Victoria Music's Custom 180 Rebuild

Victoria M · Sep 30, 2018

ROCKS WET : 6 MONTHS
TANK SET UP : 1 MONTH
FIRST QT : 10 DAYS IN

I am going to need some extra cushion on my QT observation stool.

Victoria M · Sep 30, 2018

We played with the lights to take these pictures. The zoas really are a tad more orange, and the hammer is more vibrant, but it looks pretty close.

Victoria M · Oct 2, 2018

This is my light set up as of today.

Victoria M · Oct 2, 2018

It is from BRS. Except I am only running the peak for 3 hours for now.

Brew12 · Oct 2, 2018

Victoria M said:
It is from BRS. Except I am only running the peak for 3 hours for now.

With coral in your system I would up that to 5 hours. 3 seems a little short to me.

Victoria M · Oct 2, 2018

Brew12 said:
With coral in your system I would up that to 5 hours. 3 seems a little short to me.

It is just while I am acclimating them.

Victoria M · Oct 3, 2018

My 10 gallon invert QT that has been housing my coral banded shrimp has been soo easy that I have been considering setting up a 15 gallon goby & pistol shrimp home...my husband is gonna kill me. I have the nicest stand, tank, glass cover, tiny light, heater. I could totaly turn this into a small all in one.

Brew12 · Oct 3, 2018

Victoria M said:
My 10 gallon invert QT that has been housing my coral banded shrimp has been soo easy that I have been considering setting up a 15 gallon goby & pistol shrimp home...my husband is gonna kill me. I have the nicest stand, tank, glass cover, tiny light, heater. I could totaly turn this into a small all in one.

I can't blame your husband. I'd be upset too if my wife said she was going to set up that small of a tank. Should be at least 40g!

Victoria M · Oct 3, 2018

Brew12 said:
I can't blame your husband. I'd be upset too if my wife said she was going to set up that small of a tank. Should be at least 40g!

No,no,no the 10 gallon has maintained itself and is small enough he might not notice. He noticed when I set up the 40B.

NY_Caveman · Oct 3, 2018

Victoria M said:
My 10 gallon invert QT that has been housing my coral banded shrimp has been soo easy that I have been considering setting up a 15 gallon goby & pistol shrimp home...my husband is gonna kill me. I have the nicest stand, tank, glass cover, tiny light, heater. I could totaly turn this into a small all in one.

That sounds like a great idea. Honestly setting up a new tank is the most fun for me.

Victoria M · Oct 4, 2018

NY_Caveman said:
That sounds like a great idea. Honestly setting up a new tank is the most fun for me.

I love all parts except the catastrophes. I was thinking about making it a fresh water tank for some danios because they school and are so peaceful to watch. I am still debating.

Victoria M · Oct 4, 2018

I would like to share a new product that I tried with everyone. It is called Remediation by the aqua Vitro line. We used it on a freshwater tank that was cloudy for the last several months and nothing we have done to fix ithas worked. It was a 15 gallon axolotl tank we moved to 40 gallon tank. I believe disturbing the sandbed caused the cloudy bacterial bloom. Around the same time we used Remediation we turned off the cooling fan, but I do not think letting the temp increase to 66 degrees fixed the bloom.

Victoria M · Oct 4, 2018

And I have a dusting of brown on my sand. Sigh. I don't like this part either. I put a dose of Remediation in the DT. I wonder if it will have any effect? I hope I do not regret it...lol.

Victoria M · Oct 4, 2018

I also can say that the coral are enjoying the more intense lighting schedule. The hammer is more open and vibrant.

Brew12 · Oct 4, 2018

Victoria M said:
And I have a dusting of brown on my sand. Sigh. I don't like this part either. I put a dose if Remediation in the DT. I wonder if it will have any effect? I hope I do not regret it...lol.

New tank uglies aren't much fun. Hopefully its diatoms which will bloom themselves out once they finish consuming the excess silica.

Victoria M · Oct 4, 2018

I have also decided to order the 50 Degree lens from AI for my Hydra 26 HDs. With a 30" high tank I think it will help focus the light down and I HOPE it will reduce grown of stuff on the viewing pane.

CindyKz · Oct 4, 2018

Super impressed with your build, it is beautiful! We will be finishing our basement soon and I get a sump room and a new 180 in the process, so your thread is very helpful to me. I'm struggling to decide how I want it set up. Thank you for taking the time.

I'm sorry to hear that you lost fish in QT. Worst part of the hobby. Better in QT than the DT though.

Victoria M · Oct 4, 2018

CindyKz said:
Super impressed with your build, it is beautiful! We will be finishing our basement soon and I get a sump room and a new 180 in the process, so your thread is very helpful to me. I'm struggling to decide how I want it set up. Thank you for taking the time.

I'm sorry to hear that you lost fish in QT. Worst part of the hobby. Better in QT than the DT though.

Cindy I am always excited to meet other women in this hobby. Thank you for taking the time to read my thread and comment. I hope you create a build thread, I will follow.