Mattgsa 315 gallon build
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OP
OP
Thank you
OP
OP
Thank you. I must say I love the way this worked out.
cmaxwell39
Valuable Member
Not been on in a while, but just saw your story about the new job. Congratulations man. It is more than a little crazy how it all works out sometimes.
OP
OP
Thank you, I love the new job and think my new boss likes me, which is always good. The only downside to this new job is that I have very little free time, and the tank is often ignored. Yesterday I noticed my ORA Bolinia is starting to STN. I think it is due to the fluctuation I have been having in salinity. I'm working on raising PH and dosing Kalk. I'm currently trying to devise an automated way of stabilizing the salinity while not messing up the Kalk dosing. Everything else in the tank looks great, so I'm not looking to change much just because of one coral. However, I do feel it is essential to stabilize salinity regardless.
On a side note, I ordered a Blue Maxima Clam from Vivid Aquariums. I have always wanted one, and I'm looking for to having one in the tank. I hope my fish don't eat it. LOL
cmaxwell39
Valuable Member
Keeping everything happy at the same time is almost impossible when it comes to SPS. Seems like for me a colony will color down as another that hasn't done anything in a long time starts to color up and grow. Then after a little while it all shifts around again.
Then there are those corals that just don't like your particular setup no matter what you do. Everything else can be going great, but that one no matter how many times you try it just won't survive for you.
Why do we do this again?? Lol
Good luck with the new clam. Oh, yeah, glad the job is going well too.
OP
OP
Well, everything was going great until Sunday morning, and my return pump stopped working. I figured it just needed a cleaning since I had never cleaned it. Only to find out the rotor was seized, and I could not fix it even after letting it soak in an acid solution all day. We had to rush across town to the only store that was open for the largest pump they had in stock and some plumbing to get the tank back online. I took a photo I'll post here in a sec. I have ordered another rotor from RE, but I don't know how long it will take to get here. I hope that will fix the pump.
OP
OP
The new rotor should be here on Saturday. I really hope that fixes the problem. I'm still trying to get with RE about warranty. They say that there is a five year waranty but they have not gotten back to me.
On a side note, I got the new Clam, but I didn't get home from work until after the lights went out, so I have not had a change to see it.
OP
OP
With the new job, I hardly have time to even look at my tank, much less take pictures or do any work on it. I am grateful for all the automation, or my tank would be dead right now. I did get a blue maxima clam the other day, and it looks great. I will try to take a picture of it this weekend. Luckily, I noticed the Aptasia on it and was able to remove it so it didn't spread in the tank.
I turned my ATO into one big kalk stirrer, and it works far better than any of the ones I pay hundreds of dollars for. I think the trash can was 30, and the powerhead was a cheapy off Amazon. My PH has been stable for weeks, and I never touch it. Not to mention I can dump a pound or more of Kalk in there, and nothing gets jammed up.
Since I had a quarter-inch tube feeding the ATO container, I added a tee connection and ran a line to a BRS dosing pump and have it controlled by the Apex and a level sensor in the sump. Allowing much better control over salinity.
I turned my ATO into one big kalk stirrer, and it works far better than any of the ones I pay hundreds of dollars for. I think the trash can was 30, and the powerhead was a cheapy off Amazon. My PH has been stable for weeks, and I never touch it. Not to mention I can dump a pound or more of Kalk in there, and nothing gets jammed up.
Since I had a quarter-inch tube feeding the ATO container, I added a tee connection and ran a line to a BRS dosing pump and have it controlled by the Apex and a level sensor in the sump. Allowing much better control over salinity.
OP
OP
My youngest daughter came up to Mom and me and announced she wanted her own saltwater aquarium. She, too, wants Nemo, Dory, and an Achilles Tang, just like Dad. I was quick to tell her no to Dory and the Achilles. However, I was open to getting her a clownfish. She always wants to help me with my tank, so I know she has an interest. So Mom and I want to make sure she is up to all the work. We told her if she feeds Dad's fish and cleans the glass every day without a reminder that come May, we will set up a tank for her. I really want to help feed her passion for this hobby and set up a system that is easy for her to maintain while at the same time allowing her to grow in the hobby. Let me know if you have any recommendations.
cmaxwell39
Valuable Member
Awesome that your daughter is taking an interest in the hobby. What kind of room do you have to set her up a tank?
Does she have any specific interests besides the fish? Maybe a nano or small cube tank. Could start it out as a FOWLR, and then you guys could transition to some simple corals as she has interest.
I would suggest really thinking through water changes and other maintenance tasks and making them as simple as possible to keep up on. Good luck. Can't wait to hear about the salty adventures you have with your little girl.
Does she have any specific interests besides the fish? Maybe a nano or small cube tank. Could start it out as a FOWLR, and then you guys could transition to some simple corals as she has interest.
I would suggest really thinking through water changes and other maintenance tasks and making them as simple as possible to keep up on. Good luck. Can't wait to hear about the salty adventures you have with your little girl.
OP
OP
Alright, I asked her today what all she wants in this tank, whether or not she just wanted fish or if she wanted corals as well. She stated that she really wanted corals. So here's what I'm thinking: I will try and get the wife to approve a 125-gallon tank. I already have lights for it in the garage, and then I will order live rock and live sand from Tampa Bay. I have heard really good things about them. This will give her an instant tank for the most part. For water changes, I was thinking of having a continuous water change with my tank. That way, most of the water parameters are controlled with my automation. Depending on the bio load, she may not even need a sump since the water will be constantly changed out with my tank. Let me know what you think. Or if I should start another build thread.
cmaxwell39
Valuable Member
I think it is a solid plan. 125 gallon will not limit her too much in fish selection, plus it gives plenty of room to grow out a nice reef.
Depending on coral pad, you may still have to set up a dosing system to maintain cal/Alk, but that will be down the line a bit. The one thing I would change is that I would put a sump in the system to place a skimmer. Water changes alone on a 125 gal tank will probably not be enough to control nutrient load. Then you could place your heaters, and other equipment in the sump as well.
JMO though so take it for what it is worth.
Depending on coral pad, you may still have to set up a dosing system to maintain cal/Alk, but that will be down the line a bit. The one thing I would change is that I would put a sump in the system to place a skimmer. Water changes alone on a 125 gal tank will probably not be enough to control nutrient load. Then you could place your heaters, and other equipment in the sump as well.
JMO though so take it for what it is worth.
GBRsouth
Valuable Member
As above. But I'd also keep your system and hers isolated from each other. Because if Daddy's tank took down hers, Daddy is NEVER going to hear the end of it!
I realise that makes water changes and filtration more expensive and harder in the short term. But long term, it won't be.
I realise that makes water changes and filtration more expensive and harder in the short term. But long term, it won't be.
OP
OP
I have decided to keep them separate. I realized that I have all the groundwork in place for the tank, and it would not be a big deal to have it on its own. We already got most of the stuff out that she will need. She will have an OCTO 152-s skimmer and the old led fixtures I used on a 90-gallon. For flow, she will have 2 Nero 5's that I used to have on my system. I may switch them out later due to their reliability, but for now, they will work just fine.
I do have an extra DOS for an automatic water change. In addition, I have a PM1 module that I'm not using, along with an FMM module(I think). I will use my controller for her tank. I do need to get an EB38 for her system. I also have a Rainbird controller for her heater; if only I had the heater.
She was very excited to help Dad go through all his old reefing gear to pick out her equipment. We will still need to order plenty of things from BRS. She has already made it clear that she wants corals, not just fish. So I was thinking about starting her off with some softies, perhaps some Zoanthids or leathers. Possibly some easy Montipora. Now that I figured out how to keep Goniappra alive, I will add those as well. I look forward to the day she gets her first acro.
OP
OP
I'm willing to bet that she will have far greater success in this hobby than I do. I'm looking forward to the day when she can teach me a thing or two about reefing.
OP
OP
My daughter surprised both Mom and Dad. She approached me and said, "Dad, we need to test for phosphates because it has been a long time. We also need to test for Nitrates. Can I do the test today?" I didn't think she listened to me when I spoke about nutrients. On top of that, it had been months since I discussed it with her. I was really surprised. She also told us that she wants Dad to teach her everything about aquariums. If only I knew everything.
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