My First Journey

[ymhon14]

Hi RP!

I just like to share my journey on setting up my new marine tank and hopefully will flourish as a reef community. I'm hoping also na matulangan din ako (at mga newbies na katulad ko) ng mga masters dito. Gone from FW aquarium and learning the hobby of SW aquarium.

Thank you very much in advance.



1 24"x12"x12" (15 gallon) Rimless Aquarium
1 Powerhead Motor
1 Hang-On-Back filter (with floss, activated carbon)
1 LED top light (white/blue) (16 watts )
1 Aqua Zonic LED light (white/blue) as night/accent (2 watts)
1 Hydrometer
Skimmerless
Sumpless
API Saltwater Testkit

*Most equipment came from my FW aquarium.

2 pieces of 1 kg sand (Cartimar)
Live Rocks (Cartimar)
Aqua Systems Reef Crystals Saltmix
Aqua Systems Instant Ocean Saltmix


Dissolved the salt to RO water (bought from water station) on a bucket. Added the dissolved salt with water in the aquarium. Placed the washed sand and live rocks. Turned on the pump and filter.

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Specific Gravity (SG) = 1.020 @ 29 ºC
No test kits yet.




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Specific Gravity (SG) = 1.024 @ 29.5 ºC

5 gallon water change (WC)
Instant Icean (IO) Saltmix to replace the removed water and dissolved it in RO water.
I changed also the canister filter into Hang-On-Back filter (with floss, activated carbon).
Lit aquarium for few hours (sunlight and 2 watts led light)
API Saltwater Testkit results:

pH = 8.2
Ammonia (NH3) = 0.25 ppm
Nitrite (NO2) = between 0.25 to 0.00 ppm (can't determine the specific color)
Nitrate (NO3) = 5.0 ppm





pH = 8.2
Ammonia (NH3) = between 0.25 to 0.00 ppm (can't determine the specific color)
Nitrite (NO2) = between 0.25 to 0.00 ppm (can't determine the specific color)
Nitrate (NO3) = 10.0 ppm



Re-arranged live rocks. Starting to form diatoms on the rocks...






Specific Gravity (SG) = 1.024 @ 29.5 ºC

Exposed gradually to ambient light (not direct sunlight) from the windows and LED lights for few hours everyday.
Found a Mantis Shrimp wandering on my Live rocks.

pH = 8.2
Ammonia (NH3) = 0.00 ppm
Nitrite (NO2) = 0.00 ppm
Nitrate (NO3) = 10.0 - 5.0 ppm





This morning nakita ko ulit yung Mantis Shrimp. According sa mga research ko sa net ay very aggressive daw ito sa mga LS sa aquarium namely sa mga inverts (snails, etc) pati narin sa shrimps and isda (depende sa laki ng Mantis Shrimp) at kinakain nila ang mga ito. Kaya nung makita ko sya dun sa pinasukan nyang LR ay kinuha ko ito agad. Sa net I had read 3 options na available kong gawin.

1st option - Leave the rock sa isang lugar without the water (in my case sa isang palangana) but it didn't worked.

2nd option - Cold RO water-dipping kaso di effective. Di man lang sya natinag para lumabas. Tinaggalan ko kaso wa-epek. May nabasa rin ako na sabi they can stand extensive heat and cold temperatures.

3rd option - Smashing/Hammering the rock itself and yes I saw him. Sa kaloob-looban sya nagtatago. Di ko intensyon patayin sya, just want to get rid of him in the aquarium lang kaso tinamaan or nadag-anan ata sya ng rock na nabasag and the result was natamaan yung claws nya. Nilagay ko sya sa isang maliit na clear glass with salt-water baka mabuhay pa and luckily ay gumagalaw sya pero hirap na hirap sya. Feeling ko tuloy he'll not survive but sana paguwi ko mamaya okay pa sya and will recover.

Anyways here he is.





Specific Gravity (SG) = 1.024 @ 28.9 ºC

pH = 8.0
Ammonia (NH3) = 0.25 - 0.00 ppm
Nitrite (NO2) = 0.25 - 0.00 ppm
Nitrate (NO3) = 20.0 ppm

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Specific Gravity (SG) = 1.025 @ 29 ºC

pH = 8.2
Ammonia (NH3) = 0.00 ppm
Nitrite (NO2) = 0.00 ppm
Nitrate (NO3) = 10.0 ppm

Eto for sure mapapagsabihan ako ng mga RP peeps.

Dahil nga akala ko na okay na yung water parameters ko, I bought my first Livestocks.

I bought 3 snails, I think Astrea Snails (para syang bato). 2 Nemos, 1 Cleaner Shrimp, and 1 Lawnmower Blenny. Here's the sad thing, during acclimation (Drip Method) namatay na agad yung cleaner shrimp then overnight when I got up this morning namatay narin yung 2 Nemos.



I guess charge to experience nalang ito para di maulit. Ang malungkot lang ay namatay sila, kawawa naman. Sorry it's my fault. Sa sobrang excited ko na may gumagalaw na sa tank ko, ayun sa pagmamadali namatay sila.



Specific Gravity (SG) = 1.025 @ 29.5 ºC

pH = 8.2
Ammonia (NH3) = 0.00 ppm
Nitrite (NO2) = 0.00 ppm
Nitrate (NO3) = 20.0 ppm

Did water change yesterday. Sa ngayon, 2 snails nalang ang natira sa binili kong LS last time. I think okay na yung water kasi nabuhay sila.


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Specific Gravity (SG) = 1.023 @ 28 ºC - 29 ºC
pH = 8.2 - 8.0
Ammonia (NH3) = 0.00 ppm
Nitrite (NO2) = 0.00 ppm
Nitrate (NO3) = 20.0 ppm

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Specific Gravity (SG) = 1.023 @ 28 ºC - 29 ºC
pH = 8.2
Ammonia (NH3) = 0.00 ppm
Nitrite (NO2) = 0.00 ppm
Nitrate (NO3) = 20.0 ppm

So far I think stable na yung system and luckily may mga nabuhay na isda sa mga nabili ko (cartimar). Sya lang kasi ang pinakamalapit na pwede kong bilhan. I used the drip method for acclimation (more than an hour because I need to neutralize the salinity kasi galing sila sa mababang salinity).

Livestocks (as of 10-24-2014)
1 Yellow Tail Damsel
2 Tomato Clownfish
1 Lawnmower Blenny
1 Orange Starfish
3 Astrea Snails
3 Turban Snails

Twice a day of (little) feeding. I guess I need to up my salinity para mag-ready na for corals.

Salamat sa lahat ng tumulong.

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Long time no update. I'm still alive!!!

Bale sa mga LS kong nabili na cartimar, unfortunately kaunti na natira. Nagkaroon pa ako ng ammonia spike kaya ayun medyo nahirapan akong iahon sa hirap ang aking mga alaga.

Right now sila nalang natira. I hope I can add more next time kapag hindi na busy.

Napansin ko rin na parang nagtatago yung bubble coral ko kapag yung 16 watts na LED na ilaw gamit ko but when I use the 7 watts na CFL light ay okay naman siya. Then yung gonio ko ay almost 2 weeks nang hindi pa namumukadkad but pakonti-konti lumalabas na siya.

Hope I can post on Members' Tank soon kaso not yet ready.hahaha

Thank you.

BUBBLE CORAL

GONIO

MR. BLENNY

[ymhon14]

QUESTIONS

1. Okay na po ba yung LED light ko na 16 watts for making a reef tank to thrive? Browsing from threads here ay lagi ko pong nakikita ay above 20 watts yung lighting nila. But I saw some setup tanks sa cartimar especially a pico tank na yung lighting nya ay nasa 3-5 watts only na clip light and may soft corals inside and nabubuhay naman sila. Yung seller sabi sakin ay sufficient na daw po yung 16 watts.

2. Can I use different brand seasalt for Water Changing (WC) kahit po na Reef Crystals (RC) po yung una kong ginamit? Hirap po kasi akong makakita sa cartimar ng RC. Can I use Instant Ocean (IO) or Red Sea (RS) salts? What about Natural Sea Water (NSW), pwede po ba syang pang WC?

3. About diatoms, napeprevent ba ito?

4. Mabubuhay po ba yung mga corals if my temperature is 29 ºC?

Salamat po!

[obet_carlos]

hi ymhon14, welcome to the hobby!
1. baka kapusin lights mo.. kaya siguro pero better kung mga 30W.. wagka maniniwala sa cartimar.. puro sales talk lang dun.. sasabihin pa nga nila lumot lang kinakain nung fish tapos carnivore pala.. buhay corals nila kasi mga bago lang yun.. its not enough to maintain them..

2.you can use any brand sea salt.. some are better and some are just plain trash.. blue treasure is the least best among the other sea salts.. pwede din NSW, problem is, minsan maraming parasites.. kailangan mo pa itreat.. hassle din dalhin from cartimar to your house.. nabutas trunk ng car ko dahil sa pag transpo..

3. you cant do anything about diatoms in starting a new tank.. its something you will have to go through.. kaya pag cycling naka on yung lights.. para lumabas na diatoms.. then, control your nutrients para mawala na sila and hindi na bumalik..

4. corals kaya hanggang 30 deg.. any higher irelease nila yung zooxanthellae and magbleach na sila.. 29 is ok.. kaso pag sps, atleast 27-28..

PS. I would change your canister filter to an OHF.. mas madali linisin and masconvenient gamitin.. you already have medium for your biological filtration in your LR.. change your powerhead to a wavemaker.. maybe resun waver2000 or jebao wp10.. malakas sa kuryente yung powerhead.. search for the tank of aquaboy.. he had a very beautiful 15g skimmerless and sumpless tank.. remove your hydrometer.. lagay mo lang pag kailangan mo magcheck ng salinity.. pangit tingnan na may lumulutang..

[ymhon14]

[obet_carlos]

iba din kasi yung good sa better and best.. parang ganun din yung lights mo.. pwede na siguro yan, pero mas maganda lakasan mo ng konte.. closed lights para d sayang kuryente.. pero IMO,mas ok na nakabukas yung lights para lumabas na yung diatoms.. pag open din kasi lights, yung nitrates at phosphates na by product ng cycling mo ay food for algae.. mas gusto ko na magalgae outbreak sa simula kesa kung may corals na ako.. malaking bagay yung fan.. although chiller pa din ang best way to cool a tank.. mahal nga lang.. kaso pag summer at sobrang init, d talaga kinakaya ng fan lang..

[ymhon14]

[obet_carlos]

ok ang sunlight.. problema lang is iinit yung water.. kung hindi iinit yung tank, ok yun.. gusto mo, pamodify mo yung tank mo ng AIO (all-in-one).. yung may sump na sa likod.. pero since cycling ka na, recommend ko na lang OHF..

[ymhon14]

[seth]

[ymhon14]

[seth]

Still depends on your preference. Both options are fine, ang rationale lang sa lights-off option ay mamamatay lahat ng pest algae na posibleng mag overrun sa system mo, at para maunang magkafoothold ang beneficial bacteria over algae. Sa lights-on naman, nasabi na ni obet yung pros.

Depende rin yan sa bato na gamit mo, for example ako puro DIY rocks so hindi applicable yung choice na ilawan na yung tank since walang algae na present.

Walang right or wrong method sa cycling, lahat naman yan maaachieve ang same purpose in time. Yung iba lang mas "okay" sa iba.

[seth]

Soft corals gaya ng mga leathers and toadstools mas light demanding pa sa SPS corals hehe. Usually sa ankle-deep waters makikita mo na sila kasama ng mga anemones and clams.

Mga actinodiscus at rhodactis baka mabuhay sa tank mo, although kailangan siguro na nasa ilalim sila mismo ng ilaw. Mahirap din i-judge yung capability ng ilaw lalo hindi nakikita ng personal. You could try though. Kung mabitin sa ilaw, dagdag ka na lang.

[ymhon14]

[ymhon14]

[obet_carlos]

minsan nakakaloko din yang LEDs na yan.. kalat kasi ilaw niyan pag walang lens.. kaya akala mo malakas.. pero pag nilagyan mo ng lens, hindi na kalat, mukha naman mahina pero malakas talaga.. tapusin mo na lang muna cycling mo then try mo mag mushrooms.. adjust ka na lang pag kulang lights mo..