45 Gallon JBJ Build

[BirdGuy21]

Trying to figure out my light. It’s a JBJ Pacifica 108W LED. I have the box but no instructions. Per a quick google search the only “manual” I can find is something from JBJ that’s seven pages long and mostly talks about making a drip loop; not very helpful. The outside of the box says:

The remote doesn’t give a lot of options however:

Turned the blues all the way down to get a better look at my algae. Here’s a few shots from around the tank.

With the blues back on:

 

[BirdGuy21]

Here’s what my skimmers are pulling. This is from overnight from both units, just dumped in one collection cup.

 

[BirdGuy21]

Quick update from a visit to a few LFS in the area, checking out some stocking options. I've had a pgymy angel, coral beauty, flame angel, and diamond goby recommended. Really like a Melanurus wrasse and a falco's hawkfish. The royal gramma's are stunning as well.

 

[BirdGuy21]

Well this was an eventful weekend. Some of my chaeto from the refugium overflow got into the skimmer chamber, clogging up the skimmer and presumably burning up the motor. Found that the back of the overflow chambers were all clogged with either chaeto or bits and pieces of what I think are marine pure blocks and sediment. Took everything out and siphoned it all out, so did a five gallon water change. Bad news is I think the skimmer is broken- it makes a loud noise and the water level doesn’t make it halfway up the skimmer body.

In other news, I got my aquascape together today. Drilled and cut fiberglass rods and have to rock soaking in bleach and water. Also tested high range nitrates with the expired Red Sea kit- read between 12-16.

 

[Muttley000]

I like the scape! Did you take the skimmer pump apart to make sure there was nothing in it?

 

[BirdGuy21]

Thanks! Can’t wait to get it in the tank. The drilling wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be...we’ll see how piecing it all back together goes. Every piece is numbered and I have pictures of each piece from different angles and a map to put it all together.

The skimmer pump was clogged with chaeto, which I cleaned out. However there was a rubbery like smell to it, so I think it burned it up. I’ll try to mess around with it again but I think it was clogged for too long and ran itself out.

 

[BirdGuy21]

Update on the tank. I had the rock soaking in two five gallon buckets with about half a gallon of bleach between the two from Sunday morning to Wednesday night. Drained and rinsed the rocks and soaked them in RODI water and sea chem prime at 10ml per bucket-so enough to treach 100 gallons of water. Let them soak for 24 hours and as of last night they are drying off in the workshop. They still have a faint smell of bleach so I am wondering if I didn’t use enough prime or soak them long enough. Going to wait and see what happens once they are completely dry. My workshop room stays pretty cold so they are still fairly damp, considering it’s in the 20’s outside right now. I might have to move them into the basement under a vent.

 

[BirdGuy21]

Whoops, duplicate posts.

 

[NY_Caveman]

I did two weeks with dechlorinator. 100% water change in the middle. Might have been overkill, but never had an issue.

 

[BirdGuy21]

I added in enough dechlorinator for 600 gallons, per seachem prime measurements. Going to let it sit for a week and see, might do a water change on Wednesday on it.

 

[BirdGuy21]

Just a quick update on the tank.

After a couple days soak in seachem prime and a few days to dry out completely the rocks were ready to piece together. We wrote a piece by piece list to keep track of which rock went where. The left side of the tank cams together nicely, with the exception of the JB Waterweld not holding. The right side needs some more work though and ended up being cut back a bit to reduce some of the bulk on that side. I turned my powerhead up a couple settings to help increase flow. Will be keeping an eye out for dead spots.

Overall I have to say I’m pretty happy with How if turned out. Hopefully it will be decent for coral placement and growth going forward.

 

[Muttley000]

I like it! When do you plan to start adding coral?

 

[BirdGuy21]

I like it! When do you plan to start adding coral?

Thanks! Tried to create some dimension without making it too bulky.

Hopefully in a few weeks. Need to research some beginner corals and get some ideas for my stocking list.

 

[BirdGuy21]

Not too much exciting to update as of yet, except for some future plans. I did cut my lights back to only an hour a day for feeding to reduce the diatom breakout. My small CUC wasn't able to keep up. So I do plan on adding my first additions and increase my CUC. So far the tentative plan is to add an Emerald Crab for detritus/excess food, Fighting Conch, and about 10 mixed snails-most likely a mix between Margarita, Trochus, Cerith, and Nassarius. Need to scope out some LFS to check out their selection and if I can't find them locally I will order online. Before I add them to the tank I'm going to increase my lighting schedule to produce more food for them.

Coral wise I am looking at some zoas, leathers, and mushroom corals. If I'm feeling adventurous I might consider some hammers, favia, candy canes, blastos, or acans.

 

[BirdGuy21]

Went out and bought a salifert nitrate test kit yesterday, as my api test was hard to ready and the Red Sea was expired. Came out to about 30 nitrate. I’m thinking this must be some residual breakdown from the rock added as I feel my bioload is light and I feel sparingly. According to the api test my phosphate is at .25. I did a 5 gallon water change and will see where that takes me.

 

[BirdGuy21]

Pick up a Red Sea Reef Foundations today and rested the parameters.

Calcium 430
Alkalinity 10.3
Magnesium 1400

Added some more CUC today.
-2 trochus
-2 turbo
-2 margarita
-1 nassarius
-1 tiger conch
-1 emerald crab

Checked out the frag tank- picked up a $5 zoa frag and $15 candy cane.

 

[BirdGuy21]

Well I take it as s good sign that the candy cane sent out tentacles after lights out last nice. I have some frozen mysis so I might try and feed a bit tonight if it does it again.

 

[BirdGuy21]

So it's been a while since I updated this thread. Overall tank is progressing nicely. Knock on wood, but I think most of the diatom outbreak has abated. Either that or my CUC is really good at taking care of it. I mostly only get diatoms on the sand during the day. I want to add a diamond goby as one of my first fish so hopefully he will help take care of that down the road. I glued down the candy cane today as it seems to be doing well where it's at. It looks like it's starting to split into a new head. It sends out its tentacles every night and enjoys bi-weekly feedings of mysis shrimp. It is still more a dull green but definitely brighter than it was in the first picture I posted. The Zoa is has a new poly growing and has really colored up as well. Nitrates have been reading around 10-12 between weekly water changes.

I took a drive to the LFS today and added a blasto and some GSP. Blasto seems to be opening up nicely, GSP is still closed up. I have the blasto on the sand for now, GSP on my rock bridge in a higher light, higher flow area. I'll see how it takes there and make any adjustments necessary. About two weeks ago I traded in the chocolate chip starfish for a free small frag- grabbed a mushroom. I have it on the sand as well and it seems to like it there so far. Not entirely sure on placement for the zoa, mushroom, or blasto yet but they seem to be doing well where they are for now.

 

[BirdGuy21]

 

[BirdGuy21]

Gsp is opening up a bit and the blasto captured some mysis shrimp last night. The candy cane is definitely starting to split-tried to get a zoomed in picture from the other side of the tank.

Looking into upgrading the lighting. I just can’t find any good or reliable information out there on this JBJ light. No par readings, not even very many reviews. I want something I can trust can handle whatever I put in the tank down the road. I’m leaning toward a Kessil A360X, or two 160’s based on the advice of a friend. Also tossing up AI Hyrda and EcoTech- so basically the three major brands. I’m not opposed to buying used so I’ve been scouring the for sell forum, Facebook, and craigslist.

Also grabbed a 20 gallon for QT from dollar per gallon. Going to use my old AC50, Eheim Jager, and current led. Still need to pick up some egg crate for a lid and some pvc for caves. Stocking wise I’m still up in the air but I want to for sure add a diamond goby, so he might be the first addition once the qt media is seeded.