CT 265 Build

[ca1ore]

Shot of the tank - big sucker!



Planning to pick it up and do the change over next weekend.

[ca1ore]

No matter how experienced you are, or how much you think things through, there are ALWAYS problems you didn't anticipate. Problem #1 - I bought one of those 150 gallon Rubbermaid stock tanks to begin to make the extra water that I will need for the new tank, began to drip RO/DI in and, wouldn't you know it, the cheapo bulkhead on the stock tank leaks. Did a little checking and apparently its a known problem, but still. Don't have time, nor the inclination, to order a replacement bulkhead, so slapped some silicone sealant on the inside of the gasket - not ideal, but hopefully will do for now. Glad I started making water for the tank early.

[cilyjr]

That sure is the truth.

[ca1ore]

A little silicone sealant on the bulkhead and 48 hours and the tub has stopped leaking (I think). Away for 3 days now, but all on schedule for next Saturday for the change over.

[ca1ore]

Picking the tank up Friday night, doing the switchover Saturday. NSW is mixing up nicely, sand has been pre-washed and got tank muscle arranged. No time to back out now!

[ca1ore]

Well, took the better parts of today and yesterday, but the new tank is in and has cleared up pretty fast. Looks empty though .....



Things went pretty smoothly actually, though the self-stick blue background proved impossible to put on cleanly with the tank on the stand. Should have put it on BEFORE putting the tank up. Will have to figure out an alternative because it looks like crap!

Light hood also proved a bear to hang because the beams in my ceiling apparently follow no known construction code. For now I have put in temporary supports, but will have to go into the attic and install some additional blocking.

What was a 'stuffed' 90 is now a 'sparse' 265 ..... definitely need more fish!

[chrisv]

I love the aquascape. the giant anemone pillar is going to be just awesome.

[ca1ore]

Yeah, only way I can think off to keep the Mag from wandering. I'm aiming for a really open look.

[Newbie Aquarist]

Glad the changeover went well. Everything is looking great.

[ca1ore]

Few day in .... so far so good.

A couple of dripping fittings, and, as we all know, the ones that are the most tricky to reach ; but other than that OK. No sign, nor expected, of any mini-cycling. Ammonia and Nitrites at zero. A few of my SPS frags are showing much less polyp extension than before, but I figure some water quality changes (mainly alk and Ca levels) so likely just needs to get used to the new tank.

[ca1ore]

Month in and things going quite well ......



Full Tank Shot



Just the Left End



Just the Right End

I decided to 'skin' the right side overflow by drilling a few holes in the overflow cover (not through the complete overflow) and using zip ties to lash a few flat pieces of live rock into a column. Didn't end up with exactly the effect I was looking for, but once the white rocks get encrusted with coralline and populated with mushrooms, should look OK. Magnifica anemone has stayed put, so that's good, and I've resisted (so far) the urge to overclutter things. Still need a large acro to give some height to the left side of the tank, but all things in due course.

Have adjusted my fish plan in an attempt to maintain harmony, though the Yellow and Purple Tangs really don't seem to like each other much. Have probably exacerbated the problem by buying a Desjardini (still in QT). I also bought a LemonPeel angel from a local reefer, but it is already picking at the mushrooms in my other QT tank, so not sure what to do with it at this point.

Anyhow, new fish plan is for an Achilles, a trio of Bipartitus Leopard Wrasses, a flasher wrasse, a small group of Pyramid Butterflyfish, three more Bartlett Anthias and maybe a few Chalk Bass (though compatibility with my Splendid Dottyback may be a problem). Given I'm very anal about QT, these will take a while.

[worm5406]

Good job!!

Yeah... tangs... I bet.

The mag does look happy there!

[Newbie Aquarist]

Tank is looking good. I miss my mag so much.

[worm5406]

Is that birds nest in the middle above the yellow tang?

[ca1ore]

Originally Posted by worm5406

Is that birds nest in the middle above the yellow tang?

No, it's a branching montipora. Got that entire rock (20 lbs. easy) with the large monti and an orange setosa for $75 bucks from a local reefer. He had a second, equally large rock for the same price that I simply could not fit without compromising my aspirations for an open look. Road trip?

[ca1ore]

Originally Posted by Newbie Aquarist

I miss my mag so much.

IMO a Magnifica with clownfish is a necessity in a large reef tank. OK, they can be a MAJOR pain to acclimate (tho hardy once you do), and can go rogue on you, but not too many things more impressive as a center piece (or in my case, off-center piece )

[ca1ore]

Two month mark .....



Full tank shot ....



.... left end ....



.... right end ....



.... and newest additions!

All OK for the most part, though my Hippo does show a few suspicious spots periodically, but they don't materialize into anything so I am at something of a loss to explain.

Magnifica anemone has not moved off the tall rock, and the clowns are now laying eggs (twice, so far). Don't seem to be able to resist buying new fish, and I currently have, in various stages of QT, a Desjardini Sailfin, a Carpenter's Wrasse and a group of Pyramid Butterflyfish; though the latter are proving somewhat more problematic than their 'easy' designation.

[worm5406]

You need to figure out how to stitch that picture together.

[ca1ore]

A few minor tweaks:

1. Two MP40 pumps have proven to be on the low end of acceptable, so took advantage of the Vortech sale and picked up a 60 for the left end. Lot more flow, but also a lot more noise.
2. Added a Jabao 25 to the back wall to provide some flow along the back wall.
3. Planning to get one of those apex auto feeders.

[worm5406]

I looked in my storage... I now have 4 mp40's... hummm.. I thought I only had 2... hahahaha Well now I am ready and have no excuses for not enough flow.

[ca1ore]

Have added a few new animals to my tank. A QT'd desjardini sailfin went in on X-Mas day. I was expecting rough treatment from the resident yellow and purple, but I guess they are too busy beating the crap out of each other to actually notice anything new. Local reefer was selling a 6" squamosa clam for a good price, so I now have a second one. Wish I could find a gigas, but alas they seem to be unobtainable these days. Leopard wrasse trio doing well in the fuge. Next addition to the display will be this group of pyramid butterflyfish ......



I really like these fish, and am hoping in my big tank that they will move as a group. Have been having a tough time with them though. Bought an initial four online, all of which succumbed to a raging bacterial infection (my diagnosis, FWIW). Second quartet, bought locally, and through nitrofuracin green powder and now in chloroquine phosphate, appear to be faring better. If things go as planned, into the DT by the end of January. Most recent additions to QT are an Achilles Tang (doing well so far, two weeks in) and a Noaki (sp?) Wrasse.

Happy New Year to all my fellow reefers!

[maddmaxx]

what are the dimensions of the new tank?

[ca1ore]

Standard 265 - 84Lx30Tx24W

[ca1ore]

My next undertaking will be to bring some semblance of order to the various ancillary tanks that I either use or have bought and plan to use.



Basically, I want to make it easier to do water changes on the main display as well as on my trio of quarantine/hospital tanks - without lugging around buckets. Red lines are top off feeds, green lines are normal flow and blue lines are water change flow.

[ca1ore]

Tank continues to skate along the positive side of the 'thin edge of disaster'



Left end .....



.... the center .....



... and the right end ...... thus a FTS!



Most recent fish addition, a Desjardini Tang, and most recent invert addition, a nice squamosa clam.