Zacks 65 gallon Corner Reef

[Zack K]

So, I started thinking about it and decided I should do a tank build thread. So I will. I have had the tank since November and have been battling ever since. I acquired this tank from my dad (I'm 17) and it had been neglected for close to 4 years. He had lost all encouragement and lack of funds. So when I retrieved the tank this is how it looked:

Then from the move their was a Mini cycle and sadly the foxface past. For 3 years the only fish in the tank were: Pinktailed Trigger, Foxface, and Marine Betta. I recovered it and added a sump with a refugium and started another mini cycle. Luckily the tank was empty. So a couple weeks go by and I get my test kit and test the water and it has 160ppm Nitrates and 3ppm Phosphate! At the time their is 3 little chromis being fed once every other day. I did EVERYTHING to try and take it down. Did Big water changes to Temporarily fix the problem but it was still their. By the time February came around I decided it was what it was and started stocking the tank. All fish did good but couldn't get the coral part of it going. I lost 2 HelioFungia in the process. I got some GSP and Kenya Tree leathers from a buddy and those are still doing good today! February 1st stocking list:
1 Longnosed Butterfly
4 Blue Green Chromis
1 Lawnmower Blenny
1 Firefish
1 Gold Headed Sleeper goby
Misc CUC

I bought new LEDs (Current USA Orbit marine Pros) and then the fun began. The second HelioFungia then died shortly after arrival. He never opened up. So I knew something had to change. The first week of march was a rough one. Velvet kicked in. Within the week I lost everything but 2 chromis and the Blenny. That's when I broke. I bought a 40g Rubbermaid stock tank and emptied the tank of all the rock and livestock. I shook all the detritus off the rocks in a pale of SW before they entered the stock tank. Then I moved the Power head every day to aim a different direction to get as much as possible off the rocks. I had coral on one half of the tub and just LR on the other. I gave the LR half a complete week black out. I vacuumed the sand bed in the DT numerous times and took a "crap ton" of detritus out. Fast forward to yesterday and I put the tank back together. The aquascape looks so much better! I now have room for Acans[emoji7].

 

[Preme]

Nice setup, looking great!
I'm going to guess your from Wisconsin also because of the packers stuff?

 

[Zack K]

Nice setup, looking great!
I'm going to guess your from Wisconsin also because of the packers stuff?

Thanks! And yes I am in Wisconsin. I have actually been a die hard Seahawks fan since I was little but hey, gotta sow the home team some love[emoji6]

 

[Preme]

Thanks! And yes I am in Wisconsin. I have actually been a die hard Seahawks fan since I was little but hey, gotta sow the home team some love[emoji6]

Sweet! I'm also from Wisconsin (oshkosh to be exact). Eagles fan here lol...

 

[SantaMonicaHelp]

So, I started thinking about it and decided I should do a tank build thread. So I will. I have had the tank since November and have been battling ever since. I acquired this tank from my dad (I'm 17) and it had been neglected for close to 4 years. He had lost all encouragement and lack of funds. So when I retrieved the tank this is how it looked:

Then from the move their was a Mini cycle and sadly the foxface past. For 3 years the only fish in the tank were: Pinktailed Trigger, Foxface, and Marine Betta. I recovered it and added a sump with a refugium and started another mini cycle. Luckily the tank was empty. So a couple weeks go by and I get my test kit and test the water and it has 160ppm Nitrates and 3ppm Phosphate! At the time their is 3 little chromis being fed once every other day. I did EVERYTHING to try and take it down. Did Big water changes to Temporarily fix the problem but it was still their. By the time February came around I decided it was what it was and started stocking the tank. All fish did good but couldn't get the coral part of it going. I lost 2 HelioFungia in the process. I got some GSP and Kenya Tree leathers from a buddy and those are still doing good today! February 1st stocking list:
1 Longnosed Butterfly
4 Blue Green Chromis
1 Lawnmower Blenny
1 Firefish
1 Gold Headed Sleeper goby
Misc CUC

I bought new LEDs (Current USA Orbit marine Pros) and then the fun began. The second HelioFungia then died shortly after arrival. He never opened up. So I knew something had to change. The first week of march was a rough one. Velvet kicked in. Within the week I lost everything but 2 chromis and the Blenny. That's when I broke. I bought a 40g Rubbermaid stock tank and emptied the tank of all the rock and livestock. I shook all the detritus off the rocks in a pale of SW before they entered the stock tank. Then I moved the Power head every day to aim a different direction to get as much as possible off the rocks. I had coral on one half of the tub and just LR on the other. I gave the LR half a complete week black out. I vacuumed the sand bed in the DT numerous times and took a "crap ton" of detritus out. Fast forward to yesterday and I put the tank back together. The aquascape looks so much better! I now have room for Acans[emoji7].

Hey Zack,

Looking great
Do you plan to get some more fish?

Zhenya

 

[Zack K]

Hey Zack,

Looking great
Do you plan to get some more fish?

Zhenya

Yes. My future stock list is as follows:
1 Longnose Butterfly
1 Midas Blenny
1 Exquisite Fairy Wrasse
1 Naomi Wrasse OR red headed Solon fairy Wrasse
Few more chromis

Possible tang

Currently in the tank:
1 Lawnmower Blenny
2 Chromis
1 Diamond Goby (Added Today)

 

[vlangel]

Hi Zack, hey I agree, big improvement on the scape! I love bowfront tanks. I always wanted a corner one but our house is not suited for that. A midas blenny would be awesome. I used to have one and it was my favorite fish. Royal grammas are a nice sturdy pretty fish.

 

[Zack K]

Hi Zack, hey I agree, big improvement on the scape! I love bowfront tanks. I always wanted a corner one but our house is not suited for that. A midas blenny would be awesome. I used to have one and it was my favorite fish. Royal grammas are a nice sturdy pretty fish.

I have a 20g with a RG in it. They are beautiful fish don't get me wrong. Just not enough of a fish. I'm a fan of bigger fish. Or fish schools[emoji6]

 

[Zack K]

Update pictures. Everyone is happy and healthy [emoji1360]

The whites were ramping down at the time of the pictures.

 

[Zack K]

For anyone interested is the sump I have on this weird guy it is a Custom 10g sump with a refugium.

I just ordered a BioPellet reactor and should be here later this week[emoji1360]

 

[vlangel]

For anyone interested is the sump I have on this weird guy it is a Custom 10g sump with a refugium.

I just ordered a BioPellet reactor and should be here later this week[emoji1360]

That is the one thing that is not easy with that tank and the stand, fitting a sump of any size in there is a pain. With your DT surface and only 10 gallon of volume in the sump, your high water mark (when the tank is off and your low water mark (when the return pump is on) cant be but an inch or two. I am guessing the 10 gallon sump is controlling exactly how high some chambers run?

 

[Zack K]

That is the one thing that is not easy with that tank and the stand, fitting a sump of any size in there is a pain. With your DT surface and only 10 gallon of volume in the sump, your high water mark (when the tank is off and your low water mark (when the return pump is on) cant be but an inch or two. I am guessing the 10 gallon sump is controlling exactly how high some chambers run?

Yea in the picture the water level is a little low but I have a hole in the return line just under the surface of the water so the amount of water that back siphons is very little but yes the sump is full full when all pumps are off.

 

[vlangel]

Yea in the picture the water level is a little low but I have a hole in the return line just under the surface of the water so the amount of water that back siphons is very little but yes the sump is full full when all pumps are off.

Keep an eye on that hole so it does not get plugged up with algae, ha ha! I did the same thing when I had a 10 gallon sump and I had a check valve too.

 

[Zack K]

So my reactor came in today. I got the TLF phosban 150. Looks like a good little reactor. I will be running the TLF BioPellets untill I see a decrease in Nitrates and phosphates then let my refugium take over again. I will then switch to carbon

 

[Zack K]

I have an update today and it isn't a happy one. I hadn't seen my Diamond goby for a good 48hr and well.. he decided to go carpet surfing sometime recently. I don't know how because my tank is covered it it happened. He was doing good to. Sad to see the poor fella go.

 

[reef-rc]

dang... and those are bottom type of fish too (unlike firefish)

This reminded me I should cover mine. I have the materials to put the net top together. Been too lazy even after the frostbit clown jumped out accidentally trying to ram my arm while trying to protect it's territory. It landed out the tank and onto the wood floor. Luckily I was there and heard a thud. I stared at it and saw it moved afterward so I gently placed it back into the tank. It has been days now, it's good luckily and still territorial every time I place my hands inside the tank (although I sense it's a little more cautious now ).

 

[Zack K]

So it's update time. My tank has settled it self out since the rebuild. Everything is back to Normal and in line except 2 values. Nitrate and phosphate. I have decided they are what they are and I will work with it. I am running BioPellets and have a refugium, do weekly water changes and have a skimmer rated for 75 gallons. After looking and reading up on @Paul B tank I decided I will give corals a shot and see how it goes. I will keep the "Big 3" parameters stable and in check and we shall be okay. My current parameters:
PH: 8.2
Ammonia:0
Nitrite:0
Nitrate:160
Phosphate: 2.5
Calcium:420
Magnesium:1300
Alkalinity: 8

After spending 4hr reading 100 on Paul's tank, I got some confidence and went to my local coral supplier and picked up a few things. I snagged my first piece of SPS (I forgot the name but will ID it tomorrow), a nice blue and green stripped mushroom and a hairy green mushroom. Nothing super fancy, but we shall see.
As for my current fish stock list:
2 Chromis
1 Lawnmower Blenny
Again, nothing to exciting.

 

[SR Aquaristik]

Love corner tanks!

 

[Zack K]

So update time. It appears that I have Dino's. Not good at all! I did a replenishment of my CUC to tackle some other algae issues and maybe they will take care of the Dino's to. Who knows!

-13 red legged hermits
-2 Margarita snails
-1 cerith snail
-a Mexican turbo
-diamond goby.

I reworked my top so he shouldn't have anywhere to jump from.

 

[Zack K]

Quick update today. I have successfully beaten 90% of the Dino's. I did a 72hr blackout and then a big rock blow off and added another 10 pyramid snails. Now today I Picked up a few gems while at my coral guy. Sorry for the crappy IPhone pics. Working on a better camera

Birds of Paradise Birdsnest

Bicolor Hammer

Neon green Toadstool

And an Unknown Shroom. He looks cool though