Our 75 gal build

[Dani305]

Love dragon wrasse! Sounds like the tank is coming along nicely , I would start adding selcon to the fish food while it defrosts it helps out a ton! Nitrate / phosphate will come down once the chaeto starts growing.

Thanks, I am happy for the most part. Sucks to lose some corals in the process :(

I just ordered the selcon. I hope my chaeto starts growing now that I have added a wavemaker in there and adjusted the lights for 6 hours.

 

[dvgyfresh]

Thanks, I am happy for the most part. Sucks to lose some corals in the process :(

I just ordered the selcon. I hope my chaeto starts growing now that I have added a wavemaker in there and adjusted the lights for 6 hours.

It will grow lol I do nothing for the chaeto and need to throw it out weekly , the only flow is from the return sucking up water. Ye coral loss always sucks but it’s part of the process I’ve lost my sps recently during my tank move. You’ll be surprised with selcon , makes the fish more colorful/ healthy with boosted immune system and corals enjoy it as well

 

[Dani305]

Okay so back to my parameters..

So, I walk in to this new LFS that I found via the google so I can go get phosguard, and test the waters. Of course also to check out a new LFS! First thing I see is an old Vietnamese guy and I say hello and bring up the phosguard, and he immediately turns around to look at what hes got, and at the same time hes like "no one has asked for that in a while". He had no phosguard. lol

So, I tell him I am going to look around while he tests the water. Im looking tank by tank, and I always ask for names of fish if I dont know what they are. I check about half the salwater side and circle back to him as hes testing. So I ask "hows it looking?" He has a deep accent, and the english is a bit broken but he tells me that he only tests for ph, and ammonia. ...I think. He may have also said something else... but I was like:

So, he said my salinity is high... I was at 1.025... Which I thought was good. Then he said my PH was a bit high, I dont know what the number was but he did have a small color card. He said it wasnt too high, but that he recommends that I lower both PH and salinity.

So then this lead to a conversation of the way he manages, and I asked him what he likes his levels at. He said he makes sure his temperature is good and salinity is at 1.022. Thats it. He said he keeps an eye on everything and he will adjust things if he sees anything wrong. Said hes been fish keeping for 35 years, as long as I have been alive!

He did have corals, a lot of them, nothing fancy, I think. I dont know the names of a lot of corals yet. Everything looked healthy and happy. He had two yellow tangs. The first ones I have seen in real life at a store! One was already sold, and the other had a fighting injury and he was $250. About 3''. He said he is getting more fish on Thursday so I will be going on Friday during lunch to take a look. Ill take some pics for fun.


I think its so interesting how different people are, and their methods. I know that he is not a huge reefer, so I will be getting my phosguard from somewhere else as I do want to make sure I have nice corals along with healthy and beautiful fish.

 

[Dani305]

It will grow lol I do nothing for the chaeto and need to throw it out weekly , the only flow is from the return sucking up water. Ye coral loss always sucks but it’s part of the process I’ve lost my sps recently during my tank move. You’ll be surprised with selcon , makes the fish more colorful/ healthy with boosted immune system and corals enjoy it as well

I had to clean up cyano on my blocks so I figured adding some movement in there would help as I keep forgetting to turn it over manually every so often. lol

 

[dvgyfresh]

Okay so back to my parameters..

So, I walk in to this new LFS that I found via the google so I can go get phosguard, and test the waters. Of course also to check out a new LFS! First thing I see is an old Vietnamese guy and I say hello and bring up the phosguard, and he immediately turns around to look at what hes got, and at the same time hes like "no one has asked for that in a while". He had no phosguard. lol

So, I tell him I am going to look around while he tests the water. Im looking tank by tank, and I always ask for names of fish if I dont know what they are. I check about half the salwater side and circle back to him as hes testing. So I ask "hows it looking?" He has a deep accent, and the english is a bit broken but he tells me that he only tests for ph, and ammonia. ...I think. He may have also said something else... but I was like:

So, he said my salinity is high... I was at 1.025... Which I thought was good. Then he said my PH was a bit high, I dont know what the number was but he did have a small color card. He said it wasnt too high, but that he recommends that I lower both PH and salinity.

So then this lead to a conversation of the way he manages, and I asked him what he likes his levels at. He said he makes sure his temperature is good and salinity is at 1.022. Thats it. He said he keeps an eye on everything and he will adjust things if he sees anything wrong. Said hes been fish keeping for 35 years, as long as I have been alive!

He did have corals, a lot of them, nothing fancy, I think. I dont know the names of a lot of corals yet. Everything looked healthy and happy. He had two yellow tangs. The first ones I have seen in real life at a store! One was already sold, and the other had a fighting injury and he was $250. About 3''. He said he is getting more fish on Thursday so I will be going on Friday during lunch to take a look. Ill take some pics for fun.


I think its so interesting how different people are, and their methods. I know that he is not a huge reefer, so I will be getting my phosguard from somewhere else as I do want to make sure I have nice corals along with healthy and beautiful fish.

I would be wary of his advice , a lot of LFS keep salinity lower to mask parasites / keep them at bay and when you bring the fish home to higher salinity it’s suddenly sick / has parasites. Lower salinity just keeps them from showing up. It’s good for a fish only tank but not a reef. Also the fish/coral could be sold before showing signs of sickness , I’m not saying he’s trying to mislead you but double check. I keep my salinity at 1.026 and ph at 8.1-8.3.just my advice though, I had to learn that every LFS will tell you something different lol

 

[Dani305]

I would be wary of his advice , a lot of LFS keep salinity lower to mask parasites / keep them at bay and when you bring the fish home to higher salinity it’s suddenly sick / has parasites. Lower salinity just keeps them from showing up. It’s good for a fish only tank but not a reef. Also the fish/coral could be sold before showing signs of sickness , I’m not saying he’s trying to mislead you but double check. I keep my salinity at 1.026 and ph at 8.1-8.3.just my advice though, I had to learn that every LFS will tell you something different lol

Yes I am aware that fish stores sometimes, maybe… Most times give mediocre advice. That’s why I’ve been asking every place that I go because I’m just really interested in everyone’s process. The fish store that’s closest to my house has given me probably the best advice. But they are younger and more coral centered I guess I would say?

They’ve never said anything about my salinity but he did mention my PH one time which I got a buffer for.

I didn’t know about the low salinity for parasites and stuff. Sadly I don’t have a quarantine tank so now I’m kind of nervous lol

 

[Dani305]

I’m going to test my parameters again tonight since it’s been two days since I tinkered with the refugium and I lowered my feeding a bit.

First time I’m going to test for pH LOL even though I never do. Ha ha

 

[dvgyfresh]

Yes I am aware that fish stores sometimes, maybe… Most times give mediocre advice. That’s why I’ve been asking every place that I go because I’m just really interested in everyone’s process. The fish store that’s closest to my house has given me probably the best advice. But they are younger and more coral centered I guess I would say?

They’ve never said anything about my salinity but he did mention my PH one time which I got a buffer for.

I didn’t know about the low salinity for parasites and stuff. Sadly I don’t have a quarantine tank so now I’m kind of nervous lol

There’s a great article titled PH and the reef aquarium I believe it’s written by Randy. Additives/ buffers for PH usually raise alkalinity / calcium so if you’re dosing for PH and alkalinity it can go wrong very fast. I used the PH buffer once then realized it was going to shoot my alk way to high, now I just open the windows more often / provide adequate surface tension and run my refugium light opposite of display to maintain PH at 8.1-8.3

 

[Rmckoy]

Thank you!!

lol... yes. Let me start with...my bf has had a saltwater tank before, and hes also a maniac (in the best ways).

We went out and bought 90 gallons of salt/ ocean water. Let it sit for about a week or so...? Maybe more. Threw pellets in there. Bought shrimp, and some hermits. I think thats pretty accurate. Then bought a damsel, as our first sacraficial fish. (Hes doing great btw)... then the rest is history. lol

The tank is very new, so now just working tthe kinks, and actually learning. :oops:

Even though this might have been the old way of cycling . Instead of using a sacrificial fish it can be as simple as dropping a raw shrimp from the seafood counter .
cheaper , humane and no testing required

 

[Dani305]

There’s a great article titled PH and the reef aquarium I believe it’s written by Randy. Additives/ buffers for PH usually raise alkalinity / calcium so if you’re dosing for PH and alkalinity it can go wrong very fast. I used the PH buffer once then realized it was going to shoot my alk way to high, now I just open the windows more often / provide adequate surface tension and run my refugium light opposite of display to maintain PH at 8.1-8.3

Dang! At the same time that makes sense. Everything has a reaction most of the time in these environments. I will check out that article for fun hopefully I can find it. If I don’t, I’ll let you know! Lol

What do you mean by you open the windows more? When you say adequate surface tension. That mean waves at the top? Sorry if my questions are stupid

 

[Rmckoy]

I’m going to test my parameters again tonight since it’s been two days since I tinkered with the refugium and I lowered my feeding a bit.

First time I’m going to test for pH LOL even though I never do. Ha ha

I would tread with caution when it comes to dosing buffer to adjust ph .
Ph naturally fluctuates . And to maintain stability is far more important compared to chasing a magical number .

by dosing it also effects everything which could throw balance off .

 

[Rmckoy]

Dang! At the same time that makes sense. Everything has a reaction most of the time in these environments. I will check out that article for fun hopefully I can find it. If I don’t, I’ll let you know! Lol

What do you mean by you open the windows more? When you say adequate surface tension. That mean waves at the top? Sorry if my questions are stupid

Surface movement yes . And a open window will let fresh air in

in a closed home c02 can become elevated ( which lowers ph )

some people plumb a airline from outside directly to their skimmer .

another trick is to run refuge lights on a opposite schedule to the main dt

 

[Dani305]

Surface movement yes . And a open window will let fresh air in

in a closed home c02 can become elevated ( which lowers ph )

some people plumb a airline from outside directly to their skimmer .

another trick is to run refuge lights on a opposite schedule to the main dt

Ah okay gotcha !

I’m sitting at the tank now. This is what the surface looks like. So there is movement.

our doors are open all the time. So that’s good! The tank is in my den which leads to the backyard which opens multiple times a day, we have dogs. Lol

I’m currently running my tank lights during the day, with the DT. What does running it opposite do exactly?

 

[Dani305]

I would tread with caution when it comes to dosing buffer to adjust ph .
Ph naturally fluctuates . And to maintain stability is far more important compared to chasing a magical number .

by dosing it also effects everything which could throw balance off .

I’m just going to test and see where it’s at really. I don’t remember what the guy told me. He did an API test, or something similar so should be about the same.

 

[Dani305]

In another thread today I saw someone had barnacles.

I remembered that we had some in the house but it was a large cluster that broke. I knew I threw some away but I kept a cluster.

Already put it in the tank!

 

[Rmckoy]

I’m going to research dragon wrasse .
they look cool ….
but do they get along with Mel wrasse , blennys or mandarin ?

 

[Dani305]

I’m going to research dragon wrasse .
they look cool ….
but do they get along with Mel wrasse , blennys or mandarin ?

The internet says they are a friendly fish but will probably eat some hermits. Looks like if I directly feed him I can avoid it. I too have to do more research lol.

 

[Rmckoy]

The internet says they are a friendly fish but will probably eat some hermits. Looks like if I directly feed him I can avoid it. I too have to do more research lol.

Too late ?

id be kore
Worried about rocky ( lawnmower blenny or the Mel wrasse

 

[Dani305]

Too late ?

id be kore
Worried about rocky ( lawnmower blenny or the Mel wrasse

So I think I made a boo-boo with him :’(. But I’m reading mixed things especially on Facebook groups. Looks like he may be a “bad boy”.

I’ll keep an eye on him since he’s young for now. lol

I obviously should have gotten the peppermint hawkfish instead but I couldn’t resist!

 

[Dani305]

Anyways…. Back to parameters!!!

i gotta do the phosphorus conversion, but looks like it went down!!

Hanna: Phos ulr: 82
Hanna:Alk/dkh: 7.6
API: Carb/kh: 7dkh/ 125.3
API: Calcium: 400-440
API: PH: 7.4
Salinity: 1.025
Temp: 78.4f