My 2ft Cube!

[mw1611]

I got 3 snails on my way home last night to help take care of some algae..

Tested the water parameters again..

Salinity - 1.025

NO3 - 6

NO2 - 0.05

pH - 8.18

KH - 3

Ca - 380

PO4 - 0.08

Mg - 1240

Got a NO3 spike again.. Have been dosing 25ml of Ca daily since the last test, only missed one dose on Friday night.. But still not able to get it up to 420.. Is it normal for pH to be rising though?

[kaykay]

Are the snails working out? I'm facing diatom algae outbreak now. Have been overfeeding the fishes. After dinner, they're all sprouting "mid-life uncle" type bellies. Lol.

[MadScientist]

Are the snails working out? I'm facing diatom algae outbreak now. Have been overfeeding the fishes. After dinner, they're all sprouting "mid-life uncle" type bellies. Lol.

Reduce silica levels

[kaykay]

Bro the silicates are they from fish food?

[Terryz_]

Just run phosphate remover...

[kaykay]

I don't have space for FR, so the Rowaphos are used in the filter bag for mine. Looking to get po4 test kits soon..

[MadScientist]

silicates from water, food has some too. get those phosphate and silica remover

[MadScientist]

I don't have space for FR, so the Rowaphos are used in the filter bag for mine. Looking to get po4 test kits soon..

rowaphos is less effective in a bag. if you need, I can loan you my tlf phosban 150 reactor. you can grab from me, haha. media not included. feeder pump I only have eheim 300 and 1000.

[mw1611]

Are the snails working out? I'm facing diatom algae outbreak now. Have been overfeeding the fishes. After dinner, they're all sprouting "mid-life uncle" type bellies. Lol.

Hmm.. Snails are working very very hard.. Rock looks clean and good! hmm.. I got a problem.. I've been dosing 35ml of brightwell calcium ever since my last test, but my Ca level is still at 380.. So I added another 10ml after the test just now.. Do I increase the dosage until I achieve my desired Ca?

I also tried hooking up my ATO but ended up turning it off.. Trying to set the level is quite a pain.... Any tips anyone? Haha..

[MadScientist]

Hmm.. Snails are working very very hard.. Rock looks clean and good! hmm.. I got a problem.. I've been dosing 35ml of brightwell calcium ever since my last test, but my Ca level is still at 380.. So I added another 10ml after the test just now.. Do I increase the dosage until I achieve my desired Ca?

I also tried hooking up my ATO but ended up turning it off.. Trying to set the level is quite a pain.... Any tips anyone? Haha..

Use tunze osomoregulator? Just pay and plug

[mw1611]

Bought some LS yesterday! And did a water change again.. Have yet to test the parameters though!

Rescaped a little cause I accidentally knocked the flat rock off which cleaning the tank walls.. Here's a FTS!

I got a pair of Diamond Watchman Gobies to sift my sand, got quite a bit of diatoms there now! Seems like a mated pair, they follow each other all around and they 'play' around alot with each other too.

I also bought an anemone, skunk shrimp and a purple firefish too!

The firefish is really shy/afraid still, so couldn't get a picture of it cause it was hiding in a small cave..

[kaykay]

Nice..

Now the excitement starts ya. Have fun stocking up.

Any planned stock list?

[mw1611]

LOL! Yes! Now the itch starts to attack the eyes, hands and pocket! haha! Suddenly feel like its super empty, got LS, like no LS like that.. LOL!

Well, corals wise, I haven really planned out, but I'll probably get one or two rics, some zoas.. haven thought of the rest!

Fishes wise, I wanna get:

1 pair of True percs

1 Flame / Rusty flame

1 PBT

1 Purple Tang

Heh.. Is an AT too ambitious?

[MadScientist]

bro, if people throw corals in a 1 gal tank, AT is a 2 ft cube is considered landed property, haha

[kaykay]

Ya I know I know.

Come home to see just 1 or 2 fishes in our tank makes the itchy eyes, hands, and pockets super hard to contain!

A small sized AT may just barely cut it, but extra extra caution with the PBT together. Nonetheless for a 2ft cube, most reefers won't advise an AT in it.

A word of caution too with the flame angel.. It's a gamble with the corals.

Plan your real estate properly for the various corals. For example, you may dedicate a corner for a zoas garden, a corner for mushies, rics, LPS etc etc.. paying particular attention to the different flow and light conditions the different corals enjoy.

For small tanks like ours, small frags may be more appropriate, for one, premium real estate, and two, it's exciting and rewarding to see corals and livestocks grow.

Keep us updated ya.

[mw1611]

Heh.. I got a small rock of Zoas and Hammer (euphyllia ancora) today! Will post pics when they've opened up! The anemone seems to be doing well though.. it has anchored itself into the crevice I placed it at..

One pretty discouraging thing is that I came back to only see ONE goby left I can't locate the other at all.. At first I thought maybe it died or like found its way into the narrow overflow compartment and died there cause the pair were trying so hard to swim up to the surface and corner near the overflow.. Tried digging the compartment with whatever thing and long stuff I have but I guess maybe it didn't go there.. But... I don't see its body anywhere.. I wonder if its still alive

The purple firefish came out though.. it was at resting at the bottom corner of the sand bed.. Then after I went to change and all, it disappeared.. Oh well.. at least it came out! I hope it managed to get some food though..

[mw1611]

Here are some pics of the Zoas, Goby and Hammer!

The hammer opened up more after I took a photo.. Firefish is still hiding but I saw it come out for a bite when I was feeding.. Seems like the other goby is really gone But I don't see its body at all.. Sigh..

[MadScientist]

in a marine environment, decomposition can be a very rapid procedure, especially with all kinds of critters hanging around

[Evolutionz]

Looking good bro. it seems like u have quite a deep sand bed.. issit recommended to have such a deep one for small tanks?

[mw1611]

in a marine environment, decomposition can be a very rapid procedure, especially with all kinds of critters hanging around

Haha.. I have to agree with this.. Pretty certain the Goby is dead.. Unless is digging tunnels under the rocks Thankfully no sudden change in the water parameters though..

Looking good bro. it seems like u have quite a deep sand bed.. issit recommended to have such a deep one for small tanks?

Haha.. Thanks! I hope it remains well too! Well, I think its personal preference ba.. Some people go bare bottom even for small tanks.. Sand bed has its disadvantages too.. Met one reefer who told me his sand bed eroded the tank silicon, I don't know how true, and I don't wanna find out.. Haha.. On the good side, it can help house the beneficial bacteria required, while the tank was still cycling, I'd stir the sand bed a little when I dose bacteria..

[Evolutionz]

Thanks for the info bro, personally i find bare bottom not nice.. i intend to have a thin layer of sand.

[mw1611]

Thanks for the info bro, personally i find bare bottom not nice.. i intend to have a thin layer of sand.

Thin sand bed works too I think.. In my opinion, ultimately, I think its good husbandry that will upkeep the tank, of course good planning before starting the tank would be a contributing factor too! Frankly now, if I could choose again, I'd put in that extra few hundred bucks and have a sump.. Haha.. But oh well, if I can take care of a small tank like that well enough, I'm sure future upgrades wouldn't be too difficult

[mw1611]

Purple firefish is finally swimming out in the open! still a little shy though but it stays out of its rock now.. Blue lights are currently on so not very good to take pics.. On the other hand, the Zoas and Hammer are opening up really well!

[mw1611]

Hmm.. I got another watchman goby to replace the missing one.. Its still adjusting to the tank so its still rather shy.. but managed to get a shot of the two of them! Not a very good one though..

And the purple firefish is finally out in the middle of the tank!

And here are some shots of the hammer..

Got a question.. Is it a must to target feed / feed the anemone a small piece of prawn at least once weekly? Cause at my first attempt to push the piece of prawn into the anemone's tentacles / mouth, I accidentally pushed it into a crevice and a crab grabbed it in Then at my second attempt, I managed to push it into the anemone, but the cleaner shrimp kept kajiao-ing, so I don't know how much of the prawn did the anemone eventually get..

If its necessary to feed, can someone advise how you do it?

[mw1611]

Been awhile since I last updated.. Since my last update, I've added one more LR to the scape.

Here's an update to my LS list:

- x1 Watchman Goby

- x1 Purple Firefish/Dartfish

- x1 Helfrichi Firefish

- x1 Purple Tang

- x1 Blue Tang

- x1 Yellow Banded Wrasse (halichores hoevani

- 1 pair of True Percs

- x2 Sea Hare

Corals:

- Small branch of Hammer

- Pink BTA

- Orange Monti (with compliments from bro spkentchai, thanks bro!)

- Pink Birdnest frags

- Rock of Zoas

- True Octo (I think)

The LR I got had some Zoas on it.. I wonder if it has lost colour or thats already its colour.. A kind reefer gave me a frag of orange monti to "try".. Haha.. Its doing surprisingly well, seems like it has grown a little bit, and the sides where he broke this frag off for me now has colour on it..

I was battling hair algae on my LRs and tank walls for a good 2-3 weeks, but its all under control now with the two sea hares.. there's also green and brown algae growing on the tank wall but seems like its slowing down these 2 days.. Will have to monitor again.. Okie! Enough "talking", pictures at the next post!

PS. Sorry pics aren't too clear.. Realised I left my dslr in the office when I wanted to take pics to update.. Heh..