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Nosoddy
11/10/2013, 01:59 PM
All,

First, I wanted to thank you for the advice you have given me for my tank. I don't post often at all, but I read quite a bit.

In my first thread (a few months ago) you had given me quite a few pointers for my first saltwater tank, including ditching the fake corals and setting up a QT / Hospital tank.

I wanted to post one of the original pictures, followed by a picture I took today after a 5 gallon water change. I completed those changes and others from reading information from you all. I am fairly convinced that without these forums much more severe shenanigans would have ensued.

Details:

36 gallon bowfront
1 Aqueon HOB filter (rated for 75 gallons, up from the original 30)
1 Aqueon in-tank filter/powerhead (rated at 30 gallons)
2 circulation pumps
Reef Octopus BH1000 HOB Protein Skimmer
2x T5HO Fixture

Ammonia, Nitrite, Copper, Phosphates undetectable.
Nitrates < 5.0 ppm (little bit darker than the zero marker)
SG 1.025-26 (taken by refractometer, by suggestion)
pH: ~8.0
Temp: 76-78

Livestock:
1 Blue Damsel (the yellow from the first picture disappeared one day and I found my snails all over something the next)

1 tank-bred Ocellaris Clown

1 Scooter Blenny (he started taking frozen foods in the QT, which my pod population thanks him for)

1 Neon Dottyback (this add was controversial. A buddy was going to give him to Petco due to a tank takedown, since where I am at there are no LFS. I didn't want that to happen. He has been passive so far and I haven't see any dead things)

1 Cleaner Shrimp, who stays well away from the Dottyback.

12-15 Astrea Snails
6-8 Nassarius Snails
5 Bumblebee snails
Assorted blue hermits and red cortez crabs
1 Serpent Star
Green Star Polyp
Red Mushroom

I have no plans to add anything else at this point, as everyone seems to have their own little areas (minus the damsel and clown, they stay together). You can look in the tank and always see something and everything seems peaceful.

Maintenance is simply clean the skimmer as needed and a 5 gallon WC every month. I don't clean the side or back glass, since I do not have a sump or refugium and my pods like the glass. I clean the front about once every two weeks, as needed. I do not need to scrape coralline, as it has just started to show up in larger amounts within the last 4 weeks. I try to limit vacuuming the sand/gravel, since at night spaghetti worms and bristle worms come right on out.

TO DO

Upgrade lighting
Control Aptasia. I have 3 that I can see, and I know there are more.

Thanks again for the help. Here is one of the first pictures, and the picture today.

elviraveloz
11/10/2013, 02:36 PM
Is coming out beautiful. Good luck!