I started this build before Christmas at some point so I’m late to start this but thought I would anyhow. I’m lacking many pictures but here it goes.
I purchased the 13.5 and set it up. I added 20lbs of live sand and 16lbs of live rock purchased at my LFS. I have an RODI built in to my sinI so made some water and started the cycle.
I kept everything stock at the start with the idea that I would redo the filter in the back. After a couple weeks my tank had done its initial cycle so I bought a couple hermits and a turbo snail to keep any new algae in Check. After a week of that I added yellow tail damsel. At that point I think I starved the turbo snail (bad choice) and he passed on.
then my nitrates and phosphates bottomed out and I ended up with dinos. I read for three days straight and the basic short version is I dosed nitrates and phosphates and other algae took over so no more Dino’s after a week.
i then built out my filter with egg crate and have it running a bio media and filter floss in chamber one and carbon In the middle chamber. As I said other algae came on so I got a few top snails who seem to almost be ahead of the game now. not sure what’s going to happen to them when the algae is all gone but we will see.
I then added a clown fish and two nassarius snails for the sand and food scraps.
today my Jebow sow-4 arrived. All parameters are good and life seems ok in the tank. i will be adding some basic corals soon to add some more color.
here’s the beginning and tonight.
I purchased the 13.5 and set it up. I added 20lbs of live sand and 16lbs of live rock purchased at my LFS. I have an RODI built in to my sinI so made some water and started the cycle.
I kept everything stock at the start with the idea that I would redo the filter in the back. After a couple weeks my tank had done its initial cycle so I bought a couple hermits and a turbo snail to keep any new algae in Check. After a week of that I added yellow tail damsel. At that point I think I starved the turbo snail (bad choice) and he passed on.
then my nitrates and phosphates bottomed out and I ended up with dinos. I read for three days straight and the basic short version is I dosed nitrates and phosphates and other algae took over so no more Dino’s after a week.
i then built out my filter with egg crate and have it running a bio media and filter floss in chamber one and carbon In the middle chamber. As I said other algae came on so I got a few top snails who seem to almost be ahead of the game now. not sure what’s going to happen to them when the algae is all gone but we will see.
I then added a clown fish and two nassarius snails for the sand and food scraps.
today my Jebow sow-4 arrived. All parameters are good and life seems ok in the tank. i will be adding some basic corals soon to add some more color.
here’s the beginning and tonight.
