100 Gallon Reef Tank

OP
OP
JediCruz

JediCruz

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 30, 2020
Messages
302
Reaction score
198
Location
Orlando
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So I picked up 2 new corals this past Friday:

Halle Berry Zoa
3BF386F2-D4BD-4456-AA03-AEC9C22E2A30.jpeg


Green Hairy Mushroom
6D989B63-F703-4888-8181-E5DE131C6814.jpeg
 
OP
OP
JediCruz

JediCruz

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 30, 2020
Messages
302
Reaction score
198
Location
Orlando
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So the Candy Cane has been looking real rough for a few weeks:

1/19
79859A07-05A7-44A3-AF96-2248C8745D1A.jpeg


I’ve been feeding regularly so it has been starting look better, I think

2/8
54388B38-CEC1-4803-9A8F-BB08E4674C8D.jpeg


Also, I broke my Birdsnest when trying to catch one of tangs for a fresh water dip (precautionary) and I don’t think it’s going to survive:

1/25
8B24C780-73ED-47B1-9FFD-E9D54D1E7ECB.jpeg


2/8
0749142B-0F9A-4D43-AD23-633883F0C474.jpeg


I’m a little sad as I don’t want anything to die but I’ll try and learn from this.
 

JumboShrimp

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 12, 2018
Messages
5,806
Reaction score
8,224
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Very attractive tank. :) However, I think you'd be the first to admit there have been quite a few dead fish just so far-- probably due to some over-excitement of the type we have all fallen victim to at one time or another. You want to enjoy your tank for a long time to come, so especially with the fish (heavier bioload than corals, obviously), maybe tap the brakes a bit. That's my suggestion... and best wishes!!
 
OP
OP
JediCruz

JediCruz

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 30, 2020
Messages
302
Reaction score
198
Location
Orlando
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Very attractive tank. :) However, I think you'd be the first to admit there have been quite a few dead fish just so far-- probably due to some over-excitement of the type we have all fallen victim to at one time or another. You want to enjoy your tank for a long time to come, so especially with the fish (heavier bioload than corals, obviously), maybe tap the brakes a bit. That's my suggestion... and best wishes!!
You know, I do agree with you. The first clown dying, then getting the neon goby to help the other clown but then it and then the 2nd clown dying. Super sad. Then the Urchin. It sucks. The urchin was completely my fault so I do admit that. The clowns were just a surprise especially since I was getting them from the same place as the rest of my livestock which quarantines them. But, a QT of my own is really what I needed. But so far everyone else looks healthy (other than the 2 stony coral). The 2 Tangs, Blenny, Goby, Wrasse, and 2 clowns. I put myself out there as a cautionary tale for those who think they can do the same. Learn from my mistakes.

And just add on to that, it’s not very often you see the tale of a tank as it progresses, both highs and lows. Usually it’s a post like, “Help, my #fishcoralspecies# is #ailment#”. You never really get the whole story. I’m trying, which I’m probably not the only one, to be transparent. To have others read this “story” and learn from it. Rather than people just saying don’t do “this” because of “that”. You, hopefully, can see what happened based on the history that’s listed here. At least that’s my hope. Even if it’s just 1 person that learns from this, I consider it a win.
 
Last edited:

JumboShrimp

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 12, 2018
Messages
5,806
Reaction score
8,224
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
As a little addition, it is VERY easy to slip mentally into the 'But just ONE last fish' syndrome. We've all been there a dozen times. It is hard to respect the capacity-limits of our tanks with so many beautiful fish at the LFS. ;Facepalm
 
OP
OP
JediCruz

JediCruz

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 30, 2020
Messages
302
Reaction score
198
Location
Orlando
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
As a little addition, it is VERY easy to slip mentally into the 'But just ONE last fish' syndrome. We've all been there a dozen times. It is hard to respect the capacity-limits of our tanks with so many beautiful fish at the LFS. ;Facepalm
Right? Like right now. My kids are asking me, “What’s the next fish we’re getting?” So I’m like, should I get another one? The tank is not heavily stocked with fish by any means (am I wrong?). 2 tangs, 2 clowns, 1 Blenny, 1 Goby, 1 Wrasse. My plan was to get another wrasse. More specifically, a Cleaner Wrasse. The Skunk Shrimp only cleans the tangs because they’re the only ones that let it. The others don’t. When I had the neon goby it did clean the others but passed away. That was what caused me to implement the UV filter. Now with that in place, the Skunk Shrimp, and possibly adding the Cleaner Wrasse, my current inhabitants will possibly be safe from any issues in the future. This of course assuming I also institute a QT system. Am I going overboard or going over capacity if I add that Cleaner Wrasse?
 
OP
OP
JediCruz

JediCruz

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 30, 2020
Messages
302
Reaction score
198
Location
Orlando
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Update to my tank. I’ve turned off the UV filter as my copepods weren’t lasting in the DT from getting “zapped”. So now pods are surviving in the DT but unintended effect was that also the algae, Dino and cyano are starting to get out of control. So after thinking about this, I’ve come to the conclusion that the combination of having the UV off and having too much white light in the system is leading to this. My Kessil A360WE schedule was as follows:
Time Color Intensity
08:00 0% 10%
12:00 100% 90%
14:00 45% 45%
17:55 0% 0%
21:00 0% 0%

I changed it the following:
8:00 0% 10%
10:00 10% 30%
12:00 50% 70%
14:00 50% 70%
16:00 25% 30%
18:00 0% 0%

Today is the first day with these settings so let’s see what happens. I think this is the true cause of the death of the Birdsnest as it was directly under one of the lights. I also think it’s what’s causing issues with the Candy Cane because it’s also almost directly under another Kessil, though lower in the water column, and in the mornings when the light is not bright, it’s nice and open. Let me know your opinions.
 
OP
OP
JediCruz

JediCruz

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 30, 2020
Messages
302
Reaction score
198
Location
Orlando
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So after turning off the UV filter, the copepods have really started to take off in DT. Unintended consequence from turning it off caused an increase in the algae and cyano. Now that the pods are taking off, they’re eating the algae off the glass. I’ve got my LFS to order PNS Probio so as soon as they get it in, I’ll put that in the tank. Did the research on it and it’s a great bacteria and very versatile and can replicate in the aquarium. Look it up. Should help with my biodiversity. Tomorrow I’ll be picking up a cleaner wrasse and some Plankton Bloom from Sustainable Aquatics (phytoplankton, different types of pods, newly hatched brine shrimp and rotifers). I’m hoping some of those survive to multiply in the tank for food and sustainability. Biodiversity.
 
OP
OP
JediCruz

JediCruz

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 30, 2020
Messages
302
Reaction score
198
Location
Orlando
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I’ve gotten a cleaner wrasse, blasto and 3 turbo snails yesterday. After reading so much on having biodiversity and tank stability, it seems having live rock and many coral is the way to go. I’ve waited too long on getting this stuff. I’ve also checked my parameters and they seem to be in check with exception of the nitrates. Still higher than I like at 7.5 ppm. But it is going down. Just 2 weeks ago it was at 40 ppm. Only thing different is adding new live stock. I’ve also have that bloom of copepods and I also added a bottle of Plankton Bloom from Sustainable Aquatics which just adds more live stock (phyto, diatoms... in know.... intentionally..., rotifers, newly hatched brine shrimp, and 2 different types of pods). I also added that live rock to the Refugium which added amphipods and a bristleworm (I’m still torn on keeping that). Next will be that PNS Probio and NSW. Alk at 12 dkh and Calcium at 500 ppm (I use Reef Crystals so that explains the numbers). With the 4 LPS frags in the system I’m hoping to lower those numbers. I’ve had had the SPS (Astreopora) in there for 87 days now but no growth. Possibly stunted by the high nitrates previously? I heard that high nitrates can mess up the calcium carbonate structure? Hopefully having that lower with the all the extra softies phyto and Chaeto will keep lowering the nitrates. I’ve dialed in the skimmer leaving it on fir longer should help as well. For now, here’s a pic of my super ugly tank. Hopefully it gets better from here.

275CA22E-63A0-4B27-B66E-13384F3FAA80.jpeg
 
OP
OP
JediCruz

JediCruz

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 30, 2020
Messages
302
Reaction score
198
Location
Orlando
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Recent parameters from yesterday using the API Master Reef kit.

Calcium 440 ppm
Alk 12 dKH
Phosphate .25 ppm
Nitrate 40 ppm (trying to get this down)

So I have a refugium with Chaeto but it’s not growing like I like. Next up is PNS Probio. Let’s see if that makes a dent in the nitrates.
 
OP
OP
JediCruz

JediCruz

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 30, 2020
Messages
302
Reaction score
198
Location
Orlando
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So, nitrates have slowly been increasing in the tank. Phosphate haven’t seemed to have changed, though.

Nitrate = 60ppm
Phosphate = 0.25ppm

Feeding too much? Maybe (more than likely). But I’m concerned with the amount of nutrient export. Chaeto isn’t growing. It’s not dying but it’s also not growing. It is a very rich green color. I’ve been turning it manually everyday but no change. So I decided to make a few changes.

1. Upgrade the power heads to DC ones. I ended up doing the Gyre with Sine capability so that I can consistent flow one way.
2. Move one of the old power heads to the sump to create a tumbling effect of the Chaeto. I’m not a fan of this power head there since peices of Chaeto end up going into it and causing it to clog. May not be a perm solution unless I find some kind of foam to cover the outer part but I haven’t seen any mass for a SunSun JVP series power head.
3. Upgrading the light from the LuxBird to a Kessil H80 I bought from a local reefer. Should arrive here in a few days.
4. Started dosing AF Pro Bio S and +NP Pro. Hopefully this combo will cause a nitrate and phosphate drop. I don’t want undetectable levels though so once I get to good point, I’ll slowly back off the dose. I’ve been feeding AF Amino Mix, AF Vitality, and AF Build for a while now. After doing research, I’ve been feeding too much of that which is causing a Cyano Bloom in the tank. So maybe a combo of too much Amino and Vitality is causing the high nitrates. I’ll stop the feeding of those and will begin again once the nitrates are where I want them and will start with one drop and work my way up to the correct amount, slowly.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
JediCruz

JediCruz

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 30, 2020
Messages
302
Reaction score
198
Location
Orlando
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So I don’t know if it was the higher flow from the Gyre or the Pro Bio S, maybe a combo of both, but the Cyano is all but gone in the tank. Yesterday I saw it get reduced and then when the lights came on I saw some on the rock work and didn’t seem to go away then I dosed again and then most of it went away before the lights went out. Also the filter sock was super dirty, like I didn’t swap it out in a week. I’m cautiously optimistic. Also the new Acan I put in the tank over the weekend seems to be doing real well now. Didn’t seem to open until today but it could have still been acclimating.
 
OP
OP
JediCruz

JediCruz

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 30, 2020
Messages
302
Reaction score
198
Location
Orlando
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So here’s an update today. Again, looks like cyano is almost completely beat. It’s hanging on at the top of the middle rock but it’s definitely losing the fight against the Pro Bio S bacteria.

57867E54-CECF-4F4F-A56C-FDB57C2DF27F.jpeg
 
OP
OP
JediCruz

JediCruz

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 30, 2020
Messages
302
Reaction score
198
Location
Orlando
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Very sad news to report. My Yellow Tang died. Essentially the root cause is a bacterial infection but his demise was exasperated by my over reaction. I did a fresh water dip (hindsight, this probably did nothing for the infection) then I dipped him in a Ruby Reef dip. He was stressed from trying to catch him and the fresh water dip. Since he was already stressed from the infection, I did him in. I’m so mad at myself. Why did I do this? Why didn’t I research this first? I had an iodide solution so I could have spot treated his marks. Ugh!!! I’m sad, I’m mad, and this is after my tank has started to look good too! LPS coral have puffed up nicely. I’m getting good feeding responses from them. The rest of the fish, I think, look real good. I’m going to replace him but I’m going to wait about 2 months to make sure everything else is good. Ugh.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
JediCruz

JediCruz

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 30, 2020
Messages
302
Reaction score
198
Location
Orlando
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I’m still sad about the loss of the yellow tang, but everything else looks real good. Parameters are good with the exception of Phosphate (0.25) and Nitrates (30ppm) but nitrates are going down from what it used to be. Since I have Alk at 10.5 and Cal at 510 (stable at these numbers) I’m thinking about adding a clam to help bring all those numbers down. I say that since some may consider those too high. Any opinions on this would be considered.
 
OP
OP
JediCruz

JediCruz

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 30, 2020
Messages
302
Reaction score
198
Location
Orlando
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Ok. I am dreading this update to you guys, but I promised transparency as I go through journey. Ups and downs though there have been more downs as of late. Ok so let’s start at the beginning. I wanted to experiment with using tap water. I know, I know… very dumb move. I was inspired by those that were successful doing so. Everyone said that people like that were just lucky with the type of water that comes from the tap. Everyone said it’s not worth the risk. Well everyone was right, as I came to find out. Now I can’t say this for sure but the source of most of my problems was probably from my source water, tap water. So I don’t remember the exact day but at the end of July I noticed my urchin wasn’t doing well. Wouldn’t eat the nori I tried to feed it which I knew from my past urchin was not good. I can tie this to replacing my ATO reservoir with the tap water (and Seachem Prime) a couple of days before. Some of my coral were looking a little ticked. I didn’t think it was the tap water. I also didn’t have activated carbon on hand. I decided to do a 50% water change. What a big mistake. Whatever is now in the tap water I just added a ton more to the tank. My tank had a crash. A few days later stuff started to die. My 2 clowns died, the urchin, 2 turbo snails and 1 hermit crab. Many of the corals didn’t look so look and a few may not survive. 2 in particular are the Superman Digitada with STN and the stained glass chalice has skeleton showing. At this point I was pretty sure this was related to the water change. I used Aquaforest Sea Salt that I used before so I don’t think that was it. I was certain it was the tap water. The municipality must have added something to the water to aid in something that they were dealing with and not let us know. I can’t blame them. I’m the one that wasn’t using RO/DI water. I quickly purchased an RO/DI unit. Luckily I was able to buy a cheap 100 GPD unit from Marine Depot before the BRS transition. I received it and quickly installed it (after buying some additional parts I needed to keep it in the laundry room). Replaced the ATO reservoir water with new RO/DI water (after following all directions for the RO/DI including throwing the correct amount of water first). So I didn’t want to make a drastic water change again so I went with a different route. How to deal with crap in the water that’s already in the tank. I went with Chemi-pure Elite. It has activated carbon, GFO for my high phosphates (I have a severe algae problem) and some type of resin that’s is debatable on whether it’s effective in a reef tank or not (originally I thought it was deionizing resin but it may not be but it also could be but just doesn’t work in salt water??? I don’t know). I was interested in the activated carbon and GFO. I could have bought them separately but I was in a hurry and it was more convenient for now. I got it, rinsed it until it rinsed clear and threw them in the sump. The next 24 hours, the water was clear and the corals that didn’t look good where starting to recover with the exception of the 2 I mentioned earlier. I still have hope but it may be too late. The only problem is that the GFO was too effective. Phosphates went down from .25 ppm to undetectable by the API test kit I have. I’ll need to buy a ultra low version to really see if it’s zero which I hope it’s not. I do spot feed my corals everyday. Reefroids one day and Reef Chili the next. My hope is that the phosphates in those foods will supplement what they don’t get from the water. Nitrates have been high from the beginning. Slight fluctuations here and there but it’s hovered around 60 ppm. It’s still at that. I was carbon dosing but I stopped for now. I am still adding AF ProBio S and AF NP +. Skimmer is still running but I noticed today, after I cleaned it, it’s not pulling much anymore after this crash. I want to start carbon dosing to get the nitrates down but I know I need phosphates in order for that to happen. Do I dose phosphate? What do I do? I’m determined now to do the right thing. My tap water experiment has failed. Now I need to right the ship. Im starting to take it in the right direction but I’m not there yet. Anyway, that’s where I’m at right now. I’m not buying any more fish until I know the tank is stable again and now with RO/DI and activated carbon it’ll be in a better position than it was originally. I welcome anyone’s thoughts and any chastising as I deserve it.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
JediCruz

JediCruz

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 30, 2020
Messages
302
Reaction score
198
Location
Orlando
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Here’s another update. I bought the single reactor from BRS for Carbon and GFO as well as the Sicce pump. I hooked it up last night and took out the 2 bags of ChemiPure Elite. I had also but a bag of Purigen, that I had previously regen’d, in the sump as well. I was dealing with an issue with the ATO line feeding the sump constantly dripping. There is a siphon break item installed but I believe it’s clogged and no real way to clean it effectively. It could be one of things that added to the crash. Salinity swings and all. They’re pretty small since I couldn’t detect it with the refractometer. Anywho, the STN on the Superman Digi seems to have stopped. The chalice is no worst off than it was a few weeks ago. The stylo is growing over the epoxy. I added a third Kessil A360WE to help the grinch acro. It had changed to all purple during the crash and now with the extra light, the green has started to return. The polyps are not as out like they used to be before the crash but I still have hope. The blue rim acan still looks ticked, at least the main head. The baby heads are starting to re-inflate. The main head still showing it’s feeding tentacles. Now that I think of it, that acan actually didn’t show any signs of stress during the crash. It only showed stress when I got the the Phosphate levels down. Probably got it down too quickly. The only other coral that’s not 100% is my purple tip hammer. It doesn’t extend like it used to. Still extends but not as long. The tiny Goni frag I got is still not fully out yet. Never was. Not sure what to do with that one. Let’s see…. Yeah. Everything else is actually doing really well. Candy cane is splitting heads. Seems to have attached a branch to the rock if that’s a thing. So I got new corals and inverts. A Frogspawn, Duncan, 2 acans, Monti, and a Favia. I got 3 extra Turno snails (zebra ones this time), 7 Mexican red-legged hermit crabs, a bunch of empty shells and 6 cerith snails. I’m not out of the woods yet but I’m getting there. Husbandry is now on point. Water changes (only 5 gallons a week), changing socks every 3 days, skimmer cup and neck clean weekly. I need to figure out when to change the carbon but I think it’s easy to determine that during water changes. If the water is yellow in the white bucket then it’s time to change the carbon. Anyway. That’s it. Let’s see how it goes.
 
OP
OP
JediCruz

JediCruz

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 30, 2020
Messages
302
Reaction score
198
Location
Orlando
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Tank has more than stabilized. I am actually seeing true growth in all my SPS. Acropora, Anacropora, Birdsnest, Stylophora, and Montipora. RODI, Media Reactor with carbon and GFO, and RedSea NoPox dosing has really helped with this, I think. Now to deal with this GHA issue. I thought I could just use inhabitants to eat it but the only one that would actually help was the Urchin but he passed away with the tank crash and he preferred coralline which actually allows for more gha to take root where there used to be coralline. Now that I’ve lowered my nutrient input by not using tap water, stopped spot feeding my corals everyday (they actually look better now though the Monti Digi did complain for one day), only broadcast feed every other day (may lower that to twice a week), added GFO, and dosing 10ml a day of RedSea NoPox bring levels down (GFO bringing Phosphates to undetectable on my API kit and NoPox bringing Nitrates to 10 ppm and dropping) I’m hoping to starve it out as well as me manually pulling what I can out twice a week. I know that having the test kits read low nutrients for the GHA and still having GHA means the coral and GHA are just taking in the remaining nutrients. So my hope is with the continued use of the GFO and NoPox it will eventually starve it out so I’ll have to keep ultra low levels until the GHA goes away completely then I’ll dial back the GFO and NoPox. I also added a Lawnmower Blenny and it’s been eating the GHA but there’s only so much a small Blenny can do. I also stopped feeding AlgaeMax pellets in the hopes that the tangs (bristle tooth and purple) start picking at the rocks again, which they have. I will win this fight against the GHA. Let’s hope it’s doesn’t take too long to allow a Dino invasion, though. That would suck.
 

Mastering the art of locking and unlocking water pathways: What type of valves do you have on your aquarium plumbing?

  • Ball valves.

    Votes: 42 48.8%
  • Gate valves.

    Votes: 45 52.3%
  • Check valves.

    Votes: 19 22.1%
  • None.

    Votes: 22 25.6%
  • Other.

    Votes: 9 10.5%
Back
Top