Here we go!
I started my saltwater journey in January and it has been thriving ever since. My switch to the Saltwater hobby was the result of an escaping turtle! Still unknown how he escaped without a trace. It was below freezing the day he escaped and then sleet the next day, so wherever he is, I hope he’s ok. But this has all been bittersweet, more sweet than bitter. I’m obviously disappointed in my turtle's escape skills and having to drain and sell my stuff (got to salvage some things for the saltwater so that’s a plus), but I feel the escape has triggered an amazing, far better chapter for maintains aquariums. This hobby has brought amazing experiences and challenges compared to freshwater. Anyways, I set up my Coralife Biocube 32 in January. Although I have very few pictures from that time, I will attach the one I do have.
I mixed the water, let it run for a few days, and bought some live rock (and two dry rock pieces). I originally didn’t want to do this and get the live rock before I put water in but I’m glad that I didn’t because I feel like I increased the survivability of some of the invert hitchhikers that came on the rock.
The first month was most likely the most stressful time I have ever had with aquariums, not just because it was different and sometimes difficult, mainly because I was scared of doing something wrong (I still am for some things but I have overcome and gotten used to most things). All of the days of research I had done before getting this aquarium had made me think there’s only one way to do things and if you do it another, you’re done for (rarely the case). It took a while to realize this was not really the case.
After a lightless 2 weeks, my aquarium was starting to show some signs of slow maturity (obviously very little).
Sorry for the Smeary glass. As you can see, I have some hair algae starting to form on the rocks. I needed to start to fix this problem, so I got a singular snail (idiot move, especially for a 10 mile drive)
Current profile picture, but I’m going to change it when I have something more interesting to show. He’s a trochus if you couldn’t tell. He hasn’t done much of a job if I’m being honest. Likes to sleep a lot. Doesn’t eat a ton on the rocks but for some reason, he loves the glass. He’s been in the tank for around 2 weeks and he seems to be doing great (you can never really tell with those snails though). I plan to get a bigger clean-up crew in the next few days. Tell me what you think.
I started my saltwater journey in January and it has been thriving ever since. My switch to the Saltwater hobby was the result of an escaping turtle! Still unknown how he escaped without a trace. It was below freezing the day he escaped and then sleet the next day, so wherever he is, I hope he’s ok. But this has all been bittersweet, more sweet than bitter. I’m obviously disappointed in my turtle's escape skills and having to drain and sell my stuff (got to salvage some things for the saltwater so that’s a plus), but I feel the escape has triggered an amazing, far better chapter for maintains aquariums. This hobby has brought amazing experiences and challenges compared to freshwater. Anyways, I set up my Coralife Biocube 32 in January. Although I have very few pictures from that time, I will attach the one I do have.
I mixed the water, let it run for a few days, and bought some live rock (and two dry rock pieces). I originally didn’t want to do this and get the live rock before I put water in but I’m glad that I didn’t because I feel like I increased the survivability of some of the invert hitchhikers that came on the rock.
The first month was most likely the most stressful time I have ever had with aquariums, not just because it was different and sometimes difficult, mainly because I was scared of doing something wrong (I still am for some things but I have overcome and gotten used to most things). All of the days of research I had done before getting this aquarium had made me think there’s only one way to do things and if you do it another, you’re done for (rarely the case). It took a while to realize this was not really the case.
After a lightless 2 weeks, my aquarium was starting to show some signs of slow maturity (obviously very little).
Sorry for the Smeary glass. As you can see, I have some hair algae starting to form on the rocks. I needed to start to fix this problem, so I got a singular snail (idiot move, especially for a 10 mile drive)
Current profile picture, but I’m going to change it when I have something more interesting to show. He’s a trochus if you couldn’t tell. He hasn’t done much of a job if I’m being honest. Likes to sleep a lot. Doesn’t eat a ton on the rocks but for some reason, he loves the glass. He’s been in the tank for around 2 weeks and he seems to be doing great (you can never really tell with those snails though). I plan to get a bigger clean-up crew in the next few days. Tell me what you think.
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