Bob's 93 Gallon Cube Build
- Thread starter dabob79
- Start date
dabob79
New member
I'm also not sure that's a chiton. Looking at pictures on google it looks nothing like them. You should be able to make out the separate segments along its back, and this thing looks pretty smooth. Also watching it the other night it seems pretty soft and moves a lot with the water movement, and the back of a chiton looks fairly solid from what I can tell. It's always attached to the rock though, and is always in a different spot when I see it.
liverock
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lifeoffaith
Member
+1 Limpet
dabob79
New member
Updates! Everything is looking great and I've made a few new additions. First, a full tank shot:
Now, a couple of coral close-ups. You can see the new growth on the green chalice and how much the zoas are spreading already. Also a couple new heads on the Duncan:
And finally, my latest prize. A mated pair of grade "A" Snowflake Clowns! I first spotted these at my LFS (Saltwater Paradise) months ago, and when I saw that Jeff was selling them this weekend I had to jump on it!
Since my last update I've started running GFO in the media reactor because I had some GHA and cyno popping up. I've also added a CO2 scrubber to the skimmer and the ph has stayed above 8.1 since then. I'm also running Chemi-Pure in the sump which has really cleared up my water. No more signs of algae and the water is crystal clear! Along with the clowns I have the yellow tang and diamond goby, and I also picked up a red scooter blenny a few weeks ago. He seems to be doing fine, scooting along and feeding all day. Now I need more frags!!
Now, a couple of coral close-ups. You can see the new growth on the green chalice and how much the zoas are spreading already. Also a couple new heads on the Duncan:
And finally, my latest prize. A mated pair of grade "A" Snowflake Clowns! I first spotted these at my LFS (Saltwater Paradise) months ago, and when I saw that Jeff was selling them this weekend I had to jump on it!
Since my last update I've started running GFO in the media reactor because I had some GHA and cyno popping up. I've also added a CO2 scrubber to the skimmer and the ph has stayed above 8.1 since then. I'm also running Chemi-Pure in the sump which has really cleared up my water. No more signs of algae and the water is crystal clear! Along with the clowns I have the yellow tang and diamond goby, and I also picked up a red scooter blenny a few weeks ago. He seems to be doing fine, scooting along and feeding all day. Now I need more frags!!
Looking very nice!
dabob79
New member
So the tank has been up and running for 3 months now, and everything looks great. Did a bunch of maintenance tonight (cleaned skimmer cup, changed out GFO, changed filter sock) and tested everything just to see how things look. Here's where I'm at right now:
Ammonia: 0 (Red Sea)
Nitrite: 0 (Red Sea)
Nitrate: 1 (Red Sea)
Phosphate: Undetectable (Nyos)
Alk: 9dkh (Red Sea)
Calcium: 390 (Nyos)
Magnesium: 1275 (Salifert)
Specific Gravity: 1.024 (Slowly raising to 1.025) (Refractometer)
pH: 8.1 (Apex Lab Grade pH probe)
I'm still a bit perplexed by my pH. 8.1 is the high, at night it's going down to approx 7.8-7.9. Alk has stayed steady at 9 and I'm running a co2 scrubber on my skimmer air intake. I just don't understand why I can't get it any higher than that. Suggestions? Everything looks really happy, so I still suspect the accuracy of my pH probe. I suppose as long as everything is doing well it's not that big a deal, I just don't understand why it won't get any higher.
Ammonia: 0 (Red Sea)
Nitrite: 0 (Red Sea)
Nitrate: 1 (Red Sea)
Phosphate: Undetectable (Nyos)
Alk: 9dkh (Red Sea)
Calcium: 390 (Nyos)
Magnesium: 1275 (Salifert)
Specific Gravity: 1.024 (Slowly raising to 1.025) (Refractometer)
pH: 8.1 (Apex Lab Grade pH probe)
I'm still a bit perplexed by my pH. 8.1 is the high, at night it's going down to approx 7.8-7.9. Alk has stayed steady at 9 and I'm running a co2 scrubber on my skimmer air intake. I just don't understand why I can't get it any higher than that. Suggestions? Everything looks really happy, so I still suspect the accuracy of my pH probe. I suppose as long as everything is doing well it's not that big a deal, I just don't understand why it won't get any higher.
mizzoumed02
New member
Great looking setup!
Darth_Tater
Member
I know plants "exhale" CO2 at night. Do corals do the same thing? Anyways, a 0.2 pH drop at night I wouldn't worry about, especially if everything looks happy. Messing with pH tends to cause big issues in stability. I've never even measured the pH in my tank and since things look happy (when I can keep the algae away...) I really don't care what it is.
themaddhatter
New member
Excellent build! I've been building my 93 rimless cube at about the same time, lol! Even my canopy looks similar. I'll post a pic for comparison. Love your set up!
dabob79
New member
Thanks! Here's a couple of updated pics...
Under the stand. Starting to get a little crowded, I really wish I would have done a custom stand and made it a little taller and wider lol
Also don't make fun of my casserole dish fuge light-holder, I haven't had time to go somewhere and get a piece of acrylic cut for it and that was all I had in the house to make it work at the time lol
Under the stand. Starting to get a little crowded, I really wish I would have done a custom stand and made it a little taller and wider lol
Also don't make fun of my casserole dish fuge light-holder, I haven't had time to go somewhere and get a piece of acrylic cut for it and that was all I had in the house to make it work at the time lol
Lookin' good! Personally, I love the casserole dish solution!
You know, a lot of us realize how we need to change our setups AFTER they're setup. We seldom have the gumption to do it though. Now that everything's humming along, you could build a stand exactly how it should be, and replace the other one whenever you're ready. Of course, that's easy for me to say!
You know, a lot of us realize how we need to change our setups AFTER they're setup. We seldom have the gumption to do it though. Now that everything's humming along, you could build a stand exactly how it should be, and replace the other one whenever you're ready. Of course, that's easy for me to say!
dabob79
New member
Yeah, the stand really bugs me. But just thinking about tearing it all down to switch stands is enough to make me live with it for now lol I know the first time I have to drain my sump so I can tip it over to get the protein skimmer or return pump out for cleaning I'll be changing my mind!
dabob79
New member
Along with the new additions, everything else is looking great. I'm getting a ton of growth since I've started dosing kalk in my ato water, it's really helped with stability and keeping alk/cal/mag up. I've also been using a new light on my refugium and it's worked wonders, in just a few weeks my fuge now has crazy coraline growth and the caulerpa is growing wonderfully as well. I may add a small ball of chaeto again and see if it does better this time. My numbers as of last night are below.
4.5 Months:
SG: 1.025
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 2
pH: 8.1
Alk: 9
Mag: 1350
Cal: 430
Phos: Undetectable
I've been running kalk for about a month now and the difference in my chalice alone in the last month is amazing!
4.5 Months:
SG: 1.025
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 2
pH: 8.1
Alk: 9
Mag: 1350
Cal: 430
Phos: Undetectable
I've been running kalk for about a month now and the difference in my chalice alone in the last month is amazing!
dabob79
New member
Been awhile since my last update, so here's a couple of FTS to get it started:
I hit my first real speed bump a couple weeks ago when I added the powder blue... I didn't QT. Yes, I know, and I paid dearly. I'm pretty sure he had velvet, and he took out my beautiful female snowflake clown and my red dragonet. The male clown didn't look good for a few days but he's coming around, and everyone else seems fine so I guess I just have to wait and see.
Other than that, all has been good. I've got great growth on everything and my water has stayed clear and numbers have stayed fairly consistent:
SG: 1.025
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 15-20
pH: 8.1
Alk: 8
Mag: 1350
Cal: 550
Phos: .075
Nitrates have just started to creep up slightly, as have phosphates. I may add a biopellet reactor for the nitrates. My calcium has been unusually high lately, and I can't figure out why. I haven't change salt mixes or my kalk dosing, and I'm not dosing any extra caclium so I don't know where it's all coming from. Everything in the tank looks happy, and I haven't seen any precipitation, so I don't know.
Anyway, that's it for now. I'll upload some more shot I've taken with my new iPhone 7 in the next couple of days, the camera on this thing rocks! lol
I hit my first real speed bump a couple weeks ago when I added the powder blue... I didn't QT. Yes, I know, and I paid dearly. I'm pretty sure he had velvet, and he took out my beautiful female snowflake clown and my red dragonet. The male clown didn't look good for a few days but he's coming around, and everyone else seems fine so I guess I just have to wait and see.
Other than that, all has been good. I've got great growth on everything and my water has stayed clear and numbers have stayed fairly consistent:
SG: 1.025
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 15-20
pH: 8.1
Alk: 8
Mag: 1350
Cal: 550
Phos: .075
Nitrates have just started to creep up slightly, as have phosphates. I may add a biopellet reactor for the nitrates. My calcium has been unusually high lately, and I can't figure out why. I haven't change salt mixes or my kalk dosing, and I'm not dosing any extra caclium so I don't know where it's all coming from. Everything in the tank looks happy, and I haven't seen any precipitation, so I don't know.
Anyway, that's it for now. I'll upload some more shot I've taken with my new iPhone 7 in the next couple of days, the camera on this thing rocks! lol
