Ryan's 125 gallon reef

booth2010 · Aug 14, 2015

Ryan15236 said:
How do you hyperlink your build thread in your signature like that. I tried and mine just came up plain link text

You have to pay to be a supporting member to be able to add a link to the signature

Ryan15236 · Aug 14, 2015

Oh ok thanks. I may have to do that if I want to stick around on the forum. So far I am liking a bit better than some of the others I have tried.

Tahoe61 · Aug 14, 2015

Good looking build thus far.

Following.

Ryan15236 · Aug 14, 2015

Thanks! I have a lot of the work done. Now I can start thinking about stocking. I am just struggling with do I want to let the tank cycle for a month or two on its own or do I want to seed it with LR from the LFS and get the stocking rolling lol

Tahoe61 · Aug 14, 2015

If I am busy with life I let it cycle for a month or two. If am antsy with anticipation and got nothing on my calender I seed. Bacteria in a bottle products have come a long ways, if you seed you might want to consider using one as well.

Ryan15236 · Aug 14, 2015

Yeah seachem stability I have used in the past with good results but I really don't want to rush anything either. When I do decide to stock would you do fish or corals first?

TheEngineer · Aug 14, 2015

Nice looking build. I like your scape too.

Ryan15236 · Aug 14, 2015

Thanks I appreciate it!

Tahoe61 · Aug 14, 2015

I am a coral person and find them to be less of a hassle, I always start with corals. In the LPS group the Euphyllias (torch, hammer, frogspawn) always did really well for me in newer set ups.

Fish decision are so much harder for me. In such a large tank fish are a lot harder to catch too.

Ryan15236 · Aug 17, 2015

I believe I will start with stocking some corals. I think I will probably let the tank cycle and mature some on its own. Need to try to get a nice pod population going as well.

Added 70-80 lbs of marcorocks sand. We will see how it looks when the dust settles. Still working on filling up the tank as well

TheEngineer · Aug 17, 2015

I tend to start with corals first too. If you get a softie or LPS, they are a quick indicator when something is wrong or off and they are forgiving enough to let you fix it (if you act quickly).

KDawg0623 · Aug 17, 2015

Welcome to R2R! Looks like it is going to be a great tank! I like the setup, looks clean!

Rob.D · Aug 22, 2015

Great build thread, man.
I might be wrong but using metal pipe hanger and strapping might end up turning into rust and possibly contaminating your tank.

Ryan15236 · Sep 5, 2015

It has been awhile since updating and some things have happened to the tank. I seeded the base rock with some live rock and went ahead and added some corals. This was about 3 weeks ago. All has been well. All corals look great and seem to be doing great as well. I got a pair of black ice clowns last weekend and they are doing great as well. I have a blue sided fairy wrasse and a firefish on hold at the LFS that I am getting tomorrow. Got a few goodies in today. My red sea test kit, Eheim fish feeder, and BRS 2 part dosing package came in to keep me a little busy. I will post a few pictures but bare with me. Tank is looking a little ragged right now. Going through some diatoms, the glass isn't too clean, and my phone/me sucks at taking pictures.

Ryan15236 · Sep 5, 2015

The clowns

Duncan frag, Jason fox lepto and some mushrooms in this pic

Same plus some closed blue hornet zoas

Some sort of brain. I love this coral

Gold maul Palythoa

Whammin watermelons, fire and ice, and a nice hammer frag

Ryan15236 · Sep 5, 2015

Ryan15236 · Sep 5, 2015

Got some netting to and thought I could simply cover the canopy top with it and it would be fine. It will probably work for now but I am definitely doing to go ahead and get some window frame and just make some screens to sit on the tank. Will be much cleaner, easier to work around, and effective.

Ryan15236 · Sep 5, 2015

Reefbreeders light has also been a little fussy lately. It has been shutting off randomly at times. Got up with Logan and he said probably faulty wifi module and/or remote so he sent me some replacements. Well I made the repair and installed the new wifi module and it wouldn't control on of the channels on one side of the light. Needless to say new module came out and old went back in. Guess I will have to try again whenever I can get some new parts. Hopefully get it figured out. Probably going to put a hold on getting more corals till all lighting issues are resolved and I make sure I have all parameters under control. Little low calcium, and alkalinity. Water change tomorrow, retest calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium, dose whatever needs to be dosed, get new wrasse and firefish. Sounds like a good day. Plus college football is back. GO VOLS!