TURSTY Posted April 22, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2013 Heres a few more pics of the new stock. The Tree Leather is looking a little sad so will need to see whats going on there in the next few days. The other two corals are looking really good so it might have just had a hard time in transit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91 ZERO Posted April 22, 2013 Report Share Posted April 22, 2013 Looking good man. Looks like I will be going up to Wonderworld next weekend so if you see anything else they have that we don't have down here let me know and I'll bring it down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TURSTY Posted April 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2013 Ive been getting some strange readings from my red sea foundation kit which has be a little concerned. I have done the Calcium, Magnesium and Alkalinity tests twice now and got the following readings: - Keeping in mind nothing in the tank has changed between these tests (no water changes and no suppliments have been added) Test 1: Salinity - 1.024 Ca - 375ppm Mg - 1000ppm Kh - 7.6dKH Test 2: Salinity - 1.024 Ca - 410ppm Mg - 1600ppm Kh - 7.3dKH Test 3: (I just retested the Mg because I thought it seemed weird that the other two were so low and this was off the charts compared to the test a day earlier) Salinity - 1.025 Ca - NA (didn't test it) Mg - 1600ppm Kh - NA (didn't test it) I took a water sample down to the local pet shop and they did a calcium test on it and got 400ppm with a salinity of 1.027. I also tested some freshly mixed water in my drum and it came back the same - Mg at 1600ppm Is it most likely that my Mg test is not testing accurately, or is it possible to have a hugely high level of Mg in the tap water (wellington water supply)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TURSTY Posted May 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2013 So we borrowed a Racoon Butterfly and it totaly wiped out our Aiptasia in about 3 days.... :happy2: ...then started on the corals so we gave it back. Ive managed to get my test under control and bumped up the levels to 9.1dKH, 445 Ca and 1320 Mg. The corals have now started to look MUCH happier. My dosing pump also turned up today and I am in the process of rigging it up as an automatic water change system. I will post up details once I have all the bits, the basics is it will be swapping out about 7-8L every day...Totaling about 50L or my entire sump evey week. Ive read mixed reviews on this setup so will give it a go and keep a watch on it to see how it goes. We are still on the hunt for a copperband to keep on top of the Aiptasia regrowth that will be comming back no boubt, and I might give fragging some of these mushrooms a go to put them where we want them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reuben.a Posted May 14, 2013 Report Share Posted May 14, 2013 nice, :thup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fychan Posted May 25, 2013 Report Share Posted May 25, 2013 just joined after a Google search for some info and found this post. We also live in good old PKB and have just bought a 400L tank off of Graeme and Craig. got the water and salt in today and waiting on a call from Graeme to let us know when they have some sand in. setting the 400 up as a tropical marine tank, we have a smaller tank, 110l, that we are setting up for the daughter, she wants a puffer fish and cannot be persuaded at the moment to go for sea horses, but we have a few months before her birthday so still time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reuben.a Posted May 25, 2013 Report Share Posted May 25, 2013 have you thought about getting a few peppermint shrimps? they are also quite good at getting rid of aiptasia. you will have more success keeping these alive than a cbb as they are quite hardy. copperbands even if they are eating in shops need to be fed a variety of foods with a high nutritional value to keep them happy long-term. anyway, good luck and any updates? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TURSTY Posted May 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2013 I might have a look out for some perpermint shrimp if I dont have any luck finding a CBB. We need something to keep it in check. The Racoon Buterfly we borrowed did a good job at clearing the tank, but its already coming back so need a more perminant controler. Hi fychan - Good to hear. Be sure to put up a post with the tank build! Where abouts in the bay are you? One piece of advice I would give is to make sure the live rock you buy is clear of apistasia!! Its been a real pain battling this stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fychan Posted May 26, 2013 Report Share Posted May 26, 2013 tank all filled and salt now added, bit of leakage from the sump tank but resolved with marine sealant. I'll start my own thread that way not detracting from yours Tursty. we're on Gray Street, yourself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TURSTY Posted May 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2013 Ah, I thought I might know ya being that PKB is not exactly a huge place, but dont think I know anyone up that area. We are down on the beach. Flick me a PM if your ever in need of anything etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted May 26, 2013 Report Share Posted May 26, 2013 tank all filled and salt now added, bit of leakage from the sump tank but resolved with marine sealant. I'll start my own thread that way not detracting from yours Tursty. we're on Gray Street, yourself? What marine sealant did you use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fychan Posted May 27, 2013 Report Share Posted May 27, 2013 Sikaflex -291. Marine Sealant. Wife walks the dog down along the beach road throughout the week, so you might well of spotted her with her bright red hair and a mini schnauzer. Thanks may drop you a line to find out where you get your stuff/fish etc from Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TURSTY Posted June 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2013 Bit of an update. I rigged up a skimming catch bottle with on overflow back into the sump after I had a small flood. I must have bumped the adjustment dials on the skimmer an not notised as the bottle filled up over night and soaked the place. I hope it will never overflow as I would hate the gunk that has been skimmed out to end up back in the tank, but its better then wrecking the house. I have also brought a dosing pump, and have set up an auto water change system that changes out the volume of the sump every week. Pump 1 takes pre mixed NSW and moves it into the sump just above the main pump. Pump 2 takes old water out of the sump in the area by the skimmer. This should stop the new water from being removed straight away. I need to get a sealed drum to put the mixed NSW in as I currently have a evaporation issue with the unsealed drum I am using now, but otherwise it seems to be working well. Will keep an eye on it. Have added a few more corals. I also just got some frags off a friend that ordered a few and ran out of room in his tank. Our first few seem to be doing really well too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TURSTY Posted June 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2013 haha this always makes me laugh!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godly3vil Posted June 1, 2013 Report Share Posted June 1, 2013 Looking great, where did you get your dosing pump from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TURSTY Posted June 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 Looking great, where did you get your dosing pump from? Thanks =). I got it from airpumps.co.nz. Much cheaper then anywhere else and its pretty much the same as the bubble magus one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reptilez Posted June 2, 2013 Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 Nice Hammer coral. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TURSTY Posted June 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 Yeah thats the newest addition (as of yesterday actually). Its really starting to extend out now. Looks amazing! :bggrn: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TURSTY Posted July 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2013 Haven't updated this in a while Have since got a phosphate reactor in there, moved the mushroom corals onto one of the big rocks, got a BTA and 2 baby clowns (which have just started hosting the nem) and yesterday picked up our new best friend =D. We did however loose our rockskipper which then ended up being bristle worm food =(. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fychan Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 Really liking the look of the tank. Great work - keep the photos coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuchessofSquee Posted July 9, 2013 Report Share Posted July 9, 2013 Oooh the copperband looks lovely! My cat does that too, she's only just figured out that the fish exist...she's not the brightest cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TURSTY Posted November 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2013 Hey all, Thought I would give you a bit of an update. We have been lucky enough to get a new copperband that was FAT and eating well. As you can guess, I was rather pleased to see this: http://youtu.be/urFfk4rkL4g The tank on the whole is going really well. I have redone all the power in the cabinet as well so everything is much easier to turn off/clean etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted November 25, 2013 Report Share Posted November 25, 2013 Looking a very tidy unit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted February 1, 2014 Report Share Posted February 1, 2014 Do you have any updates on your tank? How do you find the lighting and the skimmer on you tank. I was of the understanding that both were lacking on the aqua reefs ie light not strong enough for corals and skimmer not big enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TURSTY Posted February 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 Do you have any updates on your tank? How do you find the lighting and the skimmer on you tank. I was of the understanding that both were lacking on the aqua reefs ie light not strong enough for corals and skimmer not big enough. The tank seems to be doing rather well considering the lack of decent lights/skimmer. Everything seems to be growing nicely, but the SPS's could definitely do with some more light. The skimmer seem to be taking a fair amount of grimy gunk out of the tank, so its working......maybe not as well as it could, but its working. My auto water change system is a god send!! The only issues I have had so far was one of the dosing pump bodies wearing out (easy fix to just clip a new one onto the pump), and the intake line getting blocked once. Salinity has been solid, and nitrates are within check, so all in all Im very happy with how little maintenance the tank needs. The copper band is eating really well and is nice and fat. We got a foxface which has done its job well and smashed all the green bubble algae so tank looks nice and clean. I would love to get some LED's next...but I seem to have too many hobbies and not enough money to go around. Here's some pics =). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.