Triple-S Fish Ranch - 1700gal 164” x 48” x 56” SPS peninsula build

[nuxx]

Just a small suggestion: for your coral quarantine tank, you might want to consider adding a couple of wrasses to hunt for and remove unwanted worms and other pests. Yellow coris or 6-line are good.

Dave.M

Dave, isn't one of the points of a coral quarantine system to be fishless?

Leave coral in the quarantine for 12 weeks to ensure no fish diseases can make it through quarantine. Sure lots can sneak in on the rock, plug, water, etc...

Wouldn't having fish in there sort of defeat the purpose?

 

[dave.m]

Just a small suggestion: for your coral quarantine tank, you might want to consider adding a couple of wrasses to hunt for and remove unwanted worms and other pests. Yellow coris or 6-line are good.

Dave, isn't one of the points of a coral quarantine system to be fishless?

Not really. There is always a small possibility of some fish pest coming in on live rock, a coral plug or on a snail shell, but these vectors are not so common. The purpose of the coral quarantine is, like the fish quarantine, a chance to stop any coral pathogens or parasites from entering the display tank. Just as with fish pests, a coral pest that gains a foothold in the display tank can cause major havoc and require a large-scale tear-down to eradicate it.

That's not to say that fish added to the coral quarantine tank shouldn't first be quarantined themselves, but once they are considered safe they would then take up permanent residence in the coral quarantine for the first few years at least, until stocking the display tank with corals is mostly finished.

Dave.M

 

[nuxx]

Not really. There is always a small possibility of some fish pest coming in on live rock, a coral plug or on a snail shell, but these vectors are not so common. The purpose of the coral quarantine is, like the fish quarantine, a chance to stop any coral pathogens or parasites from entering the display tank. Just as with fish pests, a coral pest that gains a foothold in the display tank can cause major havoc and require a large-scale tear-down to eradicate it.

That's not to say that fish added to the coral quarantine tank shouldn't first be quarantined themselves, but once they are considered safe they would then take up permanent residence in the coral quarantine for the first few years at least, until stocking the display tank with corals is mostly finished.

Dave.M

I guess on large builds I'd be so paranoid about anything getting in...

Wouldn't just treating (dipping) the coral while it's going through QT eliminate any need for fish in that QT?

i.e. Wrasses for worms and pests.

 

[Novice101]

I think this is the only build that has its own washingmachine for filtersocks included in the world!?

Awsome!

Indeed it is lmao

 

[dave.m]

Wouldn't just treating (dipping) the coral while it's going through QT eliminate any need for fish in that QT?

Not necessarily, no. Just as with fish, no-one has invented a coral dip that eliminates unhatched eggs. A coral dip is good for existing adults but you would still want to quarantine for 3-4 weeks and dip once or twice more during that period to catch anything that escaped the first treatment.

Dave.M

 

[gofor100]

Thanks for the update!!!

-Chad

 

[AcurenReef]

Amazing....definitely on board!

 

[Reefocd]

Thanks for sharing this epic build ...

Regarding water barrages . Hence, I learned why they call It "Wet Room"

When I first started in the hobby I questioned why peeps call their fish room, "the Wet Room" ? I thought I would have a lighted sign for mine with a catchy title, however, after decade using the room, the most fitting title IMO, "Wet Room" ...

 

[pmrogers]

Just a small suggestion: for your coral quarantine tank, you might want to consider adding a couple of wrasses to hunt for and remove unwanted worms and other pests. Yellow coris or 6-line are good.

Dave.M

great tip, i keep 2 canary wrasse and 1 sixline in my coral tank. as well as 5 yellow tail damsels as i have found they like flatworms

Thank you, Dave.M and dallasg. I've been through a few iterations of thinking on fish in the coral QT. Initially I was planning no fish at all to avoid providing hosts for any parasites or diseases. In this most paranoid of scenarios, a coral might bring in a pathogen that the fish in the coral QT can host but not be symptomatic. Things could look all clear in the QT, but once corals and a bit of the QT tank water were moved to the display, the pathogen could run rampant among the DT fish. I decided this was a low enough risk scenario that I'd rather have the bit of motion and color in the coral QT.

Next up is the question of which fish. For the moment, I am thinking I'd rather not have any pest predators because they'd make it harder to detect hitchhikers while not actually being thorough enough to truly eliminate any pests. Counter argument to this is that some pests will always make it in, so I should take measures to mitigate them in the QT as well as DT. At the moment, I'm still on the side of not having predators-- make sure the pests are as noticeable as possible in QT.

Thanks for sharing this epic build ...

Regarding water barrages . Hence, I learned why they call It "Wet Room"

When I first started in the hobby I questioned why peeps call their fish room, "the Wet Room" ? I thought I would have a lighted sign for mine with a catchy title, however, after decade using the room, the most fitting title IMO, "Wet Room" ...

Yes, I most definitely earned the label "Wet Room" last weekend. I knew I'd eventually have spills, just didn't expect to go quite so big quite so soon .

 

[pmrogers]

November Update #2: tangs, flow

November Update #2: tangs, flow

Hang on to your hats, yes, I actually got in 2 project weekends in a row!

This weekend, worked mostly on developing a hunch back, spending about 12 hours in the tight spaces underneath and above the DT.

Since the last update:

• Introduced 20 yellow tangs to quarantine
• Wired, finished plumbing for Abyzz 420 that drives DT closed loop
• Wired, installed Hydro Wizard ECM63
• Wired,installed column of 5 Tunze Streams
• Ordered 12 buckets of salt for the DT fill next week
• Ordered tank for 4th fish QT.

Final fish QT prep, Yellow Tangs
Initiated bacterial "Shock and Awe" campaign for the fish QTs. Monday: dosed StartSmart Complete and added a few bits of mysis to each tank. Thursday: dosed Bio Spira, and moved 2 bags of CerMedia balls from the coral QT sump to the HoB filter on each fish QT. Friday: introduced 10 tangs to each QT and started daily dosing of SeaChem stability. 3 days in with generous feedings, not even a blip of ammonia reading.

No one is taking pellets yet, but Nori is a hit

Coral QT with 4 frags and a damsel
Already fragged 2 of the frags. Egg crate stand was too light and flipped over sometime during the first night. Monti, birds nest, and bird of paradise are on stand, getting about 225 PAR. Hollywood stunner on bottom where it should get about 100 PAR, except that it keeps walking its way into the shade as the Jebao pulses. Need to glue it to a bit of rubble.

Driver panel for Tunze Streams
Finishing up the driver mounts for the Streams took much longer than anticipated. The challenge was in getting the DIN connectors from the Apex to stay plugged in.

Original plan was to connect them up, then jam the connectors into the network cable channels on either side of the AC adapters. Fail #1: the connectors shipped by Neptune are so loose that they literally fall out the socket on the Tunze.

Fail #2: tried using a dab of silicone, which in turn required a mess of duct tape to hold the connector in place while the silicone dried. Connections broke loose as soon as I put any pressure on the cables trying to fit them into the network channels.

Third time was the charm. Added a 3rd cable channel for the DIN connectors, then used velcro on the back of the Tunze connection boxes to hold the Stream side of the connection in place.

(for the curious, the little box in the lower left is the optical sensor for the Hydro Wizard)

Abyzz and Hyrdro Wizard Wiring
Wiring for the Abyzz and Hydro Wizard was much more straightforward, though as always I managed to turn it into a multi-hour task trying make everything neat and tidy.

Practicing for Cirque du Soleil
Wiring up the streams, Abyzz, and Hydro Wizard called for a bit of contortionism.

 

[dave.m]

That woodwork is drool-worthy!

Dave.M

 

[Tradewinds]

Since the last update:

• Ordered 12 buckets of salt for the DT fill next week

While the entire post is enthralling in it's own right, this was my favorite part of the post, as it means the DT will be salty soon! A milestone that is not to be missed.

• Introduced 20 yellow tangs to quarantine

Have you noticed any infighting between the yellow tangs yet? I have always heard it is risky to put numerous tangs of the same species together. Although, it may not be as big of a concern when the tangs are placed in the new Texas ocean your creating. :lol2:

This weekend, worked mostly on developing a hunch back, spending about 12 hours in the tight spaces underneath and above the DT.

The humor weaved throughout your posts makes for an enjoyable read, thank you.

 

[dotcommer]

Great update. Amazing system, its great to be tagging along.

 

[nuxx]

Have you noticed any infighting between the yellow tangs yet? I have always heard it is risky to put numerous tangs of the same species together.

Might not see it with the saturation he has.

I've seen "peaceful" tang species kill other tangs of different body shapes when they are sparse in the tank... (YB Blue and Yellow killing a Tomini and Purple)

 

[dallasg]

fantastic...
when it comes to fish selection for coral tanks and even my Dt's i like having certain fish around for that piece of mind.
sixline and canary wrasses, and yellow tail damsels and convict tangs, along with turbo and nassurius snails and serpent starfish.

i think that school of YT will be awesome, a reefer here has 15 YT and 15 purples and it is mind-blowing...

look forward to seeing this wet

cheers

 

[ChazK]

Tagging along.... Please let us know what admission prices will be!

 

[jdm1114]

Good work!

Good work!

The propensity for people to see patterns where there isn't anything is strong. Here is what I see in the right pillar.

I hereby title your build: Ostrich Walking Away :facepalm:

 

[roni]

Paul,

Looking great! Looks like you've made a ton of progress since I last dropped in. Looking forward to seeing livestock in the tank

 

[biodegraded]

Yay! First water can't be too far off. Maybe even by 2016!

It's nice to see that the ostrich is still surveying the Austin landscape.

 

[Dmorty217]

Nice progress you are making, can't wait to see that hydrowizard in action!