Worm's 180 build

[Newbie Aquarist]

Originally Posted by worm5406

Yeah that is what she said too....

Are you down with OPP? Yeah you know me.....

(Sorry daiting my self... WOW... hahaha)

Thanks though. I was very happy for cleaning it off. I have off from work (spring break) the rest of the week and I plan on getting a lot more done.

The actual cleaning of it off was simple and easy. Does not seem like a hard job. I took the chair adapter off the vacuum and soaked it in vinegar for three days.

Put a few rubber bands around the hose I use for water changes. Built it up and just slipped the adapter right over the rubber bands. Sat right on it and sealed it. Then I started the siphon and brushed away algae at the same time. Made it suck it up at the same time. Just could not pull away from the rock real quick as it would leave a algae trail in the water.

Quick simple and really easy.

OOOOOOOOOOOKaaaaaaayyyyyyy We are doing an old school mix here I see.

That is a really creative idea. I may have to look into getting that vacuum part by itself and finding a vaccum hose to fit over it. Great Idea Big Perm, I mean Big Worm.

[2noob4u]

Beautiful build and well documented!

IHFD Indian Head? I live through the sticks--in La Plata.

[worm5406]

Originally Posted by Newbie Aquarist

OOOOOOOOOOOKaaaaaaayyyyyyy We are doing an old school mix here I see.

That is a really creative idea. I may have to look into getting that vacuum part by itself and finding a vacuum hose to fit over it. Great Idea Big Perm, I mean Big Worm.

I put the hose inside the adapter. That is why I wrapped rubber bands around it over each other just to build up the seal. I have a braded hose for water changes, which is about 1/2'ish. That way also the water flow is slow or I could attach a MJ/Colbalt to it and pump it out quicker. That is what I use to fill it. If you look at some of the videos you can see me use that hose all the time for filling.

Originally Posted by 2noob4u

Beautiful build and well documented!

IHFD Indian Head? I live through the sticks--in La Plata.

Yeah Indian Head... Small world, big ocean.

We will have to meet up since you are only like 15 miles from me, if that.

[worm5406]

OK Well tomorrow I am doing three days of 100% lights out, then one day of actnic, and then back to normal.

For those that have looked through the pictures you will see a good ammount of HA. It transfered from my 120 rock that I wanted to seed the new 180 during it's cycle.

Since I did not acid cook the rock I am pretty sure it is leaching phospate. I decided when I was getting things ready I was not going to acid cook the rock. So it is something I have to deal with.

I have taken a good amount of it out and when I come out of darkness I am doing a scrub/water change followed by another scrub and water change.

SO Just wanted you to know if I come back with a sad face or a happy face the reason.

Go to page 4 and look at #81 and #90 to see some coverd pics vs some I have already scrubbed.

I cant do any drywall without covering the tank it's self with some covering so I am just going to do some stuff around the house instead.

[biecacka]

Worm, any rock you can remove you should and do a peroxide water dip and scrub. The peroxide will kill GHA
corey

[worm5406]

Yeah.. I did that to a few. already. I am going to knock any off that are still active after ward. Some.. No way to move.

I did that to some coral too... I did 1:4 perox:tankwater and It did nothing... So next batch I did 1:3 p:t and it did better.

[Newbie Aquarist]

Man you have a challenge going on there. I guess we will see you in 3 days with an update unless you do something additional to your build. Hang in there.

[WDLV]

IME the best way to manage it is a combination of manual removal followed by herbivores. My tangs wouldn't touch the stuff when it got long (or perhaps their contribution was simply unnoticable) but if I scrubbed it with a toothbrush first they seemed to do a better job of maintaining it.
With tangs, I'd like to point out that there are three different body plans and each is a specialist. Some that clip, some that get into cfevaces and others that scrape.... unfortunately, none will do the others' job. So you as the aquarist have the job of filling in the blanks.
I'm not a fan of cooking rock. It just seems to eat up my efforts and patience. Leaving it be seems to be more effective long term.... but we all have different approaches. What works for me may or may not work well for you. When I had my old system running it was covered in coral. I never tested my water. I went to a local fish club meeting and did a water test and people started flipping out abojt my phosphates.... but my corals were better looking than most of theirs and faster growing. So, I wasn't too concerned.

[WDLV]

I have also found that the more you flip your rock or rearrange it, the more the hair algae seems to grow on the rocks that you manipulate. I think that this is a caused by coralline algae and coral covering the rock. where coralline algae and coral or growing, hair algae never grows. It only seems to grow on areas with exposed, bare rock.

[worm5406]

Yup... I have a few rocks with coraline. I am getting ready to move them so that they are touching the offending rock and spred it everywhere. hahahaha

[biecacka]

Work I did like 40/60 peroxide water mix and scrubbed em w a toothbrush. I also used algaefix marine. There is a whole thread in the chem forum about it and it works. It kills it off and leaves us to correct the problem without looking at the nasty sight of gha
Corey

[worm5406]

Yeah but some I can not get out of the tank.. Too large and others depend on it.

I have some corals and anemone's. I am unsure of algaefix sometimes.

[worm5406]

Finally got a good picture of him. I am in day one of three days lights out. He decides to move a bit.

[biecacka]

Have you tried AF before? If not or uncertain and you have time, check that thread out. It's helpful. I read it and decided to give it a try and it worked for me
Corey

[worm5406]

I read the thread and it was pretty informative. I might give it a try.

I took a picture of my tank today....

It was a nice picture. One of the strangest though.

Since it is lights out.. it was dark.

[worm5406]

OK had a chance to do some scubbing...

Yeah yeah.. I wanted to take the pic before the lights changed to night... (I know I can change them manually) It does look like it rained but that was from me dripping. I like after and before much better btw.. LOL...

I still have a few spots to work on but MUCH better!

YES??

After:




Here it was before:




After:


Before:

[Newbie Aquarist]

Keep up the good work. It will definitely pay off in the end. Your attention to detail is impeccable.

[worm5406]

Originally Posted by Newbie Aquarist

Keep up the good work. It will definitely pay off in the end.

Ohh I know.. I kick my self for not doing it when I moved the rock over to the 180 before I put it in. It took over quick.

Originally Posted by Newbie Aquarist

Your attention to detail is impeccable.

HUH?? Are you calling me ocd or something?

[Newbie Aquarist]

Well yes, no, kinda, maybe, sorta, prolly. I like how you have done things in order. How you planned everything out and took your course of action.

[worm5406]

HA... have you ever read the threads here??

If not I will be hung up by my _______ and let hang for a day. hahahaha...

Seriously though. Yeah I have tried my best to plan it out only because if I don't I will either get distracted or forget something.

Memory is perfect, just get wrapped up in it sometimes and it really is a good break from the day to day excitement of the world.

Plus I like to document most of it just for others that might have the same thought or idea. Plus... some people think they can shortcut it, and I just want to show them what a little planning and waiting can do.

Thanks though. Nice compliment!

[danfeig]

Your tank looks much better this way! I am sure that your skimmer will be going nuts for a few days!

[worm5406]

UNDERSTATEMENT... WOW... It is really freaking out.


HAHAHAHA.. I had to fill the ATO, all the way, just in case it runs all night.

[worm5406]

It is funny.. In those two pics that are first in that one post... The clowns are almost in the exact same spots.

[WDLV]

Good work. You will have to scrub it again and again but each time will be less work.

[worm5406]

Yeah but it is a LOT better. I'll clean the glass and do a FTS with the better camera. See how well it looks then.