after adding that prolifera the other day i finally have visible copepods!!! I have only seen ONE ampihpod (no copepods) in the entire tanks life! They are gorgeous and all over my glass!!

 

[Maebh]

 

[Maebh]

Got some pics with my microscope! Enjoy, even though they arent the worlds best quality . The vids a bit messy but has some good bits! (tho the last 10 secs are me fumbling around)
Does anyone know the round guy in pic 2 or the hair structures in pic 6 and 7?
@ISpeakForTheSeas you might be able to help id! Hope ya like the pics anyways!

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Got some pics with my microscope! Enjoy, even though they arent the worlds best quality . The vids a bit messy but has some good bits! (tho the last 10 secs are me fumbling around)
Does anyone know the round guy in pic 2 or the hair structures in pic 6 and 7?
@ISpeakForTheSeas you might be able to help id! Hope ya like the pics anyways!

Microscope ID's aren't my strong point yet, but I'd guess the round guy might be an ostracod (I'm not confident on that though), and the hair-like structures might be tiny scratches on the glass.

 

[Maebh]

Microscope ID's aren't my strong point yet, but I'd guess the round guy might be an ostracod (I'm not confident on that though), and the hair-like structures might be tiny scratches on the glass.

Thanks! I was thinking it was scratches but was hoping for something cooler

 

[Maebh]

So, to keep a record:
-I'm getting my lid this weeked.
-I've got lid clips, salt and an algae scrubber coming in the post.
-I'm planning on painting the back a dark green turquoise colour.
-I might be getting my first corals when I'm on break in a few weeks, cause I can finally go somewhere where one clove polyp is under 45 quid. Of course Im gonna try get some more macroalgae
-Then I'm thinking fish! Or invertabrates! Or something! I honestly havent half a clue what I'm gonna put in my tank, but the weirder the better!

 

[PokeFish]

cool concept/scape! I think a pistol shrimp and goby would go great in there... some gorgonians for height if you'd like. Maybe even some rock flower anemones! Gotta get a stronger light for them though. An aquaknight led (60 dollars on amazon) should be suffecient

 

[Maebh]

Alright, update time! I'll get some pictures, if I remember!
Fish:
None, still
Inverts:
Red bell urchin
Nassarius snail
Brittle stars
2 Turbo snails
Feather duster cluster (and two seperate ones)
Corals:
4 Zoanthids (2 singular polyps, 2 clusters)
3 Green/brown mushrooms
Leather mushroom
GSP
Pink branching coral (forgot the name)
Misc
Dragons breath
Caulerpa Prolifera
Red mangrove seedling

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Alright, update time! I'll get some pictures, if I remember!
Fish:
None, still
Inverts:
Red bell urchin
Nassarius snail
Brittle stars
2 Turbo snails
Feather duster cluster (and two seperate ones)
Corals:
4 Zoanthids (2 singular polyps, 2 clusters)
3 Green/brown mushrooms
Leather mushroom
GSP
Pink branching coral (forgot the name)
Misc
Dragons breath
Caulerpa Prolifera
Red mangrove seedling

Nice sound corals! Can't wait to see pictures!

 

[Maebh]

Some photos! I'm trying to get my hands on a tidal 55 HOB filter and some AI Hydra 26 lights My urchin loves to find any new corals and sit on them He is gorgeous though, so I cant complain!

 

[Maebh]

More pics! Got my hob tidal 55 (really like it) and got some more corals (inc Birds nest, my first sps!)! Might make the background black soon!