Step-by-step account of my first reef (with lots of pics)

[melev]

Alex, does your skimmer have a rubber O-ring around the collection cup? That is quite a silencer.

If that doesn't work, set a timer to turn it off for about one or two hours, around the time you go to sleep. Once you're asleep, you'll not notice it when the timer clicks the skimmer back on for the night.

 

[Dudester]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7367651#post7367651 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by alexk3954
What does a CPR overflow look like? Is it that PVC tube with lots of holes that is in your tank?

The CPR overflow looks like this except I removed the filter sponge. On my full tank shots you can see it in the back left, opposite the tube with all of the holes in it. That "holy" tube is the drain pipe to my closed loop.

Back to the Remora noise, Marc's right in that the O-ring does make it pretty quiet. The only reason my skimmer makes noise is that it's hanging onto the back of my sump, and the water falls quite a distance to the water line making a splashing noise. If your water level is close to the height of the skimmer return shelf, then it should run fairly quietly. I should build a little ramp for the water to glide down silently, and that would reduce the noise of my unit significantly. Of course this is nothing compared to the noise of the overflow and the fan, so I haven't done anything about it as of yet. My wife really wants me to get a quieter fan. If I can't find anything locally, I'll probably just order the IceCap variable speed fan.

The hitchhiker question will depend on the quality of the rock. My rock came with plenty of worms and pods that I saw almost immediately, and I saw a couple of tiny corals that emerged many months later. About 2 months ago (5 months into the tank's lifespan) I noticed 2 zoanthid polyps. They have black centers and intense green borders - very sweet! I have 4 of them now and I hope they continue to multiply.

 

[alexk3954]

I seem to remember reading about flooding problems in this thread, but can't find them now. Were those due to CPR malfunctions, or problems with the closed loop. How does the CPR overflow work? Does gravity pull water down into the sump, or does the pump in the sump pull the water down. I have read about problems where the overflow messes up, but the return pump runs and floods the tank, have you ever had these problems?

 

[Dudester]

Yep, I had one flood and another close call or 2. The problem occurs when the siphon is lost and the overflow can't handle the return volume from the sump pump, causing the tank to fill too fast and spill over the top. Check out CPR Aquatic's website for technical details on how it works, but suffice it to say that the overflow relies on a siphon to quickly drain water out of the tank and into a sump. CPR makes overflows of different sizes to handle different volumes (mine's rated at a max of 600 gph). The sump return pump returns the water back to the tank. The siphon is maintained, in my case, with an AquaLifter air pump. The problem is that the air line tubing and the small connector from the overflow to the air line tubing become clogged with algae. If the occlusion becomes significant you can lose siphon and the tank will flood. I have learned to combat this by cleaning out the connector and changing the air line tubing regularly. People have also mentioned that the AquaLifter pump can fail and if it does, same thing -- flooding. I bought several of these air pumps and plan on changing them out annually to help avoid pump malfunction; they're pretty cheap.

The closed loop can't flood because it's just that ... a closed loop. The only way flooding can occur from a closed loop would be from leaks in the plumbing.

HTH

 

[dtaranath]

I just spent the last few days disregarding all threads on RC for this one. I just finished all 21 pages! I must say, it has been like watching a movie. I was always waiting to see what happened next! (especially with the worms and the algae). Glad to see the ending was pretty good (no severe overgrowth of algae or worms, no disastrous spills)

anyway, good job on everything thus far, Dude. you have done a GREAT job with your patience. I started this hobby too quickly, and met with several disasters, and have thus shut everything down so I can slowly restart the hobby the RIGHT way. So, I've been slowly buying all the things I need since last year. I'm just about ready to get it up and running, but not quite yet.

You have a great crew following along in this thread. Don't mind me if I interject here and there. :thumbsup:


now I can go back and catch up on all my other threads.

 

[dtaranath]

and don't mind me if I get close to you (creepy, I know). Ever since my wife and I saw the big lebowski about 7 years ago, we've been calling each other "dude". My friends find it weird that I call my wife "dude", but hey, it was a great movie!

 

[Dudester]

dtaranath - I haven't prepared any awards as of yet, but if I had, you'd certainly be receiving one. Reading a 20 page thread can be a little daunting (I've done it with other threads several times myself) and it's certainly less painful if it's a "good read." I feel guilty that you've abandoned all of the good info on RC over the last few days to read this thread - hope it was worthwhile! There is indeed a great crew following along, and I hope others take the time that you did to join in the journey of my tank. Please do interject as you see fit.

This weekend the Lebowski Festival is here in Austin. Tonight is an event with 3 live bands (of course, we're in the live music capital of the world) and a midnight screening of the movie. Tomorrow night is at a local bowling alley, with Big Lebowski costumes, bowling, and 1/2 price white Russians ("caucasians"). Unfortunately I'm working this weekend and won't be able to attend. The Dudester is very disappointed.


Not much to report on the tank currently. The Mexican turbos are indeed chowing down on the maroon hair algae, but they haven't yet gotten rid of it. They haven't knocked any corals over as of yet, although they did topple my clam. The sixline wrasse is getting a nice fat belly and is doing a decent job of keeping the flatworms in check. I always find them, but they're not overgrowing the tank like they did without a wrasse in my tank. I still have 2 lettuce nudis and the bryopsis is everpresent but decreasing. One of the nudis was stuck onto the closed loop drain and when freed, it was quite traumatized. A piece of it was actually sucked off of its body. 2 peppermint shrimp immediately swam over to it and I thought they were eating the poor nudibranch alive, but they only messed with it for about 15 seconds. Maybe they were just debriding the dead tissue (afterall, they are cleaners), because they stopped spontaneously and went on their way. I can't believe that nudibranch survived. I haven't seen my Favites coral extend its feeder tentacles for about a week. I started a thread in the LPS forum about this but haven't had any luck with responses. Anyone here know if this represents a problem?

 

[alexk3954]

Its good to hear that you are gaining control over your flatworms and algae. I think I am getting my first bloom of diatoms.

How do you like your six line wrasse? Does he ever get aggresive towards other fish?

If you don't mind, could I post a list of what I intend to stock my tank with on this thread, so that you guys could check for overstocking or other problems with my list. I posted my list in the new reefkeepers discussion and general reefkeeping discussion, but only got about responses from about 2 people. I want to get a larger range of opinions though. I am asking first so I wont get yelled at for hijacking

 

[Dudester]

Ask away, Alex.
And I love my sixline wrasse. It swims through every rock and cave in my tank, and I've had no aggression with any of the sixlines I've kept. The colors are beautiful, and it doesn't require a big tank to thrive.

 

[bcoons]

Mike, do you think a six-line would get along with my maroon clown? Is my 20L big enough?

BTW, I received my RO/DI unit and pressure booster pump from airfireice.com today. Tomorrow I will start planing and install of my "water plant" in the garage. It will probably take me at least six trips to Home Depot to get plumbing stuff. :rolleye1: (Electricity I can handle, plumbing always freaks me out.)

I really need to start fragging my xenia. The thing is over growing my tank. I don't have any of the special surgical shears (I also want in on the group buy) so I'm going to use a scalpel I have around. Should that work? Am I correct in assuming that if I cut off a branch the remaining colony won't bleed to death or anything? Will the wound just heal over? Cuttin' on critters makes me nervous.

Bruce

 

[alexk3954]

Ok, here is the tentative list for my 37 gallon tank

Fish
Ocellaris
yasha goby
6 line wrasse
royal gramma
1 green chromis ( probably can't pack 3 in here, but 1 should be able to survive on its own, right )

Corals
green polyped toadstool leather
frogspawn
green star polyps
open brain coral
bullseye coral
zoanthids
pulsing xenia
mushrooms
ricordia

Inverts
green bubble tipped anemone
serpent star
2 skunk cleaner shrimp
clam ( not sure what type yet)

CUC
astreas ( how many would you guys reccomend? Can these upright themselves when they fall?)
nassarius-6
cerith-6
trochus-6
5 scarlet hermits, 5 blue leg hermits
emerald crab ( are these more harm or help in your opinion)

THanks again for letting me hijack your thread. It's either a hijack now or tons of death in my tank later from overstocking and incompatibilities. The lesser of two evils, right

Also, what order would you guys reccomend adding the fish in?

 

[melev]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7401195#post7401195 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by alexk3954
Also, what order would you guys reccomend adding the fish in?

1) Add Water.

2) Head first.

 

[alexk3954]

not exactly what I meant


I know that some fish are more aggressive and establish territories, so it is best to add those type of fish last etc...

 

[melev]

In that case, add the aggressive fish tail first. That way they won't see the other fish and most likely will accept them with open fins. :lol:


Seriously....

You have the right idea. Of your list, maybe add the Royal Gramma last. The rest sound fine.

 

[alexk3954]

you aren't seeing any incompatibilities ... Then I must be very good (or lucky)at choosing fish. Would you reccomend only one chromis, seems like 3 would push the bioload over the edge.

 

[gary faulkner]

alexk3954

I'm no expert but i believe that the Royal Gramma will try to eat your ornamental shrimp. If this is wrong, I would love to add one to my tank.

Good luck with your tank

 

[KingfishJohn]

I've never had a problem with royal grammas eating ornamental shrimp.

 

[bcoons]

I've had Royal Grammas in with Camel and Peppermint Shrimp with no problems.

 

[Dudester]

Bruce - Sure, even though I don't have any first hand experience, I'd say a sixline should get along beautifully with a maroon clownfish. All 3 of the slw's that I've had have been model citizens. My true perc nipped at the first slw for a little while, but it got along wonderfully thereafter and hasn't caused any of the new ones any troubles.

Good luck with the plumbing on your RO/DI unit. You won't believe how nice it is to be able to make water at home. You'll want to shoot yourself (an expression, of course, especially since you're a sharp shooter) for not getting it sooner.

Frag away on the xenia. Don't worry about cutting through the tissue - it won't bleed or ooze to death, and there's no better instrument to use for cutting than a scalpel. It's the sharpest, purest cut available. I use them all the time .

alexk3954 - Your fish list looks OK to me, but I'd be skeptical about the chromis. I believe your 37 gallon tank is too small for this fish. And if you want as many corals as you've listed, 5 fish may be too many fish for your tank, unless you upgrade to a monster skimmer. Just my opinion, but I'd do without that chromis and stick to the others as listed. I'd add'em in this order: goby, clown, sixline, royal gramma. The corals look good, but hold off on the open brain until last. And of course, don't add all of that livestock quickly. For the inverts, wait at least 6 months on the clam, and wait a full year on the anemone. For your CUC, I'd double your nassarius and cerith snail numbers and get a dozen astreas as well. Astreas can't right themselves, but they don't topple often. If they do find themselves inverted, they'll be a nice meal for the hermits . And lastly, for the emerald crab, I'd say go for it. Mine is a lot of fun to watch and I believe it's doing a lot more for my tank than I can appreciate.

melev - Too funny, LMAO :lol: :lol: :lol: :rollface: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Dudester]

Here are some updated pics. The first 2 are of the favites coral I got. These photos were taken on 5/10/06.

It looks the same today, so even though I'm still a little worried about the lack of visible polyp (or tentacle?) extension, I guess it's doing OK. I'd sure like to get an answer to that question.

Here's my red monti cap, again on 5/10/06. You can see the new growth pretty well, and there's even a new "layer" developing on the front left side. Sorry I didn't blast the detritus off before taking the pic.

Here's the small frogspawn that's been retracted on one side for quite some time now. I thought the head might be splitting, as it's developing a bit of a "waist" directly in the center, but I'm not positive about this. Perhaps 1/2 of the head has died? You can even see some new heads developing on the skeleton of this coral.

Remember the maroon hair algae I was talking about? Here it is encroaching on my acan lord

and here it is on some LR in the front right corner of the tank.

Since Bruce gave me the Mexican turbo snails (thanks again, Bruce :thumbsup: ) the MHA has decreased substantially. Look at it now. This pic was taken today in the same corner of the tank.

Here's the acropora tenuis, a month after I last photographed it. It's grown very nicely, I think.

And one last shot of my home girl, chillin in her frogspawn.