chichimom79's 60 gallon cube

[chichimom79]

A 60 gal is pretty small for a pair of mandarines, its likely that even if you get a male/female pair they will still fight or they will run out of food. And even if you seed your tank with pods now, it will be several months before you can add a mandarine.

Personally, i would get your screen top made (its easy, only takes a few hours) and get a harem of the fairy/flasher wrasses. They are super pretty and really hardy.

I knew I would still have to wait after seeding the tank with pods, but maybe I will just do one mandarin. Would the scooter blennies be better than a mandarin or about the same as far as keeping pods in the tank?

I will be making a top. Thought I would be cool and get the stuff from Lowes, but they don't carry that kind of screen (plus I'm not very cool I figured out), so I guess I will order the kit from BRS. Thanks for the offer, Alex, but I doubt shipping one already made would be very cost effective.

 

[little_fish]

Not really, because they are both types of dragonettes. However, i think they are cooler than the regular mandarines because everyone has a spotted or pshycadelic (sp?).

 

[chichimom79]

They are very cool, but I have had them before where I have never had a mandarin, so I'd kind of like to try one :mrgreen:

 

[little_fish]

Good point! When your tank is ready, then go for it! :)

If you can find one that will reliably eat frozen, then you can add on a little earlier.

 

[Sir Alex]

I will be making a top. Thought I would be cool and get the stuff from Lowes, but they don't carry that kind of screen (plus I'm not very cool I figured out), so I guess I will order the kit from BRS.

I used the BRS screen cause it doesn't have all the anti-mold stuff, and this framing: Shop New York Wire 84 In. Brown Lineal Frame at Lowes.com


No reason to spend the extra money and get the framing from BRS.

 

[chichimom79]

I seeded the tank with a bottle of tigger pods today. Since there is nothing in there, they should thrive :)

 

[chichimom79]

Tank is overheating a bit. I had a feeling this would happen, though I hadn't much experience with this type of MH bulb before. The hood is vented on the top of it, but it has no fans. Im going to have to build a new hood for this tank before I will ever put anything in here. Tank got up to 85 before I turned the light off. Damn. It.

 

[Samhain]

FFrustrating!

 

[Smitty]

That sucks...mine had gotten up to 84° the other day also.

 

[JustinsReefTank]

Sorry about your troubles Chichi. Have you tried just a regular clamp on fan to blow some of the heat from the light before it hits the water?

 

[chichimom79]

Sorry about your troubles Chichi. Have you tried just a regular clamp on fan to blow some of the heat from the light before it hits the water?

There isn't really a good place to do that. All four sides of the top are completely solid wood. It's a poor top design, was crappily put together and I wanted to make a new one anyway. I could put a fan on top blowing down into the hood. In the meantime I have been keeping the ceiling fan in this room on and turned the attic fan on a few times.
I will get the problem solved. It just is going to involve a new hood for sure.

 

[kbuser92]

Good luck.

 

[ErinCahir]

Good luck, Angie! Just a minor setback. :)

 

[jr7168]

nothin a saw blade cant fix mam! you should know that comin from missura!

 

[chichimom79]

In the process of redoing the hood and adding some fans to it, one pushing air in, and one pulling air out. So no light on the tank at the moment.
I splurged and ordered the Reefkeeper Lite plus. I am so freakin excited to get it and get it set up. I tracked my shipment- yesterday my package was in Iowa. LOL Maybe I'll get it Tuesday. :x:

 

[chichimom79]

Nothing like getting an expensive new toy, and it not work correctly....:grumble:

Had a horrible time getting the RKL set up (took me the greater part of two days because it wasn't working properly- had to call tech support). Finally did a hard reset of all of the modules, got everything in good working order for it to fail again spontaneously four days later....

Digital Aquatics is supposed to be calling me back soon. I've been nice....so far......:grumble:

In happier news, the fans for my hood should be in tomorrow and I will have my lights back up and running this week.

 

[lilmatty5dimes]

I hate new toys that don't work properly. You'll figure it out soon and it'll be worth it.

 

[jr7168]

i'm waiting for some updated pics :)

 

[chichimom79]

Well, the Reefkeeper Lite is being sent to DA for testing...:grumble:

In similarly shitty news, the hair algae I had started several weeks back? Turns out, it's bryopsis. Hope I can get that figured out. The tank has had a forced blackout in the display for two or three weeks because of my hood being rebuilt. I have run the sump light during the night still for the chaeto. All I have in the display are two astraea snails and one margarita snail.

And my electrician/project specialist, aka Dad couldn't figure out how to get my computer fans running, so he ordered some 120 volt ones... Should be here any time, so I can get my light back! I think he blew up my new fans...oops...lol

 

[Samhain]

Well, just damn! You can try raising the mag in addition to your forced blackout, and that may take care of the bryopsis problem. Smitty's been battling the same menace without much success. Good luck!