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110T Tank
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Nick C
Active Member
My tank started leaking this week.. Wednesday night. I worked a half day Thursday to try and get it fixed. Worked on it from 11-9. Then Friday after work. Then decided I'm done. Ripped apart all of the plumbing and started from scratch, replaced bullheads. Got rid of any piece of PVC that was threaded and glued it. Today I replaced the water and everything appears to be running smoothly. I will see if there are leaks in the morning!
Ouch
Hope it cooperates more with the glue.
We don't have any plumbing. Just the tank and a few HOB filters.
Do you have ball valves any where?
Plumbing will be a whole new learning curve for me if I ever get a job where I can stay in town.
Hope it cooperates more with the glue.
We don't have any plumbing. Just the tank and a few HOB filters.
Do you have ball valves any where?
Plumbing will be a whole new learning curve for me if I ever get a job where I can stay in town.
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Nick C
Active Member
Ill post a picture of it shortly. But yes I have a single ball valve on the return line. This was my first project working with PVC. I ended up using a hose that came with my sump for the drain and PVC for the return with 2 unions and a compression slip.
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Nick C
Active Member
It's gone for almost 24 hours without a leak. The new bulkheads appear to be doing great.
Current levels are :
8.3 pH
0 ammonia
0 nitrites
5-10ppm nitrates
Temp is climbing back to 79. Currently at about 75.
1.023 salinity
I'm thinking maybe going to get a fish? Or possibly some crabs/snails. There aren't any signs of algea currently and I don't want the snails and crabs to starve.
I also wouldn't know what fish to start with.
Current levels are :
8.3 pH
0 ammonia
0 nitrites
5-10ppm nitrates
Temp is climbing back to 79. Currently at about 75.
1.023 salinity
I'm thinking maybe going to get a fish? Or possibly some crabs/snails. There aren't any signs of algea currently and I don't want the snails and crabs to starve.
I also wouldn't know what fish to start with.
Reefpuck
Well-Known Member
Nice setup. What kind of fish are you considering? Before I started my 90g...I had a list of all the fish I was gonna get. Over a year and a half into it and fully stocked now...I only got 1 of the 10 on my original list lol.
Not a six line wrasse! Lol, or a dottyback!
What type of fish do you like?
Some just sit there. Some do it up high and some do it at the base of the rocks.
Some swim a lot.
A small yellow 'coris' wrasse is never a bad idea. Beautiful, swimming constantly, easy care, some are now captive bred.
They need an inch or 2 of sand to sleep under but you have that.
Lol, they can hide for a few days in the sand the first time in the tank. Just let them be and they will come out when they are ready.
You have a lot of gallons, but not a long length to the tank.
Stick with a tang that stays small if you get one at all.
Lol, This sounds silly but it is completely legit.
Use some paper to cut out some 8" fish silhouette and some 10" fish silhouette and tape them to the front glass of the aquarium.
Work downwards from there.
[emoji6]
No matter what, read up on the fish in the fish store on Liveaquaria. Best source for legit info besides here. They are comfortable being honest about what a fish needs in terms of tank size. Usually spot on about needs and compatibility.
Um, reef safe "with caution" can mean "eats inverts" or juveniles are usually not going to nip your corals but adults might. Or it could just be an inside joke with the staff. Yellow 'coris' wrasse, H. chrysus, are usually perfect citizens.
(Not the red or the green coris)
"Remember everything out on the reef eats something else on the reef."
I wish I could remember who to credit that phrase to.
One of the best overall reminders of what you are placing inside your tank may be fine with some things but not others.
And everything has a broad range of what it might be compatible with.
Your tank can go in several directions.
1. A small predator tank. Dwarf lion fish, snowflake eel, smaller triggers, etc
2. Community tank. Fish that don't have an interest in killing each other for food. Could still kill each other due to stress.
3. Species only tank. An octopus tank or a seahorse tank, etc.
What are your criteria for fish?
Interesting personality,
Doesn't eat others,
Hardy, ships well, doesn't need to be fed 4 times a day to survive more than 3 months, not so shy it hides 24/7 till it dies from not eating.
Color,
Swims a lot,
Sets up a burrow with a friend and hangs out goby and *only* a *Randalls* pistol shrimp.
Never a 'red' pistol shrimp, etc.
The small Randall's is not likely to kill your $35 cleaner shrimp or your $40 fire shrimp.
Scan Liveaquaria for some ideas on what you like.
[emoji4]
There is a lot to choose from.
I usually pick out 1 or 2 "must have" fish, and then work around their needs to finish the rest of the fish/possible coral list.
What type of fish do you like?
Some just sit there. Some do it up high and some do it at the base of the rocks.
Some swim a lot.
A small yellow 'coris' wrasse is never a bad idea. Beautiful, swimming constantly, easy care, some are now captive bred.
They need an inch or 2 of sand to sleep under but you have that.
Lol, they can hide for a few days in the sand the first time in the tank. Just let them be and they will come out when they are ready.
You have a lot of gallons, but not a long length to the tank.
Stick with a tang that stays small if you get one at all.
Lol, This sounds silly but it is completely legit.
Use some paper to cut out some 8" fish silhouette and some 10" fish silhouette and tape them to the front glass of the aquarium.
Work downwards from there.
[emoji6]
No matter what, read up on the fish in the fish store on Liveaquaria. Best source for legit info besides here. They are comfortable being honest about what a fish needs in terms of tank size. Usually spot on about needs and compatibility.
Um, reef safe "with caution" can mean "eats inverts" or juveniles are usually not going to nip your corals but adults might. Or it could just be an inside joke with the staff. Yellow 'coris' wrasse, H. chrysus, are usually perfect citizens.
(Not the red or the green coris)
"Remember everything out on the reef eats something else on the reef."
I wish I could remember who to credit that phrase to.
One of the best overall reminders of what you are placing inside your tank may be fine with some things but not others.
And everything has a broad range of what it might be compatible with.
Your tank can go in several directions.
1. A small predator tank. Dwarf lion fish, snowflake eel, smaller triggers, etc
2. Community tank. Fish that don't have an interest in killing each other for food. Could still kill each other due to stress.
3. Species only tank. An octopus tank or a seahorse tank, etc.
What are your criteria for fish?
Interesting personality,
Doesn't eat others,
Hardy, ships well, doesn't need to be fed 4 times a day to survive more than 3 months, not so shy it hides 24/7 till it dies from not eating.
Color,
Swims a lot,
Sets up a burrow with a friend and hangs out goby and *only* a *Randalls* pistol shrimp.
Never a 'red' pistol shrimp, etc.
The small Randall's is not likely to kill your $35 cleaner shrimp or your $40 fire shrimp.
Scan Liveaquaria for some ideas on what you like.
[emoji4]
There is a lot to choose from.
I usually pick out 1 or 2 "must have" fish, and then work around their needs to finish the rest of the fish/possible coral list.
OP
OP
Nick C
Active Member
The only must haves for me in the tank is a Mandarin, and a clam, so both are things I won't have for a while, but the only must haves .I would love to have a purple Tang as well. So, I'm not really picky about the starter fish. I would prefer a not aggressive tank and for corals I would like a mix, but learning harder to softies. I love the relaxing look in the flow. As for fish, my preference would be something with color, hence my favorite fish being the Mandarin and clam
the kind of obvious selection would be a pair of clowns or something, but I would probably go with a different kind verses the typical "Nemo" looking clown. A six line looks cool so does a Christmas wrasse! How come I should avoid them?So any suggestions would be great!!
Ok sounds good.
Wait a few weeks for fish.
Dry rock takes longer to get working compared to fully cured live rock. It goes through phases that fully cured live rock has already experienced.
You have a huge tank and would only be adding a few small fish anyway, but it would be better to wait.
It will also be better to get a handle on what you might like beyond the mandarin, clam and purple tang.
So the must haves are the clam and the mandarin.
Purple and yellow tangs have an attitude problem from heck.
No real worries. Just add the purple tang as "last fish".
The tank isn't very long. The gallonage is good but not as much straight line swimming room. Start with as small a tang as possible.
I believe the flow level for the clam and the softies is similar.
So that's good. Further research to be sure.
Love the clams but our copperband eats them so...
You should be good with the yellow 'coris' wrasse.
Not much available that is brighter or more active.
Decent pest control for pyramid snails (on the clams shell at the foot, or anywhere else.)
Sixline and the mandarin will compete for the same limited supply of pods.
Lol, Goliath wins this one if you place them together.
Please don't.
You could do a number of different fairy wrasse.
Look at those on Liveaquaria to see if that does anything for you.
Royal gramma are pretty colorful and easy going.
I hate to ever suggest any damsels, but of school of 7 to 10 azure damsels might be amazing in that tank.
They are on the "Attitude sucks the least, for a damsel " list.
Lol, *no* beautiful blue devils.
One of the prettiest fish on the planet. Surprisingly evil for such a small fish.
Skunk clowns have a decent temperament, for a clown fish, and look a little bit different.
Maroons are absolutely gorgeous but grow to 6" and are evil incarnate.
Just mentally running through possible fish.
Any interest in gobies?
Random sand sifters, white tiger goby, clown gobies(eats the base flesh of SPS corals)
Lol, or just wait and look around and see what strikes you later.
[emoji4]
Neon green Kenya tree and pink nepthea both add some height for soft corals and don't become a self fragging mess after 2 years.
Blue/purple plating sponge is bulletproof.
Red plating sponge is a little more touchy but not much.
If you get GSP just stick it on the sand for a while *at least* a few inches away from the rock.
It's awesome on the back glass, but potentially could cover your entire structure.
Start it up high on the back glass and keep it razored at least a few inches above the rock work.
Or watch it ooze over the sand like the blob and create its own purple carpet as it goes.
Love this stuff! But seriously, give some forethought to the placement.
[emoji4]
Finger leathers or spaghetti leathers should give a lot of movement in a gentle current.
Do mushrooms on a separate rock out on the sandbed a few inches away from the main rock work. If they detach and go anywhere consider removing them.
There is a cheap neon orange discosoma that is amazing under both whites and blues. But it could end up being too much of a good thing.
[emoji4]
Wait a few weeks for fish.
Dry rock takes longer to get working compared to fully cured live rock. It goes through phases that fully cured live rock has already experienced.
You have a huge tank and would only be adding a few small fish anyway, but it would be better to wait.
It will also be better to get a handle on what you might like beyond the mandarin, clam and purple tang.
So the must haves are the clam and the mandarin.
Purple and yellow tangs have an attitude problem from heck.
No real worries. Just add the purple tang as "last fish".
The tank isn't very long. The gallonage is good but not as much straight line swimming room. Start with as small a tang as possible.
I believe the flow level for the clam and the softies is similar.
So that's good. Further research to be sure.
Love the clams but our copperband eats them so...
You should be good with the yellow 'coris' wrasse.
Not much available that is brighter or more active.
Decent pest control for pyramid snails (on the clams shell at the foot, or anywhere else.)
Sixline and the mandarin will compete for the same limited supply of pods.
Lol, Goliath wins this one if you place them together.
Please don't.
You could do a number of different fairy wrasse.
Look at those on Liveaquaria to see if that does anything for you.
Royal gramma are pretty colorful and easy going.
I hate to ever suggest any damsels, but of school of 7 to 10 azure damsels might be amazing in that tank.
They are on the "Attitude sucks the least, for a damsel " list.
Lol, *no* beautiful blue devils.
One of the prettiest fish on the planet. Surprisingly evil for such a small fish.
Skunk clowns have a decent temperament, for a clown fish, and look a little bit different.
Maroons are absolutely gorgeous but grow to 6" and are evil incarnate.
Just mentally running through possible fish.
Any interest in gobies?
Random sand sifters, white tiger goby, clown gobies(eats the base flesh of SPS corals)
Lol, or just wait and look around and see what strikes you later.
[emoji4]
Neon green Kenya tree and pink nepthea both add some height for soft corals and don't become a self fragging mess after 2 years.
Blue/purple plating sponge is bulletproof.
Red plating sponge is a little more touchy but not much.
If you get GSP just stick it on the sand for a while *at least* a few inches away from the rock.
It's awesome on the back glass, but potentially could cover your entire structure.
Start it up high on the back glass and keep it razored at least a few inches above the rock work.
Or watch it ooze over the sand like the blob and create its own purple carpet as it goes.
Love this stuff! But seriously, give some forethought to the placement.
[emoji4]
Finger leathers or spaghetti leathers should give a lot of movement in a gentle current.
Do mushrooms on a separate rock out on the sandbed a few inches away from the main rock work. If they detach and go anywhere consider removing them.
There is a cheap neon orange discosoma that is amazing under both whites and blues. But it could end up being too much of a good thing.
[emoji4]
Reefpuck
Well-Known Member
I have a red dragonet goby (smaller version of a mandarin) and a large melanurus wrasse...both searching the rocks all day long and still have a good supply of pods. Just make sure you have an established tank before adding the mandarin obviously.
OP
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Nick C
Active Member
Yeah there are a ton of options! The main fish I want will have to come later but I do like that red dragonet goby. As for corals I don't really know yet. I definitely want a few torches that are different colors, I'd like an anemone and a clown pair probably. Then a few softies, then whatever the wife finds pretty
count krunk
Valuable Member
well, you will want to cycle your tank before adding any fish to it. Seems like it has been set up for only a week or two? I personally like to toss a deli shrimp in and let it rot for a few days. Others like to use the bottle bacteria and ammonia, it's a bit faster.
But, this is a slow hobby. So I don't mind letting the cycle take its time.
As for that pic of equipment you asked about, it looks like a float switch for an ATO (auto top off) system
But, this is a slow hobby. So I don't mind letting the cycle take its time.
As for that pic of equipment you asked about, it looks like a float switch for an ATO (auto top off) system
OP
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Nick C
Active Member
I've had very consistent water levels since adding my bottled bacteria
8.2-8.3 pH
0 ammonia
0 nitrites
5-10 Nitrates
78 F /26 C (one of my heaters is on F the other is C.. Kind of annoying. Oh well)
So I decided to add 2 small Blue-green chromis.
Cosmo and Wanda. They have been in since Monday and seem to be doing great. Water levels have remained the same, There was a reading of .25 ammonia the next morning after putting them in, but has since been 0.
I have had my Carbon reactor off and Skimmer off for a while now, i'm nervous to turn them on (Mainly the skimmer) i know the water level is too high in my sump for it to function properly. that or i don't know how to adjust it very well. I've tried to find some videos and they all make it look so easy. the RL is also programmed to run a natural light cycle (one of the presets) blue-white-blue it runs for about 9 hours a day and i believe it's set to 47% intensity. I also added a bottle of Pods to the tank the same night i added the fish.
8.2-8.3 pH
0 ammonia
0 nitrites
5-10 Nitrates
78 F /26 C (one of my heaters is on F the other is C.. Kind of annoying. Oh well)
So I decided to add 2 small Blue-green chromis.
Cosmo and Wanda. They have been in since Monday and seem to be doing great. Water levels have remained the same, There was a reading of .25 ammonia the next morning after putting them in, but has since been 0.
I have had my Carbon reactor off and Skimmer off for a while now, i'm nervous to turn them on (Mainly the skimmer) i know the water level is too high in my sump for it to function properly. that or i don't know how to adjust it very well. I've tried to find some videos and they all make it look so easy. the RL is also programmed to run a natural light cycle (one of the presets) blue-white-blue it runs for about 9 hours a day and i believe it's set to 47% intensity. I also added a bottle of Pods to the tank the same night i added the fish.
OP
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Nick C
Active Member
So, While this tank is still very new, i am already taking notes and planning my next one. It won't be for some time, probably until i sell my house and build a new one, so 3-5 years?
But i'm creating a list of do's and don'ts.
I do not like the tall tanks, I would rather have a 6 foot long tank that is shorter. Getting onto a stool or ladder to do anything in my tank besides feed i can already tell is going to get annoying. I am 6'3 and can't see the top of my canopy.
I do not want a reef ready tank for my next, and will more than likely go with a rimless custom built tank. (I would love to have a tank in a wall, depending on how much it would cost.) And a separate little walk in closet type room to make the aquarium room. No more bending or getting on hands and knees to deal with electrical or sump stuff.
I currently have my RO/DI system mounted on the wall next to my tank, i run one of those magic as seen on tv hoses that shrink and wrap up. to it from my outside faucet. I run the waste line out my back door and the DI water into a brute 20 gallon tote for top offs and i have a separate one i will use for water changes. This is a mess, and requires leaving my backdoor open and creates a mess on my patio of water. Next set up will hopefully have a drain in my Aquarium room as well as water source with DI set up that i can run nonstop and have larger containers that will be out of site for other people.
A controller will be a must. I haven't look into them too much aside from the BRS160 videos, and i am still early enough to implement one, which i plan on doing hopefully within the next 6 months. after doing more research. To go along with this i would like to have an electrical board with everything that i need mounted nice and pretty run into custom height outlets and cable runs, I'm in IT so cable management is kind of a pet peeve of mine and i'm slowing making my current set up better and better but eliminating current heater controllers and cables would make things so much simpler.
Plumbing will be colored PVC and i'm hoping to make a lot more use of other equipment that i don't have the budget or need for right now, a roller mat would be cool to have as well as a xeovit products.
I would like to have a calcium reactor for now i play on using kalkwasser into my ATO when i get to that point.
I would ultimately like to have 2 40 gallon containers for actively mixing Salt water and up to temp fresh water.
Just a few things to put on a wish list.
But i'm creating a list of do's and don'ts.
I do not like the tall tanks, I would rather have a 6 foot long tank that is shorter. Getting onto a stool or ladder to do anything in my tank besides feed i can already tell is going to get annoying. I am 6'3 and can't see the top of my canopy.
I do not want a reef ready tank for my next, and will more than likely go with a rimless custom built tank. (I would love to have a tank in a wall, depending on how much it would cost.) And a separate little walk in closet type room to make the aquarium room. No more bending or getting on hands and knees to deal with electrical or sump stuff.
I currently have my RO/DI system mounted on the wall next to my tank, i run one of those magic as seen on tv hoses that shrink and wrap up. to it from my outside faucet. I run the waste line out my back door and the DI water into a brute 20 gallon tote for top offs and i have a separate one i will use for water changes. This is a mess, and requires leaving my backdoor open and creates a mess on my patio of water. Next set up will hopefully have a drain in my Aquarium room as well as water source with DI set up that i can run nonstop and have larger containers that will be out of site for other people.
A controller will be a must. I haven't look into them too much aside from the BRS160 videos, and i am still early enough to implement one, which i plan on doing hopefully within the next 6 months. after doing more research. To go along with this i would like to have an electrical board with everything that i need mounted nice and pretty run into custom height outlets and cable runs, I'm in IT so cable management is kind of a pet peeve of mine and i'm slowing making my current set up better and better but eliminating current heater controllers and cables would make things so much simpler.
Plumbing will be colored PVC and i'm hoping to make a lot more use of other equipment that i don't have the budget or need for right now, a roller mat would be cool to have as well as a xeovit products.
I would like to have a calcium reactor for now i play on using kalkwasser into my ATO when i get to that point.
I would ultimately like to have 2 40 gallon containers for actively mixing Salt water and up to temp fresh water.
Just a few things to put on a wish list.
Lol, yeah, that didn't take long.
[emoji846]
The tall tanks look absolutely beautiful but they are a pain to work in.
Any new fish?
[emoji846]
The tall tanks look absolutely beautiful but they are a pain to work in.
Any new fish?
OP
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Nick C
Active Member
Haha always need to be thinking about improvingLol, yeah, that didn't take long.
The tall tanks look absolutely beautiful but they are a pain to work in.
Any new fish?
As for new fish no, I am fighting it though. I want to get a clown pair but I'm trying to wait as long as possible. I added 2 cleaner shrimp, 2 hermit crabs, and about 8 snails mostly turbo snails.
I ordered a seneye and it should be here early this week. Ill use the party monitor to dial in the lights and maybe try for my first coral late this week. I dosed another bottle of nitrifying bacteria when I added my cuc and have been feeding them 2 ml a day.
I had a diatom bloom and they have been working on it for the better part of a week. It's clearing up nicely.
I have run into a problem though.... One of my chromis died, it got sucked up the return. That was about a week ago. The yesterday the other one got sucked up and ended up in my sump.. when I put him back he was hiding for about 5 minutes then returned to normal. The other one kept hiding the died. So I think he will live but I need to figure out what to do.. bigger fish this won't be a problem, but these chromis are just small.. ill post a picture of the opening they are getting in to.
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Nick C
Active Member
This is a bad picture but it's one I have as I'm not home.
They are getting sucked up on the left part. There is an opening under that black bar that is underwater that they are getting in to. I don't know if I can move that black bar? I didn't want to break it. I tried to move a power head as close to it as possible to try and keep them away from it? it didn't work haha.
They are getting sucked up on the left part. There is an opening under that black bar that is underwater that they are getting in to. I don't know if I can move that black bar? I didn't want to break it. I tried to move a power head as close to it as possible to try and keep them away from it? it didn't work haha.
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