Everything is running great! Cycled with turbo start, ammonium chloride, moved over a few rocks from an established tank and everything’s all done. Took about 9 days.
I added 2 bottles of Tiger Pods, 2 bottles of apex pods, and moved over the couple fish I had. Clown and Mandarin for fish, few snails and hermits. They’ve been great for the couple days they’ve been in the system.
I’m running the light for 4 hours a day to help combat algae grow, or more so algae explosion, since the growth is inevitable. Hopefully the pods and established rock can get a strong hold before anything else.
The mandarin is where my concern is, since the tanks new. I have a few bottles of pods available to keep adding, and I’m adding 3ml of phyto to keep them going, but really didn’t have any other options since the tank they were in, needed to come down. Feeding artic pods for the fish atm, and the mandarin is eating those, so positive start.
The Deltec is overflowing, expected but annoying. I adding a 3d printed stand to get the water depth it’s running in to 7.4”, and will let it overflow until it gets settled and coated.
I think now is just the letting things take hold stage. Will probably add some zoas, maybe a little LPS to test the waters, so to speak, but other than that, just enjoying the tank.
What are everyone’s thoughts on a Refugium? Something to keep pods reproducing? Doubt it will have much more benefit since it’s so small, but will more than likely end up ordered the Refugium light from UNS, and maybe the small package from TBS? Any reason why I wouldn’t?
I’ll throw some pics after the lights come on tomorrow, but really enjoy this part of the hobby.
Watching the ecosystem take flight. See what’s fighting for space, who will win, and how much hair will I end up pulling out lol