Greg's 75g [Archive] - Page 4 - Canreef Aquatics Bulletin Board

gregzz4

08-09-2013, 05:37 AM

Some corals have doubled in size since last year, and some have done nothing
I've been on a bit of a rollercoaster with dosing so ... it is what it is for now

Sorry I don't have more time right now, or a better camera
There's some growth happening but my POS Sony isn't up to it

Another member stated they would come by one day with their 'Big Camera', but that hasn't happened, so this is all I have

Hey, look, pictures !!!

Picked up a Porcelain 'nem crab

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02120_zps4ac209c4.jpg

Although it wasn't my intention, it went right for our nems the next day
I only bought the little feller as I thought it's very nice looking
Unfortunately the nems aren't looking very bubbly as of late
I don't know why
I hope to solve this soon
I suspect it's a lack of suspended nutrients and extreme lighting as that's the kind of system they came from
I haven't been blasting the nems with light 'cause, if you've been following along, my SPS were suffering bleaching
I've been feeding the 'nems once monthly and hope things turn around soon

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02127_zpsb5a774c4.jpg

A FTS, just for posterity
And look, there's actually fish in this pic :wink:

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02115_zps031cb0a6.jpg

lastlight

08-09-2013, 06:29 AM

Ouch that big guy bleached hard. I'm recovering from some of that myself. Nice score with the crab I really want to have a few of those again. Fascinating critters.

kien

08-09-2013, 03:23 PM

that's looking good man. I love those arches!

Bblinks

08-10-2013, 04:27 PM

Great rock work Greg and now finally everything is starting to grow in. Looking good buddy!

Rice Reef

08-10-2013, 05:08 PM

Greg, but time we got a pic update. The tank is really taking off, especially thar gorg! let's have more tank progression pics from here on! :biggrin:

gregzz4

08-25-2013, 12:51 AM

Thanks everybody :smile: I hope it starts to fill in a bit faster now

I recently received an RD1 from DA. I've removed the RKL Head Unit from the QT and wired everything into the RKL, with the RD1 on the QT door
Now I'm able to play with the RKL from the sump room. And because I have 2 SL1s I was able to add 2 more switches to the system.
I put a float in the skimmer cup and another in the chaeto tank.
I love having more powerbars too. Pretty much all the automation I wanted is now in place.
One last thing may be a Net module; so I can freak out while I'm away and send texts to my tank sitter :lol:

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02148_zpse2a80679.jpg

A couple weeks ago my skimmer was acting up and it turned out there was a bug stuck on the fresh air intake I put out the window.
I picked up a breather filter so that won't happen again

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02134_zps90e35bf3.jpg

The green birdsnest isn't as bleached as it looks in FTSs

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02139_zps1f48f0f2.jpg

I played with my camera settings a bit
This is about the best I can get

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02145_zps75cc059d.jpg

gregzz4

08-25-2013, 03:00 AM

Time for some growth pics

6/28/12
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC01225.jpg

8/24/13
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02179_zps7235491e.jpg

8/15/12
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC01349_zps76986d0c.jpg

8/24/13
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02165_zpsa8218afe.jpg

8/24/13
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02166_zps3696fe69.jpg

8/28/12
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC01397-1_zps023bf14c.jpg

8/24/13
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02149_zps275ef5a4.jpg

8/31/12
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC01412_zps1de6c7ca.jpg

8/24/13
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02169_zpse35c1006.jpg

9/13/12
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC01441_zps54c0b530.jpg

8/24/13
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02174_zps57df5f5c.jpg

9/13/12
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC01442_zps8dd7c097.jpg

8/24/13
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02175_zpsedd9913f.jpg

Yellow Coris (Junior)
3/15/13
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC01940_zps5e621872.jpg

3/15/13
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC01941_zps26b8d518.jpg

He's already as big as our Lubbock's (Asrai)
8/24/13
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02164_zps5cfb651f.jpg

gregzz4

08-31-2013, 07:20 PM

I picked up a 1LB piece of LR from J&L for the chaeto/fuge tank
From now on, I'll try to remember to refer to it as the fuge as I've given up on chaeto
A few days ago I plumbed the fuge pump directly from the first sump chamber, so now it's getting unfiltered water
The new rock

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02193_zpsbe9a8e75.jpg

I currently have a piece of filter material (http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/cl-amgr19/Lifegard+Aquatics+Aquamesh+Filter+Material+%28Gree n%29+19x24+Inch.html) in the fuge for the stars and pods to live in and will put the rock in once I'm comfortable thinking it's pest-free
Last night I found this little one in the rock and am setting it free in the DT
That's my thumb nail it's sitting on

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/Crab1_zps4dd6ab02.jpg

Then, after getting a pic of the rock, I find this teeny crab

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02200_zpsb38e3ceb.jpg

I'm going to bait a glass and we'll see how many there are :smile:

LoJack

09-01-2013, 02:20 PM

Tank looks fantastic. Great Job. And that crab is very peculiar looking. I don't think I've ever seen one like that before.

kien

09-01-2013, 02:26 PM

Wow that crab looks cool! And you even have a mini-me version! :-)

91Atrac

09-01-2013, 07:20 PM

Great pics and tank. Too high tech for me lol! Cool growth pics as well.

gregzz4

10-06-2013, 12:54 AM

As you may remember my SPS were suffering from low nutrients
I cut my GFO use in half, started feeding the corals, and near doubled the fish food

Well, the corals are bouncing back, but what I initially thought was algae is looking more and more like green and red cyano :sad:
This may explain my not so pulsing xenia ...

I tested my PO4 today and (bad me) it's up to 0.24
So now I'm back to regular GFO use, and back to siphoning the sand 'till I get this under control
I'm also skimming a little wetter than before

I'm going to try this route before jumping on the Chemiclean bandwagon

So, on the plus side, my bleached corals have gone from pale and white to colorful and some even a bit brown
The green birdsnest is almost normal again, and the green slimer is actually green. But the tricolor is mostly brown
And I guess the RBTA likes the water as it's gone from 2 to 4 since Aug

Hopefully I can find a balance sometime soon

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02237_zps89fb7ffb.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02238_zps02a9aeb6.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02242_zps49c7b6ad.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02244_zps51439552.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02239_zps5b3ce9ab.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02245_zpse7959376.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02246_zpsf1119d0e.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02247_zps33635626.jpg

steve fedyk

10-06-2013, 01:20 AM

Cyano is good hermit crab food.

gregzz4

10-19-2013, 07:51 AM

Cyano appears to be calming down
Forgot to do a PO4 test tonight before the weekly WC. C'est la vie

Just fired up the QT, so stay tuned for some new fishies :wink:
And possibly some more tank issues, but I need more fish poop for the corals, so I'll deal with things as they occur

Currently have 5 RBTAs and am wondering if they are splitting so fast due to irritation from the porcelain nem crab ?
They are splitting at a much smaller size than they used to
I'm monitoring what is going on and thinking I may get rid of the crab

Our clown, Goober, isn't being hosted, but spends much of his day patrolling the nem area, swimming between all of the tentacles, and keeping the emerald crabs away and such
The claws come out, but the clown eventually wins through sheer persistence with his constant poking/nudging
I'm OK with him not beating up the nems by being inside them and we enjoy the show when a critter gets too close to the area
Goober (aptly named) will even shake away trying to scare off snails :rolleyes:

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_0347_zpscda8259c.jpg

Coralgurl

10-19-2013, 08:48 AM

Clowns are awesome! My nem split this week too, beating on moving so all three clowns have a nem to host! Tank is looking great!!

gregzz4

10-22-2013, 02:05 AM

The QT is alive again
I spent more than planned, but isn't that always the way with this hobby ?

I'm going to have to be extra vigilant for awhile with clean water, but it's worth it
I bought a Neon Goby, Redhead Goby and a Purple Firefish
For Wrasses, I bought a Melanurus, a Filamented Flasher, and a Solar and a Whipfin Fairy

Everybody ate live last night, and all 5 big guys ate NLS for lunch with the gobies possibly nibbling on leftovers
Tonight I tried the Nori clip and the wrasses went bananas for it, with the firefish cleaning up the leftovers
So far so good

There's been no squabbling, and the gobies hang out together

I'm also really happy with the quality of the fish from J&L as all these guys have good-sized bellies and (fingers crossed) no visible signs of disease

No time for decent pics right now, but here's a FTS with everyone visible

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02271_zpsb119ff66.jpg

duncangweller

10-22-2013, 04:30 AM

That's a nice haul of fish you have there. I've been looking for a couple of nice wrasses to add to my tank

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

Madreefer

10-22-2013, 05:37 AM

Hey Greg what page is it where you've set up your quarantine tank? Is it plugged in to your main system or is it seperate? I've dug an old tank out of my junk pile and will now be using a quarantine for future fish purchases. Nice fish you've grabbed. I was reading about you feeding more etc and your coral growth. I took my filter socks off line last Jan. My corals took right off since. If your not using them for micro bubbbles it might also help in their growth as well.

Wheelman76

10-22-2013, 06:00 AM

Madreefer

10-22-2013, 06:12 AM

michika

10-22-2013, 02:23 PM

Hey Greg,

Can you comment more on your green cyano? Do you have any more photos? Was it ever kind of neon-y in colour?

Nice new additions! Your tank is looking really good regardless of the cyano.

gregzz4

10-22-2013, 02:34 PM

Thanks guys. I'm very happy with our new fish

Bill, the QT is on page 15 and is totally separate, but is now connected to my RKE instead of a separate RKL. It has it's own ATO as well

If we're thinking the same hose that goes up, that's for the 'fuge. That pump is now in the skimmer chamber so it's unfiltered
If you're looking at the black hose that goes left, that's for the UV/Chiller circuit

I've thought about removing my socks but still have to ponder the arguements before I make a choice

kien

10-22-2013, 02:39 PM

If you have your quarantine plumbed into your main system ,then there wouldn't really be any point in quarantining , as you would risk introducing any possible disease into the main system.

I think that there are different levels of quarantining. Some QT systems are completely separate and disconnected from the main system. This method would be for treatments, etc. However, I have in fact seen QT systems that were attached to the main display. The point of a QT system that is attached to the main display would be to simply house a new fish and adapt them to tank conditions slowly. This allows them time to recover from shipping/moving without the added stress of being picked on by the established tank inhabitants. In this way you're kinda giving them their own room and time to adjust. This would also be a good time to adapt them to any foods that they might not otherwise be accustomed to. Certainly though, as you said, this method of QT'ing does not eliminate your risk of introducing disease into your tank, nevertheless it does serve a purpose.

gregzz4

10-22-2013, 02:45 PM

Hey Greg,

Can you comment more on your green cyano? Do you have any more photos? Was it ever kind of neon-y in colour?

Nice new additions! Your tank is looking really good regardless of the cyano.
Thank you

No more pics at this time
It was a light neon green on the sand, as well as some light red. It was never thick in the DT but held tons of bubbles
The stuff I scraped out of the 'fuge was the thick slimy red stuff

I upped my GFO back to the normal amount and siphoned the cyano from the sandbed, as well as removed it all from the 'fuge
That was a week ago Friday
The 'fuge is still clear and the sand is only barely 'infected'

I do believe it started because I was trying to saturate the tank with food for the corals, and I let my PO4 get too high

michika

10-22-2013, 03:14 PM

Madreefer

10-22-2013, 03:18 PM

Ha, ya I know. I actually sold my 125 last Nov. It didn't fit the livingroom well enough and I didn't like the deflection it caused to the floor

What do you mean by this? I'm hoping my tank won't be too heavy for my floor

gregzz4

10-23-2013, 01:06 AM

What do you mean by this? I'm hoping my tank won't be too heavy for my floor
I just never liked how I could make the tank move by walking heavily in the middle of the living room
The tank was against a 2x6 load-bearing wall, but the joists span 12'
If I was worried about it I would have installed a jack post or a support wall downstairs, but I didn't want another storage room in the recroom :wink:

Both an Engineer and a builder friend told me to relax, but don't have a dozen people in the living room at one time

gregzz4

10-23-2013, 01:17 AM

Good to know its 'beatable'. I've been dealing with it since the flood, I can barely stay ahead of it. I am still kicking myself that 3 missed water changes could have such a long standing impact.

Thanks for the reply.
I'm not 100% sure that my green stuff is cyano
I was thinking it's more an algae than a bacteria as it's so light colored

gregzz4

10-24-2013, 05:00 AM

Guys in QT are doing very well and getting along 'swimmingly'

Ya, I said it

They all have names but 1, so they better make it into the DT :wink:
No signs of diseases etc and all eat very well
Nori, NLS pellets, mysis and some fortified brine shrimp I need to use up

Thanks to Brad for posting sometime last year about putting foams in the sump to seed a QT filter
I did this last time around in May, but killed the bacteria with meds :twised:
I think the foams sat for a few months this time, and I've already put more in, just in case

I've been using Stability and an Ammo Alert, as I've always done, and never saw any NH3, even with my Elos kit
We've been checking the badge at roughly 7am, 12pm (lunch feeding), 2-3pm (after lunch), 6pm, and 10pm (2 hours after dinner feeding)
I've checked with the Elos kit every night at roughly 6pm and nothing ...
Tonight I tested 0.5 NO2 and a trace of NO3
Looking good, considering there's 7 fish (11" or so) in a 20g

I can't wait to get these guys into the DT, although I'll have to transfer them in a couple batches a week or so apart (when the time comes) and Stability for the DT for a week each batch

mrhasan

10-24-2013, 05:11 AM

Greg....you are the MOST patient person I have EVER seen, not only in THIS hobby but TILL this time of MY life! :surprise:

(Sorry for CAPing some of those words :redface:)

Rice Reef

10-24-2013, 05:18 AM

Looking forward to pics of them wrasse! I had picked up a melanarus too a few weeks ago when I was over at JL...

Coralgurl

10-24-2013, 05:19 AM

I just never liked how I could make the tank move by walking heavily in the middle of the living room
The tank was against a 2x6 load-bearing wall, but the joists span 12'
If I was worried about it I would have installed a jack post or a support wall downstairs, but I didn't want another storage room in the recroom :wink:

Both an Engineer and a builder friend told me to relax, but don't have a dozen people in the living room at one time

Try having a 120 lb goofy lab running around, he uses the fish room as a launching and landing pad up and down the stairs!! Tank def moves, fish think someone's coming to feed them all the time!! :lol:

Greg....you are the MOST patient person I have EVER seen, not only in THIS hobby but TILL this time of MY life! :surprise:

(Sorry for CAPing some of those words :redface:)

+ 1000

Tank is looking so good Greg! Love the new fishes, hope you share their names soon!

gregzz4

10-24-2013, 05:42 AM

Greg....you are the MOST patient person
I don't know about that, but maybe someone should start a poll :lol: NOT

It's my Reef OCD Raied :wink: I MUST keep the DT safe ... even if I lose some guys in the QT (which happened last May)
But to tell you the truth, there are days where I fight with myself to stay patient!!

Looking forward to pics of them wrasse! I had picked up a melanarus too a few weeks ago
Cool Wayne! Great fish. I love it
This is the one I can't come up with a name for yet ...

Let's see some pics in your build thread
I haven't had a chance yet to get any good ones of ours, but I want to post some soon

Try having a 120 lb goofy lab running around ... hope you share their names soon!
Thanks Sheena!! (Sorry I skipped over your last post)
I'm almost proud of our DT now

Maybe you could teach your Lab to feed the fish :razz:
Oh god, I just had an image of a dog throwing up in a tank. Mmmm, food
I'm out there right now. Today was my last day and I start my new job Monday, so I'm kinda school-girl giddy and am having barley-pops for dinner :drinking:

I'll put their names up as soon as the Melanurus has one, but it'll take me some time as I feel such a beautiful fish deserves a great name

mrhasan

10-24-2013, 05:54 AM

I don't know about that, but maybe someone should start a poll :lol: NOT

It's my Reef OCD Raied :wink: I MUST keep the DT safe ... even if I lose some guys in the QT (which happened last May)
But to tell you the truth, there are days where I fight with myself to stay patient!!

:lol:

I gave up on being patient. Oh wait...I never was :redface:

gregzz4

10-24-2013, 05:56 AM

I gave up on being patient. Oh wait...I never was :redface:
Ha

kien

10-24-2013, 02:31 PM

I would agree that you are definitely one of the most methodical reefers I know. Looking forward seeing more! :-)

Coralgurl

10-24-2013, 04:24 PM

I'm almost proud of our DT now

Maybe you could teach your Lab to feed the fish :razz:
Oh god, I just had an image of a dog throwing up in a tank. Mmmm, food
I'm out there right now. Today was my last day and I start my new job Monday, so I'm kinda school-girl giddy and am having barley-pops for dinner :drinking:

You should be proud, its beautiful!!

DON'T says that about dog throw up, he's been on a roll lately, even did so in front of the sump a few weeks ago....GROSS

Congrats on the new job!!!! Wobbly pops are awesome, not so good for forum posting....lol

I would agree that you are definitely one of the most methodical reefers I know. Looking forward seeing more! :-)

OCD! Greg is going to come up with something unique that everyone is going to want/need to have and make MEELLIONS doing it!

gregzz4

10-24-2013, 07:25 PM

I would agree that you are definitely one of the most methodical reefers I know. Looking forward seeing more! :-)
I can't help it :rolleyes: I'm trying to have my tank look like so many such as your's
Thanks for the support

You should be proud, its beautiful!!
OCD! Greg is going to come up with something unique that everyone is going to want/need to have and make MEELLIONS doing it!
Thank you very much. I am proud, but wish things would start sprouting instead of spreading so much

If only I could come up with a new break-through, like the equivalent of a skimmer !
We'd be out of this house so fast and into one where I'd build a rediculous tank and work on it all day
This is the one hobby I wouldn't tire of as long as I had enough time

gregzz4

10-25-2013, 02:18 AM

OK, all the names are in :smile:
Here's to hoping all the QT guys make it to the DT ...

I hope to get better pics one day but for now here we go

Asrai - Lubbock's Fairy
Name comes from something I found on the web about a purple fairy
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/Asrai_zps664b009f.jpg

Benny - Starry Blenny
Name partly comes from the obvious, but also 'cause he looks like a bushy-eyed old man, and I though of Benny Hill
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/Benny_zpse312eaad.jpg

Blu - Neon Goby
Donna picked the name based on color and I'm OK with it due to it's spelling
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/Blu_zpsd6c3746b.jpg

Boo - Bangaii Cardinal
I can't politely explain the origin of this name
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/Boo_zps1942e36d.jpg

Cherry - Redhead Goby
Another of the Wife's picks due to color, but I'm OK with it
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/Cherry_zpsdf4c2ff7.jpg

Chloe - Purple Firefish
No idea how Donna came up with this one. I remember her wanting some more girly names
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/Chloe_zpsb54f3798.jpg

Floyd - Solar Fairy
Psychedelia and Pink Floyd. Coulda been worse. Coulda been named White Rabbit :wink:
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/Floyd_zps1ab8d8c4.jpg

Ginger - Whipfin Fairy
Name out of thin air ...
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/Ginger_zpsefaaf7a9.jpg

Goober - False Perc
Aptly named little retard
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/Goober_zps9df55c83.jpg

Gumby & Pokey - Pajama Cardinals
Originally named P & J. Names just came to us one night as they tend to bump and poke each other from time to time
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/GumbyampPokey_zpsd10a03c0.jpg

Hector - Hector's Goby
Yup, we're all about originality
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/Hector_zps34b791bc.jpg

Hunter - Melanurus Wrasse
Dark hunter green and a real seeker of food stuffs
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/Hunter_zpse32bbc2e.jpg

Junior - Yellow Coris Wrasse
Was the tiniest little guy in QT and has grown at an amazing rate. Almost was named Levi, but I nixed it then as I liked my name more :lol:
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/Junior_zps29e08752.jpg

Levi - Filamented Flasher
Had to let something be named Levi - to keep the peace :wink:
I was thinking more like Chevy
Guess I'll have to get another fish
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/Levi_zps68b6b1e1.jpg

tang daddy

10-25-2013, 04:37 PM

The new addition and all the other fish you have picked is a good community. Post more pics if your tank and coral!

gregzz4

10-31-2013, 03:02 AM

The new addition and all the other fish you have picked is a good community
Thanks Chris
We can hardly wait to add them to the DT and watch all the activity

Post more pics if your tank and coral!
OK then ... photodump !!

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_0548_zps3ce639e5.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_0546_zps6f54c32d.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_0540_zpsf9ae71b2.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_0538_zpsba4b4348.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_0535_zps40a6bb8e.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_0532_zps5e79c3e3.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_0529_zpsfdc4ed79.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_0527_zps353c5fd1.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_0525_zps1842e3ad.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_0523_zps1e8fdeda.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_0521_zps477cd7a3.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_0520_zps8aafb90e.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_0517_zps863f1b80.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_0514_zpse41b864a.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_0509_zps65a4e25f.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_0508_zpsa147d3ba.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_0506_zpsdaba3a5c.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_0504_zpsb5d97adf.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_0502_zps09684ba1.jpg

And one for the Keener

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_0515_zps080d06e7.jpg

Ram3500

10-31-2013, 03:26 AM

Looks great Greg ! I am glad to see those lakers haven't melted away :biggrin:

Reef Pilot

10-31-2013, 03:42 AM

Hey, Greg, that's some pretty nice stuff in there... Tank is coming along great. I like your selection of corals,... and fish.

gregzz4

10-31-2013, 04:00 AM

Looks great Greg ! I am glad to see those lakers haven't melted away :biggrin:
Thanks Ian
I'm glad too, and they're spreading to boot !

Hey, Greg, that's some pretty nice stuff in there... Tank is coming along great. I like your selection of corals,... and fish.
Thank you
I hope it takes off soon and looks like some of your guys' tanks :wink:

gregzz4

11-02-2013, 03:56 AM

Maybe the following is the reason why my corals are stalled ...

I've been using Elos kits for the 'Big 3' since Feb 2012
I've always tried my best to keep my tests as;
Alk 7.5-8.5
Ca 4-420
Mag 1350-1450

Because J&L is moving away from Elos and going with Salifert, I bought some kits to see what's up with my water
Tonight I tested a new bucket of IO from KE
Most of the tests are good;
New Saltwater
Alk Elos 11
Alk Sa 10.9
Ca Elos 410
Ca Sa 410
Mag Elos 1400
No Sa kit for mag yet

Here's where things get screwey

I tested my DT tonight with both kits, and re-tested only to get the same results

Alk Elos 8
Alk Sa 7.3
Ca Elos 400 (ya I know it's a bit low)
Ca Sa 400

How can the Elos kit read so close to the Salifert test on my New Salt Water (>.1), yet be so far off on my DT test ?
I tested both 2 times with the same results ...

Back when I started out, I tested my procedures against the J&L staff for my Elos stuff
And when I bought the new Salifert kits I used the bottle in the KH kit to confirm I'm using the product correctly

So, looks like I need to bump up my Alk some and maybe this will help my SPS ...
After all this time, and after e-mails with Elos about how to use their product, it looks like I still have low Alk :twised:

Dammed Elos
I tested my tank last week and Elos told my 8.5, but Salifert told me 7.7

I think I'm going to trust the Salifert tests from now on as they are more incremented

I was told by some experts, when I started this hobby, to use Elos :sad:

Aquattro

11-02-2013, 05:15 AM

I tested my tank last week and Elos told my 8.5, but Salifert told me 7.7 Honestly, both values are fine. Bumping from 7.7 to 8.3 isn't going to make a difference.

gregzz4

11-02-2013, 05:42 AM

Honestly, both values are fine. Bumping from 7.7 to 8.3 isn't going to make a difference.
I agree with you, but, if my tank has been running @ 7.0-7.3, when I thought it was @ 7.7-8.0, it may explain why my corals are only 'spreading' :wink:

I am going to bump up my Alk using the Salifert test and see what happens
I'm sure my SPS will be happier as I now feel the Elos kits are giving me false readings

Only time will tell

mrhasan

11-02-2013, 05:44 AM

I would trust salifert's reading. Despite having junk hardward (the syringe reading with fade away with use), I love how consistent they are with all the test. I never got any surprises till now from salifert (other than the quality of the 1ml syringe).

Alongside, I don't think 400ppm and 7.7dkh is problematic. That's the exact parameters of my tank. But I am starting zeovit so that's justified. I think its more about the balance of ca-co3 than the magnitude itself; as long as they are within the acceptable range.

Balanced Calcium and Alkalinity: (as per Randy Holmes-Farley)

360 ppm to 0 dKH
370 ppm to 1.4 dKH
380 ppm to 2.8 dKH
390 ppm to 4.2 dKH
400 ppm to 5.6 dKH
410 ppm to 7 dKH (natural seawater)
420 ppm to 8.4 dKH
430 ppm to 9.8 dKH
440 ppm to 11.2 dKH
450 ppm to 12.6 dKH
460 ppm to 14 dKH

When I used to run non-ULNS, I concentrated on keeping my parameters in the correct ratio (11.2dkh and 440ppm was my preference). HTH :D

Madreefer

11-02-2013, 05:57 AM

Don't fiddle Greg. Your parameters are fine and your corals look great.

Aquattro

11-02-2013, 12:50 PM

Don't fiddle Greg. Your parameters are fine and your corals look great.

Good advice. Leave it alone, the alk isn't going to make a difference. If I test alk, which is rare, I want somewhere around 7 or 8, which translates to anything from 6.5 to 9 is acceptable.

gregzz4

11-02-2013, 11:25 PM

Thanks for the advice guys
I'll just carry on as I have been then

hillegom

11-03-2013, 04:50 AM

Good thinking

gregzz4

11-10-2013, 05:58 AM

After an internal tug-of-war about when to add the new fish from QT, I transferred them from the QT to the DT last Sunday
They were all eating everything I wanted them to, and nobody had any signs of issues, so into the DT they went
For the record, I only QT'd them for 2 weeks, instead of my previous 6 week regimen
I don't recommend 2 weeks for anyone, and encourage all of you to QT your new critters for at least 6 weeks to monitor for anything that may 'pop up'

All the fishies we added looked really good, except for the filamented flasher
It was being picked on by the lubbock's and we were pretty sure it wouldn't make the night
We were right and I found the flasher in the morning with a hermit picking on it
RIP Levi :sad:

Beyond that, all has been good
I've had no NH3 readings, nor any NO2 or NO3 for that matter
I'm very surprised as I've doubled my fish load
The only thing I've noticed is some thicker nog and I've tweaked the adjuster on my skimmer to try and get some more goo
After a week, my skimmer is producing more crap relative to the amount of new fish and not overflowing, so all is good

I've brought my PO4 down from 0.24 before the new fishies, to 0.02 after the new additions, so all is under control there
All I did was go back to using the recommended amount of GFO and within 2 weeks it was back to normal
After 1 week of the new fish my PO4 is still only 0.02 - ish so all is good

All the new fish are getting along and have found their night-time locations

Guess I'll have to add some pics soon :wink:

Reef Pilot

11-10-2013, 03:04 PM

After an internal tug-of-war about when to add the new fish from QT, I transferred them from the QT to the DT last Sunday
They were all eating everything I wanted them to, and nobody had any signs of issues, so into the DT they went
For the record, I only QT'd them for 2 weeks, instead of my previous 6 week regimen
I don't recommend 2 weeks for anyone, and encourage all of you to QT your new critters for at least 6 weeks to monitor for anything that may 'pop up'

Just curious, why you didn't go the full length with your QT? Don't mean to put a damper on with your new fish, and truly hope everything turns out OK.

But I say this, because as you may or may not know QTing new fish is my personal soapbox. A year and half ago, I decided to play Russian Roulette just this one time, and I lost. What happened is that I bought a couple fish from "our favorite LFS". I put them in my QT, but because I also bought a couple shrimp, was not able to do my usual hypo routine (2+ months for me). So I observed them for a couple weeks, and got them feeding. Everything looked good, so I added them to my display tank.

Well, just my luck (not), a couple weeks later, I see a few of my fish scratching. And sure enough, I got another Ich attack. It took about 3 months, losing several fish, before that finally subsided. Ironically, none of my new fish (orange spot sleeper gobies) got the Ich or showed any symptoms. But they obviously were carriers.

gregzz4

11-15-2013, 04:14 AM

Walter, I was thinking about a few things when I decided to cut the QT time short
I've lost fish in QT before and wanted to avoid it for their benefits
Why risk healthy fish due to paranoia ?

Top of my list was a bunch of wrasses that may not do well in a small tank with no LR etc. I use a tray of sand, but only 2 of the 7 fish were using it, so the rest were 'hiding' behind stuff at night. I felt they could be happier

Next thought was they look good, are eating very well and if they had MI, now it's in the QT so I'll get them out before it hatches and jumps back on them. And if they had MI at the time, they would have shown signs, which they weren't. No flashing, rapid breathing etc. And by 2 weeks, if there were any other nasty diseases it (hopefully) would have shown by then. As I stated, they were all perfectly healthy with no marks, worms etc

Third thought was I couldn't feed them as much as I wanted to without doing more than one WC per week as the AC50 couldn't keep up and I wasn't about to lose another wrasse due to high NO3. I wanted to ensure they stayed fat without risking their health

And as I also stated, they were eating everything I threw at them, so they had to be in good shape :rolleyes:

There was no point in hypo, and waiting 6 weeks was going to be a risk of their lives
That's about it

Reef Pilot

11-15-2013, 03:30 PM

I've lost fish in QT before and wanted to avoid it for their benefits
Why risk healthy fish due to paranoia ?
.
.
.
There was no point in hypo, and waiting 6 weeks was going to be a risk of their lives
That's about it
Well, I can certainly understand your thinking, and I'm sure is popular opinion with many on canreef. But consider this.

Fish can be carriers, and have some MI that will not be visible, as I described with my experience.

If a fish dies in QT, then either your QT was inadequate, or the fish was sick and would have likely died anyway (good that it happened in QT and not your DT). I have a very, very mature QT, using DT water for W/C's. It is running all the time with a canister filter and some live rock. I also use it to house some frags from time to time.

Water quality stays high in QT, first because of frequent initial changes to get the salinity down, and then later more changes with DT water to bring it up. I actually extended that time even further, and the fish looked even stronger and healthier as time went on.

The extended time allowed the fish to get feeding with the foods they will be receiving in the DT. Your wrasses may have been OK early with this, but some fish need a lot more time to adjust to the new food.

And with wrasses, you can put in some sand (maybe use a container), but not sure if that is even necessary.

Here is a good article about all the benefits of a hypo routine. Not sure if you have read this one.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2007/6/fish

What it comes down to, I think, is patience. And that, I think, is the hardest thing. But it my case, I add fish so infrequently now, it is definitely worth the while, considering what may happen if I don't. From a risk standpoint (cost of risk = probability or frequency X cost of bad outcome), the cost of mitigation is very small compared to the cost of risk. Like I said, I gambled once, and lost... And not to mention my early hard lessons learned when I didn't QT.

Greg, you have taken a very methodical and cover all bases approach with much of your tank and sump design. And IIRC, you got burned in the past with not QTing. So that is why I was surprised when you took this shortcut.

Anyway. your tank and inhabitants are looking very good. So I do wish you continued success, and look forward to more great pics.

Coralgurl

11-15-2013, 05:23 PM

Ultimately, you know your system, routines and practices best, so your decision on when to move fish.

No qt debate here, I don't and understand the risks. But stuff can get introduced to your tank by other means as well, qt-ing just reduces the risk.

Everyone looks great and the tank has matured very nicely!!! Sorry about losing Levi!!!

gregzz4

11-16-2013, 12:00 AM

Thanks for the nice thoughts Sheena :wink:

And IIRC, you got burned in the past with not QTing. So that is why I was surprised when you took this shortcut
Thanks for the wishes and thoughts bud
Not sure who you're thinking of, but I've never added any fish to my system that weren't first put through QT, and this is the only time I've cut it to 2 weeks
My kole was in qt for 10 !
I've read that article, and many others, about hypo and understand the benefits. But thanks for the link. Maybe someone else hasn't read it yet

Sometime soon we're looking at getting some more fish, not too many more, but a couple. And some more mini gobies
I'm keeping the QT running with DT WCs and the odd bit of ghost feeding
Plus I've put sponges in the sump again just for giggles
I never know what I'll find at J&L :smile: so best to be prepared

Reef Pilot

11-16-2013, 02:02 AM

Not sure who you're thinking of, but I've never added any fish to my system that weren't first put through QT, and this is the only time I've cut it to 2 weeks
My kole was in qt for 10 !
I've read that article, and many others, about hypo and understand the benefits. But thanks for the link. Maybe someone else hasn't read it yet

OK, sorry, I was wrong then. But I do know you are very deliberate and conscientious with your tank, and that made me wonder, too.

And I guess I had been reading so many Ich threads lately, didn't want others getting the wrong idea about not having to QT new fish.

Again, glad it worked out for you, and want to see more pics!

gregzz4

11-24-2013, 04:38 AM

More new guys in the QT. Good thing I kept it running
I went to J&L today to buy a couple reactors, and came home with fish too :biggrin:
Tonight they ate mysis, fortified brine and some frenzy stuff

Filamented Flasher - Levi
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_0620_zps42ea7497.jpg

Yellow Fin Flasher - Chevy
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_0617_zps65e8503e.jpg

Scooter Blenny - Chico
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_0635_zps990eb17f.jpg

Chico has a great appetite and a nice fat belly. He'll do well in the DT
And, currently in the QT there are piles of copepods crawling around due to me putting the 'for sale frags' in there, so He's having a field day :wink:

gregzz4

11-24-2013, 04:42 AM

I'll be posting once I get my new pair of Aqua FX single media reactors setup, so stay tuned ... I just need to figure out where to mount them so they are not only out of the way, but also over the sump in case of leaks
This is what I bought
http://www.jlaquatics.com/images/aquafx/reactorone_1.jpg (http://www.jlaquatics.com/images/aquafx/reactorone_1.jpg)

gregzz4

11-24-2013, 04:53 AM

Here's what our new wrasses could look like

http://www.liveaquaria.com/images/categories/product/p_90161-filmented-flasher.jpg (http://javascript<b></b>:popupWin1('/product/detailed_image.cfm?pCatId=1400', 50, 50, 596, 616))

http://www.liveaquaria.com/images/categories/product/p-36903-Yellowfin-Flasher-W.jpg (http://javascript%3cb%3e%3c/b%3E:popupWin1('/product/detailed_image.cfm?pCatId=2922', 50, 50, 596, 616))

H2o2

11-24-2013, 05:03 AM

Oh I see how this works give u money buy beautiful things never mind how they will look they are beautiful now , nice score . Oh and by the way the torch is beautiful and great meeting u

gregzz4

11-24-2013, 05:16 AM

Hehe

Nice to meet you to

Get some pics up of all your torches !!

Have you started a journal ?

gregzz4

12-15-2013, 10:46 PM

Friday night, after WCs and feedings, I transferred our Scooter (Chico) and Flashers (Levi and Chevy) to the DT while the lights were out
Sat when the noon lights came on everyone woke up and checked out the new guys
There were no real problems for hours, but then our Lubbock's (Asrai) started chasing the Flashers, then the Whipfin (Ginger) started in
Next thing I know, our False Perc (Goober) is going out of his way to bite the new guys. This is very unusual for Goober as he's never charged at anyone outside the realm of his LR pile
Every time they came up off the sand, now Ginger first would take a stab at them with Asrai next, and then Goober would come charging in

I had no idea how much damage Goober was doing as the Flashers kept laying on the sand. Man am I peed at myself
Within a couple hours, Chevy and Levi are beat to hell and hiding, even with me waving tools around inside the tank to keep them apart

I grabbed a Critter Keeper and, as soon as Ginger got near the surface, Bam with a net and into jail she goes
After that, Asrai calmed down and stopped chasing the Flashers, but was still 'puffing up' at them which kept them on the sand until lights out
And during this, I still had to keep Goober away. The little turd would cover nearly 3 feet of tank just to chase them :twised:

Having Ginger in jail has showed a marked improvement today
Asrai is no longer chasing them around, but only 'puffing up' whenever nearby
The flashers are off the sand and ate pellets for lunch so I'm confident they will be OK

I grabbed another keeper and now Goober is up for sale
We've always laughed when he kept everyone away from his nems, and his LR pile, but watching him target docile fish laying on the sand was enough for me
You're Outta There !!
Now the Gobies can roam around the rock all they like without being harassed and hopefully the tank will become a little more peaceful

I'll keep Ginger in jail for a couple more days while the flashers settle in and am watching Asrai for any signs of aggression. She still 'puffs up' around them but at least they are swimming and are no longer being chased
I have another keeper with Asrai's name on it if she even so much as 'flinches' at them :twised:

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_0730_zps68f795de.jpg

Madreefer

12-15-2013, 11:19 PM

Damn that sucks. At least you were able to catch before a homocide. My tank coming down soon so I'll finally be able to get my dottyback outta my life. Well kinda, he's going to a customers tank.

gregzz4

12-15-2013, 11:34 PM

I almost bought a dottyback once - disaster averted

Look at these poor dudes. They were pristine when I put them in last night

Did I say I'm peed at myself ?

You can't see in the pics but even their pec fins are torn, and they have bite marks all over

Lesson learned;
Docile fish go in the tank first, but I thought most wrasses got along :twised:

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_0757_zps0c6b75ee.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_0758_zpsa361eb20.jpg

Madreefer

12-15-2013, 11:37 PM

Eeek well they'd be dead by now. I'm sure they'll look like show fish in a week.

gregzz4

12-16-2013, 12:08 AM

Once they start to heal up, I'll let the Whipfin out of jail and if there are anymore problems, there will be another fish for sale :twised:

gregzz4

12-16-2013, 12:21 AM

Bill, I take it you're not coming here tonight to pick up a free Clown ? :razz:

Madreefer

12-16-2013, 12:29 AM

Bill, I take it you're not coming here tonight to pick up a free Clown ? :razz:

Sorry bro can't make it, I've got surgery tomorow. Can you hold it for me and I'll give you my dottyback when I come :lol:

gregzz4

12-16-2013, 12:37 AM

Sorry bro can't make it, I've got surgery tomorow. Can you hold it for me and I'll give you my dottyback when I come :lol:
I have to get my hair done, but you could always meet me there after you get your peel
Bring the fish and some beer - we'll make a night of it

Madreefer

12-16-2013, 02:41 AM

Haha at least you chose beer over wine. Cuz that would have been ackward. :lol:

The Grizz

12-16-2013, 02:49 AM

Haha at least you chose beer over wine. Cuz that would have been ackward. :lol:

FYI, beer is a code word for wine for Gregzz :razz:

The Grizz

12-16-2013, 02:52 AM

That sucks about the flashers, such nice fish hope they recover fast.

gregzz4

12-16-2013, 02:55 AM

FYI, beer is a code word for wine for Gregzz :razz:

Hey !!! That's below the belt
( I don't touch that junk unless the beer runs out )

gregzz4

12-16-2013, 02:57 AM

Haha at least you chose beer over wine. Cuz that would have been ackward. :lol::smile:

The Grizz

12-16-2013, 02:58 AM

Hey !!! That's below the belt
( I don't touch that junk unless the beer runs out )

Well there`s your problem, you let the beer run out!!

gregzz4

12-16-2013, 03:01 AM

That sucks about the flashers, such nice fish hope they recover fast.

Thanks bud
They're looking pretty good right now and moving around lots
I'm sure everything will be fine

The Grizz

12-16-2013, 03:04 AM

Hope you have a screen cover on the tank, both of my flashers jumped right out of my tank and landed in the back when I wasn`t home. Hope to get a few for the new tank.

gregzz4

12-16-2013, 03:29 AM

No worries
I built a light surround and everything is completely sealed
Look at pages 71 through 74

Rice Reef

12-16-2013, 03:50 AM

Greg, sorry to hear about the flashers being harrassed and chased all over. If the whip fin doesn't mellow out I may be interested. What page is the whip fin on in your journal?

gregzz4

12-16-2013, 01:17 PM

Greg, sorry to hear about the flashers being harrassed and chased all over. If the whip fin doesn't mellow out I may be interested. What page is the whip fin on in your journal?
Pic # 8
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=853742&postcount=804

I really like this fish so it's getting a chance first

gregzz4

01-05-2014, 01:43 AM

Our clown went back to J&L
Ever since I removed Goober, the whole center rock structure has become more lively with all kinds of guys hanging out in and around it
I'm glad I got rid of the clown

Our whipfin went back in the DT after a week in the QT jail and has been a model citizen ever since, barring a day or so of battling with our lubbock's

I'm considering a re-scape, but it's just a thought for now
I'm not liking the height of our center and right structures and am looking at how I can make room for coral growth without loosing the corals we now have

The green birdsnest breached the surface last month and is looking good so far, but I'm seeing what may be some STN @ the base
I can't see anything in the base that would suggest rotting dead things
I'm on the fence today about removing it, breaking off the dead stuff, dipping it and putting it back in
I don't want to do it right now if I'm going to do a semi-rescape

Still have some green and red cyano

Other than the stalled corals, everything is doing great and growing well enough

The next couple months may show some different pics though ... :wink:

My FTS progression shots compared to many others are not anywhere near where a lot of tanks are and I'm thinking I have to make some changes
I'm liking my temp for growth as far as other tanks go - Brad reported growth after upping his temp to my 79F
Maybe afterall my MP10s aren't enough ?
Maybe it's still just a lack of food ? We have 17 fish that range from 1" to 3", with the majority being in the 2-3" range. They get lots of pellets for lunch (4 auto feedings of about a pinch and a half each) and 2 x 1/4" cubes of mixed frozen for dinner

Params are still stable and I've been testing weekly
A bit out of balance, but stable
Temp 79F
SG 1.025
Alk 8-8.5 - looking to drop it or raise Ca
Ca 390-410
Mag 1290 - looking to boost it a bit
NO2 and 3 zero
PO4 zero

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02331_zpsa6ec1b27.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02333_zpsed9e168d.jpg

Madreefer

01-05-2014, 02:50 AM

Nice man! I wish I could get nice clear pics like that.

gregzz4

01-05-2014, 02:58 AM

Nice man! I wish I could get nice clear pics like that.
Thanks, but I don't have the camera that some do and wish my shots were better :smile:

Coralgurl

01-05-2014, 03:15 AM

These new year tank shots are really pointing out how much work you've put into the tank. So full of awesomeness!! Looking really good Greg!

Wheelman76

01-05-2014, 03:23 AM

Looks great Greg!!!

Rice Reef

01-05-2014, 04:34 AM

Greg, your tank is looking great! How is that ball of bird nest doing? Can't believe that gorg has grown that much for you! Good job!

Reef Pilot

01-05-2014, 03:48 PM

I still like the scape as is. But I would move that birdsnest down... Lots of pretty slow growing SPS that would like the extra light at the top.

LR1

01-05-2014, 11:09 PM

Great work. Just went through the whole thing from start to finish. Great job!!

gregzz4

01-07-2014, 02:17 AM

Looking really good Greg!

Looks great Greg!!!

Thank you both !!
Jess, your Sunny D's have really taken off

Greg, your tank is looking great! How is that ball of bird nest doing? Can't believe that gorg has grown that much for you! Good job!
Thanks Wayne :biggrin:
I'm not sure the gorg's grown that much, but it's definately encrusting

The birdsnest is a different story
I may actually have to pull it out, bust the base off, and dip it
I've started taking pics of what might be some STN ..... :sad:

gregzz4

01-07-2014, 02:23 AM

I still like the scape as is. But I would move that birdsnest down... Lots of pretty slow growing SPS that would like the extra light at the top.
I agree, but some of my slower growing guys actually stalled when they were up high. I moved a couple a bit lower and am now seeing signs of new growth
Maybe I should trade you mine for ones that would fare better ... :wink:

I'm thinking I'd like to open up some space lower down for the big birdsnest, but that involves a re-scape as there's nowhere for such a big colony right now
I'm still on the fence about the whole idea

Great work. Just went through the whole thing from start to finish. Great job!!
Well thanks for taking the time to read through the whole mess, and welcome to Canreef :smile:

gregzz4

02-08-2014, 05:42 PM

Thursday night I jumped on the Chemiclean bandwagon
I've never seen skimmer pics during the process, so here's one for all of you that haven't yet done this

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/ChemicleanSkimmer_zpse5633e7b.jpg

Without knowing how much air the skimmer would produce, I decided to put an airstone in the DT. It's in front of an MP10. Well, as shown in the above photo, it's not necessary
One thing I did do though for safety is put my battery backup air pump in the DT. I'd hate to lose critters if the power went out

I'll get before and after pics up once the process is complete

Rice Reef

02-10-2014, 03:47 PM

Greg, how is the treatment? Hope it is taking care of the cyano for you. I had to do the same in January as i had a few areas in the tank with cyano and chemiclean worked well for me and I had even let it run for a few extra days just to make certain it took all the cyano out.

gregzz4

02-10-2014, 05:52 PM

Looks like it did the trick
I'm waiting for the lights to come on today to get an 'after' pic
I also let it run past 48 hours - just over 60

gregzz4

02-10-2014, 08:49 PM

As I mentioned earlier, I ran the Chemiclean for just over 60 hours - it's just how my schedule worked out
I dosed it Thursday night. As others have noted, nothing much was happening by Friday night (first 24 hours)
Saturday afternoon I was able to blow pretty much all of the cyano off of everything
Sunday afternoon I did some more blowing but mostly was down to LR cleaning now instead of a cyano battle :smile:
Man that stuff traps a lot of crud in the rock. I still have to deal with what it's done to my sand -clumps of detritus

Having a larger sized sump, I was able to perform a 25% WC without touching the DT water level
As the skimmer is still going bananas on it's lowest setting, I'll do another 25% tomorrow night
At that time I'll change the carbon again

This is before I dosed

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_1074_zps025012a8.jpg

This is today

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02346_zps137cf8fe.jpg

My LR hasn't looked this good since last summer

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02348_zpsc780cf78.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02349_zpscacebd27.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02350_zps44ba7fc9.jpg

gregzz4

02-13-2014, 05:03 AM

Tonight I performed another 25% WC
The skimmer was still going balistic with the cup off, but it became better when I put the cup back on
I let it run a few gallons out the drain and it's looking manageable for now. It's still turned down as far as it goes

As far as Chemicleam goes;
I'd do it again, but I wouldn't leave the skimmer running as it made a huge mess
Next time I'd rather run an airstone in the DT and deal with a small amount of salt creep. The mess from the skimmer overflowing is a big headache to clean up

Tomorrow night I will change the carbon again, and the tank will get a 10% WC Friday/Sat as part of my regular routine

So, Monday I did a rescape that is not finished yet
I'm very happy with how it's turning out, but can't post pics yet as it's not finished, so you'll just have to stay tuned ... :smile:

gregzz4

02-17-2014, 01:37 AM

I started rescaping the tank Feb 10th, but it's taken me this long to finish it
My reasons for the redo were to make more room for SPS
I can see where things will grow now and hope my plans all come together

If you look closely enough you'll see where I've remove many rocks from the tops of the burbs

Before

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02338_zpsc0202f58.jpg

After

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02377_zpsa2dbe0eb.jpg

gregzz4

02-17-2014, 01:38 AM

The big green birdsnest colony takes up a lot of space

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02365_zpsbe730584.jpg

Reef Pilot

02-17-2014, 01:44 AM

Looks great,... and you have a plan!

You could have put that birdsnest even lower, if you wanted. I have a couple down near the bottom. One is even partially shaded, but both looking good there, and growing nicely. I initially had one higher, but found the color was better lower down.

hillegom

02-17-2014, 02:29 AM

Looking good Greg,

gregzz4

02-17-2014, 02:33 AM

I initially had one higher, but found the color was better lower down.

Looking good Greg,
Thanks dudes

I hope things turn out well after this change

Madreefer

02-17-2014, 04:46 AM

Looks awesome bud:thumb:
All those wrasse get along good?

gregzz4

02-17-2014, 01:23 PM

Looks awesome bud:thumb:
All those wrasse get along good?
Thanks Bill

The wrasses tolerate each other, but there are some bullies

gregzz4

03-06-2014, 04:42 AM

Nothing exciting to post, but I'll report that the Cyano is still gone
I still have brown film algae on the glass and sand but all-in-all, I'm pleased with the Chemiclean results

I've again started dosing Mg
I found our tank was, on it's own, hovering around <1250
I've brought it back to 1350 - give or take - and have seen a significant increase in growth from corals that were stalled
IO regular salt used to have up to 1380Mg, but is currently only 1170 :twised:
I'm currently only using Mg powder from J&L, but plan on buying it in bulk

So, with the proper levels of Mg, our montis are growing, some are plating, and a couple stagnant ones are brighter
I've also noticed our Purple Stylo is growing. It wasn't happy in an old location so it was moved during the re-scape. Since then it's mostly done nothing.
Once the Mg was brought back up it started to fill back in again and has shown signs of, shall we say, being 'bigger' as it's more 'puffy' now and is starting to spread

A Green with Purple Monti I bought from Brad last summer is plating nicely, and is the first in our tank to grow this fast.
I'm thinking about getting rid of our other montis .... looking for more plating critters. We have 2 beautiful red montis that encrust and grow very well, but take time to spread out.
I was always looking for something to 'plate', but never knew how it could happen until I saw Brad's growing so quickly in our tank
Call me impatient, but after a year and a half of 'not quite right' parameters and the wrong corals, you can't blame me for wanting the 'next level' :smile:

Starting off with the proper corals makes a big difference ....

I have a pump on order for Mg, and am planning a third MP10wES
I think this will be enough shock for the tank this time around

Rice Reef

03-06-2014, 07:57 PM

Pic please! :mrgreen:

gregzz4

03-07-2014, 01:26 AM

Pic please! :mrgreen:
I'll try to get a fresh one up this weekend Wayner

gregzz4

03-10-2014, 12:58 AM

Pictures !!!

First off, does anyone recognize this leather-looking critter ?
The green-polyp thing behind the Sunset Monti
Very hard to get a decent shot where it is
It showed up not long after I received some frags ...

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02431_zpsce7f2a5d.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02432_zps7262e168.jpg

Photo dump

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02409_zps591c46bf.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02410_zpscde83df5.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02412_zps82b75455.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02413_zps093bd341.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02414_zpsab390d27.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02415_zps189ed706.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02416_zps00c45b0f.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02417_zpsdb631645.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02418_zps62ae8743.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02419_zps991119c4.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02420_zpsf9c9c9a1.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02421_zps90f8f107.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02422_zpsdcdef28b.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02423_zps7e026565.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02424_zps33c80e74.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02425_zps84230321.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02426_zps1c08a75c.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02427_zps18e11e64.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02428_zpse91c1226.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02429_zps05279677.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02430_zpsb7157296.jpg

Rice Reef

03-10-2014, 04:13 AM

Greg, looking good and the new scape is awesome! Is that a green slimmer in the last pick? Interesting growth pattern and likey!

Reef Pilot

03-10-2014, 04:26 AM

Tank is looking great. Lots of nice corals in there. Is that long spine black urchin behaving himself? I eventually had to get rid of mine.

gregzz4

03-10-2014, 01:24 PM

Greg, looking good and the new scape is awesome! Is that a green slimmer in the last pick? Interesting growth pattern and likey!
Thanks Wayne
Yup, that's a green slimer, and a brown right before it. They are growing with the flow ...

Tank is looking great. Lots of nice corals in there. Is that long spine black urchin behaving himself? I eventually had to get rid of mine.
Thanks Walt
The urchin munched on a green turaki once, but all in all is no problem, as long as frags are glued into holes :wink:
I feed it nori and shrimp here and there

kien

03-10-2014, 02:26 PM

Yay for no cyano! Tank is looking great! So sparkly clean :-)

gregzz4

03-11-2014, 12:36 AM

Yay for no cyano! Tank is looking great! So sparkly clean :-)
Thank you K
Yay Chemiclean !
Now all I have to do is get this pesky film algae under control :wink:

gregzz4

03-15-2014, 11:39 PM

I got my Mag doser setup today - Thanks J&L :smile:
I have new 4-litre space saver containers on the way from Reef Supplies

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02450_zps3cf29602.jpg

Reef Pilot

03-16-2014, 12:13 AM

Now all I have to do is get this pesky film algae under control :wink:

With the green film algae (if it is the stuff I'm thinking of), just keep blowing it with the turkey baster. Unlike hair algae, it doesn't grab hard on rock or other surfaces and can be easily blown off. Usually it floats to the surface then, and out the overflow. But if you leave it, it will keep spreading and hard to get rid of otherwise.

gregzz4

03-16-2014, 12:29 AM

It's just the dusty stuff on the glass
I clean it once a week and the wrasses eat the large pieces that float off the razor blade

Reef Pilot

03-16-2014, 12:37 AM

Didn't know that wrasses eat algae... The stuff on my glass is eaten by my tangs, and my Kole is the real champ for that. Then, mag cleaner for the front to make it really clean. I don't think you can ever stop that from growing on the glass. Low P04 reduces it, but never eliminates it, or at least not in my tanks.

gregzz4

04-27-2014, 02:26 AM

Long time and no update :smile:

I've switched over to Randy's 2-part and also installed a 3rd dosing pump (Schlobster 1.1ml/min (http://www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/store_pages/product-info.php?product_ID=jl-dps066)) for Mag

I've cut my annual dosing costs from $150 to $30 :surprise:

I bought Calcium Chloride from Home Hardware; 20KG for $25.99
Magnesium Chloride Hexahydrate from Canreef Sponsor/Member TimT; 10KG for $39
I buy my Baking Soda and Epsom Salts from Walmart for; approximately $4/2KGs and $9/4KGs respectively

Our corals are looking very happy and growing well
Of course the biggest grower is the green birdsnest
This was Feb

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02377_zpsa2dbe0eb.jpg

This week

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02455_zps21becee3.jpg

If your eyes are sharp enough you saw that one branch of the brown slimer in the back right of the tank is pointing the other way. I had a glass cleaning mishap and decided to glue the broken bit facing the other direction

Looking at the 2 pics shows me that it's not the Green Slimer that's growing so much as the birdsnest. Looks like it's time to trim it back before there's a battle

I had Ram3500 come by on Wed the 23rd and he helped me prune the front of the birdsnest to get it away from the glass, plus he took away a bunch of the GSP. Thanks Ian !!

I'll be adding another update shortly as I'm going to attempt to add a larger pump to my skimmer

Stay tuned ... :smile:

gregzz4

04-27-2014, 04:47 AM

The Skimz SK181 mod is finished
I had to file out the cord hole for the new pump as it's round and thicker than the stock flat 2-wire cable
No pics as I was in a hurry and besides, who cares. I opened up a cord passage

I did this mod as Peter had good luck with a slightly larger pump on his skimmer. Details are in this thread (http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=74315)

Peter added an Eden140 pump (2800lph) and reported better skimming so I thought I'd try an Eheim Compact+ 3000
The stock ES2000 is 2000lph and the skimmer draws only 540lph of air
Similar Skimz skimmers with the ES2800 draw closer to 8-900lph of air

I was thinking about buying the Omega 150, and there's a near-new one for sale right now here on Canreef, but I love the footprint of mine, internal pump and gate valve-water outlet, so I'll stick with my Skimz for now

So, saving me buying another skimmer, I installed an Eheim Compact 3000+
It's a direct fit :whoo:

It's a bit noisy right now, but I'm sure it will calm down

I'm also working on dialing it in but that's a small price to pay

I'm really hoping that I will get more lph of air and thus more nog
And if not, at least I now have a backup pump for my skimmer :smile:

Currently I can't report on it's nog production as I've just given the feed-mes some frozen and the foam head is collapsed

I hope to report back soon with great news :smile:

Slyguy00

04-27-2014, 04:53 AM

Tanks looking great Greg!

kien

04-27-2014, 04:57 AM

Tanks looking great Greg!

^what he said. That's cool how the birdsnest grew a flat top but then you let it grow back out again :-)

gregzz4

04-27-2014, 05:05 AM

Thanks Nick

That's cool how the birdsnest grew a flat top but then you let it grow back out again :-)
I just lowered it in the tank and it kept growing :smile:
I had to get Ram3500 (Ian) to come by and take a crap-load of clippings for his auctions just to keep it from attaching itself to the glass as I couldn't even clean the front pane weekly without breaking branches off

Thanks Ian !! :biggrin:

FishingGoalie

04-27-2014, 05:10 AM

how old is that birds nest and how big was it when you got it?

gregzz4

04-28-2014, 02:01 AM

how old is that birds nest and how big was it when you got it?

I bought it at Rich's summer 2012 frag swap
It was a 1 - 2" frag

FishingGoalie

04-28-2014, 03:20 AM

I bought it at Rich's summer 2012 frag swap
It was a 1 - 2" frag

wow

gregzz4

05-03-2014, 04:31 PM

Proteus

05-03-2014, 05:00 PM

The larger pump in my skimmer was a letdown
It's too noisy and I believe it's due to the size of the venturi causing a restriction
So for now I'll just live with the skimmate I get with the stock pump

Consider slowing down your return pump this would allow more dwell time in sump for skimmer to pull surfacants out of water

gregzz4

05-03-2014, 05:19 PM

My return is tee'd back to the return chamber and I have just enough flow to keep the Herbie quiet

I'm not unhappy with my current skimmate production but was trying to get more airflow for a dryer nog without losing the amount produced

gregzz4

07-09-2014, 04:42 AM

Whelp, it's that time of year again
Many are scrambling to cool their tanks, and I'm tired of being so tired 'cause it's too hot to sleep - I've only slept 8 hours since Sunday morning
I was against AC for years, but one summer when it was 37C in my living room and recroom (both up and downstairs) @ midnight and I couldn't even stop sweating, nevermind sleeping, I caved
Tonight when I got home it was 87.5F/>31C indoors - not such a great temp for a tank with a chiller that isn't rated to work at/above 90F :wink:
So I turned on the AC (Hydro hurts)

Anyway, last week I started thinking about ways to get the heat out of my office/sump room
The first plan was to try to cool the sump some in an effort to keep the chiller from coming on so much. I attached some PC fans on a length of eggcrate, placed them over the sock area of my sump, and voila; the chiller stopped running as much - and for less time. Granted I'm going through more RO, but whatever; having fans running @ less than 8 watts is SO much better than a chiller running @ 280 watts, plus the lower amount of heat in the sump room is noticeable, even with a higher level of humidity

Pic 2 shows the water turbulence

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02521_zps9b46833a.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02523_zps722c532d.jpg

I knew this would not be a big enough fix for the oncoming heat, so I started thinking again about a plan I'd had a couple years ago;
Get the heat from the chiller out of the house ...
This part I am still working on and will post pics when it's finished, but basically my plan is to use a dryer duct kit and some other parts, plus a high-velocity PC fan (already in hand), and have the fan draw the hot air from the chiller out of the house (along with some humidity :biggrin:)
I hope this will keep the higher temps of my office down and allow the chiller to do it's job without fighting itself while it heats the room up ... and maybe I won't have to run the AC in my office as early as March :surprise:

Rice Reef

07-09-2014, 05:07 AM

Wow! 87.5... Guess I shouldn't complain now.

Dreadful

07-09-2014, 05:11 AM

i wasnt about to go through and read this whole thread but skimmed some of the pictures.. and let me just say that is all it took for me to cream myself o_o

there's definitely a lot of good info here im going to have to go back lol :p

nice.. everything dude :clap2:

gregzz4

07-10-2014, 01:25 AM

Wow! 87.5... Guess I shouldn't complain now.
Got 'er down to 82 by midnight, and it was 78 when I woke up ... I didn't want to get out of bed :mrgreen:
Tonight is going to be such a good sleep !!

i wasnt about to go through and read this whole thread but skimmed some of the pictures.. and let me just say that is all it took for me to cream myself o_o

there's definitely a lot of good info here im going to have to go back lol :p

nice.. everything dude :clap2:
Thank you
Hopefully you find something helpful in here :smile:
I found so many useful things in others' threads that I wanted to give back

gregzz4

07-14-2014, 01:58 AM

My current GHA issues
Not the best pics ...

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02545_zpsee29996c.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02546_zps38a3961d.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02547_zps7407f113.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02548_zpsfde12b72.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02549_zps7f1b8cfe.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02550_zps3d9a7557.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02553_zps5e7e1d6f.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02554_zpsa2a2dbe5.jpg

Proteus

07-14-2014, 03:31 AM

Doesn't look to bad.

WarDog

07-14-2014, 05:44 AM

Doesn't look to bad.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking too. I envisioned it everywhere considering how you described it in your other thread. Are you sure you couldn't add to your CUC to target it?

kien

07-14-2014, 05:51 AM

I would agree with them as well, it doesn't look that bad! Certainly looks manageable with a well placed sea hare maybe. But hey, who am I to stand in the way of a tank REBOOT! :biggrin:

WarDog

07-14-2014, 05:55 AM

I would agree with them as well, it doesn't look that bad! Certainly looks manageable with a well placed sea hare maybe. But hey, who am I to stand in the way of a tank REBOOT! :biggrin:

True that! I was actually looking forward to Greg's reboot thread!

apexifd

07-14-2014, 06:10 AM

http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/ss67/apexifd/C0EB51B9-D6C9-4896-98EE-A0D4345A1778_zpsam2hwxff.jpg (http://s562.photobucket.com/user/apexifd/media/C0EB51B9-D6C9-4896-98EE-A0D4345A1778_zpsam2hwxff.jpg.html)

This is an gha out break.. And I was able to recover from it with wc, abalone, etc.

gregzz4

07-14-2014, 01:22 PM

Thanks for the encouragement guys
I'm plucking it out when I have time

I don't really want to change anything IN the tank, just all the stuff attached to it :smile:

Proteus

07-14-2014, 01:38 PM

I've had ha in this manner before and nothing a few extra hermit's and turbos along with a seahare won't fix. Also Dez had luck using Peroxide

gregzz4

07-26-2014, 07:58 PM

I think I have the GHA under control
I plucked all I could grab, then scrubbed everything in-tank with a nail brush and toothbrushes. Then I turkey basted everything until it all stayed clear - all the while the Vortechs were on full blast and everything eventually went into the socks
Then I did my WC
All that took me over 3 hours
A week later and it's no longer growing like gangbusters so all I have to do now is stay ahead of it until it dies off

gregzz4

07-26-2014, 08:55 PM

I finally completed my sump room exhaust plan;
For 2 years I've been thinking about how to get the warm, humid air out
I first thought about using a bathroom exhaust fan with a Humidistat and an AC controller. By the time I added up all the parts I decided it was too costly and that's why it's taken 2 years to finalize the job
A rough build cost for a high flow fan with a low sones (noise) rating, 2 controllers and all the relays involved, I was looking at over $250 :surprise:

The chiller fills the room with hot air causing me to need to run the AC or risk the chiller losing efficiency in an overheated room. But there's nowhere for the humidity and salt/skimmer smell to go with the door closed
I decided to run sump fans to cut down on chiller usage and noticed a big improvement in both chiller runtime and room temp, but increased room humidity with sump evaporation
So I thought about using a fan and dryer vent to take room air outside when the sump fans run and it hit me ! I can do the same thing with the chiller exhaust !!!
Results are an office/sump room that's now the same temp as the house vs 2-5 degrees hotter

I bought a dryer vent kit, a second stand-alone vent, a cheap storage tote and a powersupply big enough for the sump/exhaust fans. Total cost was under $65
I already had on hand 5 fans - 4 for the sump system and one for the chiller exhaust. These were about $50. Plus a PC fan adapter that may have been $10, and a powersupply for the chiller fan setup that was $15. So, for less than $135 I'm done
The PC fans are also quieter than any bathroom fan and I hardly hear them
Yes it's fugly, but it's just my office ... :smile:

The sump fans turn on just 2 tenths of a degree before the chiller, but it's enough to delay it coming on by hours
I'm using more ATO water but no biggie
Sump fans
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02521_zps9b46833a.jpg

Storage tote
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02563_zpsa9d8e446.jpg

Storage tote with one end cut off and 110CFM PC fan. This allows the fan to draw room air instead of fighting the chiller's fan
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02566_zpsc7000169.jpg

Back of chiller where tote mounts
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02564_zpscf566eb5.jpg

Storage tote with fan and duct adapter
I cut the adapter in half and trimmed the pieces down to 3 inches
One piece for the vent and the other for the back of the tote
You'll see where I cut the end of the adapter so I had a way to tape it in place
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02565_zpsa832e575.jpg

Mounted on chiller
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02567_zpsc4ba6c26.jpg

Back of chiller vent where second half of duct adapter mounts to
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02561_zps9621bf5f.jpg

Plumbed to vent with sump fan vent
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02569_zpsf38f9938.jpg

Vents
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02571_zps67e9c8a6.jpg

Here you see how the fans are strong enough to open the dampers
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02570_zps1650050e.jpg

Proteus

07-26-2014, 09:01 PM

Your title should say diy king

gregzz4

07-26-2014, 09:06 PM

Your title should say diy king
:lol: Thanks :lol:

hillegom

07-27-2014, 04:24 AM

Were u an engineer in your past life?
Kudos

gregzz4

07-27-2014, 04:51 AM

Were u an engineer in your past life?
Kudos
Thanks Dietmar !!!
I wish as I would have retired by now with the money I could have made !!!

I have another update to come as my first plan didn't work out as it should have

Stay tuned ....

Madreefer

07-27-2014, 05:23 AM

Hey that's a great idea. Good job!!

gregzz4

07-27-2014, 05:55 AM

Hey that's a great idea. Good job!!
Thanks Bill

gregzz4

07-27-2014, 11:20 PM

Looks like the chiller fan outputs more than I figured on and one fan wasn't quite enough, so now it's really ugly :surprise:

Second fan running @ 133CFM
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02572_zpsbba82720.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02574_zps7628f19e.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02575_zps2834f064.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02576_zps54ba6533.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02577_zps0d0eefcc.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02578_zpsac89c5a7.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02579_zps31534002.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02573_zps41a59eae.jpg

Needed to mount the Wye to the wall
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02580_zps5951ba69.jpg

And whole ugly setup
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02582_zps0ab36c13.jpg

hillegom

07-27-2014, 11:25 PM

This version two looks good to me. Works better I'm sure.
Ideas just sprout from you

gregzz4

07-27-2014, 11:46 PM

I'm going to change it once more as I can feel a little air leakage from the opening at the bottom of the tote - probably due to back pressure
I'm going to run 2 independant ducts from the storage tote and connect them to 2 independant vents with the fans pulling instead of pushing
This way I'll get 100% airflow from each fan and zero heat in the room

WarDog

07-28-2014, 01:28 AM

I'm going to run 2 independent ducts from the storage tote and connect them to 2 independent vents with the fans pulling.

Yeah buddy, thats the way to do it correctly. That wye you got set up is improper venting practice to the extreme. Too much back pressure causing an air flow bottleneck. Great diy project!

gregzz4

07-28-2014, 01:29 PM

Ya I was hoping that wouldn't be the case but these fans just can't create enough pressure

daplatapus

07-28-2014, 01:35 PM

Yeah buddy, thats the way to do it correctly. That wye you got set up is improper venting practice to the extreme. Too much back pressure causing an air flow bottleneck. Great diy project!

Looks great! I was expecting a lot worse from your description.
In the strictest of air flow practices, if those are 4" lines you'd need a 4"X 4"X 6" Y for it to work as you'd intended. Just use Pi R squared to figure out the square inch of 4" round (X2 for 2 pipes running into one) verses the size you want to run it into.
I highly doubt those fans are pushing the limit of a 4" pipe though. A 10' run (including friction loss for elbows) at .05 inches static pressure loss, a 4" pipe can flow 45.8 CFM. That's pretty low static pressure, but I'm not sure what pressure those fans can push without cavitating.

A thought to also consider... I have had some instances in a somewhat similar application of 2 fans feeding from a common plenum. One fan started a few seconds before the first and from the suction it created in the plenum it pulled air backwards through the second fan and the blades of the second started rotating backwards. Sometimes the motor's are not powerful enough to counteract that reverse spinning and they just sit there cavitating until they either burn up or shut down from overheating. What fixed it for me was just installing a baffle between them, making 2 separate plenums.

gregzz4

07-31-2014, 02:28 AM

Thanks for all your thoughts and input guys
I finally have it working as I was hoping

2 independant fans, ducts and vents did the trick
I smoke tested it last night and everything goes outside now :mrgreen:
"She ain't pretty, she just looks that way"

I think I hear them knocking on my door right now to check me for a Grow Op ....

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02587_zps16511aea.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02586_zpsbd006734.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02588_zps44f0cf16.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02584_zpsef7a40fe.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02591_zps2e07229f.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02593_zps4dff5688.jpg

H2o2

07-31-2014, 03:42 AM

Well done but now I have to do mine when I get home as Kelowna is warming up

gregzz4

08-01-2014, 04:16 AM

Thanks Harry. Hope it's inspired you to do something DIY too

I should have known better when I started this project;
I dealt with engine cooling systems for nearly 25 years and have always known that a puller fan is more efficient than a pusher :doh:
That and I shouldn't have trusted the flow #s I read on the web for 4" ducting

Anyway, 'tis all good now :razz:

gregzz4

08-04-2014, 07:18 PM

For anyone curious about doing this themselves ...

Apparently duct tape can't support the weight of my ducting with the heat - one of the ducts was hanging when I got home Thursday afternoon

It won't happen again as I've screwed the pipes to the fans and used aluminum tape to seal everything up

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02595_zps7043759f.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02599_zps84fd283a.jpg

WarDog

08-04-2014, 07:32 PM

Duct tape is a pretty useless long term solution. Glad to see you upgraded to the aluminum tape!

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2899/14829946995_dc5cf43a85_q.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/oAtmzi)

gregzz4

08-07-2014, 03:43 AM

I recently modded my skimmer a 'bit'

I found I wasn't getting enough air into it, so I reamed out the venturi air nipple
The OD is 3/8" and the ID was kinda tiny, so I removed 1/3rd of the material to get the ID to around 11/32. I'm not comfortable going any larger as the material was starting to look a bit pale and I was risking a sidewall blowout, or an all-out split
IF you do this, do it by hand. Using a drill in plastic tubing this size will surely break something, or hurt you :surprise:

But what's the point in doing this if the muffler has the same issue ?
I thought about reaming out the muffler pipes, but they're too long to risk breaking them, so I just removed it completely
I've always run it fully open, so am baffled why I didn't bypass it years ago :doh:

With the muffler removed I now run a 3/8" ID airline directly from the venturi to the filter outside my window
I'm getting more NOG than I've ever seen from this unit, and it's still silent thanks to my window Mod

Muffler be damned :razz: and hello fresh air for pH

Bblinks

08-12-2014, 07:17 PM

I want some pictures..........

The Guy

08-12-2014, 09:14 PM

Duct tape is a pretty useless long term solution. Glad to see you upgraded to the aluminum tape!

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2899/14829946995_dc5cf43a85_q.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/oAtmzi)
Ya! it's good for everything except duct work, aluminum tape is the way to go forsure. :wink:
Nice job there Greg! your room is looking more like Nassau every time I see it.
LMAO!!! just kidding looks good.

gregzz4

08-13-2014, 03:18 AM

Sorry guys, all I have for you right now is this crappy FTS
I'm pretty busy with 'things' so any closeups will have to wait ... especially since I'm battling GHA

Rich, I'm sure you'll recognise a bunch of your critters
LMK if you need some frags when your new tank is going :smile:

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02600_zpsa5721326.jpg

gregzz4

08-14-2014, 03:38 AM

I broke down and added a bunch of dwarf blue-legged hermies
I haven't wanted shells all over my tank since I started, but now I'm 'releasing the hounds'

Maybe I bought too many, but I put 36 in my setup - I can always trade them if they run out of food

Our Melanurus, Hunter (who still lives up to his name), spent hours trying to make a meal out of any hermie he could
Thankfully they're too fast for him and all he did was frustrate himself, and throw a few shells around
He's starting to give up and re-focus his efforts on the LR etc

Hopefully this new army will help me with my GHA issue, and provide us some entertainment in the meantime

Slyguy00

08-14-2014, 07:04 AM

A 3 day blackout would take care of your hair algae problem. Personally ill be using that method anytime i have a major algae outbreak. Works great

gregzz4

09-18-2014, 03:53 AM

A 3 day blackout would take care of your hair algae problem. Personally ill be using that method anytime i have a major algae outbreak. Works great
I did a 3-day this last weekend
It helped some, but no eradication
It temporarily shut down the cyano and diatoms, and weakened the GHA enough for me to clean a lot of it up

Tonight I added a Sea Hare and the little bunny/cow is going nuts scouring the algae away right down to the LR :lol:

I still have a lot of work to do to clean things up and keep it clean, plus I still have no idea where this outbreak came from in the first place ...

I'm gonna blame the maintenance guy for not basting the rocks enough :redface:, and allowing the sand to get a bit 'layered'

I'm pretty sure it's not my bioload or feeding habits, but have cut the feedings down a bit in the meantime to allow me a reprieve

gregzz4

12-11-2014, 05:27 AM

2 sea hares later (both died :twised:) and the GHA battle plan was changed
Food had already been cut back, GFO has been cut back to decrease added Fe, lighting has been changed, maintenance increased
With the GFO cut back from 225ml/month to 100ml I've seen no increase in GHA. I can't say for sure it's helped, but it hasn't hurt at all. Thanks for the post Mindy :wink: I'll most likely keep cutting it back in the near future as things become more manageable
Now I've increased the lighting again and the GHA isn't coming on nearly as strong
I was only running a total of 1800 watts over 10 hours
Now I'm running 2160 and plan on increasing it to about 2500 watts
If you think about a 10 hour cycle, that's only a 250 watt bulb. Doesn't seem like much for my reef. Even over an 8 hour cycle, 2500 watts is only a hair over 300 watts. Many reefers with a tank my size run a pair of 250 MHs and in Brad's case a pair of 400s for I think 8 hours
That means he's running 6400 watts/day compared to my current 2160 :surprise::surprise::surprise:

Any cyano is long gone, and the GHA is much more manageable now
All corals have recovered from my over-use of peroxide :redface:
I'm considering using MB7 regularly in the DT

On to the QT ...

I bought a bunch of fish and they are in quarantine
I went to J&L to pick up one, and left with eight
So pretty :biggrin:
I'll have to do some careful introductions to the DT as I got a wife for both our Solar and Lubbok's wrasses
There's also a Yellow Tang, a Male Lyretail Anthias and 4 little girls for him to boss around

I plan on getting some better toys for the critters to hide in, but for the next couple days they'll have to make do with plumbing parts

All are eating frozen, and the tang loves nori bits
Some are also eating pellets ... just have to get them all doing the same
I haven't had them long enough to evaluate whether or not they'll get Prazi or Hypo

Some really crappy pics for y'all :surprise:

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_1690_zps2ffc7c1b.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_1692_zpsaaee88d4.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_1695_zps46a43b8c.jpg

Ram3500

12-11-2014, 05:54 AM

I so glad to see you are adding a tang to your tank again . He is gonna love you GHA ! Problem solved :eyebrows:

Wheelman76

12-11-2014, 06:14 AM

Try some terra cotta (clay) pots. I break them in half , or odd shapes depending how they break and build a little reef structure out of them. Seems a little more natural looking then the PVC and it seems to help the fish feel a little safer in qt.

SeaHorse_Fanatic

12-11-2014, 07:00 AM

I almost always have a tang (or 8) in my reef tanks and [knock on wood] haven't had an issue with GHA in years. Hope I didn't just jinx myself. I probably feed a lot more than you Greg.

Anthony

gregzz4

12-12-2014, 03:06 AM

I so glad to see you are adding a tang to your tank again . He is gonna love you GHA ! Problem solved :eyebrows:
Me too. Thanks Ian
It wasn't my intention, but I'm sure I won't see any algae anymore once it's in the DT :smile:

Try some terra cotta (clay) pots. I break them in half , or odd shapes depending how they break and build a little reef structure out of them. Seems a little more natural looking then the PVC and it seems to help the fish feel a little safer in qt.
Great suggestion Jess
I bought one of these (http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/dc-st28786/Seathetic+Aquarium+Reef+Rock+%28Kupang+Boulder+%23 28786%29.html) today and they went right for it
Best money I've spent recently
It's a fake LR piece full of hiding holes
Hopefully there now won't be a dogpile behind the pump during lights out :thumb:

I almost always have a tang (or 8) in my reef tanks and [knock on wood] haven't had an issue with GHA in years. Hope I didn't just jinx myself. I probably feed a lot more than you Greg.

Anthony
Jinx :lol:
I'll be feeding the DT more soon, that's for sure
How many fish do you have now in your big tank Anthony ?

I've always wanted a Yellow Tang, but thought my tank is too small
After keeping SW fish for coming up on 3 years I kinda feel comfortable with their growth rates in our tank and feel we'll be OK for a good long time before it needs to be re-homed
And who knows, maybe we'll still have it when I retire and it'll get a nice big new home :question:

gregzz4

12-12-2014, 03:18 AM

Quarantine is going well
I'm using MB7 (used to use Stability)
If you missed it, I started the tank with a couple Aquaclear sponges that have been in my sump for over a year (thanks again for the great idea Brad)
2 days in and no Ammo at all, Nitrites are between 0 and 0.01, and I'm already seeing Nitrates (waaaay below 2)

All fish are eating frozen, some are eating pellets and flakes, and of course the tang goes nuts for nori

No signs yet of anything to treat for ... and I'm a bit surprised
No spots, flashing, shaking, stringy poops, white poops, lack of appetite, disinterest in surroundings ... can't think of anything else

No offence J&L, but considering what some of the other fish in the tank looked like I'm very pleased
Once again J&L rocks !!

I picked over their tanks for everything I brought home as they didn't have much to choose from
So, of course, once I filled my QT, they got not 1 but 2 fish shipments
C'est La Vie

Still super happy with what we have

More pics to come once they start to trust me

crimper

12-12-2014, 05:55 AM

Wow Greg, Santa came early eh! :)

I love yellow tangs, I'm sure he'll chomp those GHA in your rocks. Good luck with the new tank mates.

gregzz4

12-24-2014, 04:50 AM

crimper, I'm sure you're right !! And thanks for the wishes

Our new charges have been in QT for 2 weeks now
All are eating very well, albeit their own foods
If you missed it, I've been using MB7 and am quite happy with it
No spikes to worry about, although I started off with an established set of foam blocks for my aquaclear50
I've only been performing 50% WCs once a week, and my NO2/NO3 readings have been near nil. Much better results than the last time I did this when I used Seachem's Stability. Although maybe I've been better with my feeding practices this time around. Who knows

I'm 2 days into a Prazi treatment as I suspect worms plus there's the odd shaking and flashing, then I'll give them a couple days off from meds
I'm nicely surprised to see nobody has lost their appetite during the current treatment
I'm hoping I don't end up with Coralgurl's dilemma where her tangs kept eating the poop thus eating the intestinal worms ... my stupid tang eats every poop he sees :doh:, no matter how much I feed them

Next they'll get some Furan-2 as there are some other things to address;
I have no idea what little white 'horns' there were on 2 of the female Anthias' heads that disappeared after a couple days
It left a dent on one poor girl's noggin behind her eyes on top of her head
Plus a wrasse has a white mark directly on her eye, and some of the anthias are flashing on hardware
So Furan-2 it is

I'll re-assess things after that but it looks like I won't be running a hypo this time around

The final introduction to the DT will be;
Yellow Tang right off as he can fend for himself
Next will be the female wrasses into the holding tank I've built and they'll most likely be in there for the majority of a week while the other wrasses calm down

Finally, after I get the Anthias eating pellets, they will have their turn in the holding tank for a day or 5, just to make sure none of the wrasses want to eat them :smile:

Wish me luck

Here's the holding tank I've built, but it's not finished
I still need to clean up the sharp edges and fit it to the DT so it 'hangs' where I want it to

It's 20x10x5 and will hang off the left side and center support
This gives lots of clearance to the corals, although I don't know what will happen a year from now
I realise it's only 4 gallons of space. It's just a holding tank Jim, and that's all I can give her

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_1739_zps4ed62c7a.jpg

I 'euro-braced' it so I could screw on an access cover

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_1740_zps4139b5df.jpg

Cover is opaque to help keep the sun burns away
I haven't finished the cover yet, or it's fasteners ...
It still needs a bunch of holes drilled

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_1741_zpsf84e6dc6.jpg

I scabbed a crappy hole (rushed the jigsaw and cracked it) out the bottom that needs some serious cleanup, and there's a cover plate that needs some fasteners
This is for when I'm ready to release fish

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_1742_zps2da36d3c.jpg

May not work as a fish trap in future, but will be a handy time-out tank for anyone naughty

hillegom

12-24-2014, 05:10 AM

I like your DIY skills.
Sometimes flukes attach to eyes and look opaque .
Good plan with the prazipro

gregzz4

12-24-2014, 01:29 PM

Thanks D :smile:
I hope you're right and the Prazi clears up her eye

Merry Christmas all

gregzz4

01-02-2015, 07:21 PM

X-mas eve I developed a cough that turned into a full-blown Flu/Chest virus that knocked me on my padding from X-mas morning through to Sunday night.
Because of this, I didn't notice the MI developing in the QT. We lost all 4 female Lyretails. Sorry girls.
I did a 50% WC at the end of the Prazi treatment and then proceeded to start dropping the Sg. Because of work it took me until today to get it down all the way so today marks Hypo: Day 1.
On the plus side, the rather alarming amount of ich on all 4 remaining fish has run it's course without any long term effects.

The male Lyretail still appears to be afflicted with something that I suspect is a new generation of gill flukes, although I never saw any signs of the first ones in the water column during the round of Prazi. Regardless, I'm debating the headache of running Prazi during Hypo. I already have to keep using MB7 and dosing Alk for pH, so at worst I'll need to run an air stone.

As for the female Solar, the mark on her eye is definitely not a fluke as it's too pronounced and is white. At first I thought it may be damage from netting at the LFS, but it's been there too long. I'm hoping I can identify it by going through a video frame by frame.
I'm debating a FW dip for her but will wait until I can see better what the spot is.

Reef Pilot

01-02-2015, 07:53 PM

Sorry for your loss, Gregg. And hope you get over you flu OK.

Not sure how long you did the prazi treatment before starting the hypo. But the way I did it was run the prazi first for a couple days, then start lowering the sg. That way there is not too much time for the ich to really hit hard. The 1st round usually isn't too bad anyway. It is the 2nd round (about a week later) that is most deadly. By that time your sg should be down to 1.009 and the prazi out of the water with all the changes to bring down the sg. So then the fish should have more vigor, and be hungry and eating well. Any subsequent rounds of ich after 7 days should be pretty weak.

Also have never had to use MB7, or control alk or any other parameters during QT. My QT is very well established, and remained stable. To be honest, not sure why you care about alk or ph in a QT. Ammonia is the only thing to really watch for, and should not be a problem if you have a well established nitrogen cycle.

Anyway, that was my experience. It's been a while since I had to QT fish, but when I did it that way, always worked for me.

Your male probably has ich in the gills. That is pretty common, and is the really fast killer. Just having ich on the body is not so bad. If it was flukes, they wouldn't kill as fast, and your prazi should have taken care of them.

Madreefer

01-02-2015, 08:22 PM

Man you seem to have the $hittiest luck.
I hope 2015 turns around for you.
Hot rum:lol:

gregzz4

01-02-2015, 08:24 PM

gregzz4

01-02-2015, 08:26 PM

Man you seem to have the $hittiest luck.
I hope 2015 turns around for you.
Hot rum:lol:
Thanks Bill
I definitely have 'some' kind of luck :lol:

I was expecting the ich to happen. I'm just surprised it allowed me enough time to get everyone eating and do the first Prazipro round

Reef Pilot

01-02-2015, 08:36 PM

Hiya Walter
The Prazi is definitely gone. I did a 50% WC, added carbon to the AC50, and then went through over 25 g of water in a 20 g tank to drop the Sg to 1.008. This is where I prefer Hypo Sg, to be sure ATO fluctuations cause no rise to 1.010

All visible MI is gone for now, so I suspect everyone's gills are clear of it
But, I don't doubt that fluke eggs have hatched and this is giving the Lyretail grief. He's yawning and flashing. There's something there, even if it's not flukes.
I've had MI before with lots of agitation, flashing and scratching of the gill covers. It was not visible on the body, but obviously very present in the gills. A clue is fast breathing. I know butterflys are very prone to this, incl the pearlscales. But if you let it run its course (and the fish survive), the lower sg should take care of it. It is a fast killer, though, when it is in the gills, so hope your male makes it through.

You could also do a 2nd round of prazi while in full hypo. I did that before, too, with a tang, when I still saw some stringy poop. It worked, and the tang came through strong and healthy. This is my Tomini that I got early last year from J&L. It was nearly dead (very thin and weak) when I brought it home (wouldn't have otherwise bought it, but it was the only one they had). It is now a very healthy, happy, and good looking fish...

hillegom

01-03-2015, 03:06 AM

Greg, could you take a macro pic of the solar? You could blow that up and see the white whatever, better.

gregzz4

01-03-2015, 03:09 AM

I can't take a macro Dietmar 'cause she moves too much, but I'll try to see what is going on tomorrow with a video - frame by frame

gregzz4

02-06-2015, 05:51 AM

The solar wrasse with the eye spot is going to get a week of Metro starting this weekend.
She'd been flashing her eye since I raised the SG from hypo.
The female lubbocks and lyretail will stay in the QT for the week with the solar as I have a release sequence I want to follow, and I want to keep trying to get the lyretail eating pellets.

The tang has been named and is going into the DT this weekend
Stay tuned for pics of Nibbler !

gregzz4

02-15-2015, 01:55 AM

OK, so I dropped the ball on getting some pics up. Soon ...

This update is about the EcoTech Reeflink that I bought today !
I'm very excited to get it set up so I can randomise my Vortechs throughout a 24hr period

That is all

WarDog

02-15-2015, 02:00 AM

OK, so I dropped the ball on getting some pics up. Soo...

Yeah but you were sick... again. Hope you're feeling better, and when I say better, I mean you better post some pics! :lol:

gregzz4

02-15-2015, 02:40 AM

Ya ya, I know.
I should have been taking pics and posting on Canreef, instead of laying around the house moaning and coughing up a lung ... or trying to blow my bum out my nose.
And changing clothes every couple hours after I soaked them with sweat.
And lets not forget that I showed up for work everyday to keep our deadlines.
Sure, I could have been taking pics, but I was kinda busy ... :puke:

WarDog

02-15-2015, 02:51 AM

Thanks for the horrific details. :laluot_32:

gregzz4

02-15-2015, 02:54 AM

Anytime

Tn23

02-15-2015, 02:56 AM

gregzz4

02-20-2015, 03:48 AM

I returned the Male Lyretail as I couldn't get him eating anything besides nori and frozen

Nibbler is happy to be in the DT, fits in well and has gone to town on the algae ( I'll be plucking out the stuff he's not eating)
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_1830_zps245c3106.jpg

The wrasse 'wives' went through the introduction tank well
The Lubbok's fit right in within hours, but the Solar is just now roaming around. She's a big fraidy-cat
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_1828_zps4176d085.jpg

Another shot for you all of the holding tank I buillt
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_1829_zpsf1e0f0aa.jpg

Aquattro

02-20-2015, 05:13 AM

I returned the Male Lyretail as I couldn't get him eating anything besides nori and frozen

What's wrong with that??

WarDog

02-20-2015, 05:18 AM

Dude, should have let me know... I'm looking for a couple Lyretails!

Box looks good!!!

Aquattro

02-20-2015, 05:22 AM

Dude, should have let me know... I'm looking for a couple Lyretails!

Box looks good!!!

I just got 5, they love frozen!

gregzz4

02-20-2015, 05:31 AM

What's wrong with that??
Well, I only feed frozen every other night, and nori a couple times a week
I'm thinking he would have slowly starved.
Isn't that along the lines of Morality ?

Dude, should have let me know... I'm looking for a couple Lyretails!

Box looks good!!!
Thanks for that. The box worked great. Cost me $50 to build it but it was worth every dollar.
More morality here :biggrin:

When I took him in J&L had a huge amount of Lyretails.

Be prepared to own either 1 or 7+

Don't buy one unless you plan on owning 6 or 7+

Aquattro

02-20-2015, 05:34 AM

Well, I only feed frozen every other night, and nori a couple times a week
I'm thinking he would have slowly starved.

Couldn't you just feed it every night?

gregzz4

02-20-2015, 05:37 AM

Couldn't you just feed it every night?
Are you kidding me ?
I Can't feed one fish while the other dozen are eating the same food on a different cycle !!! :twised:
I don't feed the fish frozen everyday, but rather flakes and frozen every other day alternating

Brad, you're a turd :wink:

Aquattro

02-20-2015, 05:40 AM

Are you kidding me ?
I Can't feed one fish while the other dozen are eating the same food !!! :twised:
I don't feed the fish frozen everyday, but rather flakes and frozen every other day

Brad, you're a turd

It's possibly because it's late and I'm tired, but none of that made any sense to me :) Just feed the fish frozen everyday and then they're all happy. I'm going to bed -lol

Bblinks

02-20-2015, 05:48 AM

Brads got a point there buddy boy. Shoukd just feed frozen at night and pellets and flakes in the morning and double dose on the weekends...:twised:

Btw gn Brad. Lol

gregzz4

02-20-2015, 06:05 AM

It's possibly because it's late and I'm tired, but none of that made any sense to me :) Just feed the fish frozen everyday and then they're all happy. I'm going to bed -lol

Brads got a point there buddy boy. Shoukd just feed frozen at night and pellets and flakes in the morning and double dose on the weekends...:twised:

Btw gn Brad. Lol
Alright, I'll clarify this before I also go to bed ...

My fish eat pellets for lunch everyday. Period.
My fish eat flakes and frozen for dinner, alternating each night.
I feed nori 2 or 3 times/week

So, the Lyretail that I just returned to J&L (totally ICH free after a 12 week schedule) would only eat nori and frozen.

The Lyretail wouldn't eat pellets, so he never eats lunch.
The Lyretail wouldn't eat flakes, so he never eats dinner every other night.
The Lyretail eats frozen, so he eats dinner every other night.

Maybe the Lyretail eats some Nori every couple days, but that's not food for him.

If he only eats every other day/2-3 times per week, and only once/day, don't you think he would starve ????

Where's the Morality here ?
I returned the little guy before he starved in my tank ......

gregzz4

02-20-2015, 06:05 AM

Brads got a point there buddy boy. Shoukd just feed frozen at night and pellets and flakes in the morning and double dose on the weekends...:twised:

Btw gn Brad. Lol
Don't think so bud
I'll keep my feeding schedule as is

gregzz4

02-20-2015, 06:17 AM

Brads got a point there buddy boy. Shoukd just feed frozen at night and pellets and flakes in the morning and double dose on the weekends...:twised:

Btw gn Brad. Lol
Last time I fed frozen everynight I had algae problems I couldn't fix

reeferfulton

02-20-2015, 08:07 AM

Aquattro

02-20-2015, 12:10 PM

i think you did the right thing greg.
if you are un willing to modify your feeding schedule to meet the fish's demands and you believe its health is at jeopardy. then by all means return or find a tank that can provide for the fish.

Or, alternatively, there's therapy available -lol

Can always count on Jon to disagree with me -more lol

Aquattro

02-20-2015, 01:35 PM

Just to be clear Greg, not trying to give you a hard time (anymore than usual :razz: ), it's just that I'm in the same spot with my anthias and for me, it was just a "ok, guess I'm feeding frozen everyday, or at least until they learn to eat pellets" moment. Just curious how someone comes to a different outlook? I guess algae concerns are fair enough...

reeferfulton

02-20-2015, 03:28 PM

Can always count on Jon to disagree with me -more lol

i try:)

Bblinks

02-20-2015, 08:37 PM

gregzz4

03-01-2015, 01:14 AM

All the fish are, for the most part, getting along well.
The new Vortech settings are working well. Thanks ReefLink :wink:
Algae is under control enough.
I've finished cranking up the light timers and am just waiting for the corals to adjust.

Had to do some pruning of the green birdsnest again. It's pretty much doubling in size every 6 months.
Wish some of my other corals would do the same.

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02651_zpsxye7kgef.jpg

http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02652_zpsqblawjnn.jpg

Aquattro

03-01-2015, 01:17 AM

Looks good!

gregzz4

03-01-2015, 01:28 AM

Looks good!
Thanks !
It's only taken me 3 years to figure things out

Aquattro

03-01-2015, 01:29 AM

Thanks !
It's only taken me 3 years to figure things out

Pretty good. I've been at it 20 and still haven't figured it out :razz:

gregzz4

03-01-2015, 01:46 AM

Let me rephrase that ...

3 years and my corals are starting to grow
Maybe I'm ready for some real ones now and I can get rid of these starters

daplatapus

03-01-2015, 01:57 AM

Looks awesome. Wish I could keep my sand that clean

Reef Pilot

03-01-2015, 02:05 AM

Looking very nice, Greg,... and so clean!...

crimper

03-01-2015, 02:06 AM

It's only taken me 3 years to figure things out

I think that's in the normal learning curve of most reefer, at least for what I've read. I have long ways to go then :lol:

Your tank is blooming... woot! wooooot! :rockon:

gregzz4

03-01-2015, 02:26 AM

Thanks guys

Looks awesome. Wish I could keep my sand that clean
You too can have clean sand
I replaced the top layer last week :lol:
The crud that came out was pretty amazing and I think I'll do it more often now that our Hector's is gone

hillegom

03-01-2015, 02:58 AM

Sand looks really clean. So you replaced the top layer? Was that to get rid of the cyan?

gregzz4

03-01-2015, 03:13 AM

Just suckin' out the uglies ... algae, cyano, assorted mulm, excess spaghetti worms
Plus there was some crusty sand under a return due to a calcium dosing issue awhile back, and crab/shrimp molt bits, urchin spines, various birdsnest frags

Ya know, just a whole bunch of crap

Time for me to stop being so lazy and keep it cleaner

Snappy

03-01-2015, 03:23 AM

looks great

crimper

03-01-2015, 03:29 AM

Time for me to stop being so lazy and keep it cleaner

Time to get some fancy Acros my friend. Acro shopping spree! :smile:

Samw

03-01-2015, 03:37 AM

Looks good Greg. Good to see your algae problem gone.

gregzz4

03-05-2015, 03:39 AM

looks great
Grass is greener my friend, and my grass is kinda brown (hopefully only for a short period longer)
But thanks anyway :wink:
Maybe one day, after my few years, I'll have something as sexy as your tank(s)

Time to get some fancy Acros my friend. Acro shopping spree! :smile:
Yup, workin' on it !!
Time to get rid of a lot of boring 'starter' corals

Looks good Greg. Good to see your algae problem gone.
Mostly. 99% under control. Gotta keep the wife away from the fish feedings :smile:

Incoming bad pics ... under blues :sad:
I should post some of the same pics under full lights as these are awful :twised:

I could use some money for hardware ...
Should I frag some stuff up ?
Don't know if anyone would like some or not.
I'll start a thread and see where it goes ....

Watermelon
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02667_zpsnvw4n9ew.jpg
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02669_zpsixuanry0.jpg

Sunny Ds
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02666_zpsxa3nkri5.jpg

My unhappy leptastrea. Was deep deep green 'till I cranked the lights up
Now I'm hoping it will recover ....
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/DSC02671_zpsip5dekmf.jpg

gregzz4

03-26-2015, 07:54 AM

Not much to say or post ... guess I should get some pics up soon

Things are looking better ... corals are growing

I've started using my QT as a frag tank and hope to sell some stuff soon

Guess the best I can say is the tank is mostly on autopilot for now, but I'd like to up my WCs from 10%/week to 25%/biweekly
I'm still working on this and it's taken me 6 months to get closer ...
I had a quote of over $160 for a 25g tall tank :surprise:

I built a new saltwater/ato setup but didn't like how it fit into my space so I'm trying to sell it

I think I've found some glass to build the 25g tank myself

Yup, pretty boring

Need pics

That is all

gregzz4

04-13-2015, 03:29 AM

Been a bit since I said I'd get some pics up
Here's the latest FTS from my iPhone. Shoulda taken these with my sony and corrected them ...
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_1911_zpsu1j0gimo.jpg

Bought another M.Flavida from Samw. Thanks bud !
It's starting to open up
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_1913_zpss1rvwehn.jpg

This is the one I 'stole' from Wayner a couple years ago
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_1910_zpsqpsf4lcp.jpg

I picked up a couple from Northvan ... not sure of the species yet. If you know, feel free to post it :smile:

Little one (phone focused on the the snail)
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_1914_zpsypz7a2yg.jpg

Big one
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx136/Gregzz4/75%20Gallon%20Build/IMG_1915_zpsfqhooeij.jpg

reefwithareefer

04-13-2015, 03:51 AM

Nice tank! I wish I had kept better track of things in my journal like you and others. Things change so quickly.

crimper

04-13-2015, 04:02 AM

Tank is looking nice and clean Greg! Nice job.

gregzz4

04-13-2015, 04:03 AM

Nice tank!

Thanks dude!

I wish I had kept better track of things in my journal like you and others. Things change so quickly.
Never too late to start for anyone. You have a great thread going :biggrin:

Your link in Dave's thread is Kaput !! :surprise:
Error 404 not found

gregzz4

04-13-2015, 04:32 AM

Forgot to mention ...

I've had longspine urchins for years now, and the only problem I ever had was when one got big and started eating tiny SPS frags. I solved that issue by feeding it nori and shrimps whenever it would climb the front glass.
It became a routine. He climbs and I feed.

I returned the large longspine when he outgrew the tank and bought the smallest one I've ever seen in my life. Was about half the size of a ping-pong ball. Seriously was super tiny. I never saw it for months while it grew.

Then I finally see it out roaming around and think, good, now it'll start to eat some algae.
Well, months go by and it grows. I try to hand feed it as I did with the first one, but this guy will have no part of feeding tools. So I figured, meh, and let time go by.

Forward a bunch of months and my flaming sun zoas start to disappear, then my watermelons.
I looked for nights on end for predators ...
Move forward a week and I catch the longspine on the watermelons before lights on.
I thought maybe it's just cleaning the newly exposed LR.
Then a few days later I see my lemon drop zoas are gone, and the urchin is sitting on top of my la lakers.
I push him off and see I've only got 3 polyps left :twised:

Son Of A Coral Eating Couldn't You Have Continued Eating The Watermelons ?

So, after a short time of thinking about putting the longspine in the garburator I returned it to J&L, along with the 2 pincushion ones that were killing my snails by up-rooting them from the sand and carrying them around for days without food.

I've gone back to Strawberry tophat snails
I couldn't do this back when I bought the urchins as I killed off a lot of snails by dosing too much peroxide to kill the hair algae.

Live and learn
So many things to NOT do in this hobby