Cancun's Red Sea Reefer 750 XXL upgrade

[cancun]

On a better note....after I starting feeling better I rearranged some rock, I added a pair of orange spotted file fish, and a pink with neon green center tube anemone. I may add another torch or hammer coral this weekend. I kind of had to get myself back into my tank again. I will never give up this hobby, over the years I have had things happen, I learn from it, pick myself up and keep going! LOL! Here are some pics I took yesterday.

 

[cancun]

An easy build to follow with all of the beautiful images!

@NY_Caveman you are awesome! I love checking out your thread too!!! Although you take much better pics than me.... LOL!

 

[Blackice615]

It can be tough but keep your head up.

 

[cancun]

It can be tough but keep your head up.

Thanks!!!! ◉‿◉

 

[cancun]

Hi everyone!!!! It has been along time since a updated my build thread. The file fish ultimately didn't make it, so lesson learned, I won't try them again.

Several posts ago I tried a Red Sea Regal, and he was sort of eating at the store, but I couldn't get him to really eat here. So I lost him. I won't try one again. Such a shame they are so difficult. I have six Leopards and a China Wrasse for many years with no problems. The Regals are so beautiful too.

I have been having fish issues lately. My huge Dejardini Tang was outgrowing my tank. Trust me when that happens, even if you love the fish the best thing to do is find a good home for him. I was sad because he ate out of my hand, but I found him a great home in a 500 gallon tank. He will be much happier. He would swim fast back and forth and bully my other fish. He even stressed my large Emperor Juvi so much he actually died. I had him for 7 or 8 months. With my issues everything else is fine. I was so upset about fish issues I thought of getting out of the hobby.....only briefly though. We all go through that at one point or another!!!!

Here are some pictures guys! Thanks to all of you at Reef 2 Reef for your support and encouragement all these years!!!!

 

[Joelgama]

I read you full thread a few days ago and have served me as inspiration to start a RS 750 soon and although I have been reading and learning a lot from everybody in this site I am learning from you that it may be very difficult to keep fish alive but I will still try on this big tank. Was planning on keep it simple as freshwater but I have been promising my wife for a while to a a coral and fish center of attention in our home and with all of you great experience sharing here I will work hard to make it a success. Cheers

 

[cancun]

I read you full thread a few days ago and have served me as inspiration to start a RS 750 soon and although I have been reading and learning a lot from everybody in this site I am learning from you that it may be very difficult to keep fish alive but I will still try on this big tank. Was planning on keep it simple as freshwater but I have been promising my wife for a while to a a coral and fish center of attention in our home and with all of you great experience sharing here I will work hard to make it a success. Cheers

Good for you!! Thanks!!! I believe in sharing both the good and bad things that happen in my tank so people can hopefully learn from it. I know that's how I learned. I can't wait to see how your new tank turns out! If you have any questions I will be more than happy to help.

I have had my shares of ups and downs over the years. The key is to learn from it, get up and dust yourself off, and keep going! This hobby is very rewarding....just have patience, learn from your mistakes and the mistakes from others, and do your best! I know your tank will be beautiful!!!!

Cheers!!!

 

[Grossman90]

You ever have issues with that many leopards together?

 

[Devaji]

sorry for the fish lose, that can be a real heart break for sure. I do wish the regal angels where easier to keep one of my top 5 fishes .
tanks looks good corals and other fish seem really happy.

glad you fond a new home for the outgrown tang!

 

[cancun]

You ever have issues with that many leopards together?

Hi there! No issues. They were all added at different times. The largest leopards will tell the new Leopard who is boss for a few days and that's it!

 

[cancun]

sorry for the fish lose, that can be a real heart break for sure. I do wish the regal angels where easier to keep one of my top 5 fishes .
tanks looks good corals and other fish seem really happy.

glad you fond a new home for the outgrown tang!

Thanks! Yeah loosing fish is tough. I saw nice regal the other day, but passed it up. It was hard too! LOL! I had them eating good and everything, than out of nowhere dead the next morning. I won't try it again. LOL!!!

Yeah glad ol sailfiin went to a nice big tank! It was tough but he was getting to be cranky. You have to know when it is time. He grew fast too!

 

[cancun]

Wow! It has been so long since I updated my build thread. 2020 has been a rough year for everyone, and I certainly wasn't immune. Had some ups and downs with the tank. The worse came in June and July. I added a little large changing Queen Angel on an impulse buy. I have always been pretty good at restraining myself from impulse buys. Not this time though. So I put him in the tank, he did good for a few weeks, eating and everything. Woke up one morning and he was dead. Was fine the night before. Checked all water and it was my normal results.

Long story short that was the beginning of a series of events that almost caused me after more than 10 years in the hobby to give it up.

Not long after that I lost my healthy Juvi Emporer Angel I had for a long time, a day after that I lost my fat and healthy Potters Angel. All my Wrasses were totally fine, including my purple tang.

 

[cancun]

Fast forward to July. I had the opportunity to buy a nice fat adult Emporer Angel. He ate at the store, I was hesitant because it is a store I rarely use. Put him in the tank, he was ok for about a week, then he went down hill. I went to Cancun for a week and my mother n law stayed at my house to watch the tank and my dog. I got a frantic phone call while in Cancun that a fish is stuck to the over flow, and the water is cloudy! I was like OMG! The fish was that Emporer Angel dead.....! It was there for a few days and she didn't realize it. She was good enough to remove it. Also she had a hard time closing the lid on the algae grazers so sheets of algae were all over the tank.

 

[cancun]

Soooooo....when I got home at 10pm my tank was a total mess! Not her fault at all. Will have a different strategy next time. Sheets of seaweed were wrapped around both mp40s impeding the flow. So my huge carpet nem moved all the way in the back of the tank. I had 10lbs of sand in the sump (bad idea) for a year, which is a nitrate factory as well. I tested the nitrates and they were 80 ppm.....they were at 40ppm when I had all those unexplained fish deaths in June. I thought they were 10ppm, but had a expired Red Sea test. I ordered a Salfert and got those readings. So I stayed up all night making 40 gallons of RODI water.

 

[cancun]

So the next day I did a 40 gallon water change, and used a shop vac to remove all the sand from the sump. Moved the carpet nem back to his spot also. Checked nitrates and back down to 5ppm. I know the sand trapped a lot of nitrates. Also in the mess I lost my prized Aussie gold torch!!!! Also lost a few SPS too. The other ones browned out, but are coming out of it and coloring back up.

 

[cancun]

I was so wanting to throw in the towel. I am not a quitter though. So fast forward to now....water parameters have been stable. I added some bubble corals and a few others. I added a flame back pygmy angel and a couple of fish as well. I traded in my large fox face, my yellow Coris, my Solor fairy Wrasse, and my very large Dejardini sail fin tang. All went to great homes. I have a nice Potters my favorite LFS has for me in there Display tank. I will pick him up in a couple of weeks. So things are looking up. The key is in this hobby there will always be ups and downs, but never give up.

 

[MERKEY]

So glad you didn't throw in the towel!

You have an amazing tank and thank you for sharing. Can't wait to see how great it progresses with the stability you have going on!!

 

[najer]

Very honest, looking forward to the comeback.

 

[cancun]

Here a pics I took today!

 

[cancun]

Thanks guys!!!;. I appreciate the encouragement! I can tell you next time I won't be letting my mother n law add seaweed. LOL!