Maggie's Mixed Reef Build V3, now a 75!

[Mhamilton0911]

Ha internet! FU. I figgured out a workaround. I have a booster that apparently is set up as 2.4 only. So I was able to sign in to that and use the AP mode and got it adjustable. Seriously harder than it should have been. But eh, whaddya do?

The new cube frag tank will be here soon and I can get it rolling!!

 

[N1tew0lf1212]

Glad you were able to figure out a solution and its all about itemizing the 2.4 as its own channel if you are ever wanting to i could probably help you out in creating its own channel for the 2.4....but i will say way to look at the booster.....

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Glad you were able to figure out a solution and its all about itemizing the 2.4 as its own channel if you are ever wanting to i could probably help you out in creating its own channel for the 2.4....but i will say way to look at the booster.....

I might have to go that route if the way I did it won't work long term. I won't know until it's actually in operation, not just a test.

But I feel accomplished that I didn't let that app beat me. I won that fight.

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Slowly filling.... 2 gallons at a time. Started it last night. Not even half way there.

My steps may be out of order, but have to do them this way because it's a transfer rather than a new start.

But it's happening.

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Officially the beginning of the end for the 29g and the rebirth into salt for the 75g.

Got her all filled with saltwater and worked on some of the kinks in the system. First was loads of micro bubbles happening from the waterfall from second chamber into the return pump chamber. I flipped the pump around so the intake was further from the bubbles and added a sponge piece to dampen the waterfall. It works for now but I'll need to get more foam, the piece I had was slightly to small.

Also installed one light so I could see what I'm doing. The bracket didn't fit over the rim, it was too thick, so I took apart the bracket and screwed the tube holding piece of the bracket directly to the wall. My walls have tongue and groove 3/4" thick behind the sheetrock so it's very secure. I only did one light until the transfer is over then I'll install the second. They're still synced so that's convenient.

Will be adding dry rock today and starting to add rock from the 29 after that. Any loose coral I'll toss into the Evo to keep it safe while I'm moving rock around. Unfortunately quite a few rocks have corals glued or growing on them so I'll need to be careful with those ones.

After rock and coral I'll start catching and acclimating fish and inverts.

Last will be sand, I'm planning on rinsing and adding old sand first, cup by cup, then I'll add new sand on top.

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Rinsed and added the dry rock I had. I think I'll use them on the bottom of my stacks, just to make things easy. Need to feed the childrens then I'll start on the loose corals transfer.

 

[Projects with Sam]

Officially the beginning of the end for the 29g and the rebirth into salt for the 75g.

Got her all filled with saltwater and worked on some of the kinks in the system. First was loads of micro bubbles happening from the waterfall from second chamber into the return pump chamber. I flipped the pump around so the intake was further from the bubbles and added a sponge piece to dampen the waterfall. It works for now but I'll need to get more foam, the piece I had was slightly to small.

Also installed one light so I could see what I'm doing. The bracket didn't fit over the rim, it was too thick, so I took apart the bracket and screwed the tube holding piece of the bracket directly to the wall. My walls have tongue and groove 3/4" thick behind the sheetrock so it's very secure. I only did one light until the transfer is over then I'll install the second. They're still synced so that's convenient.

Will be adding dry rock today and starting to add rock from the 29 after that. Any loose coral I'll toss into the Evo to keep it safe while I'm moving rock around. Unfortunately quite a few rocks have corals glued or growing on them so I'll need to be careful with those ones.

After rock and coral I'll start catching and acclimating fish and inverts.

Last will be sand, I'm planning on rinsing and adding old sand first, cup by cup, then I'll add new sand on top.

I'd be tempted to just get new sand. For the trouble of washing... Unless you wash in salt water or RODI to keep the Biome.

looking good!

 

[Mhamilton0911]

I'd be tempted to just get new sand. For the trouble of washing... Unless you wash in salt water or RODI to keep the Biome.

looking good!

Yeah, I know I'm complicated. When I did the Evo, half was old sand I rinsed and half was new sand. I rinsed in saltwater though and saw no issues from it. I do have new sand to go on top too. I just hate tossing so much sand all the time.

I started placing rocks where I think they might go and I'll start transferring non coral rock here soon

My youngest hellspawn just woke up so I'll need to entertain him for a bit before I can get back to the tank.

 

[Projects with Sam]

Yeah, I know I'm complicated. When I did the Evo, half was old sand I rinsed and half was new sand. I rinsed in saltwater though and saw no issues from it. I do have new sand to go on top too. I just hate tossing so much sand all the time.

I started placing rocks where I think they might go and I'll start transferring non coral rock here soon

My youngest hellspawn just woke up so I'll need to entertain him for a bit before I can get back to the tank.

I'm right at the stage of letting my oldest roam the neighborhood with his Gizmo watch. He has no problem popping in on friends.
he is quite assertive and clueless too.
hehe

 

[tbrown]

 

[mmw64]

So, I'm cleaning up the massive Xenia in my tank and I uncovered some zoas they overtook. Literally growing ON the zoas. I've pulled several attached xenia clumps off them, most pull clean but a couple spots the xenia left some skin on the zoas. Zoas look unaffected but now much happier they have light again. Wow. Xenia is pretty determined to take up real estate.

Keep working on that Xenia. My whole tank is either Xenia or anemones. Bought one anemone and now have more than 25. Trying to work up the energy to clean it out but nowhere near me to take them. Hope you will learn from my mistakes.

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Since I'm transferring, every rock I take out I'm picking off the xenia and clipping any vermetid snails I see.

 

[Mhamilton0911]

So, transferred more than half of the rocks and both frag racks. Moved some corals to the Evo so I don't disturb them often. So far the rocks are in no particular spot, just pilling in the corner for the most part. Once they're all in there I expect to be shuffling rocks around for a while.

Gremlins after getting hungry so I had to take a break. They seem to eat a lot....

Both tanks look so empty

 

[N1tew0lf1212]

Wow looking awesome....now its time for a.....

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Finished the the rocks and got all the fish and major inverts out. There are a couple small narcissus snails in the sand but I'll get them out soon. Needed a break after all that.

Corals look unfazed. The ones on rocks I didn't acclimate either, just clipped vermetid snails and added to the bigger tank. Not the best method I'm sure but slowly acclimating large rocks would have been a nightmare.

All fish caught and added to the same bucket. While I was acclimating them I noticed a large amount of slime and everything seemed stressed out so I just poured them in. Only the clowns and the mandarin look normal. All others are hiding. Wait, at I'm writing this I see my 6 line wrasse about so that's good.


So all in all:
Livestock
2 clown fish
Yellow watchman goby and pistol shrimp
6 line wrasse
Tail spot blenny
Royal gramma
Mandarin
Blue tuxedo urchin
Skunk cleaner shrimp
Trochus snails
Turbo snail
Assorted hermits

Corals
Many zoas frags and colonies
4 rock flower anenomes
Green Digitata
Red/pink Setosa
Blastos
Various Mushrooms
Acan
Green Favia
Rainbow favia
Galaxia
Duncan

A few others that are in the Evo are a hammer, ricordea mushrooms, GSP rock and I'm sure more I'm forgetting.

My main goal is to get the rocks situated so I can start to add sand. I also want to dump most of my copepods cultures in here to get going with seeding this new rock.

Break time first.

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Rocks are adjusted. Learned a lot from my last rock placement, so I tried to account for that this time. I have actual sandbed room now, before I let rocks take up all the floor. Also I didn't stack on the back like I did with the smaller tank. So plenty of room for free swimming and coral growth. Also made loads of caves and pass throughs. Lastly, I split my pink zoas to 3 distinct colonies. I'll probably re-home the one that's isolated since I know they spread so fast.

 

[907_Reefer]

Coming together nice here!

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Thanks! I'm excited to complete the project. Still lots to do! Rinse and add sand, clean old tank to prep for the freshies. Transfer all the freshies and plants. Set up frag tank so I can buy loads more coral.

To do list. Yep.

Frag tank here:

 

[fishguy242]

Frag tank here:

Coming along nicely...

 

[Petcrazyson]

Mind if I join the party?

Things just started but it looks good! How long till you think your Zoas start growing and taking over?..( In a good way)

Also as a guy who likes to put corals on his sand bed take into account the space between the rocks and the glass, see if you can squeeze in as many or you need to cut back a little. I’m sure you’ll do this thiugh just a friendly reminder lol. What’s lighting up the Frag tank?