My new 135 build!!

Jedi1199 · Aug 8, 2022

I FINALLY have it done (for the most part lol).

Gat the new rock placed, all the frags off the racks and most of them placed

Took a quick snap of it now... I will take more in a few hours when the glare is gone.

Jedi1199 · Aug 15, 2022

I call this build officially finished!! I installed the right hand door this morning. Got the knobs attached and everything is running just as it should.

Did a water test today and I still have zero nitrates. I suspect the refugium is doing its job. Perhaps too well. I may need to remove the chaeto for a few weeks to alow some nitrate to build up. I was planning a water change for today, but I think I will skip that. Honestly, I need to add to the tank, not take away.

tbrown · Aug 15, 2022

Jedi1199 said:
I call this build officially finished!! I installed the right hand door this morning. Got the knobs attached and everything is running just as it should.

Did a water test today and I still have zero nitrates. I suspect the refugium is doing its job. Perhaps too well. I may need to remove the chaeto for a few weeks to alow some nitrate to build up. I was planning a water change for today, but I think I will skip that. Honestly, I need to add to the tank, not take away.

Sounds like it's time for the next one to start!!!

Jedi1199 · Aug 15, 2022

tbrown3589 said:
Sounds like it's time for the next one to start!!!

lol... you're insane bro

Mschmidt · Aug 16, 2022

tbrown3589 said:
Sounds like it's time for the next one to start!!!

idle hands and all...

Congrats Jedi.

Jedi1199 · Aug 22, 2022

I skipped the water change last week as my levels were all pretty good, maybe even a tad low.

Today I did a full test, Good news is I do have a bit of Nitrate again.

Last week I added a pair of fish to the tank. I added a foxface rabbit and a 2 spot tang. Got them cause they are both good herbivores. I am hoping to get the turf algae under control before I need to resort to chemicals.

Yesterday, I grabbed a stripped blenny from Petco. Got him just cause he looks cool lol. I don't expect him to serve any other function. Was "THIS" close to grabbing a "Splendid Dottyback". Backed out cause the reviews on him are that he is aggressive and territorial. I may grab it for the 180 if they still have it next week.

Those are the only changes to the tank since the 6th when I tested last (other than top-offs and feeding).

Todays testing results are interesting.

NO3 is between 2-5. It is at least changing to a light pink color on the Salifert kit.

pH 8.15

PO4 0.03

Mg 1290 (Still low, but higher than last round of testing)

KH/Alk 7.0 (down a bit from last time)

Ca 430

The Calcium test is interesting. It is up from last test, I would have expected it to be way down. I can clearly see the plating Montiporas are growing like weeds.

Overall, the tank is doing fantastic!! I honestly can't say that it is having any issues that anyone would be concerned about. There IS some turf algae that is starting to get annoying. A small amount of cyano, which is there, but negligible.

Most importantly is that all of the fish and corals are doing just fine. In fact, a birdsnest that I thought was dead, is actually coming back to life. Hopefully it will be back to its old self in the next few weeks.

Jedi1199 · Sep 26, 2022

Wow... it's been a while since I updated here.

What's new? On my last update, I stated that there is some turf algae. Well that started getting MUCH worse. The fish I added simply could not keep it in check so I went ahead and treated with FluxRx on 9-7-22

It has been almost 3 weeks since treatment and I am happy to report that the hair algae is pretty much gone. There are a couple small bits left, but I can deal with that manually.

Put the skimmer back online a few days ago. It is producing a nice thick skimmate so I am glad to see it is doing its job.

I now need to strip the FluxRx from the tank so I can bring the refugium back online.

Will be doing a big water change this weekend, hopefully that will remove at least some of it.

Now, lest you think that the tank is all puppies and rainbows now, I have a major Cyano outbreak happening. By major, I mean this: If I don't blast it off with the turkey baster every other day, it will smother just about every surface in the tank.

I am hoping that once I get the system fully back online, that this will settle out on its own.

The stripped blenny I got last month jumped out and died within the first week, sad about that. My beautiful Magenta Dottyback also died or jumped out. Not sure which, I have never found the body (Perhaps it is with Jimmy Hoffa?) All the other fish are fat happy and healthy.

Water parameters today are this:

NO3 5-10
pH 8.15
PO4 0.1-0.25
Mg 1290
KH/Alk 5.9 (VERY low!!)
Ca 430

Nitrates have come up since last test cycle, but I haven't tested or changed water since I treated the FluxRx. The KH/Alk looks to be the only thing that is really out of line.

Also, I have updated my YouTube channel a couple times to document the algae issue and show the progress. I plan to update again later tonight.

Jedi1199 · Sep 26, 2022

My YouTube channel... https://youtube.com/channel/UCWXsHYWEI5i_wzY8mYT-kCg

tbrown · Sep 26, 2022

Jedi1199 said:
Wow... it's been a while since I updated here.

What's new? On my last update, I stated that there is some turf algae. Well that started getting MUCH worse. The fish I added simply could not keep it in check so I went ahead and treated with FluxRx on 9-7-22

It has been almost 3 weeks since treatment and I am happy to report that the hair algae is pretty much gone. There are a couple small bits left, but I can deal with that manually.

Put the skimmer back online a few days ago. It is producing a nice thick skimmate so I am glad to see it is doing its job.

I now need to strip the FluxRx from the tank so I can bring the refugium back online.

Will be doing a big water change this weekend, hopefully that will remove at least some of it.

Now, lest you think that the tank is all puppies and rainbows now, I have a major Cyano outbreak happening. By major, I mean this: If I don't blast it off with the turkey baster every other day, it will smother just about every surface in the tank.

I am hoping that once I get the system fully back online, that this will settle out on its own.

The stripped blenny I got last month jumped out and died within the first week, sad about that. My beautiful Magenta Dottyback also died or jumped out. Not sure which, I have never found the body (Perhaps it is with Jimmy Hoffa?) All the other fish are fat happy and healthy.

Water parameters today are this:

NO3 5-10
pH 8.15
PO4 0.1-0.25
Mg 1290
KH/Alk 5.9 (VERY low!!)
Ca 430

Nitrates have come up since last test cycle, but I haven't tested or changed water since I treated the FluxRx. The KH/Alk looks to be the only thing that is really out of line.

Also, I have updated my YouTube channel a couple times to document the algae issue and show the progress. I plan to update again later tonight.

I just got a Striped Blenny last week! Almost grabbed a tailspot this morning. Good thing I didn't... My wife brought up $60 shipping 4 times already.

Mschmidt · Sep 26, 2022

Good luck.

Jedi1199 · Sep 26, 2022

tbrown3589 said:
I just got a Striped Blenny last week! Almost grabbed a tailspot this morning. Good thing I didn't... My wife brought up $60 shipping 4 times already.

Can't say I blame her.. 60 for shipping is more than I have ever seen before.

tbrown · Sep 26, 2022

Jedi1199 said:
Can't say I blame her.. 60 for shipping is more than I have ever seen before.

Oh there's a lot worse. I've seen over $100 during non-livesales. Their normal is $100 shipping and then free over $249.

Jedi1199 · Sep 26, 2022

tbrown3589 said:
Oh there's a lot worse. I've seen over $100 during non-livesales. Their normal is $100 shipping and then free over $249.

This alone is enough to deter me from doing business with them.

My RTA order from yesterday is coming all the way from Florida and its only $30 for shipping. Nicer Reefs is only a few hours away and they are gouging you for $60?? I call BS

tbrown · Sep 26, 2022

Jedi1199 said:
This alone is enough to deter me from doing business with them.

My RTA order from yesterday is coming all the way from Florida and its only $30 for shipping. Nicer Reefs is only a few hours away and they are gouging you for $60?? I call BS

Honestly if I hadn't won the second torch there was no way I would have justified it. Even with the second torch it was hard enough.

Jedi1199 · Sep 26, 2022

tbrown3589 said:
Honestly if I hadn't won the second torch there was no way I would have justified it. Even with the second torch it was hard enough.

I fully agree.

I honestly doubt I will be doing further business with @Nicerreefs for this reason alone.

Seriously bro... gifts are a tax write off for them anyway... to upcharge shipping 170-200% is outrageous.

tbrown · Sep 26, 2022

They seem super cool though. Looks like they're just starting out.

Jedi1199 · Sep 26, 2022

tbrown3589 said:
They seem super cool though. Looks like they're just starting out.

Agreed... but with this, they are killing the business before they really get rolling... Let me ask, and you have already pretty much answered this already, would you buy from them knowing the outrageous shipping upcharge? You already said if you had not won the 2nd torch you couldn't justify the shipping cost. I agree. I wouldn't either. As I said, with now knowing their policy, I will not do business with them in the future.