The plunge - 90 gallon new build & newb question

[Tswifty]

Originally posted by melev
That is one healthy looking refugium. Very clean, and I love how the plants are fully submerged instead of at the surface. How is it anchored?

Thanks

I never actually anchored the Caulerpa myself...?

I rotate the "mass" once a week, and I noticed that it feels like I am breaking strands when I do it every week... then next week same thing.

Which tells me that the caulerpa is growing around the few pieces of LR in the refugium and the eggcrate grate anchoring itself. Ever since I changed my refugium light (3rd bulb I've tried- 26watt spiral energy saver - 6500K) the caulerpa seems to do this much quicker, and looks much healthier.

[Aquarist007]

Originally posted by Tswifty8
Here's a pic of how well the Caulerpa is doing now though (fuzz free):



The guy also told me that it does best when it isn't in a tight ball, and is loosley held together... you may have to wait until it matures a little more though.

there you go raising the bar on refugiums

can you post that new picture on the sump/fuge/macro thread?

thanks
Scott

[Aquarist007]

Originally posted by Tswifty8
Thanks

I never actually anchored the Caulerpa myself...?

I rotate the "mass" once a week, and I noticed that it feels like I am breaking strands when I do it every week... then next week same thing.

Which tells me that the caulerpa is growing around the few pieces of LR in the refugium and the eggcrate grate anchoring itself. Ever since I changed my refugium light (3rd bulb I've tried- 26watt spiral energy saver - 6500K) the caulerpa seems to do this much quicker, and looks much healthier.

didn't you but a layer of egg crate in the bottom--which they might be anchoring to??

[Tswifty]

Originally posted by capn_hylinur
there you go raising the bar on refugiums

can you post that new picture on the sump/fuge/macro thread?

thanks
Scott

Just did

Originally posted by capn_hylinur
didn't you but a layer of egg crate in the bottom--which they might be anchoring to??

Yep... I think they are anchoring to that and the LR that is in the fuge.

[Linina]

So today we redid the canopy to squeeze in 2 more T5's on another icecap 660. My husband was really thrilled to rip out everything that we just did a month or so ago and redo it! (sarcasm!). But he's a trooper:





This time no trouble with the new ballast thankfully:



And here's an updated Full tank shot. Having trouble with the mod on the right pulling vortexes which is why it's lower than the other one. Also the snails are hard at work on the algae.



And lastly here's a frag I picked up this weekend at the DARC swap.




Also added another phosban reactor with carbon in it today.

[freddie40]

Nice

Dave

[Linina]

Ok a couple things/questions.

Picked up some N. snails (too lazy to look up the proper spelling) - for the DSB in the sump, which is looking like it could use some critters. Mr. Evil Crab made it into the first chamber of the sump (I assume he climbed the Cheato) so now he's cozily living with my skimmer, heater and drain line with no apparent means of getting back to the sand chamber so figured I'd move in some critters. I can't wait to get rid of that guy. I have someone who wants to take him, not sure when though.

Question: Salifert Ca Test - you check the point when the color changes from "pinkish" to "a clear blue color". There's a point at which I first get a lavender color (more bluish purple, definitely not pink though) and then if I go 1-2 more drops it's more of a bluish color, but still kind of purplish tint. When I was done with the test I squirted the remaining reagent all into the vial just to see what it looked like and then it's way more clear light blue. So, my question is, at what point do you call the color change good?


My nitrates are now undetectable. I am starting to think maybe some of the green algae is dying, but I'm not sure if that's the case or if I'm just growing a new variety. Here's a pic - this whole outlet used to be covered in green fur and I think its wilting away. What do you think? New algae or dying old algae?

[freddie40]

Nassarius snails, a very good choice for a fuge

As for the Salifert, when you see the lavender add one more drop and you be close enough for government work.

Hard for me to tell about the algae, if it is just there don't worry. I always have algae on the pumps, nowhere else though.

Dave

[fareforce]

To me it looks like it is dying. =)

[Linina]

Ok I guess a couple more things....

1. Neptune's has a sweet looking purple firefish. What do you think of this as the next addition? Or would it be better to add corals next instead of any more fish?

2. This is gross, but the turbo snails really seem to .... well, 'produce waste' a lot. My nitrates are undetectable so I guess its not causing a problem, but I guess this is where my being new comes in....is the sump good enough filtration or do people run mechanical filters ever? (same question I guess would apply to if I blew gunk off the rock) The only real mechanical filtration I guess I have is the sponge in the final sump chamber that all water passes through to get back to the MT.

3. I don't know why but I feel like maybe the alternating maximods aren't enough flow (this could just be me being obsessive) but I'm eyeballing two more (especially since I just freed up a maxijet by putting a T between my two reactors rather than running a jet on each.). Thoughts? Would two more mods be overkill? If I added two more then I'd have 4 total mods that would run 2 at a time for 1.5 hours then swap to the other 2.

4. How do you know when your tank is ready for something more challenging/requiring a mature tank? There was a sweet clam at neptune's but I don't want to sacrifice something living because I'm being a newbie. I feel like I have a pretty good handle on the water parameters. The water testing and tweaking gig comes pretty naturally to this house as I was a biology major and my SO was a chemistry major (neither of us using that training now cept for the tank!). Anyway, enough said - just asking how you know when you are ready.

[Tswifty]

Purple Firefish

Cool in pairs

[Linina]

Ok Ok one more thing. With the alternating powerheads I get suicidal snails. Like, they climb onto the powerhead intakes - if the powerhead swapped on that second I don't think they'd enjoy that very much. I had a turbo sitting on the front of the 'off' mod the other day. I tried to pull him off (with gloves on, so couldnt use the fingernail to pry him off). He would not let go, so I left him. The powerhead came on while he was still on the front. I was surprised - it blew him off instantly. He seemed to pick himself up and move on, but, jeez. I can't babysit the powerheads 24/7. Do they figure out not to get on these or what?

[freddie40]

As for the powerheads, you are fine with just 2. With a ton of SPS I am having a ton of success with the same amount of water flow. With one Maximod and your return pump you have roughly 30x turnover. Plenty for a very successful tank.

Plan out your fish selection very carefully. You will have room for a total of 8 fish.

Patience is a very good thing when planning a reef aquarium. The slower you go the more success you will have. You are most of the way there in terms of waterflow lighting and chemical filtration. You now need to get the hang of husbandry.

As for mechanical filtration, it is a bad thing. Some people will use filter socks, but you need to change the every 1-2 days. Just keep on going the way you are now and you will have success.

If you go to quickly adding corals, fish, clams, ect you will find your tank either has a major algae outbreak or a crash. If you go slowly you will find everything always looks happy. Happy is a good thing.

Dave

[NeveSSL]

Very nice build! Great job!

I am digging your cat, too.

Brandon

[Aquarist007]

I have been really successful with this list:
yellow or tomini tang--only one--these are on the smaller side for tangs

coral beauty dwarf angel

blue green chromis--the only thing they endanger is themselves

anthias of any kind

variety of gobies and they get along with each other(I would stay away from the sand sifting ones)

pajama cardinal--neat fish to watch

basselettes--if you you like small colourful fish

yellow foxface--great algae eater

[Linina]

Ok this weekend I picked up a new member of the house. I had fortunately read about their color changes but I had no idea it would be so dramatic. I thought I killed him last night he looked so terrible to me - his dark part turns nearly white with dark splotches. VERY ALARMING to the person who just bought him and drove him home! I would not have been surprised to find him floating when I woke up, he looked that scary to me. Instead I found him back to normal and looking great.



I also dumped my 26 gallon freshwater (gave fish away to my dad) and converted it to this for kicks. I plan to move my zoas into here (who don't really seem all that thrilled since I went to the full 6 bulb blasting of light), this is going to be my low light tank.



The cheato is just stuffed in there for now, not sure if I'll keep it but wanted to have it in there for now at least.

[Tswifty]

Nice! I love foxface's they have such great personalities

[Linina]

I am really really liking him so far. I obsessed and obsessed all week over what fish to buy. I looked at blennies and wrasses but finally decided what I really wanted was a bigger fish, peaceful, herbivore, with some personality who would use the tank (tired of the clowns in their little corner routine!!). So I decided on a foxface and found this bicolor guy at the 2nd LFS I hit and snatched him up. This same LFS also had several Mystery Wrasses and a Scott's Fairy Wrasse. I called my SO while at the store and tried to get him to lookup info on the fairy wrasse (I hadn't heard of it). Lucky for him he couldn't find any worthwhile info so I stuck with my foxface decision....would have been quite a difference in price!

[Linina]

Alright minor correction - the wrasse I was oogling I believe was mislabeled - researching it online tonight, I believe it was actually a Labout's Fairy Wrasse (not Scott's). Either way I'm not sold on wrasse's since they tend to be jumper's and I am not particularly inclined to cover the back of my open canopy (maybe I'll be more motivated if/when I find a jumper I just MUST HAVE)

[Tswifty]

Yeah I'm not a huge fan of wrasses. I say that even though I plan on adding at least 2 (Mystery & Six Line)... I'll have to cover my overflow, which is a good idea anyway, but like you I'm not thrilled about making some sort of "backboard" to bounce those suckers back into the tank if they decide to go airborne. It's a huge jump over my overflow out of the back but better safe than sorry right...?

That's funny you mentioned the wrasse... I'm actually in the process of looking for some sort of schooling or group swimming fish, and the only ones I've seen are anthias, or chromis... until someone recently recommended 2 female and 1 male Labout's Fairy Wrasses. Before that I had never heard of them.

[pRadaaaaa]

Hi Linina, what did you use to apply the black background? Was it Krylon Fushion? it looks nice, I was debating if I should spraypaint(KF) the background. Thanks.

[Linina]

On my 90 I tried vaseline to hold the black liner on, I had read about that on this forum but its not staying on that well.

On the 26 that I just converted I bought Rustoleum oil based paint (idea from TSwifty's thread!) and a mini roller and rolled it on. It worked great. (Just remember if you use oil based that you can't clean it up with water! Pick up some paint thinner/mineral spirits/whatever while you are there! - I had to make an emergency run back to home depot (with black fingers!) because I forgot!
I'm sure spray paint would work but I didnt want to get spray paint everywhere and I liked the idea of the thickness of rolling paint on.

I also noticed a new spray paint at home depot that was 'all surface' krylon - it even listed glass. If I had been willing to try spray, I probably would've bought this stuff.

[Nano Chris]

Originally posted by ChrisMc73
They have shut off switches/valves you can buy for that RO unit...dont they?

Yep i have one on my ro/di but you got to be carefull the first one i had broke it was made by kent marine i think and started flooding the room good thing i found out. Now i use a coralife.

Also that thing you were talking about may be a sponge of some sort.

[Aquarist007]

Originally posted by Linina
Ok this weekend I picked up a new member of the house. I had fortunately read about their color changes but I had no idea it would be so dramatic. I thought I killed him last night he looked so terrible to me - his dark part turns nearly white with dark splotches. VERY ALARMING to the person who just bought him and drove him home! I would not have been surprised to find him floating when I woke up, he looked that scary to me. Instead I found him back to normal and looking great.



I also dumped my 26 gallon freshwater (gave fish away to my dad) and converted it to this for kicks. I plan to move my zoas into here (who don't really seem all that thrilled since I went to the full 6 bulb blasting of light), this is going to be my low light tank.



The cheato is just stuffed in there for now, not sure if I'll keep it but wanted to have it in there for now at least.

they are very hardy and friendly--eventually they will stop changing colour so drammatically--when they get used to normal everyday occurances

[Linina]

Alright things are going well I think. The foxface and turbos have demolished any sign of green algae and I'm starting to worry for the turbos. They are enjoying nori so far but I probably need to give away 2 or 3 of the 5 turbos because I'm afraid they are hungry. They descend upon the nori really fast.






Here's the sump. All signs of green algae gone. I have some sort of red algae (the purple fuzz) going on but I'm afraid to take it out because A> its in the sump so hard to care and B> tons of pods in each chunk of purple. Thoughts?



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