Richard, could have not done it without your help. Your guidance throughout the entire process was essential on the success of this.
It was your perseverance that made this work after coming back from overseas and finding your tank had crashed to a toxic soup mess. Takes gumption to start over!
By the time I cleaned up went to bed it was almost 4:00am and was up at 6:00am for work. (Whooohoooo)
I hope you drink coffee lol
This morning test shows Ammonia at a trace, Nitrates at a trace.
You may get a small ammonia bump for a couple of days....but that is normal after part two goes in.
A few questions for anyone and everyone:
1- Flow on the tank. As you can see I have two MP40, one left and one right of the tank. One towards the back the other towards the front, and one Mp10 also on the left hand side. Do I need to be concern now on the back wall? I never had this much rock in the tank before? I also had to turn them all down by 10% it seem to move the coral around. (They never now get above a total intensity of 60 on either side)
You have great flow.....will be sufficient.....the lights?...just watch you tanks inhabitants and see how the are doing.....the Gulf can be a dark place or a clear place, so the rock and critters can take both with no issues.
2- Lighting, I am never going up 70%. It increases up to 70% overall intensity, will this be to bright?
go slow....
3- I had one heck of a time seeing the crabs, tiny buggers they were, and I am not 100% sure I got them all out. I could not even tell if they were bad, because they were so dam tiny. If some get in, which I am expecting what is the best war to eradicate them.
Crabs....easy peasy.....folks freak about them, but if you see one just reach and and grab him...or the rock they are on and remove...or a piece of raw shrimp up by the glass and when they come for lunch, nab him...
There are good crabs too...so use the list here to differentiate http://tbsaltwater.com/thepackage/organisms.html
4- Should I move anything to be more shade them light based on what was provided?
nope...looks good...
I will post some more closes ups so people can see the rock, some of the pictures above do not capture the life I am seeing, it was a challenge to decide just what should be facing the front of the tank.