McPuff's new 300 (transfer from 120)

[McPuff]

Fortunately and unfortunately, I don't have anything of note to report at this time. I've been abroad for nearly two weeks (again) and the system has been steady throughout. My wife takes care of the tank while I'm away and does a great job. She's very details oriented, thankfully. :0) That's the fortunate part. The unfortunate part is that I can't do anything on the tank while I'm away. No new fish, corals, water changes, etc. I have a long list of things I want to do... mostly adding fish, but it'll all have to wait until November.

I DO need to upload a current FTS as the corals and fish are all getting bigger. Actually, I need to massively prune the sour apple birdsnest. I'll give away frags to anyone locally that is interested (48170). I assume some will be fairly large. This is a beautiful coral and I am quite surprised how much I like it.

OH, silly me. I do have a cool update. The Darwin misbar clownfish have a new home. I built a 12" acrylic cube and connected it directly to the system via manifold. Last summer I constructed a very cool piece of liverock using e-marco 400 and about 4 small pieces of rock. It's been in the system the whole time and now looks very cool. It fits perfectly in the small tank and I have to say that it's almost like I planned that piece for this exact purpose (it was luck actually). Anyway, I only put the clowns in this tank a couple of days before leaving so I'm excited to see how they have settled in. At this point there is no light on the tank (just ambient from the refugium) and it just has a small maxi mini 404. I'd like to put in a tiny pulsing pump (let me know if you have any suggestions!). I am going to add a DIY light that is already built. The goal will be to add an anemone for the clowns and I may also put some zoas in there along with a softy and/or some LPS. Or maybe they'll just host in a hammer and I won't do an anemone at all. Easier!! I'll post some pics of this once I'm back. I did take videos of the build process so I'll edit those together and post on my youtube channel and link back here. It was a VERY easy process and I'm happy enough with the look of the whole thing. Is it perfect? No, but it's functional!

Now I'm considering making an acrylic sump to replace what I currently have (60 gal). That will be a bit costly, but a heck of a lot less than buying a custom sump. But before I [maybe] do that, I'm going to build a new "sump box" for my filter socks. This is another thing I will need to document and post as I think it's a terrific way to modify an existing sump.

Well, this has turned into more of a "teaser" post than anything. I hope to provide some more visuals in the next week or so!

 

[vikinglord13]

Glad the tank hasn't gone south while you have been away.

I'm anxious to see the new clone tank with the manifold

 

[McPuff]

Well, I got back and everything was alive and looked fine.... but the tank was kind of a mess. Lots of additional algae. I think the fish got a bit overfed. It took a while to clean it all up, do a water change, change the GFO, clean just about everything I could. Even moved a couple corals that were starting to get crowded. The clowns are looking really happy in their new home and I have to say that I'm really happy with that little tank so far!

See the happy little guys? :0)


Trying to show the rock shape.


A view from the top.

 

[McPuff]

Just in case anyone is interested, here is a video I made to document the DIY build.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1Btfj6kKCE

 

[McPuff]

Well, it appears that my work travels have finally taken their toll on my system. It was a weird situation and a unique one for me. I believe it started with my pumps getting all funked up and not being cleaned often enough. This LED to the tank getting less flow and allowing more detritus to settle on rocks. I came home to a dirty tank that had Cyano on the sand and on the rocks. What I didn't know, however, was that it was calothrix and not the standard BG slime that we all know and love. Well, I decided to treat with Chemiclean as it's always been VERY useful and I've never had an issue with it.

Day one: A day after dosing, I noticed there was NO effect on the Cyano. This is when I did a bit more searching and found the culprit was likely calothrix, a different type of Cyano that is apparently not affected by chemiclean. I kept the skimmer running but took off the collection cup. I did not submerge the airline, which I have done in the past. Should have done this to reduce microbubbles, but it was not a big deal overall.

Day two: Start to notice the red planet and pink efflo are looking bleached. polyp extension is good and it doesn't look like any tissue loss. Still, it's time to do a water change to begin removing the chemiclean. Done and done.

Day three: Water is getting very cloudy. Red plant and pink efflo are experiencing RTN. Green slimer and giant purple stag are looking bleached. I'm getting worried. Do a second water change and replace skimmer collection cup.

Day four: Water is even cloudier. Apparently I've got a bacterial bloom. At this point, I can tell the green slimer, red plant, and pink efflo are dead. Hard to tell with the purple stag... still has polyps out. I begin microbacter7 treatment and amino acids.

Day five: Water is cleared up quite a bit. Continue to dose microbacter7 and amino acids. Purple stag is definitely on its way out as I can see flesh falling off. Milka stylo is also shedding toward the base and a few tips. Other small SPS have died by this point. Hammer coral is showing tissue recession and I can't tell if the caulastrea is retracted or receding.

Day six: water is mostly clear. Still dosing. Did another water change to remove calothrix from sand and rocks. Big purple stag totally dead at this point. Removed all the dead Corals, including the hammer. Not sure if any of the hammer frags on the tub will survive. We'll see. The Frogspawn still looks alive. Caulastrea seems alive. Neon green caulastrea is also alive but both are retracted, not puffy.

Here is how the tank looked before last night's water change and skeleton removal:



And here is the giant stag after removing it. I was actually quite surprised by the sheer size of this thing! It came out in two pieces which is good because it wouldn't have fit out of the tank in one piece. Shown on top of a 5 gallon bucket. I'll piece it back together after it's sun bleached and use it as a decoration. Actually looks pretty cool.



Today: I'm actually amazed at how much larger the tank looks now without the huge stag. I had considered chopping it down quite a bit but that decision is no longer required. I'm still not sure if the Milka stylo will survive but this morning it's looking a bit worse so I doubt it will survive. Another desktop decoration most likely. Looks like the hammer frags in the tub are all dying. The Frogspawn also looks to be on its way out. The green caulastrea will probably be a desktop decoration as it looks like only a few heads have survived so far (out of 60 or so). The neon green caulastrea looks like it will survive. Water looks to be quite clear but I will continue to dose microbacter7 and aminos for a few more days to ensure stability.

Believe it or not, I'm not that bummed out about the Corals. It does suck, but I'm really glad that the fish were not at all affected. That would have really upset me. They seem to be totally fine and are eating and swimming and happy. I will probably not replace the SPS for a while if at all. I still have two more work trips of two weeks each so for now I'm going to let the system stabilize again. My plan is to add some softies (sinularia, gorgonians, etc.). The brains, stylos, and LPS will likely survive so I'll plan to keep them for now.

Here is a video explaining the whole ordeal in case you are interested. I'll post some pics of the aftermath once the tank settles down and clears up fully. Actually looking forward to moving on and planning the next steps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KH3uA9DmF5U

 

[MrsReefK]

Hey buddy, I know you are not heartbroken over the loss of your corals/bacteria bloom, but always sucks to experience. Kudos to you for keeping your head up.

I forgot you are located in SE Michigan. If you're ever up near Grand Rapids, holler. You can stop over and see our setup (525 gallons total), our SPS frags are open to you at any time without charge if you decide to get back into them ever! We don't have any rare or amazing ones, but open doors.

Your scaping is gorgeous!!


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[McPuff]

Hey buddy, I know you are not heartbroken over the loss of your corals/bacteria bloom, but always sucks to experience. Kudos to you for keeping your head up.

I forgot you are located in SE Michigan. If you're ever up near Grand Rapids, holler. You can stop over and see our setup (525 gallons total), our SPS frags are open to you at any time without charge if you decide to get back into them ever! We don't have any rare or amazing ones, but open doors.

Your scaping is gorgeous!!


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Wow, I really appreciate the generosity!! I did end up losing the milka stylo just yesterday. It's really amazing how much different the scape looks now. The fish have a ton more room to move around and they actually seem to like it. I may try to replace a couple of the sps like the green slimer and perhaps the milka. Those are two that I have always liked quite a bit, they grow well, and they are [generally] quite hardy. I'm hoping that there are no more losses but still uncertain about the frogspawn and hammer... and the yellow porites. The former 2 seem to be holding on a thread. The latter is probably a goner but we'll see. The clarity is back to very good... and thankfully too because I have to go out of country for two weeks starting Saturday evening. I'll continue to dose microbacter7 for a few days. At least glad that I could stabilize everything well in advance of leaving. Here is an updated pic (not great quality) of the tank from last night. I want to do a bit of rescaping on the right "island" so this incident also provides that opportunity.

 

[MrsReefK]

Absolutely, anytime. I do like the new look! Looking great!


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[Chasmodes]

Wow, I love your tank McPuff. Sorry about the coral losses. Good luck!

 

[McPuff]

Wow, I love your tank McPuff. Sorry about the coral losses. Good luck!

Thanks! I'm upbeat about it. Although it is not ideal to lose nearly all of my sps, I am looking at this as an opportunity to make some changes and head in a new and exciting direction... one that I've always wanted to do in fact!

 

[vikinglord13]

Now it's time for a better tank to rise from the ashes!

 

[McPuff]

Now it's time for a better tank to rise from the ashes!

Exactly! Though "better" will be a relative term. If you love SPS, then you may not agree that my next ecosystem will be better. It will, however, be different and still quite colorful. But there are a few things I've wanted to do for a long time but never had the space. Originally, I had planned to make those changes a year ago when I started the 300 project. BUT, I got a little sentimental with certain corals, didn't give them up, and ended up just making a bigger version of my 120. I DID add some tangs so I got part way to my vision. Now, I have mostly free reign to complete the project as I had planned. This is something I would have done in another year (more or less) anyway. But it would have been nice to sell some frags/colonies to help pay for that change. Instead, I'll just have to foot the bill without much coral subsidy. :0)

For me, the fish have always been the biggest draw for any aquarium. I've been sidetracked by planted freshwater aquariums and reefs (obviously). I've really enjoyed reefing and won't ever truly give it up. I will certainly keep some sps in the tank, probably add a couple more LPS, and likely a softy or two. But I already know that the fish I'm planning to keep will not be "reef safe" and may create some issues here and there. Not a big worry, and will be worth whatever challenges I face. I still have about two months before I can really start this "new direction" in earnest. That will give me plenty of time to plan out the hows and whens, place some orders, and that is a highly enjoyable process as I'm sure many would agree!

 

[Chasmodes]

Thanks! I'm upbeat about it. Although it is not ideal to lose nearly all of my sps, I am looking at this as an opportunity to make some changes and head in a new and exciting direction... one that I've always wanted to do in fact!

Looking forward to seeing your progress!!!

 

[vikinglord13]

I like the thought thatbwe either habe a reef tank with fish in it or a fish tank with corals in it. I'm definitely part of the latter as I care more about the fish. Though, I see the coral as living decoration, or living art.

I've personally a fan of a good mixed reef that is heavy with softies and LPS, that difficult to do with fish that aren't reef safe. I'm anxious to see the growth of your "new" tank.

 

[McPuff]

I like the thought thatbwe either habe a reef tank with fish in it or a fish tank with corals in it. I'm definitely part of the latter as I care more about the fish. Though, I see the coral as living decoration, or living art.

I've personally a fan of a good mixed reef that is heavy with softies and LPS, that difficult to do with fish that aren't reef safe. I'm anxious to see the growth of your "new" tank.

Holy long delay on my part! Thanks for the comment. I have been thinking a bit more about my direction and I haven't really changed my mind... well, just slightly. I am not sure how many softies I'll get at this point. Maybe just a sinularia and then we'll see what comes available. The gorgonians are still on the "to-get" list. I do think that/those will look good.

I am now considering adding a couple of birdsnest (pink, ponepei) because I see how well the sour apple is doing. I have to hack that thing about once every few months. It looks great, has long polyps, and grows well. It might be cool to simply have a few very large colonies placed at the highest points of the tank. Also considering adding a few encrusting montis to some of the large bare rock areas just to add a bit more color in certain areas. Gotta see what's available though first.

Still having some issues with the calothrix (I believe this is correct ID) but I do think I'm turning the corner. Seems to have been a long chain of events that led to its stronghold. First was my absence over much of the last 5 months. The pumps got a bit gunked up and flow was reduced. This led to more sedimentation on the rocks, then the calothrix was able to take hold. I have scrubbed the rocks a couple of times and it seems to work pretty well... but it'll take a few months of battling I'm sure. The t5s have been off for several weeks which has been helping I'm sure. The LEDs are fairly blue and I only have the white/color at 15%. I may even turn that down to see if all blue will reduce the growth rate even further. The corals are fine without the t5.

My CUC needs to be built up. I probably only have a couple dozen trochus snails, and a few Mexican turbo snails. Going to add some cerith and more trochus as long as I can find them. The 2 sand sifting stars are doing all they can... but it's not enough. Planning to add 2-3 tiger tail cucumbers to see if they can help keep the sand cleaner. From what I've read, it seems they will do a good job, add some diversity to my crew, and I think the kids will like seeing them too... and I don't really want to have 5-6 sand sifting stars.

Have also been doing more water changes and that has certainly helped. Typically, I'm doing 25 gallons at a time which is less than 10% but it's been about once weekly or bi-monthly so not too bad actually. And the water I'm removing has been pretty darn nastly. I scrubbed the tub/refugium on Friday and it was not a pretty sight. I've got to do another water change this week and I'll likely scrub it again. There was so much bubble algae and hair algae... a decent amount of bryopsis as well. This has not spread into the display tank at all and I do think the tangs eat it. I've placed several small rocks containing hair/turf algae/bryopsis into the display and they always come out clean. That said, I decided to leave only a few small-ish live rocks in the refugium to grow some turg algae (for feeding) but I removed the container of rubble and put it directly into the sump. This will still allow the pods to flourish but reduce the amount of bubble algae and attachment points for hair algae/bryopsis. Just easier for me to maintain.

LAST NIGHT - I went to remove the food barrel on the auto feeder and [of course!] the cap came off and a few tablespoons of pellets were released into the display tank. Argh!! This was just after I had fed the fish LRS herbivor frenzy. They ate a bunch of the pellets but I spend about 20 minutes trying to scoop out what I could with a net. I got a decent amount but was so annoyed at dumping a huge amount of nutrients into the system. Hopefully the fish will continue to scavenge them off the sand throughout the day today. I think it will probably be fine, but always fearful of the worst. Someone talk me back... :0)

Anyway, long update and not much for changes. Still working towards stabilizing the system WITHOUT nuisance algae. If anyone else has dealt with calothrix I'm eager to hear what you did to get rid of it. As I said, I DO think I'm heading towards success but always welcome some pointers.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

What is calothrix? Some kind of algae? I haven't heard of that one. I can see how being out of town a lot can be a challenge. A good crew definitely helps.

Just to clarify, your new direction is to move away from sensitive SPS and towards sturdier corals, with a new emphasis on bigger, non-reefsafe fish, correct? That sounds like a fun tank, with lots to enjoy!

It sounds like you're in algae town right now. Has anyone ever avoided it? I now believe it is just a beneficial part of the maturation process. Of course the trick is to get it down to manageable levels. Have you considered adding a fast growing macro algae to compete for nutrients?

I look forward to seeing your new vision take shape! Pics?

 

[McPuff]

Hi Michael. Calothrix is another type of cyanobacteria, but it looks kind of like brown hair algae. My fish definitely do NOT eat it, unfortunately. I do have chaeto growing in the refugium, but I'd also like to add some ulva and see how that goes. I also have some dragon's breath that grows quite well in the refugium.

You are correct about the corals. Less sensitive.... though I didn't really have many sensitive species before. So it'll be similar. I was just given 8 frags last night by a local reefer so we'll give those a shot too. Mostly montis and stylos which I like.

As for fish, the assemblage won't change really, but I do want to add a few more "with caution" fishes like angels. I'll certainly get a trigger and a puffer at some point but they may not leave the refugium for quite some time. I do have inverts in the display and I'm not ready to bid them adieu just yet. :0)

I'll post some more pictures soon. Gotta at least get a "before" pic showing how empty the tank looks now. Have to attach the new corals likely tonight so they can get going.

Otherwise, just need to really focus on keeping quality flow at all times (upgrading the jebao pp20 to a Tunze stream 3 will help!), managing nutrients more consistently (i.e., staying home!), and keeping the tank cleaner in general. Like I said, no problem as long as I'm home! :0)

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Thanks McPuff. I have some stuff growing on my fake roots, in dim light. It is very etherial, almost like smoke. Does that sound like it?

I'm glad to hear you're having success with macros in your 'fuge. I think you'd like ulva. It grows fast and everything that eats plants loves it, so you can throw prunings into your display and it will be devoured.

I look forward to more pics. Your rockscape is awesome!

 

[McPuff]

Thanks McPuff. I have some stuff growing on my fake roots, in dim light. It is very etherial, almost like smoke. Does that sound like it?

I'm glad to hear you're having success with macros in your 'fuge. I think you'd like ulva. It grows fast and everything that eats plants loves it, so you can throw prunings into your display and it will be devoured.

I look forward to more pics. Your rockscape is awesome!

It's not so wispy... much more substantial. I do know what you are talking about that.

The ulva seems like a good option... and I hear it tastes good for humans too. :0)

About the rock work... Thanks!! I've been making little changes here and there over the past year. I think another rock or two needs to be tweaked and then I'll be happy.

 

[McPuff]

Is it hard to do an upgrade? I have a 125 i would like to do a 180 or 220

It is difficult if you need to put the new tank in the same spot as the old tank.

Otherwise, it's quite easy. If you use the live rock you've already got (maybe with a few more pieces of new, dry rock) then you'll have the bacterial community ready to rock. It would be helpful to add more biomedia to your existing tank a few weeks ahead of time so you can seed the new tank prior to the transfer. Once you move everything over, it's basically like doing a water change. Main thing is to take your time, think it through completely, and take every opportunity to IMPROVE the system you're upgrading. The planning it the hardest part. The doing is the easy part honestly.