Victoria Music's Custom 180 Rebuild

[Victoria M]

Highs and lows in this hobby, but perseverance really counts! Been reefing for longer than id guess many R2R folks have been alive LOL and I have made it through two massive tank crashes and lots of setbacks. Had neomeris one time too ..... what a massive pain. Came back from X-mas to find three fish in QT, that had looked great, dead as proverbial door nails. No clue why.

That is so true. There are so many painful challenges in this hobby that stubbornness is a required characteristic. I try to focus on the good, learn from the bad. And obviously we get some weird crazy thrill from our aquariums or we would not do it. Lol. Thanks for the encouraging words. I needed it today.
I went to check on my blennie in QT and he was on his side breathing hard and fast and pale. The yellow tail damsel? FINE. I must have raised the copper too much. I did a 50% water change. And as the new water came in he improved. I hope I caught it in time. And I hope I did not nuke my biological filter. The ammonia badge was between the yellow and green alert color. I added Stabile and will watch it closely.

It does suck about your fish in QT. Yeah it happens but it still sucks.

 

[ca1ore]

Good thing is that it happens in QT ..... Not in the DT!

 

[tj w]

Great work...it looks awesome. One quick question. Did you say you added stability to the qt with cupramine in it?

 

[Sycoticrealm]

Are you not using a DI Resin i only seen the RO system.

Also is that 14 gauge wiring? I would suggest 12 gauge it can be a little harder to work with but safer when running to a 20 amp.
14 gauge is only recommended for 15 amp breakers.

 

[Labridaedicted]

Great looking build, so far! Wish I had that much space in my fish room!

 

[Victoria M]

Good thing is that it happens in QT ..... Not in the DT!

see? seeing the good in every situation!

 

[Victoria M]

Thank you very much. Yes, I use Stability in my QT. I am aware that Prime should not be used in tank with copper, but I have never had a problem with Stability. I have used it for years now. I hope there is not an safety issue I am unaware of. :/

 

[Victoria M]

Are you not using a DI Resin i only seen the RO system.

Also is that 14 gauge wiring? I would suggest 12 gauge it can be a little harder to work with but safer when running to a 20 amp.
14 gauge is only recommended for 15 amp breakers.

I do NORMALLY use RO DI but the water TDS is coming out at 2 or 3 and I am fine with that for my QT. I am not sure exactly what wire was used for what. My husband did all the work. I just ran for tools and held up additional lights. I know the wire that ran from the 20A GFCI AFCI breaker box was different than the wire used between each receptical. Thank you your comments and I will check with my husband about the wire.

 

[Victoria M]

Great looking build, so far! Wish I had that much space in my fish room!

Thank you so much. The fishroom is awesome. I am very lucky to have it. Do you know I almost did not get to set it up because my husband could not see the value in it. A friend of his said let her make all the mess down in the basement. now he is glad it is there.

 

[Victoria M]

The blenny looks great now. He has moved positions several times and moved his goofy eyes around looking at what I was doing. The yellow tail damsel chased down some NLS pellets. The blenny just looked at them and showed no interest.

 

[Victoria M]

He looks so much better. Still not eating though.

 

[Victoria M]

I plan to get dry rock, create my biggest structures in sets and then place them in the DT. I then plan to add a nice amount of LR strategically to the aquascape to improve the appearance, and function of the biological filter. I have done the whole LR aquascape, felt the stress of rushing to preserve life, or not mess up the cycle. I have also just placed the rock in stacks. I have epoxied LR, drilled, and zip stripped LR. Once I even used that pond foam stuff to creat cool structures. They looked very natural. BUT I do not recommend it if you have curious nippers. My queen angel nipped it and set afloat a million bite sized grey floaters. I removed all of those pieces because she would not stop nipping and spitting the pieces out. A year or two later when I took the whole tank apart, about a billion bite sized floating foam was stuck under one of the rocks and they came floating out. I wish I had been filming it. It was just outrageous. I don't want to repeat any of those experiences again. I am also planning to place the LR in my 40B, and in my sump to observe for bad hitch hiker rather than place it directly into the DT. I am not sure yet what LR I will get now that TBS is on a hiatus... or perhaps this will take me the entire winter and by then he will be up and back at it.

 

[Victoria M]

Neomaris took over the 40B. I removed my toadstool from the rock, and tossed the rock. The toadstool, a coral banded shrimp, a couple snails and a blue legged hermit crab are all in a 5 gallon bucket with a heater. Tomorrow I will place them all in the coral QT. I am currently sterilizing the 40B. It will remain empty until the new LR comes in. Updates on the fishroom to follow.

 

[Victoria M]

Poor CBS lost a claw in the transfer. I hope the this 10 gallon QT system goes well.

 

[Rybren]

I don't want to put any pressure on you, but are you done yet?
You guys are doing great work and showing loads more patience than I have. Good on you.

 

[Paul B]

I think I will follow this thread.

 

[Victoria M]

I don't want to put any pressure on you, but are you done yet?
You guys are doing great work and showing loads more patience than I have. Good on you.

Hiya Jerry, Is that another way of saying I am pokey? lol. I am being super chill about getting water in it again. Weather is too risky right now anyway. Today we hang my new fuge light. And hopefully finish the last connection to the pump so tomorrow I can do a water leak check. Thank you so much for visiting after I shamelessly begged ya'll to. Sometimes I feel like I am talking to myself...it is ok. I am used to it

 

[Victoria M]

I think I will follow this thread.

Why thank you Paul. I am honored. or scared depending on how ya look at it. lol.

 

[Rybren]

Talking to yourself is fine. You need to start worrying when the voices inside your head start answering

 

[Paul B]

Talking to yourself is fine. You need to start worrying when the voices inside your head start answering

OMG!! Is that bad?