Keith's IM 100 INT

[crabgrass]

I have a couple of merite snails and an emerald crab in the fuge (plus pods). My Chaeto has all basically melted away, but there is hair algae down there. Not sure what the issue is with the Chaeto - maybe need iron?).

I am on the fence if it’s smart to have snails and stuff in there. The end up getting out of the fuge area and will eventually get into the pump.

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

I have a couple of merite snails and an emerald crab in the fuge (plus pods). My Chaeto has all basically melted away, but there is hair algae down there. Not sure what the issue is with the Chaeto - maybe need iron?).

I am on the fence if it’s smart to have snails and stuff in there. The end up getting out of the fuge area and will eventually get into the pump.

I was thinking a pencil urchin, turbos etc…big things. These like the dark too for when they’re active.

 

[crabgrass]

Sound like a logical idea. I am really confused why the fuge isn’t taking off . I started with a softball size of Chaeto and it’s melted. 12 hrs of light + decent movement from the sump and a UV pump.
Possibly micro nutrient issue or really needs more movement

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

Sound like a logical idea. I am really confused why the fuge isn’t taking off . I started with a softball size of Chaeto and it’s melted. 12 hrs of light + decent movement from the sump and a UV pump.
Possibly micro nutrient issue or really needs more movement

Haven’t done a Fuge. But I thought about placing a couple mangroves in the overflow box. Just not sure how the light would look.

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

Sound like a logical idea. I am really confused why the fuge isn’t taking off . I started with a softball size of Chaeto and it’s melted. 12 hrs of light + decent movement from the sump and a UV pump.
Possibly micro nutrient issue or really needs more movement

how much "glow" do you get from your fuge light at night? or did you cover it up?

 

[crabgrass]

how much "glow" do you get from your fuge light at night? or did you cover it up?

You see the outline of the pink light through the doors. However, in my setup it does not seem into the room.

I am using the IM Chaeto light as well, and the way they positioned the holder for it in the tank, there is minimal seepage into other areas of my sump. The only place algae is growing is in the fuge

 

[crabgrass]

New Additions​

So story time (might be a long post). In my 20g (which transferred over), I had 2x Clowns, a Royal Gramma and lawnmower. They transferred very well to the new tank back in December/January. Early January, I added a Juvenile Yellow Tang (just a baby) and a Yellow Eyed Kole Tang (~4"). Everyone has co-existed perfectly. Kole did mostly its own thing, and the Yellow hung with the Clowns in a corner most of the day (although it does venture out). Out of the group, the lawnmower was the bully, always playing overwatch and bossing the two Tangs around.

We decided to add some new Additions:

• Foxface - Love the way they look and their behavior. It will round out our Algae control squad
• Melanurus Wrasse - Parasite Control, plus amazing fish. Is this a wise decision in a tank with 115+ inverts? Probably not, but we will see
• Watchman goby + Pistol shrimp - Something to keep the sand moving, and they are a halarious pair. Again - smart combo with the Wrasse?

The Journey and Delay

I ordered the group from Dr. Reef, and they were shipped on Thursday, for a Friday AM Arrival time. UPS notified me Friday AM, they were stuck in Kansas city - and would arrive on Monday. I assumed everyone would be goners - as thats 96+ hours in a bags, in cold temperatures. Fortunately Dr. Reef has an awesome relationship with UPS and registered as a Live animal supplier. I sent him a note Friday AM, and within 30 minutes (without him or I doing anything), the status was changed to Saturday Delivery. So 48 hours - not as good as 24, but WAY better than 96.


Arrival and Acclimation

They arrived Saturday AM, and all fish were alive. The box was actually still warm as well. The foxface and wrasse looked like they had a rough 48 hours.

Per Dr. Reef's instructions, I skipped the temperature acclimation process (because of the delay) and had a 2g Container with heated low salinty water (1.20-ish). Livestock were added to the water, and over the course of 60-90 minutes, I slowly removed water from the container and added in tank water until it matched my salinty.

The Goby looked perfectly fine initially. The Wrasse and foxface appeared to be on deaths door (labored breathing and laying on their side), but over the course of time perked up. I know they are shipped in some chemicals that probably slow their metabolism down, and some of that may have been working through their system as well

Adding them to the tank

I poorly timed adding them to the tank. it was about 11:55 AM, and didn't think about my auto feeder running at 12 PM. The Goby tactically disappeared and avoided the warzone. The Tangs went on a full court press:

Yellow gang went after the wrasse, and the Kole (approximately the same size as the Foxface) immediately started chasing the Foxface. The foxface didn't seem to give 2 craps, and just put up the barbs. The wrasse immediately dove into the sand (only thing sticking out was their tail). For a bit, I was not sure of the Wrasse just died of shock.

This continued for most of the day. The Wrasse re-emerged in the afternoon, and the Yellow Tang tailed him the entire day. This time less aggressively, but it did not leave its sight.. The foxface tried to chill, but would receive frequent bullying from the Kole. It eventually just had to stay at the top of the tank.

A Truce?

I woke up this AM, and the foxface was sleeping in a cave (when i went to bed, he was sequestered by the Kole to the top of the tank). All of the fish are eating a lot and using the full tank (much more than before). We also had a breakthrough in the last 8 hours and the Tangs are now eating Nori. I guess the new competition made them open their minds a little.

The Kole and the foxface capable of being close to each other. At least sort of. Oocasionally the Kole will take a run at the foxface. The foxface basically goes inverted with the barbs up.

We are hoping the peacekeeping mission is a success.


The Goby and Pistol Shrimp - MIA

Zero clue where the pistol shrimp and Goby are. I put the shrimp into the tank earlier, (to give it a chance to hide from the wrasse). It disappeared into rockwork/sand within 5 seconds. The Goby was added with the other fish. It pearched itself on some rocks for a bit and then disappeared from sight.

My hope is that they were able to find each other and are burried somewhere in the sand. It is also entirely possibly they are in the Wrasse stomach. I guess if I see a pile of snails somewhere we'll know better.


More Additions?

This is a lot of fish for a tank thats pretty new. The latest newcomers went through a ton of stress and would like to make sure everyone is healthy for a bit before adding anything new - in addition to the general disposition of the fish.

We're at our limit in terms of space for big fish for a 48" tank. The Yellow is still a baby, but assuming it stays healthy, we'll have 2 Adult Tangs (albeit smaller varieties) and a foxface. That's a lot and enough for the Tang police to be called.

A few weeks ago, we filled in some rockwork with Corals (some from old tank and a few additions). Over the next 3-6 months I would like to slowly add a few more LPS, and then SPS in the summer.

Fish wise, we'd like to add some schooling fish (Cardinals and Anthias maybe). Open to other areas as well. I love Wrasse's but a Melanurus in the tank is probably self limiting other Wrasses you put into it. Or risk a lot of aggression.

Anyway, time to sit back and chill. Watch these guys hopefully get along and stay healthy.

 

[crabgrass]

A few updates over the last week:

1) Fish are all doing well. Tang / Foxface drama is cooling down. They seem buddy buddy at the moment. The Kole still will not eat Nori that is attached to a rock or hanging. Foxface and little yellow tang destroy it within an hour

2) New wrasse is doing fine. Sleeps in the sand 14 hours a day (6 pm - 8-ish). Then active the other 10 hours of the day. Eats anything I put into the tank. Fortunately I have not witnessed it eating any crustaceans yet. It will follow humans that walk around the tank and expect food.

3) Goby and his shrimp friend have been reunited and digging holes all over. I am slightly regretting getting them due to all of the construction, but it is so funny watching them work.

4) Corals are all holding up really well. The Gonis I got have added new heads and spresdinf. Hammers are also really really spreading out.

I have been feeding a light dose of Phyto nightly and a reefroids slurry once a week.

We’re adding a bunch of new corals (softies and LPS) to fill in a lot of the rock work. Keeping the top clear for some SPS in the future.

5) Nutrients are climbing up. N - 17, P - 0.22. Given that it’s going to be a mixed reef, I am not shooting for ultra low numbers, but want to keep things in check. I am going to try and use the following protocol:


- NP Bacto Balance - recommended dose for new tanks under a year. This is a form of carbon dosing and theoretically will keep numbers in check. If they are stable (not growing)

- refreshing Fuge. The Chaeto I had basically died. IDK if at one point i bottomed out nutrients at some point and it died, or didn’t have enough iron. Seems weird that it didn’t make it 6 weeks, but maybe something with new tank

- if P doesn’t get in check will start adding RowaPhos to help drive it down. I am afraid of bottoming out, but don’t want to hang around 0.3

- Keep up with weekly WC. My goal in April is to start tapering to every other week, if I can keep everything balanced (eg numbers steady week to week). If not, I’ll keep it up until we can get there — if ever

 

[crabgrass]

Construction in progress:

 

[crabgrass]

View of the reef today:

 

[crabgrass]

Maintenance Routine

I thought I would outline what I have been doing for routine maintenance.

Mid-Week (Tuesdays Night or Wednesday AM)

• Replace Filter Socks - Replace twice a week. The dirty socks get a quick rinse in a sink and then into a bucket in my garage. See below for filter sock cleaning
• Clean Glass with scraper (Tunze Strong)
• Add Tropic Marin Reef Acif (recommended Dosage)
• Add water to CO2 Scrubber
• Add Iron supplement (Chaeto Grow)
• Rotate Fuge/Chaeto if required

Weekly

• Mid-week Maintenance (minus Reef Acif)
• Clean filter sponge + Bubble trap sponges - remove from the sump, wash off in hot water, let soak in water+ couple caps of vinegar for 30 minutes. Final rinse with RO water and add back to tank.
• 10% Water Change. Replace 9 gallons of water (from the sump). I use the python kit and hook up to the sink to drain the water, along with a pump to get the newly mixed saltwater into the tank
• Microbacter7 (Recommended dose)

Monthly

• Pick one mechanical part (pump, wavemaker, etc.) and clean it

Filter Sock Clean-up (when bucket gets full)

• Soak in hot water + Oxyclean for 8-12 hours
• Wash in Hot Water / Heavy Load with oxyclean
• Light Wash + Seachem Prime in the water softener area

 

[crabgrass]

This afternoons view of the tank (some new LPS and softies)

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

Maintenance Routine

I thought I would outline what I have been doing for routine maintenance.

Mid-Week (Tuesdays Night or Wednesday AM)

• Replace Filter Socks - Replace twice a week. The dirty socks get a quick rinse in a sink and then into a bucket in my garage. See below for filter sock cleaning
• Clean Glass with scraper (Tunze Strong)
• Add Tropic Marin Reef Acif (recommended Dosage)
• Add water to CO2 Scrubber
• Add Iron supplement (Chaeto Grow)
• Rotate Fuge/Chaeto if required

Weekly

• Mid-week Maintenance (minus Reef Acif)
• Clean filter sponge + Bubble trap sponges - remove from the sump, wash off in hot water, let soak in water+ couple caps of vinegar for 30 minutes. Final rinse with RO water and add back to tank.
• 10% Water Change. Replace 9 gallons of water (from the sump). I use the python kit and hook up to the sink to drain the water, along with a pump to get the newly mixed saltwater into the tank

Monthly

• Pick one mechanical part (pump, wavemaker, etc.) and clean it

Filter Sock Clean-up (when bucket gets full)

• Soak in hot water + Oxyclean for 8-12 hours
• Wash in Hot Water / Heavy Load with oxyclean
• Light Wash + Seachem Prime in the water softener area

how's the water change through the sump working? I had planned to do that but wanted to keep the heater elements under water and the rock too.

 

[crabgrass]

how's the water change through the sump working? I had planned to do that but wanted to keep the heater elements under water and the rock too.

Non-issue. After I stop the pump the water level goes up about 3-4 inches in the sump. I do stop the heater as well, just in case.

I drain out about 10g of water (3 inches of sump water) and then pump back in 10g. Using the Python and a pump in my garage for the Saltwater I can do it in about 10-15 minute total time.

I hesitated buying the Phytho kit because it seems overpriced, but has been worth every penny it’s so fast and clean

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

Non-issue. After I stop the pump the water level goes up about 3-4 inches in the sump. I do stop the heater as well, just in case.

I drain out about 10g of water (3 inches of sump water) and then pump back in 10g. Using the Python and a pump in my garage for the Saltwater I can do it in about 10-15 minute total time.

I hesitated buying the Phytho kit because it seems overpriced, but has been worth every penny it’s so fast and clean

I keep thinking to buy the AI Axis 40 pump for water changes. Seems easy the way it's designed and right gph. Was using a 1000gph pump but it's bulky to drop in the tank and returning water at that rate is too strong so just was using a siphon lately. For the 32biocube I found it's a lot easier to just use a 1/2 gallon pitcher. Something to look into is swapping vinegar for citric acid. sold in canning supplies in stores. Should increase your O rings life over vinegar.

 

[crabgrass]

Target Parameters and Things Being Dosed/Fed

2 months in, here is what I am targeting and adding as I start to try and dial in/maintain parameters. I had been dosing Phyto as well, but ran out. Switching to a half dose of Reef AB+ that I had leftover in my fridge.


Target Parameters: 8.25-8.5 dKH, 425-475ppm Ca, 1450ppm Mg, 0.10-0.15ppm PO4, 10-15ppm NO3
77.8-78.2°F, 34.8-35.2ppt Salinity, 7.90-8.25pH, 150-275 PAR (sand bed to middle)

Nutrient Control: GFO (as required to keep P below 0.20, but above 0.1), Tropic Marin NP Bacto Balance (0.8ml), Chaeto Refugium

Salt: Tropic Marin Pro Salt
Dosing/Treatments (daily): AFR (8ml), Half dose of Red Sea ReefEnergy AB+ (8ml)
Coral Supplements (weekly): Polyp Lab Reef Roids + Benepets Slurry
Trace Elements (weekly): Chaeto Grow, Tropic Marin Reef Acif
Bacteria (weekly): Brightwell microbacter7
Automated Feeding (daily) 3x Daily Pellets (New Life Spectrum Marine Fish/AlgaeMax and Nyos Goji Berries)
Manual Feeding (daily): 2x Mysis Cubes, Half Strip of Nori
Vitamins: Brightwell GarlicPower, AminoOmega (every 2-3 days)

 

[crabgrass]

I keep thinking to buy the AI Axis 40 pump for water changes. Seems easy the way it's designed and right gph. Was using a 1000gph pump but it's bulky to drop in the tank and returning water at that rate is too strong so just was using a siphon lately. For the 32biocube I found it's a lot easier to just use a 1/2 gallon pitcher. Something to look into is swapping vinegar for citric acid. sold in canning supplies in stores. Should increase your O rings life over vinegar.

Here is the pump I use for water changes. I bought it as part of a package with the Phython, but its the same thing. Its a Sicce Ultra Zero Utility pump - I can put it in a 15 Gallon tub and it will drain all but the last 1/8 of water in it - pretty need.

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/sicce-ultra-zero-utility-pump-793-gph-3703748?cm_mmc=PSH%7CGGL%7CCCY%7CCCO%7CPM%7C0%7C7ToihifihjCfwQNzxc75W9%7C%7C%7C0%7C0%7C%7C%7C18151225844&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAloavBhBOEiwAbtAJO5Jp3xUE94rZcKYhJLklzoWvKyKb82IJUnfumnkjtrOi_FfAf9FenxoCqHoQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[crabgrass]

. Something to look into is swapping vinegar for citric acid. sold in canning supplies in stores. Should increase your O rings life over vinegar.

Agreed. For mechanical pieces, I am moving to citric acid. For soaking the sponges and stuff, I think the vinegar is OK

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

Here is the pump I use for water changes. I bought it as part of a package with the Phython, but its the same thing. Its a Sicce Ultra Zero Utility pump - I can put it in a 15 Gallon tub and it will drain all but the last 1/8 of water in it - pretty need.

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/sicce-ultra-zero-utility-pump-793-gph-3703748?cm_mmc=PSH%7CGGL%7CCCY%7CCCO%7CPM%7C0%7C7ToihifihjCfwQNzxc75W9%7C%7C%7C0%7C0%7C%7C%7C18151225844&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAloavBhBOEiwAbtAJO5Jp3xUE94rZcKYhJLklzoWvKyKb82IJUnfumnkjtrOi_FfAf9FenxoCqHoQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I looked at that pump many times but thought the flow rate would be too strong with already using a 1000gph. That's why I thought 400gph. But possibly the 185g smaller one would be OK. Also thought of gravity feeding it from the balcony. I picked up 7.5 gallon containers from Cabela's for $20 something. Thick and has a control spout. Was thinking to use those with a long hose.

 

[crabgrass]

I looked at that pump many times but thought the flow rate would be too strong with already using a 1000gph. That's why I thought 400gph. But possibly the 185g smaller one would be OK. Also thought of gravity feeding it from the balcony. I picked up 7.5 gallon containers from Cabela's for $20 something. Thick and has a control spout. Was thinking to use those with a long hose.

Ah OK. For draining the sump, I use the python connected to a sink faucet and it creates suction and drains the water out of the sump. I fortunatly have a utility sink about 20 feet from my tank. So that pump does not need to go into the tank. This process takes about 5-10 minutes total (including setup and getting hoses out).

The pump sits a trash can in my garage where I mix the saltwater and pumps it out. This takes about 5 minute to pump 10 gallons of water from my garage to the tank. Keep in mind, its traversing probably 45' in the house (non-linear, with a lot of 45's and differences in elevation), so the GPH coming out is way less than 800 gph.. probably closer to 120 (based on my guesstimate of 10 gallons in 5-ish minutes).

Putting the hoses back and draining them is another 5. In general it takes about 15 minutes end to end (+ however much time it takes to navigate a messy garage)