165 gallon reef

[Asp762]

Hello.

I started a 165 gallon reef last August with mostly dead rock from another system. It has been a long road to getting phosphates down with all the die off of the dead rock.

I want to make this a gorgeous tank with help from the r2r community.

Currently, I am battling some brown hair algae and working to make sure it does not take over the tank. Additionally, my SPS has taken quite a hit from the high phosphates and are not what they used to be.

I'll be updating this thread in an effort to hold myself accountable to make the reef tank I always wanted. Thank you.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Is that algae on your back wall? I didn’t happen to see fish— are you planning to add any? Maybe it’s time for an algae-hungry Yellow Eyed Kole Tang...

 

[SPR1968]

This sounds like fun, and great picture

Try and get your phosphate under control, it will help you a lot and if you need any advice just ask.

And welcome to R2R as well!

 

[Style185]

Your skimmer is not working...

 

[ArizonaAquatics]

Phosphates under control and a tang or two should do the trick[emoji1303]if not then you can start to assess other options.

 

[ArizonaAquatics]

Your skimmer is not working...

It looks like it's working to me, just wet skimming. Unless you're seeing something I'm not!

 

[Style185]

It looks like it's working to me, just wet skimming. Unless you're seeing something I'm not!

Exactly wet skimming is not working for exporting nutrients unless you clean every hour! Yep!

 

[ArizonaAquatics]

Exactly wet skimming is not working for exporting nutrients unless you clean every hour! Yep!

Why? Does it somehow leak back into the tank or something?

 

[Jon Fishman]

Your skimmer is not working...

It's making Scotch.......

 

[najer]

Welcome, can you give us some test results please so we know where you are at currently?

 

[Style185]

Why? Does it somehow leak back into the tank or something?

I like my skimmer to skim, not bubble saltwater through it back into the sump.... but if it could make scotch that'd be an added benefit.. no it looks as if it needs to be tuned down to get excess nutrients not just water. But it's my opinion anyhow happy reefing n scotch making

 

[Asp762]

It looks like it's working to me, just wet skimming. Unless you're seeing something I'm not!

Yeah that picture is from when I turned everything on for the first time. The skimmate produced now is a dark greenish brown now.

And there's no way in hell my sump is that clean. I can post a new pic.

 

[Asp762]

Welcome, can you give us some test results please so we know where you are at currently?

Of course, I'll post up the test numbers when I get a chance. My intro was rather rushed so pertinent information was missed.

I'm upping my water changes. I was doing 30 gallons every 3 weeks to a month and now I am shooting for 30 gallon water changes every week until my phosphates are in check.

Unfortunately, I am using well water and I swear it eats through my carbon in the rodi system I use faster than I experienced from any other water source.

My RODI TDS is at an all time high of 11 so I am changing out the cartridges today. I'm sure half of you reading this just had a stroke at that high number.

Finally, my current stock list includes two clowns, a redheaded wrasse, a bicolor blenny, and two anthias (since they killed the other 3 including the Male despite being similar in size). Coral consists of three sps, one of which is a bulletproof monti that can survive world war 3, and two other sticks. I have frogspawn, pallys, zoas, a torch, mushrooms, an acan colony, flavia and a couple others I cannot remember now. This tank is very barren as my transfer over from my 34 gallon cube did not fare well for the SPS.

 

[najer]

Take your time, yeh the 11 tds won't be helping as you know.

 

[ArizonaAquatics]

I like my skimmer to skim, not bubble saltwater through it back into the sump.... but if it could make scotch that'd be an added benefit.. no it looks as if it needs to be tuned down to get excess nutrients not just water. But it's my opinion anyhow happy reefing n scotch making

Yeah I only clean my skimmer maybe once a week lol. I do wet skim occasionally especially after I do some cleaning to pull excess out. I figured that's what he was doing but either way as long as it skims something right?[emoji23] now if only we could figure out a way to make scotch out of it...

 

[ArizonaAquatics]

Yeah that picture is from when I turned everything on for the first time. The skimmate produced now is a dark greenish brown now.

And there's no way in hell my sump is that clean. I can post a new pic.

As expected. Glad to hear its pulling properly now! Sumps tend to get pretty nasty sometimes[emoji23]

 

[Asp762]

Sump pics to show it is a dang mess.

 

[JumboShrimp]

I’m convinced! I’m convinced!

 

[Asp762]

 

[Asp762]

I added some CPU fans to cool the tank down today.