GK3’s IM AIO 30 - Tank+Apex+100%DIY

[GK3]

I got a white claw or I think they are sometimes called a spotted claw hermit at the LFS last weekend. He was my first addition to the new tank. Didn’t see him for a while and thought he may not have made it. I even threw a few food pellets in to see if I could draw him out, but no luck. Then tonight I saw him:

Just realized how bad of a picture that is. I’ll try to capture another one in better lighting.

As far as hermit crabs go, in general it’s not super exciting. This guy is pretty neat though. And he is crazy fast!

 

[ReeferReefer]

Hermit crabs are one of the best parts of a reef tank. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

I especially love unique ones like you got.

Here is my Halloween Hermit.

 

[GK3]

Hermit crabs are one of the best parts of a reef tank. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

I especially love unique ones like you got.

Here is my Halloween Hermit.

My little nephew stands in front of my reef when he comes over. I have alll these cool corals and fish and without failure he goes “where is the crab?” Then I turn out the lights, throw a sheet over the tank, and say if you can’t appreciate cool stuff you can’t look at any of it. He cries every single time. He’s only 3 but I think life lessons early are important.

That halloween hermit is cool. I was planning on only adding my electric blue, then I got the white claw guy. maybe I’ll need to do a Halloween as well. I’ll need a good name for that fantastic band of misfits. I am not planning to do any blue or red legs since it’s a low nutrient tank. So it will just be these two or three hermits.

 

[Metal_Angler]

Yay livestock and corals! lol

I actually dislike most crabs in my reef tanks. lol
I haven't had a hermit crab in a reef tank in over 10 years. Just personal preference.

Sorry the stand didn't work out the way you wanted it to.

 

[GK3]

Yay livestock and corals! lol


I actually dislike most crabs in my reef tanks. lol
I haven't had a hermit crab in a reef tank in over 10 years. Just personal preference.

Sorry the stand didn't work out the way you wanted it to.

No worries on the stand. Would have been really cool, but I can still build an awesome one out of wood.

In my last couple of tanks, I always went and got hermits and snails right away because I was impatient and wanted something moving in the tank. By about 6 months in I maybe has three hermits left and they were all living in the snails shells. From then on, I’d only add them if I had an issue I needed them to take care of. I am debating whether or not to add this giant red emerald grab I currently have or not. My guess is he will just be “jerk who walks all over corals” so I am leaving towards leaving him out.

 

[ReeferReefer]

No worries on the stand. Would have been really cool, but I can still build an awesome one out of wood.

In my last couple of tanks, I always went and got hermits and snails right away because I was impatient and wanted something moving in the tank. By about 6 months in I maybe has three hermits left and they were all living in the snails shells. From then on, I’d only add them if I had an issue I needed them to take care of. I am debating whether or not to add this giant red emerald grab I currently have or not. My guess is he will just be “jerk who walks all over corals” so I am leaving towards leaving him out.

Again, I'm on team crab! I really like have a few Emerald Crabs in the tank. I just love that classic crab shape they have and they really give the tank an ocean feel.

That being said I keep very easy corals so YMMV.

 

[GK3]

So this is going on in the tank:

For some reason The water is super cloudy. It doesn’t seem to go away, even after a 35% water change at the end of the cycle. Corals seems fine. Any thoughts? I haven’t started running carbon or my UV yet. All I am running is some rubble, skimmer, and two filter socks in the filter area. Parameters I’ve checked - ammonia: 0, nitrites: 0, nitrates 20 PPM.

 

[ReeferReefer]

I'd run carbon and UV if you want to clear up the water. Could just be a bacterial bloom. I bet a day or two of UV clears it right up.

What UV are you using Btw?

 

[GK3]

I'd run carbon and UV if you want to clear up the water. Could just be a bacterial bloom. I bet a day or two of UV clears it right up.

What UV are you using Btw?

Checked parameters today:

Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 10 PPM
Phosphate 0.25

I added the UV sterilizer and mid size media rack with the carbon. Also did a 4 gallon water change. Everything has started to clear up nicely already.

I am using the innovative marine midsize UV sterilizer.

 

[GK3]

Review: Innovative marine mid size DC protein skimmer (newest one)

A lot of people have been asking about this skimmer and if it’s any better than the old ghost one. I never used the old ghost one, but from what I’ve heard, it’s much better. Took a very short time to break in and in 5 days it’s started pulling out serious gunk. It’s amazingly quiet (can’t tell it’s on) and produces no micro bubbles.

My only complaint is the cord length, it’s like 3 feet. That gets a big come on man from me. I’ll update as I used it more and have additional feedback beyond initial impressions.

 

[GK3]

You can’t see in these pictures, but water is very clear and we got a bunch of corals in there!

 

[GK3]

I invested in a better app for taking pictures of my reef tank. Still working on it, but definitely a better shot.

 

[ReeferReefer]

I invested in a better app for taking pictures of my reef tank. Still working on it, but definitely a better shot.

Not user if it's available for iOS but I have had good success with using Snapseed for editing. You can turn up the warmth to help color correct. Here are some photos that I took looking too blue but fixed in editing.

 

[HMpops]

Just an FYI, you might want to look into this, instead of editing. I'm a professional photographer and I have 10's of thousands of dollars in camera equipment. But if you want quick easy, post able shots...without editing...this is a very nice option. In photography we call it SOOC (Straight out of Camera)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DVMFBNP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[GK3]

7/2 update. All of the corals are moved in along with Dave the frog fish. Tested parameters:

Alk: 11
Cal: 440
Phos: 0
Nitrate: 10

This is all with no dosing, just the saltwater mix. Will monitor over the next few weeks to check consumption.

Also got a couple of ausie gold torches

 

[ReeferReefer]

Really nice torches. Can't wait to see them grow out.

 

[GK3]

Really nice torches. Can't wait to see them grow out.

Thanks. Got a great price from another member. I am excited to see them as well.

 

[HMpops]

Just an FYI, you might want to look into this, instead of editing. I'm a professional photographer and I have 10's of thousands of dollars in camera equipment. But if you want quick easy, post able shots...without editing...this is a very nice option. In photography we call it SOOC (Straight out of Camera)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DVMFBNP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If you’re interested, again in photography, this lens filter package, has two lens that can stack. The primary issue we have in taking pictures of our tanks is obviously the bluish lighting. As we all know, they look great under this spectrum (kelvin). However, the human eye can adjust better than any camera. This is called white balance. The filters used are, again in photography, called CTO (color temperature orange). My reason for explaining is there are different strengths of CTO FILTERS. Example 1/4, 1/2, 3/4...you can stack them to balance your orange (warm) with the blue (cool).
These inexpensive coral phone kits usually only have one orange filter. I’d have to look it up, but they may offer different strength options. I do have another companies filter and it’s definitely a stronger orange. I believe I bought it from BRS.
In addition, the link I posted comes with a macro filter. Which is great. This is a built in zoom that doesn’t make your image fuzzy like the phones digital zoom. Again you can stack them to get both benefits.
The picture on Amazon is wrong. The filter fits iPhones with portrait mode as well. Which uses both camera lens. Be aware, macro filters shoot a narrow depth of field. Meaning, the entire coral won’t be in focus. Combined with portrait mode, it can be a challenge to get anything in focus, up close, handheld. If you want sharp photos using this combo, use your cameras timer and a stand or find a way to stabilize the phone. You can create some awesome images this way. If you ever watch Tidal Waves YouTube videos. That’s what they’re doing.
Hope this helps! Good reefing!!

 

[bonjorno2]

Awesome, digging the scape!

 

[ReeferReefer]

If you’re interested, again in photography, this lens filter package, has two lens that can stack. The primary issue we have in taking pictures of our tanks is obviously the bluish lighting. As we all know, they look great under this spectrum (kelvin). However, the human eye can adjust better than any camera. This is called white balance. The filters used are, again in photography, called CTO (color temperature orange). My reason for explaining is there are different strengths of CTO FILTERS. Example 1/4, 1/2, 3/4...you can stack them to balance your orange (warm) with the blue (cool).
These inexpensive coral phone kits usually only have one orange filter. I’d have to look it up, but they may offer different strength options. I do have another companies filter and it’s definitely a stronger orange. I believe I bought it from BRS.
In addition, the link I posted comes with a macro filter. Which is great. This is a built in zoom that doesn’t make your image fuzzy like the phones digital zoom. Again you can stack them to get both benefits.
The picture on Amazon is wrong. The filter fits iPhones with portrait mode as well. Which uses both camera lens. Be aware, macro filters shoot a narrow depth of field. Meaning, the entire coral won’t be in focus. Combined with portrait mode, it can be a challenge to get anything in focus, up close, handheld. If you want sharp photos using this combo, use your cameras timer and a stand or find a way to stabilize the phone. You can create some awesome images this way. If you ever watch Tidal Waves YouTube videos. That’s what they’re doing.
Hope this helps! Good reefing!!

Using the timer is a great trick. I do that with my DSLR as well. Timer and a tripod made a huge difference with my landscape shots! I am pretty amaturish though.