My new Infinia Reef 150.4

[GrandmaReefer]

End of week 2. I’ve got a full CUC in. 2 clowns, a talbot’s damsel (week 1), and a watchman goby (week 2).

The frags are from my existing system. I’ve been slowly moving LR from the small tank I’m tearing down to help compensate for new livestock.

Readable nitrates, nothing else. Ph is still a bit on the low side (8) but stable, alk is good at 9. Course I have nothing much consuming it but rock so …

I also started hatching brine shrimp for fun - my other tank goes crazy. Looking forward to this tank being just as crazy…

Following Lasse’s method seems to have produced good results so far. I did the same for my small tank and it went fantastically.

 

[-AnThOnY-]

Looking good! Looks like we are in similar spots (I am the one who was messaging you on reddit)

 

[BigAl07]

Great start. I'm about to order this same tank so I'm excited to see yours coming along so splendidly.

Allen

 

[BigAl07]

Do you have a list of the equipment you're using on this System?

What is that white PVC pipe running horizontal above the sump?

What lights are you running?

Thank you in advance for sharing

Allen

 

[GrandmaReefer]

Do you have a list of the equipment you're using on this System?

What is that white PVC pipe running horizontal above the sump?

What lights are you running?

Thank you in advance for sharing

Allen

I sure do! It’s mostly the stock system - the 150.4 complete package.

2 radion Xr15 blues
Sicce syncra sdc return pump
Nyos Quantum 160 skimmer
2 sicce contactless 300w heaters
Vortec MP40

Apex jr for monitoring ph/temp

I have an inkbird but the thing is so freaking flaky I’m only using it to monitor the DT temp right now.

I had an aquaauto ATO/awc. It died last night. I hate diaphragm pumps. I have a duetto - but the sensor isn’t long enough to reach the tank now that I have it downstairs. May have to move the sump.

The white rod is a shower curtain rod. I wanted something I could easily make for and remove that was waterproof.

Since moving downstairs I’ve removed the rod - I’m running as much as possible now in the utility room behind the tank.

Got a pretty basic fuge light and timer - but I’m seriously considering buying a second full apex system and eliminating the extra bricks.

New pic added. Much cleaner now!

 

[nuxx]

Looking back, this is the most fun part of a tank lol

 

[GrandmaReefer]

Week 3!

Moved the sump back under to use the Duetto ATO after the AquaAuto up and died.

The hermits attacked and ate most of the Nassarius snails that arrived yesterday. They were tiny - too tiny to run. I’ve got some big ones in other tanks and I think that’s a better source for now.

The tank itself has settled in and is nearly silent now! Skimmer is pulling dark skimmate. I see a film on the glass here and there but no obvious algae growth.

Ph is stable but low at 7.9. Hmmmph. Alk was good this am - 9.3 - so I’m giving the tank a little kalk in the ATO to see if I can raise ph to at least 8.1. I’m guessing that will push my alk up to about 10. A little higher than I like but not a bad number. My 50g is on the downswing - I let it get out of hand and this am it was still high at 14.3 but better than it had been. Water changes with careful sand bed vacuums seem to do the trick.

Nitrates still negligible and I can’t see any pods after lights out. I’ve got some tisbe on the way to try to establish a good population before something goes haywire - because it always does.

I put three anthias in yesterday so I’m feeding heavier, but I just started so we’ll see what that does to the nitrates in a few days. The fish eat everything - so that’s good. The anthias really enjoy the newly hatched brine shrimp. Still shy but they’re coming out more often.

All said, I’m thrilled with tank and the progress. Onward!

 

[jakebarrierreef]

Great updates -- tank is looking great!

Which anthias did you go for?

 

[GrandmaReefer]

Thanks! Dispar. I read they’re a bit less demanding than others. So far they’re awesome little guys. I’ve never had them before and now I wish I would have.

 

[GrandmaReefer]

Looking back, this is the most fun part of a tank lol

It really is! Sometimes I think we look for things we have to fix later on just to enjoy the tinkering again!

 

[GrandmaReefer]

End of week 3! Still showing almost no nitrates, but no bad stuff either. Oh! I do have some algae growth in the sump - so I have to figure out what to do about that.

One of my Anthias disappeared. I found what looks like a fin on the bottom of the tank. :-(

At least I know my CUC does its job.

Even with regular kalk dosing I’ve had a hard time raising ph above 8.0. I don’t want my all to get too high - it’s up to 9.5 now so I bought a Co2 scrubber from BRS and HOLY COW. that really does work! I always thought they were too complicated for me to use but no. Easy peasy! I’m up .05 already and the lights are decreasing for the night.

I’m taking down my 29g this weekend and transferring what’s left - hermits and a few snails, plus one persistent colony of Xenia (I know, but I like them and know how to keep them under control) - to the WB.

I think I’ve decided to slowly transfer all my corals and stock (scopas tang, pajama cardinal, 3 clowns and a giant ritteri) from my 50g and restart it as a FOWLR so I can keep some more … interesting fish like triggers.

So far so good!

Finally got a pic of the little monsters eating.

 

[texasreefer92]

Thank you for sharing! i am getting this tank this week and excited to get it set up! we are going from a 55 to this and very excited

 

[WalkerLoves_TheOcean]

Wow!

I have been busy catching up with your updates!

Everything is looking awesome!

 

[GrandmaReefer]

Wow!

I have been busy catching up with your updates!

Everything is looking awesome!

Thanks! Nothing ever goes perfect, of course. My Anthias did not survive this week. One by one they fell… I suspect based on the behavior of others in the tank that bullying was involved.

Sad about the loss but it isn’t the first, won’t be the last. Not certain I want to try Anthias again, though, even though they’re just gorgeous fish!

My LFS found me a powder brown tang to compensate and I love him! He’s just gorgeous and fun!

I ended up adding a hygger wave maker to the other end of the tank. The mp40 is overpowered for my flow needs (LPS and softies) and I had one laying around and wanted better variability in the flow. This seems to be working a bit better for the softies.

 

[GrandmaReefer]

Thank you for sharing! i am getting this tank this week and excited to get it set up! we are going from a 55 to this and very excited

You’re going to love it!

 

[fishface NJ]

What a lovely tank! Best of luck with it. I'll be following along

 

[GrandmaReefer]

I’ve run an Apex 3 for years on my 50gallon, but never tried the Trident.

My LFS enthusiastically showed me his and recommended. My husband said “get the best”. So I did - and was not disappointed. To say I love this thing is an understatement!!

I am in process moving equipment over, about half way there. Also had to get a stand to mount the power bar near the stand, cause it’s too late to move the tank and I have a cold air return duct blocking better access to my fish room.

I’m sold on the trident so far!

 

[GrandmaReefer]

What a day. It started at 5am (normal) over coffee when I opened my Apex App to glance at how the tank was doing. I thought, "That's weird, pH normally doesn't rise over night. And why is the temperature nearly 79?"

So I headed down to find my skimmer overflowing and my return pump off. The DT temp was actually more like 76, and I suspect the return pump had been off since midnight - when our Internet provider did scheduled maintenance.

"No problem," I thought, and turned the pump on. It ran for about 15 seconds and shut down.

"Hunh, that's strange." So I tried again. And again. And again. Same result.

After factory resetting and loading the default "constant" schedule, it finally kicked back on - and stayed on.

Interestingly, it suddenly showed up in my Apex, too, after NOT being available for days after I tried to add it.

I got my skimmer reset, pump schedule running (through the Apex), and reconnected the CO2 scrubber (it had been pushed off by the water).

I'm a bit leery of the Sicce Syncra now just because being WiFi dependent (in some way) makes me nervous. Also realized that if the pump fails, my DT has no heat! Thinking about whether to move one of the two 300w heaters I have in the sump to the DT just as a backup.

Phew. On the other hand, I used one of the Apex optical sensors to setup an automatic shutoff of my skimmer if the water level raises too high, and another sensor to autofill my ATO reservoir from my BIG reservoir. But I'm wondering if I really need the ATO if I use can use the Apex anyway, which would free up an optical sensor for... something!

What a day. Good news: pH is on the rebound and all my other numbers look good now.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

What a day. It started at 5am (normal) over coffee when I opened my Apex App to glance at how the tank was doing. I thought, "That's weird, pH normally doesn't rise over night. And why is the temperature nearly 79?"

So I headed down to find my skimmer overflowing and my return pump off. The DT temp was actually more like 76, and I suspect the return pump had been off since midnight - when our Internet provider did scheduled maintenance.

"No problem," I thought, and turned the pump on. It ran for about 15 seconds and shut down.

"Hunh, that's strange." So I tried again. And again. And again. Same result.

After factory resetting and loading the default "constant" schedule, it finally kicked back on - and stayed on.

Interestingly, it suddenly showed up in my Apex, too, after NOT being available for days after I tried to add it.

I got my skimmer reset, pump schedule running (through the Apex), and reconnected the CO2 scrubber (it had been pushed off by the water).

I'm a bit leery of the Sicce Syncra now just because being WiFi dependent (in some way) makes me nervous. Also realized that if the pump fails, my DT has no heat! Thinking about whether to move one of the two 300w heaters I have in the sump to the DT just as a backup.

Phew. On the other hand, I used one of the Apex optical sensors to setup an automatic shutoff of my skimmer if the water level raises too high, and another sensor to autofill my ATO reservoir from my BIG reservoir. But I'm wondering if I really need the ATO if I use can use the Apex anyway, which would free up an optical sensor for... something!

What a day. Good news: pH is on the rebound and all my other numbers look good now.

Glad the pH levels are fine now! I've had my skimmer overflow before haha

 

[GrandmaReefer]

I bet we all have at one point or another!

Never fun. But now it’s dialed in so much better so out of bad comes good I guess!