LouieP's 110g Rimless Office Tank

[LouieP]

Here we go again!

After my office move 1 year ago, Ive had nothing but problems!

I went from a 60 cube SPS tank which my corals grew like weeds. I upgraded to a 75 gal tank and I had nothing but problems. I lost all of my SPS corals, I got AEFW, and then my tank busted a seem then I lost most of my awesome fish when I was waiting for my new tank to be built & set up.

The tank is a custom tank 48.5x22x24 from a local manufacture. He did a great job, there were minor issues which was nice since he would come to my office to correct. The overflow is black with 2-1" drains and 1-1" return in the center. I went with a blue background which I like alot!!

Im using most of the same equipment that has been dry from many months APEX with my the following modules WXM, ALD, ATKv2, & Trident. I also have GEO Reef 510 CaRx with Carbondoser regulator and a Kamoer Dosing Pump. I got a new Skimz 167 DC Skimmer and Crystal Reef Aquatics Trident Stealth Sump & matching ATO.

Im keeping my lights the same with 2 -30wG4 Pros and Aquatic Life 48" Fixture.

I do plan on running Turbo's Aquatics L2v4 Algae Tuff Scrubber.

My pumps are the Vectra M2 for the return and 2-MP40s wavemakers.

I do have a chiller, 40w UV and O3 which Im not sure if I will use or need.

 

[LouieP]

Ive been delaying this process of the built for too long...PLUMBING & wire management.

I plan on going with Black PVC and grey fittings (since they dont have Black).

Here's the 1st plumbing mock up

Here is the 2nd mock up

I made minor changes so I most likely will do this

I hope to make it more uniform ie the heights of the unions and the spacing of the gate valve. My biggest concern is making sure I glue it all up correctly!!!!!

 

[LouieP]

Here some photos since I finished plumbing, adding Haitian rock, and some fish. Im starting to see coraline algae.

 

[LouieP]

I finally add the cabinet lights!

 

[GabeM]

Looks like a nice build! Have you run a par test on your lighting?

 

[LouieP]

I finally moved over my last batch of fish that were in quarantine
4 lyretail anthias
sm purple tang
flame hawk

my current fish list is:
Red Sea Regal
Purple Tang
Golden Butterfly
Powder Blue Tang
Blue Line Angel (captive bred)
Botchy Anthias
4 Lyretail Anthias
Flame Hawk
Clown fish
Green Chromis

 

[southerntnreefer]

Beautiful setup!!!!

 

[LouieP]

Looks like a nice build! Have you run a par test on your lighting?

I recently got my PAR meter back from Apogee, it needed to be calibrated but I believe Im in the 250-350 range throughout most of the tank.

I just a modified AB+ here's a snapshot:

 

[KWT]

Looks like a nice setup, keep up with the future upgrades and pics

 

[LouieP]

Back in May I sent off a sample of water from both my DT and my Coral QT to @AquaBiomics for DNA & Microbiome testing. Here are the links to the results.

Coral QT DNA Test

1000443_eDNA_Report

Coral QT Microbiome Test

1000443_Microbiome_Report

DT DNA Test

1000473_eDNA_Report

DT Microbiome Test

1000473_Microbiome_Report

Here is the email write up that I received from Eli discussing the results

I'm writing to follow up on this automated email, and share my perspective on your results. The reports themselves contain links to information about the different organisms detected in your sample, and some recommendations for how to adjust your tank's microbiome. Instead of rehashing that information here, I'll highlight the major take home points for your sample.

Since we tested two tanks I'll compare them as we go.

The microbiome test showed fairly different results for the two tanks. Your QT has a very high diversity community while the DT has a community with only intermediate diversity. However, the composition of the DT community is very typical, while the composition of the QT community is atypical (low balance score).

You can see the reason for these scores in the community barplots. The QT is dominated by Vibrionaceae while the DT has a balanced community with healthy levels of Pelagibacteraceae. This free living group is the most abundant in the ocean and in many established reef tanks. Its preferentially killed by UV, so its absence in the QT where you have a UV can be readily understood.

The nitrifying communities show the strongest contrast, but again I think it can be largely understood based on the difference in tank setup. Your QT has one of the most diverse nitrifying communities I've ever seen, with multiple families of both ammonia oxidizers and nitrite oxidizers, and high levels of both groups. The DT on the other hand has no detectable nitrifying microbes at all.

This is surprising on first glance. But I see that the DT has an algal reactor or scrubber - strong competition for the N. It looks to me like most of the N waste is getting processed by algae rather than microbes. I don't see this as a problem, since you seem to have nutrients controlled using this system.

Both tanks contain a bacterial fish pathogen. This is the most common one we detect, occurring in about 50% of tanks. As far as I know, its only a concern for seahorses and their relatives. So probably not a concern here.

Now for the eDNA test. This worked well on your samples, revealing DNA from a variety of the usual sources including fish, corals, sponges, and snails.

The test detected pests in both tanks, but you were probably aware of both. We found Aiptasia in the QT and vermetid snails in the DT.

The only parasite we detected (in the QT) was a member of Perkinsus, a group that infects bivalves. In this case, its a species that appears to be mainly a concern for oysters and mussels. We flag the whole genus because several members of the group infect giant clams.

I see you noted "other disease" in your sample registration for the QT. But we didnt spot any obvious coral pathogens, so I dug a little deeper. I do notice that the high levels of Vibrionaceae in that tank are almost entirely Photobacterium rosenbergii. This hasnt been formally designed a pathogen yet to my knowledge but is associated with coral bleaching. It shows up rarely in our samples, and never at these levels. Its present in your DT too, but at much lower levels. Perhaps this is contributing to the disease symptoms in that tank? its quite a signal.

I hope this was useful in interpreting your results. Thanks again for your support,
-Eli
AquaBiomics.com