Sara’s IM 25g Lagoon

[Rmckoy]

Toilet it is!

Can’t wash the cup in the toilet .

my skimmer cup is roughly the same size as the toilet .

 

[Rmckoy]

Can’t wash the cup in the toilet .

my skimmer cup is roughly the same size as the toilet .

 

[saramachen]

Gonipora . Alveopora . The only difference is the number of pedals around the disk .
There are more reporting successfully keeping them long term over the last few years .
Once upon a time they were said to not survive in captivity more than 1 year

Thanks! I'm gonna update the list

 

[JoshH]

That thing is HUGE!

 

[saramachen]

Originally I had wanted a Bubble Tip Anemone. But I'm not so sure now, I have chosen enough "flowy" corals that it seems unnecessary.

 

[JoshH]

Originally I had wanted a Bubble Tip Anemone. But I'm not so sure now, I have chosen enough "flowy" corals that it seems unnecessary.

In that size of a tank I probably wouldn't myself. They can quickly take over and sting your corals. Although, They can handle a beating, My clowns have killed two torches they tried to make there home in.

 

[saramachen]

Jan 9 2022
Cycle day # 4

Tested Ammonia and Nitrite today:
Ammonia still higher then 2ppm
Nitrite around 0.1ppm (it’s hard to tell in the photo but it’s closer to 0.1 then 0.05)

I am starting to wonder if I’m testing ammonia wrong. The results are so dark it’s a different shade of green. But I’m following the directions so I dunno.

Called a semi local fish store about renting a PAR meter. Then I spent some tone mapping my rocks:

Same colours are same depth. I don’t think I can put anything on the 4 purple spots, they are only 3.5” from the surface. There is still lots of good spots tho. I could have skipped that top later (or the bottom layer) and left more open space above, but I don’t think I would like the rockwork as much.

 

[Rmckoy]

Jan 9 2022
Cycle day # 4

Tested Ammonia and Nitrite today:
Ammonia still higher then 2ppm
Nitrite around 0.1ppm (it’s hard to tell in the photo but it’s closer to 0.1 then 0.05)

I am starting to wonder if I’m testing ammonia wrong. The results are so dark it’s a different shade of green. But I’m following the directions so I dunno.

Called a semi local fish store about renting a PAR meter. Then I spent some tone mapping my rocks:

Same colours are same depth. I don’t think I can put anything on the 4 purple spots, they are only 3.5” from the surface. There is still lots of good spots tho. I could have skipped that top later (or the bottom layer) and left more open space above, but I don’t think I would like the rockwork as much.

Nice map .
I’m curious how the par reading goes compared to the depth of rocks .

 

[DWill]

So I failed at getting water today. The water store near me wasn’t open as it closed today in lieu of Jan 1. But hubby made the frame for the sump to sit on. I am going to look for some peel & stick wood grain to cover it.

I put the dry rock in - really wanted to make sure it fit, even though I tripled checked measurements as I built. My plan was to add the rock before the sand so it’s on a stable base. So now I wait .

And I put on the lights.

I actually really like the size and footprint of the tank. I don’t think I would want a tall tank again.

That’s a fabulous scape. You did a really nice job with it. Wish mine looked like that.

 

[DWill]

Jan 6 2022

Hubby got up to pee at 3:30am and guess what, water was low and pump was sputtering away. Added about 1/2g of water and went back to bed. Today my jug for my ATO arrived, and I just finished getting it all set up. No more early morning water top offs for me!

After the kids logged into school, I added the bottle of One & Only to the tank followed by the ammonia. So the fishless cycle has officially started.

I plugged in the lights today. I plan to leave them off while it cycles but curiosity got the better of me. So I joined a FB group for the AI primes and watched a bunch of YouTube videos and basically I have no clue lol. I think what I will do is watch for tank set ups similar to mine and copy their preset, then get a PAR meter (hope a store around me rents them) and do some mapping and figure out a good intensity and then I can buy corals that need what I have, instead of buying corals and trying to make what I have work.

and then last night started to read about algae growth. And I have now added the Hanna checker for phosphate to my aquarium depot wish list. That list is getting bigger every day!

I’m in the US but I watch Frag Box vids on YouTube often. If I’m not mistaken I heard him mention they rent PAR meters.

 

[Rmckoy]

I’m in the US but I watch Frag Box vids on YouTube often. If I’m not mistaken I heard him mention they rent PAR meters.

Yes they do ….

 

[Echo2656]

So I failed at getting water today. The water store near me wasn’t open as it closed today in lieu of Jan 1. But hubby made the frame for the sump to sit on. I am going to look for some peel & stick wood grain to cover it.

I put the dry rock in - really wanted to make sure it fit, even though I tripled checked measurements as I built. My plan was to add the rock before the sand so it’s on a stable base. So now I wait .

And I put on the lights.

I actually really like the size and footprint of the tank. I don’t think I would want a tall tank again.

I can't see put is your sand bed in there, you usually want to add your sand before water even if the water displaces the sand.

 

[saramachen]

That’s a fabulous scape. You did a really nice job with it. Wish mine looked like that.

Thank you!

 

[saramachen]

I can't see put is your sand bed in there, you usually want to add your sand before water even if the water displaces the sand.

I did add the sand and rock first my 25Gallon tank took 18g of water

 

[Echo2656]

I did add the sand and rock first my 25Gallon tank took 18g of water

Looks great cant wait to see the corals and fish!

 

[saramachen]

I watched Chasing Corals on Netflix last night. So sad . The film is from 2017 I think, so I googled current level of bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef and 60% is dead.

 

[Rmckoy]

I watched Chasing Corals on Netflix last night. So sad . The film is from 2017 I think, so I googled current level of bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef and 60% is dead.

Sad but true .

 

[saramachen]

Jan 10 2022
I actually did a water change today. The stupid Red Sea test was as dark as it has been this whole time.

So after I changed the water I tested Ammonia & Nitate.

salinity 1.026
pH 8.2
NH3 1.2
NO3 - 2

Read a good article on why testing Nitrite is kinda useless. Brandon429 said to add 2 pinch fulls of powdered fish food and wait 10 days. So that’s what I’m doing.
Read a good article on why testing Nitrite is kinda useless. Brandon429 said to add 2 pinch fulls of powdered fish food and wait 10 days. So that’s what I’m doing

Started thinking about my CUC. Obviously can’t add them for a while, or they’ll go hungry, but I know what I would like:
Trochus Snails x 4
Nassarius Snail x 4
Astera Snails x 4
Cerrith Snails X 4
Emerald Crab x1
Scarlet Hermit x1
Blue leg hermit x1
Skunk cleaner shrimp x1
Strawberry Conch x1

I love a decent sized CUC as long as they all have enough to eat. Don’t need them picking away at corals or starving. But they add some extra interest to a tank. I’ll probably get 1/2 when there is algae and then the other half when the tank is better established.

 

[JoshH]

Yes they do ….

Do they ship or just local?

Jan 10 2022
I actually did a water change today. The stupid Red Sea test was as dark as it has been this whole time.

So after I changed the water I tested Ammonia & Nitate.

salinity 1.026
pH 8.2
NH3 1.2
NO3 - 2

Read a good article on why testing Nitrite is kinda useless. Brandon429 said to add 2 pinch fulls of powdered fish food and wait 10 days. So that’s what I’m doing.
Read a good article on why testing Nitrite is kinda useless. Brandon429 said to add 2 pinch fulls of powdered fish food and wait 10 days. So that’s what I’m doing

Started thinking about my CUC. Obviously can’t add them for a while, or they’ll go hungry, but I know what I would like:
Trochus Snails x 4
Nassarius Snail x 4
Astera Snails x 4
Cerrith Snails X 4
Emerald Crab x1
Scarlet Hermit x1
Blue leg hermit x1
Skunk cleaner shrimp x1
Strawberry Conch x1

I love a decent sized CUC as long as they all have enough to eat. Don’t need them picking away at corals or starving. But they add some extra interest to a tank. I’ll probably get 1/2 when there is algae and then the other half when the tank is better established.

That is a hefty CUC, the conch might be worth holding off a little while. Turbos are great as well, probably 1-2 would do. I skip crabs altogether myself but they can be really good scavengers.

 

[saramachen]

Wish I watched that before I started with Dr Tims. There was probably a crap ton of ammonia from my Live sand. And then I added more.