My 90gallon Reef Tank

SamHoo941 · Aug 19, 2019

I've had a very successful 55gal in the past, my girlfriend got me a 90gal back in april for my birthday. It's drilled w/ stand, lights, skimmer, plumbing, and the mag9 return pump for $250. I bought a 1300gph powerhead, UV sterilizer, and an RO/DI unit.

Tank cycled at about 3 1/2 weeks, I used the chromis with prime to cycle it quickly. I still waited an extra 2 weeks to make sure before I added any new livestock.

Currently running Socks, GFO, Skimmer, Live rock with chaeto, and mangroves in my sump.

Water change 20% bi-weekly.

I had a GHA battle from hell with this tank, blaming it on the half LR/Base Rock. After dealing with that, and still dealing with it my current setup is;

Parameters are
1.025 Salinity
80°F
PH 8.2
Alk 11
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrites 0ppm
Nitrates >5ppm
Phosphates >.1ppm
Calcium 440ppm
Mag 1340ppm

GFO is chemipure elite running in socks.
Feeding frozen brine, flakes, and occasional mysis.
Dosing no 2 parts for me I test daily, and dose weekly to bring levels back up for cal and mag individually. PH and Alk dont fluctuate often.
I dose Fluval 3 ions, and phytoplankton for trace minerals and coral growth.
Salt was instant ocean reef Crystal's, but alk is way too high IMO, so have switched to Fritz and am waiting for Alk to come down to a stable 9 or 10ppm rather then the 11ppm I'm at now.

Vodka dosing; with the weaker skimmer I have, I have just stuck to the .4 dose and do it every other day. Even with the bio load I still keep trates under 5ppm at all times, and phosphates less then .1ppm so no need to increase the dosage right?

110lbs of LR/BR about 50/50
2 1/2in sand bed

Fish Livestock
Blue Hippo Tang
2 Clowns
2 Green Chromis( Cycle Fish made it thru )
Coral Beauty
Scooter Blenny
Sandsifting Star
Cleaner Shrimp
50+ Hermits,Snails, etc
3 Emerald Crabs

Current Corals;
Green Star Polyps
Assorted Zoa frags and mini colonies.
Couple Mushrooms and Ricordeas
Purple Pulsing Xenias
Button Poylps
Hammer Spawn (16 hours in tank

)
Purple Kenya Tree
Toadstool Leather

Everything seems to be growing and looking healthy and happy. I'm wanting to start adding some sps montis and such. Should I wait a little longer or has my past experience matured my tank quite a bit early?

Just looking for some tips, advice, and criticism.

Thanks for checking it out guys!

Ron Reefman · Aug 20, 2019

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

So did you set this up shortly after you got it in April? BTW, my congrats to your girlfriend for getting you a new tank! And just to share, my birthday is in April as well... but I probably have experienced at least 2 times as many as you... maybe 3 times as many! ;Hilarious

If you set it up back then and you've been through the nitrogen cycle. How long has it been since you added the livestock? Have you had any issues with diatom or bacteria blooms? I'd suggest you may be OK, although getting to a better mature tank usually takes 6 months or more. If you do start with some sps corals, do it slowly and keep them inexpensive until you are really sure they are doing OK. Then you can splurge!

Good luck and have fun.

SamHoo941 · Aug 27, 2019

Ron Reefman said:
Welcome to Reef2Reef!

So did you set this up shortly after you got it in April? BTW, my congrats to your girlfriend for getting you a new tank! And just to share, my birthday is in April as well... but I probably have experienced at least 2 times as many as you... maybe 3 times as many! ;Hilarious

If you set it up back then and you've been through the nitrogen cycle. How long has it been since you added the livestock? Have you had any issues with diatom or bacteria blooms? I'd suggest you may be OK, although getting to a better mature tank usually takes 6 months or more. If you do start with some sps corals, do it slowly and keep them inexpensive until you are really sure they are doing OK. Then you can splurge!

Good luck and have fun.

I'm actually a May baby just got an early gift, but I am 30 so maybe not triple lol. But yes I set it up in April, it came with some sand so I washed it really good and added another 80lbs of live sand.

Livestock has been added gradually but scooter was around 2months and the clowns and hippo went in around the 3month mark.

I did have a brown out, and some red slime which was treated. Now it's just the GHA.

I still am waiting on some sps until the GHA is just in the sump and completely outta the DT.

SamHoo941 · Oct 25, 2019

Tank still up and looking good down to 15% once a week. PH is 8.2 Alk is 10 Calc at 420 salinity .026

GHA battle struggle is real. Phosphates at >.2 but tried a hydrogen peroxide dose with powerheads off and trimmed it way back, bought another 100 red legs.

Goodair · Oct 25, 2019

Welcome and grats on the new tank, that seemed like a good deal your girlfriend found!
Did you dose the tank with peroxide or spray the areas with it? Also did you see any affect?

SamHoo941 · Nov 1, 2019

Yes it worked but I still used a toothbrush to scrub off the dying. I also lost my cleaner shrimp not sure if from dirty water or the hydrogen peroxide. My battle is almost won tho, bought some gfo, and havent dosed the hydrogen peroxide since and this is where I'm at;

Hemmdog · Nov 1, 2019

Looks good! I have the same 90!

SamHoo941 · Nov 13, 2019

Thanks @Hemmdog I bought 3 Blue Plus and a Purple plus for my fixture GHA is almost all gone. Corals are opening more and more daily.

My LTA goes under the rocks on the right side at night and comes right back out when the lights come on to the same spot daily. Looks about 3 times the size he was at LFS.

Salinity had hit .029 I've slowly lowered it back down to .025-.026 range.