Matts 10g DIY AIO

I don't know you may be like me and my pico, no coralline but the rocks turned a weird color, not green, not brown, something in between. I would have liked a little coralline I just don't like so much you have to keep scraping it off the glass and I have not had that problem in either of my led tanks so I don't think you will have to worry about to much coralline, that white sand looks awesome in there if it will just stay that nice white color. If I ever do another one I will try that sand too as long as its heavy enough to not blow around and get into the pumps. Looks like its gonna be a nice setup!

When I'm moving frags and stuff around through the sand a couple of pieces will stir up into the water column, but very few. It doesn't get cloudy or anything, and within 30 or 45 seconds it has all settled. It's strange, like it's fine sand, but it's heavy. I have a piece of live rock from my other tank in there and it's a purple/brown/greenish color and it doesn't look near as *Zen* lol.

I was going to upload two new pics... but they look exactly the same as the two above but I have the smallest diatom outbreak ever on a bit of the sandbed and 1 of the rocks. :-)

I'm in the market for a blood red fire shrimp for this beast. I just put two turbo snails in this week. I saw them working on the hair algae earlier today. I noticed my fuge area in the back of my tank lets detrius settle and create a little nitrate farm... so whenever I feed with the turkey baster I give it a little squirt back there and it's clearing it all out into the display where the CUC can get to it.

Full tank shot.


The penny gorg from reefcleaners. I had just literally grabbed it and moved it around... so it's polyps are closed, but it's a sweet addition to the tank!

It's looking good Matt. You planning on putting any fish in there, or just clean up crew?

Looks good Matt, any coralline showing up yet?

Thanks guys. No coraline yet. I havn't put any shavings or anything in there to get it going. I actually like the crisp white rock!

I'm going to go with 1 clown fish. Picasso hosting a BTA. Dunno what color yet. :-)

Tank is looking nice! I like the "white rock" look also

Update pics. I've named my first fish addition, a shrimp goby, "Lefty." I don't usually name fish, but he's the only one in this tank and it seemed appropriate. Named lefty because it sounds like a good name for a barber, and the common name on this goby is a barber pole goby... so it's a match! :-)

Lefty chillin on the rock.




For size reference, that large orange thing above lefty... that's an orange turbo snail. Lol.


Can't do an update without an updated FTS. :-)

Good looking Goby Matt, he and tank are looking good, I love the orange face, thats character!

Thanks Donnie. I seriously love the Goby. Beautiful fish! I think I'll always have one of these in one of my tanks.

Also... I finally got a dimmer hooked up to that bad boy so I can turn the lights to whatever color temp I want. I like the bluer look myself... but I leave the white's full blast through the day for some max par and growth. :-) If I burn something... I suppose I'll turn them down. lol

Fine choice on the Goby... I see he's starting to be a little photogenic too.

I've only seen him out and about twice today. That's two more times than yesterday though! Hahaha.

Honestly if I turn the tank around I'll see him all the time. I built this so it was visible from all sides, but it's currently facing the "wrong" direction. lol

Awesome tank and fish Matt. Is that the Dendro I see there in the pic? Hanging in there!

That's the dendro! I don't know if it's getting healthier or not honestly. The heads appear to be getting larger, but the "skin" in between them doesn't seem to be growing back. I don't know if it will really??? I've been feeding about every three days or so. If I want it to take off I likely need to get it every other day or so. But... without hermits or shrimp to eat all of the mysis/brine it doesn't catch it's hard to feed often. I'm replacing filter pads like crazy already... I don't want to clean the bottom with a turkey baster twice a week.

Hey Matt, Thats a nice goby you got there. I've never owned one of thouse but offten thought about it. FYI you should feed your dendro almost every day. I would spot feed mine mysis, spray some on and let it eat, wait 10 mins and repeat. Dendros have no photosynthetic growth so they depend 100% on food. If you feed them every day it will grow HUGE! Trust me, theres no such thing as over feeding it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvGtcyWVhqI&feature=related

Oh I know. I've said the same thing. I used to feed my big head small pieces of krill. Seriously... it was a horse! Once I get more fish in the tank and clean up crew guys I'll start feeding it more often for sure. I know it needs it.