Starting 90g Reef Tank Build... Finally!!!

[Tswifty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12985496#post12985496 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kudora
looks great swift, i should send you some of my coralline i have everywere lol i am going to clean one of the K3s today for sure since it completely purple.

Thanks.

Haha... that's ok. I'm not in a rush to have it. It's growing pretty quickly across the rocks though. I actually spend a good amount of time scrubbing to keep it off the glass and overflow.

I figure eventually it will be a losing battle, and I'll give up... but for now I'm fighting the fight to keep my black background. :lol:

 

[kar93]

Tank's looking great, TJ. Nice new BTA.
If anybody has any suggestions to make on this thread then please do.

Thanks.

 

[2frosty4u]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12985511#post12985511 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tswifty8
Thanks.

Haha... that's ok. I'm not in a rush to have it. It's growing pretty quickly across the rocks though. I actually spend a good amount of time scrubbing to keep it off the glass and overflow.

I figure eventually it will be a losing battle, and I'll give up... but for now I'm fighting the fight to keep my black background. :lol:

I find keeping my glass clean easy so I can keep seeing my black background. The acrylic overflow is another matter. No matter how much time I spend trying I cant keep up...lol

 

[melev]

Scott, it sounds like you need to top off the 30g more frequently to avoid burning up those pumps.

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12985858#post12985858 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Scott, it sounds like you need to top off the 30g more frequently to avoid burning up those pumps.

I normally do it twice a day Marc but I was preoccupied with the skimmer the last couple of days.

I am torn between setting up a sump and the berlin skimmer for the 30 gal and getting all the hang ons off or hooking it right into the other system--which is like two feet away.

But I won't do anything until that substrates changed---live and learn--that substrate was the original in a really badly maintained tank. I bought the the tank mainly for the 50 lbs or so of live rock in it
The tank stunk so bad that we had to roll down the windows in 2frosty4u's truck on the way home
I just rinse the whole tank with sand in it and then set it up again and boy did it cycle--the ammonia was off the scale even then

But I lacked the expert advice from you and others at the time or I would have changed the sand bed out.
Despite hob, reactor and remora on there I still get the glass covered with na in two days.

 

[Tswifty]

Picked up a random assortment of goodies today at Salty Critter, along with a few SPS frags. They were pretty much cleaned out of fish, so I was a little disappointed.

Aqualifter Pump
ESV Granular Activated Carbon Media
Reef Pure PHOSaR GFO Media
Salifert pH Test Kit
Salifert KH/Alk Test Kit
10" Feeder Forceps
Tropic Marin Pro-Coral Cure

3 SPS Frags... Unsure what the names are... I'll post pictures of them once I get them acclimated, dipped, and added to the tank.

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12987076#post12987076 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tswifty8
Picked up a random assortment of goodies today at Salty Critter, along with a few SPS frags. They were pretty much cleaned out of fish, so I was a little disappointed.

Aqualifter Pump
ESV Granular Activated Carbon Media
Reef Pure PHOSaR GFO Media
Salifert pH Test Kit
Salifert KH/Alk Test Kit
10" Feeder Forceps
Tropic Marin Pro-Coral Cure

3 SPS Frags... Unsure what the names are... I'll post pictures of them once I get them acclimated, dipped, and added to the tank.

I'm glad you had a good reef run today---is the weather there useless for anything else like here?

 

[Tswifty]

15 min Coral Baths:

The stinking bottle is broken... not real happy about that since it cost almost $30

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12987223#post12987223 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tswifty8
15 min Coral Baths:

The stinking bottle is broken... not real happy about that since it cost almost $30

sorry to hear the bottle broke but at least it isn't the impeller in your msx160 pump

what is that solution ---formalin?

 

[Tswifty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12987144#post12987144 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
I'm glad you had a good reef run today---is the weather there useless for anything else like here?

It was miserable this morning, but cleared on the drive up. Now it's pretty nice out.

I'm trying to get everything into the tank, then Laura and I are heading out for dinner & drinks.

 

[Tswifty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12987254#post12987254 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
sorry to hear the bottle broke but at least it isn't the impeller in your msx160 pump

what is that solution ---formalin?

I'm not sure what exactly it is... I belive it's Iodine & and some Ingredient "X"

 

[Tswifty]

Here are the frags... Each is around 2-3"

I've got them on the sand bed right now, and will mount them in the rockwork tomorrow.

 

[melev]

Very nice pieces. The one in the front is a A. millepora. The one to the left is probably a A. valida or A. nana, commonly referred to as a Tricolor Acro. I can't see the one on the right clearly enough, but odds are I wouldn't know that one anyway. Definitely Acropora sp.

Throw away the squirt pump part, and cap it with something else. That thing is worthless, and several people have complained about it including me. Just use syringe or pipepette to pull out a dose. I would squirt one more squirt out just to get a measured dose, then you know from then on how much it needs.

 

[Tswifty]

Thanks Marc.

Any tips on where to mount the millepora as far as lighting and flow?

I lost one a few months ago, and still am not sure why.

Also, I stuck an old cough medicine cap on the Tropic Marin bottle. I used my old pH kit syringe to measure out the dose, and I guess will plan on doing that from now on.

 

[2frosty4u]

Really nice looking Frags. I like the growth at the base. What are they mounted too? Cement plugs or flower tubes or plastic golf tees or ? I'm having trouble seeing them in your dip tanks.

 

[OwNeD162]

Hey TJ, nice new additions !
Tank is still looking fantastic!

Sorry to hear about your skimmer Scott, especially after the awesome reviews TJ gives his MSX... I hope it all gets worked out soon. Any news back from "the company"?

 

[Tswifty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12985569#post12985569 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kar93
Tank's looking great, TJ. Nice new BTA.
If anybody has any suggestions to make on this thread then please do.

Thanks.

Thanks, He's about tripled in size since this morning and looks to be very happy in his new home

I need to pick up some silversides and krill for him though. I completely forgot to pick them up at Salty Critter when I checked out today, and Petsmart closed at 6:00... I got back at 6:30 :mad2:

 

[Tswifty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12987520#post12987520 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 2frosty4u
Really nice looking Frags. I like the growth at the base. What are they mounted too? Cement plugs or flower tubes or plastic golf tees or ? I'm having trouble seeing them in your dip tanks.

Thanks... I'm not sure what the material is. It's black cement like material. I had to use a hacksaw to cut through it on some of my older frags that I purchased from them before I could mount them in the tank.

 

[Tswifty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12987523#post12987523 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by OwNeD162
Hey TJ, nice new additions !
Tank is still looking fantastic!

Sorry to hear about your skimmer Scott, especially after the awesome reviews TJ gives his MSX... I hope it all gets worked out soon. Any news back from "the company"?

Thanks.

Yeah my whole experience with Marine Solutions went smoothly, and I love my skimmer. But I still feel bad about recommending them after seeing what Scott is going through.

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12987519#post12987519 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tswifty8
Thanks Marc.

Any tips on where to mount the millepora as far as lighting and flow?

I lost one a few months ago, and still am not sure why.

Also, I stuck an old cough medicine cap on the Tropic Marin bottle. I used my old pH kit syringe to measure out the dose, and I guess will plan on doing that from now on.

gradually move them up high on the reef. Make sure there is flow but not directed directly at them.