Build thread 4 months in

[mcgallagherc]

4 months update

48"x24×24" first tank
Set up professionally by guy who cares for 500 gallon tank at work (he comes by maybe once a month if I need him)
2 older used light bars that came with set up
Protein skimmer

Water params iver checked with salifert today:
Alk-8.6
Nitrate-5-15
Phosphate-0?
Calcium-380
Water temp not 100% but set to 78
Don't know Salinity or any other params

2 orange storm clowns
Midas blenny
Cardinal fish
Firefish
Longnose butterfly

1 green torch looks amazing
1 torch I F'd up and bleached with too much light and high location in tank(its struggling)
1 hammer coral that isn't extending out or looking great
2 mushroom rocks
2 zoa frags(1 looks good and 2nd smaller one had cyano? On it, just blew it off and cleaner whatever else I saw
Blasto colony- maybe 6 heads
1 RBTA(looked great at first but since has not been expanding and flowing) understand I'm told it's a new tank but guy who set it up put it in for me.
Numerous small hermits and snails
1 bristle starfish
1 cleaner shrimp
1 arrow crab

Forgot to mention, also have carbon bag in sock filter in sump.

Plan to keep LPS (mostly "flowy" coral) and fish. No SPS desired as of now

Also my guy is ordering me 2 xr15s latest model through his vendor.

I run 1 MP40 that will not connect with mobius app. Keep it on reef crest around 30-40%

pics no particular order but you can tell from newer to most recent

Any advice or constructive criticism is welcome, no need to bash anyone.

Thanks and hope everyone mKes it a great night

 

[P-Dub]

NICE!!!

 

[Reefer_kano]

Very nice, i really like the aquascape

 

[kevgib67]

Great start, I love the clowns. This is going to look awesome. Keep posting your journey.

 

[mcgallagherc]

Great start, I love the clowns. This is going to look awesome. Keep posting your journey.

I don't think my clowns know how to clown fish lol. They swim all over tank constant, seldom are they together, sleep on opposite sides of tank usually. If you watched a documentary on clown fish, mine do the exact opposite of what research says

 

[Sumo Reef]

Great start! I see you added a piece of live rock earlier on and seeded the tank nicely.

Are your lights LED or T5? What do the bulbs look like?

IMO you have awesome growth with them and not sure if the XR15's are really needed .

The Mobius app can be a pain and doesn't work with some of the older Vortechs I believe. Best to call EchoTech customer service to confirm.

 

[mcgallagherc]

Great start! I see you added a piece of live rock earlier on and seeded the tank nicely.

Are your lights LED or T5? What do the bulbs look like?

IMO you have awesome growth with them and not sure if the XR15's are really needed .

The Mobius app can be a pain and doesn't work with some of the older Vortechs I believe. Best to call EchoTech customer service to confirm.

It was all live rock when tank was set up, truth be told all I did was assist while a professional set it up. I teased him for 2 years about getting a tank and he finally pulled one from a customer's house that was the perfect size I wanted. I attached a pics of lights, I just want some that will ramp up and down automatically. I'm the the car business and work alot of hours so can only dedicate so much time.

I also took mp40 apart and green vs black chip was mobius compatible. Mine wasn't.

I have my first torch I got suffering right now, I bleached it.. , also have 1 zoafrag, and mushroom rock not looking great. I'm 50/50 on corals thriving vs. Suffering

Checked water with salifert test I have tonight:

Alk: 7.9
PO:<.03
Nitrate:5-15
Calcium:380

 

[mcgallagherc]

This is my first torches life journey so far.

 

[Sumo Reef]

I'm judging your lights to be fine because there is already great coralline algae growth on your rocks. That is always a sign that conditions are good where coral can grow in your tank.

Sorry to hear about your coral being 50/50. What are your PH and salinity? I noticed your alk today at 7.9 is lower than 8.6 from yesterday. That's a big swing that corals do not like . Try to aim to keep Alk, Salinity, and pH as stable as possible. This will take practice.

Temp can fluctuate a degree or two - is that what you mean by "not 100%"?

Your other corals look great! Maybe the ones not doing well need to be moved due to light or flow reasons?

 

[mcgallagherc]

I'm judging your lights to be fine because there is already great coralline algae growth on your rocks. That is always a sign that conditions are good where coral can grow in your tank.

Sorry to hear about your coral being 50/50. What are your PH and salinity? I noticed your alk today at 7.9 is lower than 8.6 from yesterday. That's a big swing that corals do not like . Try to aim to keep Alk, Salinity, and pH as stable as possible. This will take practice.

Temp can fluctuate a degree or two - is that what you mean by "not 100%"?

Your other corals look great! Maybe the ones not doing well need to be moved due to light or flow reasons?

I've tried moving the corals to lower levels. Seems no help thus far. I don't know my PH or salinity. Also not 100% bc my temp gage in sump is not digital, it's set to 78 but have 2 windows in front of house that can hit tank.*south alabama resident* I'm about to retest alk. Maybe the glass of wine gave me a bad read!

 

[mcgallagherc]

Alk is @ 8.4 recent test. Not sure what effect it has when dropping solution into test tube and it hitting the side of vile vs solution.

 

[Sumo Reef]

I've tried moving the corals to lower levels. Seems no help thus far. I don't know my PH or salinity. Also not 100% bc my temp gage in sump is not digital, it's set to 78 but have 2 windows in front of house that can hit tank.*south alabama resident* I'm about to retest alk. Maybe the glass of wine gave me a bad read!

Temp is probably fine if AC is set lower than the heater. Temp is something that is okay to change a degree or two and corals be fine. Mine changes 1-2 degrees every night.

Now if it goes up to 82+ during the day that may be a concern but most likely not. Try and catch the temp midday on your day off.

In the last few months, I have learned just how important keeping parameters stable can be. My tank has always just been doing okay. Keeping my pH, Alkalinity, and Salinity stable has made everything BOOM in my tank.

These kinds of probes will help quickly check these things in a matter of seconds. I would suggest purchasing different types/branded tests to verify your readings of the other ones.

Hannah Salinity Probe - $75
Hannah pH Probe - $35

Cheapo Amazon pH Probe - $13
Cheapo Amazon Salinity & Temp Probe - $35