reef-rc WB 190.5 SPS

[reef-rc]

Quarantine in progress

Somehow I end up having 3 quarantine tanks all running while waiting for the main tank to be ready. This evolved out of necessity is the way I rationalized it. The two additional Qtanks has basically the same basic setup: 1 heater, 1 filter, PVC pipes for hiding, a few cubes of Brightwell bio cubes to help with filtering.

• The first quarantine has 3 blotched anthias I previous mentioned. I have been keep them separate but they all can see each other since mid-Feb. Will looking to retry putting them all together without some barrier as I currently have them in now. Quarantine since mid-Feb.

• The 2nd Qtank has my old storm clownfish, Two Spot Bristletooth Tang and Orangeshoulder Tang. All three are relatively getting along. Been in quarantine since beginning of March.

• The 3rd Qtank has the Convict Tang and Blonde Naso Tang Juvenile. Both seems to be getting along nicely. Been in quarantine since beginning of March.

Goal this coming week.

• I plan to the move the EVO next and with that I will be moving the pair of clownfish I currently have over to this tank as the tank should be ready for fish at this point. In the pair's place, I will move the single storm clownfish into the Evo to give it more space than the Waterbox 10G I had it in before.
• Following the clown, I plan to the add the 3 blotched anthias into the display tank next as they are non-aggressive and peaceful. This in-turn should free up a quarantine tank for something else I have on the list next.

 

[reef-rc]

First Inhabitants!

Close to two months in, the first pair of clownfish are in. This pair came from my Evo.

 

[reef-rc]

Skimmer is next...and it's a beauty.

I opened and setup the skimmer today for the first time. There is not much going in the tank besides two fish but it's enough to start breaking in the skimmer at this point.

Skimmer - Maxspect Aeraqua Duo

 

[Francoreef]

Just ran in to this build, coming along great will continue to follow.

 

[Melanie Fish]

Very cool build! Jealous!

 

[Falco]

great looking build thus far! did you pull the roller mat out for the time being? Didn't notice it in the last sump post.

 

[reef-rc]

Just ran in to this build, coming along great will continue to follow.

Thank you. Join in.

 

[reef-rc]

Very cool build! Jealous!

Thank you ;Shy

 

[reef-rc]

great looking build thus far! did you pull the roller mat out for the time being? Didn't notice it in the last sump post.

Thank you.

Great eye for details. Yes. With basically zero bio-load, it would just be a waste to have it running. Will look to put it back in once I start to add my first group of tangs in the coming month.

 

[reef-rc]

Different bio-media...

Up to this point, my limited experience with bio-media has been with only Marinepure plate and Brightwell Xport BIO Blocks. It has served well. The challenge I have noticed them long term is that they do begin to crumble. I am not saying crumbing is a bad thing as to be light I would guess over time it does wear down.

As a result of that, I am trying out something different from eShopps called Bio-Lux. The big differences I have noticed so far is that the material is much harder. The second is they are not cheap when compare to the other two imo. Beyond that, I like the holes and cuts into the block which i would think allow lots of bacteria growth in absence of sand in this tank.

I currently have these place right in the baffle just before the return pump. 6 of these things fit nicely into the baffle. These should not restrict water flow too much and should hold better than the previous media I have been using longer term imo. Up to today, I had used a filter sponge that come with the tank.

 

[reef-rc]

Next group of fish added - 3 Blotched Anthias

After 6+ weeks in quarantine, I finally moved the trio of blotched anthias into the tank with the pair of designer clown earlier. While in quarantine, I managed to get them to start eating pellets food which is great and much easier. The vid below is a recording from today's feeding.

Simple feeding Vid:

 

[reef-rc]

Next Up...Tangs

As of Friday, I moved the four relatively small tangs into the tank: Blonde Naso Tang, Convict Tang, Orangeshoulder Tang and Two Spot Bristletooth Tang. So far so good as every citizen is behaving and getting along.

Will look for tank to stabilize for the next 6 or more weeks before introducing the next group of tangs

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Different bio-media...

Up to this point, my limited experience with bio-media has been with only Marinepure plate and Brightwell Xport BIO Blocks. It has served well. The challenge I have noticed them long term is that they do begin to crumble. I am not saying crumbing is a bad thing as to be light I would guess over time it does wear down.

As a result of that, I am trying out something different from eShopps called Bio-Lux. The big differences I have noticed so far is that the material is much harder. The second is they are not cheap when compare to the other two imo. Beyond that, I like the holes and cuts into the block which i would think allow lots of bacteria growth in absence of sand in this tank.

I currently have these place right in the baffle just before the return pump. 6 of these things fit nicely into the baffle. These should not restrict water flow too much and should hold better than the previous media I have been using longer term imo. Up to today, I had used a filter sponge that come with the tank.

I'm interested in your results with these. I really like the design.

Your tank is looking great!!

 

[reef-rc]

I'm interested in your results with these. I really like the design.

Your tank is looking great!!

Thank you.

I'll look to provide feedback on the bio-lux down the road. Previously to this, I had started using them on a couple of the nano tanks. I currently have Xport BIO Blocks in the media tray. For those I saw sign of crumbling, I just replace the crumbing pieces with these. I should be able to tell over the next 6 months to a year.

 

[reef-rc]

Some automation setup...

I finally got around to adding and setting up both return pump and the two wavemakers to Reeflink yesterday. Wavemakers are now setup on a simple schedule and return pump was also calibrated.

It's interesting to see how much power the return pump is consuming after it was calibrated for the tank's flow (currently only leveraging 41% of the pump's maximum flow capability based on current tank flow restriction).

 

[reef-rc]

Next group of inhabitants...

Two weeks ago I started the quarantine and acclimation of the next batch of tangs. So far all are doing well.

I have these two together - Gem tang and Chevron tang. They are relatively mild toward each other.

Currently the biggest fish and so is in it's own tank - blue face Koi scopas tang

This last two are black Longnose hybrid tang and Scopas tang. The black longnose is tiny and is one I am interested to see how it turn out when it gets bigger. It is holding it's own to the scopas which is like 2" bigger than it. Seems to have gotten a little nip on it's top fin early after I had the two together. Beyond that and a little chasing on occasion, both are doing good.

Video of the two tanks next to each other. I just removed the barrier between the two tanks earlier today. This is the first time they are seeing each other for more than a few few minutes. Two weeks earlier, the smaller scopas were a little eradicate when it saw the blue face koi from the other side. Two weeks in, it seems a little calmer.

 

[reef-rc]

FOWLR Enjoyment...

Near the end of the 3rd months after adding water, finally getting to enjoy the FOWLR stage .

All inhabitants are getting along and they do not need a face mask to go out ;Doctor.

In all seriousness, it's nice to enjoy the tank with just fish. They all looking to be following me every time I get near the tank. I guess they know who over feed them regularly .

 

[reef-rc]

Seeding tank with pods...

Received six packs of 5280 Pods from Algae Barn earlier. Outside of bacteria and poop, this is the first set of live critters beside fish.

 

[reef-rc]

I finally installed the RODI booster pump + auto flush flow restrictor. This thing was sitting around and was not needed until now. Water in the new community has been very volatile and as result water pressure was lower than optimal for the RODI unit. I hated to have to run the RODI only late at night when water pressure was better. Finally got it installed while I was replacing the sediment filter and DI resin.

Currently have it dialed in @ 75 PSI.

 

[jstephens24]

What was it before and can you tell a difference? I “should” buy a booster pump but mine is around low 60s. I have a 150 gpd system