New Eclispe Tank

[knugenx]

Hi everyone. I just started off a new 12 gallon Eclipse tank. I was wondering if the light on the hood should be modified/changed for coral. Or is there a complement or supplement light fixture I can add on to it.

Currently, my tank looks thriving. Live rocks in tank looks active, with little tubes sticking out of the rocks and numerous little critters crawling on them and snails too. In addition, I just added 6 hermits (mixed) and 2 snails yesterday.

Water conditions looks good..bought a api test kit and all tests were passed.

It's not the biggest or best tank, but it's a sure a good start for me. What else can I add to make this tank more better.

Thanks for your input.

 

[KathyC]

Welcome to MR

Can you tell us what kind of corals /fish you want to keep in your tank? What tests were in the kit that you did purchase and what are your parameters?

What kind of water are you using?
Any pics?

 

[jrobbins]

And to follow up on Kathy, when did you fill the tank?

If you just put the rock in a day or so ago, your cycle might not have started yet (assuming you used uncured rock)

 

[knugenx]

Actually I placed my first group of corals in the tank just a few hours ago. Pulsing Xenias, green trumpets, candy canes, and a suncoral.
They are looking pretty good...I took some pics and will try to post them up sometime tomorrow.

I used the API Saltwater Master Test Kit
ph - 8.4
ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrate - 0ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm

Hydrometer indicates:
about 30/1.022

Water temp at 76 degrees.

I used water from the sink.

Welcome to MR

Can you tell us what kind of corals /fish you want to keep in your tank? What tests were in the kit that you did purchase and what are your parameters?

What kind of water are you using?
Any pics?

 

[knugenx]

And to follow up on Kathy, when did you fill the tank?

If you just put the rock in a day or so ago, your cycle might not have started yet (assuming you used uncured rock)

Started the tank about 4.5 weeks ago...first just Instant Reef and water, ran the pump to dilute the salt. A few days later, when tank was clear, I put in a bag of live sand. A few days later put in a large piece of Fiji rock and a small Florida rock (both cured).

Then left the tank alone for 3 weeks...I just stared at the tank with the two rocks.

 

[junglebase]

I used water from the sink.

You should stop doing this... it is a small enough tank that you can buy the distilled water (they are always better than tap water) for top off, and you can buy the packaged seawater for water changes.. just my 2 cents but i know a lot of members will agree with this....

 

[knugenx]

You should stop doing this... it is a small enough tank that you can buy the distilled water (they are always better than tap water) for top off, and you can buy the packaged seawater for water changes.. just my 2 cents but i know a lot of members will agree with this....

Thanks for the suggestion...i'm new so I'm all opened-ears.

Well my kitchen sink is equipped with a filtration system (not the ones on the faucet head, but under the sink) so it should catch most all the unwanted stuff, I presume. I'm thinking if I can drink it straight from the sink, than it should be ok for the tank.

For top off, I have a premixed 5 gallon bucket of saltwater sealed in the boiler room, when I need it, I just drop in the heater to get the temp I want.

 

[knugenx]

Any suggestions on replacing or modifying the lighting unit in the eclipse hood?

 

[duke62]

thats not enough to catch everything.corals are very sensitive to copper as are most invertabrates.and assuming you dont live in maryland (they use pvc for piping)you will have some copper in ur system.get a ro/di unit or you can buy water from local pet store.everyone on this site will agree on this.

 

[MikeyZO]

a) Do not use mixed saltwater as top off. As evaporation occurrs, it leaves the salt behind, so by you adding saltwater you will slowly raise your salinity. Use fresh water (preferrably reverse osmosis water or distilled water)

b) The filter in your sink, like duke said, wont get rid of all the unwanteds in the water, and eventually you are going to have problems. If you can't get an RO/DI unit, you may want to consider using distilled water for the time being. It will help ensure everything stays healthy.

c) If I remember correctly, the eclipse hood has daylight/actinic compact flourescent lights? If so, they should be fine for the corals you added. There are several threads on MR about modifying nano tanks. I'm sure you can find some that will be most helpful

d) Just in case you didnt know, all the corals you put in the tank are photosynthetic and will get all their nutrition from the lights (provided I remember correctly and you have the proper light fixture on there). However, just be warned that suncorals are rather difficult to keep and do need to be spot fed daily or else they will die off.

In any case, good luck, welcome to MR, and feel free to ask questions and read up on the vast amount of knowledge here. The search function sucks, but I'm sure it will help you find many an answer.

 

[knugenx]

thanks fellas.
The extra salt water is only for water change. I'm going to pick up some water bottle water from Petco for top off for now until I decide whether to install the ro/di (doesn't make sense with my size tank at the moment).

FYI, I spot fed the suncoral last night and took some pics of it eating...will post them tonite.

Thanks for the suggestions. Sometimes it's just easier to ask a question and get some tips or criticism straight up than to search the threads.

 

[emmanuel]

just keep in mind the suncoral can go anywere in the tank but the others have to be as close to the light as possible

 

[DrCooper]

Welcome and good luck with the tank. Post some pics when you can

 

[knugenx]

Check out my tank

My tank initially...coral frags from emmanuel, thanks!

 

[knugenx]

Check out my Tank

This is how it is now...

 

[crox99]

Looks like a lot of corals!!!! Anyway do you have any fish in there? Are you feeding that peppermint shrimp?

 

[knugenx]

Looks like a lot of corals!!!! Anyway do you have any fish in there? Are you feeding that peppermint shrimp?

1 scooter blenny, 1 camel shrimp, 1 peppermint, few hermits and snails...the peppermint loves me when I target feed the corals.

Mr. Blenny is in the last pic, right under the bubble coral.

 

[D1J8Z]

becareful camel shrimp are not reef safe!

 

[skene]

What exactly are you feeding the scooter blenny? You do know that they particularly need a more established tank with pods for food, or are you purchasing pods in a bottle?

 

[aznt1217]

That's an interesting tank. I can't believe you have all that in an eclipse lol.