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.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Specific Gravity (SG) = 1.020 @ 29 ºC
No test kits yet.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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 CORALGONIOMR. BLENNY
Embrace your dreams and whatever happens, protect your honor...