Standard 120 build thread

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Still removing as many montis as I can.
Was able to catch/net my 6" foxface and gave him to a friend who has a large fish only tank.
The foxface was eating the tops of my green slimer.
It only grazed on the slimer but I think it was only a matter of time before it grazed others.
Everything except some of the montis are doing well and growing fast.

The 9430 skimmer is a beast.
My no3 was 15-20 and is now holding 5.
I used some phosgaurd in my small reactor to bring my po4 from almost .3 down to .1.
Currently running 1/3 cup to keep it in range.
No issues at elevated levels though.
I do feed my now 13 fish pretty heavy at 8 cubes a day.
The 9430 really helps export over the smaller 9410.

Was looking forward to the Battle Corals grow out contest but my frag was delivered a day late and had no water in the bag.
This wasy very first online purchase too!
Adam was great and sent me a refund.
The box looked like it was stepped on and was wet.

Here is the 9430 in action and a pic I just took laying on the couch, lol.
You can see the nudibranch damage to the monti on the overflow.

20210427_080820.jpg
20210428_120634.jpg
 
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Couple pics from each end after a 12 gallon WC.
All parameter were in range but tank just looked off.
May have been a bacterial bloom as I was reducing the ez carbon dosing down from 10ml to zero over a 2-3 week span.
I saw a little cyano but its gone now.
I am going to do 12g's every 2 months and see how it goes from their.
It only takes about 3 hrs to make the 12 gallons as I have to lower alk from 9.5 to 7 then its ready to go.
I will admit, even the wife noticed, that the tank looks noticably better after the WC.

With the filter roller and Tunze 9430dc skimmer my no3 is 5 and po4 is .09-.1.

Overall growth is very good.
Still in the process of removing as many montis as I can. 3 full colonys gone so far.
Three I will never be able to remove. 2 more on the list.
20210522_181919.jpg
20210522_181927.jpg
 
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17 days away from the 2 year mark!
Today I brought my modified 6" Skimz media reactor that I converted into a carx online.
It is replacing the Tunze 3171.
The 3171 will be going on my 45 frag system soon.

I am now running coral bones since I have about 100lbs of medium grade media.

Was running Tunze manmade media for 1.5 years with good results.

I picked up the coral bones a few months back and decided to use it.
The reactor holds 9lbs/4 liters of media.
The 3171 only held 1.85 liters.

I am still running no ph probe or controller.
I was at 68/68, effluent to co2 on the Tunze.

The Skimz is running the same and I will monitor over the next few days to dial it in.
My guess is I will have to dial both down as the bones dissolve faster than manmade.

Here it is.
Getting a little crowded in there but its easy to work in.
20210606_110018.jpg
20210606_105853.jpg
 
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Tank will be 25 months in 3 days.
SG 1.0265-1.027
Temp 79-82
Alk 7.0
Ca 425
Mag 1395
Po4 .052
No3 3-5
All were tested today

Powerheads
2 6095' on back wall
2 ow-40's on sides
1 6105 on side
All are on pulse mode at 100%
I change the ow-40's to
differnt modes every day.

Took out BM filter roller and went back to 7" socks.
BM let alot through.

Running gfo high capacity
at 1 cup in my small reactor.
It works much better than phosgaurd in my system for po4 control.

Growth is very good and I have taken frags for my frag/lagoon system.

Ordered another Orphek light bar and will mount it in the back of my halides just like the one in front which is a blue plus.
New Orphek will be a blue sky.

Halides on for 8hrs
Orpheks are on for 9hrs.

14 fish that get fed 8-10 cubes a day.

Mounted 4 frags on the back wall.

Still fighting monti nudi's but I kill them when I see them.

Running around 150-200gph through the sump now.
Lower flow works better in my system.

Evaporation is running 2gallons a day.

I am currently doing a 12 gallon water change every 2 months.
Honestly the tank just looks better with it.

This is a full tank pick I just took of my system.
20210720_132824.jpg
 
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New update.
Was running esv-b salt and just switched to the old standby regular instant ocean.
I have ran esv for over 5 years now and do not see any difference with the IO except the price, lol.
$70 for 100g's of esv or $70 for 320g's of IO.
I still lower the alk to my 7-7.5 desired range.
This is my newest fish addition.
The filefish and a pic of my pixi hawk.
Current fish load: 15
6 blue green chromis
1 pajama cardinal
2 percula clowns
1 pixi hawkfish
2 blue eyed anthias
1 convict tang
1 tomini tang
1 file fish
20210805_115806.jpg
20210803_161644.jpg

20210805_115735.jpg
 
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Just hung the other OR3.
Now running 1 blue sky in the front and 1 blue plus in the back.

First pic is with the OR3 blue sky.
Second is with blue plus and blue sky.
Third is a pick of the light system.
With both OR3's on tank is a little bit darker than with the 1 blue sky but overall colors are true.
20210803_162639.jpg
20210809_135326.jpg
20210809_140017.jpg
 

thatmanMIKEson

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Thats looking amazing, and everyone knows pictures are only an idea of what it really looks like in person. I am very impressed with everything from your lighting to your ecosystem, very good keep it up!
 

jmichaelh7

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Still removing as many montis as I can.
Was able to catch/net my 6" foxface and gave him to a friend who has a large fish only tank.
The foxface was eating the tops of my green slimer.
It only grazed on the slimer but I think it was only a matter of time before it grazed others.
Everything except some of the montis are doing well and growing fast.

The 9430 skimmer is a beast.
My no3 was 15-20 and is now holding 5.
I used some phosgaurd in my small reactor to bring my po4 from almost .3 down to .1.
Currently running 1/3 cup to keep it in range.
No issues at elevated levels though.
I do feed my now 13 fish pretty heavy at 8 cubes a day.
The 9430 really helps export over the smaller 9410.

Was looking forward to the Battle Corals grow out contest but my frag was delivered a day late and had no water in the bag.
This wasy very first online purchase too!
Adam was great and sent me a refund.
The box looked like it was stepped on and was wet.

Here is the 9430 in action and a pic I just took laying on the couch, lol.
You can see the nudibranch damage to the monti on the overflow.

20210427_080820.jpg
20210428_120634.jpg
8 cubes a day was causing the .3 phosphates probably?



Man what about to your lawnmower blenny. sucks to hear that it died out of no where?


I am curious about the calcium ractor. I think i may invest in one in the near future. Need to youtube videos to see how it works.



I'm running 4 bulbs of T5 right now with 4 AI hydra's. They are 15" off the water. I think I will look into the height , your height seems touching the water when you had t5s. What made you want to go metal hallide?


No water changes , that's interesting! So your one of those who decided to see how you can do with no water changes. How do you manage to replenish certain elements? Is that route cheaper than buying tubs of salt, and ion canisters for RODI water changes?



Overall.. great success on your tank man!
 
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8 cubes a day was causing the .3 phosphates probably?



Man what about to your lawnmower blenny. sucks to hear that it died out of no where?


I am curious about the calcium ractor. I think i may invest in one in the near future. Need to youtube videos to see how it works.



I'm running 4 bulbs of T5 right now with 4 AI hydra's. They are 15" off the water. I think I will look into the height , your height seems touching the water when you had t5s. What made you want to go metal hallide?


No water changes , that's interesting! So your one of those who decided to see how you can do with no water changes. How do you manage to replenish certain elements? Is that route cheaper than buying tubs of salt, and ion canisters for RODI water changes?



Overall.. great success on your tank man!
Yea the 8 cubes a day does increase po4 for sure.

I do not feed the corals though, the fish do.

Carx is super simple once setup.

I dose DSR EZ Trace.
It keeps mag and K levels steady.

I just switched back to IO regular from previous ESV salt.

I am now doing a 12g WC every 2 months or 10%.

Even the wife noticed that after the WC the tank just looks better.

I may go to once a month now as the IO is working well and it is simple to implement.

I am now looking at an algae scrubber to reduce po4 instead of gfo.

I now run my 9430dc in 4 3/4" of water which allows me to run the pump at almost 70%. Before at 6" I was running the lowest pump setting.
Time will tell as I am now getting 300+ ml of skim a day. Before I was getting 300ml every 4 days.

Yea the blenny was a mystery.

Look up member jda here for all the info you need on a carx.

I had the halide setup before the tank was up. It just took me a year to get it hung.
I just prefer the halide look and the or3 led bars really complement them too.
 
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r4rlee

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Tank Elite standard 120 rimmed with corner overflow
Bare bottom build
40 breeder sump no baffles
Steel open stand with automotive top coat and 3/4" plywood top
7" filter sock
Tunze 9410 dc skimmer
Tunze 1073.04 return pump
Tunze 3155 ato with Bashsea 10 gal reservoir
Tuzne 3171 calcium reactor
10lb co2
Aga dual stage regulator
Tunze 880.950 calcium carbonate
2 tunze 6095 streams
2 jebao OW-25
Ati 6 bulb 3+ 3b+ on moveable T Slot fixture 4" off the surface
Apex classic
ESV B Ionic salt
ESV B 2 part
ESV B strontium
DSR Trace elements
15 lbs live rock from 2 year old nano 15 lbs from lsf
30 lbs caribsea rock that had been in lsf tank for over 3 months.
BRS 4 stage ro/di

Tank was ready to add all rock on 6-23-19. Used some turbo start and had virtually no cycle.
The goal of this tank is a no scheduled water change system.
Currently dosing by hand 5 mils 2 part a day 2.5 mils strontium once a week and 2.5 mils dsr trace a day.
Current alk swing is only .3 a day.
Temp 78 currently not running a heater as house stays 75 all year but have heater ebo jagers if needed.
1.5 gallon evaporation a day.
It has been almost 2 months now and pumps are getting coraline with the bottom spotting up nicely already.
Calcium reactor and doser will come online when needed.
Ph 8.0
Kh 8.5
Cal 430
Mag 1350
Po4 .05
No3 2 ish
Running 1/4 teaspoon kalk in 10 gallons just to keep ph steady
Current fish stock will stay the same and I know its heavy for a 2 month old tank but the corals need food
6 blue green chromis
1 lawnmower blenny
1 pajama cardinal
1 neon dotty back
1 pygmy angel
All are about 1" except for the blenny and dottyback which ar 2 inches.
They were all added at 4 to 6 weeks.
Current coral from nano running same parameters.
2 green slimmers
1 green unknown acro
1 slimeball
1 purple stag
1 dark green stag
They all varry from 1 tp 3"
1 purple with green polyps acro dont remember the name
1 jackolantern lepto i think and 1 monti and others i dont rember the names.
All were transfered from the nano over a 4 week period after the one month mark.
3 pepermint shrimp
3 emerald crabs
3 turbo snails
2 brittle stars they look pretty good size that came in on the lsf live rock.
I can only see there arms.
Feed 3-4 times a day well the wife does except when i get home.
R.o.e morning
R.o.e with mysis lrs sf brand angel and butterfly.
Currently running the 6095 100% but pulsed one on one off. Same with the jeboas.
Egg crate top so no jumpers.
Need to run a new 20 amp line and set up apex and work on wire managment.
Will keep updated. Any questuons about the system just ask as I am here everyday. Heres a few crappy cell phone pics as thats all I have
20190821_184915.jpg
20190821_184651.jpg
20190821_183401.jpg
Looks good
 

KenO

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Yea the 8 cubes a day does increase po4 for sure.

I do not feed the corals though, the fish do.

Carx is super simple once setup.

I dose DSR EZ Trace.
It keeps mag and K levels steady.

I just switched back to IO regular from previous ESV salt.

I am now doing a 12g WC every 2 months or 10%.

Even the wife noticed that after the WC the tank just looks better.

I may go to once a month now as the IO is working well and it is simple to implement.

I am now looking at an algae scrubber to reduce po4 instead of gfo.

I now run my 9430dc in 4 3/4" of water which allows me to run the pump at almost 70%. Before at 6" I was running the lowest pump setting.
Time will tell as I am now getting 300+ ml of skim a day. Before I was getting 300ml every 4 days.

Yea the blenny was a mystery.

Look up member jda here for all the info you need on a carx.

I had the halide setup before the tank was up. It just took me a year to get it hung.
I just prefer the halide look and the or3 led bars really complement them too.
I use ATS's on 2 different setups. They are good at reducing NO3, not so much for PO4.

Also note that the effluent from your CAL Rx can also be adding PO4. My effluent reads 0.24ppm of PO4.

Lanthanum Chloride is another way to reduce PO4. Just go slow.
 
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I use ATS's on 2 different setups. They are good at reducing NO3, not so much for PO4.

Also note that the effluent from your CAL Rx can also be adding PO4. My effluent reads 0.24ppm of PO4.

Lanthanum Chloride is another way to reduce PO4. Just go slow.
Yes I have dosed EZ carbon and may go back to that.
I did not think about my carx.
I was running manmade media so no po4. I switched to coral bones because I setup a larger carx and got a good deal on 100lbs of media.
I will check the effluent.
Thanks
 

KenO

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Yes I have dosed EZ carbon and may go back to that.
I did not think about my carx.
I was running manmade media so no po4. I switched to coral bones because I setup a larger carx and got a good deal on 100lbs of media.
I will check the effluent.
Thanks
Let us know what you find.
 

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