I hope I remember how to do this

[JumboShrimp]

I love Chromis, so I’m wishing you nothing but success. But let us know if they end up going 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Chromis... I hope they all play nice

 

[cmaxwell39]

Thanks for the warning on the chromis. I have had some success keeping groups in the past. I know the risks, but hopefully can keep a number of them together.

min other news, I got some of my controller components in last weekend.

I am still waiting on a few parts, but wanted to start getting to know the GHL. I haven’t had time to do much with it this week, but I have got all the probes in the sump and calibrated.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Yeah, now would be the least stressful time to learn all that-- as you ride out the tank/stand delay. ;Smug

 

[cmaxwell39]

Getting there on getting the controller installed and programmed. Got 2 of the 4 power bars hooked up, shelf made for the Profilux main unit to sit on, probes calibrated, and in the sump/rock curing tub. Email alerts are set up, and beginning to figure out the programmable logic. Still a ways to go, but thankfully I am not rushed to get it all done.
Shelf built for the Profilux main unit.

First power bar mounted and programmed. This one will have the return pump, heater, skimmer, power for the DIY ATO that I built, and eventually power for the CaRX and Fuge light.

Finally, ran a cord over and installed a power bar for the QT’s. For now I am just going to have the lights for each QT be controlled, and then feed a power strip for each QT to be automate turning heaters, pumps, etc. off for water changes. One button on the controller and everything is ready to go.

Still need to mount it and do a bunch of cord cleanup.

I want to give a big shout out to @Ditto. His thread on the GHL makes figuring out a Profilux for the first time tolerable. While there have still been a few frustrating moments, overall it has been relatively easy. Thanks for the detailed write-up.

 

[cmaxwell39]

Well, it has been a hard week on the QT. Started first round of Prazi last Saturday, and starting Sunday I began losing a chromis or two a day. I suspect uronema and yesterday started General Cure. Down to 4 chromis so that is really a bummer. Hopefully these last 4 will make it.

The two fairy wrasses are both doing really well to this point though.

 

[cmaxwell39]

I did get a little done in the fish room this weekend. First I got the power bar under the QT tanks mounted and the wiring somewhat cleaned up.

I also took the time this weekend to update the firmware on the controller since a new version came out last week. Figured it was a good time to learn that process. Overall, it was very easy. Got it done without any issues.

Next I finally installed a door on the fishroom.

That’s it for now. Still just waiting on a stand. Hopefully another 3-4 weeks and it will be here.

 

[cmaxwell39]

Well, a not so good update on the fish in QT. As I updated a few posts ago, I suspected the chromis to have uronema, as I was loosing them and they were showing signs of it. I was loosing ~1 a day last week, so I decided to treat wtih General Cure to help combat it. I dosed General Cure on Saturday and everything in QT seemed to be doing well for the next couple of days.

Tuesday night there was one lethargic chromis, but everyone in QT ate that night. Yesterday I woke up to all 4 chromis dead and the wrasses showing signs of stress. By late afternoon/evening the wrasses were breathing hard. I now suspected velvet, but I didn't have any copper in the house, so I ran out to meet a buddy to get some cupramine to begin treatment for velvet. I dosed a 1/4 dose of cupramine last night to try to begin raising the copper level slowly, but unfortunately neither one made it. I am really bummed, and it shows that I need to spend some time in the disease forums brushing up again. I think a couple of years off has not been good for my fish disease recognition skills.

 

[JumboShrimp]

I appreciate your humility. In my own humble opinion, in terms of the potential to wipe out your more prized fish, Chromis are bad, bad news. I have two established Yellow Tail Damsels and one Talbot in with my expensive fish in a 6-foot tank, and every time I’m in an LFS and see that ‘just one more’ tiny fish I tell myself, “DON’T!” push it!

 

[cmaxwell39]

Thanks for the kind words. Chromis are so tempting because of the movement and color they can bring to the tank. And I have actually had good luck with them in the past once getting them through QT. The QT part is the hardest.

I actually think I had two things going on in this case. I believe the initial casualties were from uronema. All of these were chromis and they all died one at a time. I think one of them also had velvet and that is what took out the rest of the fish. How quickly they went, and the tell tale red spot was not there for the last batch.

Either way, tomorrow I will bleach the QT and start it cycling again.

I feel bad about the chromis, I am bummed about the exquisite, but the pintail is the one that really gets to me.;Inpain

 

[cmaxwell39]

QT tank has been torn down, sterilized and dried out and is currently full and cycling again. Don't know that I will be able to source fish to put in it right now, but once this whole thing breaks I will be ready to add some fish to QT.

Speaking of once this whole thing breaks, I found out yesterday that it will be at least another 2-3 weeks before I get the correct stand that I am waiting on to set this up. Custom Aquariums manufacturing has been halted by the Stay at home orders. I obviously want everyone to stay safe through all of this so I understand the decision to close their facility to protect their staff. Just a bit more waiting is all. Kinda expected it to be honest.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Thanks for keeping us posted-- I think your build holds great promise to be really cool!

 

[cmaxwell39]

A few updates....

First of all, some good news. Got a starter cleanup crew in from reefcleaners.org yesterday. Most of them have made it. Started a 45 day minimum, probably 76 day QT on all of it to make sure not to introduce disease to the display via invert additions.

Excuse the messy tank, wanted to have some algae built up for the hungry critters.

Next, I picked up a few more equipment pieces for the build. Took advantage of the 20% off sale that ATI was running and had my LFS order the light fixture that I have been planning on running. Also got a couple of MP40’s.

Still have a few more pieces to pick up, but since the stand is not here yet I still have a little time.

 

[JumboShrimp]

You continue to take shipping delays like a champ.

 

[cmaxwell39]

You continue to take shipping delays like a champ.

Doesn't appear to be good news on that front. It looks like Wisconsin (where Custom Aquariums is located) has extended their stay at home order until May 26th. I am not 100% sure what this means for their manufacturing, but my guess is that it delays the stand till at least June.

But, my wife has suggested that we build a stand for one of the temporary holding tank that the three fish are in and move it upstairs. I am debating this, but if I do that I am actually considering drilling it, and installing an overflow in it and hooking it up to the sump in order to test out the plumbing etc. Still not sure. I might look around on the used market locally for a cheap 75 gal and stand to set up for a month or two. Just not sure it is worth the work for a short setup.

I would love some thoughts on this.

 

[cmaxwell39]

Got a mount made for the ATI Sunpower light fixture to hang from. With the sloped ceilings in the room the tank is going in I was really debating how to hang the lights. Especially with the tank being 30” wide and sitting 4-5” off the wall because of the external overflow. I mocked a design up, and liked how it looked.

This was to scale. I would mount the floating mount off the wall at ~8’ and then the light would hang 8-10” above the aquarium. I liked the mockup so now I just needed to decide what to make the mount out of.

 

[cmaxwell39]

Since I work for a company that builds aluminum trailers, I had plenty of aluminum at my disposal and this seemed like a good option to build the light frame out of.

I used 1/8” plate and built the frame. I tacked everything together....

And then had one of the tig welders from work do the finish welding so it didn’t look awful with me trying to weld it all.

One more last thing. I made the mount 5’ long to match the length of the tank/stand, but I currently only have a 4’ light fixture. So in order to to be able to mount the light where I need to and to help add some rigidity to the front I welded in a piece of angle.

This will allow me to have a little bit of flexibility on centering the light over the tank and stiffens everything up nicely. Now I just have to decide what color to powder coat it.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Very intriguing; it will be interesting to see lights hanging from it, over the tank. Keep up the good work.

 

[cmaxwell39]

Very intriguing; it will be interesting to see lights hanging from it, over the tank. Keep up the good work.

Thanks. I am happy with how it turned out. Hopefully it will look as good hanging off the wall supporting the lights once it is up as it does in my head.

 

[NautiTang]

Gonna be a sweet setup! Bummer that your stand is delayed though. I feel your struggle on waiting as I'm waiting until I move back to the mainland (currently in Hi) in the summer of 2022. Living vicariously through build threads and etc., so thank you for documenting your journey very well so far!

 

[cmaxwell39]

Gonna be a sweet setup! Bummer that your stand is delayed though. I feel your struggle on waiting as I'm waiting until I move back to the mainland (currently in Hi) in the summer of 2022. Living vicariously through build threads and etc., so thank you for documenting your journey very well so far!

Thanks for joining in. Glad I can help keep the flame alive while you are waiting for a good time to set a tank back up. I will admit that it has been weird not having a tank set up for the last couple of years.