300 litre with sump

[ying yang]

Bought some west pacific clams ( frozen today) for all fish but mainly for the cbb as he eating the frozen mysis but not much compared to the other fish.
Also bought a fresh oyster and eventually the cbb was eating the oyster after the nas snails had their share ^_^

 

[ying yang]

yesterday at it and at it again today

Naughty crab

youtube.com

I understand why many reefers say they wont keep any kind of crab no more.as mine for months no problem at all but now i got one mini hermit that i seen kill one hermit in front of me for its shell and then day after trying to get a bigger red legged scarlet hermit for his bigger shell i think but ended up splitting them up so now this browny/ orange legged with blue tips on his last chance as in my tank the 3 strike rule is the law ha ha so one more time he be kept in the dark dungein ( the sump lol)

 

[ying yang]

Well missed my weekly water change this week as was due sunday and now wednesday as need to replace sediment filter and carbon block as my tsd reading 1- 2 and if run it for just under a hour it was going to 0 for the last 2 water changes so on sunday i run it for. Hour but still stayed at 1 tds so filled a 25 litre container at 1tds but as 3/ 4 checked it and 0 tds but made this up which isnt ideal but if worse happens and crack one of the canisters trying to loosen it at least can do a wc with the 1 tds water whilst waiting for replacemrmt canister as rwmember few months ago i tried loosening 2 canisters and eventually opened one but 2nd one was on so tight i gave up but now tds not 0 i need change ,i put silicone grease on the o rings seals but was long time ago ,but im sure with some peservance and lots swearing and cursing i can remove it ha ha ^_^

 

[ying yang]

Changed sediment filter and carbon block last night.inside canister of carbon lots carbon particles.now 0tds straight away instead running for 30 minutes first lol.
Making saltwater since last night and will do wc in few hours time once temp drops.

 

[ying yang]

Lucky escape for nas snail i think.
Was 1.30 am last night and heard few loud pops from pistol shrimp so get up to look in his lair and seen him grabbing snail into actual burrow.by time got video on was little bit struggle but then got free.went bed shortly after so not sure what happenned to snail lol

 

[ying yang]

Reverse Osmosis RO 100GPD (US Gallons) Booster Pump with Power Supply and Fittings

RO booster pump for 100gpd reverse osmosis filtration systems, including a power supply and 1/4" connections.

www.vyair.com

Full tank video as off yesterday. Still along way to go but coming on nicely and copperband butterfly eating the clams good so happy with that.

 

[ying yang]

Ooops should been this link above and not pump lol

 

[ying yang]

Started feeding clams about 5- 6 days ago now and 1 feed a day put at least 1 and sometimes 2 small clams in ( like 1 1/2 wide) all fish loving them,im leaving the empty shells in just for effect but noticed water going little cloudier so going have keep eye on this.will try just taking slivers off the clam with a razor blade and see if copperband will eat it this way.im rinsing the defrosted clam under tank to remove any waste/ gunk but we shall see which way i go.

Well at least 3 months ago i said will look into buying a white worm culture as beneficial for all fish to eat these but keep putting it off ( so lazy lol )

 

[ying yang]

Been adding 1 clam per day at tea time and copperband still loving them.i come up with idea to leave the empty shells in for effect but now 10 plus empty shells on sandbed its getting looking little scruffy and conchs and other cuc cant do job properley so come up with idea to glue them together and make cave out off them hopefully for sleeping quarters for copperband and attach some gsp or even a chalice so it can encrust over it and will give very intetesting shape i think.
Maybe tommorrow i start gluing them together to see if got enough to do what i want to do.

 

[Goaway]

I am loving that CBB. Congrats! I will have to go through the other pages of this build. I'm pretty exhausted today.
You have done a lot since you have started. Great progress!

 

[ying yang]

Hi mibu,hope all is well ^_^
Firstly thankyou for taking time to look my build thread as im first to admit i totally waffle on lol
I just logged on and seen 40 either wows,ha ha's or likes and was like wow myself.
Yeah copperband is a beauty,only had few weeks so early days but going great so far with him eating ,well eating clams and you probably reade saying 5 times or more i will start white worm culture mainly for him but will benefit all fish. Maybe going on holiday in few weeks ify government take turkey off the red list and my niece house/fish sitting and she said no way she have anything to do with white worms so will have to be after holiday this much i know ^_^

 

[Goaway]

Either way, you got a CBB eating. I am so happy to see that. These fish are so picky! I hope your family is enjoying the fish and aquarium. So much to learn and to do. Even all the years in the aquatic hobby. It's never a dull moment.

My family LOVES the aquarium and my young one. Oh boy, he knows when something changed. He is the first to tell me. Makes me so happy. I'll be sad when he stops caring. He's only 2 1/2 years old now.

 

[ying yang]

Yeah them being picky finnicky eaters was all that i was reading when first bought this tank 5 years ago and wanted one but decided not as thought not fair to buy one when such a high death rate.but health got better after surgery august 2020 so set up this tank begginning this year and still thought i wouldnt get one but as started researching again and using clams and white worms ( and picking a healthy fish eating at lfs) people was having more success i thought i would give it a go and if needed build a feeder only it could feed from.and my little one just turned 4 last week and had little party in garden for her ( well more like little festival as mrs gets carried away a tad) daughter knows names off all fish,snails,crabs,shrimp,corals the lot so happy she paying interest in tank and happy to teach her about nature best i can as nature is just magical as my daughter says ha ha

 

[ying yang]

Well epic fail on trying attach my lobo to the higher rockwork from sand bed ( wrasse dive bombing sandbed and then coming straight back up and him and his cronies then eating all the micto fauna that goes in water column) quite clever but putting lots sand on lobo and conchs knocking it over often lol
Put lots epoxy and sandwiched some super glue gel inbetween epoxy just like i did the torch but this lobo slightly leaning forward, checked it 30 minutes later and it face down in sand bed then started adding glue then more glue and trying stick it now to the epoxy thats gone hard and on rock but nope just ended up lots glue on finger tips and bit of glue on lobo sides.im hoping it will shrug it off.if not i think going have put hands back in tank and try peel it off as hopefully hard now.i just hope it not damaged it with all the man handling as through the day its been puffed up nicely and feeding tentacles out at night and taking food from me.but we shall see.
But if anyone reading this tell me in lamems terms how to attach a lobo to the rocks,rocks have slight hit of algae on.

Here some pics with glue on lobo and the pink epoxy where tried and fail get it on lol.
Lobo doesnt look that bad but we shall see

 

[ying yang]

As i dont like to admit defeat and even though it midnight and would stress the fish out snd3irritate this poor lobo that been man handling for about 2 hours.i took it back off sand watched you tbue video again lol and glue on skeloton of lobo then used last bit of epoxy and glue on top off that and stuck next to part rock i originally wanted it as wanted it jutting out so not got desired affect but it will do as it hopefully grows new heads.
Also put some clams on sandbed underneath it incase falls off while im asleep as a little crash mat so doesnt end up in sand lol.

Also used the king scallop shell epoxied on top of a rock then leant up against over flow as possible sleeping quarters for copperband if he chooses and will buy more ultra thin glue and attempt my clam cave which also was an epic fail last week

Ps: if you wondering i got all the dried on glue off the kobo flesh ( pronise cross my heart i didnt just turn it around ha ha ^_^ ) lol.

 

[Goaway]

It can take many attempts to get some attached. Good job!

 

[ying yang]

It can take many attempts to get some attached. Good job!

Yeah was right carry on.you know them moments when stuff doesnt go right and you want shout and throw stuff but need remind yourself its not that bad and getting angry wont help lol.

While i make my clam cave i saving clam shells in sandbed for effect and here is king scallop shell on back.

 

[ying yang]

Managed to go back supermarket other end of city and they had frozen clams and gpt live fresh oyster.they also had fresh live mussels in a net bag so after next week will get some when come back from holiday .the oyster i think looks like has barnacles on it. Not sure if should be putting shell in or not ha ha

 

[ying yang]

Well nitrate and alk came today,just waiting on phosphate.
Plus got told cheap website for clothes for my holiday in 5 days time as left it till last minute to buy and ordered like 12 items saving lots money but had to pay for next day delivery and now need to pay to send 11 of the 12 things back as all to bloody small.its always same ordering online. Not sure why i even agreed to do it.
Einstein said " insanity is doing same thing over and over and expecting different results"

 

[ying yang]

Well nitrate is coming up at between 25 and 50 which surprisingly is same range as api nitrate test kit which says 20- 40 so guess people saying NEED AND ITS A MUST TO HAVE A MORE ACCURATE TEST KIT is for people who have lower nitrates,as i feed alot and started with dry rocks i dont think thats me lol
So my thinking is still we all mainly use hobby grade test kits and they are just that " hobby grade"
And i will cut down feeding as much as even though 20-50 or api 20- 40 isnt ridiculousy high and i religously do 10% wc weekly which is due in few days,i would like the nitrates a little lower preferably 15- 20 .

Alk was first time testing and colour changed quicker than i thought would do so by time i stopped it read 8.9 alk but could quite easy be 11 like instant ocean is meant to be.will have to be more careful and slower next time i test alk ^_^

Just have wait for phospate test i ordered to come in post and see them results ha ha