Land Shark's 109 Reef Savvy Build

[Chrisfish]

Beautiful tank!!

 

[Land Shark]

I also quiet like chromis and how they school along together.

Mine are over 2 years old now and have grown significantly and are beautiful looking fish now. I started with 7 I think originally and the 5 I have now have been 5 for a long time so I assume they have established their hierarchy now.

Great pictures as well by the way!

5 of 7 chromis after 2 years is awesome! I hope I do as well as you have.

Thanks about the pics. I’m using a clip on style orange filter lens made for any smart phone. The filter seems to help. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0774JB8BQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_p4MEBbMZY303X

I may need to pick up a dslr camera soon for those close up shots.

 

[Land Shark]

I've also started with 7 and now down the 6. Funny how the smallest of the small is still alive I was for sure he would be the first to go.

I know what you mean!

 

[NY_Caveman]

A couple more pics taken this week.

A lot of folks like the way the chromis’ school together. I know that I do. Interestingly enough, when I added the chromis, they made the tank so active that all the other fish seemed to stop trying to claim a territory. The powder blue and the largest anthias in particular gave up trying to play tank boss. The chromis just do their thing and go wherever they want. They move around fast enough that no one can ever really bother them.

Tank is looking great! The Chromis are small, but together, have a big presence.

 

[Land Shark]

Beautiful tank!!

Thanks mate! If all goes well, it will have a lot more SPS in the year ahead.

 

[Land Shark]

Tank is looking great! The Chromis are small, but together, have a big presence.

Thanks NY! They definitely have more of a presence than expected.

 

[Land Shark]

Today is day 14 using this new spinning cheato refugium and PO4 tested just now at 6ppb. A week ago it was 23ppb and the week before 64ppb. No doubt, this is a turn for the better.

As you can see in this video algae is growing in thicker. What's really amazing is that there are is absolutely algae die off anywhere. Maintenance should be a breeze.



Are there any known issues feeding GHA to tangs? I can't imagine that being a problem but I figured I would ask just in case. Thanks

 

[Land Shark]

These frogspawn frags are a recent addition. They seem to be open all the time and create a nice movement in the tank. Pardon the gel setting on the iphone camera, its a bit much.

 

[Land Shark]

Added a few new frags this week and this one is my favorite. It's called ARC Patrick Star. It's been in the tank for 3 days now and seems to be happy.

 

[Land Shark]

Hello Reefers,

I'm always interested in a second opinion so take a look at these numbers and let me know if you have any suggestions. I think the high ZINC may be caused by an SPF-50 skin lotion containing zinc that I started using in the past few months at the advice of my doctor. My hands go in the tank at least once a week and I can see that as a cause. The Tin I don't get.

Several SPS frags have STN'ed or are just hanging in there.

Thanks

 

[najer]

Dodgy magnet on something?

 

[Land Shark]

Here is the latest on what has turned into more of a science class than a hobby. Frags are still just sorta hanging in there. Maybe a little better but no real growth or health.

After doing a 10 day treatment with cuprisorb, I had another ICP analysis. Below are the results along with the last 2 tests focused on Tin and Zinc, which are both high.

Tin ideal level is 0.1 ug/l.
6/5/2018 14.0 ug/l
9/25/2018 40.0 ug/l
10/4/2018 48.0 ug/l

Zinc ideal level is 4 ug/l
6/5/2018 50.00 ug/l
9/25/2018 514.00 ug/l
10/4/2018 23.58 µg/l

The cuprisorb treatment seems to have helped to reduce the Zinc but not the Tin. In fact, the Tin level is rising.

All I can think that may be the cause is three extruded aluminum brackets that rest just 4 inches over the water on the display tank. These brackets that hold an ATI T5 lighting fixture over the tank. The brackets are held in place with screws. The screws and brackets don't look like they have rust but at the same time, the brackets and screws are part of a DIY effort and aren't specifically made for salt water tanks.

Always interested in ideas and feedback so please like and reply with any feedback or suggestions.

 

[Land Shark]

I haven’t posted in a while so here is an update for you all.

I think I may have found the source of the unwanted metals, mainly tin and nickel. This reefbright XHO light fixture has rust on the two side bolts.

I’ve removed this fixture for the time being. Ive been running Cuprisorb For a couple weeks now and I think it is helping. The corals are showing signs of improvement. I’ve also ordered enough TLF metrasorb to treat 500 -800 gallons for unwanted metals. After a month of doing that, I’ll get another ICP test.

I’m posting this info in case someone else runs into this problem in the future. Heavy metals are an invisible coral killer.

 

[Land Shark]

The fixture was previously mounted very close to the water as you can see here. I’ve ordered a hanging kit for the ATI. I’ll mount to reefbright to the ATI when the times comes.

 

[Land Shark]

I’m in the process of removing the sand now. A shopvac with narrow nozzle helps. The goal is to be able to improve water flow and reduce nitrates. When I started this build my daughter and I painted the underside of the tank white so it should turn out decent.

Now I’m trying to decide if I want to cover the bottom with zoas. It may create a colorful look. Let me know if you have any suggestions on that.

 

[Land Shark]

Hello all,

I may have finally found the source of heavy metals. I just realized it this morning when I was cleaning my sump. I have a large filter sock that appears to have a metal, not plastic ring. The ring is soldered together and I've been using this filter sock for months. I assumed that the ring was a heavy duty plastic but I was wrong. The filter sock recently started showing rust stains. I hadn't even noticed that.

I bought the sock from dudadeisel.com. It is a 600 micron sock and isn't one that is typically used in an aquarium.

 

[Land Shark]

According to reference. com, solder alloys are made from a mixture of tin, lead, brass and silver. Solder made from tin and lead has a lower melting point, while brass and silver are used to create an alloy able to withstand higher temperatures. This metal ring hidden inside the cloth liner is making the cloth rusty right at the point where the ring is soldered together.

Wikipedia states "solder should also be resistant to oxidative and corrosive effects that would degrade the joint over time."

So clearly this is an issue.

 

[Land Shark]

I've removed the ring and hopefully this will solve the heavy metals problem once and for all.

 

[Land Shark]

We have a new addition. He’s been in QT for a week. This was mainly to get him used to eating frozen shrimp without having to deal with competition. During this time I was able to observe him and make sure there aren’t any apparent issues. The QT included a 1/2 dose of prazi pro and a 1/2 dose of chloroquine phosphate just for good measure.

For the next phase, the blue streak has been moved to a jug that I put in the display. There are about a dozen small holes in the plastic jug toward the top. He’ll stay in that for a few days so the powder blue can get used to him.

 

[Captain Quint]

Great thread Land Shark! Thanks for sharing it.

My all-time favorite from SNL skit!!!!!!!!! hahahahaha