Jonas 3.13, 150G of Miracles fun

[ojonas81]

Tank is running along. Think it technically is ready for the CUC and maybe the first fish (no ammonia or nitrite detected anymore) but will hold off until I am back from vacation after next week. That will also give it another good week and a half to really settle in.

Discovered an issue with my Radio power supplies Sunday evening. They are tripping my GFCI circuits. Contacted EcoTech's customer service. This is a know issue and they are sending me (will arrive tomorrow) two new power supplies that are non-switching that should fix the issue. I am very happy with how they handle the support. Another great company to deal with. I do love how the tank looks with the Radion lights.

Hooked up the ATO two days ago, or at least temporarily. Have two float switched in the sump, one for the actual water level and one as a backup/fail safe, connected to the Apex BOB. Been running two full days now and so far so good. The tank evaporating about 2.5 gallons a day however which was more than I expected. This made me rethink how I should leave the tank while on vacation next week. Think I will turn off the return (and all devices in the sump) and just run the circulation in the main display for the week when I am gone. I do not trust my ATO fully yet and would hate for something to happen while I am gone. The sheer volume of the RO/DI water needed makes it impractical for this week. For the future, when I have more time, I will setup so I can be gone for a week with no issues.

 

[ojonas81]

Back from vacation in Florida Keys. Stays a week in a house on Marathon and we rented a boat. Got to do some snorkeling on smaller reefs (very cool) and do a lot of fishing. Most exciting catch was a Hammerhead shark, a parrot fish, a barracuda and a large angel fish.

As for the tank, it went on autopilot for the week and managed it fine. Kept up with its status via Apex remote. Very handy when away.

The tank is now cycled (no ammonia or nitrite to to detected and just <0.1ppm nitrate) so today I added a small CUC consisting of 5 turbo snails, 5 astrea snails, 10 dwarf hermits, 2 scarlet cleaner shrimp and 1 fire shrimp.

I also added three shroms from the nano tank as well as my trumpet coral. These will be my bunny rabbits for a week to make sure all is ok. In about 2 weeks the first fish will be transferred (using the tank transfer method). First out will be the wrasse (if I can catch him, if not it will be the clowns).

Updated pictures below.

Enjoy!

 

[ojonas81]

Moved over a few more corals today, mainly to rescue them from degrading water quality in the nano cube and to get them away from the growing BTAs. Have now moved over about half of the corals from the cube. Will let the tank run on auto pilot for a week now (gone on a business trip) and if everything checks out fine when I am back home next week I think I will start moving over the fish.

Comments?

 

[adddo]

Looks really great!

 

[myst]

Looking good man, must be exciting to finally have it cycled and get some life into there.

 

[ojonas81]

Yes it is. Too bad that I can't be home at the moment enjoying it. Guess in the long run that may be good though since i will give the tank a chance to settle in slowly.

Cant wait for the fish to get in though.

 

[gordonheimer]

Wow I love the clean look. Im thinking about ordering a miracles, just got to decide if I want to shell out the extra cash.

 

[ojonas81]

Thanks!

If you can swing the money I say go for it with Miracles. They have top notch customer service and the quality of the tanks is perfect. I could not be happier with my selection of Miracles.

 

[ojonas81]

Think it is time for an update. Been very busy with business trips lately so the tank has more or less been on auto-pilot. That may not have been a bad thing at this stage as it will only help the cycle.

Either way, the tank is doing well. The cycle has completed and I have stated to enter the hair algae stage. The rocks are no longer as white as they used to. No casualties from the first batch of CUC except for one Turbo snail that for some unknown reason popped out of its shell.

Have started to move over corals from the nano and by now most of them have made the move. Only have a few corals left to move over plus the two RBTA. I know it is really too early to move them over but the conditions in the nano is getting progressively worse so think they will do better in the new tank no matter what.

I have also removed the two clowns from the nano into a 5 gallon bucket. Will use the tank transfer method to move over all fish. I am about halfway through with the clowns and if everything goes well they will enter the new tank next Sunday. By then I hope to have the RBTA moved over as well.

Below are some updated pics for your enjoyment.

Add on CUC, got my very first cucumber as well, a Tiger Tail.

A buddy to my existing fire shrimp.

First new corals purchased for the tank (and my first coral purchase in about 6 months).

Cucumber is in the tank (and this is probably the last time I got to enjoy him. He dug under a rock immediately.

FTS, left side.

The Dendros have acclimated to the new tank very well. Fed them today and they are eating well and looking nice and healthy.

FTS, front.

FTS, right side.

One of the new corals plus a photogenic cleaner shrimp.

The beginning of a shrom garden.

 

[ojonas81]

New green hammer coral and old trumpet coral that seem to be doing very well in the new environment. I have always had a hard time with these ones for some reason.

Green Bali Slimer, doing well in the new tank so far.

Another view of the shrom garden plus a few encrusting SPS in acclimation mode.

Latest FTS front with some corals glued onto the rocks.

The Slimer is very bushy and it seem to have grown some since I put it in the new tank. Got a nice central location as I know it will grow very big, especially vertically.

Trumpet coral glued onto its rock.

Hammer at its final (hopefully) position.

Found a nice partially shaded location for the Dendros that also is easy to reach for feeding.

Enjoy. Can't wait to put in the first fish. The tank is lacking some movement still.

 

[Lilmatty5dimes]

awesome update. love the new addition and that green slimer is nice piece

 

[ojonas81]

Thanks!

Yes, the green slimer is looking very cool and has been with me almost since day 1 of the nano cube. Started to get too big for the cube so the upgrade came at the right time. Here it has a lot of space to grow.

Moved over my Pocillopora yesterday. It has also have been with me since the beginning and seems to be able to handle any changes in water parameters without any sign of dying. Unfortunately I managed to drop it on the tiled floor and it shattered into a lot of small pieces. :-( Rescued the largest ones but unfortunately a tennis ball size is now reduced to a few spiny branches. Hopefully it will come back to its former glory soon again.

Planning to do my first larger water change tonight. Have about 30 gallons of new saltwater made and ready to be put into the tank. Also planning to, as a part of the water change, put my reactors online.

 

[rholguin]

Just read the whole thread and you have a very stunning tank. Excellent attention to detail.
Well done.

 

[ojonas81]

Did not get to the water change tonight. On the schedule for tomorrow first thing after work. Really need t get it done.

Stopped by my LFS on my way home from work today and picked up a few items, a serpent star, a two headed duncan and a SPS which I think is the ORA Green planet.

Acclimation mode.

Serpent in the tank.

Duncan right after entering the tank so the heads are still closed. They have now, a couple of hours later just started to open up.

Finally the ORA Green Planet.

Tomorrow in addition to the water change I will try to move over at least one of the RBTA as they are starting to look a little unhappy in the nano. Shall be interesting to see if I can get them off the rocks.

 

[ojonas81]

Bit the bullet today and moved over both of my RBTAs. Was a pain to get them out from the nano since I had epoxied all the rocks in addition to the pieces being very large. Had to completely destroy the aquascape (which doesn't do too much since the tank is coming down anyway). Took me probably a good hour to get both RBTA to let go of the rocks. Think I managed to do it without ripping their feet.

As an added bonus I also got one Candy cane pistol shrimp, one Anemone crab and my Pom Pom Crab out from the tank. They all lived in one of the rocks I took out in order to get the anemones off and were not late to flee out from the rock and into the water bucket.

Acclimated everything and finally placed them in the new tank. All seems to have made it alive. The nems are attached to the new rock and so far looking fairly good although deflated. Have good hoped that they will come back to full glory in a couple of days.

Made my second tank transfer this morning as well for the clowns. They are now in the 3rd of four "tanks". If everything goes well they will enter the tank on Sunday morning. By then I hope the nems have acclimated and are ready to host again.

Pics of the inverts transferred below.

Everyone in their own containers acclimating themselves.

Pom Pom crab in the new tank staking out his new home.

Both RBTA in the tank on the rock island that hopefully will be known as the anemone island. The blue lights makes them look much more green than then actually are.

 

[ojonas81]

Both RBTAs made it through the night and look much healthier this morning. Think they will make it through.

 

[ojonas81]

Clowns made the final tank transfer (in reality 5 gallon bucket transfer) this morning. On Sunday morning they will both go into the main tank as the first citizens of the new tank. Can't wait.

Did my first water change yesterday afternoon. Went very well and clocked in just under 1 hour. That included turning the reactors on with media (GFO and carbon). So far so good.

I am hoping to finally put the fuge online this weekend. At least with the DSB for now as I am planning to get live rock and inverts from TBS later this month. Before that can happen I need to finalize the cable management behind the fuge as access won't be as easy once the tank is in place.

Next fish on the transfer will be the Carpenters Flasher wrasse. Considering adding a couple of females for him. Should I go ahead and get them at the same time and have them all in QT together or just add them later when the current wrasse has made it to the new tank? How many females is a good number to have, 2 or 3?

 

[ojonas81]

Took a few macro shot this morning.

Dendros.

RBTA #1.

RBTA #2.

Green Bali Slimer.

Trumpet coral.

Green Hammer.

Green Ric.

Orange Yuma.

Green Pocillopora.

 

[gordonheimer]

Looking great! Get some fish in there! :wildone:

 

[pleuralplexus]

Loving every post. Thanks for the faithful updates! The itch to move on to a custom build is contagious, because now I have the itch too!