Everything Custom DIY - Tidepool closed loop
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- Thread starter prodbot7
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- diy lps reef tank build
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prodbot7
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Update under blues…. Tank is about 2 months old now
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prodbot7
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Well…. It wasn’t quite as simple as we’d hoped (soft tubing is a PAIN) but we were able to get the frag/nem tank plumbed in and the nems and clowns moved over. Maintaining a 4gal deskmate took way too much work so we’re hoping the 15 gal plumbed into the display sump will be easier to keep.
Still some work to go but I’m excited to see this tank full up with frags and grow out tiles
oh yah…. And we went to our LFS and couldn’t help but come home with some new euphyllia
Still some work to go but I’m excited to see this tank full up with frags and grow out tiles
oh yah…. And we went to our LFS and couldn’t help but come home with some new euphyllia
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prodbot7
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Hey @squidarcher Thanks for taking an interest seems like you’re into the shallow tanks too! (based on your build thread) @Funlad3 lol come out and look (help me clean and get more coral) any time
Right now the tank is doing the best it has since we set it up about 8 months ago. The tide pool is working exactly as intended and a nem, mushroom and some Zoas have been living happily in it. I’m *obsessed* with the closed loop, it creates such nice flow and the lockline is getting covered in coralline so it is less and less noticeable. The mangroves have some leaves popping out and proooobably need to be attached to the scape at some point…. We might wait until we complete our move… more on that later.
All that said, we’ve also had some struggles. The latest battle was with Dinoflagellates which had been plaguing the tank unchecked for quite a while… we thought it was just algae but eventually broke out the microscope and confirmed a LARGE population of dinos , luckily, Dino X seems to have done the trick and things are looking much better. That said, either from the Dinos or maybe nutrient fluctuations as we treated, there were some losses.
We’re also struggling with our master and alkatronic… we’ve calibrated several times and they consistently test higher/lower than hand testing. The good news is that each test is consistent in how far off it is so we’ve just made the mental adjustment with where we need them testing. The tronic folks are also working on fixing the nitrate test so hopefully the larger stirrer and firmware update will handle that.
Next up in big projects: WE’RE MOVING!!!! Luckily we’ll only be moving about 2 hrs away but we’re working through how we’d like to move the tank and inhabitants. Lots and lots of planning that we’ll share in a future post.
Here’s a breakdown of how things are doing:
Mushrooms - for the most part our mushrooms are GOING OFF. Godspawn and sunkissed bounce are about the size of my palm and the Frankenstein has grown a lot too. Our three yumas are SUPER happy and two have little babies coming in. The Neptune bounce is hanging in there and has two little pups, it might be getting a bit too much light and seems to be retreating into a crevice, considering adding to the rock a bit to give it a bit of shade. We lost 2/9 of the jaw breakers but the others seem very happy and are starting to get more red and make new pups. The gumdrops and random rhodactis and discoma are super happy and reproducing really well; I’m going to pull the basic discos out so they don’t take over the tank. Our ricordias aren’t nearly as happy in this tank; not entirely sure why.
Acans - couldn’t be floofier. A couple heads evacuated during the Dino treatment but luckily we still have at min at least one head of every color variety (7-8 colors). We’re planning to keep collecting colors as we come across unique ones and build out this area since they are doing so well.
Bowerbankis- happy happy happy.
Euphyllia- this is a sad one. We lost 3/5 due to too close of placement to other corals. The remaining hammer is looking a bit rough but seems to be making a come back. The dragon soul torch is HAPPY…. Going to the LFS this weekend and I miiiight see what they have
Large LPS - brain, plate and cynerina are all happy.
Zoas - these have been a bit hit and miss. They were heavily impacted by and overgrown by algae/dinos…. Some have died off and others are thriving…. I’m currently weeding out the nirvana Zoas bc they were growing so fast and looking like they’d become a pest. In desperate need of MORE varieties for the garden.
Blastos - they seem really happy! One took significant damage in the tank transfer but is finally seeming healthy. These might be my next addiction since they can touch and I have a nice clear area that could fit a few more
Other stuff - chalices took a big hit and the mummy eye died, the other two seem to be doing just okay now. Favia/favities…. Still kind of struggling since the transfer. Gonis, we have one left and it’s happy enough that I might try a couple more… but I think I’ve leaned my lesson with wilds we tried a couple sps, both died probably because of the nutrient spike during Dino treatment. Echinatas 3/5 are super happy and 2 have some recession… not sure what’s going on there.
seems like you’re into the shallow tanks too! (based on your build thread) @Funlad3 lol come out and look (help me clean and get more coral) any timeRight now the tank is doing the best it has since we set it up about 8 months ago. The tide pool is working exactly as intended and a nem, mushroom and some Zoas have been living happily in it. I’m *obsessed* with the closed loop, it creates such nice flow and the lockline is getting covered in coralline so it is less and less noticeable. The mangroves have some leaves popping out and proooobably need to be attached to the scape at some point…. We might wait until we complete our move… more on that later.
All that said, we’ve also had some struggles. The latest battle was with Dinoflagellates which had been plaguing the tank unchecked for quite a while… we thought it was just algae but eventually broke out the microscope and confirmed a LARGE population of dinos , luckily, Dino X seems to have done the trick and things are looking much better. That said, either from the Dinos or maybe nutrient fluctuations as we treated, there were some losses.
We’re also struggling with our master and alkatronic… we’ve calibrated several times and they consistently test higher/lower than hand testing. The good news is that each test is consistent in how far off it is so we’ve just made the mental adjustment with where we need them testing. The tronic folks are also working on fixing the nitrate test so hopefully the larger stirrer and firmware update will handle that.
Next up in big projects: WE’RE MOVING!!!! Luckily we’ll only be moving about 2 hrs away but we’re working through how we’d like to move the tank and inhabitants. Lots and lots of planning that we’ll share in a future post.
Here’s a breakdown of how things are doing:
Mushrooms - for the most part our mushrooms are GOING OFF. Godspawn and sunkissed bounce are about the size of my palm and the Frankenstein has grown a lot too. Our three yumas are SUPER happy and two have little babies coming in. The Neptune bounce is hanging in there and has two little pups, it might be getting a bit too much light and seems to be retreating into a crevice, considering adding to the rock a bit to give it a bit of shade. We lost 2/9 of the jaw breakers but the others seem very happy and are starting to get more red and make new pups. The gumdrops and random rhodactis and discoma are super happy and reproducing really well; I’m going to pull the basic discos out so they don’t take over the tank. Our ricordias aren’t nearly as happy in this tank; not entirely sure why.
Acans - couldn’t be floofier. A couple heads evacuated during the Dino treatment but luckily we still have at min at least one head of every color variety (7-8 colors). We’re planning to keep collecting colors as we come across unique ones and build out this area since they are doing so well.
Bowerbankis- happy happy happy.
Euphyllia- this is a sad one. We lost 3/5 due to too close of placement to other corals. The remaining hammer is looking a bit rough but seems to be making a come back. The dragon soul torch is HAPPY…. Going to the LFS this weekend and I miiiight see what they have
Large LPS - brain, plate and cynerina are all happy.
Zoas - these have been a bit hit and miss. They were heavily impacted by and overgrown by algae/dinos…. Some have died off and others are thriving…. I’m currently weeding out the nirvana Zoas bc they were growing so fast and looking like they’d become a pest. In desperate need of MORE varieties for the garden.
Blastos - they seem really happy! One took significant damage in the tank transfer but is finally seeming healthy. These might be my next addiction since they can touch and I have a nice clear area that could fit a few more
Other stuff - chalices took a big hit and the mummy eye died, the other two seem to be doing just okay now. Favia/favities…. Still kind of struggling since the transfer. Gonis, we have one left and it’s happy enough that I might try a couple more… but I think I’ve leaned my lesson with wilds we tried a couple sps, both died probably because of the nutrient spike during Dino treatment. Echinatas 3/5 are super happy and 2 have some recession… not sure what’s going on there.
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prodbot7
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Besides getting a cool top down view, it’s so much easier to adjust/place coral and perform overall maintenance. Only real issue we’ve had is it limiting fish choices since we’ve had some jump 
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Gumbies R Us
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Tank is looking really good!!!
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I was “pruning” one of the more prolific growers in the zoa garden which resulted in a few loose polyps in the frag tank…. Lol little guy lost his nems ages ago but looks like he’s picked up a zoa
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Couple of full tank photos under whites whit the new additions all placed.
We still have a bit more algae than we’d like so we just placed an order for some snails, including bumble bees since we’ve noticed vermetid :/
We just started dosing Microbacter 7 and clean since we want to increase our feeding but don’t want nutrients to get out of control.
We also started autodosing KZ trace about a week ago. Broadcast feeding will start being autodosed next week in addition to 1-3 x weekly targeted feedings…. I need everything I can get automated… its
Parameters:
Alk: 9.09dkh
pH: 8.1
Calc: 450
Mg: 1520 (a little high but not an issue, we’re letting it drop slowly)
Nitrate: 1-2
Phosphate: 0.1
Salinity: 1.025
We still have a bit more algae than we’d like so we just placed an order for some snails, including bumble bees since we’ve noticed vermetid :/
We just started dosing Microbacter 7 and clean since we want to increase our feeding but don’t want nutrients to get out of control.
We also started autodosing KZ trace about a week ago. Broadcast feeding will start being autodosed next week in addition to 1-3 x weekly targeted feedings…. I need everything I can get automated… its
Parameters:
Alk: 9.09dkh
pH: 8.1
Calc: 450
Mg: 1520 (a little high but not an issue, we’re letting it drop slowly)
Nitrate: 1-2
Phosphate: 0.1
Salinity: 1.025
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