7of9’s 32g Borgcube Biocube

tbrown

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How’s my sandbed looking? Eventually I’d like a yellow watchman goby up in there.
IMG_7651.jpeg
It's too white and too flat... Make it messier?
 
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It's too white and too flat... Make it messier?
I figure that will happen on its own. Critters will move the sand and stuff will start growing in it. I'm waiting for things to get messy before adding a CUC, but I'm sure they'll toss sand around some for me. Tossers.:smirking-face:
 
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MOAR ROCK!!!

I took a small road trip to visit @StatelineReefer and he gave me some awesome rock!
IMG_7655.jpeg

IMG_7659.jpeg

IMG_7657.jpeg

Pictures don’t do it justice. There’s lots of texture and interesting shapes and plenty of good hiding places. On the way home I picked up a few snails and then tested the tank. Everything is looking great with zero ammonia. In a week or so, as long as I don’t see ammonia rise, I plan on adding a clown pair and maybe a zoa frag to see how things go!

He was also very kind and gave me a hydros x4. I’m going to play with it this week!

Tomorrow I’m off to the family farm in Illinois to visit my Mom who is recovering from surgery for pancreatic cancer and doing pretty well. A great weekend overall!
 

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Wow that's quite generous of him, huge props. If you have any Hydros questions feel free to reach out. I won't pretend to be an expert but I've setup the following systems in my own tank:

1. PH and Temp Control
2. Wavemaker Control
3. Auto Top Off
4. RODI control to both freshwater reservoir and salt mixing station
5. Salt Mixing Station automation
6. Automatic Water Changes
7. Feeding Schedules
 

tbrown

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MOAR ROCK!!!

I took a small road trip to visit @StatelineReefer and he gave me some awesome rock!
IMG_7655.jpeg

IMG_7659.jpeg

IMG_7657.jpeg

Pictures don’t do it justice. There’s lots of texture and interesting shapes and plenty of good hiding places. On the way home I picked up a few snails and then tested the tank. Everything is looking great with zero ammonia. In a week or so, as long as I don’t see ammonia rise, I plan on adding a clown pair and maybe a zoa frag to see how things go!

He was also very kind and gave me a hydros x4. I’m going to play with it this week!

Tomorrow I’m off to the family farm in Illinois to visit my Mom who is recovering from surgery for pancreatic cancer and doing pretty well. A great weekend overall!
Gonna stop and say hi to @Goaway ?
 

N1tew0lf1212

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Scape is looking awesome great job with the build sand will get tossed up depending on what's in there. What's your plans for stocking seen the clownfish and snails you going to get anything else?
 
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Scape is looking awesome great job with the build sand will get tossed up depending on what's in there. What's your plans for stocking seen the clownfish and snails you going to get anything else?
Definitely a yellow watchman goby. Other than that, I’m undecided. Probably a shrimp and maybe an urchin. I need ideas for other easy small fish, though.
 

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Definitely a yellow watchman goby. Other than that, I’m undecided. Probably a shrimp and maybe an urchin. I need ideas for other easy small fish, though.
Tail spot blenny. They have alot of personality.
 

tbrown

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Definitely a yellow watchman goby. Other than that, I’m undecided. Probably a shrimp and maybe an urchin. I need ideas for other easy small fish, though.
IMG_20230825_151315178.jpg

I added mine Friday. He promptly hid.

Hector's Goby or Court Jester Goby is a good addition. Cool little fish and algae eater.
 

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I loved shrimp in the beginning now not so much. Sometimes they are perfect angels and sometimes they are coral buggers. I have one that I can't keep some LPS in the tank due to it irritating the coral by stealing food. I know some others have better experiences but for me it's a pass. Blennies are awesome love their personality and almost that old man face. Be careful with Dottie backs. Some can be pretty aggressive. Looking forward to see this build continue....
 
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I…am a SUCKER.

I went to visit the farm and, wouldn’t you know it, there were kittens…that were just weaned…and sickly. Definitely not going to make it without intervention.

:pleading-face:

So, please welcome Ollie and Spud to the family.
IMG_7661.jpeg

They have, at the very least, eye and upper respiratory infections and one is an underfed runt. I’m taking both to the vet tomorrow, but even so I’m not certain they’ll make it. Only time will tell.

Yes, I am a pushover.

In other news, the snails have gone into hiding, but tank parameters remain steady. Friday is payday and I foresee a trip to Best Fish in Milwaukee.
Happy Very Funny GIF by Disney Zootopia
 

StatelineReefer

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I…am a SUCKER.

I went to visit the farm and, wouldn’t you know it, there were kittens…that were just weaned…and sickly. Definitely not going to make it without intervention.

:pleading-face:

So, please welcome Ollie and Spud to the family.
IMG_7661.jpeg

They have, at the very least, eye and upper respiratory infections and one is an underfed runt. I’m taking both to the vet tomorrow, but even so I’m not certain they’ll make it. Only time will tell.

Yes, I am a pushover.

In other news, the snails have gone into hiding, but tank parameters remain steady. Friday is payday and I foresee a trip to Best Fish in Milwaukee.
Happy Very Funny GIF by Disney Zootopia
Runts make the best cats...

Bean is still on his high horse though.
 
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Who wouldn't want to help those cuties?
I was a goner once I saw how helpless and sickly they were. We have a vet appointment tomorrow. For now, they’re eating to fatten them up and helping me work and set up my hydros. The dogs aren’t so sure about them.
IMG_7663.jpeg
 

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I was a goner once I saw how helpless and sickly they were. We have a vet appointment tomorrow. For now, they’re eating to fatten them up and helping me work and set up my hydros. The dogs aren’t so sure about them.
IMG_7663.jpeg
The dogs will learn why the Egyptians worshipped cats as gods.

Look at them fuzzy earses...
 
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The kittens are doing well and eating like crazy and starting to get playful! We visit the vet today, so hopefully they'll only get healthier from here.

The Borg Cube is also doing well! I had a tiny ammonia spike when I added the rock and snails, but it's back down to zero, so it looks like the tank is well cycled. My wifi does not really agree with the wifi power strip (it's weird apartment building wifi), so I'm planning to get an AP and plug it in and run a network just for aquarium stuff. That seems to be the least expensive way to work around this issue, at least until I move next June. I do have the temperature probe working and the ph probe. The ph probe matches what my Red Sea tests read, but the temp probe is several degrees off of what my heaters are set to and my dumb little sticker seems to indicate. I'm either going to have to set an offset on it or maybe get a new probe. Once I get the wifi power strip, I'd like to program it to turn heaters on and off depending on the temp.

All good stuff coming along! Payday is Friday and I'm hoping to get a black and white oscellaris clown pair to get this party started and then maybe a zoa frag to test the waters. I am really happy about the way things are shaping up!
 
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IMG_7668.jpeg

And the setup costs spreadsheet is complete!
Red Sea Marine Care Test Kit$60
Caribsea Arag-Alive Fiji Aquarium Sand$24
3 5G buckets with lids$20
Fluval Edge Digital Aquarium Thermometer$6
Jebao SLW Series SINE Wave Flow Wavemaker$70
Backup Heater - 300w$38
Magnet Cleaner for Glass$9
Seachem Laboratories Ammonia Alert 1 yr Monitor$10
32g Biocube with stand$250
Local Live Rock - 20lbs$158
Coralife Salt - 30g$22
Marine Pure Bio Balls Filter Media x2$52
Salinity Refractometer$70
RO/DI Unit$50
Chemipure Elite$40
Coralife Biocube Water Filter Cartridge - 2 2 packs$22
Quick Connect Pro RO Feed Adapter Valve$22
Hanna Salinity Tester$80
Fritz Aquatics 35ppt Calibration Solution$7
Current All In:$1,010
 

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There can be a temp difference of several degrees between where your heaters are (which will probably register warmer since it's right by the heater) and where your probe is. Most put the probe in the chamber right before it gets to the heater. I'm excited to see your tank with fish!
 
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There can be a temp difference of several degrees between where your heaters are (which will probably register warmer since it's right by the heater) and where your probe is. Most put the probe in the chamber right before it gets to the heater. I'm excited to see your tank with fish!
Unfortunately, my heaters are in the very first chamber. I have the probe just in front of that compartment. The probe registers 80.8 degrees and I have my hottest heater set to 75 degrees right now. I would think, if anything, the probe would read cooler. The sticker thermometer agrees with my heater.

So...not quite sure what's going on there.
 

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