NDirish 125 T gal Tank

[NDIrish]

Received my wavemakers and have them installed and running. I'll start up the overflow tomorrow when I receive my last 5 gallons of Nature's Ocean Nutri-seawater.

 

[NDIrish]

Received my last 4.4 gallons of Nature's Ocean Nutri-seawater Ocean Nutri-seawater.
Started the overflow, working great.

Started my tank with 8.8 gallons of Nature's Ocean Nutri-seawater, Caribsea Arag-Alive special grade reef sand, 1 cup of Keys mud and 1 cup of Keys sand.
Using these items, I'm hoping it will jumpstart my bacteria.

 

[NDIrish]

Did water testing today to see where my parameters is after adding the reef mud and sand. Added 5 lbs of live rock.
Salinity 1.026phosphorus
Temp 76°
NH3/NH4 0
NO2 0
NO3 2.5
PH 8.2
PO4 .08
KH/ALK 10
Ca 400
Mg 1380

 

[NDIrish]

Put DIY screen cover on tank

Tomorrow start on canopy.

 

[NDIrish]

03/27/2020

Salinity 1.026
Temp 76
NH3/NH4 0
NO2 0
NO3 2.5
PH 8.2
PO4 0.15
KH/ALK 9.3
Ca 420
Mg 1425

 

[NDIrish]

Added first fish to the tank last night. He seems to be doing good. He ate this morning.

Sorry pic is blurred.

 

[NDIrish]

Completed the frame for my canopy. Next will paint it white and skim it with 1/4" plywood.

 

[NDIrish]

Canopy completed.

Have to add fans on the back, then I can put on tank.

 

[NDIrish]

Put the canopy on.

Now install the lights and light controller for the pumps

 

[NDIrish]

Installed lights and light controller for the wavemakers.

Now to tidy up wiring and other items.

 

[NDIrish]

At 6 week mark, tank parameters:

Salinity 1.026
Temp 76
NH3/NH4 0
NO2 0
NO3 2.5
PH 8.2
PO4 0.15
KH/ALK 9.1
Ca 365
Mg 1335

 

[NDIrish]

8 weeks. Starting my first uglies....

 

[NDIrish]

Diatoms dissipated.
Algae starting to show.

 

[NDIrish]

Did 12% water change since diatoms dissipated.

 

[NDIrish]

Installed an ATO controller and reservoir.

 

[NDIrish]

In a holding pattern as my tank continues to cycle. It's been 3 months.

Did add a male Lyretail Anthias (Pseudanthias squamipinnis) and an Orchid Dottyback (Pseudochromis fridmani).

 

[NDIrish]

Need some guidance.
My main question is what do I prepare for next as my tank continues to mature?

My tank is 13 weeks old. My parameters have been steady.
In the algae stage for about 2 weeks.

Although, against my plans, past weekend went to the LFS for my wife (she is setting up a Oranda or ruykin goldfish tank) and with my son.
I was looking at some coral and was asking about a green tip mushroom, then I went over and bought some red leg crabs. Got to checkout not paying attention, cause my wife had purchased a couple of items.
Got home, wife started getting things out of bag, thinking I had one, my wife handed me two. Looked at the bags, seen my crabs I knew about, looked at second bag and there was the mushroom!!!
So now I have a mushroom which I wasn't planning on for at least 3 more months.

 

[NDIrish]

Added Algae Barn's 5280 pods and phytoplankton.

 

[NDIrish]

Added a tiger sand conch and a Duncan coral.

 

[NDIrish]

I have added (2) female Anthias and foxface.
Tank is coming along fine. All algae is gone, wish a little stayed on the back glass. Found a couple of coralline growing on couple of rocks.
I also have a yellow watchman goby. Haven't seen him and thought maybe a crab got him.
Went to clean the skimmer and there he was, in the sump. Now I take skimmer out to get him. Also going to put a top on my overflow.