180G Office Paradise (2 Years Old!)

[hypersnyper694788]

What do you have right now?

 

My life is soon to be consumed by reef management.. 180 at the office and my personal 62 at home.

 

I have a 20 gallon (pic in sig) and i mess with it everyday. I can only imagine how consumed you'll be. I also dose and top off by hand only.

[JDigital]

I don't see your sig right now.. I wonder if I have them turned off..

 

damn.. didn't realize i had that turned off.... will check it out now.

[Andynco]

Not much of an update right now.. I'm currently working on building up a bacterial colony in the system since I used dry marco rock. Ammonia+Zeostart3+Zeobak. Will be adding the ATO to the setup either tomorrow after work, or Saturday.

 

 

 

Thanks skillz, feels good to be back in the salty-ness. Especially now that I'm getting my start my 62G build at home. I've missed the hobby these last few years.

 

 

 

You and me both...

 

I sent out a email to the office staff yesterday with my proposed stocking list. Obviously there are a few fish on the list that I am hesitant about, but still included them.

 

**NOTE** ALL of these fish will NOT be getting added. It was just a list compiled for the office staff to choose from.

 

Lamarck's Angelfish

Watanabei Angelfish

Five Lined Cardinalfish

Longnose Hawkfish

Axilspot Hogfish

Convict Tang

Yellow Tang

Powder Brown Tang

Sailfin Tang

Blue Throat Triggerfish

Multicolor Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse

Scott's Fairy Wrasse

McCosker's Flasher Wrasse

Catalina Goby

Hi Fin Red Banded Goby

Orange Stripe Prawn Goby

Dilectis Dottyback

Orange Line Chromis

Bicolor Blenny

Midas Blenny

Tail Spot Blenny

Sunset Anthias

Coral Beauty Angelfish

Carpenter's Flasher Wrasse

Zoster Butterfly

Mertensii Butterflyfish

Schooling Bannerfish

Tahitian Butterflyfish

Leopard Wrasse

Goldstripe Maroon Clownfish

 

Great list to choose from! I am hope someone picks blue throat trigger.

And the Catalina Goby is a colder water fish, just a heads up. And I following this build!

Good Luck!

[JDigital]

Great list to choose from! I am hope someone picks blue throat trigger.

And the Catalina Goby is a colder water fish, just a heads up. And I following this build!

Good Luck!

 

Thanks Andy - I realized the Goby was a cold water species after suggesting it to a local reefer for a contest Nano tank. I guess I should remove it from the list so I don't look silly in my own thread.

 

I checked the Nitrate levels tonight before leaving the office and they are starting to creep up. Friday they were around 5ppm, today, closer to 15ppm. Unfortunately I am a bit unsure of my Ammonia levels, as every test I have done with my Elos kit comes up brown in color, rather than green. I'm wondering if its expired (even though brand new) there is no expiry date on the box.

 

That said, I'm glad to see my Nitrates on the rise.

 

While I do love Blue Throats, I'm still unsure of having one in a reef. I've heard mostly good things from others, so that does give me confidence.

[MikeTR]

Just came in to check how your cycle is going. I started dosing ammonia a few days after you. I'm up to having to dose almost 1/4 cup every 12 hours just to feed bacteria. Nitrites are back down to between 2-4ppm from off the chart. Ammonia returns to 0 after 12 hours.

 

I think any triggers would play hell on your inverts. If I'm not mistaken, their teeth never stop growing so they have to gnaw on something to continually file them.

[JDigital]

Just came in to check how your cycle is going. I started dosing ammonia a few days after you. I'm up to having to dose almost 1/4 cup every 12 hours just to feed bacteria. Nitrites are back down to between 2-4ppm from off the chart. Ammonia returns to 0 after 12 hours.

 

I think any triggers would play hell on your inverts. If I'm not mistaken, their teeth never stop growing so they have to gnaw on something to continually file them.

 

 

Slowly making progress with the cycle. Currently dosing 2mL of Zeostart3 daily and 8 drops of Zeobak 2x/week (originally started with 3x that dosage for Zeobak, have been easing off as the cycle climbs).

 

As of tonight, nitrates are getting up there.

[Marteen]

Very nice tank! Love the details in the setup and execution. Following along, looking great so far!

[JDigital]

Very nice tank! Love the details in the setup and execution. Following along, looking great so far!

 

 

Thanks Marteen - It's a bit of a waiting game right now. I tested my Nitrates again on monday and they were still topping the charts on the test kit. Should probably test again today to see if they are dropping down at all.

 

One thing I haven't really thought about is my CUC. Being that this tank was started with dry marco rock, with zero pest algae to speak of. Let alone sponges and the sort, is a CUC still going to be "mandatory" as my first addition?

[Mr Pants]

A bottle of DrTims will mean no more waiting.

[Marteen]

Thanks Marteen - It's a bit of a waiting game right now. I tested my Nitrates again on monday and they were still topping the charts on the test kit. Should probably test again today to see if they are dropping down at all.

 

One thing I haven't really thought about is my CUC. Being that this tank was started with dry marco rock, with zero pest algae to speak of. Let alone sponges and the sort, is a CUC still going to be "mandatory" as my first addition?

 

I guess it depends on what kind of cleanup crew you are going to add. Are you thinking all snails or hermits and other inverts? Personally I like hermits I feel they have a great personality and if fed regularly are peaceful additions to a tank. Eventually you are going to add pest algae to the tank, through frag plugs most likely, so you will want to have a clean-up crew available.

 

In the meantime you can feed your clean-up crew with nori and small pieces of fish if you are getting hermits or nassarius. Everyone expects snails and crabs in a tank when they see it. So you don't want to disappoint your fans.

[up.left]

Still looking great man! I would suggest using a faster pump for the ato though. I know you have the safety switch but while using the aqua lifter i found that it is so slow there is barley any switch movement most likely increasing the risk of them sticking. I went with a maxi jet to speed the switch movement to a swift on and off that just imo though. Nice list of fish to choose from btw. I wish my work would budget a system in their office haha

[JDigital]

Thanks iroll. I may consider a pump switch if that's the case. Thanks for the tip.

 

 

I know this is a game of patience, but I'm starting to get a bit annoyed that my Nitrates aren't going down. Granted I haven't tested since Monday, but I am not expecting any substantial change over the week. The system has now been wet for 6-7weeks, and been dosing Zeostart3 and Zeobak religiously for approx. 5 weeks. I'm tempted to do a 10G water change this weekend and see if that makes any impact on the 'trates.

[fewskillz]

Nitrates aren't going to go down on their own, not significantly anyways. If your ammonia and nitrites are testing zero then your cycle is done and you can do water changes to get the nitrates down.

[JDigital]

Nitrates aren't going to go down on their own, not significantly anyways. If your ammonia and nitrites are testing zero then your cycle is done and you can do water changes to get the nitrates down.

 

 

I think I need to get a new Ammonia kit... the color for the Elos kit is suppose to be green in some shade or another.. I'm getting brown And to be honest I usually skipped 'trites testing, but I may have to now that I'm getting some strange ammonia results.

[Cdub4]

Update please!

[JDigital]

I've changed out 50G of water in the last 24 hours.

 

I've added 5 Hermits, 10 Turbos and 3 small Green Chromis tonight. More of a test than anything.

[JDigital]

Well I lost 1 of the 3 Chromis sometime between Saturday night and Monday morning.

 

The other 2 are doing really well though, eating Flake and Brine and quite active. Snails and Crabs seem to have acclimated and are now roaming the tank and doing their thing.

 

I've prepared yet another 30G batch of WC water as my nitrates are still up a tad higher than I would like (although I haven't tested in a few days now).

 

The Zoas I added are also wide open and looking good, but the small Orange Digi frag that I added looks pretty pissed off. Very little PE and some mild bleaching so far. Hopefully it holds on.

[Cdub4]

Sorry to hear about your loss.

 

But everything else sounds good!

 

Hope those corals hang in there!

[JDigital]

Thanks Cdub.. While I'm not heart broken over the loss of a single $5 chromis, it would have been nice to have 3 cruising around.

 

These 2 remaining Chromis must feel like Kings having a 180G tank all to themselves.. They are gonna be in for a rude awakening when the bigger fish on the list start getting added..

[JDigital]

Tank is doing well.. I've made some additions over the past little while.

 

Hollywood Stunner Chalice:

 

Can't remember the name of this piece. Alien something Chalice:

 

Ricordia Rock (Blues, Green, Purple/Orange):

 

Wall Hammer Colony:

 

SPS Colonies:

 

 

This one I had to do some emergency fragging today to save it from some RTN that I noticed last night before it went in. Hoping the rest of it holds on.

 

Got 2 of these guys today as well. They looked like a pair at the shop, but not 100% sure. Was only able to get a shot of this one though.

[saltwatercoral]

looking good. Hope the fragging of your sps hangs in there!

[JDigital]

looking good. Hope the fragging of your sps hangs in there!

 

 

I guess I'll find out tomorrow when I go into the office. I got my fingers crossed. the parts that I was able to cut off had no RTN on them or starting on them, so here's hoping it pulls through. I just worry about the extra stress of being fragged.

[saltwatercoral]

How do they look like they are doing?

[JDigital]

How do they look like they are doing?

 

Not good at all... most of the fragged tips have gone white. Everything else is looking great though.

[JDigital]

Well it was definitely a bit early for SPS (I kind knew that to begin with) I lost 2 of the 3 colonies I picked up, but on the other hand the shop that I got them from lost eve more than that, so I'm not completely convinced it had a whole lot to do with my system.

 

All of my LPS/Softies are going great though, so I have been slowly adding a few pieces. 6head Torch Coral, 2 heads of Purple Tip Frogspawn... And I keep eyeing up Acans, but have yet to pull the trigger.

 

I've also recently added a few fish over the past couple weeks...

 

I started off with 3 Chromis after the cycle, lost one for unknown reasons, the other 2 are still doing good (much to my disappointment)..and I've added in the rest in the following order.

 

- Female Leopard Wrasse (eating frozen like a champ!)

- Mated pair of Diamond Spotted Gobies (burrowing caves under EVERY rock in the tank. Not regretting that eggcrate now! )

- Pair of Clownfish

- One Spot Foxface (just last night)

- Multi-Colored Tuxedo Urhcin (I don't know how my boss talked me into it, but fingers are crossed that I'm not to early with this addition, My parameters are staying pretty stable though so.... The temptation of new additions is difficult, even for a reefer who's been around the block )

 

The tank is really coming alive these days.

 

Really starting to like the performance of this Skimz SM202 Skimmer as well.. I was starting to get very annoyed with it as I was having a heck of time trying to dial it in. It either wouldn't foam up at all or it would be overflowing the collection cup. In the last week I think I have finally found the sweet spot on the setting, and along with the current bio-load in the tank, it's finally pulling some seriously dark skimmate. Might need a bit of fine tuning to get it to maximum efficiency but good to see it pulling well.