Susan's RS Reefer 3xl 900 Fantasy-Dream Build

[Susan Edwards]

Ugly but effective! The pure black ones are straight sand sifters (not sure about the mixed colors).

I hope its as good as the black. If this one survives I'll add another. or two

Sand Sifting Sea Cucumber - Oceans Garden Aquaculture

Cucumbers are notorious for cleaning the sand bed of coral reefs and rock reefs eating detritus. They move along aerating the sand and release debris and

www.oceansgarden.com

 

[blaxsun]

I hope its as good as the black. If this one survives I'll add another. or two

They will occasionally climb the glass or go up on the rocks to forage - but they almost always end up back in the sand bed. $10? *** - mine cost me $40!

 

[Powderblue85]

Wow!! 1 dose chemiclean yesterday cleared all of it overnight!! Will start doing 6 gal water change a day to equal 20% and tomorrow will add my boyd's and purigen back in. Will continue to dose 4 ml neophos to be sure po4 does not drop and start low with no pox for the no3 to keep around 10

Tank at 7 monthis is looking awesome. Now to keep it this way!!

Look Ma!!! no Cyano or algae!!! Added a few coral pics. Skimmer is off so water not very clear. Excuse the tubing for the airstones while treating chemiclean

Beautiful setup. I’d love to have a tank this size at some point!

 

[Susan Edwards]

Beautiful setup. I’d love to have a tank this size at some point!

Thanks. It was an eye opener to go from a 125 g/35 sump to a 240g system. The sheer size is daunting at times. But I don't plan on ever upgrading lol's so wanted as big as the room allowed! And it sure dominates my poor 10x10 office haha

 

[Susan Edwards]

today is a total fish day for me lol's. No housework or other stuff I need to do. Guess that makes it a play day for me, even though adding livestock is work and worry, right?

I ordered some calcium carbonate to use and test to see how clear it makes my tank. Based on this thread. The OP has some seriously beautiful tanks

Extreme Water Clarity and Cyano Eradication, Made Easy!

So it can be used everytime you clean your glass, like every few days? I'll most likely try it without shutting returns as my apex atk/ato just settled back (messing with levels takes DAYS to get the ato working again). Once I have my feed buttons programmed I'll try with returns turned down...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Susan Edwards]

While I am on a posting roll, I took some pics of some pretty amazing growth that has just started. Tank did so good in first couple months, then growth slowed or stopped. Now that the algae is gone (mostly) and the cyano (completely), the corals are taking off. So even with no3 at 25-30 and po4 0-.03 all are super happy. and yes, I'm chasing numbers as I don't want another major algae invasion

Not taking pics of everything, just some noted growth. Will have to do another video

Montipora Blue Digitata encrusted on rock

.
Reverse sunset montipora finally showing growth on right side and back

Montipora capricornis

Tenius

Pocillipora I think encrusting

candy can. had 4 heads. doubled

Acan or micromusa or ? Has new heads and very puffy

Pocillipora spawn...

stylophora and montipora digitata. Hope they can touch...

More encrusting

Yellow tort. I think. Was just 4 bumps/stumps. Going nuts. Not a lot of pe yet though

frogspawn or octo. Not sure. More heads and finally bumps on tentacles.

Montipora Setosa Encrusting

back side of montipora rainbow--above and to right of orange sedosa

front side of rainbow montipora

backside of reverse sunset monti encrusting branch

 

[Susan Edwards]

They will occasionally climb the glass or go up on the rocks to forage - but they almost always end up back in the sand bed. $10? *** - mine cost me $40!

The stuff I got from Oceans garden seemed all nice. The corals were good sized and I got the 100 snails/hermits package. Plus I added and made my own custom package, including the cuc. I will use them again!

 

[Miami Reef]

Hi @Susan Edwards!

I clicked your build thread badge (it took me to your previous build thread of the coralline encrusted tank). I did some skimming through then went to the last page and saw a portal that took me here! Why don’t you put this awesome build thread as your build badge so it will direct people directly to this amazing work of art?

I love how persistent you are. You tried so hard with that first crappy tank (skimmer rigged airline etc) and look how fat you’ve come! I love your aquascape because the rocks remind me of a shallow reef (I’m getting these vibes)

I may have missed it, what’s your favorite fish that you have?

 

[Susan Edwards]

got my dosing caps in for the Voss bottles. Changing the a/c/m to the 800 ml bottles and RS trace to the 375 bottles. I have a lot of water to drink lol's. I like this guys as he includes a piece to hook up the dosing tube. I got the 1st 375 ml set as he did those for me. Love 3 D printing! Also got some anemone covers for the mp40's in case the sea cuc or urchin find their way to the back wall.

Now to get the 2nd RS doser hooked up and mount these on the pull out shelves. The old containers take up a lot of room plus you can't empty to clean 1 compartment without doing them all--ask me about pouring calcium into the alk section....



Etsy is such a good place to go!

 

[Susan Edwards]

Hi @Susan Edwards!

I clicked your build thread badge (it took me to your previous build thread of the coralline encrusted tank). I did some skimming through then went to the last page and saw a portal that took me here! Why don’t you put this awesome build thread as your build badge so it will direct people directly to this amazing work of art?

I love how persistent you are. You tried so hard with that first crappy tank (skimmer rigged airline etc) and look how fat you’ve come! I love your aquascape because the rocks remind me of a shallow reef (I’m getting these vibes)

I may have missed it, what’s your favorite fish that you have?

ah, back from dinner! I will have to ask Daniel to change that! I have my build thread in my signature but didn't think about the badge. I tried to see if I could change it and I couldn't. This is actually my 3rd tank. My first was a RS max 250 that I upgraded to the 125. It was failing when I decided not to keep both tanks. I know why now. It was the leathers releasing toxins. All my lps and sps's were slowly dying. In the 125 I could not keep any lps or sps alive. As soon as I took out that monster toadstool, I was able to keep Lps corals. They were moved to this tank. The things we learn from trial and error!! Expensive lessons. I have a very small leather in my tank--not sure what kind-- that will eventually have to go to the observation tank most likely

Favorite fish: Anthias are favorites. I need a lot more after the damsels are gone! Ugh! I also love my mandarin and oh, the Flame Hawk fish. Then there are the tangs and foxface. Bummed that I lost the kole. Hoping my 2 wrasses survive. Guess there is not 1 favorite lol's

Can you guess my least favorite? Those danged damsels. I need them out. I knew I shouldn't have added them. I knew it and did it anyway....

Anyway, nice to see you here!

 

[Susan Edwards]

can't remember if I posted this here. This is what I stare at every night. Stand offs and fights. Look at those raised top fins. They go back and forth in place and then 1 charges the other. Wish they were like cromis where they did each other in... These 2 also viciously attack my hand if I put it in on this side of tank. The clowns get me from the other. Thinking of getting rid of ALL damsels except the yellow tail (first fish in 1017) and the 2 sapphire damsels

 

[blaxsun]

can't remember if I posted this here. This is what I stare at every night. Stand offs and fights. Look at those raised top fins. They go back and forth in place and then 1 charges the other. Wish they were like cromis where they did each other in... These 2 also viciously attack my hand if I put it in on this side of tank. The clowns get me from the other. Thinking of getting rid of ALL damsels except the yellow tail (first fish in 1017) and the 2 sapphire damsels

Man, if I were in California I would so take these guys off your hands!

 

[Susan Edwards]

Man, if I were in California I would so take these guys off your hands!

If you were in calif. I'd be on my knees begging you to take them! They are mean and obnoxious!

 

[blaxsun]

If you were in calif. I'd be on my knees begging you to take them! They are mean and obnoxious!

I suspect they'd get tamed fairly quickly in my tank... I have a few anthias that don't take **** from anything. Any luck catching the little suckers?

 

[Susan Edwards]

I suspect they'd get tamed fairly quickly in my tank... I have a few anthias that don't take **** from anything. Any luck catching the little suckers?

None. Zip. Zero! I am going to have to devise my own trap as they won't go in the one I have. I cleaned it up and plan to put it back in on Thur. Want to give the new fish a few days to settle before I do too much

 

[Miami Reef]

Click your profile picture, then follow my arrows and you’ll find it.


I love anthias too. I dislike aggressive damsels.

 

[Susan Edwards]

build badge fixed! Thanks @Miami Reef

 

[Susan Edwards]

Update from yesterday.

Pinstripe wrasse out and about. Hanging over one gyre or around back to the return but its out.
Redfin wrasse haven't seen it at all
Royal gamma-No idea where. Saw it briefly in some crevice yesterday then nana
Court Jester Goby-was out yesterday in one corner area of tank. Haven't seen today

sure hope these fish are just hiding.

Cucumber still in same area. Not moved into sand yet. Please don't die DAVE (there @blaxsun I named a critter)
Saw the urchin. Hope it grows fast lol's
Saw some of the emeralds. Should have at least 6-8 in there
Still flipping astrea snails over

Corals are looking good. Will place some tomorrow. Need to see if 2 stylophora can touch. I have a high rock under one of the gyres as a possible place. Not sure that won't be too much flow. My alveopora looks like it has a few goni heads mixed in.

In love with my elegance and fox coral. Need to get some filters for my camera and learn to take good pics!! These I think will be my favs of the new batch of corals

Ulva sea lettuce wild growth. Have a ball of chaeto in there now. Need to make a second basket
5/24 6/6

 

[blaxsun]

 

[Susan Edwards]

Caught my pistol and goby out. For a long time even

20220608 204507

Shrimp and goby

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