Oldude's new 400 gal tank build

[john90009]

Greg hows everything going everything back to normal? Any updated fts?

 

[Oldude]

sorry if I missed this -- what brand/model is your new auto-top-off unit?

The new auto top off unit is called a "Level-loc" and works great. I now use the Tunze as a back up.

 

[Oldude]

Greg hows everything going everything back to normal? Any updated fts?

Things are so-so. I don't have an updated FTS and am in the middle of some house renos so it may be a little while before I can get to it. In recent months I've lost about 2 dozen colonies so it's too sad to show a FTS right now.

 

[bullitr]

Things are so-so. I don't have an updated FTS and am in the middle of some house renos so it may be a little while before I can get to it. In recent months I've lost about 2 dozen colonies so it's too sad to show a FTS right now.

I sorry to hear that sir
but that happen to the best of us.
Good luck with the house renovation
my house is always under renovation just like Sandra bullocks except I do all of the demolition . Lol

 

[Elliott]

did you isolate the problem? maybe try running a poly filter for diagnostic purposes? hang in there, this hobby can really test oneself from time to time

 

[Oldude]

I sorry to hear that sir
but that happen to the best of us.
Good luck with the house renovation
my house is always under renovation just like Sandra bullocks except I do all of the demolition . Lol

Thanks. It's done now so I'll be able to work on my tank, it's been getting neglected lately.

 

[Oldude]

did you isolate the problem? maybe try running a poly filter for diagnostic purposes? hang in there, this hobby can really test oneself from time to time

I think there has to be several things combined. Yes you are right as my patience has been seriously tested. I'm almost ready to the hell with it & make the tank a fowlr.

 

[Oldude]

I had the flashlight out last night looking things over some time after midnight and found this rascal munching on my last remaining small piece of Soloman Island Tort I have left. Needless to say he no longer lives in the display tank.

 

[Elliott]

wow, that guy looks evil !

 

[bullitr]

I am sorry to hear you are having trouble with your tank
I hope everything work itself out
And That crab is scary

 

[DNA]

In recent months I've lost about 2 dozen colonies so it's too sad to show a FTS right now.

Thanks. It's done now so I'll be able to work on my tank, it's been getting neglected lately.

Perhaps there is a connection here. Problems are to be solved, not left to progress into disasters. Many fish like to swim against the current. I suggest you take up that attitude because that's how this hobby really is.

I'm almost ready to the hell with it & make the tank a fowlr.

What a bad idea. I've had leaks, aiptasia, red planaria, massive livestock deaths, stunted coral growth among other things and it only made me stronger, a better reefer and more determent to get the tank to shape.

Now go get your tank back to health.

 

[Oldude]

Elliott - wow, that guy looks evil !

I agree, those red eyes are a sure sign it's no good.

bullitr - I am sorry to hear you are having trouble with your tank
I hope everything work itself out
And That crab is scary

Thanks for the support.

DNA Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldude
In recent months I've lost about 2 dozen colonies so it's too sad to show a FTS right now.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldude
Thanks. It's done now so I'll be able to work on my tank, it's been getting neglected lately.

Perhaps there is a connection here. Problems are to be solved, not left to progress into disasters. Many fish like to swim against the current. I suggest you take up that attitude because that's how this hobby really is.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldude
I'm almost ready to the hell with it & make the tank a fowlr.

What a bad idea. I've had leaks, aiptasia, red planaria, massive livestock deaths, stunted coral growth among other things and it only made me stronger, a better reefer and more determent to get the tank to shape.

Now go get your tank back to health.

The tank started having issues well before it was being neglected but I know where you are coming from. I have also had many issues, ups & downs over the years and have always gotten past it and moved on. The past several months have been very frustrating because I lost a lot of favorites and many large colonies that I've had for years and grown from tiny frags. I think I must have several things going wrong all at once creating the "perfect storm" making it very hard to pinpoint. I also think I've got AEFW which I thought I had resolved but I must have missed some. They have cost me a fortune. I have no idea what is killing my montis, birdnests & stylos. They have not been doing well at all and I have lost the majority of my colonies. Anyway I am just feeling sorry for myself but the likelyhood of my shutting down is pretty remote and I plan to keep going.

 

[Elliott]

It is my observation that many well established SPS tanks run into problems sooner or later. I believe there may be elements that are depleted over time that we do not yet know of, understand or measure. Its as though they outgrow their available necessary elements to thrive.

I've seen some experienced reefers (there is one in Germany I can't think of at the moment with a large established gorgeous tank) add a few pieces of ocean harvested live rock to their system each year to replenish their biodiversity, etc.

Regarding AEFW, the best methods I've seen are the ones where they introduce their natural predator wrasses, blow off their affected colonies with a turkey baster weekly and basically live with them.

 

[DNA]

I have no idea what is killing my montis, birdnests & stylos. QUOTE]

Odd you mention these three. For the last 2 weeks I've been doing alot of tinkering and with my last waterchange I noticed a huge change for the better. It's only been a week so it's to early to say if it holds.

My Montis were light gray instead of bright red, you would for sure say it was dead. Now it's recovering in an unusual way. My birdsnest started to bleach from the base up the day before the waterchange, but that stopped.
My stylo was 99% dead with only tiny tips left, but those tips survived.
Many corals showed instant improvement so I definately dilluted or added something important.

It's sad to see colonies die, but it's nice also to see corals regain health and grow.

 

[Dejavu]

Greg, sorry to hear that you are still having trouble. I'm glad to see that you are not giving up hope :thumbsup:.

 

[Untamed12]

I understand what you are going through. My tank struggled completely throughout it's third year. One colony, then another, then another....just slowly but steadily coral died.

I tried everything you can imagine and I finally got so desperate that I replaced my skimmer with one that was 3x the size and hooked up ozone to one of the skimmer pumps. The chamber size on my new skimmer is almost 20gallons.

It solved my problem...fast. I can't recall if you were running ozone or not, and I'll never know if ozone alone could have solved my problem, or if it was simply the larger skimmer. Maybe Oxygen levels? My problem was certainly something that couldn't be measured with any consumer test kit.

Anyway..food for thought. Maybe you can borrow an additional skimmer and try it out.

 

[Oldude]

Elliott - It is my observation that many well established SPS tanks run into problems sooner or later. I believe there may be elements that are depleted over time that we do not yet know of, understand or measure. Its as though they outgrow their available necessary elements to thrive.

I've seen some experienced reefers (there is one in Germany I can't think of at the moment with a large established gorgeous tank) add a few pieces of ocean harvested live rock to their system each year to replenish their biodiversity, etc.

Interesting theory.

Regarding AEFW, the best methods I've seen are the ones where they introduce their natural predator wrasses, blow off their affected colonies with a turkey baster weekly and basically live with them.

Yes it's almost impossible to take every thing out for a dip. I have a six line wrasse but it seems to be a "union" fish and only doing the bare minimum of work.

DNA

I have no idea what is killing my montis, birdnests & stylos. QUOTE]

Odd you mention these three. For the last 2 weeks I've been doing alot of tinkering and with my last waterchange I noticed a huge change for the better. It's only been a week so it's to early to say if it holds.

My Montis were light gray instead of bright red, you would for sure say it was dead. Now it's recovering in an unusual way. My birdsnest started to bleach from the base up the day before the waterchange, but that stopped.
My stylo was 99% dead with only tiny tips left, but those tips survived.
Many corals showed instant improvement so I definately dilluted or added something important.

It's sad to see colonies die, but it's nice also to see corals regain health and grow.

if you blast mine with a turkey baster the polyps blow off, it's really strange.

Dejavu -Greg, sorry to hear that you are still having trouble. I'm glad to see that you are not giving up hope .

Thanks Brian

Untamed12 I understand what you are going through. My tank struggled completely throughout it's third year. One colony, then another, then another....just slowly but steadily coral died.

I tried everything you can imagine and I finally got so desperate that I replaced my skimmer with one that was 3x the size and hooked up ozone to one of the skimmer pumps. The chamber size on my new skimmer is almost 20gallons.

It solved my problem...fast. I can't recall if you were running ozone or not, and I'll never know if ozone alone could have solved my problem, or if it was simply the larger skimmer. Maybe Oxygen levels? My problem was certainly something that couldn't be measured with any consumer test kit.

Anyway..food for thought. Maybe you can borrow an additional skimmer and try it out.

I think you might be on to something here. My skimmer is maxed out but I can't afford a new one any time soon.

 

[Oldude]

On a possitive note my friend Kevin from Red Coral (a LFS) let me borrow a large fish trap last week and I was able to catch my imperator angel and moved it to my 130 gal softie tank. He is now rooming with a mature majestic & asfer so he is no longer the "big cheese-mean boss" fish he was a few days ago. Hopefully they will all learn to get along.

 

[bullitr]

On a possitive note my friend Kevin from Red Coral (a LFS) let me borrow a large fish trap last week and I was able to catch my imperator angel and moved it to my 130 gal softie tank. He is now rooming with a mature majestic & asfer so he is no longer the "big cheese-mean boss" fish he was a few days ago. Hopefully they will all learn to get along.

The funny thing is I just pick up a adult emperor angel from fellow reefer that have it on his 60 gallon mixed sps tank
I hoping he will play nice because my blue regal tang is the big cheese mean boss on my tank and all of my tangs are afraid of him even my large purple tang . Hopefully he will be put in check
Hopefully you can post a updated picture of the tank
Thanks for all the advice

 

[elijaher]

Sorry to hear about problems that you have but I hope thing turn out ok.