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

Gablami

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That’s too bad, they used to have really good stuff. I tried a co2 scrubber probably 3 years ago before running an outside line. They had great media, medical grade. I got some media to compare from an anesthesiologist friend and the BRS stuff looked and functioned just like the media they put in the OR ventilators. Then BRS made a change. The container it came in was different. I didn’t think it worked as well either. By that time I got tired of using it and changing out the media and ran a line into my crawl space.
 
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SkiCatTX

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That’s too bad, they used to have really good stuff. I tried a co2 scrubber probably 3 years ago before running an outside line. They had great media, medical grade. I got some media to compare from an anesthesiologist friend and the BRS stuff looked and functioned just like the media they put in the OR ventilators. Then BRS made a change. The container it came in was different. I didn’t think it worked as well either. By that time I got tired of using it and changing out the media and ran a line into my crawl space.
I agree. I'm generally happy with their branded stuff. I have been using RODI media and carbon and quite a few other things for a while now, no complaints. Maybe I got a bad batch, but I've been reading here that many others are having bad luck with the BRS CO2 media.

I ordered some Two Little Fishies CDX, which should be here tomorrow, so I'll try that next. Also, lots of people are recommending some large batches of medical-grade on ebay and amazon. I might look at that longer-term. Right now I just want something that works (and can ship right away), then I'll see about saving money...
 
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SkiCatTX

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mmm, fish poop and algae...

5F90A01A-921F-4882-8FE5-F109AA25D670_1_105_c.jpeg


Changed the Klir roller for the first time. Better than cleaning and changing socks every few days, but surprisingly difficult to change out. There are a lot of loose pieces to the Klir and it all falls apart while you are trying to change it. Got it done though.
 
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SkiCatTX

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Grabbed a few pictures of the fish.

Here's a better image of what I hope are bite marks and not Ich.
IMG_4733.jpeg


I finally got some of Fat Albert...I mean Grover...begging for more food after eating an entire tanks' worth of algae. I swear he's going to pop any day now.
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And, I really hope those bubbles are not a sign of Dino...already...
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Any chance they are just excess oxygen from all the green algae?
 
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SkiCatTX

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Next batch of Pods.

Actually two bottles split to 4 mixed with tank water, phyto, and marine sno before adding.
1D78BE2A-8B47-47A6-B794-5E7B96948D3C_1_105_c.jpeg


I then put the lids on, put them down on the sand, and leave them there open for a few hours with the UV off and sock cover open so they can hide.
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I can't wait to get the tangs in the tank to eat all this algae...
 
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SkiCatTX

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Oh, and look what came today!

E500BF1C-D897-45B4-B504-56B25D5A8025_1_105_c.jpeg


That's 3 of probably 4-5 total. I'm just getting them one at a time since I don't have any SPS that require much more light quite yet. I'll set it to gradually increase over a period of time, and move the other two farther to the sides.
 
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Looks like there will be a one day delay on the fish.

I heard from Jake at Biota Florida where the fish are coming from. There was a scheduling mixup and they will arrive tomorrow. They will go out today, I have a tracking number, so fingers crossed there is no delay for Friday delivery.
 

RobB'z Reef

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As for the fish...

I just placed an order with Biota directly for two top-of-my-captive-bred-list fish, which I have been waiting for forever. I had planned to order some fish this weekend, whatever I could find on the list, and what do you know, these two showed up:

purpletang1_540x.jpg
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Captive-bred Purple Tang and Gold Lined Rabbit Fish!

Pics are from their web page, not the actual fish I'm sure, but they should arrive later this week, weather permitting of course. They will spend several weeks in QT though, so we'll have to wait just a bit longer to see them in the display.

I'm still waiting on a Blue Tang...for some reason, everyone is out of them right now. Also, I would like to get a sand-sifting Goby or two in this round, but that might have to wait since the shipping for those would be more than the fish.

I'll wait on Angels and Butterflies until my coral collection is considerably more established (and can handle nibbling), and the tank itself is much more mature.
nice fish, does that little purple guy like his belly scratched :)
 

RobB'z Reef

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mmm, fish poop and algae...

5F90A01A-921F-4882-8FE5-F109AA25D670_1_105_c.jpeg


Changed the Klir roller for the first time. Better than cleaning and changing socks every few days, but surprisingly difficult to change out. There are a lot of loose pieces to the Klir and it all falls apart while you are trying to change it. Got it done though.
how's that working so far? I have dual ones set up on my tank and am just getting salt water into it now. Rocks and sand to follow hopefully this weekend perhaps.
 
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SkiCatTX

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how's that working so far? I have dual ones set up on my tank and am just getting salt water into it now. Rocks and sand to follow hopefully this weekend perhaps.
The machine has been working great.

The original little controller box was defective, it just ran the paper continuously and randomly alarmed in the middle of the night. Carlos at Coral View helped me out though and immediately sent a replacement, along with two free fleece rolls. Since then it has been flawless. I didn't touch it again until this week when I needed to change the roll. It made a beeping alarm when it couldn't advance the roller since the end was taped to the source spool.

Once I got it out, I pulled the tape off, taped it to the new fleece, then advanced it through the device until it started to roll up. Then put it back together and back in place. I guess when I say it like that it wasn't that bad really. It was just messy and difficult to keep from falling apart.

But, I'll take 15 minutes of pain once every month or two over changing and cleaning socks any day...
 
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SkiCatTX

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"Used" IceCap media lasted all of a day before dropping back down to where the BRS was, so I swapped it out for the CDX I ordered. $15 worth of media in the small container didn't even fill up the canister...that's not going to work long term...But it was available from Amazon overnight, so that's what I got. If this works, I'll get a larger container while I scope out alternatives.

IMG_2860.jpeg


Also, I converted a used Algae Barn bottle into a water trap. This makes it much easier to empty and rinse out the water from the skimmer, and gives me way more time before it needs to be emptied.
 
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SkiCatTX

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Fish have arrived!

I was a bit worried when the box arrived 4 hours late and completely soaked on the outside.
IMG_2862.jpeg


And even more so when I opened the box and both fish were lying motionless on their sides in the bottom of the bags.
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However, they both have since perked up and are swimming. The purple tang appears to now be just fine. He hasn't eaten yet, but is swimming normally even when I'm around the tank.
IMG_2871.jpeg


The rabbitfish is more skittish. He will get up and swim when noone's around. In fact, as I'm sitting here writing this he is swimming. But if I even motion toward picking up my phone to take a picture he plops back down on the bottom of the tank, dead and discolored, playing opossum. It would be quite comical if it weren't so stressful...
IMG_2872.jpeg


I might try setting up my tripod and waiting to get a candid shot of him later.
 
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SkiCatTX

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I've had 2 rabbitfish and both were very shy and skittish. Fair warning...they are jumpers too.
hehe, yeah, I forgot to mention that. An hour or two after I had them in the QT tank, I was working on the display when I heard a reasonably loud splash and bang of plastic. Apparently, it tried to jump and hit the eggcrate lid and fell back in. It has only happened once that I know of, but I'm glad I had the lid on and that it. didn't fall off! I now have a weight on top of it as well.

I've had projectile jumpers in the past and it's not good. In fact, the lawnmower blenny once jumped out of the bucket of 1" of water several feet and landed in another bucket with another fish in it. Crazy lucky for him, as I didn't even notice until a few minutes later when I found no fish in one bucket and two in another...

I have a lid for the display on order which will hopefully be here before I am ready to move the new fish over. I'll post on that shortly.
 
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SkiCatTX

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Out and about. Caught him swimming.

Sorry these are grainy zoomed-in phone pics, since I had to wait on the other side of the room quietly or he would drop "dead" on the bottom again...

IMG_2886 2.jpeg
IMG_2881 2.jpeg


He has eaten two kinds of nori, TDO medium pellets, and some frozen mysis shrimp, so he's definitely feeling better.
 

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Great work as always man.
Just something I wanted to mention in regards to your ph battle and ALK issues....
if you’re already having issues keeping your ph at 8.0, then a calcium reactor might not be the best thing in the world until you really have a high demand in the tank since you’d be literally injecting your tank water with even more co2 for the reactor negating anything that the scrubber media is doing.
Just something to consider.
 
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SkiCatTX

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Great work as always man.
Just something I wanted to mention in regards to your ph battle and ALK issues....
if you’re already having issues keeping your ph at 8.0, then a calcium reactor might not be the best thing in the world until you really have a high demand in the tank since you’d be literally injecting your tank water with even more co2 for the reactor negating anything that the scrubber media is doing.
Just something to consider.
Thanks!

I definitely agree. I plan to stick with Core7 and a bit of Kalk as needed for as long as possible.
 

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