I hope I remember how to do this

[cmaxwell39]

Are we having a nasty fuge contest?

Not a contest for sure, although, wow.

My main concern was that the cheato that I want to grow was getting out-competed by the ugly stuff. Figured if I could take care of the Ingle hair algae it might give the cheato a chance to get better established.

 

[Gablami]

You can’t see it, but I’ve got a floating island of chaeto up on the upper right. I’m placing pellets directly into the chaeto, so hopefully it gets more of the nutrients. Who knows, my phosphates are like 0.02 and I’m trying to keep it up! Probably all going to the hair algae everywhere.

 

[cmaxwell39]

You can’t see it, but I’ve got a floating island of chaeto up on the upper right. I’m placing pellets directly into the chaeto, so hopefully it gets more of the nutrients. Who knows, my phosphates are like 0.02 and I’m trying to keep it up! Probably all going to the hair algae everywhere.

Yep, my nutrients have bottomed out, but since I don't have corals in the tank I don't mind at this point. I can lower the amount of time the fuge light is on to try to raise nutrients when it is time. I just want to give the chaeto a chance to get established.

How is everything doing in the holding tank??

 

[Gablami]

All good, thanks for asking. Everyone now eating. No signs of any spots, but bought some black mollies today and am converting them to saltwater now.

 

[cmaxwell39]

Well, I pulled the trigger. At this price I just couldn’t pass it up.

I will need to order a replacement probe and some other stuff. Not sure how soon I will try to set it up. Until I get some corals in the tank it seems a little pointless to get it all set up and working.

 

[cmaxwell39]

Moved the Kole tang to the display this weekend.

 

[Gablami]

Looks like your ugly phase cleaned up pretty nicely.

 

[cmaxwell39]

Looks like your ugly phase cleaned up pretty nicely.

Still have some algae, especially on the sand bed, but it is definitely waning. With the second tang in the tank, and some additional clean-up crew additions I am pretty confident it is on its way out.

How is everything doing in QT?

 

[Gablami]

All fish are doing fine. Just playing the waiting game...

 

[cmaxwell39]

Here is a quick video of feeding the rank tonight. It is my first time trying to do a video on YouTube so I hope it works.




If that worked you can see that the algae has pretty much cleared up in the display. I am feeding pretty heavy, as you can see, to try to get nutrients up. They have bottomed our at 0 nitrate (salifert) and 0.0 phosphate (Hannah low range).

If the video quality is lacking I just shot it with my phone free hand, sitting at the dining room table in front of the tank.

 

[McCarrick]

This was one of the coolest build threads I've read so far! Following to see where it goes!

 

[F i s h y]

Looking good! Careful with those nutrients at 0 I ran into cyano and dinos because I dropped mine to 0... love your tangs!

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

Got a bit done today. As I said in the original post this build will utilize a basement sump. The basement is unfinished and after talking it over with the wife, it was decided that a fishroom would be “finished” off. The wall of the dining room is on the back side of the chimney, and the fishroom will go on the other side of the fireplace. So it will have an outside wall and a wall that is the cinder block from the chimney. Here is the area the fishroom will be located.

So a trip to Lowe’s was made and a bunch of 2x4’s as well as some electrical supplies and a few pieces of drywall. Should be enough to get the fishroom framed off.

Walls being built. Was a great project for the boys and I to work on together.

First wall up.

Fishroom taking shape.

Forgive me if I missed it, is there a reason why you didn't anchor the walls to the concrete floor?

 

[cmaxwell39]

This was one of the coolest build threads I've read so far! Following to see where it goes!

Hey thanks for the compliment. There are a ton of great builds on here and I am honored that you consider mine so highly. I need to do an update as more fish have gone into the display. I will try to get some pics tonight/tomorrow and get an update for everyone.

Looking good! Careful with those nutrients at 0 I ran into cyano and dinos because I dropped mine to 0... love your tangs!

I am trying to raise nutrients currently. Feeding heavily and the fuge light is only running 2 hours a day. They are very slowly coming up, although still not where I want them. If they don't start coming up some more, I may decrease the fuge ligh even farther.

Thanks for the compliments on the tangs. I have always loved Kole tangs, and I am looking forward to watching the chocolate (mimic) grow up. It should be fun to watch him/her change.

Forgive me if I missed it, is there a reason why you didn't anchor the walls to the concrete floor?

They were anchored to the floor once the set in place. I built the walls and then stood them up and anchored them to the floor and the ceiling. I guess I didn't really outline that piece though. Good catch and welcome aboard.

 

[cmaxwell39]

Well, since it has been over a month since I did an update on the tank I thought it was pretty much time. The last month has been a little hectic. I switched jobs so the tank has not been as much of a priority, but that doesn't mean that nothing has happened.

First off, I ordered a bunch of damsels 8 weeks ago and surprisingly they all made it through QT. I even gave a few away because it was more than I really didn't want that many in the display. I did add the following.

Three Azures:

Three Talbots:

And three Rolands:

And finally for now a full tank shot from this evening:

I have not brought in anymore fish, but am getting close to pulling the trigger on some. I actually went to the LFS to look at one today, but I wasn't happy with how it was acting so I decided to pass for now. I will have a fish or two back in QT soon though.

I got some more pictures tonight while I had the camera out, so hopefully I will have some time to get them ready to post in the next few days to a week.

 

[cmaxwell39]

How about a couple of tang pictures.

Mimic, chocolate, lemon peel, ... This thing has so many "common" names that it is hard to keep track of them all. Acanthurus pyroferus

Kole tang. I know it is kind of common, but when you get one that is colored well I find them stunning. I have never seen one with this much yellow/orange in its fins.
Ctenochaetus strigosus

And a shot with both of them. Sorry, I am out of practice at getting crisp clear photos of moving fish.

 

[JoshH]

Everythings looking great! I need me some tangs, but they will have to go in last for me

 

[cmaxwell39]

Everythings looking great! I need me some tangs, but they will have to go in last for me

Thanks for the compliment. Everything is starting to come together. I was just talking with a friend the other day and had the realization that it has been a year since I put the deposit down on this tank/stand/equipment for this build. I was really hoping to be further along than I am, but with the number of fish that I have in there now, it at least feels like a tank and not just an empty glass box full of water and rock.

Why do you feel like you need to wait until last to add tangs? I have never found them overly aggressive towards other fish unless you get a bastardly powder blue or zebrasoma of some sort. I have never had problems with a reasonable tang attacking a new addition.

 

[Gablami]

How about a couple of tang pictures.

Mimic, chocolate, lemon peel, ... This thing has so many "common" names that it is hard to keep track of them all. Acanthurus pyroferus

Kole tang. I know it is kind of common, but when you get one that is colored well I find them stunning. I have never seen one with this much yellow/orange in its fins.
Ctenochaetus strigosus

And a shot with both of them. Sorry, I am out of practice at getting crisp clear photos of moving fish.

Catching clear photos of fast fish is never easy! Great shots. Beautiful kole! Tank looks great.

 

[Gablami]

Thanks for the compliment. Everything is starting to come together. I was just talking with a friend the other day and had the realization that it has been a year since I put the deposit down on this tank/stand/equipment for this build. I was really hoping to be further along than I am, but with the number of fish that I have in there now, it at least feels like a tank and not just an empty glass box full of water and rock.

Why do you feel like you need to wait until last to add tangs? I have never found them overly aggressive towards other fish unless you get a bastardly powder blue or zebrasoma of some sort. I have never had problems with a reasonable tang attacking a new addition.

I’m also not concerned about the reasonable tangs being aggressive. It’s those unreasonable jerks that you need to keep an eye out for!