T.W.'s 20 gallon Nano

T.W. · Mar 3, 2013

Ok Ammonia is 0 and Nitrites are down from 5.0 yesterday to .5 this morning. I ordered an Orange Spotted Goby and a Pistol shrimp today to start. I won't get them for a week so again with the patience thing LOL.
Next month I will be getting everything I need for coral (ie: Ca, Mg, KH/Alk supplies and testing kits). And of course hopefully some new coral!!

alberthiel · Mar 4, 2013

T.W. said:
Ok Ammonia is 0 and Nitrites are down from 5.0 yesterday to .5 this morning. I ordered an Orange Spotted Goby and a Pistol shrimp today to start. I won't get them for a week so again with the patience thing LOL.
Next month I will be getting everything I need for coral (ie: Ca, Mg, KH/Alk supplies and testing kits). And of course hopefully some new coral!!

Sounds like a plan .. Your nitrite will be zero anytime now so you may want to add some CUC's as soon as that happens as you will need them to keep the tank clean of detritus and of some small hair algae that may grow here and there ...

T.W. · Mar 4, 2013

I was going to add a CUC first but thought "What are they going to eat?" I could go get an emerald crab today if the LFS has any in stock. If not I know they have a bunch of hermits. What would you suggest to get for now?

alberthiel · Mar 4, 2013

T.W. said:
I was going to add a CUC first but thought "What are they going to eat?" I could go get an emerald crab today if the LFS has any in stock. If not I know they have a bunch of hermits. What would you suggest to get for now?

If you have hair algae growing then a small Emerald would IMO be fine ... but if no algae then no Emerald. As to other CUC's ... snails would be fine : nerite, nassarius and cerith but on crabs: I would not add Hermits. I do not trust them .. they have a tendency to eat other life forms than what you expect them to eat expecially if there are not that may algae and not detritus.

If you add CUC's you could add some flake for them to eat till you get your fish ..

T.W. · Mar 4, 2013

I was expecting the cycle to take a bit longer. I kept looking for diatoms or anything then wham I wake up and it's cycled! Every tank is different I suppose. Anyway nothing visible in the tank except those suspected feather dusters and a small piece of shrimp hung up on a rock LOL. Nitrates are 10 as of this morning. I can pick up a handful of snails and just flake feed them like you said. After that I can build up the CUC as needed.

When should I turn on the skimmer?

alberthiel · Mar 4, 2013

T.W. said:
I was expecting the cycle to take a bit longer. I kept looking for diatoms or anything then wham I wake up and it's cycled! Every tank is different I suppose. Anyway nothing visible in the tank except those suspected feather dusters and a small piece of shrimp hung up on a rock LOL. Nitrates are 10 as of this morning. I can pick up a handful of snails and just flake feed them like you said. After that I can build up the CUC as needed.

When should I turn on the skimmer?

Yes that is a good plan. But wait to add anything until no ammonia and no nitrites are present anymore. Then you can start adding your CUC's ...

LukeG · Mar 4, 2013

I'd suggest turning on the skimmer and add a few snails.

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Dixie_reefer · Mar 4, 2013

I would get some algae grazing snails to start. Wait to get hermits until after you get your fish. I recommend getting nassarius snails after you have had your fish for a few weeks so they can stir the sand bed and not starve.

T.W. · Mar 4, 2013

I think am going to let the tank ride until Wednesday and then see what the tests say. My Nitrates were 10 this morning so I may need a small water change by Wed and before adding any snails.

mebo926 · Mar 5, 2013

Learning as reading is great on others builds!!

T.W. · Mar 5, 2013

Going to go pick up some snails tomorrow. That will give them a week to settle in before I add the Goby and Pistol Shrimp next week.

LukeG · Mar 5, 2013

Great, let me know what you pick up.

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T.W. · Mar 5, 2013

I will Luke. The skimmer has settled down a lot today. It is actually producing a yellowish froth at the top of the bubble column. I figured it wouldn't produce much until I had some life making a mess of the tank.

I know I know go ahead and blast me for using improper technical terms! LOL

Betroc2 · Mar 6, 2013

Rockscape looks great. I will be following your build too. Sharing the love.:clap2:

T.W. · Mar 6, 2013

Thanks Betroc2. The fun begins in the morning with the first of three 20-25% water change to get rid of a possible algae bloom. Keeps me from napping all day you know?

T.W. · Mar 7, 2013

T.W. said:
Thanks Betroc2. The fun begins in the morning with the first of three 20-25% water change to get rid of a possible algae bloom. Keeps me from napping all day you know?

I said algae but meant bacterial.

T.W. · Mar 9, 2013

I have been working on getting all my water parameters in order before I get my Goby & Shrimp on Wed. The only problem I seem to be having is my pH. I can't get it above 7.8 even after dosing one packet of API proper pH 8.2.
Here is a quick run down of all my parameters and the test kit I used to get them (I used the strip test to back up the API kit):

API Saltwater Test Kit:
Ammonia=0
Nitrite=0
Nitrate=less than 5
**pH=7.8

Tetra Easy Strips 6-in-1
Nitrite=0
Nitrate=less than 5
**pH=7.8
KH=equal or greater than 300

I also tested my tap water and the water mixing in the garage and both came out at 7.8 also. The garage is drafty so I KNOW there is fresh air coming in. It is still a bit chilly to be opening up the house here in Central AZ (High Plains Desert). Four of us live in a well insulated and sealed house. And I should probably mention that I only run the lights for a few hours a day since the only thing in the tank at the moment is 5 Nassarius snails.

So I suppose my question needs to be What are some ways to increase my pH??

Thanks

T.W. · Mar 13, 2013

I brought an Orange Spotted Goby home today! BUT I can't prove it!!! LOL where did he go?:cry:

alberthiel · Mar 13, 2013

T.W. said:
I brought an Orange Spotted Goby home today! BUT I can't prove it!!! LOL where did he go?:cry:

He ia hiding but will come out but sometimes it takes a day or two ... as long as there are no "bullies" in the tank you will see him .... but they do take a while to get used to the tank