And now for something completely different...

[Stang67]

I think yours turned out really nice I joust worry about mine not turning out well and not being able to go back to the scape I have worked out now.

Cool thing is that I used all rubble for mine. I figured I was going to break up big pieces anyway and it saved me the mess and hassle. It was fun to play around and really if you end up not liking it you can always break it apart and start over. It may be a fun "project" for you and your son. Depending on his age of course. It reminded me a lot of building with legos so if he is into that it may be fun. And even if you don't use the scape he can put it on his dresser or something.

 

[Stang67]

Sunday funday update.....cycle complete. I know right its too soon, there is no way its gone through the cycle already?! Well the test kit seems to differ. I know it's just a basic API and well, yeah. So I am going to do a water change and dose some more ammonia this afternoon and see what it reads tomorrow. I think the key was those sponges I added to seed the tank. I used 3 of them just the little round ones that go over a HOB intake. They have been sitting in my sump now for what at least 8 months so they had some groovy stuff on them I guess. NO WAY am I gonna throw anything in it yet except maybe a zoa frag just to see. Speaking of Zoa's I got bored this weekend and decided to convert my old "starter" tank the 29g to a frag tank in the basement. Yeah its not the best tank for the job but I didn't have to buy a single thing. So I am going to get that squared away and started to cycle with a piece of live rock I have in my sump still. Can't hurt to give it a try right? I would really like a better light but with all the other stuff I bought my budget is shot. So I have a temp light and the rack up about halfway in the tank. So I will just see how that goes, and adapt / modify as needed. BTW the sump is full of frags and I am doing this to thin the huge issue I have with some Zoas (mohawks and Pandora's) that are literally taking over my display.
Until next time.......

 

[maceto]

Looking great! I like the work you did with the rock!

 

[Stang67]

Looking great! I like the work you did with the rock!

Thanks! It was my first try. Really like the look and idea of it.

 

[Stang67]

Pics of the repurposed 29. This makes 4 tanks not including the sump. I need to stop this. I am really excited tho because my winter will be fun.

 

[Stang67]

So had one heck of a day. But thank goodness for glass boxes of water to help us make sense of the crazy around us and in us. First frag has been added. I checked everything again and sure enough its cycled. Did a quick water change and plopped her in near the bottom. I have no experience with this light and I dont want to fry her. I have to look up which one this is I have a list somewhere. Yellow and orange. Also have a few things coming from the WWC sale so we will be using those and some frags from the main dt to start.

 

[Stang67]

So I broke down and got a better light for the frag tank. What I had really wasn't going to do much good. I reorganized the basement lady lounge. Now I just need a TV and couch. Just kidding, maybe. Did some straightening up and testing yesterday. Added the mushroom nursery and a huge rock covered with pandora zoas and my hollywood stunner frags. Office tank is also coming along nicely. Starting to see some diatoms on the rock.

 

[Stang67]

So after spending Saturday in the ER with my 91 yo grandmother and Sunday recouping with the couch and some Netflix (go watch the Queens Gambit, NOW) my weekend was shot. Priorities. I have been able to chop up some of my Zoas so they are all in the grow out tank in the basement and I transferred some of my new stuff to the office tank. Planning on loading this little tank up with as many zoa's as I can and then watching the magic happen. Waiting till weather gets better in the spring to add any fish. Famous last word....waiting. But the holidays are upon us and cold weather here so no need to risk it. Special shout out to Chad Chapman who hooked me up with some amazing zoa's. I will be contacting him again as well in the spring for some more.

 

[Stang67]

Well Christmas at least is over. Just 2 more holiday's to go. New Years and the dreaded Birthday. After that were back to normal(ish). The update for the office tank is that I am in the uglies and also have coraline starting. Glass is filthy though so I ordered a nano magnet cleaner thingy, and it should be here by spring. Fingers crossed. The frag tank is humming along with some wonderful babies and Bryopsis. I saw that in the tank back in February before I upgraded but the tank has been broken down since then. I treated the new tank with reef flux when I saw it came over with the transfer but never thought in a million years it would stay in the old tank. It was empty and I am not using any sand or rock from the old tank. Just the HOB filter is the same and the tank itself so for those reading this is something I have never encountered on the threads. Either way got another round of Reef Flux on the way (again should be here by spring). Parameters are good and things are chugging along.

 

[Stang67]

Update time. Good news is all is good all around. Bad news well there really isn't any. Sold my first frags this weekend so I am pretty proud of myself for that. Frag tank is done with the bryopsis issue but now I have brown snot so time for a water change. Office tank is happy and full of frags from the main tank. Over 20 different kinds of zoas so far. Hijacked some hermits to handle cleanup for now. Debating on fish for both at the moment. Leaning towards trying out some mollies just to see. Cant find what I really want anywhere for the time being we will wait. Pix of office tank. Have a couple other frags in here I'm trying to save as well.

 

[Stang67]

So i did it. i finally got a fish for the office tank. Looked around a lot on the boards to see what others had done as well. Went down to the LFS where the prices seem to have doubled since the last time I was there. And there he was the last one no less. No pix at the moment but for sure on Monday. I picked up a Tail spot Blenny 35.00$. My boyfriend named him Steve Buscemi. Don't ask. I am also going to try Molly's in the frag tank. I picked up 5 gold dust Mollys at my local "pet" store. They were only 2.50 a piece so I figured I'm only out 12.50 if it doesn't work out. So far they are up to 30 and its been 5 hrs. I think they will be fine based again on the research I did ahead of time on here. So wish me luck.

 

[Stang67]

 

[Stang67]

Yeah so negative on the molly's. That was WAY more of a pita then it was worth. But as they say everything happens for a reason. I still needed some fish for the frag tank so I discovered that we still had a Petco within 30 min from my house. So I took a drive out to see what they had. TBH the tanks were spotless no weird stuff growing and everything looked incredibly healthy. So I picked up a 3 spot domino and a regal something Damsel. Yeah they were in the same tank together and are getting along fine now as well. Cool little fish for sure. Also started adding MB7 to the frag and office tanks just to boost the load. All the snot is gone as well from the frag tank after the water change and a good cleaning. Frags are all looking great and hopefully ready for FB next weekend. Need to trade up for a few more zoas for the collection. I have 24 different kinds in the office tank and CANNOT wait for them to start growing out and filling in. The other corals that are in there for some recovery time are doing well and will also be staying on the sandbed. Steve is eating algae like a champ and the 3 hermits seem to be helping keep things clean. I will have to say that Steve is very fun to watch and has quickly become a favorite.
Also removed the wavemaker. The lowest setting it had available was 40% which was just too much for the zoas. I have a stock return in there now which i think is 160gph and ordered a sicce 185 gph to up the flow a bit instead of a powerhead. For zoas that should be plenty. Also finally going to get a larger ATO reservoir for the main display this weekend 5g just isnt cutting it in the winter here and i have to refill it almost every other day now.

 

[GoReefin]

Looking great. Love the aquascape

 

[Stang67]

So update time. Cube is still going strong but fighting a nasty gha outbreak. I tell you what these little buggers are hard. Good news is that other than that and some aptasia life is good.