Carl T's Pico de CadLight

C

Carl T

Kick-Off date...
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The 1st mod I made was to tighten up the fitting between the slide-down back chamber. Thank you Shane!
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The Tank was then set-up and filled with Carib-Sea Reef Sand (about 4#'s) and 4.5# of live rock I purchased from Frank's. I put a bag of 100ml of Purigen in chamber 1, Live Rock Rubble in chamber 2 (Cheato to follow after I buy a light), and Chemi-Pure Mini in chamber 3 (thank you McReefer) followed by the return pump.
The hydor 25w heater is in chamber 4 (under 1,2,&3)
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I was/am leary of the return pump power but for now I will just monitor the flow. It is better than I expected.
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I checked my parameters on 4/5 and showed 0-0-0... I don't trust these as such so I am planning on a re-check Friday 4/13.

More to Follow...
 
This is the May Update...
Well the tank appeared to cycle in 2 weeks. With me being such a n00b, I thought the 0-0-0 numbers meant I was 100% ready to go. [smilie=lol.gif] I took down my Fluval EDGE 6G and moved my Ricordia, Purple Xenia, Yellow Watchman Goby, a pistol shrimp, 2 Nassarious snails, and 3 Nerite snails into the Pico. I added some pulsating Xenia, Frogspawn, and a Duncan along with modifing the rock work.
I have learned about Diatoms, Hydroids, Hair Algae, Phosphates, and the unknowing MIA's. From my EDGE, along with MOE the YWG, I had Curly, a Tiger Pistol Shrimp. I watched him happily build their home under the rock and seem happy for 2-3 weeks. Then Curly pulled a no-show for a couple weeks, presumed dead. I replaced him with another very small Pistol and have not seen him since the acclimation drop.

Here is my log with parameters, equipment, livestock, and corals
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AoXOw4nreimDdEVRandqbktZd2lSeG5xcTFneGZqQnc#gid=8

My updated pics are below...
Full view
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right side
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left side
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Zoas
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Xenia
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Duncan and Ric
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And my boy Moe
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I'm not real happy with this tank... here is my tears in the beer post http://www.dfwmas.org/Forums/viewtopic.php?f=173&t=97850

CYA next month!
 
Well I just can't win! On the other hand, maybe I am hitting the Lotto. The whole name of the game is EDUCATION! 1st everything looks good. Now I have DIATOMS...

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AND, I come home tonight and see this...

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I
know this is hard to see, but what it looks like to me is A SOLID WHITE DOT, maybe small pin head size, surrounded by what looks like spider legs, maybe 8 going around.
AND THESE GUYS ARE MOVING, I CAN SEE THEM MOVE. IT MAY TAKE A FEW MINUTES BUT THEY ARE ALIVE AND MOVING ON THE GLASS AND BACK WALL. I thought they may be eggs from snails at first but now know different. Don't have a clue what they are, but ME & McGee [smilie=lol.gif] say it aint so!
 
@M@! wrote:
Looks good. Proably hydroids. No big deal as long as you dont plan on adding dwarf seahorses. said:
Looks like you nailed it. Not a whole lot of information I can understand, but from help from you guys, other posts on the board, and a little research I do feel much better about what is going on with this tank. I knew I would experience things like this (and glad of it!) but never thought it would be 'OVERNITE!" Sushi Girl has a way with, "This happens to new tanks." The hydroids are already starting to lessen in numbers, or at least visibility. Here is a much better picture I found.

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I was going to add a couple of Soft Corals this weekend but decided I better hold off and see where this episode leads. [smilie=rofl.gif]
Thanks again for the help.
Click to expand...
 
@Carl T wrote:
[I]@M@! wrote:[/I][quote="Looks good. Proably hydroids. No big deal as long as you dont plan on adding dwarf seahorses. said:
Looks like you nailed it. Not a whole lot of information I can understand, but from help from you guys, other posts on the board, and a little research I do feel much better about what is going on with this tank. I knew I would experience things like this (and glad of it!) but never thought it would be 'OVERNITE!" Sushi Girl has a way with, "This happens to new tanks." The hydroids are already starting to lessen in numbers, or at least visibility. Here is a much better picture I found.

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I was going to add a couple of Soft Corals this weekend but decided I better hold off and see where this episode leads. [smilie=rofl.gif]
Thanks again for the help."]
I had 5 in my fluval edge and was able to catch them with a small container. Turn your lights out on the tank and maybe room. Take an LED (guess others would work) flash light shine it in from the side. Look along the beam of light for them. They will be larger then any particles floating in your tank, glow from the light and jitter up and down like a jelly fish when the light hits. They also seem to like getting as close to the light as they can. I used a pill bottle and slowly moved the container over them and then up above water line. Had all 5 out in a matter of mins.
Click to expand...
 
@Purple Nurple wrote:
Love that slide down back chamber ~ is that something you made or purchased? said:
That is the Cadlight design. Yes I loved it also, in the beginning...
However currently, it is "stuck". When I set it up I put the heater in the bottom chamber that has no access, and set the 78F temp with the tank top on. I was not getting very much evaporation so I decided to remove the top for a better exchange. Mission accomplished but the temp dropped to 74-75 F with the A/C blowing down on it. So I went to pull the back wall off to adjust the heater setting. NOPE, wasn't coming out. So then I pulled the airline off the channels. Still not coming out. Then I drained a little bit of water out so I could get a better grip and still nothing. At this point, I have put the top back on for temperature control. If I have a heater issue, I guess it may take pliers or something. I may look into it further a little later.
A gentleman told me about the airline idea to make a tighter seal and it sounded reasonable. I don't think this has anything at all to do with the fact that it won't come out. I figure there is one or more pieces of substrate wedged into the grooves somewhere. It may just take a little force to help it along.

I guess this is a good time to ask...
I do have limited evaporation and limited addition of top-off RO. For the day or two before I noticed the temp swing, my evaporation might have tripled. Isn't evaporation a good thing? Should I try to improve this situation?
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I'm no expert, but my understanding is that evaporation isn't good or bad. What may be bad is if there isn't enough water surface area exposed to the air, which would limit both evaporation and gas exchange. Not enough gas exchange => not enough oxygen in the water and too much dissolved carbon dioxide => poor growth of corals, less mobile fauna activity, increased algae growth, and lowered pH. If you are not having problems with algae, coral growth, fish/other fauna behavior, and your pH is where you want it, then I think the less evaporation the better because it means less work for you (if topping off manually) and makes a more stable environment (if topping off manually).
 
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