drummereef's 180g in-wall build

[henrystyle]

Dzhuo, do you have a build thread? Your vision for your tank sounds awesome to me, especially the part about the select few large SPS.

Brett, my opinion on fish load/fish stocking is that you don't want too much movement in the tank or it becomes distracting, yet you want enough fish to provide food for the rest of your organisms (miraculous fish poop is probably much cheaper then zeo products ). In my tank I have reached this limit with my five large fish, especially since besides the pair of yellow tangs they don't really stay clustered together. The other type of tank i think looks amazing, however, is one to three "show fish" and then one or two large schools of smaller fish. In a tank your size I think your one yellow tang and 11-13 Anthias or 13-15 Chromis would look amazing. maybe even a slightly smaller number of Anthias AND Chromis to really mix up the colors. Even though thats a fair amount of fish, they are fairly small and your level of filtration would easily take care of their waste.

I agree...This is what I'm doing in my new 120g. Green chromis live forever..
lets not forget the blue eye cardinals. love those fish. (they aren't that active though)

 

[henrystyle]

quarantine bro! save yourself the headache.... Trust No One!

 

[drummereef]

I agree with a school of Anthias. I loved watching my Anthias hunting once the lights turned off and only the moon lights were shining. They would be extremely active for about 20 minutes attacking anything they could find in the water column. Quite entertaining.

The school of Chromis I had (blue) were very nice as well but got a little too big in my opinion for my tank. I think that the greens stay smaller.

I love to movement of plenty (responsively plenty) of fish in an aquarium. It really brings it alive.

Here's a pic of my small school of Anthias I had. I miss them and everything else for that matter.

I had a Lyretail Anthias (male) that looked just like the one in your pic. Beautiful fish and tank btw!! I lost him during the cyano bloom a few months ago. I don't know if I'm cut out for Anthias at this point though, as much as I like them. Their feeding needs might be beyond the amount of time it takes to make them happy. I have thought seriously about getting another male and 3 females though... Don't know your whole story but sorry you had to get rid of them.

I alomost forget. FANTASTIC build/ tank. I've been following it for a long time now. Inspiring work. Good luck with it's progress.

PS - Flame Hawnfish is another one of my favorite fish. They are quite the character.

Thanks for the kind words as well.

I agree...This is what I'm doing in my new 120g. Green chromis live forever..
lets not forget the blue eye cardinals. love those fish. (they aren't that active though)

Well, my original group of 5 lasted all of 3 days. That's why I've been hesitant to get more Chromis and/or QT them. I think QT'ing was more stress than was worth it to the fish, which is what ultimately did them in. They wouldn't eat and one by one dropped off in a matter of 3 days. They were eating at the LFS but after I got them home it was a different story...

 

[henrystyle]

What kind of medication did you use in your qt if any? Some people don't use anything. They just watch the fish and treat if necessary.

 

[gary faulkner]

What kind of medication did you use in your qt if any? Some people don't use anything. They just watch the fish and treat if necessary.

And how big of a Qt. tank do you have and what type of filtration. If you ever conquer the Qt. process you will be set. I had lots of trouble when first starting to Qt. but I wouldn't quit until I had it right. There is no better feeling knowing you will not have to endure ick in the display. Learn to Qt. and you will never regret it. Sorry for all the questions just would like to see you successful and maybe others will follow.

HTH

Oh and by the way I own page 110

 

[110galreef]

Drum Roll.....Drummereef!........

HI 736 ultra low checker numbers:

Tank 1 test..................................... 5ppb = .0153ppm PO4
RO/DI water from the line................ 11ppb = .0337ppm PO4
Tap water out of faucet...................179ppb = .549ppm PO4:eek2:
Tank 2 test ~ 30mins after test 1...... 4ppb = .0123ppm PO4 :beer:

-Well the tests confirm accurate readings between 2 different tests on the tank!!

-I am shocked to see that high of PO4 straight from my RO/DI. What were you testing, i remember you said you were testing PO4 in you RO/Di water.

-This definitly shows why not to use TAP water!

This is a sweet checker and more effective reading than the 713, plus since it is reading in ppb it should be more accurate!!

Update all ya all followers......


So i started w/ 11ppb (.0337ppm PO4) straight from my RO/DI line......
Then checked my container of RO/DI water today (~2days after water made)...14ppb (.0429 ppm PO4) makes sense as may have picked up some dust or crap in air/container over 2 days.
Add salt this morning, let mix for 10hrs & at 75* and 1.026.......
I get 6ppb (.0184 ppm PO4)

SO where did the PO4 go......
Confirmed IO is PO4 free as stated ....but why now dwn from 14ppb to 6ppb??

Anyone else??

 

[Taqpol]

Thanks Alex, I appreciate your comments. What about 5-7 Green Chromis and a Potter's Angel? I'm looking for relatively low maintenance fish that eat easy to feed foods. My current livestock's needs are right up this alley already.

I also am considering purchasing from Live Aquaria this time so I can get the fish I want. My LFS is great but their selection is extremely quick moving especially by the weekend when I have time to get there. My only hesitation is I don't want to quarantine. I had such a bad experience the first time around I'm very hesitant to repeat the same procedure - and yield the same result. I feel confident with the practice my LFS uses that the fish specimens are relatively safe and the few fish I've added that I've purchased from them have been exceptional. I know, I know... QT everything! But if memory serves you've purchased from LA before? What's your thoughts on their practices?

Potters are hands down my favorite angelfish! Every once in awhile Live Aquaria Diver's Den sells a pair, and after watching a few different male/female pairs interact in my tank I am always going to try and pair up my future fish when possible. Also, I would try more Chromis rather then fewer (In your tank over ten would look great) because they have been known to pick each other off in smaller groups.

I also agree with the comment about the cardinals. They are very cool if kept in a large group, but they are not as active and cost a bit more.

In your size tank i think you could do your yellow tang, potter's angel, school of chromis, and two to three lyretails if you felt like it. You have plenty of room and filtration head room left.

I love Live Aquaria, but just know that LA and Diver's Den are two separate things (Diver's Den in Wisconsin is all WYSIWYG, and their handling practices are just superb). Still, for either a hardy fish like a damsel (chromis) that is prone to fighting when cramped or a finicky eater like an anthias I would add directly to the tank if they came from LA. That being said, from experience I think any fish from LA's Divers Den could go straight into the tank.

 

[drummereef]

What kind of medication did you use in your qt if any? Some people don't use anything. They just watch the fish and treat if necessary.

Nothing. I used 75% display water I siphoned during a water change and 25% new saltwater. No medications and all parameters were the same as the display.

And how big of a Qt. tank do you have and what type of filtration. If you ever conquer the Qt. process you will be set. I had lots of trouble when first starting to Qt. but I wouldn't quit until I had it right. There is no better feeling knowing you will not have to endure ick in the display. Learn to Qt. and you will never regret it. Sorry for all the questions just would like to see you successful and maybe others will follow.

HTH

Oh and by the way I own page 110

pg 110 is officially yours. Ha! The QT setup is on Pg 56 (link below). List of equipment is as follows...

29g tank
Aquaclear 70 HOB for filtration - only used the sponge which I cycled in the main sump for a couple weeks.
Heater
MaxiJet Powerhead for flow
Some scrap PVC for hiding places (which none of the chromis used btw).

Link to overview of QT setup.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1599945&page=56

Update all ya all followers......


So i started w/ 11ppb (.0337ppm PO4) straight from my RO/DI line......
Then checked my container of RO/DI water today (~2days after water made)...14ppb (.0429 ppm PO4) makes sense as may have picked up some dust or crap in air/container over 2 days.
Add salt this morning, let mix for 10hrs & at 75* and 1.026.......
I get 6ppb (.0184 ppm PO4)

SO where did the PO4 go......
Confirmed IO is PO4 free as stated ....but why now dwn from 14ppb to 6ppb??

Anyone else??

Wow, strange indeed! I haven't the slightest where the PO4 could have gone. :hmm4:

Potters are hands down my favorite angelfish! Every once in awhile Live Aquaria Diver's Den sells a pair, and after watching a few different male/female pairs interact in my tank I am always going to try and pair up my future fish when possible. Also, I would try more Chromis rather then fewer (In your tank over ten would look great) because they have been known to pick each other off in smaller groups.

I also agree with the comment about the cardinals. They are very cool if kept in a large group, but they are not as active and cost a bit more.

In your size tank i think you could do your yellow tang, potter's angel, school of chromis, and two to three lyretails if you felt like it. You have plenty of room and filtration head room left.

I love Live Aquaria, but just know that LA and Diver's Den are two separate things (Diver's Den in Wisconsin is all WYSIWYG, and their handling practices are just superb). Still, for either a hardy fish like a damsel (chromis) that is prone to fighting when cramped or a finicky eater like an anthias I would add directly to the tank if they came from LA. That being said, from experience I think any fish from LA's Divers Den could go straight into the tank.

Good to know Alex, thanks! I'm really wanting a Potter's Angel right now. Colors are amazing and the adult size is what's really attractive. I really don't want a fish larger than my Yellow Tang - I know a lot of you think I'm crazy... :lol: I originally wanted a Sailfin for the tank long before I set it up but now that it's all together there's no way I'd put a fish that size in there.

I definitely get the value of QT, don't get me wrong. There's some fish that are prone to diseases like Ick such as Blue Hippo Tangs. I rarely see one that doesn't have some kind of issue. Other fish seem much more hardy or disease resistant, like Chromis (my case being the exception) or my Cleaner Wrasse for that matter - very hardy. I appreciate the feedback as I continue to sort this whole thing out.

 

[brigita]

oh my God, so beautiful, I am in love with your tank.
you so serious to build it, to make the real ecosystem for the coral
two thumb up for you :beer:

 

[drummereef]

oh my God, so beautiful, I am in love with your tank.
you so serious to build it, to make the real ecosystem for the coral
two thumb up for you :beer:

I appreciate the kind words brigita. Thanks!

 

[drummereef]

Running some tests... Can't get into details yet but I'll keep you posted on the results.

 

[110galreef]

Running some tests... Can't get into details yet but I'll keep you posted on the results.

Dirty!:uzi:

Hey and back to the fish talk...

I too prefer small/ Med size fish.

I have loved the poters angels, swallow tail angels as well.
As for blue green chromis, I love the look of them and they do look sweet when they school. O have in the past tried various arangments and it always seemed to end up w/ just one or two. I think you are supposed to have an odd number as well. I did however get a small school of 5 from a local gut tearing down a tank. It has been 3 mos and still have the 5. 5-7 seems like a perfect size. 9-13 seems like it would be pushing too many, and I have a 250g setup. They do usually stay out in front 'Waiting" for food! haha

Also the anthias, seem to be sweet additions, purple firefish, 6 line , melanarus wrasses are sweet too. I have never had an agrresion issue w/ a 6 line in any of my tanks? Not sure why other do.

CLOWNS!....get a pair of those...sweet interactions!

 

[drummereef]

Dirty!:uzi:

Hey and back to the fish talk...

I too prefer small/ Med size fish.

I have loved the poters angels, swallow tail angels as well.
As for blue green chromis, I love the look of them and they do look sweet when they school. O have in the past tried various arangments and it always seemed to end up w/ just one or two. I think you are supposed to have an odd number as well. I did however get a small school of 5 from a local gut tearing down a tank. It has been 3 mos and still have the 5. 5-7 seems like a perfect size. 9-13 seems like it would be pushing too many, and I have a 250g setup. They do usually stay out in front 'Waiting" for food! haha

Also the anthias, seem to be sweet additions, purple firefish, 6 line , melanarus wrasses are sweet too. I have never had an agrresion issue w/ a 6 line in any of my tanks? Not sure why other do.

CLOWNS!....get a pair of those...sweet interactions!

Great info thank you! I thought about a pair of clowns. There's a local that breeds beautiful tank raised clowns that I thought about getting. I want them to host but decided a RBTA would get too big for my tank. Maybe there's another anemone that is smaller that would promote hosting? Green carpet, but I thought those get rather large too.

 

[dzhuo]

SO where did the PO4 go......
Confirmed IO is PO4 free as stated ....but why now dwn from 14ppb to 6ppb??

Anyone else??

There is actually a pretty good explanation to this. The reduction of phosphate is the result of bacteria grow and consumption. The article from AA that talks about bio-pellets, skimmer and carbon shows the bacteria is able to use the rubbermaid container as a carbon source. Their study shows the bacteria colony reaches its fullest roughly 24 hours after mix. After that, they slowly stabilize (perhaps due to the lack of N & P after the initial bloom).

 

[110galreef]

Great info thank you! I thought about a pair of clowns. There's a local that breeds beautiful tank raised clowns that I thought about getting. I want them to host but decided a RBTA would get too big for my tank. Maybe there's another anemone that is smaller that would promote hosting? Green carpet, but I thought those get rather large too.

Green carpets will get bigger than the RBTA. Especially the Giagntea's (sp?) Your tank has plenty of room for either for sure. I have realy been looking into the Haddoni's. They have great colors and I am pretty sure are the sand dweller of carpets. They are the more "know" fish eater, but should be fine in a nice big tank.

I have been battling what anemone to get too for my pair of clowns. As not all clowns will host in all anemonee's.

About any anemone you get in your size tank and lasts a yr or two will get a good 8+" when open.

 

[110galreef]

There is actually a pretty good explanation to this. The reduction of phosphate is the result of bacteria grow and consumption. The article from AA that talks about bio-pellets, skimmer and carbon shows the bacteria is able to use the rubbermaid container as a carbon source. Their study shows the bacteria colony reaches its fullest roughly 24 hours after mix. After that, they slowly stabilize (perhaps due to the lack of N & P after the initial bloom).

Wow..very interesting! Thanks for the info...I am not seeing things!!:bounce3:

So it looks as though I am seeding my tank w/ 6ppb (.0184ppm PO4) from my WC water and my tank seems to be effectively maintaining that level or a tad below between WC's

Awesome. Time for a few more fish!

Drum you too!!:wildone:

You guys have that link again...I'd like to reread it

 

[dzhuo]

You guys have that link again...I'd like to reread it

Yup. It's here: Bacterial Counts in Reef Aquarium Water: Baseline Values and Modulation by Carbon Dosing, Protein Skimming, and Granular Activated Carbon Filtration. Warning: This article is long and very technical but well worth it.

 

[110galreef]

Thanks...
warning noted!!

 

[tegee]

Brett...and others. I've had a RTBA in my SPS tank before, and from experience, they get far too big and really bother SPS's. After seeing a fellow local TOTM with a Ritteri successful kept I immediately jump on board and got one. I couldn't be happier.

They do LOVE high flow and high light intensity to kept from moving around the tank. I located a nice flat rock and perched him up high to a 250w Radium and he is in heaven. I have to have a tank with a pair of clowns and an anemone.......the only bummer is my Ritteri has not colored up like others a saw. So take your time and find a nice one with nice yellows. Mine is a boring tan color, but likely he is extremely healthy.

HTH

 

[drummereef]

So it looks as though I am seeding my tank w/ 6ppb (.0184ppm PO4) from my WC water and my tank seems to be effectively maintaining that level or a tad below between WC's

There's obviously more than enough PO4 eating bacteria in your live rock to deal with that nominal amount of nutrient from the new saltwater. That and the dilution factor, whereas if you are only changing 10% of the total system volume this amount of added PO4 would be negligible imo. It's very possible the bacteria in the new saltwater bucket is metabolizing the PO4 but I thought I had read it wasn't completely conclusive. Nonetheless it's a very good theory as to what is going on. Perhaps there are some elements, or combination of elements, in the salt mix that precipitate small amounts of PO4 as well...?

Brett...and others. I've had a RTBA in my SPS tank before, and from experience, they get far too big and really bother SPS's. After seeing a fellow local TOTM with a Ritteri successful kept I immediately jump on board and got one. I couldn't be happier.

They do LOVE high flow and high light intensity to kept from moving around the tank. I located a nice flat rock and perched him up high to a 250w Radium and he is in heaven. I have to have a tank with a pair of clowns and an anemone.......the only bummer is my Ritteri has not colored up like others a saw. So take your time and find a nice one with nice yellows. Mine is a boring tan color, but likely he is extremely healthy.

HTH

Good info tegee. I'll do some reading up on Ritteri Anemones. Thanks!