My River Reef Adventure...

[Tiamat79]

Hi I got a River Reef 50, 94l. The other day.
I have set it up, and it has had the LR in it since the 8th June 2006 and it's substrate is Coral Sand.
(I was told that Live sand is most likely a waste of money.)


I can't get it's temperature down in this heat. It says it's 27C even when the heater isn't plugged in and the lights are off. I hope this wont hurt anything on the LR.


I tested for Ammonia and nitrite using an old salt/fresh test kit that I had only to find that I've lost the cards, but at least I know that if it's not yellow then its a reading, and any reading is not good with these to.
I have several salifert tests kits coming soon.

Anyway Today's Water reading:
Temp: 27.8C
S.G.: 1.026 (I have an old Refractometer that bobs in the water but I have a ATC one on it's way.
Ammonia : Trace (It was slightly greenish.)
Nitrite: Trace (Dark yellow almost orange.)


I used Red sea Salt and shop bought RO water and mixed it together following the information on the packet. This was easer than I though it would be.

I have found a number of things on the rock:

Dotty Type of thing, it was swimming around in test tube.

Feather duster worms I think but I'd like to be sure.

Legs... a brittle star? There are a few of these. (My BF likes these they look like tentacles so he's happy. )

Tube thing? He looks a little like a Zoa but I've only ever seen them in groups.

If he is a good guy will he be ok on his own?


Oh and I caught 2 crabs as well

Bob the Crab...

And Dave the crab...

I think there may still be another one like Dave but he keeps hiding. Might have to try something else...


If you could help ID. any of these I'd be most grateful.

Dave shed the other day, I forgot that crabs did that I thought Bob had killed him.
They are currently in a plastic tub of tank water as I'm not sure what to do with them.

More updates later

 

[Tiamat79]

Yay for new camera and it's awesome Macro setting for the goodness of tiny things in pictures.
This has put me in a happy mood.

Oh and my test kits and Koralia should be here some time tomorrow. *Squee*
Oh and for Free Weir/Sluice gate being here for me when I got back from living Waters today.

Pictures:
The new bit for my RR. It was so easy to fit I didn't need instructions, Just slide into place and open the little gate to suit your preference.

Nice and easy to use just how I like it.

Free with a phone call to interpet Customer services that went like this. "Hi I have the River Reef 50 and I heard there was an add on to help lower the water level in the back. How much is it?"
"Oh it's free would you like us to send you one?"
"Oh yes please."
Gave them my name and address and it's here the next day.


Green stuff? Maybe Bubble Algae? I'll be Tweezering these tommorow.

Aiptasia Tomorrow you death shall come.

Little Starfish...

Filter feeder...

White Blobby Thing?

Spionid Worm...

More filter feeders...

So that's all the pictures I have taken for today.
More updates soon with all the New Water tests and stuff.
I hope I'm doing ok for a first Marine tank.

 

[seffieuk]

Hey. looking good glad you spotted the aiptasia, i was about to point it out from your first set of photos. If you are going to burn the creature, make sure you rinse the rock in ro before putting it back in the tank as it may get the chance to release spores

The bubble alga, I couldn't see any but that may just be my eyes again make sure you remove the rock from the tank and chip a little peice of rock away from under the bubble, they also release spores so wash the rock in ro before putting back in the tank.

The other thing is just a lovely little sponge

Waiting with interest

Seffie x

 

[Tiamat79]

Hey. looking good glad you spotted the aiptasia, i was about to point it out from your first set of photos. If you are going to burn the creature, make sure you rinse the rock in ro before putting it back in the tank as it may get the chance to release spores

The bubble alga, I couldn't see any but that may just be my eyes again make sure you remove the rock from the tank and chip a little peice of rock away from under the bubble, they also release spores so wash the rock in ro before putting back in the tank.

The other thing is just a lovely little sponge

Waiting with interest

Seffie x

Cool and thanks I'll be zapping the Aiptasia with Aiptasia X as I've heard that it's really good and wont hurt anything else. and Hopefully I'll get my other bits soon.

 

[sorgan]

Aip x can mess with your ph levels so be a tad tight fisted with it.

 

[Tiamat79]

Aip x can mess with your ph levels so be a tad tight fisted with it.

Cool thanx.
This is my first Marine so I hope I'm doing ok but I'm sure I'll make mistakes along the way but I'm glad I have you guys to help me if I get problems.
I'm glad I have nothing else that it might hurt to much.
Hopefully I can get on top of this before they get to be to much of a problem.
Thank you for the advice. It is all appreciated.

 

[Tiamat79]

I got the Apitasia X today and Zapped all the ones I could see but will be keeping an eye open for more...

I got a pic of the tank with the Night Blue LEDs on, I think it looks awesome:

A Turnicate type thing.

Strange Shell thing that was moving next to the curly worm hole.

And when I stopped the pumps to add the Aiptasia X I found some of these little Copepods.

More updates soon.

 

[Tiamat79]

Wow it's been a while since I last posted on here.

I had a move around in the tank the other day so it looks some what different now.
Here are the updates from the last few days.

Everyone goes into the little tank while things are being sorted out in the main Tank.

Peppermint Shrimp comes over to say Hi

Galaxia fixed into place. (Not happy about being moved, but she has started to come out again.)

A Shell fish of some kind, not sure what though.
He came off the Coral and has since moved around a bit to get into a better position.

All finished and in their nice New (rearranged) home.

 

[seffieuk]

So, what are your plans now?

Seffie x

 

[Tiamat79]

So, what are your plans now?

Seffie x

I'll have to wait until after xmas before, I can spend to much money.
But I'm thinking about trying to get some branch rock to build up the height of the rock a bit, and get some more Corals.
My bf really likes the Clove coral and I would like to get a Toadstool of some kind.

My Clowns have developed a funny habit, at night after I put the lights off, (They still have the moonlights on.) They keep sticking their fins and tail in the gaps of the Weir comb to hold themselves in place.
If I open the lid to check on them, they swim down and wait for me to go away.
Then they swim back and do it again. (They will also swim back into place if the water movement moves them away.)
They will also fight to get the best position. (Ebony (The Miss-Bar) usually wins as she will push Emo Nemo to the other side of the tank.)

It's the most bizarre thing I have ever seen them do, as they will swim really fast to get right up against it then stop suddenly as they hook themselves into place.

 

[simonas]

its a decent tank isn;t it? I have one
are you running a skimer. I finally found one to fit the Boyu wg310. pulls out a load of rubbish every week andonly cheap

take a look at my journal its in there

Simon

 

[Tiamat79]

its a decent tank isn;t it? I have one
are you running a skimer. I finally found one to fit the Boyu wg310. pulls out a load of rubbish every week andonly cheap

take a look at my journal its in there

Simon

Cool thanx

 

[Tiamat79]

My Clowns at night:

Top view.

From the side.

Even if they move away they will swim to get back there. It's really odd.
When I first saw her, I thought she was stuck but she swam down as soon as I opened the lid and put the light on so she wasn't stuck.

Funny habit of my Clown fish.
A link to the YouTube Video of them doing it.
At 0:41 You see both fish turn and lock themselves into place.

 

[Harry1996]

maybe they are hosting that part of the tank?

 

[Tiamat79]

maybe they are hosting that part of the tank?

They could be they don't go far from that area of the tank unless the light is on I just thought it looked funny as I've never seen fish do that before