Justin's Waterbox 130.4 Mixed Reef

[jlauck]

The Skimmer is also looking like it's almost done breaking in.

 

[jlauck]

Tank Cycle Day 20.

Water Parameters:
Ammonia: 0.0 PPM
Nitrite: 0.5 PPM (on the way down)
Didn't test Nitrate.

Thinking of modifying my stocking plan. I think I want a school of Blue Sapphire Damselfish. I haven't seen them anywhere local, and I think it's a bad idea to try to order fish the week of Christmas. Has anyone else had them in their tank?

 

[jlauck]

Tank Cycle Day 21.

Water Parameters:
Ammonia: 0.0 PPM
Nitrite: 0.2 PPM (on the way down)
Nitrate: 50 PPM

I found the damsels I was looking for locally. I ended up getting 4 of them.

 

[jlauck]

Merry Christmas!

The Tank is Cycled.

Water Parameters:
Ammonia: 0.0 PPM
Nitrite: 0.0 PPM
Nitrate: Will test after water change. I know it's high.
PH: 7.6
Alkalinity: 7.2 dKh
Calcium: 430 PPM

Going to dose some Ammonia tonight and see if it clears out by tomorrow. Then a water change to knock the nitrates down.

Finally testing Alkalinity and Calcium since Santa brought me some test kits.

The quarantine tanks got an "upgrade." My six year old helped with that.

And, well, Springer damsels are still damsels. One of them was getting picked on by another. And by being picked on, I mean getting it's tail chewed off. It's hanging out by itself for a few days. I'll let it loose tonight and keep an eye on them for a while when everyone goes to bed. Also going to start dosing them with copper tonight because Santa finally brought me another powerhead to get some better oxygen exchange.

 

[jlauck]

First Water Change done. I took the ball valve off of my Python hose, and it probably increased the speed by 300-400%.

The clownfish are on day 13 of therapeutic levels of Copper.
The damsels are ramping up and are at 0.81 PPM copper today.

I also released the one Damsel from isolation. He's looking much better now, and they are all in the tank together.

Water Parameters:
Ammonia: 0.0 PPM
Nitrite: 0.0 PPM
Nitrate: 10-20 PPM
PH: 7.6
Alkalinity: 7.3 dKh
Calcium: 430 PPM

 

[Peace River]

Nice thread and beautiful build! Keep up the good work!

 

[iamacat]

Looking like you will be extremely successful. Great start and process. Did you say this is your first tank?

 

[jlauck]

Looking like you will be extremely successful. Great start and process. Did you say this is your first tank?

No. First saltwater tank was in 2004. Been out of it for a few years. Have never done coral, only fowlr.

 

[jlauck]

Nice thread and beautiful build! Keep up the good work!

Thanks

 

[iamacat]

No. First saltwater tank was in 2004. Been out of it for a few years. Have never done coral, only fowlr.

Well you are killing it

 

[jlauck]

No major updates. I did lose one of the Springer Damsel's in QT overnight. Don't know if it was disease or bullying, but, it is what it is. I did a 50% water change, and continued to add Copper Power. Tank is at 1.84 PPM Copper now. All of the others look fine and are eating like champs.

 

[jlauck]

New year update. Phantom feeding the display tank, and ammonia is sill zeroing out. Nitrates are hanging out around 20.

Quarantine Update:
- Clownfish looking good (Day 33 / 24th day of copper)
- Damsels eating like pigs (Day 17 / 9th day of copper)

Also got some new additions. I've been buying fish every 2-3 weeks to spread out their entry into the display tank. I think this is it for now. Gotta get someone in the display tank so I can clear one of my three quarantine tanks!?! Petco and the dollar per gallon sale for the win.

Yellow Eyed Kole Tang
One Spot Foxface
Dispar Anthias

I'll get better pictures with an actual camera at some point here.

 

[jlauck]

I ordered a cleanup crew from reefcleaners. It will be shipping tomorrow for Thursday delivery.

Quarantine Update:

• Clownfish (Day 39 / 30th day of copper) - looking good and healthy. Removing copper from the tank now.
• Damsels (Day 23 / 15th day of copper) - are still damsels. Increased feeding frequency seems to have lowered the hostility some.
• Anthias / Yellow Eye / Foxface (Day 7) - All eating reasonably enough to be ramping up copper. Seems to be hit or miss picking on seaweed from a clip. They will eat it after it breaks loose and is floating around the tank in smaller pieces.

I also ordered a fuge light and octo aquatics baffle. They should be here later in the week. Refugium here I come.

 

[jlauck]

The cleanup crew came in today. Very impressed with Reef Cleaners. I didn't see a single dead cleaner. They are scurrying all around the tank.

 

[cmoore806]

The cleanup crew came in today. Very impressed with Reef Cleaners. I didn't see a single dead cleaner. They are scurrying all around the tank.

right before you feed the tank looks like the water level dropped is this from shutting off return pump? I don't have a tank with a sump so haven't seen this before

 

[jlauck]

right before you feed the tank looks like the water level dropped is this from shutting off return pump? I don't have a tank with a sump so haven't seen this before

Correct. I shut off the pump. I didn't want the food running right down into the sump filter socks. I wanted it to fall to the sand bed.

 

[Nanoreef13]

Love your tank! I have a 130.4 that has been set up for almost a year now. They are great tanks! Cant wait to see how yours comes along!

 

[jlauck]

Love your tank! I have a 130.4 that has been set up for almost a year now. They are great tanks! Cant wait to see how yours comes along!

Looks Great.

 

[jlauck]

The Clownfish are looking good. They are almost out of quarantine.

I picked up what I needed to start a refugium.

Got the awesome Octo Aquatics baffle. Thanks @cromag27

Added an AI Prime Fuge light

and manged to find some cheato from a LFS.

I also picked up a carbon reactor. The surprise waterbox manifold was leaking, but I used some plumbers tape to resolve it. Waterbox really should send a small roll of plumbers tape with their tanks. It's not "required", but I used it everywhere else. I'm debating about building the manifold I was planning on building. I bought the cepex gate valves and fittings before I knew it shipped with the surprise manifold.

 

[jlauck]

No real updates. Quarantine fish are happy, clowns should be going into the DT next week.
Having a pretty good week of cheato growth for the first week:

Planning on doing a water change tomorrow.
Phosphate: 0.11 ppm
Nitrate: 20 ppm

I also rented a par meter from BRS. That will be arriving tomorrow. Gotta get those lights dialed in with appropriate par values.

Starting to see some small amounts of brown algae on the glass. None visible on the sand bed. I am running the lights, so I'm expecting some algae. Gotta keep the clean up crew fed.

Here's a video of an emerald crab just for fun.