Mark's 55 - Page 6

olsaltybastard · #51 (**permalink**) 07-19-2007, 07:34 AM

It took me over 6 months to realize that the clicking noise was a pistol shrimp. I purposefully add small things for him to make his home out of.

goldenmean · #52 (**permalink**) 07-19-2007, 02:08 PM

Hey Your TBS package looks great.
Thanks for the pics and blog.
I cant wait to order my package.

Octoman · #53 (**permalink**) 07-19-2007, 02:39 PM

Thanks for the comments!
I've really been happy with the TBS rock, I'll be ordering some more in the future. When you get it, make sure you've got your skimmer ready to go and some water for water changes ready. Too much of an ammonia spike will kill a lot of the good stuff on the rocks, they ship the rocks quickly (picked mine up at the airport about 7 hours after he shipped) and immersed in water rather than covered in newspaper so most of the life survives the trip. My ammonia never went above 0.2, but I had the water ready just in case. I only bought the 20 gallon "package", I'm sure the 55 package probably would have caused a bigger spike (110# of live rock vs. 40#). Incidentally, I added enough live sand on to the order to fill the 55, the 20 package comes with 20# so I added another 35#.

Octoman · #54 (**permalink**) 08-13-2007, 11:29 PM

Time for an update. The TBS rock is coming along really well. Coralline is growing on the rock and starting to grow on the back of the tank. I've added some livestock over the last few weeks and everyone is doing great! I've monitored the nutrient levels closely and no spikes, the live rock and live sand seem to be keeping up with the new livestock just fine. I've had a little cyano trouble, but it seems to be clearing up now...

Rock flower day one (Richard sent this with the second part of the package)

Rock flower today

Pulsing Xenia two weeks ago

Xenia today (a little mad, I moved it around a little yesterday)

Tube coral (these are all over the TBS rock)

FTS

Umbrella Corallimorph, this guys huge! You can see him spread out in the above picture... (looks like he's sneezing!)

Dingleberry (smaller of the two cukes, the other is "Mr. Turd")

The answer to the age old question of "who keeps the snails clean?"

Shrek the Lawnmower Blenny (Great algae eater, loves algae wafers and flakes too!)

Watchman (My pistol that hitchhiked on the rock is alive and clicking! They haven't teamed up yet, in fact, I still haven't even seen the pistol)

Tubeworm mountain, home to Sonny and Cher the Firefish gobies

Cher (She always flicks her fins when I snap the picture...)

Sonny has stage fright...

And last but not least...
New ricordea, had two mouths when I bought it, now it has three and the original two have almost split.

Tangboy · #55 (**permalink**) 08-14-2007, 12:35 AM

Nice looking stuffs... Can't wait til I get my tank a little more established to post some new pics.

goldenmean · #56 (**permalink**) 08-14-2007, 02:55 AM

Looks Great!
I really like the aquascaping.
Did you use epoxy or anything or did you just stack it that way?

Also did you do anything to deal with the caulerpa that came on the TBS.
I have gotten some advice to get rid of it now or it can take over the tank
so I was wondering what your experience with it is?

I can not wait to get Part 2 of my TBS!

Octoman · #57 (**permalink**) 08-14-2007, 03:20 AM

Thanks Tangboy!, You'll have things worked out in no time, the waiting just makes it that much better when everything comes together.

Thanks Golden! No epoxy, when I stack I try to make sure I can put a little frontward pressure on the rocks without them falling over before deciding they're secure enough. However, it is very frustrating when the rocks won't fit the way you want them, epoxy would be very handy...

I've counted 8 different types of algae growing on the rock. I picked off the caulerpa a couple times, it came back strong the first time and after the second picking, now it seems to be losing its hold, but I don't have Halides on my tank. The lawnmower picks at it some, he may be helping me out, but I wouldn't recommend one of these unless it's eating flakes, tablets, etc.., or until your tank is well established. The hair algae may come on strong at first and then disappear, leaving a lawnmower to starve unless he will eat something else...

I plan on adding a yellow tang also. I know a 55 is pushing it, but I've got a lot of swimming area and I plan on keeping it this way.

**ReefSilly** · #58 (**permalink**) 08-14-2007, 10:39 PM

Looking good

Nice LR

My LR is stacked as well

Octoman · #59 (**permalink**) 08-20-2007, 03:03 AM

Ahh, the laziness of automation....

Octoman · #60 (**permalink**) 08-20-2007, 03:40 AM

I installed the auto top-off last week. I was going out of town for the weekend and didn't want anyone else to have to worry about topping off the system. I built a cabinet that fits my 7 gallon jugs for topoff water. I have two electronic float switches (one for redundancy) wired into a aqualifter dosing pump. It seems to be working great so far...

I'll post some more pics tomorrow, got some studying to do tonight!