desideria

Hello.. Yes, we did dose ROWA BAC.. and we put in some bacteria tablets as well in our refrigum. During the first 4-5 days, there was indeed a spike in the Ammonia levels but today when testing with the old API test kit and the new ELOS test kit, both showed almost Zero or even zero.. so I assume that because of the bacteria dosing and because we used live sand and NSW, it helped in speeding up the cycling process. Yuppers, we will adjust the necessary chemicals AFTER we do the water change... but before we do water change, we will monitor for another few more days. If want to do water change, we will probably do it next weekend, so we will monitor for another week. Is it really necessary to do 50%? quite shiong leh.... After the water change, we'd monitor again for another week and dosing of chemicals etc to make sure the water parameters are AOK before we put in livestock. SO! at the rate things are going, our first corals would probably go in on the weekend of the 23rd-24th of Jan assuming that by Friday the 22nd, all water parameters have passed the tests with flying colors! *fingers crossed*. Will check out Refractometers this weekend. Desi.

Hi all, a little update on our side. It's Day 9 of our cycling and all our 5 prawns have more or less disintegrated.. As you can see from this pic of the 2 prawns which are the only ones visible.. not much of it is left.. most of it is the white slime which covers it. Did a bit of testing and got the following results : Salfiert test kits : Nitrite : 0 -0.1ppm ( couldn't really tell as the color was so light!) Nitrate : 10ppm Magnesium : 990 mg/L (The instructions were in german and there was no english! so I had to hantam using my limited memory of my german lessons to decipher what the blazes I should do) GH : 2.74 Meq/L KH : 7.7DKH Elos test kit : Ammonia : 0 Old API test kit : (Phosphate and Calcium were out so use old ones for now) Calcium : 380 - 400 ppm Phosphate : 0 PH : 8.4 <-- this is using a digital one and just calibrated so it's accurate.. too high? SG : 1.019 <-- this is unforunately using the plastic Hydrometer. I am thinking of getting a digital refractometer for better accuracy. Is it worth getting? We will continue monitoring the tank for a couple more days. From the above, we would have to dose some Magnesium and Calcium as it's a bit too low. We believe the Magnesium reading but somehow we want to get better test kits for the Calcium and Phosphate readings before we make a final judgement on that! I will be borrowing a friend's refractometer on Monday to get a more accurate reading and if the SG is still that low then I guess i have to dose a bit of SALT! It seems that the tank cycling is apparantly done since the Ammonia and nitrite is almost zero but the nitrate is going up, if over the next few days, we test that the nitrate level does go up but the rest is almost negligable, then by the following weekend we will do the following :- - water change ( we were thinking in the range of 20-50% depending on how strong we are that day to make THAT much salt water!) - Start throwing in our filter media to reduce the nitrates ( bought seachem purigen for this very purpose.. besides that, we got ROWA PHOS) Once the nitrate level is down to naught and we have corrected the Magnesium, SG level and Calcium... it's time to start STOCKING!!!!! Am I right or have I missed out anything? advise Please!! Desi

yeah love the colors!!! so bright! Desi.

niceeeee... your super suns tentacles are very long! love super suns!!!!!! and your Favia.. lovely color! cheers, Desi

yup that's what i'm doing.. the lights are off.. turn on lights to take nice nice pics hee hee... all for the tips and advice.. keep'em coming!! my cousin was around when we were doing the last bits of the tank and he just couldn't get over the fact that ketchup and I were just sitting around doing nothing but starting at an ... to him... EMPTY TANK devoid of life.. lol.... signs of addiction.. 19 Days more! cheers, Desi.

I like your rockscape! Very cool! lots of ledges for your corals etc. NICE!!! Red is my fav color...stands out! cheers, Desi.

Macrobutt, that makes sense... .. unforutnately we have no exhaust fans for the chiller... just the ventilation holes behind.. and most of the time we intend to leave the front door of the chiller open to allow more air circulation and we will only close it if we have guests. I'd leave the fan there for now and perhaps only turn it on when pyscologically I feel it's too HOT. lol CHeers, Desi.

Some pics showing the water flow.... was too "tanked" out to do it yesterday so here it is.. FIrst the top of the tank from the overflow teeth down to the overflow box! The overflow box itself Down to the acrylic box with sponge and dripping down to the bilogical filter.. the chiller right now I just set it at 27 degrees, when my livestock goes in, i will bring it down to 26. Very kiasu, just added a clip on fan to blow at the chiller during the day and off at night.. See how it goes whether really need the fan or not. HAH From the above, it flows to the regfrigum filled with the DSB and then to the mini area where I put more sponge and Filter media.. currenly there's only ROWA CARBON in there. I have been advised to leave it for 2-3 months and then remove it and only use it if for some reason my water is not clear as it releases allot of phosphates. And then it goes to the return area which is housing the temporarily skimmer... my original skimmer will be placed externaly so that space will be feed up! Will be observing next few days... Happy NEW YEAR ALL!!! Cheers, D&K

ssswweeeeeettttttttttt.... Happy new year to you too!!!!!!!!!!!!! Desi

redstar, your tank can hardly be called a newbie tank.. VERY MISLEADING.. real SWEET. /drool desi

Hi all, Day 2 of cycling.. Thanks so much for the tips and advice. I have checked that the sump /refrigum below is enough if the return pipes failed. WE have turned off both return pipes and watched as the water gushed in until the water in the tank went below the overflow line.. and there was still allot of "space" left in the sump for even more water so no worries. Elvin had reassured me that it won't happen and after testing, I believe him! Yes about the wavebox, that's our dillema, we have no choice but to put it there because of the bracing which is preventing us from putting it facing the long side so bor pian, face the short side. So it's stuck there but yes I will remove the teeny tiny NANO wavemaker in front of it.. LOL I just put it there for now to give a bit more movement to the water... Actually, the wavemaker position and the rockscape is still tentative as ketchup is determined to change it when he comes back from Cambodia ( he left this morning)... then again, maybe by the time he comes back, he'd say : LEAVE IT LA. Btw, the water seems to be getting cloudy and one of the prawns floated up! Should I cover the prawns with the sand so that it doesn't float.. it's now stuck at the part where the water flows through the "teeth" to the overflow box... lol. will take some pics of the water flow later now have to go send my cousin's car in for a car wash! Thanks all, 20 more days and counting down... Cheers, Desi

Day 3.. Delivery of NSW and START of cycling! With the help form Elvin & Eugene, we got our system started with the cycling process today after delivery of the NSW from Irwana. Took about an hour or so and the "dust" from the black sand had more or less settled. We had poured in 8 bags of Nature Ocean live sand and then topped it off with 4 Bags of Carib sea Hawaiian Black. The result as shown below You can see the prawns on the sand.. LOL With the purple and blue atinics on : WIth purple, blue atinics and the MH on : Ketchup just had to take a close up of the prawn... lol And now begins the 3 weeks of cycling so it would only be 21st of Jan when we shall start stocking! COUNT DOWN BEGINS NOW! Oh yes, and I brought up the issue of the safty valves not working. Elvin has told me that I can test it every now and then by turning off the return pumps and I should hear a loud PANG sound of the safty valves falling down. If I don't, then he has taught me how to remove the safty valve section to clean it and so it should work again. So thanks for highlighting this to me, now I know too! cheers, D&K

oooo... I shall check with elvin later as he is coming over one more time when the NSW is being delivered to show me how to work the entire set up etc. I will be taking notes!!! I hope no power trip as I had done some rewiring to bring over another circuit for the tank but sometimes don't strike 4D, other stupid things kena strike. Unforunately because we are leaving space for an external skimmer and the water reservoir and we set up a refrigum, there isn't much sump space so called.. Oh well.... Cross fingers and pray. Guess no long holidays for a VERY Long time!!! Thanks for the tip!!! We will take note

lemon, I'm a woman.. of course I know the MANY terms used for my.. ahem...water chestnuts ( and that's NOT AN INDICATION OF THE SIZE HOR!) LOL Desi.

DAY 2 is OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TANK IS 99% complete. Unfortunately due to shipment delays and the fact we booked this tank on the 30th of november ... We have yet to get our Originally planned Skimmer and FR and 2 penductors for the return.. so those 3 items are still pending which will be put in end of Jan 2010. Right now, we are given a loaned Deltec skimmer to use until our originally planned one comes in. SO HERE are the pics with some detailed ones for the beautiful piping and neat wiring done by the 2 handsome young men who came today ( praise a bit la... they sweat allot until whole day yesterday and EVEN TODAY when I turn on air con for them.. they DID NOT EVEN GO TOILET for the 9 hours or so they were in my house.. WHERE DOES THE PEE GO?!). Instllation of the MOvalite Rack and drilling holes into the acrylic cover of where the pipes dump the water from the overflow to the sump.. CLose up of how the MOvalite Rack looks like and the 2 Fans ketchup bought form SIM LIM today during lunch time to cool the Gisseman lighting.. BROTHERS or MEN at work... 2 at the same time .. one on top.. the OTHER BELOW! Ketchup plonking in the fine sand after washing it... I noticed how he lumped them looked like.. mammary glands... ahem ahem.. I couldn't use the "B" word.. see the close up pic. hah Affer the wiring is done, this is the top section where the overflow is with the switches ANd the Tunze wavebox controller. We have not plugged in all the lighting plugs yet that's why you see some hanging down. Part of the bottom section of our tank which you can see the REfrigum, a small area where the black sponge is for me to put other filter media, and then the 4 Enhieim pumps plus the LOANED deltec skimmer. The red pail designates where the top up reservoir will be. Elvin has suggested that they make it ONLY after the original skimmer has arrived so that they will get the specs right and construct the right size. NOtice how neat it is.. the only messy thing is the skimmer's wire which wasn't long enough to pull through the wire trunking so it is left dangling over the sump. Well we'd live with it for the time being. CLose up of the piping done and the safety valves. As ketchup and I know shit of all these, we stand impressed at their handiwork. THe other side of the bottom section with the chiller and the switches all neatly labeled. THE FINAL RESULT TOMORROW delivery of NSW and throwing in the BLACK SAND. CHEONG AH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We may not be playing WOW anymore but hell I"d still say this : FOR ZE HORDE! ( I know it has no bearing for a marine tank but hey.. the feeling of victory is there... heh ) D&K

OMG So cute. that's why I owuld love to have 1 or 2.... when I see them perching on the corals.. it's just so DAMN CUTE.... Henry's food FTW! desi.

Yeah, about the tomato clowns, they are super duper aggresive... well.. our tomato has been with us since the beginning so we do have some emotional attachment to the cute fella. HAH. Thanks for the input on the chromis.. I recall reading about the fact that a bigger fish would encourage schooling so MAYBe I should end in the chromis AFTER I add in everythign else? I know it's a risk we all take! Anyway, whilst waiting for elvin and eugene to come for Day 2 ( more detailed pics tonight after the piping etc)... here's 2 pics of KEtchup and Me having fun with our tank stuff. Ketchup doing the STAR WARS LIGHT SABRE thingy with 2 long plastic tubes inserted into the 4 way joint.. LOL The long plastic tubes are for us to do future target feeding of our corals.. and we realise some of the corals we bought require that... so.. WE ARE READY! Me in the tank!! hee hee hee hee... don't laugh at me... I'm no model!!!! But if you see closely, you can see the PATHETIC 2 feet we have for the past 2 years sitting on our dining table ... our livestock can see the new tank... I can imagine the 2 fish in there thinking : HOw come our mommy is in the TANK before US! LOL D&K

let me know how it goes and your feeding routine. I would love to have clams in the future too. good luck with your clam.. and your VERY VERY CUTE little goby!!!! I feel like giving it a snuggle. Desi

Fish list : DONE!!! Corals list : DONE!!! Rockscape : PLANNED! Lifestock timetable to add in : more or less we know! Die... what else to do during the 3 weeks of cycling... LOL Must be able to tolerate the urge to throw stuff in.. already learnt some lessons from the pathetic 2 feet we got the last 2 years so hope to not repeat the same sillly mistakes. I just remember how I had to do a FW dip to my precious little tomato clown to save him from velvet and it will be the memory to stop myself from doing rash things. I recall how happy I was when after 2 weeks of Hypo and FW dips that he/she started to eat when I plonked him back to the main tank, almost CRIED!! LOL thanks for the advice lemon and everyone else! FINGERS CROSSED STILL! cheers, Desi

no experience la lemon.. wait wait.. patience is a virtue.. Let us learn the intricacies and temperments of our system before cheonging... although I admit I have already reserved coral at a CERTAIN place... STILL.. trying VERY HARD TO TAH HAN!!!!!!!! but but but but but.. sometimes.. it's too difficult to resist! Desi

OUR TANK FINALLY CAME!!!! Day 1 OVER!!!! tomorrow to do more wiring, lights and other miscellaneous stuff to complete.. we are keeping our little fingers and toes crossed that tomorrow would also be a good day. Here's the setup pics... A portion of the Cabinet came first.... Followed by the TANK and overflow! 1 2 3 HEAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The top portion of the cabinet Putting in the sump and refrigum unit Adding in the DOORS! Cabinet maker finishing up the job and some of them chatting behind!!!! Drinks and offer of chocolates of course provided by me. hahah Must give some form of sustenance for their hard work. Reborn guys Elvin and Ah Boy's turn to put in the equipment, piping and electrical wiring. Elvin is officially the FIRST LIVE speciman in our tank!!!! And here's the pic to prove it! ok you can't see his face but he's the one with the "ARMY" shirt! Very patriotic! Both hard at work cutting PVC pipes and other stuff for the plumbing.. look at all the equipment on the floor. .. messy but happy! ) OUr overflow box with 2 return pipes. WE cut 2 holes at the side of the overflow so that the pipes go right through. Using GF+ plumbing Goes to show that to do up tanks, you need to be SMALL/agile and nimble to climb/ squeeze in to do all the plumbing and Rewiring and SCREWING and gluing and WHAT EVER ELSE! HAH. Kudos to the 2 gentleman who did it for us! END product of TODAY. 2 side views and the short view Right now we are feeling little bubbles of excitement ......... Cant' wait for it to be finished and for the water, sand and ROCK to top it all off and then our self imposed 3 week cycling period!!! WE WILL SURVIVE! Desi and Ketchup.

LOL!!! My husband tempts me every now and then saying : "NEW SHIPMENT from so and so... want to go or not ......" ... how's your clam doing? I saw the clams that they had.. SO BEAUTIFUL. just imagine, a tank full of clams! Desi

a copperband butterfly! Wah the name already sounds superb! ok.. on my list of MAYBE fish... but that's gonna be WAY in the future.. I"m not that experienced to take a chance... so I won't wanna risk it till I'm more sure of my abilities. THANKS lemon!!! Desi

Hey lemonlemon, what fish is this? angel? Me nubby, can't tell! I would also like a hardworking patrol officer in my tank to whack all those pesky buggers and send them straight to the Jail cell of his stomach! Desi

OOEEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! piak piak piak piak piak!!!! desi.