Potomac Reef 2 - 500 gallons of fun!

[emvanburen]

More fishy pics. The square spot anthias are starting to come out. They are pretty cool (and big) fish.

 

[emvanburen]

When I got the tank, I wondered about getting overflow covers, to prevent algae from growing in there etc. Mark C. told me not to, because fish will jump on them.

A month later, I was ordering some acrylic stuff from Melev's Reef, and we decided to make covers anyhow, which were then installed.

Well, Mark C. was correct. My replacement borbonius went in Wed and hopefully will be as outgoing as my first. And that is a painful fish to replace...

My purple square anthias are swimming around a lot now. It took a while for the large one to start eating - would sample mysis and then spit out. I went through brine shrimp, marine scene, flakes, pellets with no visible feeding frenzy. I finally found some frozen "reef plankton" in my freezer that did the trick -fish seems much more assertive and is feeding well. Whew!

Thinking of adding a sand sifting or otherwise interesting goby - any suggestions? I don't want one that is going to bury everything in the tank (e.g. Yellow head). Maybe a orange spot?

 

[SPR1968]

I’ve got an orange spot goby (I had 2 but their jumpers and go like lighting) and he keeps the sand spotless, and doesn’t throw it up in the air and all around. He just chews it and spits it out at the bottom.

He does rearrange it like an ‘earth mover’

 

[emvanburen]

Was nice to see Ecotech pushed an update for the Radion G5’s. Have been having connectivity issues. Hope this resolves them.

 

[TPE]

Very nice setup, I am in the process of finalizing an MRC ISump and refugium/ frag tank for my current 210 gallon tank; possibly upgrading to larger tank this year.
What size is your refugium? What would you change on your sump and refugium if you did it over?
Thanks!

 

[emvanburen]

Very nice setup, I am in the process of finalizing an MRC ISump and refugium/ frag tank for my current 210 gallon tank; possibly upgrading to larger tank this year.
What size is your refugium? What would you change on your sump and refugium if you did it over?
Thanks!

. The fuge is 60x18x18. It is above the sump and doesn’t leave a lot of room for top access. I’d have made it about 12” tall I think but not a big deal. Sump is awesome. It’s made for socks not a roller mat- but given the uv there isn’t much that could have been done to incorporate it.

 

[TPE]

Ok, thanks!
I am still deciding on a tank upgrade which will determine the sump and refugium layout while trying to not have any regrets down the road.

 

[NautiTang]

Have you considered making an egg crate or similar barrier above your overflow to keep the fish from sunbathing under the radions?
Beautiful build BTW!

 

[emvanburen]

Have you considered making an egg crate or similar barrier above your overflow to keep the fish from sunbathing under the radions?
Beautiful build BTW!

Yes! Am thinking of a vertical wall of egg crate as an extension of the overflow walls. Just need to figure out how to mount it. Any ideas?

 

[emvanburen]

Interesting view of the starfish! Tank is doing well. Have been dosing trace elements (reef moonshine @PSXerholic). Starting to see alkalinity consumption go up and some corals displaying growth. Some are still struggling. Hopefully we can get the chemistry stabilized soon and get everyone rocking.

 

[AZ_Reef]

Well put. We are forcing an integration between two parties that don't want to make it happen.

My method - which I found on a neptune forum (thus making in not really mine) works for iOS and for Safari but not Chrome.

Next - steps to finding the right URL to add.
1. Find the PUBLIC URL for your NEST Camera after enabling public sharing.
2. Verify you can view the URL in browser tab. I use CHROME for this whole sequence. (EVB - past url into browser).
3. Right Click - choose INSPECT (NOT View Source). (EVB: View, Developer, Inspect Element)
Use CTRL-F or CMD-F (for FIND). type MPEG and it should scroll to the right line in the code
This is the line you want to COPY/PASTE into FUSION.
The type is MPEG-4. I pasted the data including everything past the playlist.m3u8 like this:

...playlist.m3u8?public=fx6waNeaOT

there was more code past that but I didn't include it.

Hello - which best camera are you using?

 

[emvanburen]

Hello - which best camera are you using?

I’m using a Nikon d7000 when the pictures look good! If blue, iPhone!

My ruby headed wrasse jumped over this.

But I was there to save him, fortunately. Scary! New barrier made from Red Sea top kit.

 

[emvanburen]

Ok, thanks!
I am still deciding on a tank upgrade which will determine the sump and refugium layout while trying to not have any regrets down the road.

Roller filter....

 

[emvanburen]

Quick update on the tank. When I put the three squarespots in, two hid all the time, and one is out all the time. Well, the two perished. The first two go I found on the mp40. The second one had a lesion on his back, which then ruptured, and then vanished. So we have one.

.


Have been working on a better barrier on the right side. It is not used as much so I don’t think hinged is needed. I’m going to hang a screen from above. Pictures once done.

Have added a lot of coral from a local reefer. It’s going well. Here is some video


Here is my Walt Disney. Getting good PE and growth starting

 

[emvanburen]

Got some new shrooms!

 

[Laith]

Got some new shrooms!

Nice!

I've always been hesitant about mushrooms. When I first started a reef tank I had some that almost took over the tank ;Rage. But they were the bland brown ones.

I have one type now, really nice purple with yellow spots. I have it on a rock on the sand and already what has happened is that they multiply on the rock and then detach and float around until they land somewhere. This has happened twice and both times I got rid of the "floaters".

Not sure if all mushroom species can be invasive...

 

[emvanburen]

Nice!

I've always been hesitant about mushrooms. When I first started a reef tank I had some that almost took over the tank ;Rage. But they were the bland brown ones.

I have one type now, really nice purple with yellow spots. I have it on a rock on the sand and already what has happened is that they multiply on the rock and then detach and float around until they land somewhere. This has happened twice and both times I got rid of the "floaters".

Not sure if all mushroom species can be invasive...

My awesome orange purple Ricordia just produced an offspring. Those I will take!

 

[emvanburen]

Joe the Jawfish has joined the party. He has built his home in plain sight and is getting settled. Very fun fish!

 

[Trand1983]

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.

What media are you using in your CRTT 3000?

 

[emvanburen]

Finally got my frag tank base, and my roller mat tray from MRC. The tray is much nice than the plastic tub I was using, and it’s nice to cover up the calcium reactor and drains. Frag tank is from Planet Aquariums. System is coming along Covid or no Covid!