How did that happen.......there is a 260 gallon aquarium in our walkout basement family room now....Not anymore

[Jeto2004]

Halfway through the week. The fish in QT are doing good feeding well. Starting to give them Metro+ soaked food. They seem fatten up a little. Although still have copepods floating around the sump and tank, feeding them with phytoplankton once a day.

While the DT is still clean like a whistle, besides a light haze on the glass the QT starts to show some algae growth....interesting......

Had my let’s see what’s going on in the sump evening and found that I now have two pineapple sponges and more growth on the life rock. And found this on the return pump:

Looks almost like an aluminum bloom and is directly at the seem of the to plastic parts. Wondering if this is something organic or the seem is cracked.....will post although in the equipment forum, but if you see this and know what it is please let me know.

 

[Jon Fishman]

looks like an adhesive that hals melted out of the pump. sure it’s not from the pump itself?

 

[Jeto2004]

looks like an adhesive that hals melted out of the pump. sure it’s not from the pump itself?

Whipped it off last night, had a gelatin like consistency to it. Will see how if it come back. Don’t the know, the pump runs, and doesn’t give me an failure warning.

 

[Jeto2004]

More live starts to show up in the tank! Would like to ID to understand and record what’s showing up.
First these should up on the glass.

The other one is the rest of the shrimp I used to cycle the tank. The bacterial bloom around it receded over the last couple of weeks. However tonight I noticed the black lines on it. They definitely move like some kind of worm.

Let me know if you have any knowledge what these both could be!

 

[Jeto2004]

Testing time. First testing with my new set of Hanna checkers:

The tank is cycled but hasn’t received a water chance since we filled it up! Will have to set up the automated water change soon.


pH with pHep - 7.9 close to the reading from the Neptune probe - so my pH is a little low potentially
NO3 (salifert) 2.5 ppm
PO4 ULR 0.06 ppm
Alk - 8.6 dKH
Calcium- 348 ppm

 

[Jeto2004]

Started to mill some rough cut lumber for the doors - looks like I will have to make another run to the lumberyard.

 

[Jeto2004]

Since the wood needs some time to release tension after rip and cross cutting to rough size I tackled the sump lids. The cats took a liking to sitting on top and it seems at times that one day they will en up in the sump if I don’t make something more permanent or actual doors. Since humidity control is important to me I decided to start with the lids. Cut some old polycarbonate that I saved for years to the size of the openings with 1/4 inch overlap on all sides. Second step was to make templates so that I can route out spaces for all the inlet, manifolds and cable slots. Wish I could have done that before the sump was in the stand.

 

[Jeto2004]

Could not get myself motivated to get dirty tonight so instead started to think about a fish stocking list for this tank:

Not sure what corals will be in it but the changes are high it will be a mixed reef

That is what I currently have in mind - certainly not fixed in stone but want to see what you guys think - any suggestions welcome


Stock List:
In quarantine:
2 Clowns (juvenile)
2 Purple Firefish

Future:
Tangs:
Desjardini Sailfin Tang
2 Yellow Tang
Kole Tang
Blonde Naso Tang
Powder Blue Tang

Maybe a few angelfish (I know miss or hit) - suggestions

Others:
Midas Blenny
Banggai Cardinalfish
Royal Gramma (daughter wish list - terratorial but with 260 gallon could we add 2?)
A Sand sifting Goby or two - suggestions?


Down the road:
A Dragonet or pair

 

[Jeto2004]

Got myself into the garage to work on the sump lids. Looks like routing polycarbonate is harder than wood less forgiving as it starts to melt if you not careful. Not perfect but it will do.

 

[Jeto2004]

Couldn’t resist and set up the refugium light to give it try. Cross beams are to thick for the light clamp - will have to fasten a strip of wood to the cross beam that I can us to fasten the light clamp on - not a big deal. Great little light, very simple with a dimming switch. But thus far I like it. Question - should I just suspend it over the lid or cut a whole into the lid?

 

[Jeto2004]

Big day yesterday! Decided to drill the sump to hook up the external skimmer. Also had to redo the external skimmer placement due to mechanical changes in our utility room. We went to a tankless water heater. Started around 11am and was finished by 11 pm. Still have to clean up the mess left behind I couldn’t deal with last night.

 

[Jeto2004]

So after I had my morning coffee - drawn out since I knew what was coming - I ventured downstairs to clean up behind my project that went into late evening hours. While I cleaned up I couldn’t help myself and added two things.

1)Screwed on a wood block for the fuge light foot clamp.

2) Added a reactor to the skimmer run so I don’t have to fish media bags out of the media compartment in the sump to run carbon - probably more efficient too. Still have to find a good way to secure the return house to the sump.

 

[Jeto2004]

Sad evening, lost another of the fire fish during QT. I think it was my mistake. I was misreading the ammonia alert badge with the acriflavine in the QT and didn’t do enough water changes. Learning from my mistakes but currently upset about myself.

 

[Dsnakes]

I kept a trio of Royal Grammas in my 125g. They did extremely well together. I’m sure it’s hit or miss though as I have seen stories that didn’t go as well.

I say it’s worth a shot though. Amazing little streaks of color

 

[Dierks]

You are learning, even if they are the tough lessons. The best part about all of this is after you are done being upset with yourself, you will not make the same mistake again. We are human, we make mistakes. Learn from it and you will be a better Reefer. You are doing great, and your build is beautiful so keep it up!

 

[Jeto2004]

You are learning, even if they are the tough lessons. The best part about all of this is after you are done being upset with yourself, you will not make the same mistake again. We are human, we make mistakes. Learn from it and you will be a better Reefer. You are doing great, and your build is beautiful so keep it up!

Thank you for your encouragement, I really do appreciate it.

 

[Jeto2004]

All the fish in QT are fine - however the two clowns may have been the offenders that pushed the one fire fish over the edge.....maybe time to put them all into the DT.

 

[Jeto2004]

Found some time to set up AWC from garage saltwater storage tank to DOS into sump return chamber and from first sump chamber to DOS to drain line. I calibrated the DOS with out the run initially. Currently its running for a couple of days at it seems to work. Maybe I’m just imagine it but it seems that the water level in the return chamber is rising very slowly and the ATO has not kicked in during the last 30+ hours - will have to watch out. Starting to think that the calibration I have done with out the RO/DI tubing run was not ideal and will have to redo it with the tubing in place.

Also installed some level sensors in the skimmer cup. First I just wanted to install a float switch. However the float switch stem was not long enough to go past the lid return ring (what ever the term is for the foam breaker on the lid) so irrationally I drilled the skimmer cup to install an optical sensor, but that makes emptying the cup difficult. So after thinking about it I come up with a solution by extended the stem. I’m glued some RO/DI tubing the the stem now it goes past the foam breaker. Now I have two sensors in the cup. A little overkill. I think I will remove the optical sensor and use the drilled hole for feeding the AWC water into the cup and drain the cup into my AC condensing drain. Kind of an auto cleaning set up.

I programmed the Apex to reduce the skimmer pump speed to 40% speed if the switches are triggered.

 

[Jeto2004]

The clowns are in the house - exploring their new dig. The Fire Fish disappeared into the rock work - was to be expected. Hope I will see him again soon.

 

[Jeto2004]

Happy to see this guy coming out of the rock works during feeding.....