Upgrade Build Thread - 90g Built-in

[LSU-reefer]

I went with these, but only because someone ordered them and never took delivery....there was no wait. My stand is larger than my tank also, so I have some extra room.

CLF2 Sump

SVS3-24/Mag 9.5

13 x 20 Lifereefugium

 

[djstud]

Looked through your build thread today. I like the built in cabinet. Tank looks great.

 

[LSU-reefer]

Thanks! Since I switched to All-for-reef I have been struggling with some bacteria issues and major aphasia break out, especially in the refugium. I bought some berghia nudibranch and put them in there and installed a UV Sterilizer.

I haven't noticed much from the nudibranchs but the UV sterilizer knocked out all the bacterial bloom in about 2-3 days. Now just need to get out some of the residual hair algea!

 

[LSU-reefer]

It's been a while since I posted so I thought I'd update my build.....unfortunately back in April, while setting up a dosing pump for NP bacto-Balance, I significantly overdosed it and crashed my tank. I was heading out of town, which is why I was setting up the automation of that, and could not get a water change done for a week. When I got back everything in the tank, fish, and corals, were gone.

Since then I have been fighting what I think is bacterial algae and really struggling to get it all straight. I think I am finally back a good mode. I was dosing All-for-Reef but have stopped that and am just using Kalkwasser for my CA/ALK. I also changed my lights and went with this setup. I was having so many problems connecting to my G5s that I finally got fed up with them.

- 48" Hybrid T5HO 4x54W Fixture - Aquatic Life
- 3 - A360X Controllable LED Aquarium Light - Tuna Blue - Kessil

Anyway, here are a few pictures as I start to grow everything out again

Left Side

Right Side

I went predominately Montipora/Stylophora to do something a little different. Below is the list of Corals I put in the tank. they are all from Jason Fox's Site, just because they had the best selection when I was ready to put them in the tank. The only thing to Survive the crash was the Green Hydnophora, cant kill that thing!

Fruitty Monti encrusting Montipora
Sweet Tooth encrusting Montipora
Indigo encrusting Montipora
Frankies Ugly Duckling Montipora Digitata
Midnight Dynamite Monti Hirsuta
Tubs Stellata Montipora
WWC Cherry Tree Montipora Digitata
Purple tide Montipora Digitata
Tyree Superman Montipora Digitata
Suntan Montipora Digitata
Steve Garrett Stylophora
Bug Out Stylophora
Radio Active Stylophora
Rainbow Stylophora
Project X Stylophora
Green Hydnophora
Derasa Clam

 

[LSU-reefer]

I went to the Dallas Reef-a-palooza this weekend so I wanted to post the best thing there.....

Thought these were cool being able to filter the blue light so I bought a lense set for the Iphone and took some new pictures

 

[Petcrazyson]

Thanks! Since I switched to All-for-reef I have been struggling with some bacteria issues and major aphasia break out, especially in the refugium. I bought some berghia nudibranch and put them in there and installed a UV Sterilizer.

I haven't noticed much from the nudibranchs but the UV sterilizer knocked out all the bacterial bloom in about 2-3 days. Now just need to get out some of the residual hair algea!

What coral is on the front island? The one left to the green digitata?

 

[LSU-reefer]

that was a Montipor Undata I believe. I crashed that version of the tank unfortunately....

 

[Rp8]

I went to the Dallas Reef-a-palooza this weekend so I wanted to post the best thing there.....

Thought these were cool being able to filter the blue light so I bought a lense set for the Iphone and took some new pictures

This is what I use to take all my pictures thru lol.
Also use the same t5 setup. Love it!

 

[LSU-reefer]

I was sitting around since it's cold outside and thought d post another picture. I am still fighting turf algae a bit, but have been able to get the Dino's to die out a bit so it's improving.

It's been almost a year since I crashed it and the corals have really just started getting good sustained growth.

 

[LSU-reefer]

I wanted to post an update as I have been working on my maintenance process over the last few months. I started a new routine because I have been having issues with Turf algae and brown Slimy algae, so here is what I have done.
- Started doing daily 1-gallon water changes. I like this because I don't have to turn the aquarium off, just kill the ATO and siphon a gallon and replace it. I make up 2 weeks' worth at a time in BRS 1-gallon jugs. Takes about 2 mins.
- added a CO2 scrubber. I bought a PH Probe and noticed that the PH was running from ~7.7 - 8.0. After the scrubber, it's been consistently 8.0 - 8.3
- Just ran a cycle of ReefFlux to kill off any algae hanging on. this has really knocked out the last few patches.
- I add daily KZ Flatworm Stop and Coral Booster and Dose AFR.

I got my last two pieces of coral, A Millipora, and another encrusting Monti. Now just waiting for the rest to grow in! Here is a quick pic.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I wanted to post an update as I have been working on my maintenance process over the last few months. I started a new routine because I have been having issues with Turf algae and brown Slimy algae, so here is what I have done.
- Started doing daily 1-gallon water changes. I like this because I don't have to turn the aquarium off, just kill the ATO and siphon a gallon and replace it. I make up 2 weeks' worth at a time in BRS 1-gallon jugs. Takes about 2 mins.
- added a CO2 scrubber. I bought a PH Probe and noticed that the PH was running from ~7.7 - 8.0. After the scrubber, it's been consistently 8.0 - 8.3
- Just ran a cycle of ReefFlux to kill off any algae hanging on. this has really knocked out the last few patches.
- I add daily KZ Flatworm Stop and Coral Booster and Dose AFR.

I got my last two pieces of coral, A Millipora, and another encrusting Monti. Now just waiting for the rest to grow in! Here is a quick pic.

Tank looks like it is doing amazing!!

 

[Rp8]

Nice. How big a difference did the co2 scrubber make?

 

[LSU-reefer]

Thanks!

The Scrubber gave me about 0.3 - 0.4 points on PH and limited the swing to about +/- 0.2. So instead of Varying from ~7.7 in the morning to 8.0 in the evening I now run ~8.1 - 8.3

 

[LSU-reefer]

A quick update and some new pictures. I have been fighting Dino's forever in this tank so a couple of weeks ago I made a few changes.
- I quit using All-for-Reef as my secondary Ca/ALK. I did this because I read somewhere that the Calcium Format (I believe) has a carbon dosing effect. I was having a hard time keeping measurable N and P. I drip Kalk over the day for my primary.
- I switched to Aquaforext component 1,2,3. Just started that this week so we will see.
- I blacked the whole tank out for about 4 days and turned my refugium light back on running 24/7 at a high intensity. I also turned my UV sterilizer on.

Here is a picture from this morning.

 

[LSU-reefer]

A quick Update

 

[LSU-reefer]

Thought id post a few close-ups of each coral