Lurking danger 75g Dragon Lair

[SneaksMcdoogle]

Wow, loved this build thread thanks for sharing. The artwork and the passion for the hobby was great to see it all play out.

 

[vlangel]

Wow, loved this build thread thanks for sharing. The artwork and the passion for the hobby was great to see it all play out.

Thank you very much for such kind words! I have really enjoyed this build, more than any tank i have done, and the results were what I was hoping for.

 

[vlangel]

The tank is doing great and all the new stuff has settled in well.

I have been thinking of switching out my AquaClear 110 HOB filter for a Fluval FX 4 or 6 canister filter. The reason is that it would be lower profile as far as equipment. All you would see would be the intake pipe and the the output nozzles. Its dead quiet which is nice since our tank is in the living room. I would fill the chambers with rubble rock and only use floss and/or carbon to polish the water so it would function more as a sump and not need a lot of maintenance. But the FX 6 has a lot of flow and I would have the ability to direct that flow much better than the HOB AquaClear. Finally both the FX 4 and 6 have a valve at the bottom of the canister that tubing can be connected to that I could put out the window and do the first part of a water change without using a bucket! At my age that is a big plus. I already use a smaller brute can with a dolly and pump to replace water so water changes would not be too bad at all. So that's what i am thinking right now. The expense of the canister is making me think on this very seriously to make sure it is what I really want.

 

[vlangel]

In regards to a canister I am leaning more towards Oase canister instead of Fluval FX. I like that Oase has a very accessible pre-filter, (that can be cleaned without opening the canister) and an integrated heater in the canister. I could use quick disconnect valves on the return nozzle and still do water changes with this canister.

Earlier this week I tested phosphates and they were 1ppm while the nitrates were 10 ppm. I was not comfortable with that ratio so I bought some PhosGuard. After just 3 days the phosphates are .25 ppm.

 

[vlangel]

Well I bought the Oase BioMaster 850 canister filter. We set it up pretty easily, although the levers for the prefilter and the hose connector unit are really really tight and hard to move. I am sure they will be easier for me as I use them a bit.

The BioMaster looks and feels well made. Nothing looked cheap or like a short cut was taken. It is quiet. Yes, if my ear is down next to it, I can hear it but it is great for our livingroom, (and actually the most quiet aquarium that I have ever had!). It has great flow with live rubble rock in it. Of course if you are using all the sponges, the flow would slow down significantly. I have ordered the heater that is integrated into it and that will be nice not to have a heater in the tank for an even cleaner look. However, even with a heater in the aquarium currently, this is the cleanest equipment wise that I have ever had with an aquarium. The reef and its inhabitants are definitely the star of the show! Right now I am thrilled with this set up using a canister filter. Oh yeah, the crackling you hear in the video is our fireplace, not the aquarium or new canister! LOL

 

[vlangel]

Today I decided after wiping the glass that I would rinse the pre-filter, (or attempt to since the lever to unlock it was so tight). It turns out that I had to unlock the hose connector lever (and leave it unlocked) to break the suction so then the pre-filter lever moves very easily. Sometimes I am a buckethead when it comes to setting up new things! Anyway, I am so happy with how easy rinsing the pre-filter is,,,I don't need to move the canister at all. I will just wrap a towel around the base of the canister to catch the little bit of water that weeps out when I unlock the pre-filter and lift the assembly into a Tupperware container where I can transport it to be washed. It wasn't very dirty today, I am thinking that I don't need to rinse the pre-filter more than every 2 weeks.

Right before Thanksgiving I will add a fine sponge and carbon to the top basket to polish the water. I will clean that right after our kids head back and that will give me an idea how quickly that fine sponge gets clogged.

I will say that this BioMaster 850 with the heater and pre-filter were the right choice for my me. Its giving me everything I needed/wanted in filtration.

 

[vlangel]

Did a bigger water change today and wiped the glass. Most everything is looking pretty good but of course there are always those zoas that are not opening and haven't opened for the past week. Who knows? The feather dusters look amazing however. I will share 2 pretty pics at both ends of the tank.

 

[vlangel]

More pics from the ends of the tank and cute fish too!

 

[vlangel]

Sadly I found Karl, my Atlantic cucumber stuck to my wavemaker yesterday. All my powerheads had protective covers except that one and its protective cover disintegrated from age.
Karl had a nasty trauma looking area on his side where he was stuck so I don't know how its going to go for him. He's not looking good today. Bummer!

 

[vlangel]

Well Karl did not make it. I am so sad because I misjudged that he would climb that high up on the glass to the 1 powerhead that did not have a protective cover on it. My other 2 vortechs have covers. RIP Karl.

In other news I got my nitrates up to 10ppm by dosing nitrates for about 2 weeks. Hopefully they will hold steady there. Phosphates are a bit high but I can use some gfo and bring it down a bit.

 

[vlangel]

I cleaned and did water changes for the week. I had tested PO4 and NO3 at the beginning of the week and they were in a favorable place for a high nutrient tank. Basically my observation tells me the same because both coral and fish look good.

I rearranged a little of the rockwork to reduce some over zealous palys from spreading in places that I don't want them. It also helped me build up the rock where the mangroves are so that they stick out of the water a bit more.

Finally I removed a Carefree Fish wavemaker that has begun to periodically squeal. I will need to replace it but for now I switched out the spray bar for just a return nozzle so that all the flow is coming out with more flow and force. The overall flow looks a bit weak but it will be ok until I get another powerhead.

The tank is approximately at the 3 month mark and seems very stable for that time frame. So I will be planning livestock additions come the new year including macroalgae, coral and fish.

 

[vlangel]

LOL, ok I did not wait til the new year to buy more fish. Yesterday I bought a solorensis fairy wrasse, a longnose hawkfish and 2 more pajama cardinalfish. This morning all the new fish are swimming comfortably around the tank with no harassment from the former residents. The new fish are eating so I am feeling good about them settling into my aquarium.

 

[vlangel]

 

[vlangel]

Just came home from vacation. The tank looks pretty good but is sorely in need of a water change. We had grandkids since Dec 26th and then left the 3rd to take them home in Charlotte area. We left our kids' home and went to Orlando for 6 days. While we were there we checked out Top Shelf Aquatics which was cool. I actually came home with a macroalgae similar to dragon's breath, a digi, a monti and a lepto. The coral and macroalgae were in the bags for 2 days but everything made it this far. I will see how things look tomorrow?

 

[vlangel]

So I keep finding my new lepto frag pushed over. I have moved it several places in hoping whoever is the culprit will be ok with the new location but that has proved to be to no avail. This morning when I found it pushed over I moved it up against a rock wall so that it would not be as easily dislodge. While I was drinking my coffee I saw Jack Blenny the Midas do the dastardly deed! At least now I know who the perpetrator is. I may have to epoxy it in a small rock that has an indentation so that Jack can't flip it over. What possesses a fish to even care about such thing?

 

[Tahoe61]

So I keep finding my new lepto frag pushed over. I have moved it several places in hoping whoever is the culprit will be ok with the new location but that has proved to be to no avail. This morning when I found it pushed over I moved it up against a rock wall so that it would not be as easily dislodge. While I was drinking my coffee I saw Jack Blenny the Midas do the dastardly deed! At least now I know who the perpetrator is. I may have to epoxy it in a small rock that has an indentation so that Jack can't flip it over. What possesses a fish to even care about such thing?

Who in the heck knows!!!! My yellow damsel was evicted to a smaller tank for the same offensives. Don't mess with my corals.

 

[vlangel]

Who in the heck knows!!!! My yellow damsel was evicted to a smaller tank for the same offensives. Don't mess with my corals.

I moved the lepto in a crevice next to my war coral and some rock. It made it through the night unmolested!

I have a smaller 20g H under the cabinet but I am hoping not to have to move Jack there,,,and that is even if I could catch Jack! Ha ha!

 

[vlangel]

I ended cementing the lepto to a small rock, but too big for Jack to flip over. That seems to have remedied the issue.

Today I got an order from KP Aquatics. CUC; some astrea snails, 2 small hermits, and a cucumber. Fish; a bridled goby, a neon cleaner goby and a tobacco bass. Macroalgae; halimeda, shaving brush, and mermaids fan.

As always KP Aquatics had everything well packed and all arrived alive and in great shape.

 

[vlangel]

I watched this BRS video this morning and found it very interesting.

 

[vlangel]

I am excited to report that the 3 new fish are eating. During the feeding frenzy, the tank definitely looks fully stocked! The gobies and the bass stay quietly hidden until there is food and then everyone is out in full force.

I have been dosing a capful of Flourish for the macroalgae and I believe that it helped the shaving brush I bought before Thanksgiving to last longer than any other shaving brushes I have kept. I am going to dose a capful of Flourish 2Xs a week in hopes of keeping macros thriving even better. I have known that macros use iron very quickly but I don't have an iron test kit so I have been making evaluations based on observation alone. I also have a Halimeda left from the earlier order and now I have 2 more to observe.

Another change I am making is adding AFR to my water change saltwater bin. That will be a more consistent method of adding the big 3; Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium. Everything looks good after 1 water change so keeping my fingers .