125 Gallon 8 Month Birthday
- Thread starter GregM779
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reefarchitect
New member
I've been fortunate enough to see this tank in person and I will attest that the pictures do it no justice! This is one of the nicest reeftanks I've ever seen, in person or on-line! Greg deserves it though, he's a great guy and puts alot into his tank.
Keep up the great work.
p.s. if you ever get a baby on that yellow leather, I want first dibbs!
Keep up the great work.
p.s. if you ever get a baby on that yellow leather, I want first dibbs!
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
So greg, How high off the water you running those halides?
I am now running 10K 150's myself and the corals seem really happy even though there is quite a bit less PAR than with my old lights. I don't have as powerful actinics as you but we can fix that
I am now running 10K 150's myself and the corals seem really happy even though there is quite a bit less PAR than with my old lights. I don't have as powerful actinics as you but we can fix that
GregM779
Premium Member
Thanks for the comments!
It's defintitely a dedication although some may say an obsession.
Thanks Armando, I may frag soon, my girlfriend wants a piece for her new tank also!
I've hade the Niger Trigger about 2 months now, perfect citizen, hasn't even eaten snails or crabs.
My lights are about 5 inches above my water surface I have a coralife fixture and right now am using the legs that cam with it.
It's defintitely a dedication although some may say an obsession.
Thanks Armando, I may frag soon, my girlfriend wants a piece for her new tank also!
I've hade the Niger Trigger about 2 months now, perfect citizen, hasn't even eaten snails or crabs.
My lights are about 5 inches above my water surface I have a coralife fixture and right now am using the legs that cam with it.
GregM779
Premium Member
Tyler, I run a mag 18 for my return which is 1800GPH, a SEIO 1100 which is 1100GPH, and a maxijet 1140 which does about 250GPH. 3150GPH Total. I probably turn over about 25x an hour if you add all of my water up from my tank, sump, and fuge and then subtract all of my rock. It's not only how much flow you have it's also how you use it, I have a lot of LPS and they don't like a lot of direct flow.
guitar_lord
New member
Is the niger aggressive towards the other tankmates??
I love triggers, but am terrified of putting one in my tank.
I love triggers, but am terrified of putting one in my tank.
GregM779
Premium Member
Mine is not at all but every fish has their own personality. There are a few triggers that are considered reef safe for the most part like my Niger, and the Blue Throat. I love the way a clown trigger looks but I've heard too many horror stories to even get one for a FOWLR, then again many people keep those just fine also.
RevHtree
Active member
Man what an awesome tank.........Thanks for inspiring me. I want sps, but I was getting the opinion that you had to have an all sps tank or mostly all. Not anymore! That is exactly the tank that I want.
Thanks again....WOW!
PS. Seriously hands down one of the most beauitful tanks I have ever seen!!
Thanks again....WOW!
PS. Seriously hands down one of the most beauitful tanks I have ever seen!!
FastUno
New member
Okay, so you have got my attention. First impression is how clean things look & how healthy the corals look. Overall, your tank looks a bit too yellowish, but it's understandable why you opted to get better growth rates with the 10K's. I would probably make the same choice.
I hope you don't mind if I try & analyze your tank & try to learn something from you. I have tons of question, but will not bombard you with them all at once.
Part I- Why so clean?:
Your sand looks so clean, sorta the clean & clear you find when you first setup a tank. Is the sand 8mo old too? You have so many fish & one would think that it would be close to impossible for such a scenario (at least for most reefers). What is the secret? Where does all the fish poop go?
How often & how much water do you change out?
Do you run carbon or phosphate removal?
Do you siphon out your sand or rocks? Do you turkey blast?
Do you have a cleanup crew & what sorts/kinds?
Thanks for your time.
I hope you don't mind if I try & analyze your tank & try to learn something from you. I have tons of question, but will not bombard you with them all at once.
Part I- Why so clean?:
Your sand looks so clean, sorta the clean & clear you find when you first setup a tank. Is the sand 8mo old too? You have so many fish & one would think that it would be close to impossible for such a scenario (at least for most reefers). What is the secret? Where does all the fish poop go?
How often & how much water do you change out?
Do you run carbon or phosphate removal?
Do you siphon out your sand or rocks? Do you turkey blast?
Do you have a cleanup crew & what sorts/kinds?
Thanks for your time.
GregM779
Premium Member
Thanks for the comments,
Dubbin1, it's not just money that makes a nice tank, I know a lot of rich people with tanks I would be ashamed of and I am definitely not rich my any means.
RefferNOOB, If your new to the hobby get into SPS a little down the road and definitely do it slowly, they are a lot more touchy than other types of coral. The main things that you have to be careful of when doing a mixed reef is placement and water quality. If you put some kind of LPS near SPS and it stings it, like a torch, that SPS is most likely a goner. They also require very clean water which is hard o do when you start adding fish, that's why you see a lot of awesome SPS tanks almost lifeless fish wise.
FastUno, I bought an aquarium to have fish originally and they will always be my priority.
First the 10ks are not as yellow in real like they are actually very white. I went with these not only for the growth rate but I do like seeing the actual colors of things in the tank, also I can take pictures without everything being blue. I do agree everything looks better under more false lighting, like 20ks but I think that they are too dull and blue.
The sand was put in on day 1. I do agree that most told me even when I posted 5 months ago that my tank was going to crash because of my bioload. I think a lot has to do with the over 200lbs of LR that has matured enough to be able to handle it, I also think that my refugium was one of the best things that I could have added and has helped a lot.
I've done 2 water changes since setup both were 24 gallons each.
I run carbon maybe for a week every month, my UV handles the water clarity and my refugium handles the phosphates.
I don't siphon or turkey blast, My flow handles it and also my 4 tangs, foxface, and flame angel, pick at every rock all day long, that is also partly why I have no algae.
Cleanup crew is about 35 turbo snails, 2 Mexican turbo snails, 15 red leg hermit crabs, and a tiger goby for the sand. I find that diamond gobies do a better job cleaning the sand but tend to jump out a lot.
I think that was everything you listed.
Dubbin1, it's not just money that makes a nice tank, I know a lot of rich people with tanks I would be ashamed of and I am definitely not rich my any means.
RefferNOOB, If your new to the hobby get into SPS a little down the road and definitely do it slowly, they are a lot more touchy than other types of coral. The main things that you have to be careful of when doing a mixed reef is placement and water quality. If you put some kind of LPS near SPS and it stings it, like a torch, that SPS is most likely a goner. They also require very clean water which is hard o do when you start adding fish, that's why you see a lot of awesome SPS tanks almost lifeless fish wise.
FastUno, I bought an aquarium to have fish originally and they will always be my priority.
First the 10ks are not as yellow in real like they are actually very white. I went with these not only for the growth rate but I do like seeing the actual colors of things in the tank, also I can take pictures without everything being blue. I do agree everything looks better under more false lighting, like 20ks but I think that they are too dull and blue.
The sand was put in on day 1. I do agree that most told me even when I posted 5 months ago that my tank was going to crash because of my bioload. I think a lot has to do with the over 200lbs of LR that has matured enough to be able to handle it, I also think that my refugium was one of the best things that I could have added and has helped a lot.
I've done 2 water changes since setup both were 24 gallons each.
I run carbon maybe for a week every month, my UV handles the water clarity and my refugium handles the phosphates.
I don't siphon or turkey blast, My flow handles it and also my 4 tangs, foxface, and flame angel, pick at every rock all day long, that is also partly why I have no algae.
Cleanup crew is about 35 turbo snails, 2 Mexican turbo snails, 15 red leg hermit crabs, and a tiger goby for the sand. I find that diamond gobies do a better job cleaning the sand but tend to jump out a lot.
I think that was everything you listed.
FastUno
New member
Only 2 water changes since the setup...wow! I have tried that for a month (i.e. no water changes) & saw an impact on the quality of water, so back to water changing I went.
Do you actually see the poop on or in your sand? Does it just get mixed in your sand & build up over time? I only have small fish (5 of them no bigger than 3 inches) & see stuff that I have to siphon out.
Is your live rock cultured? What kind & where from?
Part 2- Skimmer, so what gives?
Most people would have gone for the ER, or Deltecs, or MR. You seem to have gone for the unheard of Kent Marine Nautilus Nautilus Protein Skimmer. Do you know a secret that we don't? How does it seem to handle it's job? How many cups do you get a day/week & how often do you have to fiddle with it?
Do you actually see the poop on or in your sand? Does it just get mixed in your sand & build up over time? I only have small fish (5 of them no bigger than 3 inches) & see stuff that I have to siphon out.
Is your live rock cultured? What kind & where from?
Part 2- Skimmer, so what gives?
Most people would have gone for the ER, or Deltecs, or MR. You seem to have gone for the unheard of Kent Marine Nautilus Nautilus Protein Skimmer. Do you know a secret that we don't? How does it seem to handle it's job? How many cups do you get a day/week & how often do you have to fiddle with it?
RevHtree
Active member
Actually my name is a little misleading. I have had a reef tank for about 14 months now. I now have a prop tank, and do my own fragging and trading...woo hoo..
I have never had a water issue. I just upgraded my fuge to an old 20g wet/dry that I converted. I have 25+ corals, and only a few fish in my 125.
I consider most people reefer noobs until they get a few years under their belt.
GregM779
Premium Member
Yeh only 2 changes, I would do more if would improve anything. Some find it necessary to do more than others depending on their system.
I definitely see th fish take a poop but it never sits on the ground, there aren't many dead spots on the ground at least flow wise and the cleanup crew takes care of the rest. Nassarius snails are great for that.
My rock is was mostly live when I bought it, I bought very little LR because I find it weaker than LR. I purchased it over time all from about 6 different LFSs, until I had the shape that I wanted. I have Fiji, Haitian, and Atlantic LR in there.
About the skimmer, there is definitely no secret about that. It isn't a great skimmer by any means. I got it with the system when I bought it and was planning to upgrade. If I ever find any reason to improve a part it will be this. Until then I'll wait.
RefferNOOB, sorry.
Acros are definitely more touchy than other SPS. Your lights sound good, just keep your water in check and give them a good amount of indirect flow. I started with a Birdnest and think that they are one of the easiers to keep, also try and stay away from wild colonies, they are a lot less hardy.
I definitely see th fish take a poop but it never sits on the ground, there aren't many dead spots on the ground at least flow wise and the cleanup crew takes care of the rest. Nassarius snails are great for that.
My rock is was mostly live when I bought it, I bought very little LR because I find it weaker than LR. I purchased it over time all from about 6 different LFSs, until I had the shape that I wanted. I have Fiji, Haitian, and Atlantic LR in there.
About the skimmer, there is definitely no secret about that. It isn't a great skimmer by any means. I got it with the system when I bought it and was planning to upgrade. If I ever find any reason to improve a part it will be this. Until then I'll wait.
RefferNOOB, sorry.
Acros are definitely more touchy than other SPS. Your lights sound good, just keep your water in check and give them a good amount of indirect flow. I started with a Birdnest and think that they are one of the easiers to keep, also try and stay away from wild colonies, they are a lot less hardy.
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