KEEPonREEFING's 150g sps re-build

[KEEPonREEFING]

Hi y'all, i've been creeping around RC for a while. I have had a rough past year or so in reef keeping. After having problems with our well water causing my tank to crash, i lost 90% of my fish and all coral overnight after doing a water change. I had finally had the tank running well, i had about 30 frags/mini colonies that were finally growing good and then everything went wrong. The area of SW Florida i am from is EXTREMELY seasonal, so after battling trying to get the tank back to the shape it was in, our busy season was rolling around. Thats when the tough decision was made and the tank was tore down. Over the past 6 or so months i have been taking time when i could to keeping rebuilding my dream of having a sps reef. Now we are finally out of season and things have slowed down a little, i finally got this rebuild project wet! :rollface:

I am almost through my cycle, ammonia is 0 and nitrites are on the way down. I would like to keep a journal here and get some input along the way.

Equipment:
72" 150g w/ corner overflows
eshopps sump
eshopps cone skimmer
reeflo dart closed loop
vortech mp10 on the back wall for some extra flow
3x 250w 20k radiums on ice cap ballasts
2x reactors for phosban and carbon (up in the air..may go with bio pellets?)
300w jager heater
fans in canopy and sump
Par 38 led for fuge
BRS 75gpd 5 stage plus rodi
custom ATO
Controlled by Digital Aquatics Reef Keeper Lite

Future equipment:
Would like to ditch the closed loop and do 2 mp40's
dosing pumps (because manual dosing got old very quick lol)
net module for RKL
would like to set up a frag/mangrove display
chiller

Planned live stock:
5 anthias (still undecided on what anthias im going with. suggestions welcome)
10 chromis (I've never had luck, there was always just one, im going to try adding all at once and covering the tank as i heard that helps)
1 powder blue tang
1 yellow tang
1 six line wrasse
pair of clowns
1 cleaner shrimp
1 anemone (still undecided on species but the wife loves seeing the clowns with the anemone, frog spawn won't cut it, tried that already she didn't fall for it lol again suggestions welcome)

So the question here that i am debating is what fish to add first after the tank is cycled and after my clean up crew.
I was thinking this order:
Anthias
Chromis
clowns
wrasse
Powder blue
yellow tang

Suggestions welcome!

Right now the tank is running with about 100lbs of marco rock and +-75lbs of live rock. The marco rock was cleaned, vinegar dipped and and tested for phosphates, none found. The live rock was from the old system that was scrubbed and kept in a holding tank, no phosphates there either. The tank will also be bare bottom.

The aquascape i decided to go with is a stacked on the back wall some which i'm not thrilled about but don't have the deep dimensions for the look that i want. Im looking for the most natural look i can get. I have started to fall in love with the more "stacked" look so when all is filled in looks like a big chunk of the reef. There are many open spaces between the rocks without looking too unnatural. There are many caves and tunnels which i love. The more i look at it and think of the future the more i love it. I have read many of the build threads here and there are so many beautiful tanks that keep me inspired to have my dream tank.

Planned maintenance:
I like to keep it simple. Too much and it isn't fun anymore and goes from a hobby to a job.
clean skimmer and change filter sock every 3 days.
weekly or bi weekly water changes (depends on the needs of the tank which route i go) but im a believer in water changes.
havent made my mind up 100% on dosing or calcium reactor. I was having good luck with 2 part.
I have been reading a lot lately on n&p exporting, vodka dosing ect. Biopellets ect. I may go with biopellets as it seems like the most simple method.
Clean glass daily as needed
blow off rock weekly
blow up any debris settled on the bare bottom in dead spots weekly. (right now i don't see any dead spots)

OK enough with the chitter chatter, here are some pics of this empty reef:

Oh yea did i mention we had one of these little buggers during this rebuild:rollface:
<a href="http://s1023.photobucket.com/user/ajpesce21/media/null_zps181122ca.png.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/af355/ajpesce21/null_zps181122ca.png" border="0" alt=" photo null_zps181122ca.png"/></a>

She loves the tank already! She has loved fish from day one. She has a light up aquarium in her crib that she turns on every morning right when she wakes up.

Filling her up:
<a href="http://s1023.photobucket.com/user/ajpesce21/media/null_zps3c767813.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/af355/ajpesce21/null_zps3c767813.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo null_zps3c767813.jpg"/></a>


Filled with the 20k radiums burning:
<a href="http://s1023.photobucket.com/user/ajpesce21/media/null_zps502c3020.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/af355/ajpesce21/null_zps502c3020.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo null_zps502c3020.jpg"/></a>

The heart:
<a href="http://s1023.photobucket.com/user/ajpesce21/media/null_zps5cdc4be5.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/af355/ajpesce21/null_zps5cdc4be5.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo null_zps5cdc4be5.jpg"/></a>

The salt mixing and top off bins:<a href="http://s1023.photobucket.com/user/ajpesce21/media/null_zps898a8f2f.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/af355/ajpesce21/null_zps898a8f2f.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo null_zps898a8f2f.jpg"/></a>

Sorry for the iphone pics i will take out the nikon when there is something worth shooting.:hmm5:

Thank you guys for reading. I know this is nothing special compared to the beautiful builds that have been on RC but i really want to keep a journal going on the progress and really look forward to the input and help from all you experienced reefers along the way.

Thank you guys!!

 

[KEEPonREEFING]

I've got some life in the tank after my nitrates dropped and i did a big water change. Started my cuc:
<ahref="http://s1023.photobucket.com/user/ajpesce21/media/DSC_0538_zps342826c3.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/af355/ajpesce21/DSC_0538_zps342826c3.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSC_0538_zps342826c3.jpg"/></a>

Fired up the skimmer:
<ahref="http://s1023.photobucket.com/user/ajpesce21/media/DSC_0551_zps46b8a331.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/af355/ajpesce21/DSC_0551_zps46b8a331.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSC_0551_zps46b8a331.jpg"/></a>

Bio pellets online:
<ahref="http://s1023.photobucket.com/user/ajpesce21/media/DSC_0543_zps2b65415a.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/af355/ajpesce21/DSC_0543_zps2b65415a.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSC_0543_zps2b65415a.jpg"/></a>

Cheato has been growing great under the par 38 but i'm not sure how its going to grow with the bio pellets. Ill play it by ear and remove it completely if i dont see any growth:

<ahref="http://s1023.photobucket.com/user/ajpesce21/media/DSC_0544_zpsd4337191.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/af355/ajpesce21/DSC_0544_zpsd4337191.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSC_0544_zpsd4337191.jpg"/></a>

 

[Lambert58]

Welcome back! Looks like a great start.

 

[KEEPonREEFING]

Thanks! Fathers Day come early! Some presents for my first Father's Day from the most understanding girl ever! Milwaukee digital seawater refractometer and the Digital aquatics moonlight controller with blue LEDs. Hopefully ill get some pictures up later tonight.

 

[KEEPonREEFING]

Some of the new toys

The new additions out of quarantine (5 females 1 male) it's hard to get a shot of all of them

First coral in the tank monti cap. See how it reacts over the next month then start adding some more pieces. I have pretty good coraline growth already. Just happy to have some life and color in the tank. Hoping to find a nice frag pack somewhere to get started.


Ill take some pictures with the Nikon eventually!

 

[KEEPonREEFING]

Took some shots with the nikon. Definitely some learning to do when shooting the tank.







Took the little girl to the aquarium, she loved it!

 

[shih87]

How big the hermit crab behind?

 

[KEEPonREEFING]

How big the hermit crab behind?

I can't say accurately because everything looks bigger inside aquarium tanks because of the thickness of the glass. It was the biggest hermit I've seen lol. Definitely big enough to hold in both hands.

 

[KEEPonREEFING]

Got some new frags in the tank. Picked up from a member. The frags are doing good had great PE right after acclimation. My red monti cap is growing like a weed, it has started to encrust on the surrounding rock after two weeks or so of being in the tank. Here are a some shots with the nikon still terrible at taking pictures of the tank.

Here is the monti growing on the surrounding rock.

 

[KEEPonREEFING]

Can't wait for them to grow out some and mount them. Thats all for now!

Thanks for looking!

 

[KEEPonREEFING]

Picked up this profilux ghl4 with controller for a steal yesterday! It's brand new never been used, picked it up for half price. Now to decide on what 2 part to go with.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[biggles]

Coming along nicely mate. Everyone in the US has good things to say about the BRS guys and their products for dosing. Those new frags will be nice once they get settled in to your water and lights. :thumbsup:
Oh and your daughter is a little cutie

 

[KEEPonREEFING]

Thanks biggles!

Some growth pics.

The red monti cap has been in the tank for less than a month:
Added 7/12/13

8/4/13

Digi growing well

I got a decent shot of my male lyretail.

I added a mated pair of gold stripe maroon clowns to the DT, finally out of quarantine.

Im not sure of the exact species of these monti's but if someone could id and let me know if they are encrusting or plating that would be awesome!


I have been feeding PE misis, brine and cyclopeeze mixed together twice a day. I have always rinsed my foods in ro water to lower phosphates, i was rinsing daily when feeding. To make this process easier for me and also if i need to have my wife or friend feed the tank i have been rinsing all my food at once mixing together in ro water and freezing into my own cubes. This way the food can be thawed and feed, no more rinsing everyday.

Thanks for looking guys! Any help with the ID on the monti's is much appreciated.

 

[KEEPonREEFING]

Some updates, still trying to get the colors back after acclimation. Its happening slowly but surely. Growth is doing good. All of the monti's are encrusting, the milli has almost completely encrusted the plug. The birdsnests are growing at a steady pace and the branching monti is still growing fast.










I have also added some mangrove seeds that i picked up floating down in the everglades. The roots have taken off growing no leaves yet, but this may make me do a mangrove display. I will add more shortly after my next trip down on wednesday.


Im not happy with the coloration improvements but i know its a slow process, all of the corals seem healthy and happy so far so i dont plan on changing anything. I have still not put my dosing pumps online as it has not been necessary yet. I have decided i will be going with the brs 2 part when i do though. I have not added any live stock and may qt a fish in the next few weeks if i find something i like. Other than that my light bio load has been nice. Thank for looking, any advise or criticism is more than welcome.

 

[KEEPonREEFING]

Thought I would include today's chemistry:
Temp: 79.8
Salinity: 1.026 (Milwaukee digital refractometer)
Ph: 8.37 (DA probe)
Ca: 425 (red sea)
KH: 9.0 (red sea)
Mg: 1600 (red sea)
N03: undetectable (API)
P04: undetectable (API)
I need to get the Red Sea no3 and p04 for more accuracy because I'm sure my p04 is not undetectable. Probably could be the coloration problem.

 

[sahin]

How is the tank doing?

 

[KEEPonREEFING]

I had to get rid of the tank due to moving. I sold the whole set up. I have had a 34 solana sitting around for about a year or so that I've had up and running for a month. Rkl, mp10, i kept the rodi unit dosing pump some other stuff too. I hung a AI vega color over it. Its bare right now, getting everything stable and dialed in. I will upgrade the skimmer to a psk-75 hob. Then start over adding frags. I will start a new build thread when things get a little more exciting. It was sad to see the big tank go, but it went to good friends and looks good and healthy. I get to see it from time to time. At least its in good hands.

 

[sahin]

Ah, ok. Make a thread when the new tank is ready to be shown off.