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06/10/2015, 02:03 PM | #1 |
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 9,207
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JBNY's 270 Ver2.0
I am restarting my tank after an abysmal few years of problems. Hopefully this tank will be awesome and I will have lots of SPS pictures when the tank starts growing.
I have a tank thread that goes into excruciating detail about my build, but I will be more than happy to answer any and all questions here. This tank is a reset. My last system, grown just from frags, burnt out spectacularly from this to this a year later Here is the short version of what happened and then continued to happen for some time. When I was first setting up this tank, it was an upgrade from a previous tank. While I was doing the build, I had all my live rock being held by a friend. While there it got infected by a sponge called Collospongiais sp. This sponge slowly grows and kills everything, nothing eats it, getting it out is very difficult and it easily rips apart. It grows and covers anything, I had found it earlier but thought I had it all removed. After the tank was going for about 2 years, I had a particularly nasty battle with Bryopsis, after I beat that I had lost a big chunk of coral and saw that the sponge was all over the rock work and under the coral. I had not seen it previously because of the amount of coral in the tank. So I spent 6 months trying to get the sponge out, and finally had to replace all the rock and start over. After the tank started to recover, I got hit by hurricane Sandy and lost all the rest of the coral. Three months later some fish disease hit that took out half my fish (3 that I had had for over 10 years). Finally once that was done I started some home renovations that set me back a year. Unhappy times for me, but eventually it was time to get the tank back in business, so here were are. I started getting the tank ready for coral in December of 2014 and it took me about 5 months to get the system back. I had a tough time getting the tank in balance and stable and then a tough time getting SPS to start doing well. But since May the tank has been doing really fine, so now I am hopeful that the tank is back on track. Unfortunately for you reading this thread, starting a tank with frags is what I like to do. When the tank fills up with coral, it is my least favorite time of reefkeeping, nothing to do but clip corals. Watching the tank grow from frags to a full reef is my favorite part, I am in no rush to get to the finish line. Right now I think I have about 22 frags in the main tank. Most are wild corals that I was able to get clippings of. A few of the frags are a little beat up from the last few months but they are now recovering nicely. Not much now, but hopefully soon. FTS for now I like having rock in the tank, I feel the fish enjoy the tank more with places to hide and go in and out of during the day. I think I have it setup for me to be able to position corals well. Thanks for looking!
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-Joe TOTM Sept 2002 | Reefland April 2004 | CORAL Magazine Nov 2007 Featured Tank "Coral Reef Aquarium" 2011 | Reef Spotlight 2018 Current Tank Info: 270G SPS Tank, 140G sumps, 35G Frag Tank, Ultra Reef Akula UKS-200 Skimmer, Apex, Giesemann Spectra 3x250W MH 4x80W T5, 2xReefbrite Tech 72" Blue LED, Triton Dosing, ARID C30 Algae Reactor, Maxspect Gyre |
06/10/2015, 02:37 PM | #2 |
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Location: Houma, LA
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Wow, that had to be hard to watch. Best of luck on the restart.
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Mark Beware the light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes it's a train. Current Tank Info: 120, LED, Bare Bottom, SPS/LPS |
06/10/2015, 03:00 PM | #3 |
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Sub'd
I like watching frags fill out a tank too
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Member of Wine Country Reefers Current Tank Info: 75 gal SPS dominant reef. Geo calcium reactor with masterflex pump, Deltec 1455 skimmer, 2 mp40QD, mp10wes, lit by a 6x54 dimable ATI sunpower and controlled by Reef Angel |
06/10/2015, 04:23 PM | #4 |
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Davenport, Iowa
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Following along. I like your scape. Lots of room for corals. Looks great.
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06/10/2015, 04:37 PM | #5 |
Acro Whore
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 1,631
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Nice scape, I'm in!
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Mixed reef emphasis on SPS. Tangs, Triggers, Bartlets, CBB, Goldflake Angel, and a Pigmy or two. Current Tank Info: 250G SPS Mixed Reef. ATLAS 84x28x24. SuperMarin 250. Cebu Sun 3 x 250WMH Radiums 4 x 80W T5. Profilux 3 w/GHL dosing CA-ALK-MG. Moved by Tunze and Vertex. Reef Octopus 5K return. |
06/10/2015, 04:48 PM | #6 |
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In 2002 there were hardly any acros being collected and sold in LFS in Australia. I had been in the hobby about a year from memory and had a tank full of LPS etc like everyone else and i remember showing the owner of my LFS your TOTM article when he told me SPS were almost impossible to keep and were all green or brown anyway. The collectors didn't like them because nearly all of them RTN'd prior to shipping or DOA at the LFS's.
Two weeks later i picked up my first two acros, both green and very boring looking compared to what we see now but to me they were like bloody diamonds and they grew and i never looked back. Before you get any warm fuzzy feelings be aware that i was ranting in the shop with lines like ' it's a bloody joke that this yank has got a tank full of acros and you can't even get me some when we have the GBR - just get me some bloody acros ! ' It's thirteen years late but i wanted to say thank you Joe goes without saying that i'll be following your journal with great interest mate
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Andrew |
06/10/2015, 07:07 PM | #7 |
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Joe,
Congrats on the V2, I am sure you will have tremendous success. Best of luck to you
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Perry "Anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die" ~Buddha~ Current Tank Info: 50 Gallon AIO Cube, Aquamaxx WS-1 Skimmer, LED/ Hybrid 4x24 watt t5 |
06/10/2015, 07:21 PM | #8 |
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Excellent start to the rebuild!!!!
It's funny, I was subscribed to your original thread and followed along until I had to get out of the hobby some years ago. Now that my life is more stable and back in I'm thrilled to have V2 to follow! Whiskey
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This video shows 15 months of coral growth in my tank in a 30 second timelapse: https://youtu.be/bF6C57aTDEo |
06/10/2015, 07:29 PM | #9 |
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Subscribed!
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-Mark TOTM March 2001 Current Tank Info: 225g stony reef, 38g softie |
06/11/2015, 08:55 AM | #10 | |||
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Thanks Mark, it was not a fun time, losing the fish was the worst. I had not added any fish to the tank for about 3 years and then one day, ick was all over my Coral Beauty (I had had him for 11 years at the time). From there, it just spread and I just kept losing fish over the next 6 weeks. My final thoughts were that something got into the tank (I have an open top) and killed off the fish.
Right? You never know what the coral will looks like when it has grown up, more fun for me than popping a full grown colony in. Like this guy that I got in as a little frag. 12/2008 two months in the tank 2/2009 two months later it is starting to color up and branch out a little 5/2010 15 months later, it grew to this beauty. Thanks, I used Marco rock this time, What you can't see it that most of the structure in the middle and back is all open. A few big pieces of shelf rock are in there and I was really able to keep the rock work open despite there being a decent amount of rock. Quote:
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Thanks Mark!
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-Joe TOTM Sept 2002 | Reefland April 2004 | CORAL Magazine Nov 2007 Featured Tank "Coral Reef Aquarium" 2011 | Reef Spotlight 2018 Current Tank Info: 270G SPS Tank, 140G sumps, 35G Frag Tank, Ultra Reef Akula UKS-200 Skimmer, Apex, Giesemann Spectra 3x250W MH 4x80W T5, 2xReefbrite Tech 72" Blue LED, Triton Dosing, ARID C30 Algae Reactor, Maxspect Gyre |
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06/11/2015, 09:41 AM | #11 |
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Doug TOTM April 2001 Current Tank Info: 50g sumpless sps tank..Evergrow 2081 led..Apex control..Tunze 9012 skimmer..Tunze calcium reactor..Tunze kalk reactor..2 rw8,s..1 MP40..1 Hydor Korillia 1200gph..Tunze ATO..all propagated sps frags |
06/11/2015, 10:15 AM | #12 |
Ultimate Reefer
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: London, UK
Posts: 8,540
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Keenly following your new thread.
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06/11/2015, 10:29 AM | #13 |
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Join Date: Jun 2004
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Looks like you are off to a good start. I like the rock work, they look healthy. I totally agree, growing coral out is rewarding.
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06/11/2015, 10:07 PM | #14 |
Reefing On My Mind
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Kempton, IL
Posts: 8,083
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I'm thinking about doing a complete reset when I get my 185 going. Best of luck on the new tank. I'd be surprised if it didn't turn out fantastic.
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Randy Volunteers, Blackhawks, Titans, Cubs!!!! Current Tank Info: 185g waiting to be built, 120g SPS/Anemone Reef, 120g SCA in the works, 58g mixed reef w/ 6x39w T5, 125g grow out w/ Reef Breeders |
06/12/2015, 11:54 AM | #15 |
Acros & wieners, oh my!
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Oceanside, California
Posts: 3,706
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Wow. I didn't realize that your tank had taken a turn for the worse. As much as it pained you, a reset is the best way to move forward. It just sucks that you ended up battling something that most people don't know about: invasive sponges. I know something similar happened to Adee(Amfynn) and sometimes its just time to start from scratch.
Maybe our reef environs are a little too successful in making things comfortable for all the pest algaes, sponges, hydroids, and critters. I don't remember the invasive stuff being such a problem years ago. The Marco rocks will at least prevent you from having to deal with some of that. I am very very glad that you are sticking with it. You have a real love for the hobby and we need ambassadors like you. Its depressing how many former TOTM are shut down within a year or two of achieving that honor. Best of luck and Ill be rooting for you!
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- Matt I call the big one "Bitey" - Homer Simpson See my tank thread here: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2468548 Current Tank Info: 120 Gallon Rimless Starphire Shallow Reef. Reef Octopus Diablo EXT-200 skimmer, Chaeto Reactor, Lighting: ATI Sunpower 8X39W, 6X39W Sunpower |
06/12/2015, 01:26 PM | #16 | |||
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Thanks guys, I'll try hard to produce a kickin tank!
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I actually was ready to pull to plug much earlier. About 2 months before the bryopsis set in, the tank basically still looked as it did in the first shot just a little more grown in. I called one of my friends to come over because I was thinking of breaking down the tank. So he, and another friend, come over and look at the tank, and I'm like, yeah I think I am going to pull it down and replace all the rock and start over. They look at me like I am out of my mind. I show them the sponge that is under some of the colonies on the rock. They both agree that with aggressive treatment I can get it out and not break down the tank. So they are show me how with Muratic acid and needles I can inject the acid under the sponge and it will come off in sheets. So I tried that for about a year before I finally gave in and started to replace the rock.
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-Joe TOTM Sept 2002 | Reefland April 2004 | CORAL Magazine Nov 2007 Featured Tank "Coral Reef Aquarium" 2011 | Reef Spotlight 2018 Current Tank Info: 270G SPS Tank, 140G sumps, 35G Frag Tank, Ultra Reef Akula UKS-200 Skimmer, Apex, Giesemann Spectra 3x250W MH 4x80W T5, 2xReefbrite Tech 72" Blue LED, Triton Dosing, ARID C30 Algae Reactor, Maxspect Gyre |
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06/12/2015, 02:23 PM | #17 |
Super Housemonkey!
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: St Louis Mo
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In on page one.
Joe, I've been following your original thread. Your 180 was stunning, and and your 270 newly set up was stunning. I look forward to this iteration of your 270 being better than the two previous set ups.
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A good friend will come and bail you out of jail...but, a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "Damn, that was fun!" |
06/13/2015, 08:01 AM | #18 |
Two Decade club
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Joe any problems with the Dwarfs nipping? And how are the yellow Assessors doing?
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Proud LIRA Member February 2011 Manhattan Reefs TOTM Current Tank Info: 170 gal Reef, 20 gal frag/reef,90 gal fuge, 65 gal sump, 2-250 Radiums on Hamilton M80 HQIs, T5 actincs, Vertex in280 skimmer, MRC-2 Cal Reactor, Reeflo return pump |
06/13/2015, 12:50 PM | #19 | ||
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So they do nip, but whether that is a problem remains to be seen, I don't think they really do anything other than inhibit polyp extension, I'm fine with that. As they grow and color up, no worries from me. The assessors are doing great, they just are not out in the open all the time. They hang out under the ledges and in the back of the tank. But they eat like champs during feeding, so hopefully in time they will actually be in the water column in the daytime.
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-Joe TOTM Sept 2002 | Reefland April 2004 | CORAL Magazine Nov 2007 Featured Tank "Coral Reef Aquarium" 2011 | Reef Spotlight 2018 Current Tank Info: 270G SPS Tank, 140G sumps, 35G Frag Tank, Ultra Reef Akula UKS-200 Skimmer, Apex, Giesemann Spectra 3x250W MH 4x80W T5, 2xReefbrite Tech 72" Blue LED, Triton Dosing, ARID C30 Algae Reactor, Maxspect Gyre |
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06/14/2015, 01:55 AM | #20 |
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Your last tank was an absolute inspiration. It must have been tough to finally make that decision to start over. The new setup looks very good, I really like the layout. Lots of space for corals. I'll be following along, best of luck
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06/14/2015, 08:29 AM | #21 |
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wow!!! That is amazing grow for 15 months...
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Zeovit DTOTQ Q3 2015 RC TOTM April 2016 Reef Hobbyist Magazine Q2 2017 R二R TOTM Oct 2017 Aquaforest ROTM June 2019 |
06/14/2015, 08:58 AM | #22 |
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Awesome. I'm happy that things are moving right along for you!
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Jim Current Tank Info: SCA 150G, 5 inch sand bed, 2 Tunze 6095s, ReefBreeders v2+ 50" with 2 all Blue Reefbrites, and Continuous Water Change System |
06/14/2015, 11:18 AM | #23 |
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Thats a beautiful echinata. Hope mine grows up to look like that...
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Doug TOTM April 2001 Current Tank Info: 50g sumpless sps tank..Evergrow 2081 led..Apex control..Tunze 9012 skimmer..Tunze calcium reactor..Tunze kalk reactor..2 rw8,s..1 MP40..1 Hydor Korillia 1200gph..Tunze ATO..all propagated sps frags |
06/14/2015, 05:31 PM | #24 |
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Good luck with V2
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Bill "LOL, well I have no brain apparently. " - dc (Debi) Current Tank Info: Far too many tanks according to my wife, LOL. |
06/22/2015, 08:14 AM | #25 |
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JB...I have no doubts your green thumb has gone away...
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Go with what works for you. Current Tank Info: Envisions 400g (96x32x30) online January 2012. 4-72" VHOs,7-OceanRevive T247,Aquamaxx Cone 6 Skimmer, Aquamaxx S3 CR,Aquariumplants CO2 regulator, Jebao SOW20's, 80w Emperor UV, tang dominated with anthias and longspine cards |
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