My 300g build
- Thread starter lpsouth1978
- Start date
A_CoupleClowns
New member
Bacterial bloom from running the pellets possibly? Have you been running the skimmer?
lpsouth1978
New member
Yes, the skimmer has been running and the output from the pellet reactor is right next to the input for the skimmer.
A_CoupleClowns
New member
Sounds legit to me. I don't know much about running pellets but I have heard of people with their skimmers off and running pellets having bacterial blooms. Good luck with the situation, your almost ready to stock that bad boy!
lpsouth1978
New member
Hopefully it was the biopellets causing the problem. If that is the case then things should be cleared in a few days and we will be ready to proceed. I checked the water params last night and this is what I found (only have 3 test kits so far):
pH = 8.2 (Salifert test)
Nitrates = <5ppm (Hagen Nutrafin test)
Ammonia = 0 (Hagen Nutrafin Test)
ChrisKirkland
Reef and Coral Fanatic
Welcome to the 300DD club! Looking good so far.
lpsouth1978
New member
That light cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $3500 to build. It cost more than a MH or T5 system, but I wouldn't have it any other way. The tank seems to stay pretty consistent at 80 degrees. With halides it would definitely be higher and require us to run a chiller.
Thank You.
lpsouth1978
New member
Things with the tank are constantly evolving. We have had some set backs, but this latest will have things in a holding pattern for the next few months. We made the mistake of getting "Quarentined" fish from a LFS and putting them right into the display without our own QT. Within days, both wrasses developed ich. Now all of the fish are going through TTM and then will go into QT. We lost our 2nd Lubbocks wrasse, just couldn't handle TTM, but everything else seems to be doing well. Now the DT will sit fallow until the end of Sept. It's a real BUMMER!:thumbdown
In the meantime, we got all of the tanks for QT at the $1/gallon sale and are in the process of getting them all set up. We have 2x 40b and 2x 55g for fish QT. We also got a 40b for coral/invert QT. Here is a picture of the fish QT. The 55's don't seem very bright in the picture because of the brown background, but the lighting is identical on all of the tanks. I will be hooking up the filters (canisters) on each tank this evening, and then I will start filling them.
In the meantime, we got all of the tanks for QT at the $1/gallon sale and are in the process of getting them all set up. We have 2x 40b and 2x 55g for fish QT. We also got a 40b for coral/invert QT. Here is a picture of the fish QT. The 55's don't seem very bright in the picture because of the brown background, but the lighting is identical on all of the tanks. I will be hooking up the filters (canisters) on each tank this evening, and then I will start filling them.
lpsouth1978
New member
We received an order from reefcleaners today and it had some a THE BIGGEST conchs I have seen in an aquarium. here are a couple of pics. The Marginela in the first pic is about the size of a quarter. This is the biggest of the conchs, but they were all BIG.
lpsouth1978
New member
I think it is great! I feel like any more flow through the return and the water would move through the sump too quickly. We have a couple of RW-20's in the DT for added water movement and I am considering getting another one or two.
lpsouth1978
New member
we now have some corals in the tank. We had originally moved all of the Zoas from our 3g pico a few weeks back. They all looked good so a couple weekends ago we got a couple of SPS to see how they did before going gung ho on corals purchases. Those have both done well and have good PE, mostly at night. Because these were doing so well, we decided to get a few more this weekend. All are doing very well and already have good PE.
I do not know the names each, but here are some pictures (cell phone shots). If you know what they are feel free to name it. Please excuse the hair algae, we are still battling the phosphates from the Pukani rock.
This is one of the zoas from the 3g tank
Milliapora (sp?) - Purple with Blue tips
Unkown - Green with Blue tips
Unknown - Green with Yellow Tips
Unknown - Green With Blue Tips
Unknown - Neon Yellow
Unknown - Green (still sliming, just added to tank when picture taken)
I do not know the names each, but here are some pictures (cell phone shots). If you know what they are feel free to name it. Please excuse the hair algae, we are still battling the phosphates from the Pukani rock.
This is one of the zoas from the 3g tank
Milliapora (sp?) - Purple with Blue tips
Unkown - Green with Blue tips
Unknown - Green with Yellow Tips
Unknown - Green With Blue Tips
Unknown - Neon Yellow
Unknown - Green (still sliming, just added to tank when picture taken)
lpsouth1978
New member
It has been a little while since I last posted any updates. Everything is doing quite well. We have continued to grow our coral selections. We have added several pieces including a small Red Planet colony, Purple Bonsai colony, and another Mili frag.
We have also added a few new fish to the collection. So far the fish are:
7 x green chromis (down from 16, we lost a number to QT)
Mated pair of Diamond Watchmen Gobies
Male Melanarus Wrasse
Potters Angelfish
Coral Beauty Angelfish (still in QT)
It also looks like the rock is about done leaching phosphates, as the hair algae is finally starting to die off. It should not be long now before the tank is free of hair algae.
Here are a couple of pics for you all (sorry about the quality, I just got a new phone and I'm still getting used to the camera). The first is of one of the first corals added to the tank. The second is the same coral about 3 weeks later (notice the growth, especially on the tips). And finally a new FTS. Let me know what you all think.
We have also added a few new fish to the collection. So far the fish are:
7 x green chromis (down from 16, we lost a number to QT)
Mated pair of Diamond Watchmen Gobies
Male Melanarus Wrasse
Potters Angelfish
Coral Beauty Angelfish (still in QT)
It also looks like the rock is about done leaching phosphates, as the hair algae is finally starting to die off. It should not be long now before the tank is free of hair algae.
Here are a couple of pics for you all (sorry about the quality, I just got a new phone and I'm still getting used to the camera). The first is of one of the first corals added to the tank. The second is the same coral about 3 weeks later (notice the growth, especially on the tips). And finally a new FTS. Let me know what you all think.
lpsouth1978
New member
Things are coming along nicely. Corals all have nice color and decent growth, fish are happy and healthy, tank looks good. We have added a little bit more coral, a clam and a couple more fish. The current fish list is:
In DT:
7 x Green Chromis
2 x Diamond Watchmen Gobies
Male Melanarus Wrasse
Yellow Tang
In QT:
Naso Tang
Lineatus Wrasse
Green Mandarin
On Order:
Powder Blue Tang
Achiles Tang
The only issue we are having is with ALK. All of our params are good except for the ALK. Params are as follows:
Temp. - 78
SG - 1.025
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
Calcium - 420
Magnesium - 1275
Alk - 6dKh
I have added Kalk to our top off water, but it has had no effect yet. The tank evaporates about 5 gallons a day. I think that we may need to start dosing a 2 part instead of using kalk in the top off water.
In DT:
7 x Green Chromis
2 x Diamond Watchmen Gobies
Male Melanarus Wrasse
Yellow Tang
In QT:
Naso Tang
Lineatus Wrasse
Green Mandarin
On Order:
Powder Blue Tang
Achiles Tang
The only issue we are having is with ALK. All of our params are good except for the ALK. Params are as follows:
Temp. - 78
SG - 1.025
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
Calcium - 420
Magnesium - 1275
Alk - 6dKh
I have added Kalk to our top off water, but it has had no effect yet. The tank evaporates about 5 gallons a day. I think that we may need to start dosing a 2 part instead of using kalk in the top off water.
lpsouth1978
New member
Quick update. Not a lot to report, but thought I would throw up a quick video of the tank. The mandarin, Naso, and Lineatus Wrasse have all been added to te tank as well. Here is the video.
