My 20 Gallon coral reef w/ HOBs

Ajmal C

Ajmal C

Member
So I can finally relax after the disaster I had with a terminally leaking tank.

The tank that leaked was a 38 Gallon Aqueon tank set I bought from PETCO :s. It started leaking from the bottom seams, Worst place ever!!!! Luckily I caught it within minutes and it took an hour before everyone was out. I thought the sound of flowing water was just the surface skimmer grabbing bubbles, as it occasionally does, I continued watching my show and then 10 mins later I got up to investigate and utter SHOCK, the wife actually calmed me down and took some serious reefer action for the first time, lol, and initiated the save. She brought the Rubbermaid tote and started filling it with tank water, took me a few minutes to get into mode.

Here are a few pics of the 38 gallon
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Had a 20 Gallon, 10 Gallon and a rubbermaid tote (which is where all my fish were!!!) to put everyone in.
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After a week I bought a 110 Gallon Oceanic, but decided there would be way too much equipment and time needed to fully get it going. I put the fish and some live rock in there for a few weeks. Sold almost all the fish, THANKS CR!!!
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Was light-less for the first week of the disaster so I had to put the 20 Gallon by the window
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Finally moved the 20 Gallon tank to its final resting place.
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The LED is tilted to the left so that the10 Gallon on the right can get some light. It has the colonies I cannot fit in the 20 Gallon.

I am running a HOB Eshopps Skimmer (PSK 100H). It works beautifully and produces some nasty dark green Skimmate. Only complaint I would have is that it came with the wrong gasket to attach the Sicce pump. Eshopps was prompt in sending the correct gasket and it hasn't leaked in 1.5 years.

Also running a HOB Fluval/Aquaclear 70 which I house filter pads and bio balls in but no carbon, attached a surface skimmer to it to remove the surface film

@jrpark2200 advised me to run carbon periodically and told me to watch out for the carbon dust. So will be running carbon on an aquaclear/fluval 50 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off.

Have a 50 W Eheim Jager heater in, don't trust any other manufacturer. These things are pretty reliable Holds temp from 78 to 80 deg Fahrenheit.

The only fish I have is a 2 inch Mai Tai clownfish.

Corals would include
Mushrooms Rainbow ricordea, Orange/blue/ teal Rhodactis mushroom. Red Discosoma mushroom, Blue Discosomma mushroom, variagated teal discosoma mushroom

Zoas/palys include
Armor of God, Blow pop (morph of eye of Rah) or Orange nipples, Clock work orange or Peach Rings, wham'n watermelons, purple fission,Rockstar supernova, Sunny D's and a few others. May need help with some i.d ing

SPS
Green Birds nest Digitata
Forest fire Digitata frag (not sure)
Red digitata (don't know the name)

LPS
sunset Acans blue and red.

Here are links to a couple of videos
[video=youtube_share;V1NIC99Al3s]http://youtu.be/V1NIC99Al3s[/video]
[video=youtube;VJF3lMzrCnw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJF3lMzrCnw[/video]
 
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Ajmal C

Ajmal C

Member
Sold some coral. Finally have some breathing room, re-arranged a few things.

Also added a semi-picasso clown and an ocellaris clown and took out the Mai Tai.

I Know the egg-crate in the middle looks cheap but needed a flat rock that size which was hard to find, now I'm kinda glad cuz the light penetrates to the bottom which leaves me some more room.

Some pics:
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Ajmal C

Ajmal C

Member
I was gonna be lazy about it but I decided I do need to level out my tank.

I have a glass stand
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Decided I want to use Wobble wedges: http://www.wobblewedges.com/, there are 2 types, I'm going with the soft ones.

Just wanted your inputs on the matter before I proceed. Any body have any experience with these? Any other suggestions, like folded cardboard instead?

Thanks in advance, any advice is greatly appreciated.
 
Ajmal C

Ajmal C

Member
maazreef said:
Very nice. I like your zoa garden. So what do you keep in your hob? Media or lr and cheto?
Click to expand...
Thanks, I have sponges and a few bio balls in there, it serves mainly as a mechanical filter for the surface and tank. There are a lot of sponges a few snails and some tiny shrimp that made it in there from the tank, this was unexpected but very welcomed as I am sure it aids in the filtration process.

As for media I will be running carbon 2 weeks on 2 weeks off.
 
Ajmal C

Ajmal C

Member
Finally made it to [MENTION=764]Reefwise[/MENTION] and [MENTION=9]AQUAPROS[/MENTION] after almost 2 years in the hobby, MAN I had been missing out! It was amazing in there and the staff were just super duper awesome. HAHAHAHAHA can't find better words cuz I was just blown away. It was a refreshing change from some of the harder inner city LFS's that I frequent.

From aquapros I purchased some gobstoppers(I think will confirm with you guys for ID), a polyp of blue agave PE , Red PE and a Neptune PE and 2 polyps of Utter Chaos Palys

From reefwise I purchased 3 frags but don't know any names. I think there is a yellow darth maul (is there such a thing) or Sopranos. and the other may be ORange Oxides

Here is a make shift pic. Will take better pics as the days progress, pending survival :S All the Utter Chaos just stay open 24/7
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Here is another pic but the pods already got to the Red PE who was doing amazing for 4 days straight
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Ajmal C

Ajmal C

Member
Also went on a splurge at the LFS near by @Goldenaquarium, their fish are usually quite healthy, and purchased a Black OCellaris. It was the coolest cat in the tank. swimming around and showing everyone who was boss out of a bunch of 12.

With fingers crossed I introduced it to my all ready existing duo of semi Picasso and ocellaris. The water is full of particles cuz I just dod a water change

Here is a video moments after introduction:
[video=youtube;9lwOIyH4G7c]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lwOIyH4G7c[/video]

Later that Day I think the Darwin was trying to steal the Picasso
[video=youtube;_D-6DHsLJsM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_D-6DHsLJsM&feature=youtu.be[/video]
 
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Ajmal C

Ajmal C

Member
Hello CR been in Canada for the past month. Surprisingly the wife looked after the tank quite well. Only lost 2 zoa frags during my absence.
Everything seemed in order except the algae of course. So I decided to buy myself a lawn mowing Christmas present, a baby Potters Angelfish.

Headed over to [MENTION=9]AQUAPROS[/MENTION] yesterday and purchased this (video below) beautiful little thing. It has cleared about 50% of my algae in 24 hours. Hopefully he wont start mowing down any of my zoas, a risk I was cautioned against but had to take.

Also wanted to say that I LOOOOVE aquapros. They always have healthy livestock and are amazing to talk to. Always give warm and sound advice. Thanks so much Dave and Mike for bringing the wonders of the Ocean to our doorstep here in Chicago. Their 25% off sale they have right now also makes the hit lighter on the wallet ;).
With out further a-do here the little guy is
[video=youtube_share;sO4QMrDc30E]http://youtu.be/sO4QMrDc30E[/video]

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy holidays and a wonderful New Years filled with success and Joy!!

See you at the party!!
 
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Ajmal C

Ajmal C

Member
[MENTION=1277]jrpark22000[/MENTION] Yayy party!!!!! yeah but nowthe tank is way overstocked .... need to push for a 45 gallon cube.

Speaking of party I wanted to bring some drinks or plates as well. also a little confused, did the location change?
 
jrpark22000

jrpark22000

Premium member
Ajmal C said:
[MENTION=1277]jrpark22000[/MENTION] Yayy party!!!!! yeah but nowthe tank is way overstocked .... need to push for a 45 gallon cube.
Speaking of party I wanted to bring some drinks or plates as well. also a little confused, did the location change?
Click to expand...
No, it's still at Reefwise. The Eviva place mentioned was for drinks before and/or after. I modified the post to be more clear.

Let me know if you're in for bringing supplies, let me know and I'll get you on the list.
 
Ajmal C

Ajmal C

Member
Have had the Potters angelfish for 2 weeks now. It is much fatter and bolder, but still requires encouragement from the Coris wrasse in the mourning.

Was a little concerned because it eats very little of the food I feed: mysis, spirulina brine, krill, rods original, blood worms, live brine and Ocean Nutrition Formula 2 and reef prime. It charges towards food particles with zeal but usually doesn't eat it.

Thank God for the tonnes of algae I have in the tank and the red and green Nori sheets the little guy goes through everyday. As you will see in the following video it has gotten fatter and bolder :). On occasion it also eats its' tank mates POO, yes I meant fecal matter. Read that a lot centropyge angelfish are detritus eaters and feces are on the list. Also read that a lot of the times baby angels predominantly feed on algae and include more meaty items as they age. Can anyone chime in on this.

Also it has not picked on any polyps on the SPS, zoanthids or acans, nor on any mushrooms, thus far (fingers crossed). It just picks around at the rocks and frag discs for the algae like a sturdy lawn mower.

AGAIN a big shout out to [MENTION=9]AQUAPROS[/MENTION] for a remarkably healthy specimen, as usual!
[video=youtube_share;QxYCM0I7RFk]http://youtu.be/QxYCM0I7RFk [/video]
 
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