SkiCat's Dream Build: [Saving The] Planet 180 - The Making Of An Epic Aquacultured Mixed Reef

[SkiCatTX]

I took a ton of pictures, playing with the camera, after the cleaning. All are under full whites. Just a few were worthy of showing. I really want to start getting some SPS (there are a lot of sales going on, tough to ignore), but I'm just going to have to wait until we get some fish in here to take care of the algae, or it will just die, covered in growth. If it turns out I do have Ich in here somehow, and I have to run fallow for another 2 or 3 months, I'm going to go insane... ;Nailbiting

Storm is looking great. No sign of disease now, I'm really hoping that was damage from fighting, or a bacterial infection, or something from stress in the new tank.

Also, a bit of dino after the big cleaning, I also hope this is temporary. Though in past experience, it rarely goes away on its own.

Duncan is looking great as ever, nothing phases it.

The Anemones are loving it also, no problems there. They are eating fine, coloring and bubbling up well.

 

[SkiCatTX]

Updated side FTS:

You can even see Grover right there in the front, doing his job.

 

[samnaz]

Looking good!

 

[John Bolden]

get a clean up crew for the algae

 

[SkiCatTX]

Looking good!

Thanks!

 

[SkiCatTX]

get a clean up crew for the algae

No kidding! Have ~80 various snails in QT. Should be ready in about a month.

 

[SkiCatTX]

Went ahead and got some Safety Stop just in case there is something bad in the tank...

 

[Jgerm]

Man things are really looking good! I ordered from Top lids as well this past week. I couldn’t pass up the quality of what I wanted and I’m already not expecting to get it before Christmas but I would rather wait than be frustrated later with my decision. Lol

 

[Billldg]

Updated side FTS:

You can even see Grover right there in the front, doing his job.

Tank is looking GREAT!!!

 

[Takaki1980]

I did a deep clean of the display this week. I sucked out a bit of sand covered in algae, scrubbed the rocks with my super-duper pipe scrubber, and turned all the wavemakers on high.

Seen here with a standard turkey baster for comparison. Works great when there isn't much on the rocks to worry about damaging.

Problem was that it took several hours to clean all the floating algae out of the water, and it ran out the rest of the Klir roller...I had to change it already after only a week and a half...lame. BTW, it sucks that they switched to a smaller roll, you now get two smaller rolls in the package instead of a single larger one. I'm not sure if it's the same length or not, but it means you have to change it twice as often.

When I put the new roll in, I also added a standard 200u 7" sock to the front slot...which was completely blocked up the next morning, though the water had cleared up by then. Hopefully, that saved me another roll.

I have a question.
Does all the water flow in the tank stop while you're washing the wavemaker?Or do you have a spare pump on?I was curious as to how long I would have no problem with no water flow.

 

[SkiCatTX]

Man things are really looking good! I ordered from Top lids as well this past week. I couldn’t pass up the quality of what I wanted and I’m already not expecting to get it before Christmas but I would rather wait than be frustrated later with my decision. Lol

Thanks!

Other than dealing with the algae and Dinos while I wait for the fish and inverts to finish QT, it's been good. The LPS corals at least that are in there seem fine.

 

[SkiCatTX]

Tank is looking GREAT!!!

Thank You! I appreciate you checking in.

 

[SkiCatTX]

I have a question.
Does all the water flow in the tank stop while you're washing the wavemaker?Or do you have a spare pump on?I was curious as to how long I would have no problem with no water flow.

Hi Takaki!

You are getting quite the coverage with your awesome full colonies, and planted tanks as well!

I rarely stop the flow at all in the display. I have two return pumps, and even when I had that one disconnected, the other can continue to run. I put a cross-over with a ball valve between the two pumps as well (top in photo), so if either one is off, the other can supply most of the pressure to both the returns and the chiller/manifold outputs. I just turn it all the way up, rather than the normal 70-80%.

To remove a pump, I just put an end cap plug in the inside sump end of the bulkhead, close the ball valve over the pump (I would have preferred another valve before the pump, but that just wasn't going to fit in the end), then disconnect the unions.

In terms of the in-tank circulation flow, I have 4 "modes" that correspond to the 4 "Feed" modes on the Apex. I created virtual outlets with the names, so they are easier to understand in the code than "FeedA", "FeedB", etc.

• "FeedMode" - MP40s/Gyres minimum flow/off, UV off, Skimmer off
• "BacteriaMode" - MP40s/Gyres normal, UV off, Skimmer off
• "NutrientExport" - MP40s/Gyres alternating max flow, everything else normal, UV on
• "MaintenanceMode" - Everything off, including all pumps, skimmer, returns and chiller

Only MainenanceMode turns all pumps off, and I try to use that as little as possible, and rarely for more than an hour at a time. And I ALWAYS use the feed timer so as not to ever forget to turn them back on. I suggest not ever unplugging pumps, or turning them physically off without some kind of timer, because the consequences of going to work or bed with them still off by accident would be tragic to the tank...

 

[SkiCatTX]

Man things are really looking good! I ordered from Top lids as well this past week. I couldn’t pass up the quality of what I wanted and I’m already not expecting to get it before Christmas but I would rather wait than be frustrated later with my decision. Lol

Oh, and I just heard from Freddy at Top Lids that mine has finished machining and they are putting on the mesh. They hope to send it by the end of this week. That would put arrival at just over 11 weeks. So, not ideal, but if you just plan on that timing...

He sent me this pic of the pieces before adding the mesh.

 

[SkiCatTX]

I have a question.
Does all the water flow in the tank stop while you're washing the wavemaker?Or do you have a spare pump on?I was curious as to how long I would have no problem with no water flow.

Oh, and sorry, I think I didn't actually answer your questions...

I have an extra Gyre 350, so I can remove one at a time, soak and clean it, then put it on the other side and clean the other one. Then I have one on a shelf dry waiting for another cleaning. I also have several sets of extra black mesh anemone netting for them. I change those out every couple of days, soak them in bleach water for a bit, rinse them, and let them dry for the next use.

For the MP40s, I plan to get at least one extra wet side, but they have been out of stock everywhere for months. Fortunately, I don't need to clean them very often, but I can just pop one off, clean it, and put it back on. The white 3D printed covers, I also have two extra, so I can clean one set, then swap them out about every week or so to keep them clean and white.

So, no, no more than one of the four pumps is ever off, and only for a minute or two while I swap it out.

 

[Takaki1980]

Oh, and sorry, I think I didn't actually answer your questions...

I have an extra Gyre 350, so I can remove one at a time, soak and clean it, then put it on the other side and clean the other one. Then I have one on a shelf dry waiting for another cleaning. I also have several sets of extra black mesh anemone netting for them. I change those out every couple of days, soak them in bleach water for a bit, rinse them, and let them dry for the next use.

For the MP40s, I plan to get at least one extra wet side, but they have been out of stock everywhere for months. Fortunately, I don't need to clean them very often, but I can just pop one off, clean it, and put it back on. The white 3D printed covers, I also have two extra, so I can clean one set, then swap them out about every week or so to keep them clean and white.

So, no, no more than one of the four pumps is ever off, and only for a minute or two while I swap it out.

Hi SkiCat

Thanks for the thoughtful response.
Your system is as perfect as ever!

I have multiple wave pumps and two return pumps in my tank too, so I'll be maintaining them from now on to make sure they don't all stop.Very helpful.Thanks for your usual kindness!

 

[SkiCatTX]

Finally found another Ice Cap CO2 canister in stock, so I'm all set now to alternate a new and old canister with media.

 

[SkiCatTX]

Heard back finally from TopLids, this time the delay was..."my guy forgot to send it last week, so it was just sitting here"...sigh...

Fortunately, I now have a tracking number so it's supposed to be here Monday.

 

[SkiCatTX]

We have a tang in the tank!

After a couple of days in the acclimation box, there were no obvious signs of issues, so I let him go. He immediately started pecking at the algae. He's also trying to be best buddies with the lawnmower blenny, who doesn't care one bit for him, so we'll see how that goes. The two of them are always eating the same algae patch...

 

[SkiCatTX]

And on a completely unrelated note, I ordered a new phone...

It will be interesting to see if it takes good aquarium pictures...