Ethan's Enchanting Queer Rainbow Reef (Reefer 250 Build)

[Robertellis30]

Looks good! I like my sand about an inch in depth. There’s some issues in the long run that you might run into if it’s too deep.

 

[ichthyogeek]

Did you check nitrate as well to see if it's across the board 0? Or is it just ammonia that's 0 and nitrate is steadily rising?

If you're super nervous, just toss in a chunk of frozen food. Oh, and make sure to quarantine all new additions!!

 

[saltcats]

If it was me I'd definitely add some source of ammonia; the bacteria need something to eat! It's a nice sanity check too, just to make sure it's getting processed before adding any animals.

The tank is looking great so far! My light is arriving next week supposedly... can't wait to join at the "filled and lit" stage

 

[ScubaEthan]

I got Salifert test kits cause they seem like they got good reviews but I find them hard to read by just comparing colors. You'd think I'd be better at that since I'm a graphic designer haha.

Ammonia:
The test vial is cloudy but barely any yellow color is detected. So I would say that means the ammonia is practically 0, at least <0.15.

Nitrite:
Undetectable

Nitrates:
Depending on what light I'm in it looks kinda like 2... But if I look at it from the side vs top down, which is the higher sensitivity version where you divide the number by 10, I'm like hmm maybe 5 (0.5) or could even be 10 (1.0). Ugh! All that this tells me though is that nitrates are probably a little under 1. I also just watched a video of someone else doing this same test and they had similar results where it was hard to tell exactly between the lowest colors/numbers ha.

Seems like my tank is cycled for the most part... but clearly has a long way to go to establishing those good bacteria. I'm going to add more of the FritzZyme 9 and test again tonight or tomorrow and see where its at.

I'm feeling excited but definitely trying to stay patient

 

[ScubaEthan]

Looks good! I like my sand about an inch in depth. There’s some issues in the long run that you might run into if it’s too deep.

Thanks! I moved the sand around again last night and adjusted the pumps to find the new pattern. Here's a picture almost 12 hours later. The sand averages to about 2in and I did that since I want to have a goby/pistol shrimp pair. But definitely open to advice!

 

[ScubaEthan]

Did you check nitrate as well to see if it's across the board 0? Or is it just ammonia that's 0 and nitrate is steadily rising?

If you're super nervous, just toss in a chunk of frozen food. Oh, and make sure to quarantine all new additions!!

If it was me I'd definitely add some source of ammonia; the bacteria need something to eat! It's a nice sanity check too, just to make sure it's getting processed before adding any animals.

The tank is looking great so far! My light is arriving next week supposedly... can't wait to join at the "filled and lit" stage

Weird question... do y'all think I could try with a bit of high quality canned cat food that is sardines and mackerel? Hahaha that saves me a trip from the LFS.
Or... I also have standard home-use ammonia that has surfactant in it. Not sure if that's ok or not... I would be using such a small amount. I read differing opinions online.

@ichthyogeek let's chat about this quarantine thing. I did some reading about this and decided I wouldn't bother with setting up and maintaining a QT, but instead buy from good sources, which a lot of people seem to do. Yet there are still some people who say it is a must. Feels like a hard decision and I honestly feel ok with the risk... but I do suppose a bad experience is going to make me regret that. Setting up another tank feels like so much.

 

[ichthyogeek]

Well, for the fish food question, what's in the cat food? if it's just straight sardines and mackerel, then that's fine. If there are preservatives of the kind you won't find in fish food, then I'd err on not doing that. I wouldn't use ammonia with surfactant in it.

As for quarantine: I recommend quarantine because it's like insurance. Most of the time you'll be fine. Until that really bad time when you don't. Most of the fish you plan on getting would be fine in a 10 gallon QT, and you could use 2 5 gallon buckets for the Tank Transfer Method (Although I really recommend using 4 so you can really bleach them and sterilize them). It's a real hassle to deal with ich in the tank when it does appear unless you're running the equipment necessary to handle ich (UV sterilizer, etc.). I'm the type of aquarium keeper who ONLY runs a protein skimmer and filter sock, so for me, quarantining new arrivals is essential. Unless they're freshwater poeciliids...in which case it doesn't really matter since the majority of communicable fish diseases aren't euryhaline.

 

[ScubaEthan]

12-13-20
Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: close to 0

I realized I was reading the tests wrong by not holding the test vial level when comparing colors. Oops. So those results might have been slightly above 0.

12-14-20
I put in a piece of high quality, low mercury canned tuna. A flake of meat the size of my thumb nail. Around 12:30pm.
At 11pm I tested ammonia and got 0.

12-15-20
Just tested again, the right way!
Ammonia: close to 0, perhaps <0.15. The difference from last night is probably due to the lighting (overcast daylight vs inside lights that cast shadows)
Nitrites: 0.01 - 0.025
Nitrates: 2

 

[ScubaEthan]

As for quarantine: I recommend quarantine because it's like insurance. Most of the time you'll be fine. Until that really bad time when you don't. Most of the fish you plan on getting would be fine in a 10 gallon QT, and you could use 2 5 gallon buckets for the Tank Transfer Method (Although I really recommend using 4 so you can really bleach them and sterilize them). It's a real hassle to deal with ich in the tank when it does appear unless you're running the equipment necessary to handle ich (UV sterilizer, etc.). I'm the type of aquarium keeper who ONLY runs a protein skimmer and filter sock, so for me, quarantining new arrivals is essential. Unless they're freshwater poeciliids...in which case it doesn't really matter since the majority of communicable fish diseases aren't euryhaline.

Okay yeah... I'm getting on board. I haven't had a chance to do more research but I hope to find a chart of the most common communicable diseases and how to remedy them, so that I can figure out which QT method makes the most sense to me and still feels feasible. BRS had a good video comparing different types of QTs.
Thanks!

 

[ichthyogeek]

Okay yeah... I'm getting on board. I haven't had a chance to do more research but I hope to find a chart of the most common communicable diseases and how to remedy them, so that I can figure out which QT method makes the most sense to me and still feels feasible. BRS had a good video comparing different types of QTs.
Thanks!

Try humble.fish (it's a website), it's got most of the common communicable diseases.

Just make sure to quarantine everything (including coral, and inverts!)

 

[powers2001]

Okay yeah... I'm getting on board. I haven't had a chance to do more research but I hope to find a chart of the most common communicable diseases and how to remedy them, so that I can figure out which QT method makes the most sense to me and still feels feasible. BRS had a good video comparing different types of QTs.
Thanks!

@ScubaEthan if you find that BRS video could you post it here. I’m curious as to quarantine tank options.

 

[ScubaEthan]

Try humble.fish (it's a website), it's got most of the common communicable diseases.

Just make sure to quarantine everything (including coral, and inverts!)

Oh thanks! That's a great resource.
Ah you're killing me!
Jk, I'm looking into QT methods for coral and inverts too

@ScubaEthan if you find that BRS video could you post it here. I’m curious as to quarantine tank options.

Oops, it wasn't BRS. But here's the video:

I also liked finding @ichthyogeek's post about fish quarantine process and hope more people comment on it.

Looking for feedback on fish quarantine protocol

I'm working on designing my quarantine protocols for fish. Can I get some feedback on this? I don't want to kill everything. Just...most things. I acknowledge that killing bacteria outside bacterial infections is overkill, and the same with viruses. I just really don't want to deal with...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Astro]

Ah wow I love it! I also just got a reefer 250! Very similar livestock list & wishlist hehe. If you have any suggestions or ideas on my build thread, I'd appreciate it!

Build Thread - Astro's 250 Reefer Mixed Reef Tank

Astro's 250 Reefer Mixed Reef Tank 11/14 12/07: Hey all! I am a new reefer and member of this forum from Canada! I started the hobby with a Fluval 32.5g tank, but after a month in I decided to upgrade to a Red Sea Reefer 250. With a new tank comes a new build thread, and here it is! For...

www.reef2reef.com

Do you know much on the wavemaker placements? I had them on either side but it was a pain scraping the glass around them, and it looks a lot better on the back but I'm not sure how it impacts the flow.

Can't wait to see your updates man!

 

[powers2001]

Oh thanks! That's a great resource.
Ah you're killing me!
Jk, I'm looking into QT methods for coral and inverts too


Oops, it wasn't BRS. But here's the video:

I also liked finding @ichthyogeek's post about fish quarantine process and hope more people comment on it.

Looking for feedback on fish quarantine protocol

I'm working on designing my quarantine protocols for fish. Can I get some feedback on this? I don't want to kill everything. Just...most things. I acknowledge that killing bacteria outside bacterial infections is overkill, and the same with viruses. I just really don't want to deal with...

www.reef2reef.com

@ScubaEthan I watched your video and it was wonderful. One thing I came away with was API's General Cure treatment. If I ever knew anything about this I forgot about it. You put the medication directly in the water where is dissolves and permeates the fish. The video also discussed Safety Stop which I have used many times and had great results. If you can't quarantine, at least you can use Safety Stop. I have also heard of freshwater dips especially for gill flukes. I'm going to try that soon. Here's a video about Safety Stop. I hope you don't think I'm hijacking your thread.

 

[flyfisher2]

How do you all prevent python tubing to get moldy? I cycled bleach water through this tube and tried to squeeze the black areas but it wouldn't budge. I hate to throw away plastic, but seems like I shouldn't take the risk of putting this stuff in my new tank and just buy new tubing. I'm thinking this black tubing to prevent growth?

https://www.lowes.com/pd/HydroMaxx-3-4-in-ID-x-1-in-OD-x-100-8217-Flexible-Non-Toxic-Black-Vinyl-Tubing/1002930998

I pour pure bleach in mine with a funnel and let it sit a day. Good as new

 

[ScubaEthan]

Ah wow I love it! I also just got a reefer 250! Very similar livestock list & wishlist hehe. If you have any suggestions or ideas on my build thread, I'd appreciate it!

Build Thread - Astro's 250 Reefer Mixed Reef Tank

Astro's 250 Reefer Mixed Reef Tank 11/14 12/07: Hey all! I am a new reefer and member of this forum from Canada! I started the hobby with a Fluval 32.5g tank, but after a month in I decided to upgrade to a Red Sea Reefer 250. With a new tank comes a new build thread, and here it is! For...

www.reef2reef.com

Do you know much on the wavemaker placements? I had them on either side but it was a pain scraping the glass around them, and it looks a lot better on the back but I'm not sure how it impacts the flow.

Can't wait to see your updates man!

Thanks! I don't know about the wavemaker yet. I currently have mine on one side full blast and its pushing the sand around in dunes. It's hard to tell how the flow is until I get things in it to see how they move, you know? I just have one ReefWave 45... not sure if I'll need something on the other side. I feel like I do see people put two on the back, either side of the overflow, quite often. I feel like if I see people do something often, it can't be that bad haha

@ScubaEthan I watched your video and it was wonderful. One thing I came away with was API's General Cure treatment. If I ever knew anything about this I forgot about it. You put the medication directly in the water where is dissolves and permeates the fish. The video also discussed Safety Stop which I have used many times and had great results. If you can't quarantine, at least you can use Safety Stop. I have also heard of freshwater dips especially for gill flukes. I'm going to try that soon. Here's a video about Safety Stop. I hope you don't think I'm hijacking your thread.

No worries, you're adding to the discussion I hope to come up with an easy to read chart or at least post my QT method idea here soon.

 

[aurora.k]

Fwiw my captive bred mandarin pair from algae barn are always a fan favorite with visitors. They are really really good looking, and being captive bred eat basically whatever! Also, I highly recommend white spotted Pygmy filefish available captive bred from ORa on live aquaria. So much personality!!

 

[ScubaEthan]

Oh my gosh you have no idea how badly I want a filefish! I have read so many accounts of them eating corals. But I also see some stories of them being great and not nipping corals, so then I convince myself I should try. But I can't decide if the risk is worth it... because then I'd want to rehome it and is that irresponsible? Ah aquarium ethics!

Have you had a pygmy filefish? Do you know which species by scientific name?

You know I had not considered a pair of madarins... new ideas!

 

[ScubaEthan]

Ok so I posted in a local reefing group to feel out if there might be any takers for a little filefish if I get one and it doesn't work in my tank. So that makes me feel better about it ethically. I think I'll try one! Now need to decide which species. Looks like 3 species are available captive bred:
1. Whitespotted pygmy filefish (Rudaria ercodes)
2. Radial filefish (Acreichthys radiatus)
3. Aiptadia eating filefish (Acreichthys tomentosus)

Any thoughts on species that might be less likely to each corals?

 

[TruckerTami]

@ScubaEthan I watched your video and it was wonderful. One thing I came away with was API's General Cure treatment. If I ever knew anything about this I forgot about it. You put the medication directly in the water where is dissolves and permeates the fish. The video also discussed Safety Stop which I have used many times and had great results. If you can't quarantine, at least you can use Safety Stop. I have also heard of freshwater dips especially for gill flukes. I'm going to try that soon. Here's a video about Safety Stop. I hope you don't think I'm hijacking your thread.

Just remember with safety stop, do not use it on fish with no scales, and never put a fish that has signs of ich on it. Some people overlook these small things.