# Redfish BlueFish TwoByTwo's Fish... 120g reborn



## twobytwo

Ok, so I'm still in the last stages of ironing out the rebuild of my 120 short (4'x2'x2'). We moved recently, and I've tried to keep as much from my mixed reef as possible. I've kept all my equipment which I'll list soon. All fish were sold, and sold most of my corals that weren't attached to rocks. I've kept my rocks were are currently in about 6x 5Gallon buckets, and my sand in 2 buckets (which I intend to rinse).

The tank is being set up in our basement but it took a bitt of planning and measuring to find the perfect spot. The floor is very uneven tile, so I purchased heavy duty mats for under the stand to help even and distribute the load. At our condo, I used those square foam pads that connect like lego, to protect the new laminate. But now I need it to serve a different purpose. These mats come as 4'x3' but i needed two or the stand would overhang the sides by 1/4" and that was enough to bother me. The mats look like they're made of crushed tired and must weigh 30-40 lbs.

There's definitely a slope, the back is higher than the front of the tank. I have some shims and will place them under the mat.

The tank location was also directly in front of an electrical outlet. I didn't have issues in the condo but since I was putting in the effort to be extra careful, I installed a waterproof plug cover. I'm thinking of converting to a GFCI, but not sure if I will.

Still gotta clean out the Display, rinse sand, figure out rock scape, etc... Hopefully it's running within 2 weeks.


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## twobytwo

*Livestock Plan*

So, this tank was recently a very mixed reef. Basically if it was interesting, I wanted it. I had all sorts of corals and a mix of types of fish. Everything grew and was healthy so I didn't really have much direction for the tank other than if it looked pretty, I wanted it. The tank was packed and I had no room for anything new.

I do have some special corals I've kept... rainbow chalice, some rasta zoas, walking dendro, bta, monomyces and my monti palawanesis. If I add anything new, going forward, i'll try to focus on one thing - maybe Euphyllias and some crazy Acans. In the old tank, I bought a lot of baby frags - the cheap discount stuff from frag meets, or stores. I liked the idea of growing stuff myself, but there was a lot of impulse buys. I was still learning and didn't want to spend tons on single pieces until I was confident. Now, I'll search out the super nice pieces.

I've wanted predatory fish for some time. I want to watch fish hunt prey and that aren't the common stuff you see everywhere.

So, I'm thinking:
Fu Manchu Lionfish
Fuzzy Dwarf Lionfish
A scorpionfish if I can find one
Red Fin Waspfish (thanks for the suggestion Fesso)
Harlequin Tusk (will this be ok in a 4' long tank?)

Snowflake eel - share opinions on how tight the lid needs to be. I'm thinking of having my return hang over the rim so I might not be able to have a totally secured lid.

Possibly some urchins for waste control. not sure what other CUC I'd be able to have.


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## twobytwo

*Setup help*

So - here's where I'm stuck. Sump setup and plumbing. I forgot I tend to write walls of text. sorry in advance.

My plan is to go with a Herbie. I had a Single Durso with single return and there were a few nights I was a little nervous because of some small change in the tank/flow.

First I'll explain how I had it, to put things in perspective. The single durso (on the left side of the display) went down to the left side of the sump. Over the time I had the tank, I played with different ideas, angles, but it always basically dumped into the left side of the sump. And the return went back up the left side as well.

My sump went from the biggest section on the left (15" wide) and then two smaller sections (7" wide). I've never used Filter socks, but I was putting filter floss between the first baffles to the second section. The first section housed the skimmer, Bag of Siporax, and two pumps running my gfo/carbon reactor and UV.

The middle section held my return pump and 2 heaters (one backup which I never actually used). The third section held a small refugium; some substrate, a few rocks, some macro and an emerald crab (sump pet!). I had a "Tee" on my return, and a small amount (10% maybe?) redirected into the fuge.

OK - so now the new plan, which may or may not be great - looking for opinions. I've flipped the sump so the fuge (small section) is directly under the bulkheads on the left. I'll have a main siphon and an emergency. My thought was to have the main siphon run to the *right* into the BIG section which will now be on that side. I can use some elbows and keep the horizontal pipe to under 20" I'll have the emergency stay to the left, going into the fuge.

This will allow 100% of my return pump going back to the display and still create _some _flow through the fuge. I've bought PVC spa flex to eliminate much of the "hard" elbows.

Will I have any issues with the siphon and emergency going to 2 different locations? Will it be best to have the emergency going 100% straight down into the sump; and for an emergency, does it matter where the pipe ends in relation to the water level?

How about the siphon, it needs to be under the waterline to maintain the siphon, right? Any major issues with a horizontal run of 20" if I don't use any 90 degree angles?

Thats all I can think of right now. I might need to upgrade my DC4000 pump, anyone got an apex ready DC6000? Should I have my return go back to the display in the centre? Or keep it like it was, on the left side by the overflow box?

More pics and questions coming in the next days!


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## Jiinx

wow awesome. Congrats on your new build  love the title - made me lol outloud.


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## corpusse

Now is a good time to get GFCI, I went my whole life without them and survived and you likely would too but since you are just setting up now why not be safe? Instead of replacing the existing outlet I suggest adding a GFCI on it's own breaker. Keep the return pump (and maybe some other things) off the GFCI so tripping won't kill your tank and having the hands in the tank won't kill you.

Not really sure what to recommend with the sump. I still use durso overflows. I've never had one fail or be super noisy. If I was setting up a new tank I would prefer one of those new slim overflow boxes and do either herbie or bean but working with what I've got. You may want to consider replacing existing overflow depending on how much you care / how much you are willing to do.

Do as much planning as you can now before you go to far. Thing about water changes, future expansion and other issues that might not present themselves right away but eventually will. It looks like there isnt much head height in your stand, you might want to consider putting it on a riser.


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## twobytwo

corpusse said:


> Now is a good time to get GFCI, I went my whole life without them and survived and you likely would too but since you are just setting up now why not be safe? Instead of replacing the existing outlet I suggest adding a GFCI on it's own breaker. Keep the return pump (and maybe some other things) off the GFCI so tripping won't kill your tank and having the hands in the tank won't kill you.
> 
> Not really sure what to recommend with the sump. I still use durso overflows. I've never had one fail or be super noisy. If I was setting up a new tank I would prefer one of those new slim overflow boxes and do either herbie or bean but working with what I've got. You may want to consider replacing existing overflow depending on how much you care / how much you are willing to do.
> 
> Do as much planning as you can now before you go to far. Thing about water changes, future expansion and other issues that might not present themselves right away but eventually will. It looks like there isnt much head height in your stand, you might want to consider putting it on a riser.


All good points. I'm not sure it's feasible right now to add another outlet in the wall so I could have one GFCI and one regular. It's an older home so there's only 2 outlets in the basement - one is being dedicated to the tank and the other for the tv. I think realistically I'll just keep the regular outlet with the waterproof cover.

One crappy thing is the placement of the tank. the only suitable place is on an exterior wall. That, plus being in a basement with tile floors not sure yet what the electricity bills would be, so I'll start with a low temp and work my way up once I know the costs.

In terms of planning, I was considering having manifolds in the return, to run the gfo/carbon reactor or UV - but i think I'll keep them on separate pumps so I can control them separately with my Apex.

Here's a quick pic of my coral holding tanks. I'm actually surprised everything has stayed alive! Had to keep it in the centre of the room until painting got finished.


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## Crayon

Don't use spa flex.
Do not use spa flex.
Don't even consider using spa flex.

As much as people say it can be glued, it doesn't glue well. It is the biggest regret I have on our system and the one place we have had leak issues.

If you use spa flex, invest in some silicone self sealing tape. Immediately.


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## Crayon

And, if you are going to install a gfci, do it at the outlet, not the breaker. Gfci breakers tend to be very touchy and trip a lot. Kudos for the water proof cover on the outlet. With proper drip loops everything should be good.


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## wtac

Crayon said:


> Don't use spa flex.
> Do not use spa flex.
> Don't even consider using spa flex.
> 
> As much as people say it can be glued, it doesn't glue well. It is the biggest regret I have on our system and the one place we have had leak issues.
> 
> If you use spa flex, invest in some silicone self sealing tape. Immediately.


Just curious to the cement you used. I find with SpaFlex you must use a primer and really give it a thorough application on the hose and fitting.


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## twobytwo

wtac said:


> Just curious to the cement you used. I find with SpaFlex you must use a primer and really give it a thorough application on the hose and fitting.


Oooh I caused a debate!

The intention of the spa flex was to create a bit of shock absorption. The previous setup, the drain was all hard pieces. On my return, I had a section of about 8" of braided clear hose, clamped to a connection and the rest was hard pieces back up to the display.

If I go with my plan to run the siphon drain from the left to the right side of my sump, even with brackets to secure the pipe to my stand, I wanted to relieve as much stress on the bulkhead.

I bought Oatey Clear PVC cleaner (in the yellow container) - WTAC, would that be an acceptable cleaner/primer when used with the Clear PVC glue as well?

Crayon! Thanks for the advice - I'm just asking questions about it so I make the right decision.

Oh, Also - I want to upgrade my ATO container. I was using just a foodsafe container from Cdn tire but I think it holds about 6 gallons. I was able to fit a 10 gallon aquarium in the space beside my sump... but I need a lid of some sort. _Does anyone have leftover acrylic and can cut me a small piece?_


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## twobytwo

Here's two Pics.

One is the waterproof cover.
The other, is my holding tanks with some rocks/corals while I finish painting in the basement


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## Crayon

wtac said:


> Just curious to the cement you used. I find with SpaFlex you must use a primer and really give it a thorough application on the hose and fitting.


It may have been a glue situation, I can't remember, but the other aspect which drives me crazy is the fact that it doesn't make good turns.
My choice would be hard pipe with silicone tube sections as shock absorbers. I really like the silicone tubing as a place to disconnect if needed as well and it also takes up any variations if the pipes don't line up.
Available at BRS and I think Big Show brings it in too, but can't say. I got mine elsewhere.


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## wtac

twobytwo said:


> Oooh I caused a debate!
> 
> The intention of the spa flex was to create a bit of shock absorption. The previous setup, the drain was all hard pieces. On my return, I had a section of about 8" of braided clear hose, clamped to a connection and the rest was hard pieces back up to the display.
> 
> If I go with my plan to run the siphon drain from the left to the right side of my sump, even with brackets to secure the pipe to my stand, I wanted to relieve as much stress on the bulkhead.
> 
> I bought Oatey Clear PVC cleaner (in the yellow container) - WTAC, would that be an acceptable cleaner/primer when used with the Clear PVC glue as well?
> 
> Crayon! Thanks for the advice - I'm just asking questions about it so I make the right decision.
> 
> Oh, Also - I want to upgrade my ATO container. I was using just a foodsafe container from Cdn tire but I think it holds about 6 gallons. I was able to fit a 10 gallon aquarium in the space beside my sump... but I need a lid of some sort. _Does anyone have leftover acrylic and can cut me a small piece?_


LOL...no debate at all. Everyone has their own preferences based on previous experiences. A healthy and respectful discussion is all we desire 

I use and prefer the Oatey clear primer myself. The dyed purple/blue primer is nice as a reminder of what was primed but I like clean joints and you can tell by the slight difference in surface color and texture .

Not a fan of the clear Oatey from the hardware stores...too stiff/brittle when dried. The grey one they sell is fine. I prefer and use IPEX 95 Flex or Oatey 795 as there is some flexibility/softness in the dried cement and won't shrink over time. You can get them from JJ Downs.

SpaFlex you can get relatively tight corners...just take your time using a heat gun.

Silicone tubing as coupling works great but in high salt environments you have to use low carbon stainless steel clamps or slather the gear screw and rub a layer of silicone grease around the ring to it doesn't rust away too fast.


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## twobytwo

So, I had to take things in a slight different direction... but for the good. The spot I had intended to install the tank wasn't going to work. #1 it was an exterior basement wall near the sliding glass door, so temp control would be a concern. #2, and the bigger problem, was that the floor was waaaay off level. Almost an inch front to back! After shimming it, I could stick a finger under at the side. I was not comfortable with that at all.

So, it's going along another wall - as a peninsula! I'm pretty excited to have more viewing area. I tried to clean up the (formerly) back of my tank which I had let coraline build up over a year and a half, and then dry. bit of work with a razor blade. It's not perfect, theres some imperfections in the glass from the coraline which I don't think ill ever get out, but it might look fine when filled with water.

Almost ready to put the plumbing together. I bought some of the Grey pvc glue on wtac's suggestion over the clear.


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## tom g

*tank*

dude ... tank looks great ...u know I am here if u need help ...


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## twobytwo

Thanks Tom!

A few quick updates. Got most of my plumbing ready to install. I bought MORE than I need so I wouldn't be running out to a hardware store moments before it closes (I doubt I'll need more than one valve).

Got the stand shimmed and pretty close to level. I'm using 2 levels for redundancy. I'm happy with how it is empty, but I'll have to measure again once water starts going in.

THIS WEEKS Questions/concerns:

Much of my rock from the previous setup has been in water filled buckets, waiting to get used. Since it was never dry, do I have to be concerned of any die off when putting it into my tank? I really don't want to bake the rock - I was hoping keeping it wet would help reduce/eliminate the cycle and I could just drop it into the new tank. Thoughts?

Should I use the SW from the buckets the rocks were in? There's probably at least 30g I can salvage (if it's a good idea) from my previous display.

Any problem with rinsing sand with tap water?

I don't think I'm going to drill/rod my rocks to secure them. Maybe the TLF / DD / Instant Ocean cement stuff to secure them. Does anyone have advice on which product works best to secure rocks, and the best place (price) to get it?


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## corpusse

twobytwo said:


> THIS WEEKS Questions/concerns:
> 
> Much of my rock from the previous setup has been in water filled buckets, waiting to get used. Since it was never dry, do I have to be concerned of any die off when putting it into my tank? I really don't want to bake the rock - I was hoping keeping it wet would help reduce/eliminate the cycle and I could just drop it into the new tank. Thoughts?
> 
> Should I use the SW from the buckets the rocks were in? There's probably at least 30g I can salvage (if it's a good idea) from my previous display.
> 
> Any problem with rinsing sand with tap water?
> 
> I don't think I'm going to drill/rod my rocks to secure them. Maybe the TLF / DD / Instant Ocean cement stuff to secure them. Does anyone have advice on which product works best to secure rocks, and the best place (price) to get it?


As long as there has been circulation and somewhat stable water conditions ie you didn't let evaporation expose a large portion of the rock it should be fine. You will know by the smell instantly if it's not. You could use an ammonia alert badge to confirm but again if it doesn't stink it should be fine. I've had live rock in a tank and powerhead since July and just looked at it and noticed there are still a few button polyps on it. The rock hasn't had a light over it this whole time but it's still purple ect. It does get a bit of sunlight.

You should not use the water the rock has been in unless you have been doing regular water changes. The cost of 30 gallons is minimal and better to start with 100% fresh (salt) water.

You have to use tap water to rinse out sand, it would be cost prohibitive to do it any other way. It takes a LOT of water to really rinse sand clean. Before it gets cold it might be a good idea to do this outside with the hose.

Drilling works best but that's not to say you can't use a glue / epoxy mix. Glue from dollar store, epoxy from black friday specials. Just remember if you are going to use a lot of epoxy do not add your fish and corals right away as the water will be oxygen deprived.


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## twobytwo

corpusse said:


> As long as there has been circulation and somewhat stable water conditions ie you didn't let evaporation expose a large portion of the rock it should be fine. You will know by the smell instantly if it's not. You could use an ammonia alert badge to confirm but again if it doesn't stink it should be fine. I've had live rock in a tank and powerhead since July and just looked at it and noticed there are still a few button polyps on it. The rock hasn't had a light over it this whole time but it's still purple ect. It does get a bit of sunlight.
> 
> Drilling works best but that's not to say you can't use a glue / epoxy mix. Glue from dollar store, epoxy from black friday specials. Just remember if you are going to use a lot of epoxy do not add your fish and corals right away as the water will be oxygen deprived.


thanks - I have about 30% or my rock in an aquarium right now - I needed to save some special corals that encrusted onto some rocks. That's the picture in my post at the top of this page. The other 70% of rock has been in sealed buckets for about a month. No Light, no circulation - but filled with tank water... I was planning on just pulling them out of the buckets and placing in my display. I'm rinsing the sand but the rock I figured could be ok.

I think I'm going to pick up some Quikrete for securing rocks together. Drilled with rods would be nice but I don't think I want to deal with that mess and running around to pick up rods and a drill bit.


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## altcharacter

Looks good so far dude!


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## Crayon

twobytwo said:


> I think I'm going to pick up some Quikrete for securing rocks together. Drilled with rods would be nice but I don't think I want to deal with that mess and running around to pick up rods and a drill bit.


Quickrete as in cement in a bag? Don't think that's wise.....cement is limestone based and it sounds like you want to get this into the tank right away, correct? If you are cementing the rock and curing it in some other water, then ok, but not back into the tank immediately.
Maybe others have experience with this, but I wouldn't do it.

Look at the Aquaforest stuff for cementing rocks. You need to do it out of the water, semi dry, but once it cures, it can go right back in. It's a powder which mixes up like an epoxy cement, designed for aquariums.


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## twobytwo

Thanks Crayon! Is that the StoneFix, you mean? Do you know who sells the AquaForest StoneFix locally? I tried calling AK but no answer and the Voicemail isn't set up  ... They only have the 1500g on Amazon - how much rock will that secure?

I was looking at the QuikRete "Hydraulic" as it's mentioned on a few forums and sites.
https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.hydraulic-water-stop-cement-9kg.1000149564.html
wtac mentions it in your thread here:
http://www.gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1367858#post1367858

My Display Tank is currently empty, so chances are that I'd be able to soak the rock in a brute for a few days - or, in the empty DT. I still have to make about 150g of saltwater and I'm still rinsing my sand, so I have a bit of time for curing. I'll also be watching how the cycle goes (if any), So it could be mid December before I even have fish in the tank (Longer if I QT)

I don't want to break the bank which is why Im not really looking at aquarium epoxy/putty - at $15-20/tube, securing 90-120lbs of rock would not be cost effective.

****Ninja Edit
Talked to Dan at AK and I'm splitting a larger 6000g box of AquaForest StoneFix with another customer. Score! The price is pretty good too!

success!


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## twobytwo

*Stand and return plumbing*

So, I'll take a moment and talk about the stand.

The stand is just your standard black one that comes with a Marineland CornerFlo tank. The thing is, there are doors on one side, and its completely open at the back. Thats great when placed lengthwise along a wall, but I'm using this as a peninsula. The doors will be along my hallway, the open side will have a couch along it (with enough space away from the tank). I'm going to cover the open side with a decorative woodsy sheet they sell at home depot, painted black.

Because I'm using the two drilled holes for drainage, my return has to go outside the stand, up the outside of the tank and over the rim. This will go out the open side (through a section cut in that wood sheet) around the corner to the back of the tank, then 2/3 over to the overflow box where it will go up to the top, over the edge and out through the locline. I have 90 joints for the horizontal bends and 45's for the vertical going up along the side.

Heres a pic of a quick mock up while cutting pieces to get an idea where Im going. that 90 where it goes up, will be 2x 45's to improve flow. Oh, and I have some "J" pipe support arm things ill put in to support it all. I got the one's for a size bigger - I didn't want the pipes to be super tight, I want a little slack for vibration in the pipe.


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## twobytwo

I finished the plumbing:



















So after letting it sit and cure, i filled the tank with tap water to test for leaks and to double check the level of the tank. It's great! After adjusting the valve on the main drain and the return pup power, the system is super stable and quiet!










So, onto the next steps: Make new Saltwater, Rinse sand and cement some rocks together. On my RODI, I completely replaced all the filters/membrane/DI resin for a clean start with all the water. My biggest Brute is 32gal so I'll need to fill and mix SW a few times. Hopefully it only takes a few days.

I have a 20gal long running, so if I see any fish I really want - I'll use it as a QT while I cycle the display.

Thats it for now!


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## twobytwo

*time for an update*

Ok, so it's been a couple weeks - lets do an update!

Rocks had been cleaned, aside from a couple I kept in a running 40 breeder. I cemented them together with AquaForest StoneFix. I made 2 main towers and I'm happy how they turned out. The picture below was from before I added sand.

Sand has been rinsed and added to the tank. The tank is running - light is installed, added some CUC. I fully cleaned my skimmer so it's running to help break it back in and take anything out of the water that may have been hiding in the rocks or sand from the rinsing. I'm starting to get a little new tank algae, but I'm attributing that mainly to the light from the glass doors the tank has been in front of; I just added blackout curtains last night which should help.

3L of Siporax are sitting in the sump. I have one sump chamber with a few rubble rocks and a wad of Macro I got from Colin at ReefBoutique. In the next week or so, I'll set up my UV and probably GFO/Carbon.

Sooooo... starting to purchase fish! I saw 2 Fuzzy Dwarf Lionfish, and picked them up. They're in my 20g Long and are very happy. come out when im near the tank and eat frozen brine pretty voraciously.

And then... (drumroll)... I got a fish I'd been pining after for years. I don't tend to buy fish on the more pricey side, but I have a fresh start with my tank and can plan out livestock better. so, I got... a ... HARLEQUIN TUSK!!!! He's in a 40breeder with a GoldSpot Rabbitfish I also picked up. OMG he is so fun, even after just a few days, he recognizes me - stops swimming and comes to the glass to look at me. They're both eating very well.

I'm watching these 4 fish. they all look very healthy, no spots, eating well so I may decide to just dose a little prazipro and not worry about copper or paraguard.

It's all coming together!


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## twobytwo

Based on what I have so far (2 dwarf fuzzy lionfish, harlequin tusk and goldspot rabbit) would I be able to keep a Porcupine or narrow lined puffer?

Also looking for a trigger that can live with the Fuzzies, such as a Bluethroat... anyone have suggestions for other Triggers I can do?

And Maroon Clowns. Looking for a pair.


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## Matthew

Glad the hear the new build is going well, Noah! All the fish I got from you are thriving. Sadly, the strawberry conch died about 2 weeks ago, but otherwise all is good. Trying to reign in the algae cause by the huge increase in bio load, and I think I am making progress on that front.


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## willijack

Just binge read this story - RIVETING is all I can, episode after episode. I have great interest in your story as I'm doing pretty much the same thing - difference is, I'm a 1st timer. 

Love the details and pictures...

Thank you.


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## Crayon

twobytwo said:


> Based on what I have so far (2 dwarf fuzzy lionfish, harlequin tusk and goldspot rabbit) would I be able to keep a Porcupine or narrow lined puffer?
> 
> Also looking for a trigger that can live with the Fuzzies, such as a Bluethroat... anyone have suggestions for other Triggers I can do?
> 
> And Maroon Clowns. Looking for a pair.


Puffers are fairly docile, for the most part. Look at a Stars and Stripes. Just big carnivores, that's all. And they eat corals.
For triggers.... Niger. Pink tale, blue throat, all nice. I think Red at CRS got some very nice triggers in recently. Just don't do a clown trigger. They have a screw loose and one day will do something really stupid. Like bite the electrical cord on a power head and kill themselves......


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## twobytwo

Hey Matthew, Good to hear from you. glad to hear the fish are working out!

Hey Willijack - thanks for the kind words... hopefully I can keep it interesting. I have plans for one or two more tanks in the new year, so I'll have lots of diaries to go through! Everyone starts somewhere... It was less than 2 years ago when I mixed Saltwater for my very first time!

Hi Crayon! No Clown trigger, first is that my tank is too small. I hope 48" is good for Niger, bluethroat... Maybe a Huma Picasso. BA Scarbs had Bursa's on sale but I didn't get one. There's a pink tail at BA mississauga but I think Id rather have a red tail. *Hey does anyone recognize this type of trigger?* Advertised as "Oceanic Trigger" but I don't think thats what it is (sorry for crappy cell phone pics):


















Ok, on to the update...

First off, unfortunately the Lionfish did not survive QT. I have no idea what happened in the 20g long they were in. They were happy, eating, etc for 3.5 weeks and then I came home and they were both dead. no clue... I had dosed prazipro bt it was 3-4 days earlier and like I said, they were eating and looked lively the night before. I've drained the tank and now just wondering what to do with it (another QT, Frag Tank...). Would be nice to maybe use for a small reef or mantis shrimp tank.

The one bright side is now I can expand my fish search a bit more without the lions.

I got panicky about the Lionfish so I did not want to keep the Harlequin Tusk and Gold Spotted Rabbitfish in the 40g qt for much longer (it was about 1.5 weeks). I really didn't want to lose the most expensive fish I've ever had. They were dosed Prazipro as well, and after observation I decided I would not do Copper. I decided to move the rabbitfish to the Display, and the Tusk a few days later after watching both very closely.

I was getting some really bad hair algae that was probably a result of light coming in from a window all day and then my LED lights, but after adding black out curtains and the rabbitfish, it's pretty thin now.

I'm going to do a 75% WC on the 40 so I can be ready for new fish over boxing week.

Today I finished setting up my UV and GFO/Carbon dual reactor... although I have my eyes on 2 TLF 150 reactors that I can tune independently.

Plumbing all seems good and stable although my skimmer had been overflowing constantly. It was almost overflowing after a few hours, as the water was going down in my sump. It was also driving my ATO nuts as it couldn't keep up with the water loss (from the skimmer cup filling a few times a day and evaporation). I think I have it all figured out now.

Last steps ahead... Clean up all the wiring from setting things up, and other cleaning up, mostly. I have my doser to set up but I'm not sure if I'll use it as there aren't many corals in my tank at the moment.

So, now my requests. First off... I'm trying to find spare Cylinders for GFO/Carbon reactors. I have no idea if anyone local carries anything like this:
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/10-brs-reactor-refillable-cartridge-hard-shell.html

I'm looking for these fish during boxing week - let me know if you've seen any:
-Pair of Maroon Clowns
-Trigger (see above)
-Narrow lined puffer.
-Open to suggestions! Let me know what else would fit in!
-I need more CUC (yes, I know they'll likely get eaten)
-Corals! I'm thinking of being mostly LPS and zoas.
-I saw a cute cubicles boxfish but I've heard bad things about their poison and killing whole tanks. Sooo... probably not

Also... lots I want for boxing week. In no particular order:
-More Salt (If I do 30g WC twice a month... I'll need enough for 720g, plus more for QT's, frag tanks, etc...)
-Probe/doser tube holders
-GFO
-Algae Sheet feeder
-Apex EB8
-Filter Floss
-20-40lbs of substrate. Do any stores have anything special over boxing week?

Things I don't actually need but might stock up on during boxing week
-Activated Carbon
-Selcon
-Reef Frenzy
-DI Resin
-Hanna Low Phosphorus And Alk reagents
-Nitrite test kit.

Here's a video I took yesterday:


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## fesso clown

looking good mate! Just read through. 
Could you have (can you still) drill a hole in the stand to allow for the return plumbing to pass through rather than all the way around? 

Cheers


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## twobytwo

fesso clown said:


> looking good mate! Just read through.
> Could you have (can you still) drill a hole in the stand to allow for the return plumbing to pass through rather than all the way around?
> 
> Cheers


Thanks Fesso! The stand is just one of the cheap Marineland Monarch stands - Not exactly the pillar of strong construction, so I don't want to create more holes in a weak stand than I need. I'm going to get a decorative sheet/panel from Homedepot, cut it to size and paint. maybe use magnets to hold it to the stand and it should cover most of the opening.

My ATO is acting up and I need to figure out a solution. I have a Hydor Smart Level and a TOMS aqualifter. The problem is that the pump isn't getting enough water into the sump fast enough. For those that don't know, this ATO runs for a max of 10 minutes and then shuts off so it doesn't burn up pumps. If the water doesn't reach the MAX line in that time, the ATO beeps like crazy. I'm waking up each morning to the ATO beeping. So, I need a faster pump (more than 3.5gallons per hour - for the aqualifter) because dumping .59gallons in 10 minutes isn't enough to overcome the Max line for my ATO and not have the alarm go off. or a new ATO... which is stupid because I just got this Hydor replaced under warranty - it's brand new.

Or I need a new ATO. I might break down and just buy the pre-made with float valves one. Tomg has it and has been happy.


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## twobytwo

*ATO problem solved*

I had a spare MJ400... cleaned it in vinegar. then I tossed it in the ATO container and attached it to the Hydor ATO. Much better! Fills to the Hydor "Max" line in just over a minute, then shuts off - no alarms. Glad to get that sorted out before I just bought a new pump.


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## altcharacter

I literally told you to do that months ago!!!


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## twobytwo

altcharacter said:


> I literally told you to do that months ago!!!


I was using it at the time for circulation in a frag tank.

Anyway, here's a quick video of my boxing day livestock purchases... Striped Puffer, Goldstripe maroon (looking for a second!) and 2 cleaner wrasses:


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## twobytwo

NEW Fish! got a trigger!

Its in my QT:


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## twobytwo

just having some fun with my puffer and trigger in qt:


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## twobytwo

Update video...

A bit of algae on my sand. Had to shut down GFO but I'll get it going this weekend.

Puffer and Trigger moved from QT to DT. Cleaner wrasses were also moved but started picking on my Puffer, so now thy live in the sump


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## twobytwo

*Big Day!*

WOOOHOO!

After reefing for 2 years and having clowns for much of it, my clowns finally are being hosted by an Anemone!

Previously I had 2 Ocellaris Clowns that lived on my overflow box... Literally. They were stuck to it and often swam up and down facing vertically all day and night. And then later, in the GSP _on_ my overflow box. It was interesting, especially when the female laid eggs (about a week before shutting down before moving) but not as special as it would be seeing them host with a nem.

But, after moving and getting a Pair of Gold Stripe Maroons, I just put them in the Display after QT a few days ago. For the first few days they drifted around the tank, not really showing interest in anything. They didn't even seem to be paired, wandering around independently. But today, just before feeding, I saw the little one checking out my BTA's, just underneath the body, with the bigger one hovering cautiously nearby. After a few moments, the were both having a nem party:















**Just checked on them after the lights went out, they're nice and snug under the tentacles, together


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## twobytwo

So, I'd been having trouble with my skimmer for a couple weeks...

I would run it at the normal setting thats it had been pulling well at. I would empty the cup, and in the morning, the cup would be overflowing. I'd turn the bubbles down and leave for work. Come home and the bubbles were at the bottom of the neck. A few hours would go by and the level wouldn't change.

Wake up the next morning, and the cup is full and overflowing. Turn it down a little more. A couple hours later I'd return to check on it and the cup would be full. Sometimes the bubbles were overflowing over the top of the neck... but sometimes the bubbles would be at the bottom of the neck, giving no evidence that it would have been full to the top at any point.

This was causing all sorts of problems. My ATO was working extra hard to keep up with the lost water. I also wasn't pulling anything much out of the sump, just a light watery "tea".

I started exploring ideas but was lost. Nothing really had changed in terms of water level in the sump, how my auxiliary pumps were placed/running (e.g. pump for UV), it just didn't make sense. I moved where the ATO dumped into the sump, and other little tweaks. The skimmer was still sitting with a super low level for hours, then I would come back to it and the cup would be full. I was almost done - started shopping around for replacement skimmers. My last hope was to clean out the skimmer - maybe something was stuck inside or cracked.

I pulled the skimmer out and examined the body - in good shape, nothing cracked or broken, hoses/pipes were intact. So I start to disassemble the pump and then I see this:










A broken impeller shaft. I had a moment of panic, then remembered I have spare parts! The pump failed a year ago and I got a replacement from CAD Lights. So I searched and found the spare, which is in the picture. Reassembled everything, and the skimmer is running like a champ again!

Anyway, heres some more pics of whats going on. First, my new fish - thanks to Goobafish!










And, I set up a frag tank. I used sand on the bottom because I might have a cuc for algae, and I might put my walking dendro in it.










Here's a pic of my clownfish hosted by my BTA's










and heres my puffer photobombing while I try to take a photo of my clowns


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## CoralPatron

I would help you if I could - amazing project! Congrats!


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## Matthew

Thought you might want to see some of your old friends...

http://www.gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=270881


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## twobytwo

Thanks Matthew! They looks great and happy.

I picked up this pair over the weekend. Im so excited!


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## twobytwo

Well it's been many months... So I'll do a mega-update. I've added some setups and things, so follow along.

First, the Display Tank (120G):

Current livestock are Harlequin Tusk, Bird Wrasse (m), Yellow Blotch Rabbitfish, Hawaiian Black Trigger, Pair of GoldStripe Maroon clownfish, Dusky Wrasse, Sixline Wrasse. Theres a couple snails and hermits that have survived the predators and there is a tiger tail sea cucumber. I had a white short spined urchin but i moved him to my frag tank after him moving corals around stopped being cute.

I still use the same light (Maxspect Razor R420 320w) but I had one of the four fans cease up, so I had to replace it a couple weeks ago.

I replaced my return pump. My Waveline DC4000 suddenly had reduced power one day. After all the troubleshooting I could do (cleaning, resetting the controller, etc) I replaced the impeller for $50. Came home and the pump had the same reduced power. So, instead of paying for a new controller or other bits until it was fixed, I just picked up a Jebao DC6000 from Kraken when they closed. OMG this pump is a million times better than the Waveline, the one negative being only having 6 levels of power control VS about 11 with the Waveline. But its nice the Jebao has a screen on the intake, the wavelike didn't have that, and the Jebao power supply runs SO MUCH COOLER. The Waveline was always burning hot. Like, I can't touch it, boil an egg - hot. The power supply on the Jebao never gets worse than a tepid cup of tea. It's really nice.

For other equipment, I have 2 TLF 150 reactors running GFO and Carbon. I'm running my TurboTwist 6x UV and added a DIY algae reactor, running opposite of my lights. I added a 3 channel doser, withers Aquaforest Component 1+2+3+. Right now, I'm doing 20ml every 12 hours. I was doing 20ml every 8 hours but my parameters are good so I'm trying to cut back as I cut off the Kalkwasser that I use in my ATO. I also have 3Lb of Siporax in the sump and my skimmer, CADlights TIA 1220 finally found the sweet spot and is producing consistent skim.

As of 2 days ago, my tests show: 1.026, ph 8.31, temp 80.7 (I turned the AC off for the weekend and it got high so I turned it back on.... it's back to the normal 78.3). Cal 510, Mag 1500, Alk 9.128. Nitrate are 50 and Phos 0.101ppm - Phos is usually lower, It's time to change my GFO. I've always had high nitrates but I usually show 0 Nitrite and 0 Ammonia, so I'm not worried.

I had some issues with Cyano for a couple months, but after a few ChemiClean doses, it seems to be gone for a few weeks now. I have an infestation of Red Planaria... I've been vacuuming them up each night into a filter bag, but when I don't do it for a few nights, they would come back in full force. I've been putting off using FWE but it looks like their numbers are actually dwindling. The Dusky wrasse and Sixline just came out of QT 2 nights ago so I'm hoping they'll clear out any that remain.

Phew... ok i think thats it.

Oh no wait, I got rid of a narrow lined puffer a month ago because it was eating corals. and only the nice once. He had good taste.

Here's some pictures:


























OK, Coral QT Tank...

It's basically a 20 Long with a black box led above it on a timer. Ive got sand and some rocks, an Aquaclear 30 just with a sponge and some filter floss, and a small jebao circ fan. I put my shortspined urchin in there a few nights ago, and behind the rocks is a Reef Lobster.


















Clownfish tank

I set up this tank for this pair of Frostbite clowns to mate in. So far, no luck, but i keep playing Barry White hoping it'll happen soon. Runningg an aquaclear filter and a bubble stone. I'm considering getting a skimmer for the tank to keep the water cleaner than the filter can do.










Here's a video of it all:





And - one more tank. Currently cycling. What could it be for???


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## Crayon

Nice update Noah! Tanks are looking great.
A couple things to add: don't worry about the planaria. Your wrasse will take care of it and fewer chemicals is always better.
If you don't want to deal with sea horse babies, just get two boys, or two girls. 
The new sea horse tank will need an auto water change and skimmer. They are very sensitive to dirty water.
And you know anytime you're in the area, stop by. I have frags you can have........


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## Rookie2013

i must call you tank master. .the fishes r awesome...


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