My first big tank, 180 gallon build thread

[mta_morrow]

Everything is looking fantastic!

Great job on the DIYs as well.

What do you think you will add first?

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Scape is looking good

 

[TARHEEL78]

Everything is looking fantastic!

Great job on the DIYs as well.

What do you think you will add first?

I have a bunch of frags that are in my QT tank that I need to move asap so I can get some fish started on QT. After that I'm going with my stocking list but I may have to go out of order and pick up some occ clowns locally if they are still available. If they are gone then I'm starting with the wrasse that were on the list. I'm not sure if I ever posted the list here or not, I'll have to go back and look.

 

[TARHEEL78]

Ok, so I never posted the stocking list here so I'll post it now. The plan is to add in this order but it will be a slow process. I'm really hoping to stick to this list.

carpenters flasher wrasse and Pink margin fairy wrasse
Magnificent foxface
2 watenabei angel
3 lyretail anthias
2 occ clowns
Blue tang and Purple tang
Sailfin blenny
Diamond watchman goby
Flame angel
Orchid dotty and Black neon dotty

 

[mta_morrow]

Ok, so I never posted the stocking list here so I'll post it now. The plan is to add in this order but it will be a slow process. I'm really hoping to stick to this list.

carpenters flasher wrasse and Pink margin fairy wrasse
Magnificent foxface
2 watenabei angel
3 lyretail anthias
2 occ clowns
Blue tang and Purple tang
Sailfin blenny
Diamond watchman goby
Flame angel
Orchid dotty and Black neon dotty

A couple opinions........
You may have issues with those 2 tangs together, even if you add at the same time. It will be hit or miss. And even if it starts out good, it could end up bad.

2 dotybacks is a risk in any tank as well.

The stocking order is good except for the diamond goby.

I would wait a year or so as they are heavily reliant on microfauna even if they are eating frozen.

 

[TARHEEL78]

I doubt it will be sooner than a year for the goby. I don't plan to rush it so everything will be QT'd and it will be a while before I make it that far.

Just wanted to add a current frag list that will be moving in to the tank.
Devils armor zoa
Himalayan pink zoa
Scambled egg zoa
Armor of god zoa
Hollywood stunner chalice
Mummy eye chalice
Neon duncan
Gsp
Ora BoP birds nest
TSA candlelight etag acro
Vivid purple cap monti
Wwc silver fox favites
Ultra orange ricordea
Wwc gi joe
Spongodes monti

Everything came from @WWC and @TopShelfAquatics with the exception of the scambled eggs, gsp and mummy eye that I picked up from a local guy that was moving. I'm pretty lucky to have both of these amazing businesses within driving distance of my office.

 

[mta_morrow]

I doubt it will be sooner than a year for the goby. I don't plan to rush it so everything will be QT'd and it will be a while before I make it that far.

Just wanted to add a current frag list that will be moving in to the tank.
Devils armor zoa
Himalayan pink zoa
Scambled egg zoa
Armor of god zoa
Hollywood stunner chalice
Mummy eye chalice
Neon duncan
Gsp
Ora BoP birds nest
TSA candlelight etag acro
Vivid purple cap monti
Wwc silver fox favites
Ultra orange ricordea
Wwc gi joe
Spongodes monti

Everything came from @WWC and @TopShelfAquatics with the exception of the scambled eggs, gsp and mummy eye that I picked up from a local guy that was moving. I'm pretty lucky to have both of these amazing businesses within driving distance of my office.

Nice!

 

[TARHEEL78]

So I'm struggling to get my PH up and I'm not sure what to do next. It's far too hot to keep doors or windows open so I ran an air pump from the garage which isn't sealed very well. The tubing is coming through the wall behind my tank and into an airstone in the sump. That has helped some but I'm still stuck at 7.78. Any suggestions?

 

[GK3]

So I'm struggling to get my PH up and I'm not sure what to do next. It's far too hot to keep doors or windows open so I ran an air pump from the garage which isn't sealed very well. The tubing is coming through the wall behind my tank and into an airstone in the sump. That has helped some but I'm still stuck at 7.78. Any suggestions?

Welcome to Florida summer and not being able to open your windows. I have the same issue. Here are a few thoughts:

1) it’s pretty early to start chasing pH. You just cycled and started it up, so you’ll have fluctuations.

2) I’d try to get that line all the way outside and not just in the garage. You don’t want to be pulling in car exhaust etc.

3) where is the skimmer air intake? If that’s inside still you are still sucking CO2 into the water. Yes you are dissolving more oxygen with the air stone but you are now essentially competing between CO2 and oxygen in the water. Running your skimmer air intake outside is going to do more than your air stone. Doing both would certainly help.

4) brs has a great video on CO2 scrubbers for air intakes on skimmers. Pretty inexpensive to do, but media will have to be changed 1-2 a months. This is an alternative if you can’t run the line outside.


Here are a few key questions to answer before you start chasing pH:

1) have you started dosing? What are your alk/CA/nitrate levels at?

2) what is the PH of new salt water you add to your tank when you do a water change?

3) coral plans? Aka is ph going to be that important.

 

[TARHEEL78]

Welcome to Florida summer and not being able to open your windows. I have the same issue. Here are a few thoughts:

1) it’s pretty early to start chasing pH. You just cycled and started it up, so you’ll have fluctuations.

2) I’d try to get that line all the way outside and not just in the garage. You don’t want to be pulling in car exhaust etc.

3) where is the skimmer air intake? If that’s inside still you are still sucking CO2 into the water. Yes you are dissolving more oxygen with the air stone but you are now essentially competing between CO2 and oxygen in the water. Running your skimmer air intake outside is going to do more than your air stone. Doing both would certainly help.

4) brs has a great video on CO2 scrubbers for air intakes on skimmers. Pretty inexpensive to do, but media will have to be changed 1-2 a months. This is an alternative if you can’t run the line outside.


Here are a few key questions to answer before you start chasing pH:

1) have you started dosing? What are your alk/CA/nitrate levels at?

2) what is the PH of new salt water you add to your tank when you do a water change?

3) coral plans? Aka is ph going to be that important.

I'm going to go point by point so I don't get confused. Lol

1) I expected variations but it just seems like it's not going to come up to a usable level unless I do something.

2) No one actually parks in the garage right now. It's a mess of stuff from all the remodeling we have been doing, I don't think I could put a smart car in there if I tried. I'll look at trying to get the air pump outside but I'm not sure where I'd put it to protect it from the rain every day.

3) The skimmers just pulling house air in right now, I'll have to look at running a line outside for that too.

4) I'll look for the vid.

Other questions...

1) they were all within a decent range when I tested Sunday.
Cal 410
Alk 8.1
Nitrate was between 10-20

2) That is a great question, I have no idea in reality but I'll check next time I mix a batch. I'm using LA salt.

3) I've already moved all my corals from the QT tank to my DT. I posted a list of what I have a couple posts up. Some of the frags aren't looking too good but that could be because I was slacking on the QT tank while I was putting all my time in to finishing the DT.

In short, if I should just leave it alone I will but if it's going to be a problem I want to handle it as soon as possible. I'll retest all my parameters tomorrow, it's too late to mess with it tonight.

 

[GK3]

I'm going to go point by point so I don't get confused. Lol

1) I expected variations but it just seems like it's not going to come up to a usable level unless I do something.

2) No one actually parks in the garage right now. It's a mess of stuff from all the remodeling we have been doing, I don't think I could put a smart car in there if I tried. I'll look at trying to get the air pump outside but I'm not sure where I'd put it to protect it from the rain every day.

3) The skimmers just pulling house air in right now, I'll have to look at running a line outside for that too.

4) I'll look for the vid.

Other questions...

1) they were all within a decent range when I tested Sunday.
Cal 410
Alk 8.1
Nitrate was between 10-20

2) That is a great question, I have no idea in reality but I'll check next time I mix a batch. I'm using LA salt.

3) I've already moved all my corals from the QT tank to my DT. I posted a list of what I have a couple posts up. Some of the frags aren't looking too good but that could be because I was slacking on the QT tank while I was putting all my time in to finishing the DT.

In short, if I should just leave it alone I will but if it's going to be a problem I want to handle it as soon as possible. I'll retest all my parameters tomorrow, it's too late to mess with it tonight.

To be fare, I was stuck in an airport, so I had time to write this short dissertation.

1.) how are you measuring pH?

3.) this would be the first thing I’d change then.

4.) LMk if you don’t find it

Others:

1.) yea, those are spot on with maybe Nitrates a touch high but it all depends on your method of reefing.

2.) I only mention this because if you are adding in salt water with a pH of 7.7 it’s nearly impossibly to hit 8. So I’d recommend checking there and if it’s low, check the Alk and Ca. You may need to manually dose your new water before you add it to the tank. If alk and ca are normal but ph is off, try different salt.

3.) I’ll go look, I missed the list.

 

[GK3]

To be fare, I was stuck in an airport, so I had time to write this short dissertation.

1.) how are you measuring pH?

3.) this would be the first thing I’d change then.

4.) LMk if you don’t find it

Others:

1.) yea, those are spot on with maybe Nitrates a touch high but it all depends on your method of reefing.

2.) I only mention this because if you are adding in salt water with a pH of 7.7 it’s nearly impossibly to hit 8. So I’d recommend checking there and if it’s low, check the Alk and Ca. You may need to manually dose your new water before you add it to the tank. If alk and ca are normal but ph is off, try different salt.

3.) I’ll go look, I missed the list.

Yea, monti, Acro, birds nest, etc. I’d be concerned about a lower ph. But you may find they do fine in your tank with a lower ph. So you could also watch the corals and chase it only if they look unhappy. It’s hard to say right now.

 

[TARHEEL78]

To be fare, I was stuck in an airport, so I had time to write this short dissertation.

1.) how are you measuring pH?

3.) this would be the first thing I’d change then.

4.) LMk if you don’t find it

Others:

1.) yea, those are spot on with maybe Nitrates a touch high but it all depends on your method of reefing.

2.) I only mention this because if you are adding in salt water with a pH of 7.7 it’s nearly impossibly to hit 8. So I’d recommend checking there and if it’s low, check the Alk and Ca. You may need to manually dose your new water before you add it to the tank. If alk and ca are normal but ph is off, try different salt.

3.) I’ll go look, I missed the list.

I've been measuring with the apex and an Api test just to double check it.

 

[mta_morrow]

I don’t chase ph and I can’t say I’ve ever tested for it in my current tank.

If you want to chase it, I really would wait till you get a fair amount of corals in it and have to dose to maintain alk levels.

Also if you’re going to run a refugium, having it up and running and processing will have an impact as well.

 

[TARHEEL78]

@GK3
PH 7.83 on the apex(peaked at 7.84 and now on the way down)
7.8 on API
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20
Ammonia 0
Salinity 35.0
Temp 77.6
Cal 410
Alk 8.3
Fresh RO water with the LA salt mixes to 8.4 PH on my API test.
That's everything I can test for currently.

 

[TARHEEL78]

Also, I just noticed aptasia growing on a couple of my zoa frags which is just awesome. Looks like I'm going to have to find something to take care of that without hurting the zoas.

 

[TARHEEL78]

Small update, I picked up a (skeleton) clean up crew today. The tank has pretty much nothing in it algae wise but I don't want to give it the chance to get bad. I got:
1 nassarius snail
2 astrea snail
2 turbo snail
1 emerald crab
12 blue leg hermit crab(they were 12 for $10)
1 peppermint shrimp

I'll have a bigger update and some new pics tomorrow.

 

[Murica]

Also, I just noticed aptasia growing on a couple of my zoa frags which is just awesome. Looks like I'm going to have to find something to take care of that without hurting the zoas.

Aiptasia x works pretty well, only problem is if you don't get them all, they'll keep coming back. Your peppermint may eat small aiptasia, but people have also warned that they damage corals by stealing their food.

With only one peppermint though, I would imagine it'll be fine as long as he stays fed.

 

[TARHEEL78]

That was the reason I picked it up. It's just the 2 small ones as far as I can see right now. I'm going to reposition them today so it has easy access and hopefully it eats them.

 

[Murica]

That was the reason I picked it up. It's just the 2 small ones as far as I can see right now. I'm going to reposition them today so it has easy access and hopefully it eats them.

I personally had a bunch in my first 32 gallon reef, and they never touched anything. I'm sure it'll work out for ya