75g sps build thread

[REEF SMAC]

Sorry to hear about the PB.
The corals in the new pics all look pretty happy actually. Can see lots of new growth and PE so that's a good sign. Once they start growing in like that the colors will come along with it.

The orange Acan killing its war coral neighbor sounds like an A. Echinata to me. I've had the same issue in the past and learned that hard lesson. They do have one hell of a potent scorched earth sting when they get mad at their neighbors. :mad2:

 

[RynosReef]

This may sound crazy but it might just be worth it: Try not looking at your tank for a few days. I agree with everyone that your tank is looking better. I just know that I look at my tank every single day like a hawk. But never feel quite satisfied with it. Then this past Christmas my ball and chain and I went NYC for 4 days. When we got back and cleaned all the algae off the glass, I couldn't believe how much the corals had grown.. Chances are they would have grown that much either way. But by not watching them, it was a pleasant surprise to me!

 

[allsps40]

^ Yep I had that happen when I went on my honeymoon for a week. Came back and colors and growth where great.

 

[allsps40]

I just can get a break! I have been having algae issues with my sand bed and they are only getting worse despite my efforts. So it turns out there is some form of iron or iron rich sand in my sand bed! I found this out today completely by chance while cleaning my power heads. I noticed something on one of my Korillia mount mags. After inspecting it was iron sticking to the mag. I though it was weird then realized that there was some sand in the bucket I had the powers head in from a sand bed cleaning last week. I took the mag and ran it threw the sand bed and WOW!!!!!!!!!!! There is a lot of this iron in the sand. I spent 20-30 min using the mag to get some of it out but there is just no way. I will have to tank all the sand out and replace it. This sand is half my old sand ang half I got with the tank. Weird thing is that the guy I got the tank from the sand was nice and clean and no algae issues. I am pretty sure that the algae is from the increased iron since po4 is really low. Luckily all my corals seem to be doing just fine.

 

[david00061]

I just can get a break! I have been having algae issues with my sand bed and they are only getting worse despite my efforts. So it turns out there is some form of iron or iron rich sand in my sand bed! I found this out today completely by chance while cleaning my power heads. I noticed something on one of my Korillia mount mags. After inspecting it was iron sticking to the mag. I though it was weird then realized that there was some sand in the bucket I had the powers head in from a sand bed cleaning last week. I took the mag and ran it threw the sand bed and WOW!!!!!!!!!!! There is a lot of this iron in the sand. I spent 20-30 min using the mag to get some of it out but there is just no way. I will have to tank all the sand out and replace it. This sand is half my old sand ang half I got with the tank. Weird thing is that the guy I got the tank from the sand was nice and clean and no algae issues. I am pretty sure that the algae is from the increased iron since po4 is really low. Luckily all my corals seem to be doing just fine.

Iron shouldn't get into water column. GFO is more or less rusted iron

 

[allsps40]

Really iron and sea water dont mix, the iron will rust and leach into the water. I am not talking about just a little iron either. I spent 20-30 minutes with a magnet removing the black iron sand from the sand bed and I must have pulled out at least a pound. Its like the sand you find on a beach in Cali, crush shells with black iron sand. I need to replace all the sand in my tank now.

 

[allsps40]

Hmmm. Should I just go BB?? I have the a larger enough skimmer.

 

[sahin]

Hmmm. Should I just go BB?? I have the a larger enough skimmer.

I am going bottom in my reset tank. Its easier to maintain low nutrients. I will be using two MP10's and a Tunze 6095 in my 47G tank.

I've never done barebottom before, and never thought I would. But hey its not too bad. I'll be placing Acans on the bottom which should look nice and break up the flat surface a bit. I've already glued a white acrylic on the bottom. Eventually it will be covered by coralline algae anyway.

 

[allsps40]

Ok so my tank 100% empty and all live stock are in bins again. I hate doing this. All the sand is out and I am going BB. I have done it before and had no real issues. I have already made a few frags. I will try to re do the rock a little so it is more BB friendly.

 

[allsps40]

Well all done. Took me all day of coarse, making water. I had to make about 20g more water to replace the sand I took out. Hey more water volume now. After getting everything back in the tank all the corals looks fine except the one I made frags of, got full polyp extension shortly after the lights came on.
Tank totally empty

Corals in bins and the living room a mess (good thing I got done before the wife got home)

Nearly done

Finally finished. Started at 9:30 am finished at around 8 pm.

 

[allsps40]

So her is a before look with the sand and an after. The rock work is pretty much the same but I moved it off the back wall so there is more flow back there. I will most likely need more flow to keep the bottom clean. Can we say MP40...and get rid of a few power heads. We will see if I can find one at a good price. As you can see my frag rack is full again, hazards of removing everything from the tank.
Before

After

 

[dela]

What changes did you make to the rock to make it more BB friendly?

 

[Agioniko]

Looks awesome!

 

[allsps40]

What changes did you make to the rock to make it more BB friendly?

While it looks about the same because it is. I moved the rock away from the back glass so there is more flow in the back of the tank. That way I can keep waste from settling and building up.

Looks awesome!

Thanks

 

[pimp2daizzo]

looks good man. i still remember your old tank

 

[allsps40]

^^ Thanks man. Which old tank lol?

 

[pimp2daizzo]

^^ Thanks man. Which old tank lol?

one before this one...i think it was a 40

 

[allsps40]

yep it was.

 

[allsps40]

Well I have had some growth and nice colors so I figured I would take some new pics and post them up. Tank is doing well BB so far, I do a small dead spot that I need to get rid of. Maybe I will save up for a MP40. I started up carbon dosing again since no3 has been hard to keep low, it has been 20-10 ppm for the last few months. I changed the carbon source from vodka to vinegar this time and so far so good. I lost my small crocea clam for some unknown reason it was doing great then the next day it was dead. My other large clam id doing just fine. I also placed my orange acan too close to my war coral and the acan killed half the war coral. Now for the pics enjoy and check out the growth.

 

[allsps40]

and some new stuff