75gal wannabe “mixed” Puppy Bowl

[rayadog]

Thanks to a ripping seam on my 55 we added a few inches on width to a 75 upgrade. This will serve as new tank thread.









Taken in blue half if photo period.

 

[rayadog]

Equipment
Seapora 75gal
Seapora stand

Reefmat250
Sans skimmer for now (the combo was too clean on the 55gal)
Nero 3
Orbit 2
Over rim lifereef overflow box
Dual nozzle return j hook.
Return pump (edit)
Sched 40 plumped with 80 unions, as straight as possible. 45s, no 90s. Plumbed straight vertical from sump.

Bashea 25 (20?, memory I forget) sump

Reef flare pro (edit) have a decent program for now.

Had decent growth on easy sps species over 4-5 months in ultra low nutrient setting. Had to start dosing nitrate even with discontinued skimmer and overfeeding 3 fish. Biggest issue is dinos and generating enough food for clean up crew.

 

[rayadog]

Stock:

Upon just moving fish from 55, to holding 10, to 75 gal lost naked Ocellaris for some reason? Stress? Bullying? Coral damage? All the above?

Currently just left with Domino Damsel (son of a)
Splendid dottyback
hector’s goby (just added to the group upon switching tanks; from 5 gal)

Tridacna deresa

Money cowries x2
Turbo 1-2?
Astrea 3-4?
Blue legs 3-4?
Halloween hermit (had just molted again in 55 before switch)
Thin striped/legged hermit

Spotted a chiton during the switch!

Tuxedo x3
Pencil/sputnik urchin
Pink urchin

 

[rayadog]

Hopefully next couple posts are stock “t=0” for tank “start” and coral growth. Used water, sand and rock from 55 gal. Same sump rubble.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Following Along!

 

[rayadog]

Threw a question mark up there because I recently realized I really only had SPS til I added some torches and frogspawn to accompany the 2 hammers I have (and the struggling acan that I assume took gorilla hits til I got them all).

Here’s some “whites” from today. Guess I was supposed to turn down the blues conversely as well

 

[rayadog]

 

[rayadog]

 

[rayadog]

 

[rayadog]

I have a bad habit of not fixing my frags to the rock. Aside from the couple cyphastrea and hulk monti that have grown off, nothing is fixed. I like to make sure I have placement right and then I tend to not finalize it. For some reason, the cyphastrea on top of its own rock island, that had to get put in a cold brute bin for a few hours, bleached a little of it’s top; interesting enough. Par was matched… except I spun it around because I wanted it angled towards the light more. Touchy.

3 Torches frogspawn and candy cane are new to my light as of the 18th so was kinda just letting them feel it out along with the flow for a bit.

 

[rayadog]

Welp, Hector is victim to my guess the Domino. But could be a number of factors in the big change. Domino has numbered days now. Will be trying to trap

 

[ReefTankENG]

Nice tank! I like that big clam. What kind is it? I've never been able to keep one past the 4 month mark.

 

[rayadog]

deresa. It’s the oldest thing in the tank. I’ve had it for almost a year now and it’s doubled in size. It doesn’t like too much light but doesn’t mind flow. It moved further away from my light and closer to my powerhead. They’re supposed to be one of the more beginner friendly ones; but they live long and grow big! Thanks!

Nice tank! I like that big clam. What kind is it? I've never been able to keep one past the 4 month mark.

 

[ReefTankENG]

Do you spot feed it phytoplankton? Or does it just live on whatever is in your tank?

 

[rayadog]

Do you spot feed it phytoplankton? Or does it just live on whatever is in your tank?

I haven’t fed a lot believe it or not. I might’ve broadcast phyto every couple weeks if I remember. Just started doing phyto regularly for my bacteria/dino problem. I don’t do any spot feeding as of yet. It’s on my mind for everything in my tank.

 

[rayadog]

I had a hob biowheeel filter for months til I was able to get a sump set up. I think my clam was my filter til then . Tank was fallow for great lengths of time so I only popped a couple pellets in every now and again for good measure.

 

[rayadog]

New corals! Added a dream bubble coral species! Nothing crazy fancy, but 10-15 years ago, you didn’t see them a lot. Also elkhorn monti?? Yes please. I also added an extra black light torch, a pagoda cup coral, purple hammer and ponape birdsnest. I also purchased a blue sympodium and a free hollywood stunner chalice that I threw in my 5 gal for now; they looked suspicious like they could be hiding something or someone.

duncanopsammia buddies!

Clam in cranked up whites

 

[rayadog]

Just took better whites today of my tiny frags

 

[rayadog]

Took to dosing some Dino-X last night at around 2am. Had a Dino population pretty heavy former setup.; super low nutrients, possibly auto top off biofilm, and maybe old DI cartridges. There isn’t nearly as many dinos in new set up as I replaced/added some old pukani/tonga rock for fuzzy dino marco man made rock.

So I tried to address some things today. Hid my top off reservoir in adjacent closet finally. Replaced some of the cartridges in my DI filter. Soaked ATO and tubes in citric acid just cause and washed all the biofilm I could reach. Started a new ATO reservoir as well as I was stupidly using a former “live ocean water” product jug which was probably just cultivating stuff somehow; idk.

Open new salt bucket today as I finally finished off my boxes and boxes that I bulk bought years ago. Did the tiniest water change just siphoning dino bubbles and fuzzy build up. Acclimating Dino Destroyer pods in sump to add tonight. Wasn’t really impressed with the volume of pods in a $100 bottle from Reef by Steele; like at all. Seriously. We’ll see how they do. If I can tell at all.

Also tried to put the damsel trap in to start feeding in it but that was hasty as the silicone/weights for lid were not set yet. I also stupidly forget to put weights in the bottom. Tomorrow maybe.

 

[rayadog]

Some top down while I had a lid off

Loving this new purple hammer

I think i need to angle this, it was more horizontal and bottom heads can’t be getting much light now.