Crab's 75 Gallon Reef/Dragon/Snake Tank Car Repair Thread

Crabs McJones · Jan 17, 2020

ScottB said:
I love foxface for how hard they graze in my tanks. I only keep working fish (except for those the wife/kids demand).

I have a few zebrasomas that can match the foxface work ethic. But that fish is magnificent looking. Tell me it only eats pellets so I won't die of jealousy.

She grazes on algae, eats nori sheets like they're going out of style, and loves LRS frozen food

cmaxwell39 · Jan 17, 2020

The corals all look healthy. So good to see after all you have been through.

Great shots of the magnificent and the potters as well. Everything looks like it is rocking right now.

Boxofpurplerocks · Jan 17, 2020

Crabs McJones said:
She grazes on algae, eats nori sheets like they're going out of style, and loves LRS frozen food

I might have missed it from an earlier post (read all the way through but a while ago), but what is your livestock list in this tank?? I'm looking to build a 75 in the near future so hoping to get some ideas for a stocking list.

Crabs McJones · Jan 17, 2020

Boxofpurplerocks said:
I might have missed it from an earlier post (read all the way through but a while ago), but what is your livestock list in this tank?? I'm looking to build a 75 in the near future so hoping to get some ideas for a stocking list.

I stock very heavy as I struggled keeping nitrates and phosphates from staying at 0.
I wouldnt follow my stocking list lol

Idoc · Jan 19, 2020

The reboot is looking great. I've been secretly stalking your new Real Reef Rock in your pics, lol. I'm thinking of trying some of that rock possibly.

The frags look nice!

ScottB · Jan 21, 2020

Crabs McJones said:
Lol! Nope as you see it is how she looks. That is my Magnificent Foxface and shes a beauty isnt she I got her from @HotRocks

Just ordered a Magnificent from Seadwelling today, should be in tomorrow. Hopefully it arrives fat and happy!

Crabs McJones · Jan 28, 2020

So I broke out the red sea test kits last night and did some testing.
Here's where I stand with everything and then i'm looking for some advice.
Alk 8.4
Calcium 450
Magnesium 1440
Nitrate 0 (both vials were white and clear)
Phosphate 0 (both vials were white and clear)
Salinity 1.025
Temp 78

I broke out the seneye last night, and all corals are receiving no less than 250 par, highest I saw was ~425 par.

My question - I do weekly ~12 gallon water changes and have a fully stocked refugium with a Kessil H380 that runs 8 hours a night. Would you change anything to bring nitrate and phosphate levels up? Run the fuge light shorter, or change to bi-weekly water changes?

Thoughts?

najer · Jan 28, 2020

I would try bi-weekly water changes to start as it is easy and saves money!

HairyGary · Jan 28, 2020

Crabs McJones said:
So I broke out the red sea test kits last night and did some testing.
Here's where I stand with everything and then i'm looking for some advice.
Alk 8.4
Calcium 450
Magnesium 1440
Nitrate 0 (both vials were white and clear)
Phosphate 0 (both vials were white and clear)
Salinity 1.025
Temp 78

I broke out the seneye last night, and all corals are receiving no less than 250 par, highest I saw was ~425 par.

My question - I do weekly ~12 gallon water changes and have a fully stocked refugium with a Kessil H380 that runs 8 hours a night. Would you change anything to bring nitrate and phosphate levels up? Run the fuge light shorter, or change to bi-weekly water changes?

Thoughts?

I'd experiment at little by cutting the light back and run maybe 6 hours at night first for a few day and see and then 4 hours. Up your fish feeding a bit if you can perhaps.

ScottB · Jan 28, 2020

The efficient solution is reducing the light schedule (assuming your macro is growing strong) and dumping in more pellet food.
The lazy solution is biweekly water change.
The fun solution would be to add a bunch of big pooping fish.
The nerdy solution is to dose PO4 first, then bring in some NO3 dosing.

Just don't be efficient, lazy, fun and nerdy all at the same time if you can help it.

tripdad · Jan 28, 2020

All I would do is take the opportunity to feed more. Take a look at Bubba's SPS journey thread, he feeds a metric ton each day, great corals, great colors.

User1 · Jan 28, 2020

I was going to say maybe reducing lighting or possibly taking the refugium offline if it is growing some form of algae (assuming it is a source of nutrient export). Another interesting possibility is changing the algae to a form that your fish eat. In my case I use IPSF tang heaven, the red stuff, in my refugium and then feed it to my tangs. The interesting bit is I can control nutrients by taking more out and feeding real vs. sheets of nori or less and more of the other. I was testing this out using a 5 gallon bucket to make sure everything worked and the algae they liked the best. Now working on plumbing in a proper refugium...

In any case the idea noted above on increasing duration between water changes is a good place to start. Saves you money and time (more money) while achieving the same thing probably. May even be able to increase water change interval...more money.

ScottB · Jan 28, 2020

saf1 said:
I was going to say maybe reducing lighting or possibly taking the refugium offline if it is growing some form of algae (assuming it is a source of nutrient export). Another interesting possibility is changing the algae to a form that your fish eat. In my case I use IPSF tang heaven, the red stuff, in my refugium and then feed it to my tangs. The interesting bit is I can control nutrients by taking more out and feeding real vs. sheets of nori or less and more of the other. I was testing this out using a 5 gallon bucket to make sure everything worked and the algae they liked the best. Now working on plumbing in a proper refugium...

In any case the idea noted above on increasing duration between water changes is a good place to start. Saves you money and time (more money) while achieving the same thing probably. May even be able to increase water change interval...more money.

I am feeling particularly impulsive today apparently. Must be the new badge.

I just ordered some tang heaven to replace caulerpa (which I've never had a problem with). I just love the idea of feeding my overgrown macro to my tangs. Do you think you will be adding any (additional) flow within the fuge to grow this or just the sump turnover flow?

User1 · Jan 28, 2020

ScottB said:
I am feeling particularly impulsive today apparently. Must be the new badge.

I just ordered some tang heaven to replace caulerpa (which I've never had a problem with). I just love the idea of feeding my overgrown macro to my tangs. Do you think you will be adding any (additional) flow within the fuge to grow this or just the sump turnover flow?

I do not. To be honest right now my test setup was a 5 gallon bucket lightly aerated. I was ordering some food and snails from them and I was saying to myself that I always wanted to try their macro algae. So I ordered the sample pack. Note to self - you get a lot. Those bags hold a lot so much I wasn't prepared nor did I have room. It came with the green leafy stuff, yellow, and red. Having no idea what to do I threw some yellow and red in the bucket, some in my nano, then the rest in my display tank. True story. Stuff went everywhere like a confetti bomb going on and my wife asked me what I did... In any case tangs didn't touch it for a couple days - it started to take hold but the tangs finally started to work though it and within a week there was zero sign of it left. Scopas, Lavender tangs and a rabbit fish. I think the file fish, azure damsel, and coral beauty got in on the action.

I sent a email to ipsf asking how I could try and save what I have and they suggested the bucket. I have a DIY LED mix of 3 royal blue and 4 cool whites. It was too much light and the algae started to either turn white or light yellow. They said reduce light intensity and that kept it the right color. I think the page on tang heaven or FAQ says this also.

In any case all that is needed is light flow / aeration and it will grow 400% or so mass in a month. I believe it based on what I have left. I have a 18 gallon refugium on order that I will tie into the system, low flow, and believe it will do the job. I'll take the same light and place over the top. Fish really loved the red. Snails the green. Yellow was a mix it seems. I can't say how it will work in the long term but I will say so far the fish love it.

Crabs McJones · Jan 29, 2020

Thanks for the advice everyone. I want to tweek it, but at the same time a part of me is screaming to just leave it alone lol.

RichtheReefer21 · Jan 30, 2020

Crabs McJones said:
So I broke out the red sea test kits last night and did some testing.
Here's where I stand with everything and then i'm looking for some advice.
Alk 8.4
Calcium 450
Magnesium 1440
Nitrate 0 (both vials were white and clear)
Phosphate 0 (both vials were white and clear)
Salinity 1.025
Temp 78

I broke out the seneye last night, and all corals are receiving no less than 250 par, highest I saw was ~425 par.

My question - I do weekly ~12 gallon water changes and have a fully stocked refugium with a Kessil H380 that runs 8 hours a night. Would you change anything to bring nitrate and phosphate levels up? Run the fuge light shorter, or change to bi-weekly water changes?

Thoughts?

Shorten the fuge light. I went from 35 no3 to 5 over a 2 month span running 14 hours, I dropped the timer to 12, then 10, and finally I'm at 7 and am seeing no3 back between 5 and 10 with redsea.