Potomac Reef 2 - 500 gallons of fun!

emvanburen · Mar 17, 2020

Very relieved that the harassment is over...

emvanburen · Mar 21, 2020

Here are some shots of my aquatic buddies.

emvanburen · Mar 22, 2020

Some unexpected aggression with my wrasses. Hopefully it resolves. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/ruby-headed-fairy-wrasse-behavior.702276/

Was able to get the Deltec CRTT 3000 installed today. Once connected, as Shaun said, it’s pretty simple. Am trying to get the feed rate set to match my old alk dose. Once I have it dialed in I will keep the alk juice as a backup, and once my trident moves over, will likely use the dos in case alk drops. Still a bunch of coral to move over before the trident shifts.

SPR1968 · Mar 23, 2020

emvanburen said:
Some unexpected aggression with my wrasses. Hopefully it resolves. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/ruby-headed-fairy-wrasse-behavior.702276/

Was able to get the Deltec CRTT 3000 installed today. Once connected, as Shaun said, it’s pretty simple. Am trying to get the feed rate set to match my old alk dose. Once I have it dialed in I will keep the alk juice as a backup, and once my trident moves over, will likely use the dos in case alk drops. Still a bunch of coral to move over before the trident shifts.

To give you a guide, I waited for several weeks before turning it on, until the elements were being depleted

I started the Twin Tech at 5 litres per day so very low, and then as I added corals and they started to grown I increased it slowly by adjusting each week by around 1 litre extra. it’s easier to increase alkalinity rather than overdose and then try and reduce it.

I was on 9 for about 6 weeks and now I’m getting some very strong growth it’s up to 12 and stable

I just test once a week now although at the start I was testing alkalinity every few days and adjusting the Twin Tech

The rowalith w I use also includes magnesium so takes care of all the basic elements

Its a very expensive piece of kit, but it just works and works very well and is just so simple.

emvanburen · Mar 23, 2020

I didn’t realize it went below 10! The manual said 10 so I just believed! I may turn it down. I routed the effluent into a spare media reactor filled with more rocks sitting in the sump. Hopefully that will aid in helping the pH. Guess when I turned it on...

My wrasse is out and swimming more. Feeling better about that!

SPR1968 · Mar 24, 2020

emvanburen said:
I didn’t realize it went below 10! The manual said 10 so I just believed! I may turn it down. I routed the effluent into a spare media reactor filled with more rocks sitting in the sump. Hopefully that will aid in helping the pH. Guess when I turned it on...

My wrasse is out and swimming more. Feeling better about that!

I did say ask me! Lol

The calcium reactor output can reduce pH but ‘locally’ so have the output hose somewhere in your sump so the effluent gets plenty of time to mix into the water before it goes into the display and you should be fine

And remember to set the de gas cycle to the same as the litre per day number as per the instructions

emvanburen · Mar 24, 2020

SPR1968 said:
And remember to set the de gas cycle to the same as the litre per day number as per the instructions

I shall ! It’s a bit high so I’m restarting it tomorrow. There is always something!

devolver02 · Mar 28, 2020

looking good! im envious of the gem! I want on win the worst way

emvanburen · Mar 28, 2020

devolver02 said:
looking good! im envious of the gem! I want on win the worst way

Thanks. The gem is pretty special!

Moved the sticks in today (temp placement ) and got the Trident running on the main tank. May start gluing some of the sticks in in a few days.

Added a bourbonIus Anthias, leopard wrasse and blue throat trigger. So far the Anthias has settled in. The wrasse is in an acclimation box and will likely come out tomorrow. The BTT is hiding in the rocks. I hope this is just jitters and I see him emerge by tomorrow.

here are some fish pics!

emvanburen · Mar 29, 2020

Wrasse came out of the box this am and had a great day swimming around. BTT is still hiding. I’m starting to get worried. All sticks are in and my frag tank has been cleaned and stored. The exercise room is back to its initial condition - on the schedule I promised my wife! I can’t believe I did it. Bullet dodged...

Started auto dosing Acropower. Also added a bit of neonitro to get nitrate up to 3-5 ppm. It’s detectable but in the 1 range.

emvanburen · Apr 2, 2020

More fish pics. I’ve been doing Fish of the Day on Instagram @evanburen and my work folks have loved it.

Added some GFO today to knock the phosphate down. No sign of the BTT. A week in hiding. Not optimistic.

Laith · Apr 3, 2020

emvanburen said:
Very relieved that the harassment is over...

Beautiful ;Shamefullyembarrased

Daniel@R2R · Apr 3, 2020

Amazing photos!! Following!

emvanburen · Apr 3, 2020

As I suspected the blue throat trigger did not emerge from hiding. His remains were extracted and passed with honors. Very sad, he never came out. I may try again - I see no reason why this ended so badly.

On the brighter side my salinity meter holder arrived. Very happy with it.

Laith · Apr 6, 2020

emvanburen said:
...

On the brighter side my salinity meter holder arrived. Very happy with it.

Where did you get that from? I'd like one for my Hanna (same form factor)...

Blue Tang Clan · Apr 6, 2020

Laith said:
Where did you get that from? I'd like one for my Hanna (same form factor)...

Looks like a 3D printing shop has them for $15: Link

emvanburen · Apr 6, 2020

Blue Tang Clan said:
Looks like a 3D printing shop has them for $15: Link

Correct. I got mine from eBay but that’s where it came from.

emvanburen · Apr 10, 2020

My fish supplier did me a solid and sent a replacement BTT. I acclimated him as before but used the flow through Howdy!Box for a while to let him get accustomed to his tankmates. I also turned off the flow when I released him. Maybe it was too stressful for the first fish with flow. He’s now swimming about and eating! Very excited. What a cool fish.