Innovative Marine IM Ext 50 - Triton Method

[Acroporakiller]

I love the ext tanks, but ive always felt the aps stand is too short. Anyways, beautiful tank! Id personally go with some actual macro in the display opposed to the artificial plants, but it looks great!

 

[CrazyCarlitos]

I love the ext tanks, but ive always felt the aps stand is too short. Anyways, beautiful tank! Id personally go with some actual macro in the display opposed to the artificial plants, but it looks great!

Thx!
I am enjoy the ext50 immensely
I think the height doesn’t bother me since I am only 5’8”. Lol

I considered macros in DT... like mangrove, gorgonian or even sponges... but in the end, I did not want them in the DT as a permanent fixture. I have a general idea of the final tank in my head. Lol
I may add couple of red gorgonian at later stage.

the artificial actually worked out well since 1) it gave my new fishes places to hide. The Midas used it when first introduced. Now the wrasse uses it when hiding. 2) it adds nice color so I am not rushed to fill the tank with new corals. Lol. And 3) I know it’s just temp until the tank is ready for real corals

 

[Acroporakiller]

Thx!
I am enjoy the ext50 immensely
I think the height doesn’t bother me since I am only 5’8”. Lol

I considered macros in DT... like mangrove, gorgonian or even sponges... but in the end, I did not want them in the DT as a permanent fixture. I have a general idea of the final tank in my head. Lol
I may add couple of red gorgonian at later stage.

the artificial actually worked out well since 1) it gave my new fishes places to hide. The Midas first used it when first introduced. Now the wrasse uses it when hiding. 2) it adds nice color so I am not rushed to fill the tank with new corals. Lol. And 3) I know it’s just temp until the tank is ready for real corals

All fair reasons! Im 6'3, so a stand shorter than 40" is too short for me. Probably a good call on not keeping macros in the display, they can definitely take over. Especially in a tank too small for tangs/foxface.

 

[CrazyCarlitos]

Coral update:

Just about a week ago, I said I won’t be adding anything until the tank stabilizes..
famous last words. Lol

really need to stay away from sales section. Lol
Browsing as usual, I saw a coral at a price I couldn’t pass up.
Plan was to add euphyllia corals after the zoas anyways... just not this soon.

supposed to be TSA Rasta Hammer...and it looks like it.
But don’t really care since it’s gorgeous and healthy. Lol
thx again, @reefer0708

also ended up taking advantage of Veterans Day sale @AquaSD and bought some more zoas for the zoa garden.

all is well with the tank.
Just dealing with initial tank algae phases as the tank is finding it’s balance.
Will post again once the new zoas are dipped and in qt.

 

[CrazyCarlitos]

equipment update:

got the new iPhone 12 max pro. Lol

took few pics and definitely can tell the difference from iPhone X.

 

[RobB'z Reef]

Equipment update:

started the Phytoplankton culture (pics)

Simple set up:
- Tetra airpump 60
- 4way splitter manifold
- Mercer culture kit (live Tetraselmis phyto, f/2 fertilizer, rigid tube, airline tube, syringes)
- led light (Amazon) on a timer (16 hrs on)
- empty 2liter bottle
- RODI salt water mixed to 1.022 (per instruction)

if all goes well, should be able to harvest and split in 5-7 days.

first time trying so let’s see how it goes. Lol
Plan is to 1) dose directly in the tank for the copepods and corals/fish
and 2) use some to grow separate copepod culture

note: not in pic, but the Bottle cap has one hole for the airline and a smaller hole as a bleeder.

This is very cool. Where did you get the starter kit? I am seriously interested in trying my hand at phyto and ultimately pods.

 

[CrazyCarlitos]

This is very cool. Where did you get the starter kit? I am seriously interested in trying my hand at phyto and ultimately pods.

I got it on amazon, like this one, from Mercer of Montana


I am still culturing phyto successfully.
however, I stopped the copepod culture.

Although I had several successful harvests, copepod culture takes more effort to maintain... almost like having another tank. Lol

Besides, I now have the pods in the refugium with chaeto... so I should be able to continue growing the pod population in there.

Phyto culture is pretty ez to do as long as u use sterile equipment.

 

[RobB'z Reef]

I got it on amazon, like this one, from Mercer of Montana


I am still culturing phyto successfully.
however, I stopped the copepod culture.

Although I had several successful harvests, copepod culture takes more effort to maintain... almost like having another tank. Lol

Besides, I now have the pods in the refugium with chaeto... so I should be able to continue growing the pod population in there.

Phyto culture is pretty ez to do as long as u use sterile equipment.

Thank you so much for the info and your experience. I'll give this or something like it a go, even if just for the learning experience! Nice effort on your tank btw

 

[CrazyCarlitos]

I was supposed to keep things nice and slow....

Than I opened few threads on r2r and ended up with many corals from POTO and TSA. Lol

at least I tried to stay with softies and LPS. Haha
Pretty excited tho!

will post pics when I get them

the tank is doing well overall

was going thru some ugly algae stages so took a preventive measure before it got out of hand.

I added a dose of Fluconazole about 8 days ago.
Followed the instruction from here:

Bryopsis Cure: My Battle With Bryopsis Using Fluconazole

The Poll In This Thread is For Bryopsis Only not GHA,Turf,Bubble Algae or any other Algae The 2 week treatment is for Bryopsis algae. For GHA,turf algae and bubble algae it may take as long as 4-6 weeks to kill. GHA,turf algae,bubble algae are different than Bryopsis algae. Bryopsis algae will...

www.reef2reef.com

Started seeing results in about two days.
most algae started disappearing... and ones still there were ez to remove.
after little maintenance, the tank looks great again.

the zoas, the hammer, the clove, the chaeto and all livestocks including the snails were unaffected.
And without the little hair algae to bother them, the zoas are looking big and multiplying.

I realize the algae will return.
But it was nice to combat the initial wave so easily.

the phytoplankton culture is going well.
Just split and started new culture last night.
U can see the color difference between the new and old.

I run three bottles..a,b,c

When ready, I keep one bottle (a) in the refrigerator for dosing (usually every other day or whenever I feel. Lol)
I turn the skimmer off for awhile after dosing (few hours to half a day)

The second bottle (b), I split into two new culture.

the third bottle (c), I keep it running just in case the new cultures crash. This is the one I will harvest at next period, thus becoming next (a) bottle.

 

[CrazyCarlitos]

Forgot to mention that I changed the light for the phyto culture to these from Amazon.



I also added the same light to my refugium because I felt like the Kessil flora h-80 was not strong enough mounted at about 10” from water level.

I am still running it for added spectrum, but the new light is helping with chaeto growth so far.
no pic at the moment.

 

[CrazyCarlitos]

Coral update:

received a shipment from Piece of the Ocean (POTO)

dipped them after temp matching.

the neon toxic Hammer and the Peach-Tip hammer went in the DT.
Took a pic this morning and they look good next to the Rasta Hammer.
The Peachtip is actually nicer color in person.

the new Zoas went in the QT.
There was a obviously visible Asterina Star before I even opened up the bags. (Pic)
Asterina Star eat Zoa afaik so definitely do NOT want them near my zoa garden.
Zoas frags generally have more pests attached, so I want to observe em further anyways.

 

[CrazyCarlitos]

Update:

added few more corals. Few zoas and a hammer from TSA.

One monti and one cyphastrea from $15 mystery frags @ TSA livesale.
I guess we will see how these do in new tank.

added arcreef pink fusion coralline in a bottle.
Raised temp to 78 and keeping it stable there.
Seeing some pink on the right side rocks.

big update is the addition of Aqua Violet Classic UV sterilizer 25w.
I have it plumbed to the main return pump and running it at roughly 400gph
Will plumb it permanently when I have some time.

after seeing it action for little over a week, I am definitely recommending this to anyone who is starting a new tank.

The fish and shrimps are much happier and healthier looking. More active.
The corals are also looking clean and sharp.
The tank is looking better everyday overall.

 

[CrazyCarlitos]

Happy new year!

update:
added some corals. Acans, favia, monti, etc.
testing out the waters before sps later.

most corals from before are growing and doing well.
I did lose two hammers which I was bummed about. I think I had em under too strong of current.
the rasta hammer is growing.. and the new hammer i added recently is doing well so far.
Zoas and palys are growing and looking healthy.

dealing with aiptasia I got from a vendor here. So always inspect carefully. Not all are obvious like the one in the pic.

also dealing with various algae that pops up in the new tanks. Nothing crazy.

haven’t done any dosing yet. Not really needed.
Just water changes every two weeks for algae control.

keeping eye on cal/alk.
Hopefully can add sps in few months. waiting for algae to be under control and coralline to take over. I see em here and there atm.

All livestock’s are well.

 

[CrazyCarlitos]

Equipment update:
Added a Nero-3 Powerhead for flow to more area.
So that makes mp10 and Nero-3 plus the flow from the main pump for the DT circulation.

Will add another Nero-3 later.
I like the Nero-3 so far. Impressed with the flow.
And I m not having issues with connectivity or set-up.

coral update: started adding lps and few sps few weeks ago.
Placed all on bottom for acclimation. In fact most corals are in temporary places until the tank stabilizes.

tank update:
Battling all the uglies.
Cyano, Dino, gha, etc. lol
Started daily dosing of phosphate with Loudwolf Trisodium Phosphate.
also started dosing 3% hydrogen peroxide about a week ago.
The Dino has been reduced quite a bit.
The cyano also has been reduced.

Reduced the uv flow to about 400gph.
but I really need to re-plumb the uv to be closed loop in the DT only. (Atm, it’s running thru the main pump from the sump into the DT)
However, reducing the flow has helped with the algae.

all the corals are doing well.
I did lose two hammers due to high flow that was aimed directly on them. By the time I realized it, couldn’t save em. Really bummed about losing the TSA hologram hammer. The rasta hammer has grown quite a bit (no pic atm)

also added berghia nudibranch (from saltyunderground) to combat the aiptasia.
Tried f-aiptaisia... but it’s messy. And feel like it will never end. So best option was to eradicate em with only sure way (and easiest way imo)

 

[Raul-7]

Is the background removable?

 

[CrazyCarlitos]

Been a while since the last update

was battling Dino and it was getting ugly.
The brown stringy Dino that looks like snot. Lol

Decided best thing to do was leave it alone as much as I can… and see if good bacteria can grow and help find the correct balance.

only thing I did besides feeding the fishes was:
Dose phosphate
Dose nitrate
Dose hydrogen peroxide
Dose microbacter7
Turn lights off after 7pm

I re-plumbed the UV to cycle display tank water only with dedicated pump in the DT

the dino took over and was everywhere along with gha.

I did this for 4-5 months.
lost 1/3 of the corals
Lost 2 fish to jumping. Because I had to remove the top for the uv.

after 5 months, I vacuumed the dinos out and did a water change.
also put the filter sock back on.

surprisingly only few of the dinos came back.

after another week, I did another WC after cleaning the rocks with a toothbrush.

no more dino
(Maybe still there.. but I don’t see em. Lol)

I moved the uv back it’s original position.
to cycle from sump to DT
And put the top back on.

it’s been over a month since and still no Dino
And other algae is slowly rescinding.
The pic is from about a month ago.

the Dino can be beat!!