210g acrylic dream

[DeniseAndy]

I know, I was suppose to move all the rock over and add the new fishies. However, I am side tracked redoing out kitchen cabinets. Everything is stable, so it will be another week or so.
Kitchen looks different though. Not 100% sold yet. Rest of family hates it. Too bad, I did the work, I pick the color.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Okay, all rock and corals moved this evening. Lights are out, so not pictures. The clams will not move yet.

Got a mantis in the rock and he is really beautiful. Not the normal green type I am used to from Caribbean. He is now in my 40g until I decide where to make his home.

 

[DeniseAndy]

So, after I put all the rock in and have cleaned a couple times since, I had not seen my ear muff wrasse. I know they hide and it is out when I am gone during day, but I was seriously accepting the possibility of it dead.

Guess what!!!! I cleaned the front and side today and it was out! Swimming all over the tank and eating. Super excited. I mean made my entire month! SOOOO pumped. My family did not get it, but still feeling the jitters.



This is the dog in background.

 

[DeniseAndy]

All is running smoothly right now. Just battling hair algae since I cannot add clean up crew until my pyramid snails die out. Darn things. So clams still in qt, but all else settled in and doing well. One of my malu carpets is not doing well at all, but I have been ill all week and have not had the energy to remove and treat. Will try by tomorrow.

My male angel did have a swollen eye, but after about 4 days it went down. I began them on a triple antibiotic food and will continue for the full 10 days, but I think it was an injury, not infection.

My little wrasse is doing great and out every day hunting. She is more methodical in eating, but she gets plenty. She is really turning some amazing colors. Wish my camera could grab them like my eyes can.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Some of my wrasse baby. She is about 2" long. Out and very active. Beautiful creature. Also, my angel pair.

 

[DeniseAndy]

After treating my pink malu for 7 days in a qt tank, I put it back in the system. Not expecting it to recover actually. However, it looks great. I also added my clams yesterday and they are all open and appear happy.

Now it is just watch it grow stage. Need some clean up crew, but happy with what is in there now. No additions needed.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Well, it has been a while since an update. Everything is chugging alone. My pink malu is now doing well in the main tank. The male clarkii has set up home there.
I removed the paly and zoa rocks to add some new ones and prune. They will go back soon.

I did add a new lighting system. After 12 or so years with my DIY one (hubby did it and it was great!) I decided to clean it up a bit and add another set of t5s over the tank. I went with a Hamilton system of 4 T5s (60") and three MH (250w). I had the ballasts and so just ordered the unit without the ballasts included. Saved some money that way.

Currently have it running (except middle MH cuz need to splice in new connector). Looks clean and nice spread. Corals are popping nicely with the colors too. Have 4 ATI bulbs: Two Blue Plus, One Purple, One Actinic. The MH are my Radium 20K. I had the 14K Hamiltons on it, but during thew change of lights, I just changed the bulbs to make move easier.

I will get some pictures soon.

Just waiting on a couple plumbing fittings for my CaRx and it will be back after a few days off. Modifications should make it easier to clean and get some extra power out of it.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Well, the dumb plumbing still has not arrived. Silly special order stuff.

Also, had a big issue in my 20g. No idea why, but went down today and found the smallest saddleback dead. The other three had ragged fins and slime coat issues. Not good. So, tore down the 20g and put the fish in a qt with triple cure. If not better in 3-4 days, will start CP.

All the fish in the 40g (which is using the same sump) are fine with no symptoms. Poor clowns. I am going to get rid of the two haddonnis and the clowns once healthy. I think the 20g will be a grow out tank for my corals to get big before going into the main system. Needed for my zoas.

Always something in reef keeping.

 

[DeniseAndy]

The zoas I got on the zoanthid live sale and some I have from lfs and other sales. In the qt tank and grow out tank. Need a few more before they will not get lost in my 210g.
I am still learning this darn camera.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Others I have growing in qt too.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Well, I was moving my haddoni carpets and never been stung until today. Should have worn my gloves. My had is swollen and hurting. Stupidity never works well.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Okay, huge brain fart. I have an auto feeder for just some dry food to feed the tank a bit. It was working, but at some point I reprogrammed it. I noticed for months that I did not think it was working right. I just never looked into it. Well, finally did just now and I had it set, but not active. So, it probably has not worked since a month after I got it. Dumb me.

 

[DeniseAndy]

So, just spent a nice couple hours on my deck splitting rocks with hammer and chisels. I had some huge pieces and I really wanted smaller ones for my 40/20 and 6g tanks. Plus the larger ones do not lend to making a more open or original aquascape.

So, now from like 10 lb rocks to small at most 2lb rocks. Some turned out really neat.I am going to try the sand and thin glue method. I got a 8oz bottle from our new sponsors, so I will let you know how it goes.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Okay, I played around a bit with the rock and sand and glue.

All I can say is it holds fast and strong. I managed to go through 4 pairs of gloves and still glue the gloves to my fingers and the to the rocks. I used thin ones as it was all I had.

I made a design for the 6g tank. Since it is a traveling tank, I decided I wanted to have the rock be stable and more open to see the creatures. I made two pieces that fit together to make one big structure. I think it turned out great.

Now I will liven up the rock, build up some coralline, and begin to get some corals added. I broke down the 3yr running 6g during the huge break from the outreach programs. hoping to begin this summer again. We will see.
It looks bare because I also add one of my large brain corals, gsp rock and sand corals/animals.

Anyway, this will allow me to take the rocks and corals and animals into a larger system if needed rather easily compared to the old set up. Fingers crossed.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Well, I wanted some nice acrylic frag shelves for my grow out tank. So, instead of paying $100 to get some (this was everywhere for the space and quantity and quality I wanted). So, I got creative.

Ordered these two styles of cupcake acrylic display sets. Two each so I can always have one clean and ready to change out for algae issues.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Next I ordered these:

 

[DeniseAndy]

Next I spent the day drilling holes in the acrylic at intervals I wanted and sizes I wanted. Then I started to bond the legs to the plates. Almost done as they are in the garage setting.

The stands come with screw in legs, but obviously I was not using those. They seem to be bonding nicely without any screws to worry about.

It was easy, kind of fun as I have not really worked much with acrylic. When I get hem in the tank, I will get a picture.

At least I stay busy during this crazy time in the world. Cannot go out and see family, stay home and make stuff for my corals and fish.

Now for more rock work building.

 

[count krunk]

The corals look great, and nice thinking on the frag racks.

There is often something we can repurpose in our reef tanks to save some serious dough

 

[DeniseAndy]

Well, here are the new racks in the tank. I like them.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Well, I had fun today. I put my new rock formations to work in the tank. The main display needed more rock, but I was waiting for inspiration. Making a bunch of new formations out of the old rock was it. Told my husband I was going to add more rock. Guess he was not expecting what I did.

I had to cover the entire area in towels and plastic sheeting. Then I had buckets for the nems and other buckets for rock or coral or other. Then my sandbox to make more formations with my live rock. It was a 4 hour mess.
However, my tank looks great! I cannot get pictures as animals were just adjusting and the tank was a bit cloudy and now lights are off. I will try tomorrow.

I am just missing my sand dweller for fish. I am checking the rock regularly that I moved, but I figure she is in the sand waiting for tomorrow.

So far it has been fun to watch the fish establishing new territories. The yellow tangs are just all over inspecting every little pathway and tunnel they can. The damsels are posturing and looking for new places, but no real fighting. Cannnot wait to see when the corals finally open up. Could be days. I have leathers.