Zechenia's 28 Gallon Bowfront Beginner Reef [UPDATED]

Nope. Just skimmer, carbon, and live rock.

 

A Berlin system.

I am perplexed as to why you have any detectable ammonia value.

Makes me wonder if it's the test, or your having big enough temp swings to cause some die off?

The tank is old enough now to handle the routine by products of metabolism. Usually when you have a low value like that it's related to the slow death of an anemone, starfish....

Just seems strange to me.

 

Indeed, to me as well! I'm just going to have to keep an eye on it and figure out what's up

But, I figure I cant expect everything to always go perfectly! Hopefully if I can keep the spike down it'll correct itself shortly.

The only thing I can think of is, I did notice some algae in my mixed water for waterchanges which surprised me since it was in total darkness. Looked like what my diatom bloom in tank was kinda. I usually didnt use all my water when I did changes. Could that have been trying to do some sort of cycle or something? I was surprised seeing it since I am using RO water. Through the pump I use to circulate with is TINY and at one point was being used to break the surface tention in my DT.

I emptied my bucket and have deepcleaned it. For the first time since I have started my tank I dont have any mixed saltwater on hand as I am trying to get rid of whatever it was.

 

Sadly, my duncan didn't make it.

My ATO system should show up today. I'm hoping to maintain the coral I have for a while before I look at something new. I'm going to try some Ricordea Florida next, as I hear they are fairly easy.

Trying to not get too discouraged... but still give my tank time to keep maturing

 

I haven't updated my thread in a while, as my tank has been in a holding pattern, while I let it age.

The ATO is amazing. I can't believe I started the tank without one! I think my tank is now maturing well. Even though I started with mostly base everything, I am definitely starting to notice a lot more random critters

Also, I finally found my final fish. I added him last night, and so far he seems very happy! It's a tailspot blenny. He likes to sit halfway in a hole in the top of the rocks. Here's a cell phone picture of him looking out from his rock.
Hopefully tonight I can get a better pic!



Lastly, I got tired of never seeing the tank with the lights on because of work. I think it was making me less obsessed with my tank than I was initially. So I've adjusted the light schedule back so it's light when I get home .

 

Newest Pictures







I picked up some pulsing xenia that is thriving and growing like crazy. Another green mushroom that is also about 5 times the size as when I got it.

My poor yellow fiji keeps starting to look happy... then it gets knocked off by a snail. It's super glued like crzy and hopefully it'll be happy again (the picture with it in the background was taking about 10 min after re-gluing).

 

looks nice!

 

Thanks. I think I am slowly making progress

 

Tail spot goby, nice I have one too. Love him

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk

 

Excellent, it's just a go slow process.