Blackthunda77's 80Gal Shallow Reef Build

[Jackwkahn]

Thanks. Yea for some the first fish everyone comments on and compliments is the leopard. Never understood why, it was a run of the mill $15 fish lol. Maybe I'm just used to it now. Lol

Same here! i picked mine up at strictly fish for $15 when I first started in the hobby, luckily she ate frozen right away.

 

[blackthunda77]

Updated inhabitant list

Fish
Pink skunk clownfish pair
2 Red firefish
Barred goby
Sargassum triggerfish
Solar wrasse
Leopard wrasse
5 threadfin cardinals
Bluespot jawfish
Fathead anthias

Corals
Sps
Bird of paradise birdsnest
Ponape birdsnest
Green birdsnest
Hysterix birdsnest
Hulk stag
Green slimer
Red plating monti
Red digi monti
Green plating monti
Idaho grape monti
Leng sy monti
Jedi mind trick
Superman monti
Sunset monti
Tricolor acro
Acro jaqulinea
Season greetings monti
Garf purple bonsai
Sand dollar monti
Red planet

Lps
Indo acan
Green aussie acan
Candy cane
Green welso
Pink and green tip frogspawn
Green apple scoly
Red scoly
Green donut
Pink donut
Maze brain
War coral
Cyphastreas

Soft coral
Green polyp toadstool

Zoas and palys
Red hornets
Fire and ice
Blue agaves
Armor of god
Orange bam bam
Magicians
Yellow brick roads
Radioactive greens
Purple deaths
Jokers
Bride of chucky
Pin wheels
Punk rockers

Thats most of them, probably missed a couple

 

[nstiesi]

Is it just the magic of photography, or do I not see a lick of algae in your tank? Unless I have glossed over it in previous pages, can you tell us a little more about your maintenance schedule and nutrient management strategy?

 

[blackthunda77]

Is it just the magic of photography, or do I not see a lick of algae in your tank? Unless I have glossed over it in previous pages, can you tell us a little more about your maintenance schedule and nutrient management strategy?

Thanks nstiesi, i take that as a compliment. I have however gone through the run of the mill cycles of algae in this tank during the cycle. On page 3 you can see what im talking about http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=20414603&postcount=73 First diatoms, then some cyano, finally the green hair algae.

During the cycle of the green hair i added 2 mexican turbos, 10 red leg hermits and a mix of about 20 margarita and astrea snails. Turbos made the biggest dent in the green hair algae. I would put them on a rock covered in the stuff and in a matter 3-4 hours the rock would be clean.

The system flows through a 55 gal sump and its on a mag 7 only so im assuming im getting somewhere between 450-550 GPH. I like the return flow a little slow as it keeps the water running through the skimmer, reactors and the cheato longer. I have a swc160 cone which does a pretty good job and in the next chamber is a basketball size clump of cheato run on a reverse photo period. I try to do a 15 gallon water change every other weekend as a routine. However, i noticed my nitrates a little higher than i would like and have bumped the changes to 30 gal water changes every weekend. I have been doing that for the past 2 weekends and will be doing it again tomorrow till i get the nitrates back down.

I feed roggers food and PE Mysis on alternating days and dose some oyster eggs maybe 2 times a week and cyclops a couple times a week or whenever i see the acans, brains, welso's etc extending their feeder tentacles. The smaller firefish and goby enjoy the cyclops as well.

 

[AquamanE]

I looked at the pics again. What ever algae nstiesi saw that I didn't will be gone with that maintenance and feeding schedule. Its a young tank.

Your definitely on the right track.

Only other thing I would look at is: Try checking you PHO4 with a meter, if its high add GFO on a reactor.

 

[blackthunda77]

quick update...

quick update...

not too much going on. The "big 3" parameters seem to have finally hit the sweet spot. Some of you might already know the issue i had a couple months back with instant ocean salt. I know most people still think im crazy and i just dont know how to properly use a test kit but im certain that i had a bad batch of salt and the crappy customer service didnt help. Have since been using D-D h2Ocean and my mag is finally down at about 1420, calc around 440-460 and my alk is around 7.5. Im currently in the process of bumping it up to about 8.5-9ish

The Bird of paradise and ora green birdsnests have finally recuperated form those mysterious random "bald spots" BOP 100% and ORA green 90-95%. I found the culprit to be a gang of peppermint shrimp. I caught on 2 separate occasions the shrimp on the birdnest "plucking" off polyps. They only went for the BOP and green since they have really large "fluffy" polyps. All the SPS have started to encrust their plugs and rocks where they are placed. I wish there ws something i can do to make them grow faster! Im having a bit of an issue with the superman monti. Its losing a little bit of the blue color. Im getting mixed info, some saying its getting too much light and some saying its not getting enough. Right now its up pretty high so i might move it down in a shaded spot tonight.

All the plating montis, the reds and greens especially, have regained their colors and are now starting to take off like plates are known for. Tank still looks kinda bare to me because its mostly frags but hopefully it sill fill out soon enough. Im going to start snapping up some more "higher end" pieces now that everything i have is starting to grow and the coraline is taking off, etc.

Nitrates are at around 10-12 from what i can tell on the salifert test kits and phosphates are undetectable. I need to test them now on a digital meter.

 

[blackthunda77]

Heres a piece "that was sold to me as a red planet" right marke? Lol :wave:

As you can see, it too is entrusting pretty nicely and getting that green rim. Had some trouble with polyp extension on it and a fewore pieces but like i said, i think it was due to the whole salt issue.

 

[blackthunda77]

that should have fixed it....i guess tapatalk if not working at the moment.

 

[Kayo2289]

Ya man w 250 watters on a shallow tank it's getting too much light.. I had the same issue w a BN that I got from Nivram.. I lowered it like 1.5" and now it colored up a bunch.. I also have a 250 on a shallow tank.. IME should have prob gone 150 so I could use up the upper half of my aquarium.. Only Gsp live up top.. All my sps are like in the middle of the tank.

 

[blackthunda77]

Ya man w 250 watters on a shallow tank it's getting too much light.. I had the same issue w a BN that I got from Nivram.. I lowered it like 1.5" and now it colored up a bunch.. I also have a 250 on a shallow tank.. IME should have prob gone 150 so I could use up the upper half of my aquarium.. Only Gsp live up top.. All my sps are like in the middle of the tank.

I had dual 150 hamilton fixture with 2 48" ati blue plus and brand new phoenix bulbs and was getting even worse results. Not enough lights in my opinion, and it was limiting my placement of acros to only very high up. Par was ridiculous.

 

[blackthunda77]

Check the par results on this page http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2168479&page=5 to see what im talking about. And that was with the 250 watters with crappy reflectors. Not sure if i have the par readings with the 150 watters, ill have to check and see.

Man, this tank hasnt even been u for 4 months?! Sure seems longer.!

 

[rovster]

I think the 250s are OK for your tank. Especially that you have a lot of light demanding corals. I know what you mean about these SPS taking forever to grow out, and I have a nano! It must take a million times as long in a "normal" sized tank. What I have realized, is that once a coral gets comfy, and starts to get some size to it, the growth rate goes through the roof. I'm actually afraid that those little BN frags I got are growing too fast, LOL! Patience my friend, it will all get there soon. Cant wait to drop by some day and check out your set-up. Maybe you can give me some tips on the Apex set-up!

 

[blackthunda77]

Yea just let me know when ur in the area

 

[blackthunda77]

Ok, so the BOD meeting was at my house tonight. Marvin came over with his camera and macro lens and decided to take some shots.

 

[blackthunda77]

 

[blackthunda77]

Eddie also brought over his hanna Photometer for phosphates. Im testing out at 0.06 so im pretty satisfied with that. im running my phosphate reactor pretty slow so im hoping i can maintain that level or bring it down just a tad.

 

[Kayo2289]

What kind of Monti is that? Reverse sunset?? And BOD??! Ohhhh mr. Official haha cool man

 

[blackthunda77]

I believe its just a regular sunset. And no im not Mr. Official. Lol, BOD meetings are open to all members i believe. I just decided to volunteer my time to the club in whatever area they needed help.

 

[rovster]

Nice pics! You red planet almost looks like a monti, unless there's some inside thing I'm missing here.....

 

[blackthunda77]

Not sure i follow you. You reffering to the pic i posted a couple days ago?