6 weeks into my second reef tank

[Nordy]

Hello,

Moved about 4 1/2 years ago and did not take my first tank with me. Definitely missed having some reef in a living space. My tank now is a 158.5 gallon display with a 40 gallon sump. Lots of sand and rock work and I’m somewhere near 160 gallons total volume. I bought too much sand and way too much dry rock. It’s in my garage.. if you need rock hit me up in Central Washington. I really wanted a BSJ and designed this tank for that particular fish. Loved having a BSJ, but it took a plunge outta my tank through a half inch gap where my screen had an opening in the back. I constructed the diy net screen, but failed on making it just right. Have had quite a few bumps in the road unfortunately. Dropped a nice media reactor and broke the acrylic body, bumped my Ecotech magnetic drive unit with my arm and it hit the floor and won’t work now, lost a copperband that I overswam due to high flow, anemone found a wave maker shortly after introduction, Fire shrimps overnighted by carriers have been DOA multiple times, flooded my garage with RODI water and a few other things testing my drive to be successful at this again. On the flip side, I have 4 beautiful corals, 5 amazing fish and my OCD to get better and be smarter in this hobby are holding true. 5 more fish and 4 more corals expected by the end of this week. Never really did forums in the past but I got lots to gain from experiences passed on by members here and hope to have a thriving reef ecosystem in time. All the best to you reefers!! Sorry for the not so spectacular pics under a lot of blue light.

 

[Nordy]

Ended up getting another copperband last Wednesday and this guy is adjusting nicely, eating like a champ, quite the moocher actually, and not very timid at all. A great new addition to my reef tank and a great fish to have a bond with. Taking the good with the bad and hoping for the best, making peace with the rest.

 

[jamesb07]

Ended up getting another copperband last Wednesday and this guy is adjusting nicely, eating like a champ, quite the moocher actually, and not very timid at all. A great new addition to my reef tank and a great fish to have a bond with. Taking the good with the bad and hoping for the best, making peace with the rest.

Did you have any troubles getting him to eat initially? I have one arriving Thursday!

 

[Nordy]

He actively began feeding on frozen food the day he arrived. The copperband really likes the frozen mix in the San Francisco brand that is a formula for Butterfly fish and angels. I bought a copperband feeder from printedreef.com and it was of little use. I know a few methods that I can pass on to you for training a feeding response if yours does not show any interest in feeding out of water column.

 

[jamesb07]

He actively began feeding on frozen food the day he arrived. The copperband really likes the frozen mix in the San Francisco brand that is a formula for Butterfly fish and angels. I bought a copperband feeder from printedreef.com and it was of little use. I know a few methods that I can pass on to you for training a feeding response if yours does not show any interest in feeding out of water column.

Gotcha I’ll definitely keep you updated I appreciate it!!

 

[Nordy]

Tank is doing well. I’m critical of a lot, but if I sit back and chill, all is well and I should be proud. Still battling an assortment of problems that show up from time to time. Last one was my GFCI outlet putting stray voltage in the fish tank. Think I lost 3 fish due to that. Had a powder blue tang, and it fell ill to ich right before I caught on to the stray voltage, and I imagine that is what stressed it to the point of leading to a bad outbreak. Down 1k in fish since I started stocking tank, but am really enjoying all the rest despite some setbacks. That’s the way it goes. Took these pics today. 27 corals in tank now!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Tank is doing well. I’m critical of a lot, but if I sit back and chill, all is well and I should be proud. Still battling an assortment of problems that show up from time to time. Last one was my GFCI outlet putting stray voltage in the fish tank. Think I lost 3 fish due to that. Had a powder blue tang, and it fell ill to ich right before I caught on to the stray voltage, and I imagine that is what stressed it to the point of leading to a bad outbreak. Down 1k in fish since I started stocking tank, but am really enjoying all the rest despite some setbacks. That’s the way it goes. Took these pics today. 27 corals in tank now!

Glad to see your tank is going strong!

 

[Dom]

Are you quarantining new additions to the display?

 

[Nordy]

I got a quarantine set up. I plan to catch my five fish, get them treated and put in a holding tank for a couple month and let my reef tank do a fallow period of eight weeks. If I can accomplish that, I’ll see about new additions next year. Originally had the notion I wanted a Blue Spotted Jawfish, and I did a lot of substrate and aqua scape for that fishes needs. Long story short, it jumped through a 1/2 inch gap to the side of my screen cover. Now I’m on my second lid I built, and it’s so so. I have a new perspective on fish I’m gonna keep from now on.

 

[Dom]

I got a quarantine set up. I plan to catch my five fish, get them treated and put in a holding tank for a couple month and let my reef tank do a fallow period of eight weeks. If I can accomplish that, I’ll see about new additions next year. Originally had the notion I wanted a Blue Spotted Jawfish, and I did a lot of substrate and aqua scape for that fishes needs. Long story short, it jumped through a 1/2 inch gap to the side of my screen cover. Now I’m on my second lid I built, and it’s so so. I have a new perspective on fish I’m gonna keep from now on.

Are you actually going to dive and catch these fish yourself? If so, QT may not be the way to go.

I would think their immune system would protect them with everything they come in contact with in the wild.

 

[Nordy]

Are you actually going to dive and catch these fish yourself? If so, QT may not be the way to go.

I would think their immune system would protect them with everything they come in contact with in the wild.

I ordered a fish trap online made by NYOS. It’s worth a try. Was supposed to have gotten this last week, but somehow the USPS routed it to Anchorage Alaska. I do use additives like Selcon boost and garlic, and all fish seem great, other than occasional flashing, and the Copperband has got his tail and lateral fins covered in white spots.

 

[Nordy]

Love the six spot sleeper goby. Had it 2 months and it doubled in size. It is a garbage disposal and enjoys every food I add even the seaweed i put on a clip for invertebrates. The eyes are striking, love the sapphire blue spots and white body. My wife enjoys the fish too, ands says it shows off while being observed. It made quite the ridge of sand on one side of the tank where it resides at night. Sand bed is white, but I will mention I think I go through filter rolls quicker with the constant sand sifting and particulates that renter the water column and disperse with my abundant flow.
Long live the Scarlette reef hermits! Copperband is a dick but loved, Flame Angel is pretty fat off pods and frozen foods. Picture of rainbow Stylophora. First coral I added to my tank. Definitely getting obsessed again with reefing!

 

[Nordy]

Got in a Yuma today! I have 4 Yumas now and one Ricordea Florida. That will be my last coral I add this year. Acros will have some choice reef estate down the road, but I’m super pleased with the mixed reef I’ve made. I originally had another vision on how this build would be done and look, but this is how it came to be, and I’m pretty content. 9 fish for now:
Yellowfin flasher wrasse
Splendid fairy Wrasse
Flame Angel
Six spot sleeper goby
3 clowns (Picasso, gladiator, Darwin
Copperband butterflyfish
Chalk bass.
Probably going try to acquire a black cap basslet, purple tang and orchid dottyback to complete my stocking list of fish.
Tank needs a super cleaning, starting with the glass and gyres, but I got next Monday for most of the day to get the chore list done. Anybody got recommendations where to buy sponges? Would like some.