Rhodes19 180 Build
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Rhodes19
New member
Here is the red gracilaria. It was tumbling around in the fuge when I took the picture and thought it looked funny. When ever I can figure out how to take action pictures they won't be as blurred. 
Here are some random shots of some of the softies in the 180.
I was messing with my camera and started to use a tripod and started to get some decent pictures. Not great yet put I'm starting to figure it out.
Here are some random shots of some of the softies in the 180.
I was messing with my camera and started to use a tripod and started to get some decent pictures. Not great yet put I'm starting to figure it out.
Rhodes19
New member
Hope everyone had a good Easter. This was the first time we didn't have kids at home to hide Easter eggs and baskets for. 
So, I worked on my tanks. I set up the 10 g as a QT and moved the 3 fish from the 29 into the 10. I may bring the only occellaris to my office and put it into my BC 14 with my other lonely occellaris. I moved the corals from the 29 into the 180 and took down and cleaned the 29. I'll be setting it up as a QT and move the fish from the 45 into the 29. Once QT is done, I'll move the fish into the 180 and shut down the 10, 29 and the 45. Now for some pictures.
FTS with corals from the 10 and 29.
Some riccordias. I'm going to try to remove the anthellia off the rock before it takes over every thing.
Looks like an owl's face.
I think these are some kind of mushroom. If you know what they are let me know.
Played with the camera on this one.
Copapod??
So, I worked on my tanks. I set up the 10 g as a QT and moved the 3 fish from the 29 into the 10. I may bring the only occellaris to my office and put it into my BC 14 with my other lonely occellaris. I moved the corals from the 29 into the 180 and took down and cleaned the 29. I'll be setting it up as a QT and move the fish from the 45 into the 29. Once QT is done, I'll move the fish into the 180 and shut down the 10, 29 and the 45. Now for some pictures.FTS with corals from the 10 and 29.
Some riccordias. I'm going to try to remove the anthellia off the rock before it takes over every thing.
Looks like an owl's face.
I think these are some kind of mushroom. If you know what they are let me know.
Played with the camera on this one.
Copapod??
Rhodes19
New member
Bunch of snails.
The 10 g QT
I have a RO/DI unit coming from The Filter Guys and it should be here on Wednesday. Once I have it set up I will make some water for the 29 QT and get it going and then move the fish from the 45 into it over the weekend time permitting. I'll post some pictures once I get that set up and going. The ATO I ordered came in but I haven't had a chance to set it up yet. Some time this week I hope.
The 10 g QT
I have a RO/DI unit coming from The Filter Guys and it should be here on Wednesday. Once I have it set up I will make some water for the 29 QT and get it going and then move the fish from the 45 into it over the weekend time permitting. I'll post some pictures once I get that set up and going. The ATO I ordered came in but I haven't had a chance to set it up yet. Some time this week I hope.
Rhodes19
New member
My RO/DI filter came in Wednesday and I was able to set it up last night. Its the Ocean Reef +1 five stage 75 gpd filter with the chloramine filter upgrade. Got it from The Filter Guys and its great. It came with all the hardware and it was easy to install and also comes with a dual TDS meter. Now for the pics.
Well packaged for shipment.
I set it up in the garage and have a saddle valve on the cold water line to the hot water heater.
I ran it last night for about 5 gallons of clean water and then dumped it. When I get home tonight I will start to fill up the 29 for one of my QT and then fill up the 2 32 gallon brute trash cans for top off and make up water. Definitely a good purchase.
Well packaged for shipment.
I set it up in the garage and have a saddle valve on the cold water line to the hot water heater.
I ran it last night for about 5 gallons of clean water and then dumped it. When I get home tonight I will start to fill up the 29 for one of my QT and then fill up the 2 32 gallon brute trash cans for top off and make up water. Definitely a good purchase.
Rhodes19
New member
Ok, so this Sunday I started the treatment and quarantine of all my fish in preparation for moving them into the 180. The fist thing I did was give them all a 45 minute bath in a formalin mixture and then moved them into a tank treated with coppermine. 8 more weeks and they will be moved into the 180 if all is well.
Formalin I used. 1cc in a gallon of water.
I used an empty salt bucket and put in a gallon of salt water, a 50 w heater and an air stone for aeration.
The first patient was the royal gramma. Not to happy.
I kept an eye on the temp and ph and it stayed within the parameters. I set up the bucket and let it run for about 3 hours before putting in the first fish. I think it was more stressful on me than it was for him. LOL After that I did one fish at a time for 45 minutes and then moved them into one of the 2 QTs I have set up. I treated the QTs with 2 drops per gallon of coppermine as per the bottle instructions. I'll give the fish 2 more formalin baths over the week and start deworming them as well.
Formalin I used. 1cc in a gallon of water.
I used an empty salt bucket and put in a gallon of salt water, a 50 w heater and an air stone for aeration.
The first patient was the royal gramma. Not to happy.
I kept an eye on the temp and ph and it stayed within the parameters. I set up the bucket and let it run for about 3 hours before putting in the first fish. I think it was more stressful on me than it was for him. LOL After that I did one fish at a time for 45 minutes and then moved them into one of the 2 QTs I have set up. I treated the QTs with 2 drops per gallon of coppermine as per the bottle instructions. I'll give the fish 2 more formalin baths over the week and start deworming them as well.
Rhodes19
New member
Hi Frankie,
Thanks, its been a work in progress. I did a second formalin bath last night. The were all present and accounted for this morning. I did loose a green chromes on Monday
after the bath but the rest look good, I also added the additional cupramine to bring the concentration up to 0.5 ppm. I'll be doing over a 50% water change tonight when I get home. Yeah, come on buy on Sunday, I'll show you what I've been up to and what I've collected in parts.
Rhodes19
New member
Ok, a couple of updates on the 180.
I finally got a 1 1/2" gate valve for the drain line into the sump. It worked out great. The ball valve I was using was not accurate enough to fine tune the flow and keep the over flow boxes full. Right now its friction fit and at some point I will glue it in. I got the one with threads so if I need to remove it I can still reuse the valve.
It looks like my candy cane is finally starting to split. It looked like it has been trying to for quite a while but its finally getting there. I'm not sure if it is doing it in its own time, if its because it likes the 180 better than the 29 it was in, or if it was lowering the temp in the 180 from 77 to 75-76.
Here is my frogspawn. I think it has grown a bit since its been in the 180. Might be my hopeful imagination thought. LOL
The quarantine is going well and I should be moving the fish into the 180 in about 2 weeks. Can't wait.
I have notice lately an increase in bubble algae and I clean it off when I can but it still comes back. I need to read up on it and see if there is anything I can do to get rid of it or keep it under control. I am also noticing and increase in vermid snails. I'll have to do some research on them as well. I don't want either taking over.
I finally got a 1 1/2" gate valve for the drain line into the sump. It worked out great. The ball valve I was using was not accurate enough to fine tune the flow and keep the over flow boxes full. Right now its friction fit and at some point I will glue it in. I got the one with threads so if I need to remove it I can still reuse the valve.
It looks like my candy cane is finally starting to split. It looked like it has been trying to for quite a while but its finally getting there. I'm not sure if it is doing it in its own time, if its because it likes the 180 better than the 29 it was in, or if it was lowering the temp in the 180 from 77 to 75-76.
Here is my frogspawn. I think it has grown a bit since its been in the 180. Might be my hopeful imagination thought. LOL
The quarantine is going well and I should be moving the fish into the 180 in about 2 weeks. Can't wait.
I have notice lately an increase in bubble algae and I clean it off when I can but it still comes back. I need to read up on it and see if there is anything I can do to get rid of it or keep it under control. I am also noticing and increase in vermid snails. I'll have to do some research on them as well. I don't want either taking over.
MarineGirl411
New member
It is looking great! =) How loud is your panworld pump? How do you like it? Can't wait to see your fish. What all are your plans for fish in the 180? :wavehand:
Rhodes19
New member
Hi MarineGirl,
Thanks. Its getting there slowly but surely.
The panworld is my first real pump and I like it. When you are within about 4' or so you can hear a low hum from the pump but if you didn't know it was there you wouldn't really notice. When ever I can get around to it and make and put on the doors I don't think you would ever hear it. I would recommend panworld. The fish I have at the moment in QT are 2 occellaris, 3 green chromis', a royal gramma, and a 6 line wrasse. They'll get moved into the 180 in about 2 more weeks of quarantine then I'll start getting more fish and QT them and then move them into the 180 as well. The other fish we are looking at are:
Diamond sifter gobies
yellow tang (wife's request)
blue tang
a 3rd tang that is compatible with the others (key hole maybe)
Mandarin gobies (wife's request)
wrasses (a variety of them) I need to do more research on them. I like the McCluskey wrasses and have taken a liking to other wrasses as well
I would like to get some of the angle fish but I don't think they are reef safe
A GBTA or RBTA or both
A few blennies and other gobies
shrimp to go with gobies
So many fish, so little tank. I need to do more research on these fish and make sure they are compatible and reef safe. I also need to make sure I don't over stock the tank. I have to be careful, going to the lfs is like going to the candy store or in my case, a hardware store.
Rhodes19
New member
Hi Frank,
Thanks. I messed with it a little this weekend and need to do a water change soon. My nitrates are up and not sure why but then it occurred to me I have over 500 snails in there. :worried: I figured the mangrove trees and cheato would help with that but the trees haven't done anything yet and the cheato is only a little bigger than when I got it. I do have some algae growing on the walls of the fuge thought. I'll have to figure how to clean it out without letting it get into the DT. Because it sits on the floor I really can't siphon it off. Oh well, I'll figure it out.
Rhodes19
New member
Yesterday I ran to Lowes and bought some screening supplies to make a jump guard. I got the screen, framing and corners for about $13. The screen is in the middle opening and I needed to modify it to fit around the return. I also replaced the return pvc going over the back of the tank with the same set up but painted it black so it would blend into the black back. Looks a lot better than just plain white pvc.
Probably should have taken a picture of the return from the front of the tank. Ops. Next time.
Probably should have taken a picture of the return from the front of the tank. Ops. Next time.
Rhodes19
New member
Well, I woke up this morning to find my tank temperature went up from 75 deg last night at 11 p.m. to 80 deg over night. :hmm1: The culprit was the Marineland stealth heater. Its not even 5 months old and it broke in the on position. The pretty green/red light on the temperature set knob was not on and the heater was warm/hot to the touch. I'll have to find another heater. I'm beginning to doubt Marineland products. I've had a couple of their other heaters quit on me but they turned off. I think Jager (sp) was the one most recommended. I'll have to find that tread again and re read it.
Rhodes19
New member
OMG!!! I think Christmas came early this year! :dance: Frankie gave me 75 lbs of Fiji live rock for my 180 last night as well as an awesome MH reflector, ballast, and 5 250 w bulbs for a great price, and a test kit. And his fishy friend Petey came to stay as well. I must of pulled about 90 lbs of my diy rock out on one side of my 180 and replaced it with the Fiji rock and arranged it slightly differently which I think gives me more ledges to place corals on. I think it also gave me a little more sand space for zoas, acans, and clams when I get them. Actually, I think the new rockscape (on one side of the tank anyway)looks better. I'm planning on trading in a bunch of my softie frags and rework the rockscape on the left side of the tank next.
Live rock
250 MH
Petey. (Not my best picture)
I totally forgot to take a picture of the rockscape but I'll get one when I get home and post it later for comment and suggestions/recommendations.
Frank, I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate everything you have done for me. I really appreciate it and I appreciate all the advice and help you have given me as well. You're awesome man! :thumbsup: I hope some day I may be able to return the favor.
Live rock
250 MH
Petey. (Not my best picture)
I totally forgot to take a picture of the rockscape but I'll get one when I get home and post it later for comment and suggestions/recommendations.
Frank, I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate everything you have done for me. I really appreciate it and I appreciate all the advice and help you have given me as well. You're awesome man! :thumbsup: I hope some day I may be able to return the favor.
Rhodes19
New member
Ok, here are the pictures I promised.
Here are a few shots of Petie and his new friends. The pictures are ok but I need to figure out how to play with the aperture and or shutter speed so I don't get blurred action shots.
Petie
Here is the improved rockscape with the Fiji rock. Its on the right side of the tank.
After I get rid of my extra softies I'll play with the rockscape on the left side of the tank and work on mounting the 250 MH. Boy is that going to make the tank look good.
Here are a few shots of Petie and his new friends. The pictures are ok but I need to figure out how to play with the aperture and or shutter speed so I don't get blurred action shots.
Petie
Here is the improved rockscape with the Fiji rock. Its on the right side of the tank.
After I get rid of my extra softies I'll play with the rockscape on the left side of the tank and work on mounting the 250 MH. Boy is that going to make the tank look good.
SpankythePyro
New member
nice! how long did it take for your diy rock to cure? Mine has been curing for like 2 weeks last year and I had to pull it out because of winter. Now its back in and the pH has been 8.4+ for the past week or two :/
