75 to 150 gallon upgrade
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- Thread starter Daddio
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Daddio
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Got my diatom bloom... Don't want to cut back lights because I have corals from the old tank - still on old setting for 75 anyway because can't get ecosmart live to recognize the lights. It's been a long time since starting a new tank.
Leave it alone? Get some narcissus snails, goby' sand sifting star? Will be doing water change soon.
Leave it alone? Get some narcissus snails, goby' sand sifting star? Will be doing water change soon.
Daddio
Active Member
Can't really adjust my lighting to take better photos until I can get my radions to connect, but here is the first rockscape. It is so nice having the extra depth. You can create nice caves and peninsulas. Also, got my manifold online (no leaks!) and connected a phosban reactor up (running carbon).
Found a big turbo snail that didn't make the transition (man they stink!).
Found a big turbo snail that didn't make the transition (man they stink!).
everything looks great!
Daddio
Active Member
Got my Libra mounted and am learning how to program it for Ca and alk. Tank hasn't been running long enough to know what to dose yet but think it will take a while to learn how to set it up properly.
Also, been thinking about a stocking list. Will wait for cycle but fun to plan. Only fish in the tank are percula clown and six line wrasse.
- Would love an emperator but on the fence both on tank size and destructiveness.
- think I will try to add a couple pearly jaw fish
- powder blue (ick magnet - couldn't keep rank warm enough this winter and the old one stressed and got ich and took several Fish with him)
- school of something (chromis, dart fish)
- always wanted to try a butterfly but the reef safe ones are either way expensive or super finicky
- liked my bangais but they are not that personable-pretty but kind of like freshwater fish to me
- love lots of little stuff like bennies, etc that live in the rocks
Would love some ideas of fun different fish to try.
Also, been thinking about a stocking list. Will wait for cycle but fun to plan. Only fish in the tank are percula clown and six line wrasse.
- Would love an emperator but on the fence both on tank size and destructiveness.
- think I will try to add a couple pearly jaw fish
- powder blue (ick magnet - couldn't keep rank warm enough this winter and the old one stressed and got ich and took several Fish with him)
- school of something (chromis, dart fish)
- always wanted to try a butterfly but the reef safe ones are either way expensive or super finicky
- liked my bangais but they are not that personable-pretty but kind of like freshwater fish to me
- love lots of little stuff like bennies, etc that live in the rocks
Would love some ideas of fun different fish to try.
Daddio
Active Member
Cycle almost over? I feel like a newbie... It has been so long since I started a tank.
I have been testing every day and I never got any major spikes in no2 no3... Diatoms are almost gone running full light. Had tiny NH spike at beginning due to a huge dead turbo snail I found at the back of the tank but now I'm back to unreadable amounts. It has only been 10 days.
I did have about 100 lbs of 13 year old rock and had added 35 lbs to my sump to cycle for a couple of weeks before the rebuild. The newer rock does have a fair amount of diatoms on them and I assume I will get hair algae on those as they mature. I had added a small amount of old sand but it was so nasty and stinky and I was in such a rush on the rebuild that I didn't take care of it properly (no heat or circulation-was more worried about the rock)
I'm not going to start adding willy-nilly but do you think it too early to start introducing CUC critters? I think I am down to 1 turbo and a small handful of hermits. My old zoas, leathers and LPS corals have pretty much opened back up and it's amazing what doubling the water amount does for parameter consistency!
Would love to hear from someone that has done a rebuild and find out what to expect next!
I have been testing every day and I never got any major spikes in no2 no3... Diatoms are almost gone running full light. Had tiny NH spike at beginning due to a huge dead turbo snail I found at the back of the tank but now I'm back to unreadable amounts. It has only been 10 days.
I did have about 100 lbs of 13 year old rock and had added 35 lbs to my sump to cycle for a couple of weeks before the rebuild. The newer rock does have a fair amount of diatoms on them and I assume I will get hair algae on those as they mature. I had added a small amount of old sand but it was so nasty and stinky and I was in such a rush on the rebuild that I didn't take care of it properly (no heat or circulation-was more worried about the rock)
I'm not going to start adding willy-nilly but do you think it too early to start introducing CUC critters? I think I am down to 1 turbo and a small handful of hermits. My old zoas, leathers and LPS corals have pretty much opened back up and it's amazing what doubling the water amount does for parameter consistency!
Would love to hear from someone that has done a rebuild and find out what to expect next!
Daddio
Active Member
Thanks. It was a fast build and now that it is basically up and running, I am happy with the planning and seems like its going to be a fun tank to play with.
But this waiting to add inhabitants is really hard! I am a very patient person but it is tough to sit and watch a basically empty tank!
But this waiting to add inhabitants is really hard! I am a very patient person but it is tough to sit and watch a basically empty tank!
Daddio
Active Member
Going to get a few CUC members tomorrow. Diatoms are all but gone. Skimmer is pulling black out - almost looks like carbon dust.
New rock and areas of old rock that weren't exposed to light are getting a few strands of hair algae.
Weird thing is happening... No cyano anywhere except on my chaeto. Any ideas why that might be happening? Not sure how well you can see it in this pic.
New rock and areas of old rock that weren't exposed to light are getting a few strands of hair algae.
Weird thing is happening... No cyano anywhere except on my chaeto. Any ideas why that might be happening? Not sure how well you can see it in this pic.
1reeflover
Active Member
Refugium I think is drawing all all algae down! Exactly what it's suppose to do!!! Lol
1reeflover
Active Member
Lol... Ya as long as it stays in your refugium!!!!!!
Daddio
Active Member
I'm not kidding myself. As much as I am hoping to have a short cycle, I know it will rear its ugly head. Now, the real test is to see how patient I can be. I'm trying really hard. I am going to see if adding snails, hermits and maybe a brittle star will help tide me over!
1reeflover
Active Member
Hardest thing in this hobby is patience!!! Lol
Daddio
Active Member
Thanks jKirk!
I actually have to thank my wife. She really could care less about the tank but has been totally supportive when this whole build ballooned out of control money- wise. This whole rebuild started because I was fed up with the over the back CPR overflown boxes (what a pain - losing siphon, return running dry, near flooding). I really was happy with what I had for the most part.
So in looking at a replacement drilled tank, i thought it might be nice to have a little extra depth. The price for a 120 was almost the same as a 150. So of course i got the 150... Which meant bigger sump, bigger skimmer, bigger stand, bigger heaters, bigger powerheads, etc... And then what was left over, aside from my lights, was crap compared to all the new stuff.
Next thing I knew, I had spent a small fortune! And didn't keep a single piece of equipment I had originally planned on reusing - plus added a whole bunch more i never even thought of adding - doser, ato, manifold for reactors.
It has been really fun and I have a huge new respect for those that have the high tech, huge tanks. I doubled the size of my original tank and the shear amount of water in the system is still a little unnerving to me. I can't imagine planning and maintaining one of those giant tanks... Well maybe if I won the lottery...
I actually have to thank my wife. She really could care less about the tank but has been totally supportive when this whole build ballooned out of control money- wise. This whole rebuild started because I was fed up with the over the back CPR overflown boxes (what a pain - losing siphon, return running dry, near flooding). I really was happy with what I had for the most part.
So in looking at a replacement drilled tank, i thought it might be nice to have a little extra depth. The price for a 120 was almost the same as a 150. So of course i got the 150... Which meant bigger sump, bigger skimmer, bigger stand, bigger heaters, bigger powerheads, etc... And then what was left over, aside from my lights, was crap compared to all the new stuff.
Next thing I knew, I had spent a small fortune! And didn't keep a single piece of equipment I had originally planned on reusing - plus added a whole bunch more i never even thought of adding - doser, ato, manifold for reactors.
It has been really fun and I have a huge new respect for those that have the high tech, huge tanks. I doubled the size of my original tank and the shear amount of water in the system is still a little unnerving to me. I can't imagine planning and maintaining one of those giant tanks... Well maybe if I won the lottery...
Daddio
Active Member
Just a quick update... Have been running the dosing pump for about a week. My first calculations seem to be pretty close. Need to up the alk a little bit and decrease the calcium a little but still for a first try, I am really happy.
Bought 10 snails and 6 crabs about 5 days ago. Still have a little bit of diatoms blooming on the sand but decreasing steadily. Have a few tufts of hair algae on the areas on the old rock that didn't see light before and some areas on the new rock. Today added lawn mower blenny and a brittle star. Not my favorite fish but too early to add a tang. He may get banished to the refugium when I start adding "real" fish. I like other bennies, like bicolor, etc., better (and love jaw fish) and they tend to get aggressive with similar shaped fish... We'll see...
Bought 10 snails and 6 crabs about 5 days ago. Still have a little bit of diatoms blooming on the sand but decreasing steadily. Have a few tufts of hair algae on the areas on the old rock that didn't see light before and some areas on the new rock. Today added lawn mower blenny and a brittle star. Not my favorite fish but too early to add a tang. He may get banished to the refugium when I start adding "real" fish. I like other bennies, like bicolor, etc., better (and love jaw fish) and they tend to get aggressive with similar shaped fish... We'll see...
Daddio
Active Member
Question... When do you know when to start adding fish? It has been about 4 weeks since the rebuild and I didn't really have any types of major spikes in ammonia or nitrates. The diatoms are just about gone and I haven't experienced cyano yet in the display although I do have a minor outbreak in the refugium. My existing softies and LPS are all opened back up really well. Ph, alk and ca are really stable and the brittle star and urchin have settled in well - figured those are my canaries for tank status.
Thought about adding a hardier tang to help the CUC with the hair algae that is growing on the new rock and areas of old rock that did not get light in the old tank. Not a major carpet but just a few tufts here and there.
Never owned a yellow tang because they are "regular" but with the new tank size, thought about adding one along with another in the future-maybe another powder blue or something of that type.
Is it time?
Thought about adding a hardier tang to help the CUC with the hair algae that is growing on the new rock and areas of old rock that did not get light in the old tank. Not a major carpet but just a few tufts here and there.
Never owned a yellow tang because they are "regular" but with the new tank size, thought about adding one along with another in the future-maybe another powder blue or something of that type.
Is it time?
