ojonas JBJ 28g build thread

[iced98lx]

I do have a Neptune controller that does send me updates by email and texts. However, it was not connected to a backup power source and when the power disappeared to the tank, so did it to the controller as well. Checked the log on the controller and everything was fine and inline until the loss of power, then I have no more data to check.

Time for a $200 UPS


you can go dry sand / dry rock. Just grab a cup of sand from a local reefer with a clean system or toss a bottle of bio-something in it. Just takes a bit longer to get everything going, but well worth it from my viewpoint.

 

[ojonas81]

Actually had a UPS connected to the tank for this trip (don't normally have one) but since the GFI got triggered it shut of the power to the tank. We actually did not have any power outages here.

 

[ojonas81]

Here are the last pictures of the tank before I start to tear it down. It is a very sad day here. Warning for strong pictures.

<img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8020/7593727092_ff93a5244e_b.jpg" width="1024" height="683" alt="_MG_6534"></a>

<img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8431/7593727822_4af429e907_b.jpg" width="1024" height="683" alt="_MG_6535"></a>

<img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8141/7593728392_813dbf72ac_b.jpg" width="1024" height="683" alt="_MG_6536"></a>

 

[iced98lx]

That sucks, and is as you obviously realized right away, total die off. Very sorry to see that, here is to a successful rebuild!!

if you don't want to go all new rock/like your current rock, you can do an acid dip- it will take off a layer of the rock and get rid of anything that might have survived that. (and if it survived that, I'm not sure I'd want it in my tank!)

 

[Spirofucci]

Oh man! I just read this whole thread and it has such a sad ending.

Well, it looks like a new chapter! Personally, I prefer dry rock and sand seeded from a tank that I trust.

 

[ABlueReef]

I am glad you are not giving up. Now you, can make improvements to the tank and get the system backed up as well. Good Luck. Iam sure the next venture will always be better.

 

[ange062]

Dang buddy, really sorry to hear about your loss Tank was really starting to look nice and filled out. I can only image how bad that had to smell, just by looking at it

Glad to hear you aren't giving up and plan to start over, look forward to new progress.

And BTW, the white isn't from the anemone specifically, it's common for tank crashes to result in milky looking water just from all of the die off (fish, corals, bacteria, inverts, etc etc).

 

[pleuralplexus]

I sat up reading this entire thread for quite some time; and I must say I was floored by how quickly your reef flourished and grew in this tank! I would venture to bet this is largely due to the LED hood and the phosphate reactor. I have a 28g with the quad fluorescent hood which I set up back in January. I've got a simple airstone skimmer, same chiller, and I'm using the lower section of the removable center chamber cartridge as a culerpa refugium (I've also got a mangrove coming out the top of the tank) and I'm running the same chiller. My chemistry is good, but I've had absolutely NO coraline propagation (other than what came on the rock). I think my tank is just too dark.

Wanted to also say that I loved the pics of your tank and it was a real punch in the gut to see you lose it all. Sorry for your loss!

14 years ago I had a thriving 58 gallon reef tank. I moved and temporarily left it in the care of another seemingly-capable reefkeeper. I came back to move the tank to my new location a few months later, and to my horror, all that was left was a dead pool of sludge. So I can relate...

 

[ojonas81]

A short update. Got floored with food poisoning Wednesday night so the tank cleaning had to wait. Finally got enough power today to empty out all water and stones. The smell was nothing I recommend anyone to experience, very far from what a fresh bouquet of flowers smell to put it lightly.

Anyway, got out most of the water out and all of the dead corals and what was formerly live rocks. Everything stone dead, and even the zoas. The sand is still in the tank but managed to move the tank outdoor. Will remove the hood tomorrow (any tips on how to do that?) and then do a major cleaning with the garden hose. Then take the tank back in and fill it with RODI water and vinegar and run the pumps for sale week or two before emptying it all out and put saltwater in. Any suggestions?

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using Tapatalk 2

 

[ojonas81]

Got the tank outside in the backyard yesterday and cleaned out all sand, thoroughly rinsed and cleaned the whole inside of the tank with water (no soap). That sand smelled baaad! By now the tank is all cleaned out and I will take it back inside tonight and start the vinegar bath for about a week. Then I think I am ready to restart the tank again.

For the vinegar bath, should I use RODI water or will tap water do just fine?

 

[ojonas81]

Tank is inside going through its first of 2 vinegar baths. Lost some impeller parts for the stock pumps when cleaning them so called JBJ last night and they shipped out new parts today. Great customer service.

Second vinegar bath to be started on Saturday and then I will be ready to start cycling the tank again. Should get a shippment of Pukani dry rock from BRS today as well. Will probably start a new build thread once the tank has completed the second bath.

 

[ojonas81]

So a short update. The cleaning process is not completed. I drained and rinsed out the tank completely and it is now cycling with live sand and dry Pukani rock from BRS. Have also added a few pieces of live rocks to seed the tank and speed up the cycle.

Thanks everyone for your support in this thread. I will soon start a new build thread here for version 2.0 of the tank. Will post a link to it here soon.

 

[iced98lx]

Good deal, can't wait for Ver2.0!

 

[ange062]

So glad to see you are re-cycling and not giving up! FWIW, don't start a new build thread. Keep it all together to keep all the trials and tribulations in one place. I've seen a lot of others do this, and it's always awesome to see a tank come back to a spectacular state after an epic crash. Just my 2c though.

 

[ojonas81]

ange: Should have read your post first because I just started a new build thread here but I will "close" it down and continue here instead. You are right, it had a point to keep going in the same thread, at least if it is the same tank. Will copy over what I wrote in the new thread to here.

 

[ojonas81]

Here we go again. As some of you may already know my first build, started last fall, failed completely in July. The build thread can be found here: Build thread for version 1.0.

After draining the old tank I took it outside and did a complete cleaning of it. Scrubbed down every square inch to make sure nothing was left from the old system. Dried off the tank and took it back in and put it on the stand again. All clean and nice. Almost like new. Then I added water and vinegar and let it run for over a week with one water/vinegar change in the middle. Drained and rinsed off the tank again. Now it was definitely free from any leftover bacteria etc. from the old system. Even got all the coraline algae off the walls. Now it was ready for saltwater.

 

[ojonas81]

Version 1.0 I used live rock only and even though it made the cycle quick and added a lot of life to the tank I also got a lot of unwanted critters such as mega bristle etc. I was also never really happy with the aquascape which became sort of limited because of the nature of the live rock and the short time outside of salt water that you can work with them. This time I went with dry rock from BRS. Opted for their Pukani rock with a few branching pieces as well. Heard a lot of good things regarding the Pukani. The big advantage with the dry rock is that you can take your time and really get the scape the way you want it. Did numerous of tried on the floor before I settled in on a design.

Added live sand and then started to put the rocks in the tank. This time I decided to "glue" them together to get a rock solid structure.

Next step was to add the rest of the salt water.

 

[ojonas81]

One thing I also took my time to do with this restart of the tank was to better organize my power cables. It was a real mess in the last setup. Here are pictures of old setup versus the new current setup.

Old setup
<img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8023/7258335836_34efa005b3_z.jpg" width="398" height="640" alt="Aquabus_Wiring">

Current setup

 

[iced98lx]

I like the scape, very unique! Good time to tidy up the power cables and get everything done you were too excited to do the first time around

 

[ojonas81]

Forgot to copy over this post as well.

Added the rest of the salt water and this is the final result.

Last time I mixed the salt when the water was already in the tank. This time I mixed it in 5g buckets. Last time I added the sand at the very last, after water and rocks. This time I added it first. Made a huge difference in how quick the water cleared up.

Shortly after I went to my LFS and got a few smaller pieces of live rock to seed the tank. I also added a fresh raw shrimp to start the cycle process. The live rocks will be removed soon because they does not fit my scape, just added them to seed the tank temporarily.

Have already seen my ammonia spike and it is now going down. System has been running like this for a few weeks now so hopefully I will be able to add a small CUC soon. I will in fact get a shipment of sand/live rock dwelling critters tomorrow from Inland Aquatics. So far they have been very helpful to me.

One thing I forgot to mention earlier was that when I got the dry rock from BRS I had them in the tank in saltwater for over a week to get most of the dead stuff skimmed away in order not to introduce more phosphate than necessary.

This is where the tank is today. First critters will go in tomorrow and if all values are OK by next weekend I might consider adding the first fish. I am very excited about this new build and I really love how the aqascape turned out. So much better than before.