Tonya's 210 Gallon

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Salty Lemon

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I'm a biological scientist and I may have taken a too clinical approach to my cycle- I ended up with a chrysophytes algae problem that's took months to eradicate, probably due to it being too sterile and having free niches for colonization. I didn't have have the usual cycling uglies- was pristine white rocks for months then BAM- gross brown crud everywhere.
I think we all need gross crud just so we can tell others that we have been through it. My latest took almost a year to go away. I'm glad to hear you got it under control.
Coupled with getting pretty sick for a couple months, and having a baby, it's a bit behind where I hoped it would be at this point.
Just don't quit reefing. I had a baby in the middle of grad school. I dropped out of the hobby for awhile because I couldn't do everything. I'm glad to be back, but there's part of me that wishes I never stopped. Although it would have been a neglected, nasty-looking tank, with filled with many dead and dying things.
But I'm loving it and it's turning into a real centerpiece in the home for the children. I just have like 12 projects I need to nail before I considers it at a point where I can sit back and watch it grow
Wonderful! My boys (and their friends) like mine too. :)
 

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I think we all need gross crud just so we can tell others that we have been through it. My latest took almost a year to go away. I'm glad to hear you got it under control.

Just don't quit reefing. I had a baby in the middle of grad school. I dropped out of the hobby for awhile because I couldn't do everything. I'm glad to be back, but there's part of me that wishes I never stopped. Although it would have been a neglected, nasty-looking tank, with filled with many dead and dying things.

Wonderful! My boys (and their friends) like mine too. :)
I actually had a 30g breeder in grad school, but that's was in UK 15 years ago and the scene wasn't exactly thriving, so it was way ugly compared to the current attempt. I had it three years and broke it down right before emigrating to the US 12 years ago
 
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Phew! All caught up. That was some ride!

I wish I'd been around sooner abdvtokd you about the API ammonia test. It's literally wrong 80% of the time when measuring in the 0 yo 0.25 range. I know, because I ran several tests using fresh SW during my cycle and did 3 x 5 vial repeats (3 batches of IO, 5 vials within minutes oF each other) and I got 0.25 ppm in 4 of 5 vials firceach of three batches. It sucks. But I didn't really care- once I'd dosed ammonia to 2.5ppm and watched it come down to 0.25, then repeat x 3, then saw my nitrites bottom out and nitrates peak at 40 ppm- I knew I was done. Science. Haven't tested ammonia since.

Regarding bacteria in water- it only represents about 0.1% of the load in the tank. Nitrifying bacteria love attaching to surfaces- inside the rock work, primarily. They don't 'freeswim' and they don't get mobilized by increasing ammonia. Almost all environmental bacteria like that exist in biofilm communities that coat the substrate. Your WCs during this time were having zero negative impact on your biofilter, and, if anything, were likely providing benefit by removing nitrates and excess dissolved organics


Great thread, glad to have met you!
 
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  1. Happy Easter to those who celebrate!
  2. Today I ordered a Copperband Butterflyfish and a Longnose Hawkfish. My other fish are still in qt so I need to set up my 20L to house these guys for the time being. I'm not being very responsible, but that is what happens when I'm trapped in the house with a laptop, online shopping, and PayPal. Things are bound to happen.
  3. On a sad note... I had a feeling that my clown-fish eggs were going to hatch last night. They were shiny but mostly, my tangs started hovering over the flowerpot with hawkish, hungry expressions. Today there weren't any eggs and the tangs have relocated to their side of the tank. Sometimes I hate it when I'm right. I knew this would happen -- I wasn't going to go through all the hoopla of setting up a clown nursery, so I expected this. But I was still hoping.
 

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Stock up on Masstick! Either the mix your own or premade pellets. I think I’m leaning to the mix your own as it’s easier to add defrosted frozen mysis to get em used to that good type as well.
Glad to contribute to your reefing delinquency by being a bad influence :p
 
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Stock up on Masstick! Either the mix your own or premade pellets. I think I’m leaning to the mix your own as it’s easier to add defrosted frozen mysis to get em used to that good type as well.
Glad to contribute to your reefing delinquency by being a bad influence :p
Okie dokie -- ordered from BRS. It will be here when they get here. Thanks for the suggestion @Raege ! :)
 
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I believe the fish I just ordered may be my last for awhile. I'm cutting it close to my maximum. The tank is 210 gallons and my sump holds about 30. This is what I now have -- not including inverts.

Copperband Butterfly (on order)
Longnose Hawkfish (on order)
Yellow Tang
Purple Tang
White Cheek Tang
2 Blackish Ice Clowns
2 Fire fish
1 Anthias (swims with the firefish)
Bicolor Blenny
Mandarin Goby
Sixline Wrasse
EDIT: Diamond Goby & Twin Spot Goby

If I could, I'd have twelve tangs. They are by far my favorite fish family. I also would love a Goldflake Angel, and a Moorish Idol. Perhaps some day I'll get them. But I'm happy with what I have. There is a variety of color in the tank and they are fun to watch. I'm hoping my new fish are healthy.
 
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I believe the fish I just ordered may be my last for awhile. I'm cutting it close to my maximum. The tank is 210 gallons and my sump holds about 30. This is what I now have -- not including inverts.

Copperband Butterfly (on order)
Longnose Hawkfish (on order)
Yellow Tang
Purple Tang
White Cheek Tang
2 Blackish Ice Clowns
2 Fire fish
1 Anthias (swims with the firefish)
Bicolor Blenny
Mandarin Goby
Sixline Wrasse

If I could, I'd have twelve tangs. They are by far my favorite fish family. I also would love a Goldflake Angel, and a Moorish Idol. Perhaps some day I'll get them. But I'm happy with what I have. There is a variety of color in the tank and they are fun to watch. I'm hoping my new fish are healthy.
I hope so too! That is a great list.
 

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I believe the fish I just ordered may be my last for awhile. I'm cutting it close to my maximum. The tank is 210 gallons and my sump holds about 30. This is what I now have -- not including inverts.

Copperband Butterfly (on order)
Longnose Hawkfish (on order)
Yellow Tang
Purple Tang
White Cheek Tang
2 Blackish Ice Clowns
2 Fire fish
1 Anthias (swims with the firefish)
Bicolor Blenny
Mandarin Goby
Sixline Wrasse

If I could, I'd have twelve tangs. They are by far my favorite fish family. I also would love a Goldflake Angel, and a Moorish Idol. Perhaps some day I'll get them. But I'm happy with what I have. There is a variety of color in the tank and they are fun to watch. I'm hoping my new fish are healthy.




Great lineup! I just looked up a white cheek tang, they’re pretty cool looking.

The only fish I think I like more than tangs are angels, but it’s bitter sweet because you can’t really have them with a reef. Tangs are definitely a close second, I loved my blond Naso when i had him
 
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Just jumped on board and will do my best to pile through the 32 pages of this thread but no promises. Unfortunately, for you, I enjoy giving OPs a hard time. Also, if you ask around, I'm hard to get rid of, so, you've been warned! ;Hilarious
 

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Just jumped on board and will do my best to pile through the 32 pages of this thread but no promises. Unfortunately, for you, I enjoy giving OPs a hard time. Also, if you ask around, I'm hard to get rid of, so, you've been warned! ;Hilarious



It’s not that bad... haha
 

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The only fish I think I like more than tangs are angels, but it’s bitter sweet because you can’t really have them with a reef.

This seems to be a pretty popular misnomer. I have kept quite a number and variety of angels in reefs over the years. I also know of many reefers who successfully keep angels in their reef(s).
 

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This seems to be a pretty popular misnomer. I have kept quite a number and variety of angels in reefs over the years. I also know of many reefers who successfully keep angels in their reef(s).



You must have gotten a good species or are lucky with your selection because i, including my own experience have seen them decimate tanks. Especially the big ones. Maybe one day I’ll try to get a juvenile blue face or emperor, but I feel like it’s a coin flip when it comes to them.
 
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Just jumped on board and will do my best to pile through the 32 pages of this thread but no promises. Unfortunately, for you, I enjoy giving OPs a hard time. Also, if you ask around, I'm hard to get rid of, so, you've been warned! ;Hilarious
Glad you took a peek. I've seen your posts on other threads and you are funny. Chicago is a good town. I go there mostly for the pizza. :)
 
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The only fish I think I like more than tangs are angels, but it’s bitter sweet because you can’t really have them with a reef. Tangs are definitely a close second, I loved my blond Naso when i had him
Maybe one day I’ll try to get a juvenile blue face or emperor, but I feel like it’s a coin flip when it comes to them.
Nasos are gorgeous. I love their faces. I like angels too -- my favorites are too big for my tank. I guess I just need a bigger fishbowl. :D I love Emperors -- both in juv and adult form. My tank might be a bit of a tight squeeze. I have gone back and forth over the last couple years on whether or not to get one.
This seems to be a pretty popular misnomer. I have kept quite a number and variety of angels in reefs over the years. I also know of many reefers who successfully keep angels in their reef(s).
Don't bait the weak. I've been shopping too much online since the quarantine started. ;) ;Doctor
 

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