Custom 240 Starphire Pennisula Tank: 5+ years planning

Saftery overflow float switch

Saftery overflow float switch

I also added another float switch at the tank to shut of the main pump if the water level get to high in the main tank.

i-3ssKftb.jpg


And it just sits on top of my overflow box like this.

i-DFbhs79.jpg
 
If stirring the substrate in the tank caused an algae outbreak it tells me two things: 1). that you are overfeeding, and 2). that you don't have a subsurface clean-up crew in the sand. Both items are easily addressed.

Dave.M
 
dave.m said:
If stirring the substrate in the tank caused an algae outbreak it tells me two things: 1). that you are overfeeding, and 2). that you don't have a subsurface clean-up crew in the sand. Both items are easily addressed.

Dave.M
Click to expand...

I really didn't over feed at all. Once a day, two cubes (mysis and spirulina) for 5 anthias, hippo tang, naso tang, powder blue, three clowns and a blue spotted jawfish is really not that much.

As for the CUC, yes the clean up crew was a little lighter than what I had in the past and that is another change I am going to make. But I had a lot of sand sifters. I don't think that was the issue, because I was able to get the hair algae under control rather quickly and once I did, it didn't really come back.

Good thoughts! Thanks.
 
biecacka said:
When you took the tank down, did you nuke your rock?
Click to expand...

Haven't nuked it. I am not going to add the pukani back to the system since I am going to buy live rock this time around. I am currently storing the pukani in a 60 gallon tub and I am dosing Phos Free. I am doing a little experiment to see if it really is leaching PO4.
 
Good to see you're giving it a second chance. I had an internal house flood that almost did me in. :thumbsup:

For that float switch you built for the main display...be careful of the salt creep from where that's sitting - don't want you to gain overconfidence on something that may not turn off because of it. You may want to get one of those small snail jars to protect it some.
 
muttley000 said:
Nice system and place! Interesting thoughts on the bio pellets. Anxious to see things come back together.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I can't wait too!


SVTour said:
Good to see you're giving it a second chance. I had an internal house flood that almost did me in. :thumbsup:

For that float switch you built for the main display...be careful of the salt creep from where that's sitting - don't want you to gain overconfidence on something that may not turn off because of it. You may want to get one of those small snail jars to protect it some.
Click to expand...

I can never give up! The tank is designed into our home and removing is not an option! Plus I've been at this hobby for long enough to know sometimes things just don't go as planned. I tried a new approach and it really didn't work for me. So back to what I know. But I learned something, I think?

As for the switch, I hear you, you can never have enough redundancy. I'll probably also add Neptune's water floor sensor or at some point since I have an Apex. But I would need both the float switch in my sump and at the tank to fail before I had a flood (knocking on wood as I type). The low water sump switch is designed to turn off just before my tank overflows (which also turns off the ATO).
 
Last edited:
So which Live rock?

So which Live rock?

This time around I am going to use live rock, not pukani. This is another change that I think will be for the better.

So I am debating using uncured live rock i.e. TBS live rock, getting Bali live rock direct via aquatic tech, or buying Aquatic tech's cured Bali rock.

The only reason I don't want to use TBS live rock is because of all the future die off that will just add a ton nutrients to the system. Plus I also have to deal with unwanted hitch hikers (less of a problem, but still a minor headache).

With that said, I think I am leaning towards Aquatic Tech's cured bali LR. Here are some shots Greg sent me. What do you guys think?

Slab
premium1.jpg

Branch
premium2.jpg

Base
premium3.jpg
 
I wouldn't put any kind of live rock into the display tank without quarantining it for at least four weeks, just like with inverts and fish. What shape of rock is entirely personal taste. For me, I would only use the base rock of what you have shown.

Dave.M
 
Hi Dave...that used to be my practice, particularly if it has not been cured, but....

Since the rock I will be getting has been "pre-cured" and there should be minimal die off at this point, the only thing quarantining the will achieve is potentially identify some unwanted hitch hikers. I could experience a small cycle, but right now none of my corals or fish are in my main system, they are all in my quarantine system.

Let's assume the live rock comes in with AEFW, quarantining will not do anything for those suckers and I am not going to soak my live rock in Bayer. What about red bugs? Unlikely they come with the live rock, but I could hit the rock with interceptor, which I am not going to do because I don't want kill off all the micro fauna etc.

How about mantis shrimp? Regardless if I catch him in the quarantine system or my tank, he/she still needs to be caught.

They way I see it, the only reason to quarantine (Or cure the rock again) is because it could cycle. If the rock was coming directly from the ocean to my tank (aka TBS Live rock) then curing the rock really makes sense to me.

Any other reasons to quarantine/cure the rock again that I am missing?
 
Bugs won't survive without a food source. That's what quarantining for several weeks can do for you.

And yes, you need to catch as many nasties in your live rock as you can, which a small, shallow quarantine tank (e.g. cheapo plastic kiddies' wading pool) lets you do much more easily than waiting for them to get into your display tank. Mantis shrimp are one possibility, but you are much more likely to encounter juvenile crabs of all sorts who will really do some damage as they grow.

Dave.M
 
dave.m said:
Bugs won't survive without a food source. That's what quarantining for several weeks can do for you.
Click to expand...

Agreed...but in the main display they will starve too.

dave.m said:
And yes, you need to catch as many nasties in your live rock as you can, which a small, shallow quarantine tank (e.g. cheapo plastic kiddies' wading pool) lets you do much more easily than waiting for them to get into your display tank. Mantis shrimp are one possibility, but you are much more likely to encounter juvenile crabs of all sorts who will really do some damage as they grow.

Dave.M
Click to expand...

Yup, you are correct, but the rock I am getting will already have been cured for 2 months or more, so hopefully those PIA crabs and mantis are gone!
 
So bummed this AM....

I went down stairs to check on the fish in the quarantine system and my blue spotted jaw fish (which I have had for 2 years) found a way out. I netted everything, not sure how he got out. He was awesome!

He constantly tested the system. Nightly we used to watch him try and jump from my main display.
 
I know it hasn't been long but any update on the Pukani leaching PO4. I had that in my last tank but had the same issue. I ran way too much GFO and still had issues keeping PO4 down. This time around I ran Real Reef Rock and haven't had a single issue with PO4. Plus I didn't have to wait for coraline to grow.
 
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