38G Reef Build

[Xiaan42]

After doing some research It looks like I need to rase my Ca and KH levels in the tank. Looks Like I need to get a KH buffer and some liquid Ca.

 

[Xiaan42]

I have rock in the tank!!!
I went and picked up ~27Lb of Live rock and ~18lb of DIY rock from Ottawa Inverts.

here is my first attempt at aquascaping the tank it is still a little cloudy.

I also found out why my parameters were out of whack. I picked some cheato and out of curiosity I checked the water in the bag it came in with my refactometer and it looks like my refactometer was not calibrated correctly :eek1: . So after a re-read of the instructions and checking my calibration liquid I reset my refactometer and checked my water SG 1.015 :eek2: hmm?? I quickly added more salt and It is now at 1.024

I also retested some other parameters:
Ca 440ppm
KH 14.1 dkH
I was also going to test magnesium but It looks like the test kit I got (used) has no more regent I guess I will have to get another test kit.

 

[Xiaan42]

Thanks,

I think I got the tank aquascaped the way I want it and I will probably epoxy the rock into place tonight.

I did a test last night to see where I am in the cycle
NH4 0ppm
NO2 0ppm

So far no Ammonia or NO2 so I don't know if I have finished the cycle (I doubt it) or I have not started it yet. I will do another test after I get home from work (I work in Quebec so no holiday for me ).
I am busy this week preparing for a snowshoeing trip I am guiding in the Adirondacks so even if the tank finishes the cycle I probably not get a clean up crew in there until next week.

This is what I am currently thinking of getting for my clean up crew to start off with:
10 Blue Legged Hermit Crab
5 Scarlet Reef Hermit Crab
15 Astrea
15 Cerith

 

[HumanIMDB]

Looks awesome!

You're using many of the components we're looking at for our build...what are your initial thoughts on the following?
Natural Wave Wave Timer
2 x MaxiJet 900
MaxiJet 1200
Hydor Koralia 1
Aquasafe RODI Unit
Coralife Digital Power Center Timer

 

[Xiaan42]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11876882#post11876882 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by HumanIMDB
Looks awesome!

You're using many of the components we're looking at for our build...what are your initial thoughts on the following?
Natural Wave Wave Timer
2 x MaxiJet 900
MaxiJet 1200
Hydor Koralia 1
Aquasafe RODI Unit
Coralife Digital Power Center Timer

Maxi Jets and the wave timer work great I sawed off the ends of my maxi jets to increase and create a more dispersed flow.

Koralia 1 also works good (I might upgrade to a Koralia 2 if I see the need for more flow in the tank)

Aquasafe RODI Unit so far works really good with my water presser It produces allot of water quickly and so far I have not seen any problems with water quality. I got it used for about $90 but I think I will have to replace the cartages soon.

Coralife Digital Power Center Timer is nice but I found that it only had one timer control for the lights so I had to add another timer to do the dawn/dusk effect

My current power layout looks like this

Wall ---> Power Center - Day1   ----> Daytime Lights
                       - Day2   ----> 3 Port Power Bar - Power1 ----> Fans
                                                       - Power2 ----> Fuge Light
                                                       - Power3 ----> Empty
                       - Night1 ----> Empty
                       - Night2 ----> Moon Lights
                       - Power1 ----> WaveTimer - Power1 ----> Return
                                                - Power2 ----> Skimmer
                                                - Power3 ----> Koralia 1
                                                - Timer1 ----> MaxiJet 1200
                                                - Timer2 ----> MaxiJet 900
                                                - Timer3 ----> MaxiJet 900
                       - Power2 ----> Heater1
                       - Power3 ----> 3 Port Power Bar - Power1 ----> Timer ----> Actinic Lights
                                                       - Power2 ----> Heater2
                                                       - Power3 ----> Empty
                       - Power4 ----> Empty

All my pumps are on the wave timer power bar this allows me to shutdown all my pumps with one switch (good for feeding and tinkering with the tank)

I have the timers set at the following times
- Actinic Lights, On 7:30am, Off 8:30pm
- Daytime Lights On 8:00am, Off 8:00pm
- Moon Lights On 8:00pm Off 8:00am
- Light Fans On 8:00am, Off 8:00pm
- Fuge Lights On 8:00am, Off 8:00pm

 

[HumanIMDB]

We're looking at putting the Hydor Rotating Water Deflectors on the three Maxi-jet 1200's. We were going to go with three Koralia 4s but found out that they cannot be used with most wave makers.

We were looking at the AquaSafe system but A.J. (AZDessertRat) advised against that unit for reefs. I'm sure it would be fine, but for a bit more money we're going to go with the SpectraPure MaxCap. We figure it will save us money and hassles in the long run.

We're going to run with one 400w MH, so the Digital Power Centre would probably be fine. Not sure if we're going to use Moon Lights or not, but the night option would be cool for that as well as doing a reverse light cycle on the fuge, though I'm not sure if we are going to do that or run the fuge 24x7.

Keep up the good work! :thumbsup:

 

[nancymccall]

I like how you cut down the returns on the power heads. Does this widen the flow or just reduce their size?

 

[Xiaan42]

As you can see in this photo I just cut off the nozzle on the MaxiJets. This doesn't create more flow but it dose create a more dispersed flow.

 

[Xiaan42]

It looks like I have finished the cycle :eek1: (in 4 days)
NH4 0ppm
NO2 0ppm
NO3 10ppm

I did not see any Ammonia or NO2 at all but NO3 is now showing up. I will probably still wait until next week for a clean up crew as I do not think there is very much to clean up in my tank.

sorry no pics yet tank is cloudy I tryed to do some more aquascaping but just ended up with the same thing again

 

[Xiaan42]

I tried to sneak up on stuff in my tank last night but still did not find anything interesting

Anyways finished up aquascaping my tank here is a shot of it with the water all nice and clear:

I am still trying to place my pumps correctly as I seem to have a lot of sand movement (lots of pits to the bottom and mounds of sand)

I am also getting some brown bacterial diatoms.

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

I had a similar thing with Walt Smith rock.. I added 140lbs to my tank, the NH3 never got above barely detectable (very mild difference from 0).. It's been in there 3 weeks, water still has 0 NH3, 0 No2 (this never showed up) and ~10-15 No3..

Give it a bit, the mild level of NH3 that showed up in mine took about a week - a week and a half to show up.. but diminished about 3-4 days after that..

That time will also allow the Diatoms to come and go, then you can start with a clean up crew.

 

[Xiaan42]

I guess that is what you get for getting really good quality live rock

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

If you put a red lense over a flashlight, start looking for worms coming out of the rock.. (at night).. I've found 8-10 of them so far, they appear to be peanut worms. You'll see them slowly moving around. coming out of a perfectly round hole in the rock.

I've already found my first Polyp that started growing on a piece of rubble (3"x2"x2") so I moved it up to the display.. You'll be spending a fair amount of time looking up what things are.. I've also found the carapace of a red crab w/ candy cane legs.. Not sure if it was a molt (hoping) or it died..

I had to order the rock to get it here, didn't know what it would be.. I was more shocked that I asked for uncured, then found out that Walt Smith (which is what it said on the invoice) was pre cured at their facility.. JLAquatics is a good place to deal with if you have the need.

 

[Xiaan42]

I got some of my equipment from JLAquatics they are great to deal with. The live rock I got locally from Ottawa Inverts it was cured rock. I also got some cured DIY pieces from him to the are the more gray pieces and keep the live rock mostly out of the sand bead.

 

[Xiaan42]

Did another test of all my parameters .
SG 1.025
NH3 0ppm
NO2 0ppm
NO3 2ppm
KH 8.0dkH
Ca 420ppm
Mg (no test kit yet)
PO4 0ppm
PH 8.0

Everything seems to be stable!

 

[Xiaan42]

I just got my auto top off system yesterday from autotopoff.com. Nice price and really quick shipping to Canada. I just set it up for the weekend right next to the tank. It seems to work ok and tested out the sensors. I am going to be away for the weekend so I will see how it dose! (my GF will still be at home and will turn it off if something goes wrong )
Next week I will be installing the tubing & wiring so my reservoir will be in the basement instead of my living room floor.

I will post some pics when I get everything set up.

Also my rock is now almost all brown with a datiom! I hope to get the CUC in there next week before it gets out of control!

 

[Xiaan42]

I installed the top off system on Sunday. The hardest thing about setting up the system was pulling the tube under the basement ceiling (It got a little stuck ) so far it seems to work really well and I am pleased with the system it kept my return from going dry over the weekend. also I have no problems pumping the water up to my main floor from the basement.

Here is what I ordered from autotopoff.com
- Double Switch - Sump Mount
- 20' of 1/2" ID Tubing
- FT-300 Pump

All I needed extra to install it was a 5G bucket and 25' extension cord.

Here are some photos of the setup in the sump

Here is my super complex water storage system (The 5G bucket in the basement!)

 

[Xiaan42]

Added a clean up crew last night

10 Blue Legged Hermit Crab
5 Scarlet Reef Hermit Crab
15 Astrea
15 Cerith

Here are some quick pictures of the guys.

 

[Xiaan42]

Now that I have my clean up crew in there I guess my next question is what is next? should I get fish or coral in my tank? and how long should I wait? The brown diatom is almost gone and what is left my clean up crew is doing short work of it.

 

[Xiaan42]

Here is a quick update on my hit list for the tank:

Fish
Royal Gramma Basslet (Gramma loreto)
Pajama Cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera)
Ocellaris Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris)
Sailfin/Algae Blenny (Salarias fasciatus)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)
Six Line Wrasse (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia)
Pearly Jawfish (Opistognathus aurifrons)

Inverts
Emerald Crab (Mithrax sculptus)
Bulb Anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor)
Crocea Clam (Tridacna crocea)
Hawaiian Feather Duster (Sabellastarte sp.)
Abalone (Haliotis sp.)
Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis)
Peppermint Shrimp (Lysmata wurdemanni)
Chiton
Pistol Shrimp (Alpheus sp.)

Coral
Bubble Coral (Plerogyra sp.)
Frogspawn (Euphyllia sp.)
Short Tentacle Plate Coral (Fungia sp.)
Brian Coral (Lobophyllia sp.)
Candy Cane Coral (Caulastrea sp.)
Brain Worm (Platygyra sp.)
Montipora Coral, Encrusting (Montipora sp.)
Birdnest (Seriatopora sp.)
Zoo's (Zoanthus sp.)
Acropora Coral (Acropora sp.)