The Ultimate Eight Foot Softie Reef
- Thread starter InsaneClownFish
- Start date
melev
Well-known member
Hey, don't be spreading false rumors about my skimmer cleanings. Weekly indeed. :lol: I still recommend daily cleanings, as it is easier to do and smells less evil. The longer it rots in the cup, the worse the odor.
When my skimmer was pulling out a gallon a day, I was cleaning it daily. It doesn't pull out as much, so I'm doing it every 2 to 3 days. The riser tube needs to be clean for me to be happy.
Do you have a label maker? If so, print a label with the filter change date and stick it on the front of your RO system. I do that with mine, and put dates on my lighting to remind me when bulbs are due to be replaced as well.
This was my old system (6 or 7 years?) that a club member bought off of me. You can see the date on the bracket.
When my skimmer was pulling out a gallon a day, I was cleaning it daily. It doesn't pull out as much, so I'm doing it every 2 to 3 days. The riser tube needs to be clean for me to be happy.
Do you have a label maker? If so, print a label with the filter change date and stick it on the front of your RO system. I do that with mine, and put dates on my lighting to remind me when bulbs are due to be replaced as well.
This was my old system (6 or 7 years?) that a club member bought off of me. You can see the date on the bracket.
The Escaped Ape
In The Canopy
Just read the entire thread in one sitting! It was worth it though. 
I really like the different way you've approach the dimensions and have enjoyed seeing the transformation of the tank as you go on. I've also decided to go for a softie/LPS dominated tank, so it's could to see how good it can look!
Quick, possibly dumb, question, which I didn't see the answer to (but might have missed, if I have apologies). What's the thing that looks like an acrylic rod or the inverted end of a heater at the front left-hand side of the tank?
I really like the different way you've approach the dimensions and have enjoyed seeing the transformation of the tank as you go on. I've also decided to go for a softie/LPS dominated tank, so it's could to see how good it can look!
Quick, possibly dumb, question, which I didn't see the answer to (but might have missed, if I have apologies). What's the thing that looks like an acrylic rod or the inverted end of a heater at the front left-hand side of the tank?
InsaneClownFish
New member
No I don't, but that's an excellent idea. I think there might be an old label maker at work.
Never any dumb questions in reefkeeping! Oh that's just my handy dandy cheapo glass thermometer.
Actually, for the longest time I didn't even use a thermometer in the tank because the temperature remained very stable. I had added the thermometer to the old closet sump, but it was fairly useless in there because of the depth. When I did the sump rebuild/relocation I added the thermometer into the display so I could closely monitor temp for the few days the tank was sump-less. I decided to leave it, because as winter draws near, the tank room tends to get cool. This will tell me if I need to strategically add more heaters for the winter.
The Escaped Ape
In The Canopy
Thanks for the reply. Great idea! It actually looks pretty good there. Any problems with fish or grazers knocking it over?
InsaneClownFish
New member
None so far. It's designed to float, but it has enough weight on the bottom to keep it steady if it's pushed into the substrate.
I've been doing small 15 gallon water changes to keep my water in check. One thing I noticed tonight were hydroids invading a completely different zoanthid colony, and there was a small aiptasia in the center. The large one the bottom of that rock has returned, so I'm going to try and address both later today.
On my recent trip to the LFS I picked up some Reef Nutrition Oyster eggs. While the corals and fish love it, I'm wondering if it's just the perfect staple to make pests take off. :mad2:
A fellow CTARS member stopped by to check out the tank and pick up a pendant and ballast. He was nice enough to give me an extra powerhead he had laying around. It's a Hagen 802. I was initially going to use this in the tank upstairs, but since there's nothing in it yet, I added it to the back of the softie tank behind some rockwork pushing flow diagonally across the top surface to help alleviate some deadspots on the far end of the tank. It's a touch noisy, but it's doing the job nicely. I noticed some debris has been accumulating recently near that end, so hopefully it's clearing this up. I will make note that some of the debris is from algae and sand initially kicked up from the powerhead to begin with.
The Escaped Ape
In The Canopy
You can never have too much circulation! I have this plan in mind for my next tank that it will be a softie/LPS dominated tank with only moderate flow (given that some don't do so well in high flow tanks), but I've still not squared that in my mind with the need to get flow everywhere, even if it's not blow-the-roof-off-the-sucker flow.
Lack of flow isn't something that seems to be a problem in your tank though! But is there anything you have that has found the flow problematic, given your focus on softies?
Lack of flow isn't something that seems to be a problem in your tank though! But is there anything you have that has found the flow problematic, given your focus on softies?
InsaneClownFish
New member
I find "flow" an interesting subject in and of itself. There have been a few corals that have fallen into a shell game with the flow. My pink chalice is very particular about the level of flow and has been moved several times to accommodate this, because it really likes a moderate to low flow.
While many of my softies do not tolerate excessive flow, many actually require it. My Fiji Yellow Leather is in heavy flow, and my Toadstool Leather is directly in front of a Korallia Magnum 7 pushing 2700 gph. I've moved the toadstool to a slightly lower flow section and it opens up larger in more directed flow.
My Cespitularia was in a lower flow section and was moved to a more directed flow area and is now growing.
Clams have been tricky with their placement as well. Once the flow gets beyond moderate they will start to rock.
Other things just plain confuse me. I have a rock of frilly mushrooms that was opened up the largest I've seen it in heavy flow. It took quite some time to get used to the lower flow zone of the softie section. Now that they open up fully again, I really do feel I could put these anywhere in the tank.
Luckily, I've been afforded the space to have multiple zones, so I can keep a softie garden all the way to the left and move things as needed. The rock work helps too, because when I choose to, I can keep some softies in the heavier flow sections without them being "blasted" by directed flow.
affordableocean
New member
I'm late to the game but tagging along from here...actually went back and skimmed the entire thread...incredible build...love the Foxface!
chris.rivera3
New member
I am sooo jealous...looks amazing!
InsaneClownFish
New member
14 Months
6 Months
I promise I don't intend to drop off the face of the planet.
One of the best decisions I made was to not add anything and let it "do it's thing." Since I missed the 1 year anniversary pictures, a 14 month picture will have to do.
6 Months
I promise I don't intend to drop off the face of the planet.
One of the best decisions I made was to not add anything and let it "do it's thing." Since I missed the 1 year anniversary pictures, a 14 month picture will have to do.
