Redoubt Reef: 80 Gallon Rebirth Build

[taulgrl]

Now I gotta get started on the aquascape and get the sand in. Hope to get that done this weekend.

Great progress! Following along and looking forward to seeing your livestock

 

[RedoubtReef]

Finally got to work on the aquascape. I removed most of the rock I had available so that I was left with 90% ocean based live rock and 10% Real Reef man made rock. This is my first attempt on the current aquascape and I'm liking it so far but need to look at it for a few days to make sure and then I'll work on securing some of the pieces that are just sitting in place at the moment.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Finally got to work on the aquascape. I removed most of the rock I had available so that I was left with 90% ocean based live rock and 10% Real Reef man made rock. This is my first attempt on the current aquascape and I'm liking it so far but need to look at it for a few days to make sure and then I'll work on securing some of the pieces that are just sitting in place at the moment.

I like the aquascape!!

 

[RedoubtReef]

I like the aquascape!!

Thanks! It's growing on me.

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Looks nice. I like the different textures. Looks natural.

 

[jmichaelh7]

Finally got my light mount installed and hung the light. Still need to do some cable management and get it on the controller. Some shots with just the T5s on this AM. Light schedule will be
T5s set 1on at 9
T5s set 2 on at 10
Halide 1 on at 11
Halide 2 at 12:00
Halide 1 off at 16:00
Halide 2 off at 17:00
T5s set 1 off at 20:00
T5s set 2 off at 21:00

Picture of the light mount

How did you mount light and hide wires

 

[RedoubtReef]

How did you mount light and hide wires

In the current pic, I used some 1"X .25" aluminum bar stock from the hardware store, painted it black, and drilled holes in it to match the holes in the light and then one hole in the center of the bar where I used a T-nut to attach to horizontal section of the mount. I can send you close-up pics if you need, just PM me.
I have not hidden the wires yet as I'm actually going to hang the light on wires and lower it to reduce the spillover lighting in the room. Happy wife happy life. Once the light is lowered, I'll use black zip ties to secure the wires along the back of the verticle of the light mount.

 

[RedoubtReef]

Finally starting to look like a reef tank. Got the sand in. I'm using Tropic Eden Tonga Meso flakes. I really like this stuff but you have to rinse about a quarter of the bag at a time or it is REALLY cloudy. Learned that lesson after trying to rinse the entire first bag in a bucket.
I tested turning up the flow on the one MP40 I have in the tank and this stuff really holds up well to flow without creating a sandstorm. We'll see what happens once the other MP40 comes online in the future.
Also, got a new camera. Canon Rebel T7. Still learning how to takes pics after checking out the Photography forum. Pics so far are way better than the ones I posted the other day.

 

[RedoubtReef]

I've got fish in QT going on 2 weeks. Started Prazipro on them last week. So far I've got:

• 2 Firefish
• 2 Green Clown gobies
• 1 Citron Clown goby
• 1 Tailspot blenny
• 1 Diamond watchman goby

All appear to be eating and healthy so far but I did notice the Tailspot flashing when I fed them today. No sign of ich otherwise.
Also, I did get Aiptasia that came in with the live rock. I added 7 berghia nudi's and they seem to have wiped out most of them. I keep finding them in the refugium and then put them back in the display. This morning I found one in the fuge and put him back where he belonged on a rock just below a small Aiptasia. Came back a few hours later and the Aiptasia was gone.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I've got fish in QT going on 2 weeks. Started Prazipro on them last week. So far I've got:

• 2 Firefish
• 2 Green Clown gobies
• 1 Citron Clown goby
• 1 Tailspot blenny
• 1 Diamond watchman goby

All appear to be eating and healthy so far but I did notice the Tailspot flashing when I fed them today. No sign of ich otherwise.
Also, I did get Aiptasia that came in with the live rock. I added 7 berghia nudi's and they seem to have wiped out most of them. I keep finding them in the refugium and then put them back in the display. This morning I found one in the fuge and put him back where he belonged on a rock just below a small Aiptasia. Came back a few hours later and the Aiptasia was gone.

Can't wait to see the fish in your main tank!

 

[RedoubtReef]

Can't wait to see the fish in your main tank!

you and me both! It's been fishless since Feb 2022.

 

[RedoubtReef]

Well, finally got fish in the tank. Sorry for the poor picture quality. Maybe I'll get some better ones tomorrow.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Well, finally got fish in the tank. Sorry for the poor picture quality. Maybe I'll get some better ones tomorrow.

Glad to see you got fish in there!

 

[RedoubtReef]

Fish seem like they're doing good. The green clown goby likes to hide in between the rock branches and it's fun to try and find him. Added my first coral Friday, a bicolor splatter hammer.

 

[RedoubtReef]

Link to a sperate post on recent fish order: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/name-that-wrasse.1016733/

 

[RedoubtReef]

Well, found the Exquisite wrasse this morning dead. Didn't appear to have any external disease so it's a mystery. Solon wrasse is supposed to arrive next Friday.

 

[RedoubtReef]

Got my notice that the Solon wrasse arrives today, hopefully this goes better than the last one they shipped me.

 

[RedoubtReef]

Wrasse was in rough shape. Floating at the top of the bag and in the acclimation container trying to get air. Went upside down when I tried to transfer to tank. Once in, he went head down into a corner near the overflow and didn't move for 30 minutes so I pulled him out and placed him in an acclimation box I have. After a couple of hours, he seemed to swimming normally. He's still alive this morning so I'll try and get some pics later today.

 

[RedoubtReef]

The wrasse lives! Got him eating this morning so planning to release him later this afternoon if he eats again.

 

[nallured]

Great tank setup! Love the huge fuge. What are you running for mechanical filtration?