Barely made the club but time for my 180 upgrade (Warning: Progress may be slow)

[nightOwl]

General Updates - QT

My fish have been in QT since 9/1 and both are doing well. Both seem to eat as much as I will feed them. Some evenings I feed them multiple times. Yesterday was the last day of the 5 day treatment for my two new wrasses. The local Petco store was out of the treatment for 2 weeks so I ended up ordering online. I think I will release the Red Velvet before the Long Fin. The Long Fin is still not eating pellets or flakes. I will order some Seachem Entice this week and see how it goes. I do not want to release him until I know he eats pellets or flakes. My Blue Eyed Cardinals have slowly been dwindling in numbers and I think part of that is they are not eating enough.

I also ordered my reflectors for the T5 bulbs but did not read the small print. Apparently reflectors no longer come with the brackets that attach it to the bulb. I was irked at first and called up Marine Depot and the guy calmly told me they do not come with the reflectors any longer and it was on the website in note section.

I only had 10-3/4" to work with for my new T5's so I made a template and drilled the holes for the end caps. I tried drilling the holes yesterday and found out I needed new drill bit. I went to Home Depot and picked up a Rigid Cold Fire drill bit for metal and this thing rocks. Yesterday I drilled two holes before frustration set in. Today I drilled the rest in no time.

Hanging hardware

Order from Petco...future fish will be happy

Existing Frag Tank setup

End Cap Template

Drilling Template

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General Updates - Reefs2Go Order 9/7

I placed an order with Reefs2Go and it arrived on 9/7. The size of the blue legged hermits and nassarius snails were tiny. The size of the Cerith and Mexican Turbo snails were pretty good. The Astraea snails pretty much arrived dead so that was was waste. One had died in the in the package so I guess the others slowly died in the bag. After a slow drip acclimation for over 3 hours only one Astraea out of 10 made it. I could have been the shipping since it was all snails it was not overnight. There were not many losses and even with the buy one get one free I don' think I will be ordering again.

Reefs2Go Order

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General Updates - Red Slime Treatment 9/2

I finally decided that the red slime in my tank had to go and used Ultra Life Red Slime remover. The good thing is this stuff really works. The bad thing is it really works. I treated the tank on 9/2 and my skimmer ran like crazy up until 9/14. I was performing 20 gallon water changes every other day and it was not helping. My skimmer looked like it was a faucet. I finally changed my carbon (thanks SPotter) and that seemed to absorb whatever was causing the issue. Panic had almost set in and I was thinking I had crashed my tank. I turned off the UV and also added some bacteria to the to tank over the last week and things seem to be settling down.

Red Slime Treatment - Turns the water yellow

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[RJT]

The detail you provide is superb.

Were anything negatively affected by the red slime treatment? How long have you had the red slime problem?

 

[nightOwl]

The detail you provide is superb.

Were anything negatively affected by the red slime treatment? How long have you had the red slime problem?

RJT - Thanks for the kind words.

I would say maybe a little in regards to the red slime treatment. Some of my corals had started to brown out a little. That is what scared me and made me think my tank was crashing. I had worked hard to get my colors back.

I have had the slime problem for quite a while...since May or maybe longer. I just got tired of looking at a few spots that were messing up my pictures I was taking. I think I were to use it again I would make sure I under dose. I forgot to factor in rock and sand displacement when I dosed this time around. The crazy thing is you can actually see the slime dissolve before you eyes. It gets transparent and then seems to disappear over a period of hours.

 

[RJT]

Yes, the dreaded color losing corals get reefers all of the time. I have replaced entire light sets to get my coral colors back. Thank goodness it worked.

Red slime is a difficult problem to over come. Glad you seem to have it behind you.

Do you have any additional coral/fish purchases planned?

 

[teknik777]

Looking good so far very clean!

 

[nightOwl]

Yes, the dreaded color losing corals get reefers all of the time. I have replaced entire light sets to get my coral colors back. Thank goodness it worked.

Red slime is a difficult problem to over come. Glad you seem to have it behind you.

Do you have any additional coral/fish purchases planned?

RJT - I am hoping it stays behind me for good. I think my next fish will be another wrasse or some type of angel fish. Or possibly some type of small Anthias fish. I will have to go back and look at my original fish wish list.

Looking good so far very clean!

teknik777 - Thanks so much for the kind words.

General Updates - Amazon Prime is the greatest

On 9/16 after 11:00 PM EST I ordered some Seachem Entice today it arrived and I did not even pay for the expedited shipping. I normally don't use it for tank related things but could not pass up the fast shipping for the price (free).

General Updates - QT Light Upgrade

Tonight I finished all my drilling for the new ballast holder I created with some spare aluminum I had around the house. I was able to install the rivets and give everything a test fit. I wired the ballast and got it all installed only to find out a 36" bulb is not 36" long. My stand offs are too far apart so I will come up with a solution over the next few days. I should have measured before screwing everything down.

Grommets to protect against the sharp edges

The bits I mentioned

Metal screws to attach the stand-offs

Spare aluminum for the ballast holder

Grommets installed

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[nightOwl]

General Updates - Fish introduced into main display

I introduced the two new flashers into the main display late on Saturday night. I waited until I could see my existing fish all go to their normal places to sleep and then introduced the new fish. I did not put them in the "little prison" as I figured with the introduction of two any aggression would be spread around. Sunday due to football I did not see the tank at all and was a little worried about them. Today I came home for lunch and checked in on them. All three have were flashing and the colors are amazing under the actinic. I feed the tank and everyone seems to be getting along without any aggression. Tonight I will get to see them under the main light. I will have to figure out a way to take a video video to show the colors.
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[Brando457]

Loving this build! I ordered my rock, sand, plumbing, and salt the other day. I am hoping to have the tank plumbed by Friday and then leak test the plumbing.

Almost there!

Question how do you normally go about quarantining wrasses? I have limited experience with quarantining fish and the ones I have QT'd i used copper.

Thanks!

 

[nightOwl]

Loving this build! I ordered my rock, sand, plumbing, and salt the other day. I am hoping to have the tank plumbed by Friday and then leak test the plumbing.

Almost there!

Question how do you normally go about quarantining wrasses? I have limited experience with quarantining fish and the ones I have QT'd i used copper.

Thanks!

Brando457 - That is good news. I have not been updating much lately but hopefully will have an update on the lights in the next few weeks. I actually left work on time tonight and brought some extra aluminum today to finish the light over the frag tank. Did you get a your thread started?

I QT my wrasses just like any other fish I get. I have been using my 5 day treatment for a while now. Then I keep an eye on them for a week or two. I have not used copper but if I had to I have copper treatment and a test. I think with chemicals like copper you have to be be on top of testing. I generally do not have the time and so I tend to stay away from it. One thing I can say with QT's is to stay on top of your ammonia. I lost 3 fish the blue spot and two wrasses

 

[Brando457]

Thanks for this! I have a few fish in QT now that I'm observing it has been 1 week almost so far so I plan on doing a water change this weekend of 10 gallons.

My tank will be only viewable from one side as it is in wall .

here is a picture of the tank in wall w/ tile on wall around it

http://i.imgur.com/n6gXA.jpg

 

[nightOwl]

Thanks for this! I have a few fish in QT now that I'm observing it has been 1 week almost so far so I plan on doing a water change this weekend of 10 gallons.

My tank will be only viewable from one side as it is in wall .

here is a picture of the tank in wall w/ tile on wall around it

http://i.imgur.com/n6gXA.jpg

Brando457 - Looks like things are coming along nicely. What fish do you have in QT? I was looking tonight at some fire fish...I like that they seem to swim in groups. I know they are jumpers so I am not sure yet but they may some of my next fish.

General Updates - Webshots sucks

Since I have not been doing too many updates I have not logged on Webshots for a while. Tonight I tried to log on to upload some pictures and found out that they are changing direction. They are becoming Smile and all my pictures in my thread will be going away by December 1st. I have some pictures to upload so I am off to find a service that will host my pictures for me for a reasonable fee.
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[BowieReefer84]

I use flickr and like it

 

[Brando457]

Brando457 - What fish do you have in QT?
[/INDENT]

Currently in QT are:

1. Emperor Angel - in the changing stage from juvi to adult approx 4"
2. Pair of Blue Throat Triggers - M & F - 3.5"
3. Kole Tang
4. Melnarus Wrasse

So far they have been in there a week this Sunday. I did a 10 gallon water change tonight and plan on doing another 10 gallons on Thursday. They all seem really healthy and they eat like pigs!

I almost had a heart attack when I went to feed them the first day and the trigger swam right for my hand and bobbed out of the water.

If in 3 weeks they still show no signs of disease i will probably add them to my main tank 60g. i am still waiting on my order from reef rocks for my rock and sand so i can begin my cycle on the 180.

In the next month I plan on ordering a reef octopus XP 3000 External should be a nice skimmer!

 

[nightOwl]

I use flickr and like it

Mike - I took a look at flickr and may have to give them a try. I did not like the interface when I was over there earlier browsing around. I am going to use Photobucket temporarily until I decide for sure. I uploaded a few pictures on Friday but can not really tell the quality on the laptop I am using right now.

Currently in QT are:

1. Emperor Angel - in the changing stage from juvi to adult approx 4"
2. Pair of Blue Throat Triggers - M & F - 3.5"
3. Kole Tang
4. Melnarus Wrasse

So far they have been in there a week this Sunday. I did a 10 gallon water change tonight and plan on doing another 10 gallons on Thursday. They all seem really healthy and they eat like pigs!

I almost had a heart attack when I went to feed them the first day and the trigger swam right for my hand and bobbed out of the water.

If in 3 weeks they still show no signs of disease i will probably add them to my main tank 60g. i am still waiting on my order from reef rocks for my rock and sand so i can begin my cycle on the 180.

In the next month I plan on ordering a reef octopus XP 3000 External should be a nice skimmer!

Brando457 - That sounds like a pretty cool list. Triggers can be aggressive feeders. I think sometimes depending on the size of the fish they can really show personality. My flashers now know my arm is not a threat and no longer seem to be as jumpy when I put my hands in the tank. The red velvet will sometimes take bits of shrimp out of my hand if I stay still enough.

I love my Reef Octopus skimmer. Hopefully the external one will perform as good as the internals for you.

General Updates - Picture test

I uploaded some pictures Friday to Photobucket after my recent incident with Webshots. I already store my full tank shots on Photobucket so I think I may give them a try. A few people have recommended Flickr to me so I might need to give them a try as well. When I get back to my main computer I will take a look at the quality of the pictures and see if I can see a noticeable difference in quality. In the meantime here a few of the pictures I wanted to post the other day. I did not clean the glass or turn the pumps off so the pictures my look more grainy then they should.

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[nightOwl]

 

[nightOwl]

Enjoy

 

[Brando457]

I'll take all your wrasses

I think I might bite the bullet and buy a mp40 for my tank :X I wanted a mp60, but I can't justify $800 on a thing to move water.

I am hoping the mp40 w/ the return will be enough flow in a fowlr. :fingers crossed:

 

[nightOwl]

I'll take all your wrasses

I think I might bite the bullet and buy a mp40 for my tank :X I wanted a mp60, but I can't justify $800 on a thing to move water.

I am hoping the mp40 w/ the return will be enough flow in a fowlr. :fingers crossed:

Brando457 - They are addictive!!! I have my eye on a couple more. Pumps can be a pain and expensive. I use to complain about my pumps until I got the Tunze's and then I saw why some pumps are expensive they work .

General Updates - Top-Down Pictures

These are a few top-downs from the other day. I had to replace my screen tonight and this it the second time. I think my pumps may be pushing water

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[bmullikin1]

Great looking tank, just beware of those blue clove polyps, as they start out all cute and innocent looking, then spread everywhere. I had to use fluke tabs to eradicate them as they were spreading/chocking out my zoa's and growing around bases of other corals and not letting them spread.

 

[nightOwl]

Great looking tank, just beware of those blue clove polyps, as they start out all cute and innocent looking, then spread everywhere. I had to use fluke tabs to eradicate them as they were spreading/chocking out my zoa's and growing around bases of other corals and not letting them spread.

bmullikin1 - Thanks for the kind words. I have had the blue polyps for years...when ever they get out of hand I just kill them with kalk . I remember when they first came out I did not know how much they would spread but know I am fully aware .