125G Aggressive FOWLR

[SauceBoss]

Hello all. I have recently set-up my 72"x18"x22" 125 gallon tank.

Current stock:
-3.5" domino damsel
-1.5" blue/green chromis
-3" maroon clownfish
-9" snowflake moray
Planned Stock:
-magnificent foxface ~7"
-Saddleback grouper (Plectropomus laevis) ~5"
**Will be getting rid of chromis and damsel shortly. All measurements are TL.

Specs:
SG: 1.024
pH: 8.3
Ammonia:0
Nitrite:0
Nitrate: 15ppm

-2x 150W jager heaters
- Aqua C remora pro HOB skimmer
- 2x 1050 hydor koralia powerheads
-Fluval FX5 (mechanical and chemical filtration, in-line UV sterilizer - cleaned every 10 days)
-100lbs of established, porous liverock
-150lbs pool-filter sand

Heres a big part of this thread: questions about my remora skimmer. It isn't producing a lot of skim, and when it does, it is very wet, even when the collection cup is set basically as high as it will go. I am thinking the canister may be holding in a lot of the organic waste, causing nitrates VS skimate. After 10 days of run-time, microbubbles are no longer an issue, but a noticeable hissing noise is still emitting. From what I understand: this is from the spray injection and theres not much to do about it.

On another note: a sump is in the works. This will put an end to the FX5. I am planning on:
-filter sock
-DSB, for aneroibc bacteria, my main target with this is nitrates.
-high power lamp over some chaeto.
-housing for skimmer and heaters
-phosban 550 reactor containing GFO and bio-pellets
**the UV sterilizer will still be in-line via return pump

I really hate nitrates and the algae that comes with it. The skimmer, macroalgae, DSB and bio-pellets are all fighting nitrates. Am I over-looking some other options besides an algae scrubber?

I appretiate any and all input on my specs/stocking ideas. Ah, before I get flamed, I am aware that the grouper can reach a maximum length of 3'. It will be going into the large shark tank of my local Big Al's someday. Pics will be up ASAP -I need to get a working camera!

 

[Sonicblast12]

A couple of tips for your remora...

It can take three weeks or so for it to produce decent skimate, and some tinkering to get it to perform the way you want it. After that break in period it should perform very consistently. If performance starts to suffer, time to take the pipe cleaner and scrub the injector nozzle.

As for the hissing sound, it's an easy fix. Cut a piece of foam to size so it fits over the left side of the chamber and rests on top of the injector. When the collection cup is put in place it seals out much of the noise. Take a flashlight and shine through the dark acrylic to see if the foam is affecting performance. Eventually I had to wrap the foam in plastic because the foam would get saturated and fall down beside the nozzle.

You also have pretty light stock for 125 gallons, so it's possible there isn't much to skim at this point. Especially if it's a recent setup.

 

[SauceBoss]

So the break-in period is still in effect huh? My in-sump eshopps skimmer was pulling thick, stinky skim in 2-3 days, so this is a little diffrent. I will take a stab at cleaning the injector tonight. My fingers are crossed for a camera for my birthday- the 18th.

 

[Sonicblast12]

No no...don't clean the injector now. You'd be almost back to square one.

 

[SauceBoss]

Luckily I didn't get around to it last night. it is starting to pull a bit thicker skim. PE mysis sure are oily, the skimmer was going crazy last night

 

[SauceBoss]

Well, i've ran into a snag. I bought my rock cured, had no ammonia after a good week. Added my buddies chromis to test the condtions, then added the clown and damsel 10 days later. I had a small ammonia bump, lasting less than a day. That was a couple weeks ago. I added the eel 5 days ago now. Water parameters didnt change at all after introduction. The eel hasnt eaten yet, but thats expected and they can go weeks without food. I fed the chromis, clown and damsel their daily mysis, but also tried feeding the eel a piece of krill as well, it was lost in the rockwork. Could this have caused an ammonia spike? I dont think so, but this is really weird.

 

[SauceBoss]

Well that ammonia bump disipated overnight on wednesday. I have been looking around locally for tank builders for my sump. Im thinking of going big on the sump, as in a 75 gallon (4'x18"x22"). With all this room i figured the maroon clownfish would be happier in the fuge- its freakishly mild and would be happier in a more placid environment im sure.

On the topic of livestock, i've considered a different stocking plan. Partially due to changes of interests and whats realistically available locally.
New stocklist:
-snowflake moray
-magnificant foxface
-bothus mancus or 'peacock flounder'
-miniatus grouper
-pink tail trigger

I saw a beautiful 5" copperband butterfly at my LFS, and pondered subbing it out with the pink tail, but I figure the grouper would pose aggression issues. It's just i've always really wanted one, but im not chancing it in my reef tank.

 

[nanoreefer1000]

Well that ammonia bump disipated overnight on wednesday. I have been looking around locally for tank builders for my sump. Im thinking of going big on the sump, as in a 75 gallon (4'x18"x22"). With all this room i figured the maroon clownfish would be happier in the fuge- its freakishly mild and would be happier in a more placid environment im sure.

On the topic of livestock, i've considered a different stocking plan. Partially due to changes of interests and whats realistically available locally.
New stocklist:
-snowflake moray
-magnificant foxface
-bothus mancus or 'peacock flounder'
-miniatus grouper
-pink tail trigger

I saw a beautiful 5" copperband butterfly at my LFS, and pondered subbing it out with the pink tail, but I figure the grouper would pose aggression issues. It's just i've always really wanted one, but im not chancing it in my reef tank.

SF eel- good
fox face- good
-flounder- I wouldn't keep one in a 125 with these fish
grouper- I would skip this one to, messy and could prob. eat a 5 inch fish
trigger- pink tails are peaceful most of the time, it might get aggressive

 

[SauceBoss]

Well, the damsel has been at the top of the pecking order for as long as its been in the tank. No question. But for some reason, it has been very stressed for the last 3ish days. A faded color and breathing fast. Then, this morning I woke up to the damsels eyes milked over. The eel, maroon clown and chromis are doing just fine. Kind of an anomaly to me.

 

[SauceBoss]

SF eel- good
fox face- good
-flounder- I wouldn't keep one in a 125 with these fish
grouper- I would skip this one to, messy and could prob. eat a 5 inch fish
trigger- pink tails are peaceful most of the time, it might get aggressive

I've gone back and forth on the flounder myself. I believe it would have ample room in a 6' tank, seeing how it has a MAX size of 1'2". However; if one of the fish starts picking on it, the flounder is kind of helpless.

On the topic of the miniatus grouper, the one at my LFS is maybe 4", and would most likely be the smallest, and last, edition to the tank. I couldnt see this fish at a realistic full-grown size of a foot eating a 5" copperband- if this was your refrence? To make it clear I will not be going with the copperband unless I ultimately go a more peaceful route.

Lastly, I have come to accept the trigger's potential aggression. Seeing as it is an 'up-turned' trigger, I think most specimens would fit in nicely. But all triggers are a roll of the dice, no question.

 

[SauceBoss]

Hey guys, long time no update. I did get a camera. Toying with the settings to get good tank pictures. Will have pics up soon.

It's been kinda rough lately. The damsel died the next day (the 14th). The clownfish was stressing really hard as well so he's kicking back in a friends sump where he is doing much better. I believe I have found the source of the damsels demise. A once severe case of ich irritated his eyes which resulted in a bacterial infection.

This brings me to another point. Quarantine Tanks. I've had nothing but success so far in this hobby via patience and research. I figured theres ich in the ocean, healthy fish have no problems with it. With proper care i've seen the transition into a peaceful tank as practically seamless. But heres where things differ IMO: the stress going into a tank of other established aggressive fish is immediate and unrelenting for the first while. I believe this could cause a viscous cycle of a declining immune system and more ich. SO, I set up a 55 QT. I will be adding a emperor pseudochromis (labracinus melanotaenia) and my snowflake eel soon. They will live here through the fallow period of 10 weeks to insure the eradication of ich in the display. Disease treatment will be discussed when/if it is needed.

I know the pseudochromis will be cruel on new additions and will live in the sump until any weaker fish are added. Which brings me to a hypothetical stock list based on what I see locally. I change this list a lot.

-snowflake moray
-emperor pseudochromis
-maroon clownfish
-sailfin tang
Was settling for a foxface due to hardiness, but I figure with no ich in the 125 and all fish properly quarantined and treated for diseases/parasites, I will give a less hardy fish a go.

I understand the potential size of this fish. I also understand tangs don't grow too fast, as a relative term. I figure a ~5" specimen would live happily in this tank for quite a while. I will surely upgrade tank size as my fish get larger and I move out after i'm done with my post-secondary education.
-koran angelfish
Falls into the same category as the sailfin tang.
-banana wrasse (male)

Now, to a controversial topic. Invertebrate tank mates. I understand the wrasse and eel are capable predators of anything with an exoskeleton. I did however, look into a particular invert which struck my interest. A queen conch; with a max size of a foot, habits of burying itself during the day and a continually thickening shell I figured perhaps I could bend the rules a bit.

On another note: my skimmer has been running for a solid month an either pulls nothing when the cup is set fairly high up, or quickly fills with a green, extremely watery skim. I'm stumped.

Any input? Go ahead!