New tank, clowns, algae and progress/questions

[Reef of Fillory]

Got my tank all set up and cycled and got some fish and my first coral now.

I have a 75 gallon DT with 40 gallon diy sump with refugium (chaeto). I have around 80lbs of live Rock purchased from a local guy who had it cycled without fish for around a year.

4 bulb t5 lighting fixture (have an 8 bulb I might try to fix)
Current usa orbit led light

Currently the (t5) blues are on 11hrs, whites on 10, is this too much light?

Cuc: two nasarius, 1 turbo, 2 emerald crab, 4 trochus & 5 astrea (added yesterday from lfs) and a couple of other snails

Fish: bonded black snowflake clown fish pair (according to lfs) and royal gramma

Coral: euphyllia just put in tonight

I've got some gha strands, some diatom and some film algae according to lfs (sounds/looks right to me). I was trying to get away with using just chaeto to start for phosphate/nitrate control, but I just ordered a BRS dual gfo & carbon reactor last night. Have water mixed and heated for a 30gallon water change tomorrow. Lfs suggested while siphoning to go in with an extra toothbrush or similar and scrub the gha strands that I can see while siphoning whatever comes loose straight out of the tank. Thoughts on this method?


I am now switching my feeding schedule after realizing I am doing what every newbie does and feeding far too much. My nitrates have been between 0-5-10. Currently at 10. API phosphate test showing between 0 & .25, so the chaeto is not controlling the phosphates as much as I hoped.

Going with pe mysis mixed with some hikari mysis (gramma cant/won't eat the larger pe pieces) 3 times per week, and some high quality (lfs suggestion) pellets every other day. Opinions on this feeding schedule?

Do euphyllia generally need target Fed? How does this one look, and how long does it typically take for them to open up? Any issues with the way/ location of setting it?

Any other comments/suggestions or questions are welcome!


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[Reef of Fillory]

It wouldn't let me post with the pictures included, so here is where I'm at so far, I also took some short video, is it possible to post video on here? Using tapatalk app

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[DancingShark]

I will comment on you hammer/ euphyllia corals.
I have always placed corals at the bottom of my tank and work my way up the tank once they open up to where I want them.
It's not a rule just how I have mostly done it because you can come across a stubborn coral that doesn't like where you have placed it.

But in my experience they have taken from several hours to a couple days to open up.

I do spot feed my corals because I don't want all the food to blow everywhere and feed algae instead of my corals.

 

[Reef of Fillory]

Coral (is it a hammer? ) was open this morning, but has since closed back up. I'm not sure how to Feed it, when I Fed the fish mysis this morning, I "shot" some at the coral but I'm pretty sure it didn't get any pieces. It did extend a clear-ish "string " which I've read could be it trying to grab food?

Pics are of it this morning

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[Reef of Fillory]

I circled a couple of spots where I'd like some feedback, I'm not sure if it's more coraline (I've had a lot of new growth lately) or red slime or cyan? Hopefully the pictures are clear enough to see, if not I can try taking more. Getting 0 phosphate and 0 nitrate readings from API test kit. They must be false tests since I'm also getting some hair algae spreading around

Also snuck in pictures of my ro/di setup in extra bathroom, water change tub with pump and heated, and my feathered friends (double yellow headed Amazon and goffins cockatoo)

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[TYC]

I've got some gha strands, some diatom and some film algae according to lfs (sounds/looks right to me). I was trying to get away with using just chaeto to start for phosphate/nitrate control, but I just ordered a BRS dual gfo & carbon reactor last night. Have water mixed and heated for a 30gallon water change tomorrow. Lfs suggested while siphoning to go in with an extra toothbrush or similar and scrub the gha strands that I can see while siphoning whatever comes loose straight out of the tank. Thoughts on this method?

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if there's not much GHA, you should leave it for the Emerald crabs to eat. not sure if u needed 2 emeralds for ur tank since it's young with not much algae for them to eat. If you really have a GHA outbreak that the emeralds are not keeping up with, u can use Phosphate RX and pull them off manually dipping ur finger in clean water each time. Meleev has a good article/video that explains this..http://www.melevsreef.com/gha.html

 

[TYC]

Coral (is it a hammer? ) was open this morning, but has since closed back up. I'm not sure how to Feed it, when I Fed the fish mysis this morning, I "shot" some at the coral but I'm pretty sure it didn't get any pieces. It did extend a clear-ish "string " which I've read could be it trying to grab food?

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they open with light and close at night. Yes they extend tenticles (at night usually) up to 6 inches which stings other animals and corals, so leave plenty of room around it and other corals.

Well built tank and stand, especially the PVC plumbing...don't look like the workmanship of a newbie.

 

[Reef of Fillory]

they open with light and close at night. Yes they extend tenticles (at night usually) up to 6 inches which stings other animals and corals, so leave plenty of room around it and other corals.

Well built tank and stand, especially the PVC plumbing...don't look like the workmanship of a newbie.

Thanks! I'll actually be redoing some of the plumbing this week when my dusk media reactor gets in. Going to add some sand to the refugium section of the sump and grow some critters to feed the tank, and supply a Mandarin in a year or so. Is now too early to start stocking the fuge? I've got chaeto in there now and that's it, any other beneficial organisms to throw in there? Thinking about pulling the sump for a week to add in two more baffles before the return pump, maybe one or two after the skimmer section too, would that be Overkill? I know lots and lots of questions.

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[TYC]

TGoing to add some sand to the refugium section of the sump and grow some critters to feed the tank, and supply a Mandarin in a year or so. Is now too early to start stocking the fuge? I've got chaeto in there now and that's it, any other beneficial organisms to throw in there? Thinking about pulling the sump for a week to add in two more baffles before the return pump, maybe one or two after the skimmer section too, would that be Overkill? I know lots and lots of questions.

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others have used Miracle Mud in sump but with mixed reviews. placing few or a large Live rock in sump might work better especially if u place it in sump with high water flow or can place a small pump in sump to drive water thru the rock. Chaeto lives on phosphate so it might be too early for Chaeto in sump. Make sure to give it plenty of light in reverse (during PM) and not day time.

What r the extra baffles for?

 

[TYC]

check out these 2 sump design recommendations from 2 very good reefers;
NYSteelo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgGamcu5C7g

and Meleev http://www.melevsreef.com/articles/what-sump

 

[Reef of Fillory]

Baffles I was going to use as a bubble trap (but I don't have a bubble problem) and a place to put filter floss to help clear up the water if/when I accidentally shift something and kick up some sand.

I actually already have chaeto in my sump, it doesn't seem to be growing, but hasn't browned or started falling apart either. I've had it in there for around 2 weeks now. The lfs suggested that since my main focus with the fuge is going to be for copepods and other feeder for the tank (if there's another good one that can survive the return pump) that I should forego the rock in the sump and just stick to sand bed with chaeto?

Another thought with the extra baffles or two in the sump was because of my thought that the copepods will be taken more slowly to the display tank, my fear being that with only the flow down over the one divider, that the population will be sucked out of the sump in short time.

When I mention lfs recommendations that is only because it's the only real conversation I've had with others in the hobby about my plans and my specific setup. I am not set on any particular way of doing things, other than that I will be getting a Mandarin, but only once I can sustain it and I will do the extra searching and pay the fee for a tank raised fish that is already eating prepared.

I really appreciate your feedback and the fact that you're willing to read my long posts where I get carried away and continue to type until....

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[Reef of Fillory]

others have used Miracle Mud in sump but with mixed reviews. placing few or a large Live rock in sump might work better especially if u place it in sump with high water flow or can place a small pump in sump to drive water thru the rock. Chaeto lives on phosphate so it might be too early for Chaeto in sump. Make sure to give it plenty of light in reverse (during PM) and not day time.

What r the extra baffles for?

My API phosphate test is giving me sometime 0 and sometimes .25 results. Nitrate consistently 0 from my API, but as high as 10-15 from lfs testing. I think that from my reading, I must have phosphates as I'm getting the algae in my DT?

I've got my lights as so...

9am - blue t5s (2) on
9:30am - white t5s (2) on
7:30pm - white t5s off
8:00pm - blue t5s off

I also have a current LED light that is not programmed, but I run in the (cloudy day) setting during the day, about an hour of (moonlight) at night, and then off before bed

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[TYC]

no worries. if there's no bubble problem then I'd leave it alone and not fix something that ain't broken. Whenever sand is disturbed and water gets cloudy, it'll clear up with time as water circulates thru the sump and filters. Again dont see a need for extra baffle if this is ur concern. Besides, with corals already in ur tank, I wouldn't turn off the sump for a week.

Please watch NYSTeelo's video on how to setup a sump refugium. He explains in detail how to setup ur sump and how/what to do for each section and why. Lots of good info there.

 

[Reef of Fillory]

no worries. if there's no bubble problem then I'd leave it alone and not fix something that ain't broken. Whenever sand is disturbed and water gets cloudy, it'll clear up with time as water circulates thru the sump and filters. Again dont see a need for extra baffle if this is ur concern. Besides, with corals already in ur tank, I wouldn't turn off the sump for a week.

Please watch NYSTeelo's video on how to setup a sump refugium. He explains in detail how to setup ur sump and how/what to do for each section and why. Lots of good info there.

Yeah i've just discovered him on YouTube, even before watching his video I was planning to go to flex pvc once I get the motivation to re-do all of my plumbing lol...

What are your thoughts on my concerns for the pods?


Just want to put this out there for anyone interested - I will be documenting my steps and tests and everything in my google sheet at the following link:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_dryvgBqZqKXtwIYbErQZCtf9ONFOpe7fjA0rWrr6Wg/edit?usp=sharing

 

[TYC]

My API phosphate test is giving me sometime 0 and sometimes .25 results. Nitrate consistently 0 from my API, but as high as 10-15 from lfs testing. I think that from my reading, I must have phosphates as I'm getting the algae in my DT?

I've got my lights as so...

9am - blue t5s (2) on
9:30am - white t5s (2) on
7:30pm - white t5s off
8:00pm - blue t5s off

I also have a current LED light that is not programmed, but I run in the (cloudy day) setting during the day, about an hour of (moonlight) at night, and then off before bed

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Sorry when i said leave lights on reverse (pm) it was for sump not ur display tank. Again, as long as the GHA is not all over ur DT, I'd let the emeralds take care of it. Just make sure to scrape and clean ur glass weekly so algae doesnt take over the glass and the snails/cuc are cleaning the rocks not the glass.

 

[davehead86]

You have a brand new tank. You are going to go through several ugly sessions over the next few months / year. I would steer away from chemicals right now to get ride of any "problems". Let your CUC get to work before they die off. Add fish slowly to reduce problems. Make sure to rake the sand-bed with your fingers or something once in a while to get the detritus cleared off the top. Your nice clean white rocks will be changing all sorts of colors eventually and itll be hard to see such small amounts of alage.

Take your salinity down to 1.026-1.025.
Make sure to track ALK and Cal and Mag with that Hammer. It will not grow unless you have those numbers in line.

Tank looks good keep up the work!

 

[Reef of Fillory]

You have a brand new tank. You are going to go through several ugly sessions over the next few months / year. I would steer away from chemicals right now to get ride of any "problems". Let your CUC get to work before they die off. Add fish slowly to reduce problems. Make sure to rake the sand-bed with your fingers or something once in a while to get the detritus cleared off the top. Your nice clean white rocks will be changing all sorts of colors eventually and itll be hard to see such small amounts of alage.

Take your salinity down to 1.026-1.025.
Make sure to track ALK and Cal and Mag with that Hammer. It will not grow unless you have those numbers in line.

Tank looks good keep up the work!

Thanks for the tips! Not planning to use any chemicals, not looking to put in any more fish for a while, just corals slowly over the next 6 months. Haven't finalized my stock wish list yet with the wife, so sticking with what I've got so far. Only thing I am thinking about is a sand sifting goby to keep the sand bed moving, also have those nasarius snails (2) in there that I'm hoping will keep the sand moving. I'm okay with ugly, just don't want it to stick around after everything settles out, that's why I was wondering about pulling the gha so that it might stay away after, and not get too out of hand early. Checked my chaeto this morning and it's growing now.

I've been leaving fuge lit 24/7 since I put the chaeto in. What are they negatives of running 24/7 as opposed to pm only?

Thanks again, I appreciate any insight as I'm 100% new to all fish keeping (aside from a beta as a kid)

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[sde1500]

Fuge light I'd run 18 hrs, opposite the tank. So overnight. Don't worry all too much about that algae. It will come and go. A good cuc and some nutrient export will help for sure. My tank was algae free for a while, had a massive outbreak, cleaned up, and is now starting to show a lot of algae again. Its just over a year old now. Tank is looking good!

 

[Reef of Fillory]

Fuge light I'd run 18 hrs, opposite the tank. So overnight. Don't worry all too much about that algae. It will come and go. A good cuc and some nutrient export will help for sure. My tank was algae free for a while, had a massive outbreak, cleaned up, and is now starting to show a lot of algae again. Its just over a year old now. Tank is looking good!

I see some huge numbers sometimes recommended for cuc. Lfs guy said that right now there's no need for a large cuc since I don't have much algae yet, which makes sense to me. When should I increase cuc numbers, and what guideline should I follow, just enough to eat the algae down in 3-5 days or so, while keeping some short localized growth? Since I have chaeto in the sump, should I avoid running carbon and/or gfo? Just bought the reactors, will be here tomorrow. Plan was to run reactors through the return pump section (first picture) so that the chaeto could first get all the nutrients it can take, then clean what gets by?

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[sde1500]

Won't hurt to run the reactors. As for CUC, minimal is fine really. I think most of my snails I bought are dead. Had some random hitch hiker snail that comes out at night pop out a bunch of babies, so that part of the uninvited CUC is doing well apparently. All I actually have are two shrimp, they don't do much, and an Urchin, which mows the bejusus out of hair algae lol. Oh, and a scarlet hermit crab.