Okay... Gonna try an "accepted" set up.

[Rob in Puyallup]

For those who haven't been following along, I have two Opae Ula tanks up and running. They are quite controversial around these parts as they contain live rock, hermit crabs and filters.

I have a 10 gallon tank just sitting empty. It has a fluorescent lamp hood. I also have a bag of "African Cichlid Mix" (black and aragonite sand) sitting unopened in my spare room. All I need is some lava rock and it'll be ready to put together. I'll move some chaedo from my other tanks as well as some Opae Ula.

In the end, this is to compare "successes" and "defeats": this tank compared to the others.

I will post progress (and not) in this thread.

[Mustafa]

Great! Looking forward to your updates!

[Rob in Puyallup]

Here's the 10 gallon tank with opae ula et al.

This has been up and running since Nov 21 of last year. I had a problem with cyanobacteria, but for the most part it's gone. The opae moved into this tank in early January.

[Rob in Puyallup]

This is the tank that I just set up. The HOB filter is from the tank above, on this tank to start the cycling.

All that's in this tank is African Cichlid Sand... and a bit of Nutrafin Cycle to start the bacterial bed. Oh, and brackish water at about 1.012.

[KenCotigirl]

A very spartan tank Rob. A bit of macro algae and a vertical element would complete it. I do like black substrate.

[Rob in Puyallup]

Yup, have some macro algae (chaeto) just dying to hop in. Got some red lava rock last night, gonna soak and rinse it good and throw it in this afternoon.

[Rob in Puyallup]

(Thinking the black and white sand will bring out the red.)

[Rob in Puyallup]

Found a bag of BBQ lava rock at the store last night. Have sorted through it. Because of the black and white sand I'm trying to stick as close to black as I can. Not really easy when you buy it like this.

Most of the black chunks are pretty small. The largest pieces are red (isn't that how it works?). Guess I'll use the large red pieces on the bottom and cover those with the black. I'm thinking they'll have algal growth in the future anyway...

(I can't believe I'm not gonna put a sponge filter in this...)

[Rob in Puyallup]

Have finished soaking and rinsing the lava rock. Put it and two varieties of chaeto in the tank. Not completely satisfied with the look, but I'm sure the opae and snails will be okay with it...

[Rob in Puyallup]

Oh, added some more Cycle, too.

The light is an LED... May put the fluorescent on instead. Do like the "shimmering" effect of this light, though.

[Rob in Puyallup]

(...may talk myself into adding more lava... bring it up higher... unfortunately I only have red rock left...)

[BostonJill]

(...may talk myself into adding more lava... bring it up higher... unfortunately I only have red rock left...)

I got these huge black lava rocks at Petco if that helps.

[Rob in Puyallup]

Okay... I gave in. Now the look is a bit to "perfect" or symmetrical, but will do for the time being.

[Rob in Puyallup]

Dang, Jill. Those are perfect. Wish I had checked them out!

[BostonJill]

Here's the 10 gallon tank with opae ula et al.

This has been up and running since Nov 21 of last year. I had a problem with cyanobacteria, but for the most part it's gone. The opae moved into this tank in early January.

Rob your tank is SO nice!! Probably one of the nicer ones I have seen.
But it's so hard for me to get use to that green glob of spaghetti. I guess it's Chaetomorpha and I have seen it in other brackish tanks. One tank I saw it in it looked like a green tornado coming through. LOL! I guess I just like the planted seaweed or plants. I feel that looks more natural. The Chaetomorpha floats is that right like a hairball? I know in our brackish tanks we're pretty limited.

I guess I should do something with my tank it looks pretty stark with just some lava rocks and some white sand. Maybe I can get some Chaetomorpha and stick it in the sand near the lava rock so it looks more like a small bush or grass coming up. It certainly would add a splash of color to the tank.