New Tank

[tom obrecht]

I hope to get some new pics in the near future. I did get a number of frags this morning and mounted them, however, small frags in a large tank don't show up too well. I have some places looking for fish on my wish list so maybe when they are located and in the tank I'll update the pics.

 

[jeolson]

what did you get for frags?

 

[tom obrecht]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9819804#post9819804 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jeolson
what did you get for frags?

I was afraid some one would ask that! Not sure of the exact species are but I have some differnt acropras. I asked for a vaiety of colors and hardy species to start with. I hope to add a couple different colors of monti caps in the next week along with some fish. This whole sps thing has still got me nervous so I'm learning as I go.

 

[tom obrecht]

Time for an update. Today was a big day for me. I finally added some livestock...mostly fish. The pics are not great for my photography skills are poor, but it gives you an idea.

I added a number of fish today including: Bimaculatus anthias (male), copperband butterfly, pyramid butterfly, 3 midas blennies, oscelarias clowns, purple tang, yellow tang and a regal angel. Alot of fish I know but my source found alot of the fish I wanted so I went for it. Everyone is out and about, yet still getting use to the new environment.

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[zenn]

I've never seen a pyramid butterfly...Neat looking fish. The last pic really puts the tank into perspective. It's huge

 

[huskerreef]

I see "Tank of the Month" May 2009. I bet your appreciate each creature you add after the long journey you went through to get to this point

 

[lvpd186]

I like the fish you added but aren't you worried about the anemone taking a walk-about in your tank and stinging some of your sps. Don't get me wrong I had one in my tank before and loved it, but it got very big and after it split it started to move on me. I almost lost several corals because it started to sting them. Either way I agree, another tank of the month in progress.

 

[tom obrecht]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9865053#post9865053 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by huskerreef
I see "Tank of the Month" May 2009.

Why else do you think I added the shot with me showing "a little leg"!! You know what they say...sex sells!! JK

It was a bittersweet moment. Yes it's exciting to add fish, but a few of the fish were sent a bit worse for wear. The pyramid had some crypt, and the clowns have what appears to be lateral line disease. I kind of went against better judgement since I was excited to add fish and the vendor found fish that I wanted so here I am...nursing fish back to health. From the looks of things I would be surprised if the clowns make it. The regal still looks good but has no interest in food as of yet. Hopefully that will just be a matter of time.

The next step is to keep adding coral to fill in. And there is alot of filling in to do. Hard for me to not think back to my last system and remember how thick the corals had grown. That is one thing I miss about softies...how quickly they filled in the space.

 

[tom obrecht]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9865280#post9865280 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lvpd186
aren't you worried about the anemone taking a walk-about in your tank and stinging some of your sps.

Well, that has crossed my mind, but a chance I'm willing to take. I've seen some pics of really cool tanks with rose anenomes and wanted to try it. I'll see how it goes. If the problem arises I'll have to deal with it then. I put the anenome in now to hopefully allow it to settle into a spot and then attach corals around it. Of course you know it's hard to outguess what mother nature has in store.

 

[lvpd186]

Tom, lets hear some updates. Hows that monster tank doing?

 

[tom obrecht]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10045595#post10045595 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lvpd186
Tom, lets hear some updates. Hows that monster tank doing?

Now that's a dirty trick!

Well, this has certainly been an adventure. I lost every fish in the tank. Seems once ich got started I couldn't keep it from spreading. I think it started an infection in most of the fish and it went downhill after that. In all my years of fish keeping I have never had a situation like it. Think I got to excited that the tank cycled and I added too many fish at once. Let this be a lesson for others...start slow and don't get in a hurry.

I am also dealing with more plumbing issues. My main return pump has blown a seal and I need to take it off line to repair. I think I am going to permanately take it off and replace it with a Gen X pump for a slower return to the display. I hope this helps with not only the skimmer getting more out of the water, but also less micro bubbles getting pulled into the return pump. I ordered a Vortec pump today and am going to give it a whirl. If it works well I will probably add a couple more and do away with the Sea Swirls altogether. Guess my days of not having any kind of powerheads in the tank are over.

If anyone is interested in some 3/4" Sea Swirls I might have some for sale very soon. I always like to give my friends in Omaha first pick at things.

On top of that the tank has been getting a good dose of cycling algae. Hair algae ect is now coming into play. I think the Deltec is a bit underpowered. I've also been considering a larger unit as well. We'll see as time goes on how it handles things. Right now I'm getting a FULL cup of skimmate every 2-3 days. This thing really cranks, but I think it just can't quite keep up with the 500 gallons of stinky water. I'm investigating some different options for new skimmers...some of which are real beasts!!

I think that is about all for now...not that anything more would need to be put into play. If anyone might have interest in the Sea Swirls , let me know.

Tom

 

[huskerreef]

are you getting good flow throughout the tank, after my tanks cycled I kept getting some algae issues. I added a tunze and within weeks no more algae since. Of course I now have some algae in my lagoon and took out the 3 tunze streams and found them to be plugged up with sand and debris, cleaned them up and raised them some and I am noticing a decline slightly in algae over the last week.

 

[garvin90]

I would mention we have sea slugs at the shop jim, but your protein skimmer seems to have developed a taste for those.

So tom, will you be going fishless in the tank for the next several weeks so the ich can run its course an die out?

 

[tom obrecht]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10060887#post10060887 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by huskerreef
are you getting good flow throughout the tank

I think it is certainly part of the issue. One of the reasons I'm looking to add the Vortecs is for this reason. Right now I think I'm at roughly10-15 times per hour turnover in the tank. I think for sps I'm too low on current. If I add a couple Vortecs I'll be more like 30x's per hour.

I ordered one Vortec last Wednesday and just found out Fed Ex lost the package.:mad2: With the main pump now leaking at least a couple gallons of water a day due to the seal I need to get things switched over. I was hoping to redo the plumbing last weekend but now it looks like mid week. I hope to post some pics of the Vortec when it shows up.

 

[tom obrecht]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10067534#post10067534 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by garvin90

So tom, will you be going fishless in the tank for the next several weeks so the ich can run its course an die out?

Yes...at least 2 months! I don't want to chance going through that again. Next time it will be a single fish or a couple added at once...not 10!

I still hope to add more coral in the near future once I get this plumbing thing figured out.

 

[garvin90]

At least corals dont pick up ich... They get jelly infections, RTN, white/black band disease, bacterial infections, red bugs, nudibranchs... ohhhh right the positive news, sorry!

Im sure it will all work out in the end, besides with all the hair youve pulled out, im sure locks of love with be happy with you!

 

[tom obrecht]

Well I've had a busy day. On top of finally recieving the new vortec (yes, Fed Ex managed to loose the package from Fosters and Smith that is only 4 hours away. It took SIX days to get to me!! Go figure) I took the Dolphin off line and replaced it with a Genx pump. I think this will help in not only micro bubbles in the tank, but also the skimmer getting a chance to remove more organics as well.

I've included some pics of the new look. It's hard to believe that a pump that measures only 3 inches across can deliver as much flow as my 4 Sea Swirls. I still like the flow the Sea Swirls provided...just couldn't crank them up like I had hoped.

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As time goes by I think I will add more Vortecs as long as they hold up and don't have any issues. So far they are very quiet and are a breeze to install. I've heard that a controller is coming out later this year and can control up to 10 pumps. They do provide some great flow. They also come with a small unit that controls the flow amount.

 

[lvpd186]

I like the way it looks now. Without the swirls on top of the tank it looks like it might be a little easier to work in the tank. I am really curious about how well the vortec works. All the reviews I've read say they are great.

 

[tom obrecht]

Well the latest for me can be summed up in one word...ALGAE!! And lots of it!

Seems I have had a bloom of a type (or several types) I have not seen before. I've included a few pics that I hope can give you a clear enough picture that someone can give me an identification.

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The first has a fingerlike stalk, not hairy, brownish in color and grows quickly.

The second is a bubble type. Again brown (almost has a shiny bronze look to it) gets very big quickly and has air inside when popped. It's not valonia.

Any guesses would be appreciated.

I'm running phosphate remover (1000ml of Rowaphos...perhaps not enough) in a reactor. I have not tested for phosphates but I have run phosphate media for the last month or so with no results. Stuff seems to keep growing like crazy.

I think the skimmer is perhaps undersized for this system. It is filling the cup almost halfway in just 12hours! I have a full cup of nog every 2-3 days.

HELP!!

 

[huskerreef]

Hey Tom I just read an article about raising your ph to 8.5-8.6 for an extended time kills off briopsis algaes also raised mg to 1500. Do it over a couple days and skim heavily is what they said. Give it a try it may work on this as well. the article is on MD's forum