Starting my new 30x30 sps...

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Maoiwowie

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Not sure where this build thread will end up, but for now it is as much a record for myself as it is sharing my love for this hobby. And with love, it isn’t alays gonna be pretty either.

Got new frags yesterday and again had one start to shed, but in this case it started from the tip and worked its way down. I cut the top off last night to try to save the base. Let’s cross those fingers; and the stn looks to have stopped today.
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Dont let this cute tank raised angel fool you. I would say it is not reef safe at all as it has shredded the fauna that came with the live rock, which included some cool lps type coral. Hasn’t nipped at the sps…. Yet.
 
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Maoiwowie

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Placed all frags on aquascape. Got rid of those ugly racks… Now just a waiting game. PH 8.3, PO4 .25, NO3 10, Ca 520, KH 9 (API)
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I probably have been over over feeding as trying to keep the regal fat. She has really acclimated well and will feed with others… But i have nurtured a bad habit as during feeding time I started by squirting food in front of her cave and she has grown used to being fed like that; and will only eat in the column after being fed individually.
The quick rise in nitrate and phosphate is something to watch so I’m gonna cut back feeding to twice a day instead of three.
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Maoiwowie

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Some peeps have asked or said I am going too fast with this build.... I got this tank about 1 month ago and i have filled it with about 40+ fish and 30 or so sps sticks... I would say this is on the faster side yes. But I have been doing this for a long time and planned it well. I cured all the live rock and dry rock structure for approximately 2 months before putting in display. I used the seawater for curing the live rock in the display on that initial set-up day as well. I didnt make enough fresh seawater. I also use Matrix and Siporax to help with the lack of live rock we see in typical rock pile aquascapes. Every tank acts differently and beyond testing and metrics, we need to recognize visually what is going on in our tanks as well. I dont test for NO3 or PO4 regularly, but i do watch my KH close as the tank continues to mature. So far so good as my polyp extension has been amazing since placing them permanently in the rock work. But i keep my fingers crossed too... ;)
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Fuzznutz36

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May I ask what % you're running the MP40s at? When I had pumps on the back wall, it seemed I couldn't get enough flow in the center. I like where you have the pumps...
 
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Maoiwowie

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May I ask what % you're running the MP40s at? When I had pumps on the back wall, it seemed I couldn't get enough flow in the center. I like where you have the pumps...
I have moved the 2 MP40s a couple times settling on this placement. I did this because visually they are the least obtrusive. And of course with no sand, i can hide them on the bottom easily. The top MP40 is at 85% in constant Short Pulse Mode. I never change this setting. I started it at 100% but the thing just gets too hot and makes me uncomfortable; and has shut off because of high temps. Not sure if it is because it is older or just the way it runs. The bottom MP40 cycles through several different modes but mainly mimics my experience of the sea. Here in Los Angeles, our normal early morning seas are calm then as we reach noon the wind starts to blow throughout the afternoon that can cause white caps and chaotic tides. The MP40s builds from 10% Nutrient Transport Mode starting around 4am to 100% Tidal Swell Mode by noon. From there it remains at 100% until late evening when it starts to taper to 30% Lagoon Random Mode. I can relax and watch the tank with less surface tension for top down viewing etc. As we enter the night and lights out, it will go down to 10% again and the cycle starts again. Since the MP40s are facing opposite directions, the currents hit each other at the far corner and creates random flow into the center. The open structure also helps with the flow.
 
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Maoiwowie

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Random update:
Took down the pico mangrove tank and moved them to the reef. The pico was simply being neglected. I like the mangroves sticking out of the reef giving it a “3d” vibe.
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The Regal is a love hate relationship. I hate that he picks at the sps now. I don’t think it is enough to kill them so I’m not going to do anything. Seems willing to give anything a taste; and will also randomly bully snails for fun. But I watch him eat hair algae all the time!

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I got one of these thinking why not. Modern times, modern solutions. Do not even try to open the feed box while attached to the tank! I learned the hard way by spilling the loaded pellets in my tank all at once... I fished much of it out and luckily avoided a spike in NO3 and PO4.
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Sean Clark

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Do not even try to open the feed box while attached to the tank! I learned the hard way by spilling the loaded pellets in my tank all at once
I've been here too. It's one of those lessons that you only need to learn once.
 

Fuzznutz36

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Solid on the pumps...I've gone with mine more over the top (necessity), clashing into each other...flip flop constant on one pump, NT, Reef Crest on the other at 3 hrs per, then go into a little wave action toward the end of the night to help keep junk suspended, lagoon at night. Seems be doing okay with the MP10s at 80-100% during the day depending on mode. I also have another MP10 low going mainly pulse and nt to help flush stuff from behind the rocks. I will say, I see hardly any polyp extension this way though. At times I've wondered if it's too much tbh.
 
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Maoiwowie

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Update: Im bummed as I have a latent strain of Ich in my tank. It has taken 20 days to reveal itself since my last fish was introduced, the Regal. Just a few spots here and there. All fish acting normal. I think the bare-bottom delays and hinders the spread as opposed to a sand bed. In my hubris and haste I got what I deserve... Now what to do about it? There are some really good write ups here on R2R to refamiliarize me with the best treatments. My choices are Cupramine in QT and a fallow period for display, Polylab Medic (or Kick-Ich) or ich management. If it werent for the expensive Regal, id go with management easy... I wont have a problem netting the fish at all... decisions decisions. When i decided to get back in to this hobby my selective memory forgot about the pitfalls of parasites... :confused-face:
 

Fuzznutz36

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The joy of reefing! Hope all goes well for the tank and it's just a minor setback.
 

Fuzznutz36

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Do you use garlic oil in that food at all? I've had success with this in the past.
 
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Maoiwowie

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Do you use garlic oil in that food at all? I've had success with this in the past.
Thank you for the assist. I have some on the way. Basically throwing all the anecdotal remedies at it while also trying not to disturb the sticks. I know ozone isnt popular, but I do see some changes since cranking up the ozone injection. My orp level has risen to 430 which previous to the adjustment hovered around 350 to 380. My outbreak for now isnt that bad so I feel i can get a handle on it... LOL. I know a lot of reefers say QT+fallow is the only way to go. I get that and agree. But if ozone does what it says it does, then the free floating stages of Ich (protomont and tomite hatching) can be treated. My idea is to try to keep the ich in suspension as long as possible through each free floating stage in hopes of entering my ozone reactor or my skimmer. My feed pump (Ecotech Vectra S2 @ 35%) turnover to both is about 500 gph+/-?. That's a guess, but if the ozone exposure of my water is 4 times the total volume of my system per hour, then my conclusion is some ich parasites must be getting exposed to ozone at that rate. I combine that logic with my MP40s at 100% that give the tank a washing machine affect, im hoping the ich parasite has a hard time attaching to a host or cant attach to a substrate easily (im barebottom) and within the hour gets exposed to ozone, then weakens and breaks the life cycle... :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes: I have my ozone generator at 100% production right now where normally i have it at 30 to 40%. Gonna keep this up for a normal copper treatment cycle, observe and cross my fingers...
 
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Maoiwowie

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One thing that stands out this morning is that I have never seen my water so crystal clear ever. Last night my ORP hit 445, my set limit. I’m going to push for over 450 today and see what happens. No new spots on the fish.
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How are you liking the thread fins? How well do they handle the high flow of an sps tank?
 
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