205G Tank Build
- Thread starter Fish4Me2
- Start date
Fish4Me2
New member
Today's a day of good and bad. Or perhaps good, bad, and ugly.
Let's start with the ugly: My 60 gallon tank, with the AEFW infestation. I began the battle this weekend, by removing all the non acro corals to the 205, removing all the rock, and then dipping all the acros in levamisole, followed by Coral Cure Pro. I found 3 flatworms, and no eggs, although I simply scrapped all the encrusted parts.
As for the bad, after the dips, I've already lost my Hawkins, even though I only dipped that in the Coral Cure. :sad2:
And now the one bit of good. I used RocketEngineer's plans to build my first stand. The bottom is open to allow a brute to roll in and out, and the top houses a 65 gallon tank. The idea is that the top will hold RO, while I can mix salt in the bottom, and then roll it out to do water changes in any of my tanks.
Let's start with the ugly: My 60 gallon tank, with the AEFW infestation. I began the battle this weekend, by removing all the non acro corals to the 205, removing all the rock, and then dipping all the acros in levamisole, followed by Coral Cure Pro. I found 3 flatworms, and no eggs, although I simply scrapped all the encrusted parts.
As for the bad, after the dips, I've already lost my Hawkins, even though I only dipped that in the Coral Cure. :sad2:
And now the one bit of good. I used RocketEngineer's plans to build my first stand. The bottom is open to allow a brute to roll in and out, and the top houses a 65 gallon tank. The idea is that the top will hold RO, while I can mix salt in the bottom, and then roll it out to do water changes in any of my tanks.
Fish4Me2
New member
With thanks to several assistants, my water station is complete. I have a 65 gallon tank on top, being fed from my RO/DI, with a float switch. The 44 gallon Brute fits underneath the 65 gallon tank. I drilled a hole in the top of the Brute to allow me to add salt via a funnel, and to run power cords in and out. Because the clearance is so tight with the low ceiling, if the cord came out under the lid, the Brute wouldn't fit under the stand.
Here's the final product:
Here's the salt funnel:
Power strip on the bottom of the stand to power a heater and pump for mixing:
Here's the final product:
Here's the salt funnel:
Power strip on the bottom of the stand to power a heater and pump for mixing:
Fish4Me2
New member
Heh. Yeah, having the space for everything, and the ability to drill holes through walls with no one objecting, is wonderful.
I hope you're out soon and can get started.
Fish4Me2
New member
Welcome to my build! ? Most of the time I feel like I'm talking to myself, so it's really nice to know I've got some company, and this might be useful for someone out there.
Fish4Me2
New member
So, it's been a while, but with the one year anniversary of bringing the tank home, I thought I would update.
Things are progressing. I've got a nasty case of brown stringy algae. It doesn't seem to be dinos, but it's yucky. My phosphates hit .03 after adding the fish and feeding heavily, so I scaled back and moved over to high capacity GFO. It's now down to .01, but the algae is still all over the rocks, back wall, and pumps. I'm keeping up with weekly 30g water changes to fight it.
Here's the FTS:
The corals went through 6 full weeks of dipping in levi and Coral Cure Pro. I lost a LOT, and those that survived are almost all white. My blue tipped green slimer is only now visibly green, so it gives me hope for the rest of the survivors. Polyp extension is good. I also hit up Reef A Palooza, and purchased several new corals. They all went into QT, with 4 weeks of observations and dips, before going into the DT. So far, so good. Here are a few shots of my tiny little frags. I hope by my 11/2012 update, these will be looking bigger and happier!
The setosa I had to chisel off the rock in the AEFW infested tank:
New ultimate blue stag:
Rainbow monit:
Fruit loops:
Overall I'm still happy with the bare bottom choice, but it does require some different maintenance. I will be replacing one of my tunzes with a vortech soon, because the flow is so much stronger in this tank.
Things are progressing. I've got a nasty case of brown stringy algae. It doesn't seem to be dinos, but it's yucky. My phosphates hit .03 after adding the fish and feeding heavily, so I scaled back and moved over to high capacity GFO. It's now down to .01, but the algae is still all over the rocks, back wall, and pumps. I'm keeping up with weekly 30g water changes to fight it.
Here's the FTS:
The corals went through 6 full weeks of dipping in levi and Coral Cure Pro. I lost a LOT, and those that survived are almost all white. My blue tipped green slimer is only now visibly green, so it gives me hope for the rest of the survivors. Polyp extension is good. I also hit up Reef A Palooza, and purchased several new corals. They all went into QT, with 4 weeks of observations and dips, before going into the DT. So far, so good. Here are a few shots of my tiny little frags. I hope by my 11/2012 update, these will be looking bigger and happier!
The setosa I had to chisel off the rock in the AEFW infested tank:
New ultimate blue stag:
Rainbow monit:
Fruit loops:
Overall I'm still happy with the bare bottom choice, but it does require some different maintenance. I will be replacing one of my tunzes with a vortech soon, because the flow is so much stronger in this tank.
Fish4Me2
New member
The tank has been up and running for a year now! Although I'm still fighting the clear, stringy algae on the rocks and walls, I'm happy with the progress to date. I decided it was time to work on some of the things on my wish list (or is that a fish list?). So, the following 7 fish went into QT today, and will hopefully all emerge in 9 - 10 weeks healthy and ready for the big tank.
Fish4Me2
New member
I thought I'd include a few coral shots. As you can tell, some of these still have not recovered from the flat worm QT regimen. While my PO4 continues to test at 0, I also continue to have slimy algae on all of the rocks. I'm debating doing a lights out period - but with the corals still just barely holding on to colors, I can't bring myself to do it.
Bonsai that is only purple on the tips since QT:
Bonsai that is only purple on the tips since QT:
Metal Man 1221
FMMAS Executive Director
Haven't checked in for a while. Every thing is looking good. This is the part when patience is really tested. Hang in there, your making great progress.
When you do water changes how do you remove waste water? I found a while back that siphoning off the rocks does wonders for nutrient export and eliminating nuisance algae.
Also, I went back, and may have missed it, but are you running a fuge at all? Some macro in the sump may help to compete for phosphates. I moved my tank this fall and upon doing so changed my sump. I am now running fugeless and I really miss its benefits.
When you do water changes how do you remove waste water? I found a while back that siphoning off the rocks does wonders for nutrient export and eliminating nuisance algae.
Also, I went back, and may have missed it, but are you running a fuge at all? Some macro in the sump may help to compete for phosphates. I moved my tank this fall and upon doing so changed my sump. I am now running fugeless and I really miss its benefits.
Fish4Me2
New member
Thanks for the support! You're definitely right on needing patience. I'm encouraged that I'm seeing some growth and some color, but it's hard waiting for more.
Every week at water change time I scrub down the rocks with a scrub brush, let all the slime settle, and then siphon everything off the rocks and the bottom. My waste water brute looks absolutely vile at the end, and I'm pretty sure my fish are planning to give me coal next Christmas with the amount of gunk I stir up.
I just bought a blob of chaeto last week at the LFS, but I can see it has mojanos on it, so it's QTing in my old 60 until I can figure out a way to kill them all. I hope to have it into the DT by the time the latest fish come out of hypo.
Metal Man 1221
FMMAS Executive Director
I know what you mean about getting excited about coral growth. I lost a few corals in the move and a few were just about gonners. Now that everything is growing again its quite rewarding.
Sounds like youve got a great water change regimen, I cant think of anything that needs changing. How about filter socks for when you scrub the rocks? It may provide a little aid in removing some of the gunk from the water column. It may settle sooner as well.
As far as the cheato, a while back I had some GHA that completely over grew mine(when I still had my fuge). What i ended up doing was pulling a small wad out of it that didnt have any GHA on it and tossed the rest. Another great macro that I used to use was red ogo gracilaria, grew quickly and was a good source of food for the tangs, they loved it.
Smart move by quarantining every thing btw. You've definitely got one of the most aggressive QT procedures I have seen.
Sounds like youve got a great water change regimen, I cant think of anything that needs changing. How about filter socks for when you scrub the rocks? It may provide a little aid in removing some of the gunk from the water column. It may settle sooner as well.
As far as the cheato, a while back I had some GHA that completely over grew mine(when I still had my fuge). What i ended up doing was pulling a small wad out of it that didnt have any GHA on it and tossed the rest. Another great macro that I used to use was red ogo gracilaria, grew quickly and was a good source of food for the tangs, they loved it.
Smart move by quarantining every thing btw. You've definitely got one of the most aggressive QT procedures I have seen.
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Metal Man 1221
FMMAS Executive Director
Just checking in.
How are things doing?
How are things doing?
Fish4Me2
New member
Not so hot. I can not seem to make any progress with this algae. Phosphates are at 0, chaeto isn't doing too well, and I only have to clean the glass weekly, but the slimy/hairy algae on the rocks persists. I also ran out of DD salt, which I had been using. I switched to TMP because it should have had the closest alk levels to DD. I combined half DD with half TMP to wean the tank over to the new salt, and then I made a really dumb mistake: I changed the water without checking anything but the SG and temp. when the corals started dying, I mixed up a 5 gallon bucket of TMP, and the alk tested at 13. I lost the blue stag and the Millie. :headwally:
As for the McCosker's, he went through QT like a champ. Ate like a pig the entire 9 weeks, taught the chromis how to eat. I added him to the 205 last weekend, where my heretofore peaceful six line killed him in only a few minutes, before similarly taking out the other fish I had added with the McCoskers. Next week I tear the tank apart and send the six line to solitary in the coral QT.
On the upside, color is returning to my surviving corals and my original fish are very happy. As is the algae!
Metal Man 1221
FMMAS Executive Director
Bummer, I love the way six lines look but I can't bring myself to put one in my tank with how much of a bully they can be.
I hear ya though. My algae is so on and off it's not cool, and especially frustrating. But (mostly) happy corals makes it a little easier.
I have heard of BRS dry rock leaching PO4. Right now I'm in the same boat as you, PO4 undetectable in an other wise healthy system with the exception of algae that wont cash in the chips. Already lost a nice little seriatopora colony to bryopsis.
I hear ya though. My algae is so on and off it's not cool, and especially frustrating. But (mostly) happy corals makes it a little easier.
I have heard of BRS dry rock leaching PO4. Right now I'm in the same boat as you, PO4 undetectable in an other wise healthy system with the exception of algae that wont cash in the chips. Already lost a nice little seriatopora colony to bryopsis.
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