drummereef's 180g in-wall build

[drummereef]

Yeah, the method I described is definitely not as efficient since you add to the total water volume, but I think it makes up for it by making it easier to do more frequent water changes. Basically, if you had a 30g water change reservoir on your system it would be like changing 30g out of 210g instead of 180g, but that is still a 14% water change vs. a 16% water change if you did it the direct way.

I knew someone smart like you would be able to do the math. Seems like almost a negligible difference in total water purity. Yes, there is 2% waste but I'd gladly give that up for a more convenient and safer method of water changes. Good thoughts Alex.

 

[drummereef]

UPDATE:


Hey guys, I just wanted to thank everyone for sticking in there with me. My thread has over 100,000 views today!!! I never thought when I began this journey people would be this interested in my aquarium but I can't thank you enough. Heck, I thought I'd post a couple pics and that would be the end of it. :lol: I sincerely appreciate all the thought, insight, and knowledge that EVERYONE has contributed to help me along the way. THANK YOU ALL! :thumbsup:

 

[110galreef]

Since you are in the mood for typing!......
Thoughts on a fuge...do you think you will not do/need one with your gfo, carbon & bio pellets setup?

and or calcium reactor.....do you plan to run one or just be fine w/ water changes?

Any other additional equipment or reactors......aside for a possible WC solution?

Thanks:dance:

 

[drummereef]

Since you are in the mood for typing!......
Thoughts on a fuge...do you think you will not do/need one with your gfo, carbon & bio pellets setup?

and or calcium reactor.....do you plan to run one or just be fine w/ water changes?

Any other additional equipment or reactors......aside for a possible WC solution?

Thanks:dance:

If the pellets do what they claim, the fuge might not be necessary. I will definitely implement some sort of balanced supplement to keep the alk/ca/mag in check. I currently use Randy's 2-part and have for years now. Very convenient and once it's dialed in keeps everything rock solid. When the demand gets to be too great for 2 part I will consider a calcium reactor.

 

[aquaph8]

UPDATE:


Hey guys, I just wanted to thank everyone for sticking in there with me. My thread has over 100,000 views today!!! I never thought when I began this journey people would be this interested in my aquarium but I can't thank you enough. Heck, I thought I'd post a couple pics and that would be the end of it. :lol: I sincerely appreciate all the thought, insight, and knowledge that EVERYONE has contributed to help me along the way. THANK YOU ALL! :thumbsup:

Just think, you did it with pretty much no livestock. Once your tank matures and grows its just gonna be bigger and bigger. You put in the work and did one of the cleanest builds ever to grace RC. Your attention to detail is just insane. I think I speak for everybody when I say, we're in it for the long haul.:beer:

 

[drummereef]

Just think, you did it with pretty much no livestock. Once your tank matures and grows its just gonna be bigger and bigger. You put in the work and did one of the cleanest builds ever to grace RC. Your attention to detail is just insane. I think I speak for everybody when I say, we're in it for the long haul.:beer:

Thanks for the kind works aqua. Yes, hopefully in the coming weeks the real stocking will begin.

 

[drummereef]

UPDATE:


Scored a sweet deal on a door to the fish room. FREE!!! Brand new 32x80 Masonite 6-Panel door. So me and Pops put it up today. :beer: Looks so much better than the dark hole into the unfinished area that was there before. :lol: Check it out!


Halides are off over the tank so it's just the room lights on. The ecoBAK really seems to be cleaning up the water. I've never seen the tank look this clear. There's a little algae on the glass but the water seems crystal clear. And as you can tell from the pic the snails are kicking butt.

 

[XSiVE]

UPDATE:


Hey guys, I just wanted to thank everyone for sticking in there with me. My thread has over 100,000 views today!!! I never thought when I began this journey people would be this interested in my aquarium but I can't thank you enough. Heck, I thought I'd post a couple pics and that would be the end of it. :lol: I sincerely appreciate all the thought, insight, and knowledge that EVERYONE has contributed to help me along the way. THANK YOU ALL! :thumbsup:

No Sir... THank you! The attention to detail you put into this tank is inspirational. If I ever have any "hmm, how can I do this and do it cleanly?" I reference this thread first.

I cant wait to see the livestock progress.

 

[drummereef]

No Sir... THank you! The attention to detail you put into this tank is inspirational. If I ever have any "hmm, how can I do this and do it cleanly?" I reference this thread first.

I cant wait to see the livestock progress.

Thank you very much for the kind words XSiVE.

 

[drummereef]

UPDATE:


I broke down today and bought a cleaner wrasse in hopes it would give the yellow tang some relief from whatever the heck is going on. I wasn't going to add any fish for a few weeks just for the sake of the ecoBAK testing but I figured it was a good idea. And, it's a fish I've always wanted for my tank. In the 30 minutes he's been in there he has already taken to both the tang and anthias which is a good sign I think. Hopefully the tang will allow him to get into the gill plate for a good cleaning. I'll try and nab a couple pics later when the lights come on.

 

[psteeleb]

as always, looking great

for what it's worth; tangs (as with most fish) will be a lot less stressed if they have some places to hide

 

[reeferbro0622]

More rock may be a bit better, but i like how much open space you have in there. Your biopellets are working? Good! So are mine!

JT

 

[drummereef]

as always, looking great

for what it's worth; tangs (as with most fish) will be a lot less stressed if they have some places to hide

Thanks Pete. The right island is the tang's castle. There's a nice cave in there he found as soon as I put him in the tank. He goes to sleep in there every night in fact. Sometimes I even see the anthias and him hanging out together in the cave so it's kinda cool. There must be something else going on with him since I can't imagine the anthias stressing him the way they get along. It all started around the time i added the GFO so i still wonder if it has something to do with that.

More rock may be a bit better, but i like how much open space you have in there. Your biopellets are working? Good! So are mine!

JT

Thanks JT. Yeah, so far so good with the ecoBAK. Time will tell but I'm definitely getting a more consistent, darker skimmate. The bubbles in the skimmer neck even look slimier, more bacteria-like so I think it's starting to kick in. I'll be adding another 250ml Tuesday so check back for the update.

 

[solitude127]

How's the algae problem?

 

[drummereef]

How's the algae problem?

Interesting you mention that Mike... I was just about to post an "update" on the situation. It's getting a lot better but check back in a minute....

 

[drummereef]

UPDATE:


So I've been emailing back and forth with Bob Fenner (WWM) all morning about the Yellow Tang. Bob seems to think the brown hair algae is releasing some sort of toxin into the water column causing irritation to his gills. Either that or he has consumed too much which is manifesting in sickness. He thought the prior was more likely. Honestly, this is the first time I've ever heard of such a thing with fish. I know about inverts not being able to consume cyano and other toxic bacterias, but not your run of the mill algae. Especially it releasing excessive toxins into the water column. Bob said it was quite common in fact. Have any of you heard of this before?


I tried soaking his food in Seachem Garlic Guard, but I'm picking up some Selcon to try as well. Hopefully something will work...

 

[psteeleb]

UPDATE:


So I've been emailing back and forth with Bob Fenner (WWM) all morning about the Yellow Tang. Bob seems to think the brown hair algae is releasing some sort of toxin into the water column causing irritation to his gills. Either that or he has consumed too much which is manifesting in sickness. He thought the prior was more likely. Honestly, this is the first time I've ever heard of such a thing with fish. I know about inverts not being able to consume cyano and other toxic bacterias, but not your run of the mill algae. Especially it releasing excessive toxins into the water column. Bob said it was quite common in fact. Have any of you heard of this before?


I tried soaking his food in Seachem Garlic Guard, but I'm picking up some Selcon to try as well. Hopefully something will work...

sound like your on the right track and I have heard about mild toxins in cyno. If your not already, you should try to vacuum some out when doing water changes.

 

[solitude127]

Boomer recommended that I send a sample in to determine if it was bacterial or some type of algae. And it was confirmed by Paul (I forgot his last name) that it was some form of algae. My algae didn't have ill effects on my Purple tang or powder blue (thankfully). Here's a shot of my algae.

 

[drummereef]

sound like your on the right track and I have heard about mild toxins in cyno. If your not already, you should try to vacuum some out when doing water changes.

Boomer recommended that I send a sample in to determine if it was bacterial or some type of algae. And it was confirmed by Paul (I forgot his last name) that it was some form of algae. My algae didn't have ill effects on my Purple tang or powder blue (thankfully). Here's a shot of my algae.

OK guys, Bob mentioned in his last email it could be a Cyanophyte which I assume is a form of Cyano. It would lead me to believe this is true since the GFO ain't doing jack - at least that I can tell. Must be some weird form of it for the Mexican Turbos to be going after it since I didn't think snails took to Cyano very well.

Mike - Where would I get it tested if I took that route? I don't know anyone around here that has the equipment or knowledge... Your algae looks VERY similar to mine but obviously the effects on the inhabitants are different. Could just be my tang though... I just wonder if Bob isn't right about this... :worried:

 

[solitude127]

Here's a link
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1830106&highlight=algae+id

This was the only 1 I found. There actually another thread were Paul confirmed what it was but I can't seem to find it.