Mostly LPS Waterbox Cube20

[termalene]

Nice lid! I'd be interested if it was black/smoke.

I may get a skimmer though. When I first introduced my clowns to the tank, I found one in the filter sock the next morning. It was clearly stressed but luckily it survived.

 

[LagunaGlide]

Nice lid! I'd be interested if it was black/smoke.

I agree! all of the custom that are offered would look nicer if they were black/smoke, but I wonder how much of an affect that would have on lighting.

 

[LagunaGlide]

Not much to update today. Planning a 25% water change this evening. Water is already mixing. Will dose Microbacter7 again later, but not much else for the WB20

I did a water change on the tank that is housing my coral, and did some general maintenance down there. I took some coral pics. I really suck at pics of coral.

This is a WWC Avatar chalice. I got it from WWC in my first time doing one of their live sales. It's not real pretty, but it never stops growing... It's a real grower, not a shower.

This Bicolor war coral has grown a bit in recent months. It has been one of those corals I had a hard time finding a happy place for it.

Just a little Blasto colony. I think there are like 8-10 heads.

This is a Mystic Grape Favia. Got it from WWC in one of those sales as well. $5 frag I think. Almost killed this one a few times trying to find it's happy place.

This is my biggest Acan colony. I don't remember where they came from. Not crazy colors, but they stay pretty plump and have grown well.

My euphyllia has really suffered from being in this tank. I had several torchs as well, but I have had some struggles with the holding tank. I think I have finally stabilized it enough to keep these two alive. I can't wait to see them thrive again.

WWC Lavender Platygyra. It's grown slowly, but done well.

This is my second biggest Acan colony. I think these are from WWC. You can also see a Rasta peeking out there.

These pics looked a bit better on my phone. I have that Aquarium Cam app for iphone, but I don't know if I don't know how to use it, or if it sucks. So I just didn't use it. I think I still have the receipt lists from WWC, so maybe I'll find those and properly label pics going forward.

 

[RichtheReefer21]

Nice looking colonies growing out for ya. Keep them pics comin

 

[LagunaGlide]

I updated a few of the coral names above. Nothing to really update. Ammonia is back to Zero, and I'll be doing a few water changes in the next few days to get nitrates down. Will start testing for Phosphates this week as well. Planning to start dosing Microbacter Clean, and still not turning the lights on.

Planning to order some pods and phyto, and thinking about culturing both. First fish will be coming soon as well. It's gonna be tough to not start throwing corals in and turning the lights on. My current light is a basic 18" SBReef. Nothing against the light, but I am excited to see how much better this AI is.

I took a few more coral pics just playing with the camera and the app.

This is the same colony from above I think these are WWC Pink Candy Striped Aussie

I got this labeled as a Jack-O-Lantern Lepto. It's done well lately, and I am afraid of what is gonna happen when I go to move it. Luckily it is starting to grow some eyes on the part that is on the glass, so if it breaks I can frag it.

 

[LagunaGlide]

Time for an update. With a few water changes this week I have gotten the nitrates below 1ppm, and have been adding Microbacter clean daily along with the Microbacter7.

The return pump has been really loud lately. I took it out, took it apart to be sure nothing is broken, and put it back in. It wasn't as loud for awhile, and then next morning it was super loud. These pumps are some off-brand I couldn't find much info about online. I hit up waterbox, but I also just ordered a Syncra Silent .5 that is supposed to be here by the 29th, but I won't be holding my breath on the shipping side.

I still haven't set up the light, and plan to order the Nero3 soon. I am really trying not to rush this thing, and some claim you can lessen or skip ugly tank phase with some serious patience.

On that note the first occupant is in the tank. The wife and I went to the local shop, and had a short list that could have come home that day. We went looking for a Court Jester goby / rainford goby. They had 2 but their stomachs were super sunk in, and they looking thin. No shrimp gobies in stock that fit the bill, but they did have 3 tail spot blenny. We stood and watched them for about 10 minutes, and decided two were acceptable to go home. 1 was super skinny, and wouldn't leave the corner of the tank, 1 was big and appeared to be eating well, and the third was small, but looked healthy and was the most active and seemed curious.

We wanted the one who was most active, and not disappointed that we did.

Day 1 wouldn't eat when offered brine shrimp and algae flakes. Day 2 ate a bunch of shrimp, and day 3 had a bite of some algae flakes. Gets more brave every day, and stays out perched on that rock most of the day.

These little blennies have always amused me. I find them nerdy looking and just comical. Sort of like number 4 in multiplicity.... I made the mistake of the doing the "Hi steve" and now my wife calls this fish Steve regardless of not getting the reference.

I know, I know I should have done a proper QT, but I figure with nothing else in the tank I can treat for most things except ich in this tank. If he shows signs of ich I'll TTM. All future fish will go through TTM.

 

[revhtree]

Hows all the frags doing? Looks good!

 

[LagunaGlide]

Hows all the frags doing? Looks good!

Doing well. I had a sudden hair algae outbreak in that tank, but nothing serious. All the coral has seemed very happy this week. I have been spot feeding some mysis that the fish didn't eat as well.

I think I want to try and remove the dead heads on these, but am unsure the best method as I am afraid I am going to crush or break the main skeleton.

 

[LagunaGlide]

Just a little bit going on. My BRS order came way early. They said expected by the 29th, and it was here on the 23rd. I contacted WB about the noisy pump, and basically was told they could send me a new one when they have them in stock, but recommend upgrade.

This is what my the pump that WB sent sounded like when it was it's loudest. It wasn't always this loud, but often enough for concern.

This is what it sounded like at it's quietest after the issues with it started.

And here is the Sicce Syncra Silent .5.

The Sycra .5 pushes a little less water, but not concerned with GPH as the Nero3 will be more than capable to pick up any slack. It's very quiet as well. Here are some side by side comparisons if interested.

Also as promised I finally took a pic of the KrakenReef surface skimmer. I don't know how this thing is supposed to work, but there was some food bits stick to it, so I had to pull it off and clean it.

 

[LagunaGlide]

Parameters today
Salinity - 1.022
NO3 - 3 ppm
PO4 - .02 mgL
Ca - 350 ppm
Mg - 1320 ppm
KH - 11.8 dKH

I took full parameters today to get an idea how much of a change I can expect from a water change particularly NO3 as of right now. I think my Ca is low due to the low salinity. Unsure why dKH is so low, but I am not concerned just yet. Planning a water change in a day or two, and will retest then.

I also picked up a hard case to put all my testing equipment in. Probably could have planned it out a little better, but it will be nice to grab it all at once and go.

Top Layer

Bottom layer

Waiting for the Nero3 to come in stock so I can order, and looking for a frag rack.

 

[LagunaGlide]

Been awhile since I last updated, and a decent amount of things have happened. Finally got the Nero3, and so, the light is set up as well. I wasn't initially pleased with the app for the AI equipment, but once I figured out a few silly things I got the light set up using what bulk reef supply suggested as the optimum settings for a tank of this size and this light, and combined it with the up and down patterns of the Signature series Saxby settings. Pretty pleased with the light, and while it took some time, dialing a very specific light schedule is easy enough.

I got the Nero3 in, and I have been running at Random 1-8% as it's moving no less than 600gph with these settings, but not over 800. Initially I thought this little pump was going to be overkill, but I think I can turn it up a bit as it seems the "cone" is smaller than I expected.

Today I started testing for how much flow to push to do a nightly flush, and I am unsure if I should use a pulse mode or just a higher percent overall, but I did a pulse of 2 on 1 off at 75% for ten minutes, and it certainly stirred it all up. Thoughts appreciated if you have any.

On to the goods..... I got a new frag rack and the first few corals have hit the tank. Frag rack fits perfectly on the one side of the tank.

This candy cane was doing pretty well in the frag tank. It had a big clump of that white JBweld stuff people use, and I wanted to break some off, and this broke in half. Clean break no flesh showing, so I put half on the rack.

I also put the brain in.

I picked up a set or orphek lenses for my phone. I saw some pics from someone and they were so good I had to ask what they were using. All the pics in this post were the first time of me using them. Exited to improve with it.

The new Nero3 and the blenny on the watch.

I played with the settings on this one a bit.

 

[LagunaGlide]

There was more that happened from my last post. Firstly I noticed I suddenly had a bunch of small pods on the glass. Pleased with this discovery I ordered up some pyhto to keep them growing and fed. We also picked up a second fish and a pistol shrimp. We got a Wheeler's shrimp goby, whom I have not been able to get a pic of, and a pistol shrimp that was sold as a Japanese pistol shrimp. When looking at the shrimp I thought its pattern was strange, but hadn't seen many japanese pistol shrimp in person. Well after the shrimp was in the tank, and about a day or two later I saw a post on a facebook group I am in for reef stuff regarding a Caribbean snapping shrimp.

This is exactly the shrimp we ended up getting, and learned that these don't generally pair up with a goby, but instead a curlyQ anenome. I suppose at the very least I learned to google what they have listed as in store, and what it looks like.... Hopefully the shrimp doesn't kill this poor little spastic goby.

Did TTM for the goby, and 20 days total observation. This fish is so skittish I am concerned I may never see it. It went into the cube today, and hopefully will get a picture soon.

More pics from playing with the filters/lenses for the first time.

Blenny maxin and relaxin

"macro" on this grape favia. Best of several I took.

This hammer just grew a new little head. stoked to get the euphyllia into the Cube, but also nervous about it. I have killed so many torch corals....

I am, and have been on the hunt for a pink streaked wrassse, but it seems like they aren't really readily available in the hobby. Starting to think I may need to move on from that one.

 

[LagunaGlide]

Well the goby was in the tank for a few days, and I have been unsure what I was going to do about this shrimp, that is a carribbean pistol shrimp, and not a japanese pistol. I did some research on here and other places and found it was very unlikely this shrimp would pair with a goby. Then at night it looked the shrimp was hunting the goby, and the shrimp kept snapping his claw. I decided to try and catch, and see if they would take it back.

I made a bottle trap and had the shrimp caught within an hour and a half.

Cool shrimp, and if it was bigger tank I probably would have let it stay. Has really good vision compared to other pistols I have had in the past.

So I put the shrimp in a bucket of water I had made for going out and trying to get a new fish today and went to bed. This morning we came down to find this

Bad picture I know, but that is the wheelers goby on top of the lid.... So immediately back to just the blenny. I added some corals to the tank, and am working on figuring out placement of things, pics to come soon.

We went off to the LFS to see what was available and take back the shrimp, and was a bit disappointed today. Did snag up this little trimma goby who is now going through TTM.

 

[LagunaGlide]

The fun has begun. I have put a good bit of coral into the tank in the past few days, and added a few more snails. The diatoms have started which sucks, as I was trying to really avoid it, but hopefully it's not too bad. I have been taking some pics playing with the new lenses. Been playing with the flow and figuring out where to put some things.

Little full tank shot. I think I am going to make an Acan garden on the ledge rock. I am a little concerned it will be too high, but I think I will adjust the lights down a bit if they start to get unhappy during the acclimation period.

Just taking pics of the Acans. This was day 2 in the Cube. Happy and full.

These have always grown well. They are happy on the ledge.

I'm starting to wonder how I am going to get all the little good creatures out of the holding tank. There are a good bit of decent sized brittle start, and bristle worms that I wouldn't mind having in the tank for biodiversity, but I am unsure how to get them out of their hidey holes.

 

[stylolvr]

Sorry of I missed it, but what do you think of the Sicce 0.5? I’ve just started the same setup and the pump might have to go. I’ve seen some others go with the 1.0 also. Nice setup!

 

[LagunaGlide]

Sorry of I missed it, but what do you think of the Sicce 0.5? I’ve just started the same setup and the pump might have to go. I’ve seen some others go with the 1.0 also. Nice setup!

I am pleased with the .5. It is super quiet once it settles in. The sound of the water trickling into the overflow is louder than the pump. If you are looking for more flow maybe the 1.0 will be a better bet, but for my purposes I am pleased.

 

[stylolvr]

Good to know. Thanks! I’m also running the Nero3 so flow really isn’t an issue.

I am pleased with the .5. It is super quiet once it settles in. The sound of the water trickling into the overflow is louder than the pump. If you are looking for more flow maybe the 1.0 will be a better bet, but for my purposes I am pleased.

 

[LagunaGlide]

Good to know. Thanks! I’m also running the Nero3 so flow really isn’t an issue.

What percentages and mode are you running? I have been slowly turning it up, but I really don't know how high I should go. Everything is currently happy it seems, but I wonder if more flow would get the euphyllia to open up more.

 

[stylolvr]

What percentages and mode are you running? I have been slowly turning it up, but I really don't know how high I should go. Everything is currently happy it seems, but I wonder if more flow would get the euphyllia to open up more.

I’ve got a random flow from 3am to 11pm and then a steady 60% for 4 hours to stir things up. Nothing living in it yet so that may change. I’ve seen others that never breach 10% ever

 

[LagunaGlide]

I’ve got a random flow from 3am to 11pm and then a steady 60% for 4 hours to stir things up. Nothing living in it yet so that may change. I’ve seen others that never breach 10% ever

I'll have to screen shot mine on the Ipad, but it's pretty similar. My "clean up" time is only like 20 minutes, and is pulse for 2sec on 1sec off at 75%. Still playing with it, but I think this little pump has a pretty linear stream.