UPDATE: 02/03/2023
I'M SO TERRIBLE AT UPDATING THIS I'M SO SORRY LOL.
So I achieved my goal of getting water in the tank by Halloween. Started cycle the next day. Initial fill-up was pretty easy (and so are water changes thankfully) as my 150gpd RODI system is on the other side of the wall. Brute trash cans to mix saltwater in, Sicce utility pump to send it up and over. Started the cycle off with
Fritz Ammonium Chloride, followed by TurboStart. Lots of 2+ y/o seeded media (bricks, balls, etc.) I also added a new MarinePure giant brick. Threw in some soft coral overgrowth I had from upstairs. Fireworks clove polyps, RDE zoas, AOI zoas, and Goblins on fire zoas. Things that literally do not die hahaha. From then I started up the lights, I chose the AB+ schedule on a low intensity. Back to the cycle, I'd say it took about 8 days to see no2 dropping. No3 just slowly climbed and I was so eager to start changing water. After changing enough water to have no3 sitting at about 5 ppm, I went ahead with finally transferring over the first fish; my fancy ocellaris pair, and Smith's blenny. The blenny loves those clowns, they all hang out with eachother and seem much more comfortable when in their 'trio', so I treat them as a unit lol. I put them through SafetyStop 2-part baths (45 min. each), and finally into the tank. Since the first fish went in I started the 2-week Microbacter7 'seeding' regimen. That stuff is great, seriously. As far as fish, I felt I was moving a little fast because at that point I so desperately wanted to take down the 46 gallon, it was a huge hazard and I was constantly worrying about it (ZERO failsafes, that tank was a ticking time bomb. Plus because of my excitement for the new tank, I regrettably paid way less attention to it; wasn't doing as much cleaning, just generally started to look like total garbage, long periods of time in between Chaeto harvests (to where it was literally at capacity and couldn't grow anymore); cue the GHA explosion. Meanwhile, the amphipod population absolutely exploded and they were thriving. I was scooping them out and tossing them in the new tank most days. So all I had left in the 46 was a Yellow Watchman goby, a green clown goby, and a pistol shrimp. Somewhere along the line I tossed the pistol in the new tank. Tbh he never paired with the YWG, they stay on opposite sides of the tank and typically avoid eachother. Next fish I put in was my Biota YT. I've had him since late May '22, when he arrived he was super super tiny and had since been in a 20g QT/observation. I felt bad since it had been so long and he was really growing so I was eager to get him in the big tank. So after the YT went in, I prioritized getting the lid built; a RedSea DIY kit. Incredibly frustrating, and let me just say I'd rather pay the arm and leg for a custom/pre-built, I wasn't able to do it myself other than rolling the spline lol. 6 HOURS LATER it looks nice and I like that it's recessed, you can barely tell it's there. So once the lid was done, I did another WC, and started preparing to get the YWG and clown goby until.. I realized that I should prioritize just one more fish. Funny story about this fish, but to sum it up I unintentionally ended up with a baby Melanurus wrasse sometime in early September. He spent his time in my upstairs reef and did very well. Not only was he growing quickly, but he was also decimating my cleaner crew despite being fed very well. That tank looks like a graveyard of shells lol. It was a pain trying to catch him and I pulled the rockwork entirely apart, but surprisingly I caught him within an hour. Next I put him through the 2-part dip again, and then into the big tank. I did this in the evening while the lights were ramping down to keep him as calm as possible. So once that was done, I waited a few days and finally got around to getting the YWG and clown goby. Tbh the YWG/clown goby were very much enjoying being in the 46 all by themselves for a while lol. Got them in their 2-part baths, then into the tank. Finally pulled the plug entirely on that 46, drained it and pulled it apart. One thing I regret with that tank was letting all of that live rock just die. I was afraid of what was lurking in those rocks microscopically I guess, because I was never careful with the LFS water getting into that display when adding any livestock. I did feel really bad watching it dry out, there were tons and tons of those big amphipods that were deep within the rock that started to emerge, along with a million bristleworms. I spent a while picking the pods out w forceps and dropping them into the Infinia. I should've saved all of that rock and given it to someone who would've wanted it. Shortly after I ended up losing my female clown. Despite having the lid, she managed to LAUNCH herself out through a tiny gap between the overflow box and the lid. Found her on the floor behind the tank one morning. It happened not too long after I introduced a Biota blue tang; like not even 48 hours after. I noticed she was pretty afraid of it. Why, I have no idea, the little guy was SO small and she was much bigger. Her and her mate slept at the surface of the water so I'm thinking she got startled by the tang and launched out. I've had that little tang for over a month in QT/observ. before I added him to the Infinia. I see why tiny tangs are such hazards in big tanks.. he slept in the rocks but the flow would dislodge him and send him on a lifeless cruise at night. Glad I had powerhead covers, and glad I draped some netting over the overflow weirs.. he would've fit in perfectly like a quarter in a vending machine.. and in the event I need to get in that overflow box, I'd have to take off one of the lights entirely as the bracket sits down on the lid. I was not about to be doing that lol. But my theory is that during one of his lifeless nighttime cruises he must have freaked the female clown out, making her jump. I know she was just a normal fancy ocellaris, but that fish meant a lot to me as she (and her mate) were my first saltwater fish. So now that the male clown was alone, he stopped eating and spent his time trying to jump out, looking for his mate. Started attacking the baby blue tang out of nowhere. I'd never seen an ounce of aggression in that clown, had them since 2020. It was extra upsetting to see. He wouldn't move from his spot, wasn't eating, wouldn't stop attacking others, so I made the decision to swap him out with my pair of orange storms from upstairs. Within that same week I lost my engagement ring. If I didn't find it I was gonna take down this tank. I was desperate and kinda losing my mind. But a week later it was found (in the very last garbage bag that wasn't checked) Turns out it was inside one of my gloves I use for when I change out floss in the media cups, in dirty bag of old algae and detritus. Lol. So back to the male clown, he (or now she) has improved a great deal. Lives with a yellow clown goby and a six-line. So now that the orange storms are in the Infinia, they've been doing great since. Weird they picked the SAME spot to sleep as the previous pair did. I added strips of egg crate over every tiny gap on that lid.
So as of today (2/3/23) we've hit the 3-month mark. I know there was quite a gap in time, but I'm glad I kept going. Pictures to follow
I chose XR15's instead of XR30's, I was kind of afraid to make that jump, I wasn't sure if I really needed to replicate the surface of the sun.. like looking into the future I definitely cannot see myself with SPS-dominant or anything so I'm sure these can do the job. Worst-case I can replace that middle XR15 with a 30 down the line or something.
I believe this gap in front of the overflow box is where the clown went carpet surfing.. up and over, then a 5ft fall.
A more recent picture; nothing fancy. Gonna take some time, just going through the various stages. Microbacter7, tons and tons of pods- it's nice to see all of the fish snacking on them in between feedings. I even bought some EcoPods from AB to have more pod diversity- I believe it has 4 different species. And along with some phyto of course. Last week I ended up making a pretty early start on the 'fuge. GHA in the display already, especially on the rocks, so I figured I want to get started on that competition. But as long as I'm implementing a decent amount of nutrients, (I don't want to strip them out) I have the skimmer off for now. My next update I can show the ridiculous contraption I have down in the sump.. lol
Thanks for reading!
