Frank's 120ish SPS Tank

[itz frank]

Hey Guys. Long time lurker. I upgraded from a 60 cube to a 5ft 120ish gallon tank recently. I started my build thread in my Local Club forum here and I've decided to move it here now that things have been good. I bought the tank from a local guy here in South Florida.

Tank: 52"x18"x26" Euro Braced Glass tank.

Sicce 3.0 Return.

Siphon return with emergency drain. Return comes from behind the tank.

Skimmer: SRO 1000Int

1 RW-15 and 1 PP-15 on opposite ends.

Lighting: LedZeal Malibu S300 with 3 t5 retro x54w.
Coral Plus - LED - Coral Plus - Blue Plus

Fish:
2 Black Onyx Clowns w/ RBTA
1 Solaris Wrasse
1 Lubbocks Wrasse
1 Lawnmower Blenny
1 Midas Blenny
1 Purple Fire Fish
2 Bengai Cardinals
1 Female SpotBreast Angelfish

Bio-Filtration:
~130lbs of mixed live rock. This was started with half Dry and half live rock cycled together.
2 Liter Siporax
GAC in media sock
Biodigest Bi-Monthly

Dosing:
Kalk in ATO
4 Caps of Fuel Bi-weekly.

Feeding:
2 Cubes of Frozen Sp. Mysis Daily. One cube morning/night

I have not been doing water changes.

SG: 1.025
NO3: 4-8ppm
Phos: .04-.08
Alk: 7.3-7.7dkh
Mag: 1350ish.


Here's a link to the original build:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2556942

The tank has been setup running since 3.23.16. I cycled my liverock in February and started with 40lbs of dry Special grade sand.

Also, I'm a crappy photographer.

 

[itz frank]

FTS from a month ago... because pics or it didn't happen.

 

[itz frank]

And these are growth and color comparisons for a few corals: about 1.5-2months between these.

 

[itz frank]

More. Thanks for looking.

 

[itz frank]

 

[itz frank]

 

[itz frank]

Everything is doing pretty well. I've increased my feedings and I'm feeding about the equivalent of 3 frozen mysis cubes twice per day. Nitrates have still bottomed out at 0ppm as of Sunday morning. I don't want to dose Nitrate so I'm searching for fish to add.

I haven't added any corals in a few weeks. I'm thinking about setting that to the backburner until I figure out the fish situation.

My short list so far: 5 Randall's Anthias, 1 Scopas Tang.

I'm looking for other ideas for fish. I'm still considering adding more angelfish since I'm convinced that I'll stay only SPS in this tank.

Rovvster threw out Swiss Basslet or something like that. I'm still considering it. I may add some more wrasses to the tank.

My Bulbs need updating. I'm thinking about ordering 2 AB Specials and B+. I think I'll be extending my lighting on my T5s by an hour tonight.

 

[Sapelo]

Always room for one more wrasse!

 

[itz frank]

Always room for one more wrasse!

Name dropping never killed anyone :idea:

 

[itz frank]

I retested my nitrates after feeding this evening. Registered between 0-4ppm. I was too lazy to run a low test after. Either way. Significant drop in nutrients. I also tested my po4. It read between .04-.08. But honestly, I've never been able to read this thing below .04. None of the colors ever match and it's a guessing game. At least with the nitrate test it's a shade of pink. But the po4 on this red sea kit has three different colors of white before changing to green. :headwally::headwally::headwally:

I need a new p04 test kit. :thumbdown

I'm still searching for my Randalli Anthias. I have three different stores looking for them now. Ecoreef, Exotic Aquatic, and Fish collection. I think my only real shot at obtaining them is Ecoreef because of my relationship with them. Exotic Aquatic had one when I visited but I didn't receive a call even though my name was on their list. But that may be because I'm looking for 5. Fish collection has had quite a few anthias swing through since I started asking a month ago. All were eating well and looked in great health. Just couldn't pull the trigger on this one.

Logic tells me that most are afraid to bring them in. I'm really trying to avoid ordering from LA on this one since I can't be home for the shipment and my wife would have to handle the drop.

I am thinking about doing two sets of Anthias. But I'm getting ahead of myself now. I may need to just stick to wrasses since they're around more abundantly. I really want to swing a few riskier Angels but I keep thinking about how much of a pain pulling my Blenny and crab were earlier in the build.

edit: forgot to mention I extended my t5 lighting an additional 30 minutes per day.

 

[itz frank]

Question:

I run my alk around 7.5-7.7dkh. Should I raise it over 8?

 

[Bpb]

I'd leave it right where it is at personally. I also target it to be stable between 7.5-8.0. Not that I am ok with a 0.5 dKH fluctuation daily, but I don't try to adjust it up or down intentionally as long as it falls in that range. If I frag a bunch and sell sps and it creeps over 8.0, dial down the CARX, if it falls below 7.5, growth is happening and supplement a little more to bring it back up in range


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[Big E]

I'm still searching for my Randalli Anthias

If you track when Live Aquaria has them in stock your LFS can get them too. It's just a matter of if they want to place an order with the wholesaler Quality Marine.

 

[itz frank]

If you track when Live Aquaria has them in stock your LFS can get them too. It's just a matter of if they want to place an order with the wholesaler Quality Marine.

Thanks. The LFS don't seem to participate with them. I think it was you that posted your method of QT for these anthias and also exchanged a pm with me. I'll be following what you did when these arrive.



I increased my T5 lighting an additional 30 minute per day. Call me crazy but the corals are responding to it. 2/3s of the sps threw out a bigger base or buds over the last 2 days.


Also, a trio of replendents popped up on Divers Den. I pulled the trigger and they'll be here tomorrow morning. Resplendents and Randalls are basically the same just from different regions. I couldn't find any other fish that I wanted, so I harassed Rovv until I just purchased an ORA Joe the Coral to get my free shipping. Tonight, I'll set up my QT and mix some fresh salt in preparation for them tomorrow.

I'm excited about this.

 

[Big E]

That's great, good luck! Keep us posted

Those acros are lookin nice and healthy too

 

[itz frank]

That's great, good luck! Keep us posted

Those acros are lookin nice and healthy too

Thank you for the compliment. I had a previous 60cube which was a nightmare. I'm in shock of how well this is going for me.


:fish1::fish1::fish1:
Fish came in this morning. I set up my QT for them to arrive and my wife handled the temp acclimation and added them to it.

All arrived alive. I have no photos as of yet other than black bags. I'm ready to clock out and go home. haha.

 

[itz frank]

Well, this didn't go as planned.

Wife acclimated the fish. Wen I came home, two females were dead and male was breathing heavy. This morning the male was dead.

So, I'm zero for three on anthias.


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[Myka]

Aw, sorry to hear about the Anthias. Some can be very finicky. I think it has a lot to do with their handling since they are quite sensitive and easily stress. If it makes you feel any better I'm at 0 for 5 on my current tank. Mine were from Quality Marine and were great at first, all ate within a few days, but then they got a bacterial infection 3 weeks into QT and they all perished quickly.

Why don't you switch to a Hanna Checker for PO4? It takes the guess work out. Only two things you need to do to make sure accurate readings - put the test tube in the checker the same direction every time (I put the "10 mL" facing away from the lid hinge), and make sure you rinse the heck out of the tube when you're done (and if it gets scratched, order a new one).

 

[itz frank]

Aw, sorry to hear about the Anthias. Some can be very finicky. I think it has a lot to do with their handling since they are quite sensitive and easily stress. If it makes you feel any better I'm at 0 for 5 on my current tank. Mine were from Quality Marine and were great at first, all ate within a few days, but then they got a bacterial infection 3 weeks into QT and they all perished quickly.

Why don't you switch to a Hanna Checker for PO4? It takes the guess work out. Only two things you need to do to make sure accurate readings - put the test tube in the checker the same direction every time (I put the "10 mL" facing away from the lid hinge), and make sure you rinse the heck out of the tube when you're done (and if it gets scratched, order a new one).

I've thought about it but after the alk checker issue I never became interested in it.

My anthias were from divers den so I thought I'd have a good shot with them.


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[Myka]

I've thought about it but after the alk checker issue I never became interested in it.

My anthias were from divers den so I thought I'd have a good shot with them.

I never noticed an alk checker issue. What happened? I know the calcium one sucks - it's terrible. The alk and PO4 ones are really awesome though. The alk fluid if it gets old will wander in accuracy, but that's the same for any type of titration test. Recently Hanna recalled a whole whack of alk reagents, but i have 2 of the recalled ones and they test exactly the same as the replacement one, so I just carry on using them. :lol: Since alk is so important though, I always double test - once with Hanna and once with Salifert. Salifert is consistently 0.2 dKH higher than the Hanna.