The Humble

[mechgobi]

Hi,

Worked slowly for couple of months on our new tank, like to call The humble, our entry to marine fish keeping..hopefully into reefing too.. Owning freshwater tanks for more than an year now, recently marine fever caught us hard..

It has been hardworking, educative journey till now.. yet to start cycling but starting this thread to share some info and gain some advice from senior reefers.. and to keep us in track with our setup..

Hopefully humble turnouts nice in sometime near future..

This forum and friends here are very helpful i must say.. really appreciate this forum and its senior members, meet many friend reefers in this couple of months, giving good advice,helps and of course lot of freebies.. thanks all for encouraging new people into this hobby...

Special thanks to bro aquamike, bro Ash, Obito Mr.Shark,Xiggie,Boonboy and bro giving cheato.. thumb up to all and thanks a ton..

Bros in T95 and chinatown shop were very friendly to us, and tolerated our innocence in this hobby, Seaview helped to meet the tight budget.. thanks..

Will update on the tank soon...

[Obito]

Hey bro! Welcome to the 'salty' side! Do post photos of your tank, would love to see it.

[Admiraltian]

Welcome to this addictive hobby, post pics of ur new setup soon.

[RocketBunny]

WELCOME! I am also new to this hobby too!

[ahchris]

I'm starting mine soon

[tang_sohal]

Welcome.. and let us all learn together

[mechgobi]

Thanks for your supports guys... Tank is short of ready cycling now.. !! Cycling period was close to 3 months.

Tank parameters: Temp : 27'c Salinity: 1.022 Ph: yet to test... Nitrate: 0 Nitrate: 15

Tank size: 54 gallon (3X1.5x1.5)

Some live organisms in sump.. gives me confident that things are fine and water is stable..

First addition: Lobo coral from a friend here... Soong Yu Juan .. thanks bro..

Slowly going to add fishes:

Researched on livestock for couple of months now.. Planning for this order, with a week gap before each addition...

Requesting for suggestions and advice one this list... We are not planning for any SPS.. just some hardy colourful fish and some hardy beginner colourful corals

In the same order with a weeks gap inbetween each additions

1) Talbort Damsel - 4nos

2) Midas benny or Bi-colour benny grey-orange or algae benny- any 1no whichever i get first in my budget.

3) Neon goby - 1 no

4) Clown goby - 1 no

5) Royal Gamma Basslet - 1 no

6) Common clown fish pair - 1 pair- 2nos

7) Mimic Tang (lemon / chocolate) - 1 no

8) Wrasse- Yellowhead/Canary wrasse/fairy wrasse - 1 no

GSP, Zoas, Mushroom, Yuma, Frogspwan, Candycane... cant add much until

No crabs or starfish or big snails or shirmps as of now... only some small species of snails..

Hopefully I stick to this plan, plan give your suggestions and commands.. thank you..

[mechgobi]

Just to keep a chronicle on Humble:

3 month after tank reached home and after 2 month irregular cycling.

Phase: Diatom took over fully since last week. (Currently white tail damsel added this week started eating it)

Tank : size 54 g , 3ft x 1.5 x 1.5

Ph: 8.3, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0 (both lowest band color in test kit)

Temp: Rain season – in green band on floating glass test – 27c

Salinity: 1.023 – in green band as well.

Tank Spec : as of now

Lighting: T5 actinic-1 , T5 white – 1

Sump: T5 2 ft – 1

Natural deep sand bed – nearly 25kg both in sump and DT

Cycled with natural sea water too

Setup: overflow to refugium -> sump -> skimmer and algae scrubber - > crushed coral tub - > sump - > DT

Work in progress

Algae scrubber lighting: this weekend – should have done it long before.. bit slow oops

LED DIY lighting for DT – materials on the way.

Auto top up unit – working on the materials and space.. L

Livestock:

In sump: pods, snails, bristle worm, cheato, sea weed, mangrove seed and some red stem algae

1.Added Lobo coral- 27 th nov

2.Gonipora – 6 th Dec ( was a mistake, don’t know its impulse buy or I mistook it as xenia.. look tricked me.. L - it shows skeleton L )

3.Zoas – 6^th Dec ( very normal one light green brown, fist size, opens well )

4.White tail damsel – 6^th Dec – 4 nos (mistook again while buying, looked for talbort damsel, but ended up to white tail )

5.Blue damsel – 6^th Dec – 2 nos (one had slight black fins and dead after constant chasing by one of white tail )

So now, blue damsel – 1 no

6.GSP – small frags waiting to be added.

Not sure about damsel- maybe have to give up if they get too aggressive on new additions

Future additions- Wish list

1. Watchman goby – 1 no

2. Pistol shrimp – 1 no

3. Neon goby – 1 or 2

4. Clown goby – green– 1

5. Bi colour blenny – orange grey – 1

6. Midas blenny – yellow – 1 (all goby at once if possible)

7. Flasher wrasse – affordable – 1 male

8. Common or maroon clown pair - 2

9. Royal gamma – 1

10. Sunset anthias Parvo – 1 male -2 female – 3nos

11. Any one tang – Mimic or Kole or Pacific blue or Blue tang – 1 no in later stage if tank is stable.

And some snails… no other invertebrate other than pistol shrimp to watch the symbiotic work with watchman goby… :) Hoping to see some mega structures..

Colourful Zoas

Colourful Mushroom

Clove coral

Red bubble anemone for clown

If budget and tank permits: frogspawn, bubble, acan, candy cane, Duncan and monti … this wish list never stops.. its all wish.. hoping… :)

[dominik]

Any pictures?

[mechgobi]

Sure bro, will add this weekend, like to have some suggestion from seniors here...

[mechgobi]

Just to keep a log, Wish list also includes

Firefly fish and sun coral .. heee don't crash me to have so many wishes with a 50 gallon tank... just a wish..

[mechgobi]

Some pics ... Update..

Skimmer tune and skimming well... Algae scrubber lighting done.. Working fine..

This week addition to live stock..

Green clown goby

Yellow watchman goby

Yellow leather

Green anemone..

Feather duster..

[Shadow Walker]

Bro your goniopora not doing well? Your sump looks interesting, what's the blue tub for? Can show your algae scrubber too hehe. I'm thinking of making one too

[mechgobi]

Yup bro, got a dying coral.. Didn't know how to check for coral..lessons learning..yup some low tech cheap dig style sump.. He he.. Algae scrubber is same model as a bro reefer here.. U can find the link in ikea box scrubber in diy section here...Copied his idea...yet to develop algae in that though..waiting..

[mechgobi]

Livestock:

In sump: pods, snails, bristle worm, cheato, sea weed, mangrove seed and some red stem algae (sea weed and red stem sort of vanished)

1.Added Lobo coral- 27 th nov (doing good)

2.Gonipora – 6 th Dec ( was a mistake, don’t know its impulse buy or I mistook it as xenia.. look tricked me.. L - it shows skeleton L ) (guess and hope its doing good)

3.Zoas – 6^th Dec ( very normal one light green brown, fist size, opens well ) good)

4.White tail damsel – 6^th Dec – 4 nos (mistook again while buying, looked for talbort damsel, but ended up to white tail )

5.Blue damsel – 6^th Dec – 2 nos (one had slight black fins and dead after constant chasing by one of white tail )

So now, blue damsel – 1 no

6.GSP – small frags waiting to be added. (added and doing good)

Not sure about damsel- maybe have to give up if they get too aggressive on new additions

Future additions- Wish list

1. Watchman goby – 1 no (added watchman goby yellow on 13 th dec)

2. Pistol shrimp – 1 no

3. Neon goby – 1 or 2

4. Clown goby – green– 1 (added green clown goby on 13th dec)

5. Bi colour blenny – orange grey – 1

6. Midas blenny – yellow – 1

7. Flasher wrasse – affordable – 1 male and 1 female pair ( heard flasher will be good along with one or two females) -- planning to buy this weekend)

8. Common or maroon clown pair - 2 (planning to buy this weekend)

9. Royal gamma – 1

10. Sunset anthias Parvo – 1 male -2 female – 3nos (dropping anthias wish for time being)

11. Any one tang – Mimic or Kole or Pacific blue or Blue tang – 1 no in later stage if tank is stable.

And some snails… no other invertebrate other than pistol shrimp to watch the symbiotic work with watchman goby… :) Hoping to see some mega structures..

Colourful Zoas

Colourful Mushroom (added purple mushroom from a reefer here on 16th dec) --- looking for red and green mushrooms

Clove coral

Red bubble anemone for clown (added one green tip anemone on 13th dec)

Yellow fuji toadstoal ( added on 13th dec)

Feather duster - ( added on 13th dec)

Branching leather - (added on 16th dec from a reefer)

If budget and tank permits: frogspawn, bubble, acan, candy cane, Duncan and monti … this wish list never stops.. its all wish.. hoping… :)

[Snoopyhamburger]

Just to keep a log, Wish list also includes

Firefly fish and sun coral .. heee don't crash me to have so many wishes with a 50 gallon tank... just a wish..

Ehh,whats a Firefly Fish?

I believe you mean Fire Goby c:

[mechgobi]

Yup...firefish goby...

[mechgobi]

Long weekend with variety of problems in tank...

Greentip anemone didn't make it.. Only reason I can make out is unmature tank and early for anemone.. Though my clown was happy diving into the protection of anemone .. Now they roam like orphan.. Make lot of water changes..its been two weeks now..test parameters..pH 8.3,nitrite 0, nitrate 5,kh 10, salinity 1.026, temp 27..

Yesterday new addition talbort damsel.. 2nos

Scissor dartfish..1nos..

Yuma in live rock..5 heads..

This weeks misfortune .. Added mantis into my tank via live rock.. Noticed yesterday nightmare..set trap..no success still in catching him...got some bristle star too in the rock..no idea how to remove it..

Morning..ich outburst.. Still couldn't tell its micro bubbles or ich.. My clowns are stressed.. But in afternoon with garlic food the spots disappeared..did 30% waterchange later,But clown goby still got some spots... Buying medicine today evening.. N possibly uv lights..will light alone be okay?

Need to set trap for mantis..

[fishcake]

Mantis will be a challenge to catch. I have yet to successfully catch the one in my tank and it has grown an inch lol.

Brittle stars can be left in your tank. They are good detritivores.

As for itch. If it gets worse. Best is to quarantine your fish and let tank lay fallow. For about 10 wks

[mechgobi]

Removed the live rock with yuma, as it turned out to have more other creatures giving surprise eveyday. Yuma in quarantine tank now, damn me not to quarantine before more damage is already done.. cant find mantis.. no appearance.. first hand attention is given to the ich problem now...

Using NIKA MB anti white spot solution, half the recommended dosage,, 10 % water change...seems like working .. no problem for corals, invertebrates as of now except gsp not opening, but as considering ich cycle planning to medicate the tank till aug 15, 2 weeks cycle... hope things are fine till then.. will update the result..btw lost green clown goby to ich already.. small fish, n severly affected before medication..

This weekend work ..auto top-up set up, and diy par lighting set up.. lights arrived, wiring to be done.

[mechgobi]

Day 7 of white spot...reappeared slighly, fishes are restless and scratching...guess it second cycle .. Increased the dosage by 5 drops..hope the tank recovers...

[mechgobi]

Update, white spot vanished (as of now i guess) and didnt reappear after 7th day, still medicating alternate days and whenever see fish scratching...!

As far as mantis hope that i have removed the rock it was in.. but not sure as I haven't see it in the removed rock or in the tank again..

New problem, zoas eating nudibranch... sudden increase in population, before doing any treatment seems like my clown is interested in them..guess it is snacking on them.. searched in google.. didnt get any info about this habit of clown, but like to wait for couple of days to see if they are cleaning up the nudibranch...