29 gallon tank started - photos!

[joplin]

Some photos of my 29 gallon tank. The photos do not do the tank justice as it actually looks pretty rough right now. I got the live rock put in about 5 days ago. There is a faint brown haze of algae along the sand bed and tiny bubbles coming off of it. Nitrate levels read 20ppm. I have a 4" ball of chaetomorpha in a hang on refugium (large CPR Aquafuge with protein skimmer).

I did a 2 gallon water change today if for no other reason than to practice doing it and to try out adding the water into the tank using a gallon water jug with a very small hole poked in the bottom. It takes about 15 minutes for a gallon of water to empty into the tank.

I noticed there are some things very much alive on the rock - hopefully it all will survive as the tank cycles.

http://spial.org/duster-closed.jpg

http://spial.org/duster-opened.jpg

http://spial.org/rock-s.jpg

http://spial.org/rock-t.jpg


This little crab always keeps busy.....

http://spial.org/hermit-crab.jpg

[birdman1979]

looks great!

[gea0119]

LOOKS NICE.YOU ARE AHEAD OF ME.I HAVE THE SAME SIZE TANK.I JUST GOT OLD ROCKS TO DAY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO USE BUT OFF COURSE THE GUY AT THE LOCAL FISH STORE SAID THROW THEM OUT???I HAVENT SET UP ANYTHING YET.HE CONVINCED ME TO GET ALREADY MADE SALT WATER SO IM WAITING A DAY.I I WILL BE UP TO SPEED ON MONDAY WHEN MORE MONEY CIRCULATES.LOL

[Norward]

29g is a popular size! Not too big, not too small. Someone should start a 29g Forum.

[joplin]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12559970#post12559970 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gea0119
LOOKS NICE.YOU ARE AHEAD OF ME.I HAVE THE SAME SIZE TANK.I JUST GOT OLD ROCKS TO DAY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO USE BUT OFF COURSE THE GUY AT THE LOCAL FISH STORE SAID THROW THEM OUT???I HAVENT SET UP ANYTHING YET.HE CONVINCED ME TO GET ALREADY MADE SALT WATER SO IM WAITING A DAY.I I WILL BE UP TO SPEED ON MONDAY WHEN MORE MONEY CIRCULATES.LOL
I wouldn't worry about using ready-made water - if nothing else it's just one less thing to worry about when getting the tank off the ground. Not sure why you wouldn't want to use old rock - old rock seems like it would be better than no rock.


I think I got very lucky with the rock I got as it looked even better than this when it was pulled out of their live rock tank. Lots of stuff on it.

I have two Koralia 1 pumps at either end of the tank with the flow concentrators (but not the mesh thing that comes with it). The flow is aimed to about 2/3 of the way up the tank to collide in the middle. I noticed that there is no place where the water seems to sit - the water is moving all over the place in weird crazy angles. I remember reading a lot about the dilemma some guys faced with nano cube tanks and pockets of water that don't move much, but I don't see how that is going to be an issue in my tank now... the 400GPH Koralia 1s don't feel like they are moving a lot of water but everything whips around fairly well with currents from all directions - no laminar flow.

I got 30 gallons of ready-mixed water so I wouldn't have to deal with making it for the first couple weeks.

When I did the water change I marked the side of the tank at 1 gallon increments so I can truly know how much water is evaporating each day and try to keep it where it should be without guessing.

The protein skimmer that is in the Aquaguge seems to work very well, and it's interesting how several hours will go by sometimes without much going into the cup and then for no apparent reason it will start sucking out a ton of stuff in just an hour and then taper off and stop an hour or so after.


I believe it took about 24 hours for the cloudy sand mess to clear up but it took 3-4 days for it to really be clear. Looking at it tonight it is sparkling clear, but the darned brown algae is making itself known. The 2 gallon water change I made earlier today slowed down the rate of little tiny bubbles coming off the sand, but I can still see a few here and there. The chaetomorpha in the refugium produces quite a few little bubbles - it's really running in high gear.

I may try to buy a few more hermit crabs to help chew through some of the brown algae on the sand... maybe next weekend or another week after. I'm not putting any nutrients into the tank other than water (and salt) so eventually the algae should starve off... I hope!

[meco65]

Rock looks good. How about some full tank shots.
<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>

[joplin]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12562234#post12562234 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by meco65
[B]Rock looks good. How about some full tank shots.
I'm going to do that later today when the light in the room is more cooperative. It looks pretty dull, though... I have the rocks arranged for each to capture as much light and water circulation possible. I guess I should consider moving it where it will have a better look since moving the rocks seems to make a mess of things.

[joplin]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12562234#post12562234 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by meco65
Rock looks good. How about some full tank shots.
I took this one earlier today.

http://spial.org/photos/fts-18-may-08.jpg