My 120 Gallon Mixed Reef (3rd Tank is the charm?)

[Pkunk35]

Really nice build, your experience really shows man, def inspired here to start on my next build now!

do you like the 60” length for the 120? I’m thinking of going 120 as well.

 

[triggerBill]

Looks great!

 

[VAReefDog]

Thanks TriggerBill.
Pkunk35- I went with the 60 inch length only because it was the biggest tank I could fit in the space. I would love to have longer but 5 foot is max for the room/window space so that's how I picked this tank.

 

[uhgster1]

Awesome! I’m about to upgrade to a 120 from a 65 myself, unfortunately it will involve drilling and buying new lights for coverage. I’m tempted to just start the 120 from scratch instead of transferring from the 65. It’s been a long two years to get it to where it is now, but I can’t turn down a free tank and stand in the size I’ve always wanted;Locktopic. My wife won’t let me keep both running though. I do plan on documenting the build like you did. Thanks for the inspiration!

 

[kartrsu]

Awesome DIY with the stand and canopy! Following along!

 

[VAReefDog]

uhgster1- your 65 looks beautiful!-- but definitely full. Time for a bigger tank! How long have you had the elegance? I am thinking of adding one soon.

Thanks kartrsu.

 

[helmsreef]

Tank and setup look great! I like the progression pics. Also if those are the measurements that's a 150 gallon

 

[VAReefDog]

You are Right!!- I forgot myself- it is 48X24X24-- 120 gallon. Not 5 foot.
I have a 4 foot tank because I have just over 4 foot between the two windows in the family room.
I guess wish-full thinking-- I would love to have a 5 foot tank.

 

[uhgster1]

uhgster1- your 65 looks beautiful!-- but definitely full. Time for a bigger tank! How long have you had the elegance? I am thinking of adding one soon.

Thanks kartrsu.

Thanks the elegance is about two years old from the size of a quarter. its about the size of a football when the flow stops for feeding.

 

[VAReefDog]

Incredibly happy news!!!! Last February- I got a candy-cane pistol shrimp to bond with one of my gobies. After acclimating it and adding to the display-it disappeared into the rock-work and I never saw it since that day. I have heard what I assumed was the pop/snap from its claws a few times.
My orange spot goby and spotted watchman goby both have their spots in the rockwork that hasn’t changed in months. THEN SUDDENLY last week, the orange spot goby moved to a new spot in the front of the tank and is now sharing a burrow with …. you guessed it….. the pistol shrimp. And the shrimp is comfortable enough to be out and about regularly now.

IMG_9101 Jan 10 2021 by Greg Lorenz, on Flickr

IMG_9106 Jan 10 2021 by Greg Lorenz, on Flickr

I know they are not very good pics- but you get the idea.



I love the way the goby alerts the shrimp if there is too much activity with a flick of its tail that sends the shrimp back into their hole.

And for some reason—the spotted watchman is now hanging around the burrow and the 2 gobies seem to be co-existing very happily in the same area. Before the 2 were much more territorial and wouldn’t let the other near their spots.

IMG_9108 Jan 10 2021 by Greg Lorenz, on Flickr



I have always thought the goby/pistol shrimp symbiosis is one of the coolest interactions in a reef tank.

Just wanted to share.

 

[VAReefDog]

Other updates-
Christmas gift from the family was 2 aquarock frag magnetic frag rocks. I like being able to use the back wall as an option for growing more corals and hate the frag rack I have in the tank.
Here is a pic showing the 2 rocks with the space invader pectinia frag I got last month.
IMG_9123 Jan 15 2021 by Greg Lorenz, on Flickr

Also I got some new corals from the family for Christmas. I have wanted to try an elegance coral for a long time but was worried about EGS. Aqua SD had these aquacultured ones for sale and then had an even bigger sale and so here we are. So far it looks happy and healthy.

IMG_9125 Jan 15 2021 by Greg Lorenz, on Flickr

I also wanted more movement in the tank and so added some tank raised alveopora (also from ASD). Nice mix- one has pink petals and blue center, the next is bluish/green and the last is green with white center.
Here are some pics-

IMG_9115 Jan 15 2021 by Greg Lorenz, on Flickr
IMG_9119 Jan 15 2021 by Greg Lorenz, on Flickr

Thanks for looking.

 

[Clownfish_Boy]

I believe it is a marineland-- dual corner overflow-- standard 60X24X24.

Must be 150 gallons, then. (60x24x24)/231 = 149.6 gallons.

 

[VAReefDog]

Clownfish_Boy
Sorry about the confusion-- 4 by 2 by 2-- 120 gallon. I misspoke on the earlier post. I did correct it above.

 

[VAReefDog]

Just a long overdue update.
The tank is coasting in a grow out phase.
I had a problem with bubble algae last winter. I made the mistake of using Vibrant- which did work against the bubble algae. But it also wiped out my nutrient levels. I had a lot of faded/bleached corals with some recession at the base of my acros and montis. I did lose an elegance coral but most all the rest pulled through and is now colored back up and growing. I read the forums and thought I could make it work. Nope.
So a couple of full tank shots.
IMG_9680 by Greg Lorenz, on Flickr
IMG_9679 by Greg Lorenz, on Flickr

Right side
65180110194__E4D3EC68-CA33-4803-A7F5-2DA4753D7D05 by Greg Lorenz, on Flickr
Left side
65180108577__134E98B9-26BF-451D-B58C-78D4D640766E by Greg Lorenz, on Flickr

Some new inverts
Got a Fromia starfish, feather duster and clam that have been doing very well for about 6 months.
IMG_9745 by Greg Lorenz, on Flickr
ORA Derasa clam—that has grown about ½ inch in last few months next to a featherduster. Always loved a diverse mixed reef tank and always wanted to try a clam. Conch I have had for about year photobombing.
65180111966__BC1625DC-7547-4E08-9337-F78BFEDAAEA1 by Greg Lorenz, on Flickr
Thanks for looking.

 

[VAReefDog]

Updates on my tank—November 2021. First a full-tank-shot.
IMG_0089 by Greg Lorenz, on Flickr

I had ordered an azure damselfish (Chrysiptera hemicyanea) from a LFS near me but they actually gave me a sapphire damsel (Pomacentrus pavo). As most of you probably already guessed—the sapphire did not play well with the other fish in the tank.
So I first tried a home-made bottle trap- that worked to get him in but he was able to get back out whenever I came near the tank and if I made the opening small enough for him to be stuck- he wouldn’t go in it.
IMG_9946 by Greg Lorenz, on Flickr
So after 2 weeks- I found where some one used a critter keeper as a fish trap. I had one that I was going to use as an acclimation box in the tank—so I gave it a try. I did have to weigh down the door. After only 2 hours in the tank—success!!!
65662766952__99711C3A-FD78-48A6-A261-2365BAE0356A by Greg Lorenz, on Flickr
Here is with the door weighed down.
65663168463__72B21482-7EE7-4420-AA81-6EED14F3E45A by Greg Lorenz, on Flickr

So I brought him back to the store and they already had a quarantined azure damsel waiting for me. I also picked up a McCoskers (mine carpet surfed even though the tank is fully covered (I guess during a feeding when I took the top off), a new yellow watchman goby (I lost mine – not sure why 2 months ago). Here is a picture of the fish trap being used as an acclimation box. After 2 days— every one was released into the tank and all are getting along well.
IMG_9971 by Greg Lorenz, on Flickr


Here is a pic of the new azure – love his colors.
IMG_0007 by Greg Lorenz, on Flickr

Here is every one getting along and enjoying Nori clip.
IMG_0081 by Greg Lorenz, on Flickr

I had what I bought as a peppermint candycane (Caulastrea) that I am convinced is not. Best I can figure is that it is a lobo in disguise. I had a nice colony of regular pale green caulastrea next to a newer colony of neon green/kryptonite ones. All was going great – then I added this peppermint next to them for contrast and it wiped out half of the adjacent ones in just a few days. I didn’t believe it was to blame until I checked at night and sure enough- it had 1-1.5 inch sweepers out and stinging the now dead parts of the neighbor caulastrea. I have never had them battle before. Any one else ever have this problem?
This is the pic of the offending peppermint and you can see the dead skeletons to the left that it killed off.
IMG_9867 by Greg Lorenz, on Flickr

I also decided to make this a true mixed reef tank and am trying new species I haven’t been comfortable with before.
My derasa continues to noticeably grow and new sailfin/algae blenny. Amazed at the consistent growth on the derasa.
IMG_0080 by Greg Lorenz, on Flickr
I added a tiger-tail sea cucumber (Holothuria thomasi) that is about 7 inches long and is keeping my sand bed very clean. It has been in the system for about 5 weeks now.
IMG_9925 by Greg Lorenz, on Flickr
IMG_0039 by Greg Lorenz, on Flickr

But I did banish the last of my hermit crabs to the sump because I am sick of their rampant snail killing.

And here are some other pictures to enjoy—
Another FTS-
IMG_0062 by Greg Lorenz, on Flickr
And just a side pic that I like that shows some of the SPS colonies.
IMG_0069 by Greg Lorenz, on Flickr
Thanks for looking.
Greg