IM EXT 50

[TheWB]

The sand and rox box from @LiverockRocks arrived Thursday without a problem. I have it all sitting in a large plastic tote with dry rock, powerhead, and heater to seed the dry rock. I clipped all of the coral off their plugs, did a 5min Lugol's dip, and then moved them to the frag tank. I will hopefully get the rest of the fish from the 50ext in the frag tank this week/weekend.

I ordered a booster pump for my RO/DI. I always needed one of these, but never had the money for it in the past. I now have 70psi instead of 30psi. I decided to change out the filters while I was installing the booster pump. Everything went well except I couldn't get less then 5tds (checked with both in-line and hand-held). After scratching my head for a day I realized that I had installed the DI resin canisters upside down!

That sounds like something I would do .
At least you caught your error quickly. Took me a few days to realize my most recent screw up.

 

[Arkayology]

Update: I finally got around to draining and cleaning the tank. I will be setting it up again after the holidays. Upon draining and throwing all the rock away, I discovered that my yasha gobie had died at some point in the last couple months. Two clowns, tomini tang, flame angel, and blue neon gobie are in the frag tank with a few frags that survived the dip and move.

I'm going to try something new when I set this tank back up: I am going to put a little cabinet next to the tank for wire management. I'm tired of having a rats nest of wires behind every tank that I have ever had.

 

[Arkayology]

Update!

The tank was cleaned over the course of December. I let it sit over the holidays, but it has water as of 1/1/26.

I picked up a Adaptive Reef controller board to get the power bricks and controllers tamed a bit. It's very packed behind this thing. Also pictured is the second MP40 that I got for Christmas

The water is still getting to temp. Once it is there, I will add the TBS rock and sand that I have been cooking for two months. I won't be turning on the lights for at least a few weeks while things settle. I'll be adding the five fish back into the tank in a week or so.

The frag tank bottomed out nutrients while I was away for the a week during the holidays. I have since figured that issue out. I lost some corals, but those that remain are looking better.

 

[etcee]

Plus, sometimes they have an attitude problem.

 

[TheWB]

Update!

The tank was cleaned over the course of December. I let it sit over the holidays, but it has water as of 1/1/26.

I picked up a Adaptive Reef controller board to get the power bricks and controllers tamed a bit. It's very packed behind this thing. Also pictured is the second MP40 that I got for Christmas

The water is still getting to temp. Once it is there, I will add the TBS rock and sand that I have been cooking for two months. I won't be turning on the lights for at least a few weeks while things settle. I'll be adding the five fish back into the tank in a week or so.

The frag tank bottomed out nutrients while I was away for the a week during the holidays. I have since figured that issue out. I lost some corals, but those that remain are looking better.

Sorry to hear about the coral losses. I really hope this reset works and there’s no more issues with the Dino’s. With TBS rock and sand you should be good to go.

 

[Arkayology]

Sorry to hear about the coral losses. I really hope this reset works and there’s no more issues with the Dino’s. With TBS rock and sand you should be good to go.

I wish it was just dinos. That I could deal with. The toxic P. parvum algae took over and was stunting corals and killing inverts. I am hoping that I cleaned everything well enough and that I never see that stuff again. I will be honest - I am a bit anxious that it will come back

 

[TheWB]

I wish it was just dinos. That I could deal with. The toxic P. parvum algae took over and was stunting corals and killing inverts. I am hoping that I cleaned everything well enough and that I never see that stuff again. I will be honest - I am a bit anxious that it will come back

I hope it doesn't. I think you're on the right track with the TBS rock and sand. It will all work out.

 

[Arkayology]

I hope it doesn't. I think you're on the right track with the TBS rock and sand. It will all work out.

Thanks. I'm hoping to get the salinity up to 35ppt and move the TBS rock and sand in with the ~30lbs of marcorock that has been cooking. Unfortunately, the @LiverockRocks that came in November didn't have same amount or diversity of cool sponges, but it will still do the work it needs to do.

 

[LiverockRocks Verified Sponsor]

Thanks. I'm hoping to get the salinity up to 35ppt and move the TBS rock and sand in with the ~30lbs of marcorock that has been cooking. Unfortunately, the @LiverockRocks that came in November didn't have same amount or diversity of cool sponges, but it will still do the work it needs to do.

Ouch, feel free to dm your name and I'll look at the order notes. As you can imagine every harvest is different.

 

[TheWB]

Thanks. I'm hoping to get the salinity up to 35ppt and move the TBS rock and sand in with the ~30lbs of marcorock that has been cooking. Unfortunately, the @LiverockRocks that came in November didn't have same amount or diversity of cool sponges, but it will still do the work it needs to do.

That's the one disadvantage of not being able to pick out specific rocks I guess. I really wanted some nano rocks with a good amount of macro on them but when I was ready to order last year the hurricanes had blown away all of the macro. What they had was pretty bare. Then stuff happened and I just never got around to ordering. I'll have to check with them in the spring and see if the macro is looking good. I just want a few choice pieces so probably a Treasure Chest is what I'll get again. It will be my third one from TBS. I should have just got a much larger order to begin with, then I'd be done.

 

[Arkayology]

That's the one disadvantage of not being able to pick out specific rocks I guess. I really wanted some nano rocks with a good amount of macro on them but when I was ready to order last year the hurricanes had blown away all of the macro. What they had was pretty bare. Then stuff happened and I just never got around to ordering. I'll have to check with them in the spring and see if the macro is looking good. I just want a few choice pieces so probably a Treasure Chest is what I'll get again. It will be my third one from TBS. I should have just got a much larger order to begin with, then I'd be done.

Yeah, I bet the hurricanes messed with the macros and the sponge. I would definitely recommend trying an order again. I'm already thinking about doing a box with just premium LR in a few months. We will see.

 

[Arkayology]

01/11/26 - FTS after tank tank reset on the 01/01/26

 

[Arkayology]

My Simplicity 10g ATO reservoir sprung a leak from one of the seams. This is the replacement from the original that was replaced because the top separated. I just had to clean up around a gallon of water off the floor because of the seam failure and I get to buy a new ATO reservoir.

 

[TheWB]

That sucks. For the outrageous prices we pay for anything made out of acrylic this should never happen.

 

[Arkayology]

That sucks. For the outrageous prices we pay for anything made out of acrylic this should never happen.

Agreed. I'm not sure if it was due to a temp change and contraction of the acrylic or something else, but these things have two jobs: 1) hold water and 2) don't leak. This shouldn't have happened.

 

[TheWB]

Agreed. I'm not sure if it was due to a temp change and contraction of the acrylic or something else, but these things have two jobs: 1) hold water and 2) don't leak. This shouldn't have happened.

I have one of the 5 gallon IM glass ato containers with the drawer which makes it very easy to fill. However, it was $100 back in 2019 when I bought it and if it ever fails I'm just going with a 5 gal bucket with a lid. This buying expensive receptacles to hold water or additives is madness.

 

[Arkayology]

Not much has changed with the tank. I am just letting everything settle in and waiting for the explosion of algae that is coming. P04 tested @ .4ppm today I've never had a reading that high in a tank before.

I have a local company on the lookout for a splendid pintail fairy wrasse, springeri damsel, and a midas blenny for me.

 

[Arkayology]

I got a new PH probe since I tossed my old one because I felt like I couldn't clean it with peroxide and citric acid and get a reliable reading later. I ended up getting the pinpoint dbl junction probe. I calibrated it twice, once and then a week later, and I am not sure if I trust the readings. It says that my tank ranges from 7.9 to 8.18 pretty reliably. This is during the winter when the house is completely closed up. My previous probe would give me ranges of about 7.85 to 8.15, which I think is more accurate. Since it's been on the tank for three weeks now, I am thinking it is broken in by now. What are your thoughts here?

 

[Arkayology]

I finally decided to get a Plank feeder. I'm pretty stoked about this unit. I bought one of the seconds from Avast's website, but I cannot find anything "wrong" with the 3D printing on this unit.

 

[X-37B]

I finally decided to get a Plank feeder. I'm pretty stoked about this unit. I bought one of the seconds from Avast's website, but I cannot find anything "wrong" with the 3D printing on this unit.

That's a nice looking unit!