AZMSGT build thread

[Blutspitze]

I'm sure that all the fish appreciate your choice . Hope the treatment goes smoothly!

 

[PanchoG]

How is the purple firefish doing?

 

[AZMSGT]

It’s still doing it’s odd belly rub behavior. But I’ve only been treating now just over 24hrs. He’s eating well and basically doing ok other than the mentioned odd behavior.
This is a thread I created asking about it. Has a brief video of it too.

Purple firefish behavior question.

I have this Purple Firefish in my QT and it’s behavior strikes me as odd. I figure I would ask if it’s something to be concerned about. I haven’t started to treat it for anything yet. It’s been in the tank for 2 weeks. The fish will back up then shoot forward. See the short video. It’s done...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[AZMSGT]

So, UV ran perfect on the GFCI for 4 days on the old circuit. Just to see if it was the new GFCI outlets I changed one to a different model. Same results as before. Now I'm waiting on the replacement ballast to arrive to see if that cures the problem.

Also I bought an outlet/GFCI tester and all circuits are working like they should. Just seeing the odd difference between old GFCI and new.

 

[AZMSGT]

Time for an update.
I’m just going to run the UV off a standard socket. I have tried several GFCI sockets. All new ones trip. My 12year old ones (installed when the house was built) don’t trip.
I have four fish in QT still. They completed copper treatment now they are in Prazipro. The purple Fire-fish is still flashing but I’m told this could last into the second treatment of Prazi.

I rearranged my ATO and electronics. I need to clean up the electronics in the cabinet they are in but it beats having the ATO sitting outside the tank.
Got the cabinet and shelves from Ikea.

Also added my GHL aquarium fans and more leak detectors.

 

[AZMSGT]

Sigh.... I want fish in my tank...

My Qt process is slowing adding the ones I have to my system. Since one of the fish is still flashing all of them must wait to get added. Also I ordered fish from an online QT company. The order they got in was all dead. Now they have to re order from someplace else.... I just need to remain patient.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

Sounds like you're having a very similar experience to what I had.

I took the time to plan out the fish and the order I wanted them and after all that careful planning, nothing panned out. Fish that I want aren't available, or the sizes weren't right, or fish shipments died, and when they survived the mail order trip some didn't make it through the QT. Event after frustrating event, short of throwing more money at it there was nothing more I could do but mope around. I felt like Eeyore, "somebody stole my tail"

All that careful planning was thrown out the window. What was supposed to be a few month endeavor turned into a lot longer than expected. If reefers are anything, we're resilient, in a years time you'll be looking back at this moment and be glad that you were patient.

It's tough but everyone went through the same thing.. it's all part of the game.

 

[Dan I]

Everything looking good man. Hope your quarantine process goes well!

 

[AZMSGT]

Sounds like you're having a very similar experience to what I had.

I took the time to plan out the fish and the order I wanted them and after all that careful planning, nothing panned out. Fish that I want aren't available, or the sizes weren't right, or fish shipments died, and when they survived the mail order trip some didn't make it through the QT. Event after frustrating event, short of throwing more money at it there was nothing more I could do but mope around. I felt like Eeyore, "somebody stole my tail"

All that careful planning was thrown out the window. What was supposed to be a few month endeavor turned into a lot longer than expected. If reefers are anything, we're resilient, in a years time you'll be looking back at this moment and be glad that you were patient.

It's tough but everyone went through the same thing.. it's all part of the game.

Yea, I'm not the most patient person in the world.. Or I should say, I can be patient but when stuff doesn't go as planned because of things outside my realm I tend to get frustrated. It's all for the better I suppose. Just gives the tank more time to settle into it's own. Sure would be nice to have at least one or two critters in it though.

 

[AZMSGT]

Everything looking good man. Hope your quarantine process goes well!

For the most part it has, 3 out of the 4 fish are doing good. One unhealthy animal in the QT tank keeps all the fish there till it's cured..... For now.

 

[Blutspitze]

I'm betting the QT'll be worth it and the fish will be awesome and happy once they're in the new, permanent home

 

[AZMSGT]

I'm betting the QT'll be worth it and the fish will be awesome and happy once they're in the new, permanent home

Yea, I just need something to work on to get my mind off it.

 

[Blutspitze]

Yea, I just need something to work on to get my mind off it.

The obvious answer is to start another tank

 

[AZMSGT]

The obvious answer is to start another tank

I sorta did, I have fish in a QT and have snails in another QT. I’m trying to figure out where to start up another QT for more fish to go in copper. My wife doesn’t say anything but she has her limits on these tanks.

On the plus side I finally ordered my last two MP-40 pumps. Had to take advantage of the sale. Now I’ll have more than enough flow.

 

[DS204]

My wife doesn’t say anything but she has her limits on these tanks.

Maybe remind her that the formula for the number of tanks one person can own/operate is n+1? Where 'n' variable is the number of tanks your currently own. Works for me and Oakley sunglasses!

 

[Epic Aquaculture]

The QT process does suck, but like jimmy said, it's well worth it in the end! Things are looking good!

 

[AZMSGT]

Sigh... one of the Firefish started to flash... So everyone back into copper. This time they are getting Copper and Prazi treatments with Metro...

You know what would suck... is if I am mistaking "flashing" for normal behavior. I don't think I am... but you never know.

 

[DeepSouth]

Sorry to hear this. I'm a new reefer. My tank is just now cycling, so I read this and cringe.

 

[Mcdy]

Big day today, I started the process towards my dream reef tank.

A little background... Back in 1988 I started in the marine hobby while I lived in Tampa, Florida. I started with a 20g marine fish tank, that went to a 55g, then a 90g. All the time I had marine fish. I ran a "wetdry" system on the 90 and did ok. I had to fight with ICK or velvet did the copper treatments and solved it. Lost half my live stock though. At this point I was pretty much bumming and we had our first child in 1990. So much going on, I made the call that it was time to vacate the hobby for now.

Fast forward nearly 30 years.. (ALLOT has changed) Today I made the call to jump back in and with both feet.

Below is a list of what I have bought so far.
Red Sea 625 XXL tank
Items for the tank
Red Sea 600 Protein Skimmer
Ecotech Vectra M2 DC return Pump x2 (one feeds accessories)
Ecotech Radion XR30 G4 Pros X3 and RMS (Radion Mounting system) with RMS wire hanging kit
Ecotech MP40WQD Quietdrive Propeller Pumps X4
Ecotech Reeflink
Ecotech battery back ups x2
Aquatop 500W TI heater
120lbs Marco Reefsaver
GHL Profilux 4e Mega Set 6e
GHL powerbars x3
GHL propeller breeze 4 fan unit
GHL leak detector unit with 3 sensors
GHL flow sensors x2
APC battery backup for GHL computer
Marine Pure block
Brightwell Xport bio brick X2
Tunze ATO
IM Aqua Gadget 15G reservoir
Pentair 40W UV sterilizer
BRS carbon reactor
Cobalt MJ 1200 pump (feeding carbon reactor)
Clearwater CW200 Algae Scrubber.
Clearview lids tank cover
Under Cabinet LED Lighting

What I plan to buy for the tank
Doser GHL
KH Director or Alkatronic
Calcium Reactor
Ecotech Light defussers
Auto water change system
And more....

Other Items Purchased
Mixing containers
44g Brute Rubbermaid can
32g Brute Rubbermaid can
BRS 5 Stg 100GPD RO/DI
Faucet kit for RO
Marineland 1200 Power head/Pump (to move water around)
Tunze 6105 for mixing water

Quarantine/Hospital items
20G Quarantine tank with Fluval HOB and Mover M900 Powerhead
10G hospital tank (for use with copper treatments only)
Ehiem heater for hospital tank
Salifert 35 HOB for Hospital tank
IM 10G tank for Coral QT
AI Prime light for Coral QT (also light mount)
Cobalt 150W Heater X2
Fluval Air pump and cheap throw away air stones.

Testing
Refractometer
Salifert test kits: No2, NO3, NH3
Hanna testers: salinity, Alk, calcium, copper

Medications (all are on hand just in case)
Dr Tims First Defense
BA Fish Recover M
PraziPro
Copper Power
Seachem Focus
Seachem Kanaplex
API General Cure
API Furan-2

Cyciling items
MicroBacter7
Dr Tims one and only
Dr Tims Ammonium Chloride Solution

Home modifications
RO/DI system
RO drinking water system
Kitchen faucet to match RO faucet (gotta keep the wife happy)
2 20 Amp Electrical circuits

Consumables
Salt mix 1ea Oceanic, 1ea Red Sea, 1ea Tropic Marin/Pro-Reef
And other small stuff I'm just not going to list because it's just to tedious and I'm lazy

Do you have any pics?

 

[AZMSGT]

Do you have any pics?

@Mcdy Pics of what? This entire thread is littered with pictures on all 5 pages. My old stuff... No, no pictures of it as that was back in the Film days and we only took pictures of our baby girl at the time. Processing was EXPENSIVE back then and I was poor.