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Craig’s Office Reefer 170 *Retired*


FSTanks

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Thanks Tanks!   

 

That's the same one I was looking at.   Is it hard to mount?   Yea, thinking all would have that disclaimer.    I have a GFI outlet as well.   The guy at my LFS just uses ones from Home Depot in his and said he's never had an issue.   Just got my 170 and thought I had done enough research (weeks), but now getting into the details and want to do it right.  So I'm following folks like yourself.

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5 hours ago, Zerobytes said:

Thanks Tanks!   

 

That's the same one I was looking at.   Is it hard to mount?   Yea, thinking all would have that disclaimer.    I have a GFI outlet as well.   The guy at my LFS just uses ones from Home Depot in his and said he's never had an issue.   Just got my 170 and thought I had done enough research (weeks), but now getting into the details and want to do it right.  So I'm following folks like yourself.

It was easy to mount, two screws and those t-slot style mounting holes.

I almost mounted two side by side on the back left of the cabinet, or even something outside the cabinet.

But settled on what I have in the pics.

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I noticed you are also using the KPS's and both mounted on the back.   How are they working out for you and does mounting both in the back get the flow/coverage you like?

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12 minutes ago, Zerobytes said:

Did you drill the holes for them before putting the cabinet together and sneak in there afterwards?

I did it all after assembly as I didn’t want any misalignment... it was tedious.

Tip:  I bought stainless self tapping screws... they tear up the veneer... drill pilot holes with good bits for everything.

Cheers.

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Just now, Zerobytes said:

I noticed you are also using the KPS's and both mounted on the back.   How are they working out for you and does mounting both in the back get the flow/coverage you like?

I like them there... but may change as corals get added.

I do like the clean an open sides... but probably as the tank fills out, im guessing that changes will be needed.

The pumps themselves are small and quiet seem powerful enough.

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My previous post about fish stocking didn't get any responses... assuming the list is ok... pretty straighforward selections I think.

 

Ordered some items from BRS in prep for the first fishie after fishless cycle...

 

Params:

Temp: 76

Salinity: 1.026

Ammonia: 0

Nitrite: 3-4

 

Doing daily dosing of ammonia and still waiting for Nitrites to drop, assuming any day it should drop, almost out of ammonia... fingers crossed.

 

Anybody try the Red Sea tank topper?  Feedback?

 

Thanks!

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3 minutes ago, FSTanks said:

My previous post about fish stocking didn't get any responses... assuming the list is ok... pretty straighforward selections I think.

 

Ordered some items from BRS in prep for the first fishie after fishless cycle...

 

Params:

Temp: 76

Salinity: 1.026

Ammonia: 0

Nitrite: 3-4

 

Doing daily dosing of ammonia and still waiting for Nitrites to drop, assuming any day it should drop, almost out of ammonia... fingers crossed.

 

Anybody try the Red Sea tank topper?  Feedback?

 

Thanks!

Looks good enough to me.  Not sure if a possum wrasse would play nice with a coris wrasse though

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On 12/11/2018 at 2:31 PM, FSTanks said:

My previous post about fish stocking didn't get any responses... assuming the list is ok... pretty straighforward selections I think.

 

Ordered some items from BRS in prep for the first fishie after fishless cycle...

 

Params:

Temp: 76

Salinity: 1.026

Ammonia: 0

Nitrite: 3-4

 

Doing daily dosing of ammonia and still waiting for Nitrites to drop, assuming any day it should drop, almost out of ammonia... fingers crossed.

 

Anybody try the Red Sea tank topper?  Feedback?

 

Thanks!

Wetmorella are quite cryptic. Its a 50/50 if the coris will get along with it. My belief is cavernous rock work for the possum wrasse to run/hide in or lots of coral to keep them out of sight from eachother is what makes the difference. From a functional stand point i think a possum wrasse would be redundant in your tank anyway. A coris wrasse is far better at pest control and is an active open water swimming fish, whereas the possum likes to hide out most the day.

 

I dont know a lot about gobys but my guess is the neon blue goby is a rock dweller not a sand dweller. My blenny hisses at anything that comes near its two hiding spots. Theres a posibility the tank size and rock work won't provide them enough space from eachother or hiding spots.

 

All that said i truly believe rock work and coral density can make all the difference in what you can and can't keep. Then there is always variability in fish personality to take in account. My blenny might just be a jerk...

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Thanks for the feedback @chunkylovah.

 

Its hard to tell in my pics but there are 3-4 potential caves in my rock work... that being said, if we do a Coris and Bangaii leaving the caves to a blenny... would need to be very careful with any other selections... maybe I try for a Bangaii pair with those and call it a day... or,

 

Maybe some other open water swimmer like a green blue chromis?

 

Other ideas welcome too!

 

Thanks again.

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Just read your thread.  I like how you've organized your sump.  I have a 170 also, but the added complexity of a 4 channel dosing pump and storage container.

 

I use the same power strip.  Wish I installed two, may need to add another one.  I just used velcro tape to attach it and its holding up just fine.

 

Here's my stock:

Pair bonded DaVinci Clowns

Royal Gramma

Midas Blenny

2 cleaner shrimps

Red Pistol shrimp

 

I had a Watchman Goby, he decided to jump when I accidentally left the feed door open on my lid one night.  I will be another one after Christmas when I set up a QT.  I really like the Blenny, lots of personality.

 

I'm really interested in a Wrasse, but all of the reef safe ones require a bigger tank.

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My CUC consists of Trochus, Nassarius and Cerith snails, all ordered from Algaebarn.com.  I *really* like the Nassarius snails - they are fun to watch appear like magic out of the sand bed when I feed the tank.  The Trochus snails are real workhorses they do a great job of keeping things clean, and they've grown quickly in my tank.

 

I had emerald crabs, but had to remove them when they decided my expensive LPS was tasty!  They easily chewed up a couple of hundred in corals!

 

Here's a couple of photos of my tank when just filled, and the my Blenny

APC_0101.JPG

APC_0099.jpg

IMG_1645.JPG

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On 12/18/2018 at 3:57 PM, FSTanks said:

Thanks for the feedback @chunkylovah.

 

Its hard to tell in my pics but there are 3-4 potential caves in my rock work... that being said, if we do a Coris and Bangaii leaving the caves to a blenny... would need to be very careful with any other selections... maybe I try for a Bangaii pair with those and call it a day... or,

 

Maybe some other open water swimmer like a green blue chromis?

 

Other ideas welcome too!

 

Thanks again.

Problem with a pair of chromis is they are pretty abusive to eachother and are schooling fish. So pairing can cause the alpha to focus aggression on one instead of many, thereby leaving you with a dead chromis!

 

I am not a personal fan of bangaii BUT they are pretty and can do well in pairs. In case you dont buy them pre-paired up this website article tells ya how to choose a pair out of a tank full of many. LINK

 

I am assuming you're not a fan of clownfish?? If i was choosing id either get the bangaii pair, clown pair, or take the bet with a tanaka pygmy wrasse or a pink streaked wrasse. Id also plan on the order in which you add the fish!

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@chunkylovah I may have mis-spoke... I was thinking off adding a chromis in place of one fish...

So, maybe: 1 Bangaii, 1 chromis, 1 blenny, 1 wrasse (Coris, pink streak, six line)?

 

Other ideas:

-Bangaii pair, blenny, wrasse?

-1 Bangaii, blenny, wrasse, goby+pistol pair? (My sand is only about 1” deep atm)

 

I don’t really want clowns... You can tell I really like the idea of Bangaii+blenny+wrasse...

 

I think I came across that article previously, reviewed again.

 

Thanks.

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On another note, realized I missed a detail on the Dr. Tim’s fishless cycling instructions...

I had been dosing Ammonia too frequently... causing nitrite to be too high even though the Ammonia was getting consumed rapidly...

Doing a WC tonight to hopefully get the levels back in recommended ranges and back on track.

Will probably set me back a couple weeks, but staying patient.

Cheers.

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So... I did some tests before the water change... nitrites were 0!

Maybe these API test kits are even harder to read than I thought... 

Dosed the recommended amount and if Ammonia and nitrite are zero tomorrow the cycle should be done.

Doing some travel over the holidays... will probably get the full suite of Red Sea test kits upon return, double check the tank, and get a fish (still need to finalize that plan too).

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Retested, cycle definitely complete, but nitrates still high.

Going to do some water changes and keep dosing ammonia.

Once the holidays are over, I’ll get the QT running and get the first fish in QT (I had a sponge in the sump during cycle).

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Merry Christmas!

Santa brought Daddy a Túnez Osmolator and 5 gallon ATO tank (biggest I can fit in my space).

Will post pics when installed.

 

Will be in Bahamas over new year (hoping to get some good snorkeling pics too).

 

Cheers!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hey, still liking the aqamai kps pumps? I am setting up a reefer nano and was thinking of selling my gyre 1k and picking up two of the kps pumps... I want to run them on the back wall as well.

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  • FSTanks changed the title to Craig’s Office Reefer 170 *Retired*

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