20g Nano in League City (1 Viewer)

[RevRich]

So I've been watching videos and researching for months and months and here she goes.

I have a 90g and a 100gL waiting for me once we move in May but was growing impatient and my SIL had this 20g sitting in her garage gathering dust. I bought a stand that the wife liked from wmart and there I went.
I got some black paint from home depot and ordered a marineland filter for a 50g. Then grabbed a heater and thought I was ready.
I grabbed 19 lbs of dry rock and proceeded to smash with a hammer. Armed only with super glue and several nights worth of beers I constructed my aquascape while moving to the new tank everything collapsed and I ended up reshaping on the fly.
I mixed my water to 1.026 salinity and set my heater to 79 and decided it as ready to start the cycle. I added 1 bottle of biospira to my live sand and was amazingly cycled in 5 days using liquid ammonia. I then set up my ato just for the hell of it I found a post from a local guy giving away 2 Clowns an urchin. I jumped on it but shortly realized the Clowns in the pic were not the ones he was giving away. I got a large occilaris clown and a small orange skunk from him and they were doing fine in the QT tank I eventually moved the to the DT along with my fancy Occileras. at first things were great, my large clown and my little guy were good but then my skunk chased them out of their cave and the large clown became very aggressive. She began hunting the skunk and hitting him so hard I could hear it from the other room. I had to isolate him to save his life
I got around to building my stand for my light today. It took me a couple hours and isn't perfect but I'm happy with it.
Hoping to trade the skunk tomorrow, I'll try to keep yall updated!

 

[soymilk]

I'd consider getting a temp controller for the heater. looking good so far

 

[RevRich]

Thank you for the advice. I did grab an inkbird but forgot to mention it in the thread.

 

[soymilk]

great start so far, what do you plan on keeping? any idea what corals you want yet?

 

[RevRich]

great start so far, what do you plan on keeping? any idea what corals you want yet?

So far I have some mushrooms and a candy cane. Looking to add some euphyllia and maybe some lps or montis

 

[Cody]

So far I have some mushrooms and a candy cane. Looking to add some euphyllia and maybe some lps or montis

I didn’t recognize your profile pic without the ghosts in it.

That’s a very interestingly shaped auto top off container you’ve got. How’s you com across it?

 

[RevRich]

I didn’t recognize your profile pic without the ghosts in it.

That’s a very interestingly shaped auto top off container you’ve got. How’s you com across it?

Yeah, that was a fb pic i put up on halloween and havent remembered to change it back lol. I signed into r2r with it.

It was an old 8gl fish tank with a lighted hood that my son was using for his crawfish but the light went out and I couldn't find a replacement bulb so I just bought him a new 10 gallon and this was just hanging out in the garage. Figured since it was a fish tank it was probably safe to use.

 

[Cody]

Yeah, that was a fb pic i put up on halloween and havent remembered to change it back lol. I signed into r2r with it.

It was an old 8gl fish tank with a lighted hood that my son was using for his crawfish but the light went out and I couldn't find a replacement bulb so I just bought him a new 10 gallon and this was just hanging out in the garage. Figured since it was a fish tank it was probably safe to use.

Well what happened to the crawfish?

 

[soymilk]

The pandemic was hard on everyone

 

[Cody]

The pandemic was hard on everyone

In March of 2019 for my bday, I was vacationing in DC, eating raw oysters flown from all over the world just a few blocks from the White House, and living it up. March 2020 I had my bday on the couch, unemployed, and had become allergic to seafood. It was quite the year indeed.

 

[RevRich]

Well what happened to the crawfish?

He's is in the 10gal I bought for him lol

 

[RevRich]

He's is in the 10gal I bought for him lol

I don't know why I keep saying 10gal, it's a 5gal

 

[RevRich]

So I was able to trade the skunk clown for this beautiful snowflake eel.

I made him a pretty cool home in my tank with some pvc, silicone and rock rubble. I think it blended well with the tank
The same day i picked up this little YWG and a green candy cane. I did a couple days of research on snowflake eels beforehand and learned that they are escape artists but I had previously made a lid for my tank out of acrylic complete with holes for gas exchange and a feeding hole with lid. No pictures of it yet sorry. I had procured some calamari rings and octopus and scallops for feeding him as the previous owner said he LOVED calamari and to try to feed him some as soon as I put him in the tank. I got him home and drip acclimated him. Then I put him in the tank and he proceeded to burrow himself a new home.....under the pvc home I made him. I tried to feed him several times to no avail but by the end of the night he was venturing further and further out into the tank to explore his new home. The next morning was a Saturday so the whole family got to sleeping in a bit. I finally got up to go make breakfast and decided to stop in and check on the new editions. The ywg was out exploring and a little less paranoid of the Clowns than he was the night before. The eel was nowhere to be found. I assumed he was hiding in his cave but just deeper than I could see. I went on to make breakfast. After breakfast I went back to the tank and became worried because I still couldn't find Beetlejuice. I got a sinking feeling in my gut as I looked at the small gaps around my hob filter and around my temp probes/powerhead. I began frantically checking the tank and he was nowhere to be found. At this point I already knew what had happened but just needed to find him to confirm. I dropped to my knees and checked under my stand. Sure enough, there he was. I have no idea how long he was there but there was no doubt he was long gone. RIP BEETLEJUICE.

I spent the day pretty upset with myself. My wife and kids were pretty sad too. The guy I got him from kept him in a rimless tank with no lid and I was sure my lid would keep him contained. I failed to make an appropriate habitat for him and it was a sad and costly mistake. The guilt weighs heavy.

 

[soymilk]

My condolences for Beetlejuice. But an eel in a 20gallon would be an uphill battle anyways. You woulda had to worry about it out growing the tank, eating your other fish, not to mention nutrient control. They are notoriously messy eaters and will foul the water pretty fast.

 

[RevRich]

My condolences for Beetlejuice. But an eel in a 20gallon would be an uphill battle anyways. You woulda had to worry about it out growing the tank, eating your other fish, not to mention nutrient control. They are notoriously messy eaters and will foul the water pretty fast.

Thank you.
Yeah, he was supposed to go in the 100gal after the move. He was about 12 inches already and came from a 20gal but I knew he fit for long.

 

[RevRich]

I met up with Perry from @Seaworthy Aquatics today to grab a cleaner shrimp. I brought my wife to let her pick out a coral or 2 in an attempt to get her even the slightest bit excited about the tank. Of course the first thing she pointed at was some outrageously beautiful zoas that were a bit out of budget but were amazing. I pointed her in the direction of some smaller colonies and ended up with some stunning pieces to ad to the tank. Extremely happy with His patience and time he spent with us today. It was a super friendly experience and can't wait to go back and see him. Here are some pics of them. Aren't quite fully open yet but getting there. These are the Orange Oxides.

These are the Radioactive Dragons Eyes.
Stargazers.

Ans a couple of polyps of Pandoras that he threw in for me.

Here is a pic of all the new additions together.
A good day!

 

[Cody]

So I was able to trade the skunk clown for this beautiful snowflake eel.

I made him a pretty cool home in my tank with some pvc, silicone and rock rubble. I think it blended well with the tank
The same day i picked up this little YWG and a green candy cane. I did a couple days of research on snowflake eels beforehand and learned that they are escape artists but I had previously made a lid for my tank out of acrylic complete with holes for gas exchange and a feeding hole with lid. No pictures of it yet sorry. I had procured some calamari rings and octopus and scallops for feeding him as the previous owner said he LOVED calamari and to try to feed him some as soon as I put him in the tank. I got him home and drip acclimated him. Then I put him in the tank and he proceeded to burrow himself a new home.....under the pvc home I made him. I tried to feed him several times to no avail but by the end of the night he was venturing further and further out into the tank to explore his new home. The next morning was a Saturday so the whole family got to sleeping in a bit. I finally got up to go make breakfast and decided to stop in and check on the new editions. The ywg was out exploring and a little less paranoid of the Clowns than he was the night before. The eel was nowhere to be found. I assumed he was hiding in his cave but just deeper than I could see. I went on to make breakfast. After breakfast I went back to the tank and became worried because I still couldn't find Beetlejuice. I got a sinking feeling in my gut as I looked at the small gaps around my hob filter and around my temp probes/powerhead. I began frantically checking the tank and he was nowhere to be found. At this point I already knew what had happened but just needed to find him to confirm. I dropped to my knees and checked under my stand. Sure enough, there he was. I have no idea how long he was there but there was no doubt he was long gone. RIP BEETLEJUICE.

I spent the day pretty upset with myself. My wife and kids were pretty sad too. The guy I got him from kept him in a rimless tank with no lid and I was sure my lid would keep him contained. I failed to make an appropriate habitat for him and it was a sad and costly mistake. The guilt weighs heavy.

I’m assuming beetlejuice was the eel?

 

[RevRich]

I’m assuming beetlejuice was the eel?

Correct. Horror movies are a thing in our house. The Clowns are Chucky and Annabelle. The Shrimp is Jack( like from the shining but also a play on Jaque for the kids)

 

[Cody]

The Clowns Are Chucky is a very unique name for a fish. Also, Annabelle.

Sorry to hear about the snowflake eel. Unfortunately, any eel is a tough one. They’re best in the ocean or a public aquarium. Also best not to give the fish/inverts names. Even living the longest of their lives, these creatures die often and early in the wild. Same as chickens or cows on land, fish eat other fish every day in the wild.

 

[Seaworthy Aquatics]

I met up with Perry from @Seaworthy Aquatics today to grab a cleaner shrimp. I brought my wife to let her pick out a coral or 2 in an attempt to get her even the slightest bit excited about the tank. Of course the first thing she pointed at was some outrageously beautiful zoas that were a bit out of budget but were amazing. I pointed her in the direction of some smaller colonies and ended up with some stunning pieces to ad to the tank. Extremely happy with His patience and time he spent with us today. It was a super friendly experience and can't wait to go back and see him. Here are some pics of them. Aren't quite fully open yet but getting there. These are the Orange Oxides.

These are the Radioactive Dragons Eyes.
Stargazers.

Ans a couple of polyps of Pandoras that he threw in for me.

Here is a pic of all the new additions together.
A good day!

Thanks Richard! It was great to meet you guys glad to see everyone doing well. Bummer about Beetlejuice, always loved Snowflakes.