150 Gallon SPS Build

[Ryan Doolittle]

Another week and another ammonia test, it doesnt look like the ammonia has dropped too much.

The blob that engulfed the shrimp grew to be about baseball size. I finally had a look and found what was left of the shrimp, mush.

So a new piece of shrimp went in, this time with shell on.

I was also able to get some 3/4 inch Loc-Line 90 elbows. So I got them installed tonight as well. Thanks to Chad for finding and bringing these back for me.

I am anxious to get fish in there but have been thinking about CUC. This Covid-19 can end at anytime to bring some supply back to the stores. I am also looking at getting some Copepods, Amphipods, and Coraline Algae starter. I have heard great things about Algae Barn however I refuse to pay $60 USD just in shipping. I may have to go with Reef Nutrition as I can get it locally. I just need to find a clean source in Canada for the coraline algae starter.

 

[Reef Nutrition]

Another week and another ammonia test, it doesnt look like the ammonia has dropped too much.

The blob that engulfed the shrimp grew to be about baseball size. I finally had a look and found what was left of the shrimp, mush.

So a new piece of shrimp went in, this time with shell on.

I was also able to get some 3/4 inch Loc-Line 90 elbows. So I got them installed tonight as well. Thanks to Chad for finding and bringing these back for me.

I am anxious to get fish in there but have been thinking about CUC. This Covid-19 can end at anytime to bring some supply back to the stores. I am also looking at getting some Copepods, Amphipods, and Coraline Algae starter. I have heard great things about Algae Barn however I refuse to pay $60 USD just in shipping. I may have to go with Reef Nutrition as I can get it locally. I just need to find a clean source in Canada for the coraline algae starter.

We are happy to hear you can find our products locally which is very affordable. It's also great to support your local stores! If you ever have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out.

Best,
Chad

 

[Ryan Doolittle]

I did another Ammonia test a week ago and got 0 ammonia.

I added some test critters and have had a 0% mortality rate.

I also fired up the skimmer and it proceeded to puke for a week and a half. I replaced the carbon and did a water change. Its finally starting to settle down.

I have been itching to add fish but promised myself no fish until there is light. Too bad 2 bulbs were flickering and turning off. I figured it was a dud ballast so picked up a new one while I was at the wholesalers, turned out to be a busted socket. I'll pick up a new one next time I am at the wholesaler and if it is a ballast as well then I have a back up. In the mean time here is a FTS.

 

[Ryan Doolittle]

Uh ok. A little something happened tonight.

 

[niQo]

Are you still looking to QT your fish? I have a Hanna Checker you can use...

 

[Ryan Doolittle]

Not much happening. Just the uglies, and everyday is more and more ugly.

I threw some snails covered in coraline and a couple coraline covered rocks in the tank as well. Hopefully it wasnt too early and the stuff will take root.

 

[Ryan Doolittle]

Little bit of happenings since my last post. I was tired of the the rock in the bottom.of the tank for feeding algae, so Inordered a magnetic feeder off amazon. So far it works great, the 4 tanks are eating 3 half sheets a day.

The skimmer also settled down and I think I have it dialed in. The only issue I seem to be having is the foam is too strong and moved the cup lid. Not sure what the fix is.

The algae colors are coming, not coraline but its progress. The brown algae is turning green and the snails are enjoying the buffet.

I also tore the coral holding tank down so a couple zoas, a couple ricordia florida, and the small Snow Onyx Clown went into the big tank as well.

I also ordered a few extra snails (mostly Margarita and Nerites), a new MP40 wet side, and some @ReefNutrition Tigger Pods. I tried for 1 bottle of the Apex Pods as well but they were sold out, next time. Thanks to Jeff at Badlands Marine for the goodies.

 

[Ryan Doolittle]

We have the start of coraline Algae!! This weekend was day 60 from the start. The rocks are still covered in cyano so I added some cheato to bring the phosphates down. I still haven't done a test yet but I'm guessing the redfield ratio is out. If I dont see an improvement by the weekend I will break out my kit and get a measurement.

 

[Ryan Doolittle]

I recieved a little order today from Jeff at Badlands Marine. I tried to order some Apex pods but his supplier was sold out, this is the second time in a row it has happened. Hopefully it's just a shipping problem because of covid and not a supply problem from Reef Nutrition. I would really like to get some diversity on my amphipod population.

I picked up some turbo snails this go around. This is the first time in nearly 10 years I have bought turbo snails, their bull dozer ways and large size always drove me crazy but I will give these 5 a go and see how they do. The peppermints are the first shrimp in the tank and hopefully do a good job of eating any aptasia that make it past the screening process.

Snagged a couple types of algae as well, this Dragons tongue wasnt what I was after and shipped to Jeff by mistake, however I will give it a try and see how it does.

This one is called Dirty Little Secret. It's a weird macro that's hard and almost gallon like. The gold tips look great on it as well. Hopefully it roots down to the rock and takes off, I was told it's hard to propagate some will see. This piece is about 1.5 inches in diameter.

Fish seem to still be really hard to come by and very pricey, however I try to keep up with Jeff on when stock comes available. For all of you in the Southern Alberta area you should keep in touch with him as well, he usually have a large variety of fish inverts and coral available.

 

[Ryan Doolittle]

Well it feels good to have both MP40s up and running; a big thanks to Jeff at Badlands Marine for hooking me up with a cable extension, hit him up if you need one for your tank. The amount of detritus they pulled from the rock upon start up was surprising for how much I pull out with water changes. I may have to consider some sort of mechanical filtration sooner rather than later.

I also picked up new bulbs for the light fixture, should be good for another year and a half or so. I replaced all 8.

When I was in the store I spotted this colony and ended up buying a frag. Yes that means it has officially become a SPS tank. I hope the frag grows well.

 

[Ryan Doolittle]

A few little updates have happened this week. I'll start with just one for now. I purchased a ClariSea SK-3000 last weekend and today got it plumbed into one of the drains. We will see what happens over the next couple weeks

 

[Ryan Doolittle]

I think I am past the 6 month mark on this new build and the tank is doing so so. A couple months ago I caulerpa for a local hobbyist while he did a treatment to his tank for bryopsis, the tank started to settle in with this large amount of caulerpa and all was well. When the algae went back to his tank I must have gotten a nitrate and phosphate spike, despite the 2 large balls of cheato that were in there. Needless to say that started a GHA outbreak for the past month.
The GHA is soaking up ALL of the Nitrate and Phos in the tank so there is essentially 0 nutrients for the corals. I have been struggling finding fish to add to try to offset the ULN but I am sure as you are all aware the available stock has gone down and price has gone up. The Red Sea Reef Energy A & B products have been holding my corals in there. I am also keeping my all low, about 8 dkh, to slow growth down. Color has been suffering as well simply because of the lack of available food, they are essentially starving. Despite that they are growing and I have started to dose 2 part. It may be time to find a Calcium Reactor in the near future.
I have added a couple new fish in the past months as well, a small Convict Tang I thought would help me out with the GHA, and a Springer's damsel I am starting to think is a blue devil.
I am holding out for a Freckle Tang, and a couple Angels as well but again selection is low and prices are quiet high.
This week I have started dosing Vibrant to get the GHA under control. I used this product on my last build and really liked the results, I figured I would give it another try. Today the tank will get its second dose after the 10% water change and I will try to keep this updated with photos as the treatment progresses.

The first photo shows the tank on the day of the 1st treatment. 2nd photo show the tank 4 days after the 1st treatment, I will be doing a 10% WC and then adding the 2nd dose of vibrant.

 

[CCauthers]

How's the acro frag doing?

 

[Ryan Doolittle]

Which one are you referring to?

 

[CCauthers]

Well it feels good to have both MP40s up and running; a big thanks to Jeff at Badlands Marine for hooking me up with a cable extension, hit him up if you need one for your tank. The amount of detritus they pulled from the rock upon start up was surprising for how much I pull out with water changes. I may have to consider some sort of mechanical filtration sooner rather than later.

I also picked up new bulbs for the light fixture, should be good for another year and a half or so. I replaced all 8.

When I was in the store I spotted this colony and ended up buying a frag. Yes that means it has officially become a SPS tank. I hope the frag grows well.

This one

 

[Ryan Doolittle]

It is doing well. It's got some good growth and branching started but with the ULN the color is non existant. Actually all my acros are doing alright and I am seeing growth on most of them. The SSC and a Mille are the only ones stalled out.

 

[Janci]

Hi Ryan, I have been enjoying the thread and build so far.
How are things going by now?

I am also keen to hear what you used to heat the PVC pipe to prepare it for bending?

 

[RCS82]

Looks awesome.

Any updates?