Rovster's Custom Reef Savvy build......FINALLY!!!
- Thread starter rovster
- Start date
rovster
New member
Thank you sir. Just to give you all an update. This past weekend I went to look for some fish but the places I went to were pathetic. I want to get a tang or two and some chromis to dirty up the water. Diatom bloom came and went, and I have a ton of little pods and hydroids jellies all over the glass. I put a a few tester frags in there and they just get pale from the lack of nutrients. I can't even add a CUC cuz there's nothing to clean. I have one turbo in there for now. Been chomping on some minor film algae. I will go looking for some fish this upcoming weekend. Wish me luck!
rovster
New member
Thanks, but my tank is not really big enough for a blue, even though it's a beautiful fish! Can't decide, but powder blue, yellow, purple and kole are the front runners. I'm a little Leary of the PB due to ich issues, and I know the yellow and purple is not a good combo. Decisions decisions......
nick12881
New member
Thanks, but my tank is not really big enough for a blue, even though it's a beautiful fish! Can't decide, but powder blue, yellow, purple and kole are the front runners. I'm a little Leary of the PB due to ich issues, and I know the yellow and purple is not a good combo. Decisions decisions......
I know everyone considers the yellow tang super common, etc.. but I have always thought they just give the tank this awesome pop of color..
Jgoal55
Active member
+1 ...miss my kole very much. One of my favorite fish.
Love the work you did with organizing the cables in the TV stand...looks awesome.
And FWIW, I've been splicing my equipment cables and adding quick-disconnects near the top of the tank for years. Mike, an electrician who helped me set-up my 160 (not sure if he is still on here), taught me how to do it and I've done it to everything since including pumps, lights, etc.
Two reasons:
1) If you have a canopy and you ever want to remove it you can just disconnect the lights without having to pull out all your cable.
2) For pumps inside your tank/sump, you can just disconnect towards the top of the tank and clean the wet-side while leaving all the cabling behind and organized.
Last edited:
rovster
New member
I feel the same. That blast of yellow color you just can't get from any other fish.
reeksreef
New member
Which quick discounts was ypu using?
AquamanE
Active member
that is indeed a cool idea, and gadget. thanks for sharing.
rovster
New member
Hi all, I thought I'd post a little update as to where things stand today. I still have a ton more projects to post, but figured some current events might be nice. Unfortunately, we are having some mold remediation in the house, and there has been some construction around our downstairs AC unit, so my house has been an OVEN on and off for the last couple of weeks. My ghetto tank has suffered due to the temperature swings and I've lost a few SPS, a few others look ragged as heck, and all my montis and birdsnests look like crapola.
That said, my plan was to slowly start transferring some corals to the big tank. Before doing that, I needed to get some fish in there to get a bioload going. I've actually broken some rules here, so we'll see how it all pans out down the line.
The first broken rule....well maybe not a broken rule but a gutsy decision was the addition of a powder blue tang. I figured given the iffy prognosis, I figured let me get this one in there first, and if its not meant to be, I'll get over that hurdle early, and not risk decimating a fully stocked tank due to a sick fish. Tang came from a local breakdown, and this thing is not only beautiful, but eats like a HORSE! This was my favorite of the tangs. I will probably add a yellow down the road and that will be it for "largish" fish.
I also added some chromis and some blood shrimp.....
That said, my plan was to slowly start transferring some corals to the big tank. Before doing that, I needed to get some fish in there to get a bioload going. I've actually broken some rules here, so we'll see how it all pans out down the line.
The first broken rule....well maybe not a broken rule but a gutsy decision was the addition of a powder blue tang. I figured given the iffy prognosis, I figured let me get this one in there first, and if its not meant to be, I'll get over that hurdle early, and not risk decimating a fully stocked tank due to a sick fish. Tang came from a local breakdown, and this thing is not only beautiful, but eats like a HORSE! This was my favorite of the tangs. I will probably add a yellow down the road and that will be it for "largish" fish.
I also added some chromis and some blood shrimp.....
Last edited:
rovster
New member
Another broken rule is the addition of a nem to a new tank. I'm not necessarily a beginner, but I REALLY REALLY wanted a nem. Being that I wanted a lot of sticks, adding a nem later could be risky in that a wandering nem is never good for a tank full of prized SPS. I figured again, let this bad boy get settled, and I can work around it. So far it looks happy. I traded some left over rock and a little cash for it....thanks Eric
I also put some tester pieces in there. Other than looking faded, most have been doing well for the past few weeks.
Sponge Bob favia...
This birdsnest (BOP) used to be BEAUTIFUL. With all the temp swings, its was on its death bed. I transfered it over a few days ago. It actually looks decent in this pic, LOL! It looks ragged, and I thought it was a gonner. Hopefully it will like the "big tank" better....
Here is a monti that was also suffering in the ghetto tank. We'll see if it turns around...Has great polyp extension...
And lastly, a tester frag fron Eddie. Nicest thing in the tank now. It GLOWS under actinics.
And, the mandatory FTS. Looks barren, but hopefully in time, will be full of blinding colors, LOL!
I also put some tester pieces in there. Other than looking faded, most have been doing well for the past few weeks.
Sponge Bob favia...
This birdsnest (BOP) used to be BEAUTIFUL. With all the temp swings, its was on its death bed. I transfered it over a few days ago. It actually looks decent in this pic, LOL! It looks ragged, and I thought it was a gonner. Hopefully it will like the "big tank" better....
Here is a monti that was also suffering in the ghetto tank. We'll see if it turns around...Has great polyp extension...
And lastly, a tester frag fron Eddie. Nicest thing in the tank now. It GLOWS under actinics.
And, the mandatory FTS. Looks barren, but hopefully in time, will be full of blinding colors, LOL!
rovster
New member
No, monti spogodes. I do have a small piece of RP and a Christmas mirabilis, but I plan on waiting a little longer before transferring the acros. I was going to transfer all the other corals first to make sure everything was somewhat stable. I did transfer my hammer colony that seems very happy in there. Nice and plump!
If I can catch my clowns and basslets, I would like to transfer those as well. I also tested yesterday.
Salinity is a perfect 35, Alk is a little low at 7 (did my first waterchange yesterday after almost 3 months), nitrates are less than 1, and phos was 0.05. I also set up my GFO reactor and only put a cup of GFO yesterday. I figure that now that I have some fish in there, I don't want that to climb any more than it already is. Luckily I started with a pretty sterile tank so all my nutrients were low from the getgo.
Dashylock
New member
When you starred the new tank, did you seed it with any live sand/rock from your existing tank? Are you dosing 2 part to bring up the alk? Was your previous tank an ulns setup... I thought some po4 was OK so long that the corals were exhibiting signs of growth with good coloration.
rovster
New member
The rocks I used have been "cooking" in a tub of saltwater with circulation for almost 2 years. Before then, I did the whole acid wash and phosphate removal with lanthanum chloride. I would also do waterchanges in there with both new salt water and occasionally my waste water from my tank. I would also feed that tank with detritus and throw old filterpads and carbon bags in there so I think those rocks were partially cycled.
Eddie was also kind enough to seed a few rocks for me in his sump (he lives right down the street) and I got some sand from him. I also transferred some rocks from my ghetto tank (its the purple ones in the pic
)I like to keep my phos between 0.03 and 0.06. I only started the GFO to do a test run of my reactor, and a small amount to prevent things from rising. I am by no means trying to get to 0. The other thing other than the PB tang, the other fish have not been eating very much so I'm dumping a ton of food in there trying to get them to eat. Its just easier to maintain things low, than try to play catch-up later.
My nano is far from ULNS. Phos is usually around0.04 and Nitrates are 5-10. Right now, they are really high, so I'm taking measures to lower them. They got away from me a little.
I do use 2 part for maintenance, and this tank is set up with 3 dosers. Alk, Cal, and Vineger/Vodka for later. I've had good results with my nano with the carbon dosing, so I'm planning on that one down the line for when I'm fully stocked. Right now, nitrates are nearly 0, so no need for that now.
AquamanE
Active member
Coming along well young man. I like all your decision making just fine.
Only thing i would reconsider is the carbon dosing. I know there are many success stories with it, but if you do your maintenance and have a big enough skimmer IMHO: you wont need. Main reason for carbon dosing is keeping No3 and PHO4 at check. Ive found GFO, and water changes take care of those just fine. BTW- I feed like a fiend. Ive never done it since I can keep things in check just fine, and you've seen how stocked my tank is. Who knows maybe in the future, but i have yet to find the need for it.
Only thing i would reconsider is the carbon dosing. I know there are many success stories with it, but if you do your maintenance and have a big enough skimmer IMHO: you wont need. Main reason for carbon dosing is keeping No3 and PHO4 at check. Ive found GFO, and water changes take care of those just fine. BTW- I feed like a fiend. Ive never done it since I can keep things in check just fine, and you've seen how stocked my tank is. Who knows maybe in the future, but i have yet to find the need for it.
rovster
New member
I appreciate the input, viejo! Seriously though, I'm not one that is just going to carbon dose because it's hip and all the rage. I bought my equipment before I knew what carbon dosing was, so my initial plan reflected that. My skimmer is super oversized. It's rated for a 150-200 gallon tank depending on bioload. My display is a touch above 100. I also planned on keepin cheato in the fuge because I wanted lots of pods since it's a far fetched dream of mine to have a mandarin.
As far as the carbon dosing, I'm nowhere near needing that. When the time comes, if it comes, I plan on using it as a means to increase my export. As it is, even though I carbon dose my ghetto tank, I'm doing so at a dose that is 1/10th the "norm".
I plan on weekly water changes like I've always done. That said, I may come to a point where I may need a little extra. At that time I well break out the goose!
I appreciate the feedback. Seeing the simplicity of your system gives my hope and inspiration to KISS.
As far as the carbon dosing, I'm nowhere near needing that. When the time comes, if it comes, I plan on using it as a means to increase my export. As it is, even though I carbon dose my ghetto tank, I'm doing so at a dose that is 1/10th the "norm".
I plan on weekly water changes like I've always done. That said, I may come to a point where I may need a little extra. At that time I well break out the goose!
I appreciate the feedback. Seeing the simplicity of your system gives my hope and inspiration to KISS.
