My 60 Gallon Anemone and Clownfish Tank Build

[mn jeff]

The algae bloom is in full swing. Most of the sand and rocks are covered in the DT. Interestingly, there is no algae in the sump tank full of rock which has a basic fluorescent on 24/7. Ammonia is down to about 0.25 ppm, but nitrite is still over 1 ppm. Nitrate is slowly rising and is about 20 ppm. I lined up some livestock to add in after the cycle. A bonded pair of Banggai and two juvenile of Ocellaris. I'll be picking them up in two weeks.

The CupriSorb was pretty green today so I recharged it with some muriatic acid. That is some strong stuff. I was diluting it outside and had to step away because the vapors were so strong. It looks like new now. I'll probably keep using it forever to keep the levels low. I don't know how much copper ended up in the substrate.

 

[jupiter]

Yes copper binds to calcareous material. It's scary stuff for inverts. I wish you the best of luck getting rid of it but (and you already know this) don't take any risks by adding inverts early. Right now the copper is killing part of your microfauna as well so the cycle is probably slower than it should be.

If you're pairing up a clown with a host, I'm in agreement that a natural pairing is more attractive. I also think wild-form clowns are more attractive but that's a debate for another time.

 

[acharpenter]

Great build thread although that totally sucks about the copper......

 

[WDLV]

i also think wild-form clowns are more attractive

+1... if you mean non-designer clowns. I think there are some pretty good looking captive bred clowns out there that are variants found in nature.

Oh and I would NEVER use rocks laced with copper... but since you're giving it a go, I would start with hardy soft corals first like mushrooms and work your way up to more demanding corals and finally BTAs. The BTAs will take over whatever niche the want anyway and having other corals in there just means that you will have something covering the rocks where they aren't present. I wouldn't go buying the flavor of the month $200 a polyp stuff. Just what you can get for cheap or free from your local reef club.

 

[cherubfish pair]

Nice tile work. I'll be following.

 

[mn jeff]

I bought an API copper test today and tested the water twice. Both times the test tube stayed completely clear so I think my copper levels are near 0. I'll bring a sample into the LFS tomorrow to see what readings they get. If it reads 0 tomorrow, I'll add a hermit and see what happens.

If it is near 0, I will definitely recommend CupriSorb to anyone with a copper problem. I'll keep you updated.

 

[mn jeff]

Stopped at the LFS today with a water sample. They said it was the same as last time, 0.15. I told him I thought last time it was 15 ppm, not 0.15 ppm. Evidently we've had some miscommunication because the levels were only ever at 0.40 ppm, not 40 ppm, which is a good thing. He said he thought a hermit would die even at 0.15 ppm so I decided to wait a few more days. What levels are safe for inverts? Absolutely 0 or is there an acceptable amount?

 

[jupiter]

0.15 ppm will kill a fish in short time. You want your levels to be 0.01 mg/L at the absolute maximum for inverts. You are probably best to remove your rock and replace it since the copper is sticking to it but you can give it a try and see.

 

[mn jeff]

I have been using the cuprisorb in a HOB filter and it was working, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't working at its full potential. I put together a DIY reactor today to add to my return line from the sump. That should increase the flow through the cuprisorb and speed up the process.

 

[velvetelvis]

That's a great 'scape...I really hope you can salvage it. How frustrating to being running into a roadblock already.

 

[cherubfish pair]

What are diatoms?

 

[mn jeff]

What are diatoms?

They are just an algae. Looks like rust on the rocks and sand.

 

[mn jeff]

I can't get the copper levels any lower than 0.15 ppm so I've decided to acid bathe my rocks and replace the sand. I'll keep you updated as I go.

 

[mn jeff]

I finally got the tank cleaned out and it is up and running now. I'll post pictures of the new rockwork after the water clears up.

 

[Ben_Im]

Sounds like a long and frustrating journey. I'm glad you aren't giving up though.

I really hope this works out for you in the near future.
*fingers crossed*

 

[brycerb]

Sorry to hear about the copper. Keep up the fight, don't give up. :hammer:

 

[mn jeff]

Update

Update

So here are the pictures I promised a few days ago now. I just finished nailing on the trim tonight so hopefully in the next day or two, I'll fill all the holes, touch up everything, and add the final hardware. The first picture is the last rock configuration before the tear down.

Here are both sides of the new scape...

Here is a picture of the whole stand...

 

[mn jeff]

I also added some hermits yesterday, here are a few pics. Hopefully, I'll be adding some clowns within the next week.

 

[pandarider007]

nice build! looking foreward to seeing the rest of the build:thumbsup:

 

[mn jeff]

First Fish

First Fish

I added the first fish to the system this weekend, a royal gramma (fairy basslet). I will probably be adding a pair of clowns next weekend. Here are a few pics of the gramma. The first is with all the lights on, the next two are Twilights only. They are a little blurry, I'm still working on the settings on my camera.