1st baby calls for a 1st build..let's call it...the BABY BUILD!

[highest_tides]

Viparspectra 165w x2

Thank you @fishguy242 for the recommendation. I looked into and researched as much as I could on these lights. To me, cost outweighed not having a slow ramp up and ramp down and how powerful these lights are on lower settings..Corals look crazy healthy and full. Right now, as you can see from the second picture, I'm floor to ceiling with this tank. I could only get these lights mounted 12" above the water line, BUT, it's a deep tank. I finished my cycle and got my fish and coral transferred and broke down the tank upstairs. Started at 15% blue channel and 1% white and have gone up 5% blue per week. I think I'll stop at 30% blue and 1% white. I need to rent a PAR meter but...life has been going on heavy recently.

Now for my wife to upgrade her FW 20g to the 55g!

Just a quick update.

1ove

 

[highest_tides]

Oh, also right now my timing is 10A blues, 2PM whites come on, whites off at 6PM, all lights at 10PM. So 4hr peak. I've been really happy with these lights so far. Great recommendation.

 

[fishguy242]

hi,and how high are you running numbers?

 

[highest_tides]

20% Blue right now and 1% white

 

[KWT]

Congrats on everything you have going on.
Welcome to R2R, come in sit down and relax, enjoy

 

[highest_tides]

Congrats on everything you have going on.
Welcome to R2R, come in sit down and relax, enjoy

Thanks phriend! My heart and soul found this hobby..but dang it gets pricey! I'm waiting on that right...maybe...sweet find always!

 

[Reefer of Oz]

Nice duder! The final fit and finish looks great! The minimalist type aquascape is sharp, lots of swim space and coral growth. I Love the grand floor to ceiling style. As a cabinet maker, I’d say you nailed it! Is the sump a display fuge or is there a panel over that ultimately? I love a good display fuge.

Glad to see you are finding time to make progress amidst your busy life. It can be a hard balance to achieve. Seems you are making it work.

 

[highest_tides]

My current fish in the tank:

Malenus Wrasse
Banggai Cardinal
Diamond Goby

What I'd like to add:

Couple yellow tangs
Blue hippo tang
Dwarf flame angle
Lawnmower Blenny
Pair of clowns

Any suggestions on order to add? Probably the flame angle last, huh? 165 g volume total

 

[highest_tides]

Nice duder! The final fit and finish looks great! The minimalist type aquascape is sharp, lots of swim space and coral growth. I Love the grand floor to ceiling style. As a cabinet maker, I’d say you nailed it! Is the sump a display fuge or is there a panel over that ultimately? I love a good display fuge.

Glad to see you are finding time to make progress amidst your busy life. It can be a hard balance to achieve. Seems you are making it work.

YES! I've been so busy I haven't had the proper time to invest in my build. But ill get there. Front panel will be simple birch and stained.

 

[highest_tides]

So far in the tank for fish:

Malenus Wrasse
Banggai Cardinal
Diamond Goby
Lawnmower Blenny

What i've decided I want to add:

2 x evansi anthias
2 x yellow tang
1 x blue hippo tang
1 x dwarf flame angle
2 x clowns

That's my total phish list for the tank and added in that order. What does anyone/everyone think? Besides that, the tank is looking great and my coral is looking very happy and full.

My chaeto doesn't seem to be growing much. I have an AI prime on the refugium going through dinos but the tank is clean.

Nitrate between 12-15
phos .03
1.025
Alk 7.0 (baking soda to raise today a little)
Calcium at 423
Mag at 1305

 

[fishguy242]

hi, would suggest only one yellow tang

 

[40g Nano]

1, or 3to spread out the aggression.
Tank looks good so far!

 

[40g Nano]

Oh, and make sure to qt

 

[Reefer of Oz]

Yo yo! Howzit?
I’m hoping your a happy papa and things are well. Toss us an update brother!

 

[highest_tides]

Yo yo! Howzit?
I’m hoping your a happy papa and things are well. Toss us an update brother!

Appreciate the call out Ozzy! Hope all is well with you my friend!

Life has been all sorts of crazy. I ended up dropping off the grid for a while because my father became really sick with pancreatic cancer. My wife and I were away from the tank for three weeks and because of built up nutrients, we got back to a nasty bubble algae outbreak. We got back December 20th and my father passed on the 30th. Thankfully it was quick.

We had to leave in a hurry to drive from CO to FL and only had a neighbor that could follow feeding instructions. In fact, I was only able to leave 32 gallons of top off and when we got home my returns were starting to blow bubbles..

I ended up picking up a Life Reef skimmer locally since my last update,, which I love. The owner custom made me an extra large collection cup which is very easy to remove and clean if needed. The skimmer was quick and easy to break in. I'm basically trying to skim really diligently and manually remove by sucking bubbles outs during changes. Currently doing 30 gallon changes every two weeks and still fighting it.

Let's see...I started using all-for-reef recently and so far it's been going well.

I've also added:

7 Chromis
Flame Angle
Older Snowflake Clown
Rainbow BTA
Indo Torch

Now fast forward to 3/14/21 @ 11:11 AM..my wife gave birth to our healthy baby boy weighing in @ 9 lbs 9 Oz. Henry. We've been sleeping when we can and enjoying every minute. I've been off work for five weeks and still have two to go!

Thanks for following!

LifeReef Skimmer

AquaMaxx Filter roller upstream of Skimmer.

40 watt uv. I have two return pumps. One through this bad boy on low flow.

Rainbow BTA

The guy sold this to me as a Holy Grail Indo Torch. I'm pretty pumped, it's beautiful.

And last but not least. Our dog meeting the new addition.

 

[fishguy242]

CONGRATS... and looking good...

 

[Staghorn]

Hey HT. Sorry to hear about your dad. And congratulations to you and your wife in the baby. I have 3 and I’ll tell you I’m amazed every day how much more I love them. It’s truly a blessing. Regarding the bubble algae. I just beat down a pretty good infestation with some diligence and the help of vibrant. Pretty much only have one or two in the tank and there were many before. Good luck with everything and nice job so far.

 

[highest_tides]

Hey HT. Sorry to hear about your dad. And congratulations to you and your wife in the baby. I have 3 and I’ll tell you I’m amazed every day how much more I love them. It’s truly a blessing. Regarding the bubble algae. I just beat down a pretty good infestation with some diligence and the help of vibrant. Pretty much only have one or two in the tank and there were many before. Good luck with everything and nice job so far.

I've stayed away because I've heard it will kill coralline algae too. What are your thoughts? I've got really good coralline growing on my rocks and backwall.

 

[Eric R.]

@highest_tides, how's the tank looking? And how's Henry?

 

[highest_tides]

@highest_tides, how's the tank looking? And how's Henry?

Hi there and thanks for checking in!

The baby build has officially been wet for one year and I need to set aside some time away from work on Sunday and do a full Update, but here's a quick for now!

Everything has been really stacking, maturing, and growing like crazy. I've started dosing All-For-Reef using a red sea doser. It has been a night a day difference.

After we returned almost a year ago from seeing my father for the last time, we had a horrible bubble algae outbreak from allowing nutrients to take over. I can happily say the baby build is, after 10 months, bubble algae free.

Here's some updated pics for now. I definitely want to dig into a few things going on this weekend.