CADlight's 45g Shallow

[ReefGoat]

Just now, mwhitelock said:

its so clean!!

Thanks, I've been working really hard on it for a solid month. There were times when every rock in the tank was a rusty brown believe it or not. The sand bed never got fully covered though. Close to it though. 

[ReefGoat]

In celebration of what seems to be my first successful battle in my Reef keeping venture. I called up the nearest LFS to me and had them order me a new wrasse! I'm pretty excited. When it comes in hopefully I can get a group photo of my clown, my wrasse and the new wrasse. That will make 3 fish in the tank. Hopefully I'll be able to get that montipora battle box soon.

[thecoralbeauty]

12 hours ago, ReefGoat said:

In celebration of what seems to be my first successful battle in my Reef keeping venture. I called up the nearest LFS to me and had them order me a new wrasse! I'm pretty excited. When it comes in hopefully I can get a group photo of my clown, my wrasse and the new wrasse. That will make 3 fish in the tank. Hopefully I'll be able to get that montipora battle box soon.

OOH! what wrasse did you order? 

[ReefGoat]

 

3 hours ago, mwhitelock said:

3 hours ago, mwhitelock said:

OOH! what wrasse did you order? 

 

Juvenile Solon fairy wrasse. I'm pretty excited because my clown is the only one I get to see alot because my Hoevens wrasse is burrowed by the time I get home. I'm ready to get some more fishy movement in there. 

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

On 1/30/2019 at 7:47 AM, ReefGoat said:

Post algae battle picture

I can't wait till my tank is clean again lol. I have a long road. Looks really good though 

[ReefGoat]

1 hour ago, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

I can't wait till my tank is clean again lol. I have a long road. Looks really good though 

I just checked out your tank and I don't think it looks bad at all! I like it a lot! Looks very matured...........What my tank is lacking sadly LOL. I know it just takes time though. 

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

3 minutes ago, ReefGoat said:

I just checked out your tank and I don't think it looks bad at all! I like it a lot! Looks very matured...........What my tank is lacking sadly LOL. I know it just takes time though. 

Thanks man, lol When I get home tonight I'll have to post up some pics of the plague. It's starting to look like a lush forest in their right now. I've been sucking and scrubbing algae for a few months and it just got to the point that I need meds for it. Everytime i miss some while pulling it out, it finds a new spot to inhabit. This is really the first big set back I've had. Tried to figure out what happened in the first place and I'm pretty sure I fixed it, but the damage is done. I'll get some shots for you tonight if you'd like.

 

Thanks for checking out my journal too

[ReefGoat]

8 minutes ago, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

Thanks man, lol When I get home tonight I'll have to post up some pics of the plague. It's starting to look like a lush forest in their right now. I've been sucking and scrubbing algae for a few months and it just got to the point that I need meds for it. Everytime i miss some while pulling it out, it finds a new spot to inhabit. This is really the first big set back I've had. Tried to figure out what happened in the first place and I'm pretty sure I fixed it, but the damage is done. I'll get some shots for you tonight if you'd like.

 

Thanks for checking out my journal too

Yes I'd love to see some. I'd probably be scared to put it in such a mature tank with so much time invested in it. But I've seen some people around here using Reef Flux. Apparently it's working. Don't take this as a recommendation though LOL. I don't want to be responsible for someone nuking their tank with it. 

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

48 minutes ago, ReefGoat said:

Yes I'd love to see some. I'd probably be scared to put it in such a mature tank with so much time invested in it. But I've seen some people around here using Reef Flux. Apparently it's working. Don't take this as a recommendation though LOL. I don't want to be responsible for someone nuking their tank with it. 

haha no worries, I wouldn't be mad at you . I tossed around the idea for the last couple months, I added a beefy cuc and tried scrubbing it and nothing was working. I drove myself a little mad trying to retrace steps that lead to it. Will see what happens, I saw an old post and jbb had a lush forest and this stuff knocked it out. I just ordered some 2 part cause I'll have to dose for a month at least.

[ReefGoat]

It feels really good to be excited about my tank again and being able to enjoy it. The algae battle was interesting but stressful at the same time. I know I had it better than some because with me being able to curtail it within a month probably means it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Even though it looked dismal to my eyes...................... I got into contact with a local reefer that I know and since I am trying to build a stony tank here he's giving me some clippings of some hardier acros from his tank not this weekend but next. They won't be too big I don't think because as this is just a test and an attempt to get some sort of life in the tank. I'll be bayer dipping these just in case  LOL. This weekend I'm going to do a 10 gallon water change and test daily next week to see if there are fluctuations in my Alk and Calc. They are usually the same every time I test them so i'm not too worried about those. I have some 2 part on hand just in case things get hairy which I doubt. During the month of no water changes and the routine that I listed in my last update I noticed that the nitrates stay consistent but the phosphate kinda pings around a little bit. I attribute this to the flourish dosing (which I have stopped since the battle ended).   My new water change schedule is 10 gallons once a month instead of 4 gallons once a week. I'll monitor my nutrient levels during this test to make sure nothing is getting out of control. I've also brought skimmer back online but I only run it during the night time while I sleep. I turn it off before I leave for work. Only time will tell if these sticks turn to bone white shadows of their former selves or encrust and hang on for dear life in a slightly pale state until my tank matures a little bit more LMAO. 

 

Things incoming withing the next week and a half.

Monday: Reef Roids ( I PROMISE I'LL BE VERY CAREFUL THIS TIME)

Thursday: Solon Wrasse will be purchased

Sometimes next week Pods and Phyto from algae barn

New Corals that weekend

 

[ReefGoat]

Performed the first post battle water change as planned this past weekend. I was pretty nervous about doing it because it was the first water change after the algae ordeal that lasted pretty much 5 weeks. I am still monitoring it but after lighting period yesterday there wasn't a sudden outbreak so I think we are good!!! I can't wait until Thursday and resuming the stocking of my tank. WhooHOooo

[ReefGoat]

Could it be!!!! So I guess it could have came in on my CUC. Or one of the three corals I have but I didn't see any on any of the three frags I have. Not sure where it could have came from or if it's even coraline. Sure looks like it though. 

[NiZmOZ32]

This is my first post here. I just got my CAD Lights 45 shallow about 3 or 4 weeks ago. I'm still trying to get it to fully cycle. Went with dry life rock and dry sand. My ammonia seems to be cycling just fine but nitrites are off the scale. Planning to do a water change tomorrow to get the nitrites back in line then co tinue playing the waiting game. Fishless cycle, by the way. Currently have the protein skimmer it came with but thinking about upgrading to the simplicity 120 DC skimmer or the reef octopus that you have. How are you liking the reef octopus?

[ReefGoat]

I really love the reef octopus it works too well. It stripped my tank of nutrients within a few weeks. Now I only run it when I need to. I don't think that's a bad skimmer that comes with the tank. 

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

How's the tank doing?

[ReefGoat]

If I were you. I'd leave the protein skimmer you have and instead of spending 250 on the reef octopus skimmer. I'd upgrade that stock return pump. I went with the Reef Octopus varios DC pump for 194 bucks It's probably the best investment I've made on my tank. The stock pump was atrocious. Also I'd permanently plumb it. The stock plumbing was lackluster as well. I can help you with the fittings to covert their wierdo sizes to our pipe sizes too. 

[ReefGoat]

3 minutes ago, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

How's the tank doing?

It's doing really well. The algae hasn't made a comeback and I'm back to regular lighting schedule, just reduced percentages. The fish that was supposed to arrive Thursday didn't come in. Thank God I called before I went or that 1.5 hour drive would've sucked lol. The LFS said that the place they order from didn't have any. So I guess the wait continues on livestock. I did add a Hollywood stunner chalice though. Also adding five freebie tester acros today as well from a friend. I recently poured in a bottle of Posidons feast pods and have been dosing their oceanmagik phyto for a few days now. Plan on placing a few diversity orders when the weather gets better (15 pounds of live sand from Tampa Bay saltwater and a large indo Pacific sea farms order as well). Things are looking good heading into month 5

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

Good deal man, glad to hear it. I just got two part so I can finally dose reef rx. I figured out how the algae got bad so that's a plus, but I'm tired of sucking out algae every other day. Gonna use the meds and fingers crossed it works. If not, I guess i'm pulling rocks out and doing it that way. I wanted to figure out what I was doing wrong first. It seems I wasn't cleaning my filter as much as I should have..shame on me right lol.

[ReefGoat]

6 minutes ago, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

Good deal man, glad to hear it. I just got two part so I can finally dose reef rx. I figured out how the algae got bad so that's a plus, but I'm tired of sucking out algae every other day. Gonna use the meds and fingers crossed it works. If not, I guess i'm pulling rocks out and doing it that way. I wanted to figure out what I was doing wrong first. It seems I wasn't cleaning my filter as much as I should have..shame on me right lol.

My drain piping just runs into a cup that's packed with filter floss and I change that out every other day. That's good that you figured it all out. I still don't think your tank looks bad at all for the record. I think what really knocked my algae (what ever kind it was) was the hydrogen peroxide. But the few corals I do have did take a beating with all the lights out, nutrient fluctuations and hydrogen peroxide dosing. The only one that isn't showing improvement is that jedi mind trick. 

[NiZmOZ32]

59 minutes ago, ReefGoat said:

If I were you. I'd leave the protein skimmer you have and instead of spending 250 on the reef octopus skimmer. I'd upgrade that stock return pump. I went with the Reef Octopus varios DC pump for 194 bucks It's probably the best investment I've made on my tank. The stock pump was atrocious. Also I'd permanently plumb it. The stock plumbing was lackluster as well. I can help you with the fittings to covert their wierdo sizes to our pipe sizes too. 

I'm currently running a Simplicity DC 2100 return pump and do have the system hard plumbed. Modified the stock sump quite a bit. Built a filter section that uses the Red Sea collection cups and socks because I like to be able to change them out easily. Also made the refugium section a lot larger and am running an AI Prime Fuge light over it with chaeto. I have a Radion xr30 h4 pro with a diffuser on it, but haven't turned it on yet since I'm still waiting for it to cycle. Also have an Icecap 1k gyre in the display. Not sure if I'll need more circulation than that. Currently have the return pump running on the lowest setting so I can ramp it up if needed. And I got the Tunze ATO going with the reservoir that came with it. My aquascape keeps changing since I cant make up my mind on how I want it to look. And i might pick up an ApexEL system for it in the next couple of weeks, but just not sure yet. I'll try to figure out how to post a picture of the sump. This is my first sump system so I'm pretty excited about it all!

[ReefGoat]

Very nice. Make a journal and I'll follow along 

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

6 minutes ago, ReefGoat said:

My drain piping just runs into a cup that's packed with filter floss and I change that out every other day. That's good that you figured it all out. I still don't think your tank looks bad at all for the record. I think what really knocked my algae (what ever kind it was) was the hydrogen peroxide. But the few corals I do have did take a beating with all the lights out, nutrient fluctuations and hydrogen peroxide dosing. The only one that isn't showing improvement is that jedi mind trick. 

i tried hydrogen peroxide one time and my rock flowers pulled in and looked really bad. They ended up being fine, but I'm not playing that game again lol. And thanks I'm gonna make a little change to it tonight. One of the pics I posted you can see the hair algae lol. My blenny eats around the hair algae and my emerald crab isn't paying rent like I thought it would lol. Figures, I'd get the crab that doesn't want hair algae for dinner.

[NiZmOZ32]

Ok. Just figured out how to add pictures. Here's the sump so far. I'm also running 2 Cobalt Neo Therm 100 watt heaters. Just bumped them up to 82 degrees last night since that's supposed to help the bacteria cycle faster. And the skimmer drain is going into the fuge for now since I'm just trying to break it in anyways. Figured it cant hurt and prevents any potential cup overflowing. There's 2 quarts of seachem matrix and a big block of the brightwell stuff that's supposed to promote anaerobic bacteria. 

[NiZmOZ32]

And yes, I'll clean up the wiring more once I decide if I'm going to go with the ApexEL or not. 😕

[ReefGoat]

On 2/9/2019 at 10:45 AM, NiZmOZ32 said:

Ok. Just figured out how to add pictures. Here's the sump so far. I'm also running 2 Cobalt Neo Therm 100 watt heaters. Just bumped them up to 82 degrees last night since that's supposed to help the bacteria cycle faster. And the skimmer drain is going into the fuge for now since I'm just trying to break it in anyways. Figured it cant hurt and prevents any potential cup overflowing. There's 2 quarts of seachem matrix and a big block of the brightwell stuff that's supposed to promote anaerobic bacteria. 

Awesome!!! I'm super sorry that I just saw this.