Brand Spankin' New [was 75g, now 120g] for a Newbie

12humuhumu21

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I have no guidance but I like your rock setup.
 
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ShrimpBandit

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I'm still mid-fishless cycle, but I'm in love. ♥️
PXL_20211125_074233284.NIGHT~4.jpg
 
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ShrimpBandit

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Well, we're finally up and running! I've moved a few things over from my old tank, but I won't break it down until I'm sure everyone is happy with the move.

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The stand doesn't have the finishing touches, yet, but I'm glad we went big, even though maintenance requires a step ladder. My old tank did, too, but this one has ample room for the equipment and I can stand without hunching over to enjoy the show! Plus there's plenty of room for additional equipment down the line.

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My skimmer is still getting sorted, but I'm pretty happy with the way things are organized so far... though there's always opportunity for improved cord management.

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Here's what I have going on so far:

120g w/fitted screen tops
Current USA Orbit Marine IC bundle (Dual 48" lights, 1900 gph DC Flow pump with dual returns, 2x 1050 gph eFlux Wave pumps, Bluetooth control, plus an additional 2100 gph eFlux Wave pump)
20g reservoir with Duetto ATO
Eshopps Eclipse L overflow with Bean Animal setup
Eshopps R-100 3rd Gen sump with a filter cup, Marine Pure blocks, and red ogo + chaeto in the fuge with a Tunze Eco Chic Refugium LED
Reef Octopus 110-INT Skimmer
Dual BRS titanium 300W heaters/Inkbird controller

I ran LED strips inside the stand, and even put up a little paper towel dispenser for my convenience.

It's great to finally see some action in the new tank!
 
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ShrimpBandit

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More for my own documentary benefit, but some six-weeks in updates:

Added a CoraLife Turbo-Twist 18W UV sterilizer, finally got the skimmer tuned in, and repositioned the flow pumps to improve surface agitation. Added some more CUC and they're doing a fantastic job keeping the ugly phase [mostly] at bay.

Current challenge is getting the fuge sorted so that my macro wins the battle against GHA.
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Otherwise, I'm happy with the progress. Corals generally look good (though I lost one ricordea - weird, because another ricordea purchased at the same time, placed inches away is thriving) and the critters all seem healthy and active.
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ShrimpBandit

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Oh! And a current stocking list:

1 Tomato Clown
3 Oscellaris clowns
3 Banggai Cardinals
1 Hippo Tang
1 Royal Gramma
1 Coral Banded Shrimp
1 Fighting Conch
1 Tuxedo Urchin
8 Hermit Crabs
A bunch of cerith, turbo, trochus, and astrea snails

Assorted Zoas & Palys
1 Orange Ricordea
1 Rhodactis
Green Star Polyps
2 Rock Flower Anemones

In the future:

More corals!
Goby (Diamond, Neon, or Watchman?)
Firefish
McCosker's Flasher Wrasse
Longnose Hawkfish
Coral Beauty
Zebrasoma Tang (tbd)

Too much? Asking for trouble?
 
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ShrimpBandit

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Well, some things shifted, like they do. I picked up a lawnmower blenny, an emerald crab, and a pretty sweet chunk of frogspawn, along with a few new ricordea. I'm finally getting ahead () of some red slime, thanks to regular maintenance, phyto, and microbacter7. I have a doser ready to roll once I get a better idea of the need for alk and calcium. The zoas are mostly going gangbusters, though the rhodactis is maybe hoping for relocation. Coming soon to the tank community: a new tang! The latest:

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ShrimpBandit

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Not a whole lot has changed, but I do have a few updates. I'm happy to report that I seem to have beaten the red slime!

I re-homed the hippo tang briefly while I was hoping to add a tang gang of smaller varieties), but had to take him back. He went through a bout of what now seems to have been lymphocystis but everything is clear now, and he never missed a beat.

Sadly, the lawnmower blenny didn't make it, due to what seems to be a pretty common problem with them - he ate a lot, but apparently not the right stuff because he just wasted away. I don't think I'd go with one of those again.

I added a coral beauty who was very shy at first, but is now part of a fun trio with the hippo tang and the cinnamon clown (they're all currently about the same size).

I went down to the Reefing USA show in Madison and came back with a pretty good haul of new zoas, ricordea, and rock flowers, along with a candy cane, a Duncan, and few other odds and ends. @adittam also sent me home with some scrambled eggs, a new devil's hand leather and a couple of frogspawn. Everything is settling in nicely, but I have a couple of unidentified encrusters that are still banished to the frag rack as I try to rid them of vermetid snails.

I did have a bit of an issue with one colony of zoas - it remains to be seen whether they'll come back. Turns out, the Bluetooth control on my return pump didn't work after a water change, and my working theory is that a nearby leather did the damage. I have since rearranged the flow pumps so that nothing is downstream from the leather. I tried to treat the colony in the DT with a bag and some Lugol's solution before a water change. I'll keep my fingers crossed and remove what I can if it looks like a lost cause.

Next project will be actually setting up the dosing pumps once I'm home consistently enough to test every day for calibration. At the four month mark, I'm pretty pleased with the progress!
 

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