The Puffer Forum

Sorry for the bad lighting on these, but I didn't have a proper light over the tank at the time. I still only have a 24" flourescent over it, but I'm on the lookout for a set of t5's.



The piece of coral I want to put in the tank, but dont' have space for at the moment.




Thanks,

-Rob

Well, I got in the pump for my skimmer finally. So, it's hooked up and running, now. I guess we'll see in a few days just how well it skims... I was wondering, though. The Skimmer has an adjustable output tube, and I don't know if that's supposed to stay under water, on the surface, above the surface, or doesn't matter at all... Right now I have it partially submerged.

Thanks,

-Rob

The skimmer seems to be working nicely. I've already emptied the cup twice since I got it. Dunno if it needed emptying, but it was full of bubbles and a small amount of brown water each time.

I'm pleased with it so far.

-Rob

So, my skimmer is creating plenty of bubbles, but it's also getting a good bit of water in the top cup. Dunno if that's bad or not, but... I just leave the skimmer overflow so it'll drip back into the sump for now.

Anyhow, my readings are finally within a safe range (ammonia and nitrite 0, nitrate 20), so I went and picked up 3 small hermit crabs and 3 turbo snails today. I'm going to give them a week or two to see how they do before I add anything else. Next step will be more inverts, then finally a fish. I think I want to go with a blenny, but I'm not sure...

Still not pleased with the rock setup, but still not sure how I want to rearrange...

Been having a diatom bloom, but I'm hoping the new inverts will help. I've already noticed one of the turbo snails has cleaned a quarter sized spot off one rock.

That's my current update.

-Rob

You're not letting the skimmate back into your sump, are you?

the excess water, yes. All the bubles and brown crud, no.

You really don't have to empty it that often. Just when it looks sort of full. When the bubbles pop, it turns into skimmate.

Well, I picked up a Kenya tree frag, and a very large turbo snail for free today. The guy from the local reef club who gave me the free sand a while back gave me this stuff as well. He said the snail had been acting like a bulldozer to his frags, so we'll see how it does with me.

Why on earth has the word tank been replaced with the word ocean on here? April Fool's Joke?

Anyhow, my SW tank is still doing well. Still no fish in it, but I'm debating a clown or a lawnmower blenny. The Kenya tree is growing like a weed, and what I think is some sort of Xenia is looking quite nice. My little red mushroom is now 2 little red mushrooms, and my tube worms and snails and hermits are all still around. I just noticed today that one of the hermits has decided to upgrade to an old turbo snail shell which looks ridiculously big on him. He keeps clomping around like a child in adult shoes!

The big turbo snail I was given did prove to be a bit of a bulldozer, but after I glued a frag or two (and my thermometer) in place, he hasn't caused me any problems...

-Rob

^it's an April Fool's joke, lol.
There's a couple topics on it in the Lounge.

any pictures of the new corals?

I want to see pictures of the Hermit!

Hmmmm... Oddly enough, I can't find any recent pics of the tank on my comp, and the lights are out on the tank right now. Will have to try and remember to take a few tomorrow.

I did finally pull the trigger on the fish situation. I picked up a tiny clown fish, and a lawnmower blenny. They had a really pretty, and personable female scooter blenny at the LFS that I wanted (it kept swimming up to the front of the tank and flexing its fins for me), but I'd already decided I was going to get a lawnmower blenny instead. So, that's what I have, now.

The clownfish seems to be acclimating alright. I've seen him eat, and swim around the tank a few times, but he spend most of his time up at the top of the tank in one corner for some reason. I'm hoping he'll get friendly with the Kenya tree (or the Xenia), and start hosting it.

The lawnmower blenny was sitting on a rock for most of the first day, but I haven't seen it since. It was hiding at the LFS, too, so I'm not worried. I'm sure it'll start hopping around once it's become comfortable.

Any tips or advice on keeping either fish is welcome. I've read a few pages of guidelines (so I have a general idea), but I'll alsways listen to more info.

Thanks,

-Rob

Ok, here are a few picks of the hermit crab, and the Kenya tree and Xenia. The picks don't do any of it justice, but you get the idea. BTW this crab's old shell was waaaaaay smaller than the one he's in now (like 1/5th the size).

Well, both the fish are still alive. The Clownfish is so small, he can only eat one itty bitty pellet at a time. He has to sit there and chew it for a few seconds, too! So, I've taken to dropping one pellet at a time into a feeding ring, and watching him chew.

The Blenny is still skittish as can be, but I see it more often, now. Still no where near the personality as the scooter blenny had.

I've recently noticed some new tube worms in different places, so I guess some of mine either spawned, or got broken loose from their rocks. I'm liking it so far.

I saw a new snail in my tank yesterday, too. It's a little smaller than the tip of a pencil eraser right now. It's small, but it's shell looks to be white with black stripes like my biggest snail. I looked around, but didn't see any other new snails, so I dunno what's up.

Another hermit crab has switched shells. I really oughta buy a better assortment of shell sizes for those guys, cause this one's about as comical as the other when he first switched. The upside is I can now tell them all apart. I have one hermit in a round turbo shell, one in a pointed tubo shell, and one in a conch type shell. Originally they were all in small similar looking black and brown shells.

I also ordered a new light fixture (finally!) for the tank. Gonna have 4 T5s over it soon. That's when I may start looking for more corals! mwahahaha...

-Rob

I don't have a marine tank and I've never owned one .... but I love reading about other people's experiences with marine tanks. Your crabs sound delightful and very comical.

I've always liked those worms that stick up out of the sand, halfway submerged. Can't think of their proper name, but they always remind me of those Spanish-speaking things in Men in Black II.