Jul 19 2012

Why me…

Well, I am kind of devastated right now. My Frogspawn coral was perched pretty high in my tank. Well, it has been acting weird since I put it in the tank, opening and retracting a few times a day. Some people on the forums suggested I moved it to a lower flow part of the tank. I went to remove it from the top of the rock and realized that the rock it was attached to was split all the way down the middle…what to do what to do?? I decided it was best to attempt to use epoxy to try to keep it together. Well, in the process the coral tore in half! 😦 it was obviously not going to survive such an event so I threw it out 😦 😦 So saddened by this loss. It was my favorite coral and now its gone….

Jul 15 2012

First Fish!

We got our first first today!! 2 Green Chromis.  These fish are very hardy and are a great starter fish…however, they are one of the FASTEST fish so if you put them in your tank you are basically stuck with them because you will never ever catch them again.  They are doing great! just fed them and they ate it all up 🙂 plus the zombie snail came up out of the sand for once and ate the leftovers, so cool.  Now they are just zooming around the tank having fun swimming against the current of the power head.  They are really pretty looking, cant wait for the LEDs to kick on at 8pm to see how the glow under the moonlight.  Pics below.  Also added in 9 more sails over the last 2 days so we are up to 10.  I need about 10 more in this sized tank so adding them in slowly but surely.  Anyway, until next time, just keep swimming!

Jul 12 2012

It’s Alive!

Sorry I have not posted in a few days to all of my (at most 3) readers.  The last post I put on was about our new inhabitants.  On Monday we added 3 banded trochus snails and 4 Mexican Red Tip Hermit crabs.  Well I am sad to say, that 2 of the sails passed away the following day (RIP).  I knew this was going to happen and actually did not mind if it since the bacteria they produce will help the tank cycle.  On Wednesday we got our first diatom bloom! exciting.  Diatom is a brown algae and the reason it is exciting is because it means that your tank is cycling correctly because there is enough nutrients for the algae to grow.  And since we finally got this bloom it means there is now enough food for a Narcissus snail which I have been waiting for.  These guys are really cool.  Then spend 90% of their lives under the sand and the cool part is that they have this little “periscope” they stick up out of the sand to see if there is any food and if there is, they pop up out of the sand to eat.   They are really interesting.  Well, I just brought our first one home to see how he does (eventually want 6 or so to eat all the diatom since its kind of unsightly).  Well, the second he got in the tank sure enough, gone into the sand.  Oh well, hope he comes up eventually so I can watch him move around.  He is white with a very cool looking shell.  The other 1 of the 3 that did not die on Tuesday is doing great! he is pretty fast and zips around the tank all day cleaning the glass and rock.  The red tip hermits are doing good as well, just doing their hermit thing.

I got some money for my birthday (which was yesterday) and used some of it to buy another strip of LEDs which are now installed in the tank.  They make it a little more shimmery and will help the coral glow when we finally get some.  Going to wait about another 2 week so or so to get our first first which will be a Nemo (Ocellated Clown fish)…tank is still cycling but I think after another 2 week it will be good to do.  Have to make sure the water stays in check as they are pretty pricey (about $30 each) and I want a pair of them.

Anyway, will update you soon.  Picture of the diatom bloom attached.  Until next time, just keep swimming!

p.s. you can see what inhabitants we have in our tank at any time by clicking here

 

Jul 9 2012

Our first inhabitants!!

Our first inhabitants just came home with me!! exciting news.  3 Snails and 3 Hermit crabs.  Pictures and species names coming soon!! right now they are acclimating to the new water temperature.  I also got another 7 pounds of live rock and a power head thanks to Lynda for the present to her “three sons”!! Thanks Lynda.

Jul 7 2012

Water Quality Test #2

So the inside air test did not work out so well which tells me that there is too much CO2 in the house.  I left the air pump outside all night to pump fresh air in the tank and it only raised the pH by 0.3 which I guess is better than nothing.  Still need to get it up about 0.6 to get it in the ideal range.  Water Quality Test #2 result here.