10 gallon nano reef journal (pics)

unwritten law · 06-22-2009, 06:08 PM

So I got the light but the actinic bulb was broken so I just put in my spare 50/50 bulb. That should be fine till I have to replace both or need a full actinic for some reason. I can't ask for a replacement cause the bulbs are different.

both on

It has two switches on the fixture but only one plug so a timer wouldn't be able to control both bulbs. I'll figure out that stuff later. I may have a timer turn on the white ones, then later i'll manually turn on the 50/50, then manually later ill tunr off the white, the the timer will turn off the 50/50 something like that...or just leave one or both on all the time.

Rock comes wednesday. Do you guys think 16lbs is too much for a 10 gallon?

Power heads are being picked up for delivery today... should be here friday at the latest..... I hope.

Lotus · 06-22-2009, 08:44 PM

The rock is always going to depend on the density as to whether it looks good or not. In terms of bioload, 16 lbs. should be fine.

unwritten law · 06-22-2009, 08:56 PM

I guess that makes a lot of sense. I'm gonna wait for Dr. F&S to have another light sale and buy an all Actinic light cause I think it'll look better.

unwritten law · 06-24-2009, 09:24 AM

in hindsight....16lbs might have been too much...I got the deliver this morning.... from california to my door in 20 hours... If was still moist so we'll see how much die off there is... The tank is really full now... I might try to sell some of the rock off to my friend once I get it back to being cured....he has an empty 10 as well.

Pictures once it clears up. It looks like there is plenty of life still in the stuff. Plenty of red and purples ( I am assuming coraline) and also some other stuff...

unwritten law · 06-24-2009, 03:36 PM

So... here's a big change....

Since I have 15lbs of sand.... 16lbs of rock... and tons of light.. I went and got a 20G High.... I was also told to use my extra canister filter and just make sure I clean it about once a month, which is doable. I really don't know about having a tank with out any kind of filter on it.. just seems wrong. Now I'll still have 6.5 watts per gallon, which still seems high and plenty more room for livestock,.

now im off to spray paint the back of the tank... then make the switch.... It's really a better idea cause I have everything but the larger tank...

unwritten law · 06-24-2009, 11:16 PM

ten gallon with tons of rock... just added so kinda ****ty pic

some wierd **** on the rock

20 gallon high

rock from above... it more colorful but a lot of the sand and gunk is on it from the tank move

unwritten law · 06-25-2009, 11:44 AM

24 hours after adding rock I tested the water.

I'm not sure id my ammonia test kit works for SW cause it is coming up as 0
Nitrite is way high... 1+++ - 5+++
Nitrate is somewhere between 5-20ppm
pH is at about 8.0
Salinity is at about 1.023-1.024
temp is 77-78

Now I still have my water level way low so I need to get some more today and that will lower the concentration of these number a bit. Since i don't have any livestock in there do I need to do any water changes to keep these numbers low? Or is it like a fishless FW cycle where you jsut let it run and do a W/C at the end?

Lotus · 06-25-2009, 11:48 AM

There's no need to do a water change to keep the numbers low. Just let it run.

unwritten law · 06-25-2009, 12:16 PM

thought so... next time I go to the LFS im gonna try and have them test my water for NH3/NH4... see if my test kit is for SW or not.

Lotus · 06-25-2009, 02:11 PM

As far as I remember, most ammonia kits will work on saltwater. However, I think the scale is slightly different.

06-22-2009, 06:08 PM	#21
unwritten law Super Fish Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: WVU Posts: 1,350	So I got the light but the actinic bulb was broken so I just put in my spare 50/50 bulb. That should be fine till I have to replace both or need a full actinic for some reason. I can't ask for a replacement cause the bulbs are different. both on It has two switches on the fixture but only one plug so a timer wouldn't be able to control both bulbs. I'll figure out that stuff later. I may have a timer turn on the white ones, then later i'll manually turn on the 50/50, then manually later ill tunr off the white, the the timer will turn off the 50/50 something like that...or just leave one or both on all the time. Rock comes wednesday. Do you guys think 16lbs is too much for a 10 gallon? Power heads are being picked up for delivery today... should be here friday at the latest..... I hope. __________________ 20 Gallon High Reef 2 orange skunk clowns, yellow watchman goby, sixline wrasse, soft corals, zoas 46 Gallon Planted 5 tiger barbs, 2 keyhole cichlids, yoyo loach, cherry barb, blue gourami Last edited by unwritten law; 06-22-2009 at 06:14 PM..

06-22-2009, 08:44 PM	#22
Lotus Moderator Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Southern California Posts: 14,778	The rock is always going to depend on the density as to whether it looks good or not. In terms of bioload, 16 lbs. should be fine. __________________ Lotus and Ecotank's tanks "So long, and thanks for all the fish."

06-22-2009, 08:56 PM	#23
unwritten law Super Fish Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: WVU Posts: 1,350	I guess that makes a lot of sense. I'm gonna wait for Dr. F&S to have another light sale and buy an all Actinic light cause I think it'll look better. __________________ 20 Gallon High Reef 2 orange skunk clowns, yellow watchman goby, sixline wrasse, soft corals, zoas 46 Gallon Planted 5 tiger barbs, 2 keyhole cichlids, yoyo loach, cherry barb, blue gourami

06-24-2009, 09:24 AM	#24
unwritten law Super Fish Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: WVU Posts: 1,350	in hindsight....16lbs might have been too much...I got the deliver this morning.... from california to my door in 20 hours... If was still moist so we'll see how much die off there is... The tank is really full now... I might try to sell some of the rock off to my friend once I get it back to being cured....he has an empty 10 as well. Pictures once it clears up. It looks like there is plenty of life still in the stuff. Plenty of red and purples ( I am assuming coraline) and also some other stuff... __________________ 20 Gallon High Reef 2 orange skunk clowns, yellow watchman goby, sixline wrasse, soft corals, zoas 46 Gallon Planted 5 tiger barbs, 2 keyhole cichlids, yoyo loach, cherry barb, blue gourami

06-24-2009, 03:36 PM	#25
unwritten law Super Fish Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: WVU Posts: 1,350	So... here's a big change.... Since I have 15lbs of sand.... 16lbs of rock... and tons of light.. I went and got a 20G High.... I was also told to use my extra canister filter and just make sure I clean it about once a month, which is doable. I really don't know about having a tank with out any kind of filter on it.. just seems wrong. Now I'll still have 6.5 watts per gallon, which still seems high and plenty more room for livestock,. now im off to spray paint the back of the tank... then make the switch.... It's really a better idea cause I have everything but the larger tank... __________________ 20 Gallon High Reef 2 orange skunk clowns, yellow watchman goby, sixline wrasse, soft corals, zoas 46 Gallon Planted 5 tiger barbs, 2 keyhole cichlids, yoyo loach, cherry barb, blue gourami Last edited by unwritten law; 06-24-2009 at 03:49 PM..

06-24-2009, 11:16 PM	#26
unwritten law Super Fish Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: WVU Posts: 1,350	ten gallon with tons of rock... just added so kinda **ty pic some wierd ** on the rock 20 gallon high rock from above... it more colorful but a lot of the sand and gunk is on it from the tank move __________________ 20 Gallon High Reef 2 orange skunk clowns, yellow watchman goby, sixline wrasse, soft corals, zoas 46 Gallon Planted 5 tiger barbs, 2 keyhole cichlids, yoyo loach, cherry barb, blue gourami

06-25-2009, 11:44 AM	#27
unwritten law Super Fish Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: WVU Posts: 1,350	24 hours after adding rock I tested the water. I'm not sure id my ammonia test kit works for SW cause it is coming up as 0 Nitrite is way high... 1+++ - 5+++ Nitrate is somewhere between 5-20ppm pH is at about 8.0 Salinity is at about 1.023-1.024 temp is 77-78 Now I still have my water level way low so I need to get some more today and that will lower the concentration of these number a bit. Since i don't have any livestock in there do I need to do any water changes to keep these numbers low? Or is it like a fishless FW cycle where you jsut let it run and do a W/C at the end? __________________ 20 Gallon High Reef 2 orange skunk clowns, yellow watchman goby, sixline wrasse, soft corals, zoas 46 Gallon Planted 5 tiger barbs, 2 keyhole cichlids, yoyo loach, cherry barb, blue gourami Last edited by unwritten law; 06-25-2009 at 11:51 AM..

06-25-2009, 11:48 AM	#28
Lotus Moderator Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Southern California Posts: 14,778	There's no need to do a water change to keep the numbers low. Just let it run. __________________ Lotus and Ecotank's tanks "So long, and thanks for all the fish."

06-25-2009, 12:16 PM	#29
unwritten law Super Fish Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: WVU Posts: 1,350	thought so... next time I go to the LFS im gonna try and have them test my water for NH3/NH4... see if my test kit is for SW or not. __________________ 20 Gallon High Reef 2 orange skunk clowns, yellow watchman goby, sixline wrasse, soft corals, zoas 46 Gallon Planted 5 tiger barbs, 2 keyhole cichlids, yoyo loach, cherry barb, blue gourami

06-25-2009, 02:11 PM	#30
Lotus Moderator Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Southern California Posts: 14,778	As far as I remember, most ammonia kits will work on saltwater. However, I think the scale is slightly different. __________________ Lotus and Ecotank's tanks "So long, and thanks for all the fish."