75 done by Dufus

[Rufus’ goofs]

Hey all.

(6/28 FTS. Current equipment list is at bottom of post #1.)

I'm working on a new aquarium build.
I have a 40B currently that I've been loving! I've just about always fought Cyano in it, but my anemones have been splitting like crazy on me, all my stony pieces were really taking off!

Then about a month ago I spotted the red planaria flat worms in one corner of the tank.
I'm not much for throwing cure alls at it. I know a lot of people have had success with meds or additives, but it just isn't me. I barely test temperature.

So I got all of my extra rock curing, ordered another 50ish pounds of marco and liferock, and a IM75 EXT.

I'm now slowly fragging all of the corals in my 40b, letting them recover in there, dipping and moving them into a 14 gallon frag tank, and when I'm comfortable they'll go to the 75.

I haven't made a lot of progress yet, and the new tank looks kind of sparse because I don't want to buy new filtration and wave makers.

Things should start coming together in the next month or so. I really want to get this done, but not rush it.

happy reefing!

Current equipment list:
1) IM 75 EXT & stand
1) crystal reef aquatics 30 gallon sump.
(I don’t know what model it is, I bought in in store while they were still testing designs and got this one for a deal.)
36”) Aquatic life t5 hybrid
32”) RB Photon v2
2) Icecap gyre 3k
2) Jebao SW4
1) Jebao OW40
1) RO Varios-2
1) eschopps axium 120 protein skimmer
2) Eheim heaters
1) BRS carbon reactor
1) DIY kalk dripper
3) miscellaneous PH’s in sump

 

[Big G]

Very nice looking setup. I'm kind of a luddite, so I keep my tank simple, too. But I do QT and prophylactically treat everything coming into my DT.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Nice setup. Love the aquascape. Welcome to R2R!

 

[Rufus’ goofs]

Very nice looking setup. I'm kind of a luddite, so I keep my tank simple, too. But I do QT and prophylactically treat everything coming into my DT.

Thanks!
I’ll be trying a bit harder to keep this one pest free. I wasn’t happy when o realized I was tearing my tank down. But I’m very excited to see this one come together.

 

[Rufus’ goofs]

Nice setup. Love the aquascape. Welcome to R2R!

Thanks so much!
Yours has been one of my favorite builds to frequent on here, I love the attention to detail with your thread.

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Welcome to R2R

 

[Rufus’ goofs]

Water change day!

So it’ll be 3 weeks on Wednesday for the 75 and I figure now is as good a time as any to start maintenance on it. So it gets one today as well.

When I first filled it up on 3/7/19 I waited for the temp to come up then I put a sponge filter from another reef I know in the sump.
After the water change today I’m going to dose some bacteria then my Yellow Damsel (AKA: Scruffy/Satan) will be moving from the 4oB sump to this the new one. He’s not a very friendly guy.

I also took some debatably better pictures of the aquascape for you all to see. Sorry it’s so washed out. The t5’s are all that I have over it right now, and they don’t picture well on my phone. It’ll look better when I move the LED’s over as well.

Here is a picture of the sump as it is right now. I’ve still got a lot to do as far as equipment set up.

I’m considering lifting all of that rock off the bottom of the sump with a large egg rate platform maybe? I want to have power head flowing under the rock to help mitigate detritus build up, but I’m still undecided with what I’m doing in that section.

I’m also waiting on some new switchable power strips to install on the shelf back there before I cable manage that cascade of wires. But yes, it hurts me to see it as well. I don’t like it.
Hopefully they show up soon.

I think that just about catches things up.
Happy reefing, all!

 

[Rufus’ goofs]

Project Saturday!

I got my switchable power strips in the mail today. I also made a trip to the hardware store for a wire rack and some 1/4 ground clamps.

I pulled down my little shelf cut a hole in the bottom for the cords to pass through, mounted the wire rack on the bottom, and power strips inside. Then I put it back up and started cable managing.
It’s far from pretty, but it’s not god awful anymore.
I labeled all of the permanent plugs and did my best to section off like devices in their own runs. The goal was to make it so I never had to follow cords, get them up out of the way, but also to make it easy to pull an entire device out for servicing or replacement.

I got a long strip of adhesive Velcro and applied it to the stand then wrapped each run with a Velcro band. Not very pretty, but works great so far.

There are 3 runs if you ignore my t5 and ATO cords.

Sump power heads and reactor
Return pump and heaters
Display powerheads.

I’ll probably fiddle with the whole thing a bit more before I’m happy with it, but I’m satisfied with the progress so far.

Happy reefing!

 

[Justfebreezeit]

Nice! You have the same tank. Awesome job plumbing it up!

Its going to be cool watching ours grow together.

I was considering adding a yellowtail damsel as a last fish. You find yours to aggressive or just semi?

 

[Rufus’ goofs]

Nice! You have the same tank. Awesome job plumbing it up!

Its going to be cool watching ours grow together.

I was considering adding a yellowtail damsel as a last fish. You find yours to aggressive or just semi?

Thanks! I can be a bit meticulous when it comes to running pipe, which isn’t always a good thing.
I was thinking it would be a lot of fun to watch yours come together as well.

By yellowtail, are you referring to the ones with the blue bodies? Those ones I’ve heard great things about.
Mine is solid yellow. He’s very aggressive. I’ve tried multiple times reintroducing, sometimes in different and larger tanks, but he always makes a fool of himself and finds a swift ride back to my sump. I’ve kinda given up on him.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

Thanks! I can be a bit meticulous when it comes to running pipe, which isn’t always a good thing.
I was thinking it would be a lot of fun to watch yours come together as well.

By yellowtail, are you referring to the ones with the blue bodies? Those ones I’ve heard great things about.
Mine is solid yellow. He’s very aggressive. I’ve tried multiple times reintroducing, sometimes in different and larger tanks, but he always makes a fool of himself and finds a swift ride back to my sump. I’ve kinda given up on him.

Aaah I read your post wrong, I thought you typed yellowtail damsel and I see it just says Yellow.

Yeah the blue bodied ones.

With any luck your yellow guy will behave himself better in this tank.

 

[Rufus’ goofs]

Aaah I read your post wrong, I thought you typed yellowtail damsel and I see it just says Yellow.

Yeah the blue bodied ones.

With any luck your yellow guy will behave himself better in this tank.

Thank you. I’m going to give it a shot when everybody else is settled in, but I’m not going to hold my breath.
I’ve tried finding someone who wants to set up a smallish tank and have a solitary fish, but I can’t find this mythical person.
At least he has a bigger section in this sump to swim around in.

Out of curiosity, what all fish are you planning on putting into yours? I've got 2 clowns a flametail blenny, royal gramma and a scopas tank destined for mine.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

Thank you. I’m going to give it a shot when everybody else is settled in, but I’m not going to hold my breath.
I’ve tried finding someone who wants to set up a smallish tank and have a solitary fish, but I can’t find this mythical person.
At least he has a bigger section in this sump to swim around in.

Out of curiosity, what all fish are you planning on putting into yours? I've got 2 clowns a flametail blenny, royal gramma and a scopas tank destined for mine.

Nice selection! Have you had a royal gramma before? I'd be curious to see how shy they are.

I've been going back and forth a lot fish wise.

Right now I have two clowns, a pink streaked wrasse, and a tomini tang. I also have a yellow banded possum wrasse coming tomorrow.

Then I was thinking two more smallerish fish. Something like the yellowtail damsel. I would really like blenny of some sort as well but have read the tomini tang dosent get along with them .

 

[Rufus’ goofs]

Nice selection! Have you had a royal gramma before? I'd be curious to see how shy they are.

I've been going back and forth a lot fish wise.

Right now I have two clowns, a pink streaked wrasse, and a tomini tang. I also have a yellow banded possum wrasse coming tomorrow.

Then I was thinking two more smallerish fish. Something like the yellowtail damsel. I would really like blenny of some sort as well but have read the tomini tang dosent get along with them .

I really like your tomini tang. They're such a beautiful fish and don't get too fat to graze! the wrasse's sound like a lot of fun, and good pest control if ever needed. Would some sort of goby go well with your mix of fish? I've never had wrasse's.
Most of the fish are in my 40 right now, minus the yellow damsel and blenny. The blenny is in my frag tank and hes going into the 75 first to hopefully establish well before my scopas moves over.
My royal Gramma has been a lot more active in the 40 since I moved the T5's off that tank, otherwise he would hide until it was just led's again. but he is my first royal gramma and he was very shy for the first month or two. He swims in the open with my tang quite frequently now. I don't think they like high light.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

I really like your tomini tang. They're such a beautiful fish and don't get too fat to graze! the wrasse's sound like a lot of fun, and good pest control if ever needed. Would some sort of goby go well with your mix of fish? I've never had wrasse's.
Most of the fish are in my 40 right now, minus the yellow damsel and blenny. The blenny is in my frag tank and hes going into the 75 first to hopefully establish well before my scopas moves over.
My royal Gramma has been a lot more active in the 40 since I moved the T5's off that tank, otherwise he would hide until it was just led's again. but he is my first royal gramma and he was very shy for the first month or two. He swims in the open with my tang quite frequently now. I don't think they like high light.

So interesting the gramma hides from higher light. The flametail blennies are really awesome looking. I do love the tomini, the white tail in person really stands out for some reason.

I bet the fish are pumped to be moving up in size. It's going to be fun watching it all come together.

 

[Rufus’ goofs]

Alrighty guys. I feel like I’m getting there with this tank.

I tore down my 40 gallon tank earlier this week. I didn’t move much into my 75 from it, just a couple corals and 2 of the fish.

I had put the flame-tail and a couple corals (green stylo, neon leather and some Zoa’s) in almost 2 weeks ago, and they'd all been doing great.

So when I took down the 40, they were followed by my scopas tang, the royal gramma and an additional batch of corals. Which included 2 monti’s, a birdsnest that I didn’t grab a picture of, and the 2 next to the monti’s on the frag rack. I don’t know the names.

I think the one is a plating chalice, but the orange guy confuses me.
My only loss has been the pink (now white) encrusting monti. It went over night, but everything else has been doing well, so hopefully it was a fluke, and not the start of a pattern.

Everything else from my 40 gallon went into this 20 gallon in the back bedroom, to new homes and into the woods.

I mostly set this up because I didn’t feel comfortable fragging the blue Acro, moving my anemone shrimp, trying to frag my euphyllia, or putting 4 fish in the 75 all at once. I also put a handful of other things in here, including a plating monti, that plating... chalice? A nice handful of Zoa’s, and a dying piece of Acan Echinata.

The plan is to just let my tank mature a bit more before I try to get the rest of this in there.

Over the last 3 weeks there have been some other additions, and changes.
• I messed with the aquascape on the right side of tank to get a more stable structure.
• I got my second icecap 3k in the mail, so I installed it and the one from the 40 in the rear corners pointed at the front glass.
• I added another power strip for the permanent/ semi-permanent plugs. Lowered the closest switchable power strip for easier access and reading of the one behind it.
•brought my other equipment like skimmer and LED’s over.

I think that’s about it. Feels like a lot, but everything’s been looking good so far. I’ve been running carbon and the skimmer since I put the blenny in because I wanted to feed a little heavier. I experienced a bacterial bloom during this time but it started before I had put him in and actually cleared up shortly after putting him and the corals in. I’d say it lasted about 6-9 days? The worst definitely being the first 3 days.
The tang and blenny looked like they were fighting to me, but after watching them closer and over a few days, I feel like it’s a cat dog relationship now.
They will chase each other a bit, but it’s doesn't seem aggressive. When they do sneak up on each other (yes, they take turns) neither of them attacks, or dash’s away. I think they’re buds.
I’ve also been loving that leather! That thing has been looking so happy. I really wasn't expecting these corals to do as well as they have been. It makes me feel much more hopeful about this going well.

Happy reefing all!

 

[Justfebreezeit]

Missed your update! Glad everything is going well.

I really like your sump layout. Makes for a nice sized refugium.

Love the toadstool to, If I wasn't going acro only it would definitely be on my list.

 

[Rufus’ goofs]

Missed your update! Glad everything is going well.

I really like your sump layout. Makes for a nice sized refugium.

Love the toadstool to, If I wasn't going acro only it would definitely be on my list.

I actually don't plan on using it as a fuge right now. When I originally bought the sump the size of the fuge section was a contributing factor, but I've never been able to run one successfully. So I was planning on going cryptic or just equipment housing this time around. I'm still undecided.

I had to have a leather. they're one of the first corals i fell in love with and really inspired me to start a tank.

I've always liked the idea and wanted to do a species tank, so I'm just planning on living vicariously through your build thread.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

I actually don't plan on using it as a fuge right now. When I originally bought the sump the size of the fuge section was a contributing factor, but I've never been able to run one successfully. So I was planning on going cryptic or just equipment housing this time around. I'm still undecided.

I had to have a leather. they're one of the first corals i fell in love with and really inspired me to start a tank.

I've always liked the idea and wanted to do a species tank, so I'm just planning on living vicariously through your build thread.

Hey as far as I'm concerned a refugium dosen't need algae!

 

[Rufus’ goofs]

Aquarium, I’m going to be gone for a week. I’m leaving you.

Dear aquarium, it’s one of those times, when you will not see me for a bit.
It will be a while before I do your 8 point temperature check with the gun.
It’s one of those times when I wonder what you look like every hour.

My dear aquarium, I won’t be able to feed you throughout the day, please be easy for mom while I’m gone.

My dearest aquarium, please do well over the next week.