Perseverance Reef
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Fishy888
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I made some adjustments to the stand and got a third of the way done. The legs were also added in but they haven’t been glued yet. That’ll get done in a few hours. I didn’t take any pictures of my progress but hopefully once everything’s in place I’ll be able to take some.
It’s likely that the tank will be on the new stand by tonight. I’m quite grateful that everything has done well in the tote but come tonight hopefully I’ll be able to get everything into the tank.
It’s likely that the tank will be on the new stand by tonight. I’m quite grateful that everything has done well in the tote but come tonight hopefully I’ll be able to get everything into the tank.
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Fishy888
2500 Club Member
The tank is now on the stand although it’s not full yet. The tank will get wet tonight assuming everything goes according to plan. Kathy’s having her surgery in about an hour and we’re in Springfield so I don’t expect to get home until at least 7:00 tonight.
Thankfully I still have living fish and inverts including the nem. Even though the new tank is 15 gallons less than the cube, the extra length opens the door to fishes that require 4’. It also gives the fishes I already have more swimming room.
My saltwater acclimated mollies are doing well. They’re able to handle larger pieces of food now. They’ve grown a lot, but they still have a few weeks to go before they’re ready to go in the new tank.
As much as I love halides I’d need two and they’d have to be 175 watts, no more than 250 watts. Thankfully I have a six bulb T5 fixture. The lamps need to get replaced on it but it’s a nice light. It’ll be blue heavy which works for me. I want to eventually replace the very low power moonlight LEDs with something a little brighter but for now the ones I have will be fine.
Thankfully I still have living fish and inverts including the nem. Even though the new tank is 15 gallons less than the cube, the extra length opens the door to fishes that require 4’. It also gives the fishes I already have more swimming room.
My saltwater acclimated mollies are doing well. They’re able to handle larger pieces of food now. They’ve grown a lot, but they still have a few weeks to go before they’re ready to go in the new tank.
As much as I love halides I’d need two and they’d have to be 175 watts, no more than 250 watts. Thankfully I have a six bulb T5 fixture. The lamps need to get replaced on it but it’s a nice light. It’ll be blue heavy which works for me. I want to eventually replace the very low power moonlight LEDs with something a little brighter but for now the ones I have will be fine.
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Fishy888
2500 Club Member
I’m going to fill the tank to below the holes until I can buy the overflow. I’m going with the eshopps eclipse 800 GPH overflow.
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Fishy888
2500 Club Member
I have to say this has been a crazy week. Thankfully Kathy is home now and doing a bit better.
I hadn’t done anything with the stand to speak of until yesterday. Four of the legs are now glued into place the other four will get done today. I partially filled up the tank to see if it was level. It wasn’t so I had to adjust the frame upon which it’s resting. Now it’s perfectly level and fully supported by the true legs.
The stand’s now in its place. I left 10 inches between the stand and the wall. I want to plumb a manifold back there and to keep dosing reservoirs and pumps there too.
I’ll be getting my overflow in a couple of weeks which will be capable of 800 GPH. My return pump is capable of 1200 GPH. I’ll have to split the return flow between the manifold and the DT.
I hadn’t done anything with the stand to speak of until yesterday. Four of the legs are now glued into place the other four will get done today. I partially filled up the tank to see if it was level. It wasn’t so I had to adjust the frame upon which it’s resting. Now it’s perfectly level and fully supported by the true legs.
The stand’s now in its place. I left 10 inches between the stand and the wall. I want to plumb a manifold back there and to keep dosing reservoirs and pumps there too.
I’ll be getting my overflow in a couple of weeks which will be capable of 800 GPH. My return pump is capable of 1200 GPH. I’ll have to split the return flow between the manifold and the DT.
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Fishy888
2500 Club Member
Yesterday afternoon into early this morning I made about 33 gallons of RO/DI water. It filled the tank almost halfway. Once I add all the rock and livestock currently in the bin and add that water to the tank as well; I should be fairly close to where I won’t have to worry about water going anywhere near the holes in the back glass.
After I filled the tank I added a heater and salt, stirred the salt until I couldn’t see any on the bottom, and then I added a circulation pump. Of course the water is still a little milky but definitely less so now. The circulation pump will help that clear up in a few hours.
Thankfully all the animals in the bin are doing ok but I’m going to feel much better when all they’re all in the tank. I thought hard about whether I should use the sand from the old system but I’ll probably just buy new. I don’t want to introduce phosphates or any other nasties that might be in that sand now.
After I filled the tank I added a heater and salt, stirred the salt until I couldn’t see any on the bottom, and then I added a circulation pump. Of course the water is still a little milky but definitely less so now. The circulation pump will help that clear up in a few hours.
Thankfully all the animals in the bin are doing ok but I’m going to feel much better when all they’re all in the tank. I thought hard about whether I should use the sand from the old system but I’ll probably just buy new. I don’t want to introduce phosphates or any other nasties that might be in that sand now.
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Fishy888
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Good to know. I’ve always been told that reusing the sand is bad but I’ve certainly reused it before. I’ll try reusing it again.Save the money rinse the sand thoroughly. I re use mine...
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Fishy888
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Today is the big day.
Sadly I lost a damsel, my Halloween hermit and several regular hermits. The damsel wasn’t in the bin. I thought it was just hiding this whole time in there. I likely lost a decent amount of amphipods and most of my asterinas. Thankfully I have a lifeboat of sorts in the 10 gallon tank the mollies are in. I have two species of amphipods, at least one brittle star, and an asterina that split recently.
The only potential coral loss would be my GSP. I’m hoping that it’ll help that going with T5s instead of the 400w MH they’ll come back. I might have also lost the mushrooms on that rock. I guess if those are the only losses I’ve incurred then I’m quite fortunate but it’s still sad to think about the losses.
The rocks that weren’t able to go in the bin are now in the bin. I’m going to change out the water in there and re-cure the rocks. I know there’s likely some die-off but the rocks stayed moist so at least some of the life in them survived.
Sadly I lost a damsel, my Halloween hermit and several regular hermits. The damsel wasn’t in the bin. I thought it was just hiding this whole time in there. I likely lost a decent amount of amphipods and most of my asterinas. Thankfully I have a lifeboat of sorts in the 10 gallon tank the mollies are in. I have two species of amphipods, at least one brittle star, and an asterina that split recently.
The only potential coral loss would be my GSP. I’m hoping that it’ll help that going with T5s instead of the 400w MH they’ll come back. I might have also lost the mushrooms on that rock. I guess if those are the only losses I’ve incurred then I’m quite fortunate but it’s still sad to think about the losses.
The rocks that weren’t able to go in the bin are now in the bin. I’m going to change out the water in there and re-cure the rocks. I know there’s likely some die-off but the rocks stayed moist so at least some of the life in them survived.
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Fishy888
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My corals are opening up quite nicely now. I took some new pictures. Here are my duncans. There are 14 heads at least. I hadn’t fed it in a while but once things settle down I’ll start target feeding them much more consistently. When I got this coral it was only two heads.
The Kenya tree has opened up nicely.
The next image shows the nem after I fed it. It took about 30 seconds give or take for the nem to grab onto it but it ate. It was looking stringy before I fed it but after it ate it went back to having bubble tips again. It gets stringy when it’s hungry then gets it’s bubble tips when it’s full.
Several sponges survived and even grew during their time in the dark. There’s also a brittle star poking out from the rock in this image.
Of course animal loss weighs heavily on most reefers. I have to say though, the fact that the vast majority of the life from the old system survived is amazing. I don’t often post things like this but thanks and glory be to God who made things work out as well as they have. I’m very encouraged by what I see.
One other good thing that came from what happened is that the GHA is gone as is the green cyano. The coralline survived and may even have spread. I still haven’t seen any asterinas yet but….
These are in my 10 gallon tank. Here’s a couple of the mollies too and what’s likely the only surviving xenia.
The Kenya tree has opened up nicely.
The next image shows the nem after I fed it. It took about 30 seconds give or take for the nem to grab onto it but it ate. It was looking stringy before I fed it but after it ate it went back to having bubble tips again. It gets stringy when it’s hungry then gets it’s bubble tips when it’s full.
Several sponges survived and even grew during their time in the dark. There’s also a brittle star poking out from the rock in this image.
Of course animal loss weighs heavily on most reefers. I have to say though, the fact that the vast majority of the life from the old system survived is amazing. I don’t often post things like this but thanks and glory be to God who made things work out as well as they have. I’m very encouraged by what I see.
One other good thing that came from what happened is that the GHA is gone as is the green cyano. The coralline survived and may even have spread. I still haven’t seen any asterinas yet but….
These are in my 10 gallon tank. Here’s a couple of the mollies too and what’s likely the only surviving xenia.
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Fishy888
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Thank you. I’ve got the wave maker from the 90 soaking in a half vinegar half water mixture. After I take a nap I’ll start making some more RO/DI, clean the wave maker, fill the tank a bit more, and place the wave maker in the 75. I’ll also change out the water in the bin. Hopefully the rock in the bin has little die off so the curing process won’t take long.
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Fishy888
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Ok one last post for today. Kathy is doing better. She still has more healing to do but I’m taking care of her while she’s on the heavy meds she’s on. She’s not to do anything to speak of for a few more days although she’s clear to drive. Wednesday she can do light work but until she’s ready I’m going to keep making good meals for her and tend to the chores. It’s not going to be that long until the roles are reversed though. I’m going to have to have my pacemaker replaced within the next two years, probably within the next year.
The dogs are doing good for the most part. Jake is doing great. Huxley had several issues which make me think he was cared for but not as good as he could have been taken care of. He was matted though not as bad as some dogs but it was enough. He had to be totally shaved. His ears stank to high Heaven when we first got him. We got meds for him after he saw the vet. They’re helping but he still has a way to go. I’d say his ears are 50% better now.
Finally I want to thank all of you for the support and advice you’ve given me during the tank blowout and the aftermath. I guess one can say Perseverance Reef has been reborn from the ashes, or should I say glass shards? Hmmm….
The dogs are doing good for the most part. Jake is doing great. Huxley had several issues which make me think he was cared for but not as good as he could have been taken care of. He was matted though not as bad as some dogs but it was enough. He had to be totally shaved. His ears stank to high Heaven when we first got him. We got meds for him after he saw the vet. They’re helping but he still has a way to go. I’d say his ears are 50% better now.
Finally I want to thank all of you for the support and advice you’ve given me during the tank blowout and the aftermath. I guess one can say Perseverance Reef has been reborn from the ashes, or should I say glass shards? Hmmm….
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Fishy888
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I finally got my wave maker apart and cleaned it real good yesterday. It looks as good as new now. I let it soak overnight Sunday night in the 50/50 water/vinegar mix. It did an awesome job. The heater that was still in the sump and the suction cups for both heaters got soaked and cleaned. The calcium buildup on the heater was totally dissolved before I even took it out of the bucket. I also soaked the return pump in it but I’ve only cleaned the impeller from it so far.
I’ll finish cleaning the sump and the return pump later today. Once the sump is cleaned it’ll get put under the stand. The rocks in the bin will go into the sump to cure. I made some RO/DI water last night but later today I’ll be making up more. I’m going to use some to clean the sump. Then I’ll mix up some saltwater using the rest of the RO/DI water. I’ll fill the sump up most of the way and transfer the rocks from the bin to the sump to cure. The water in the bin needs to go or I’d use it.
Things are looking even better in the new DT. The anemone is still hiding in plain sight but is doing good otherwise. My duncans’ tentacles are more extended. The cabbage leather has good polyp extension and the Kenya tree is looking more, well, tree like.
This last image shows how much more coralline has grown on this shell and survived the tank blowout even though it got little light.
I’ll finish cleaning the sump and the return pump later today. Once the sump is cleaned it’ll get put under the stand. The rocks in the bin will go into the sump to cure. I made some RO/DI water last night but later today I’ll be making up more. I’m going to use some to clean the sump. Then I’ll mix up some saltwater using the rest of the RO/DI water. I’ll fill the sump up most of the way and transfer the rocks from the bin to the sump to cure. The water in the bin needs to go or I’d use it.
Things are looking even better in the new DT. The anemone is still hiding in plain sight but is doing good otherwise. My duncans’ tentacles are more extended. The cabbage leather has good polyp extension and the Kenya tree is looking more, well, tree like.
This last image shows how much more coralline has grown on this shell and survived the tank blowout even though it got little light.
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Fishy888
2500 Club Member
Unfortunately the GSP and mushrooms are history. I knew there was a decent chance that would happen. In the thick of things that rock got put in the wrong bucket and I didn’t realize it. My other corals are doing well at least. It’ll get better. I have to have a much better plan in place in case another emergency like this happens however. It was a rookie mistake to say the least.
All that said I got a few things right too, not the least of which was having empty buckets close by to catch the water coming out of the tank. Out of 90 gallons, which after all that rock was more likely 70ish gallons, only 10 at most ended up on the floor. I also had a bin nearby I could put my fish and corals in.
I’ve really had to take a long, hard look at where I am as a reefer. I realize in one hand that I’m not the only one this has happened to. On the other hand, last night I answered a question someone had about the ID of a worm. I gave the wrong answer. What if I give the wrong answer and it causes someone to leave the hobby? Again I know I’m not the only one that’s ever given the wrong answer but at the same time I wonder if I know nearly as much as I think I know. I don’t want to cause anyone harm, I want to cause joy and success instead. From now on I’m going to research answers before I give them. I mean obviously I know basic things, even some semi-advanced things. Beyond that though I need to research before I give answers or advice.
All that said I got a few things right too, not the least of which was having empty buckets close by to catch the water coming out of the tank. Out of 90 gallons, which after all that rock was more likely 70ish gallons, only 10 at most ended up on the floor. I also had a bin nearby I could put my fish and corals in.
I’ve really had to take a long, hard look at where I am as a reefer. I realize in one hand that I’m not the only one this has happened to. On the other hand, last night I answered a question someone had about the ID of a worm. I gave the wrong answer. What if I give the wrong answer and it causes someone to leave the hobby? Again I know I’m not the only one that’s ever given the wrong answer but at the same time I wonder if I know nearly as much as I think I know. I don’t want to cause anyone harm, I want to cause joy and success instead. From now on I’m going to research answers before I give them. I mean obviously I know basic things, even some semi-advanced things. Beyond that though I need to research before I give answers or advice.
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Fishy888
2500 Club Member
Despite the aforementioned issues I’m enjoying the new tank. I might end up being a big fan of T5s. The lamps need to get replaced and yet they’re still quite bright. I’m glad they aren’t any brighter yet with the nem hiding from light. I love that the blue is surprisingly close to the color of the ocean at reef depth. It might not be halide close but it’s much closer to the rendition of halides than LEDs.
In a couple of weeks I’ll be getting my overflow box and return bulkhead. I’ll also be buying the PVC pipe and fittings to plumb the sump and a manifold while I’m at it. If I can do it I’m going to buy a filter sock holder when I buy everything else. Even if not I can still buy one the next time we get paid and plumb the drain line such that I can just add it in when I get it.
Once I get my system plumbed and ready to go I’ll set my sights on getting more non aggressive LPS and some easy SPS. I want some GSP though and possibly a mushroom or two.
There are few advantages to the blowout however. I ended up with a 4 foot tank again. The sump will be easier to plumb since the holes are properly drilled and it’ll be much easier to access. And last but not least I can start concentrating on hard corals while keeping the soft corals that survived. Like I said though I do want GSP again. Otherwise my new system will be SPS dominated.
In a couple of weeks I’ll be getting my overflow box and return bulkhead. I’ll also be buying the PVC pipe and fittings to plumb the sump and a manifold while I’m at it. If I can do it I’m going to buy a filter sock holder when I buy everything else. Even if not I can still buy one the next time we get paid and plumb the drain line such that I can just add it in when I get it.
Once I get my system plumbed and ready to go I’ll set my sights on getting more non aggressive LPS and some easy SPS. I want some GSP though and possibly a mushroom or two.
There are few advantages to the blowout however. I ended up with a 4 foot tank again. The sump will be easier to plumb since the holes are properly drilled and it’ll be much easier to access. And last but not least I can start concentrating on hard corals while keeping the soft corals that survived. Like I said though I do want GSP again. Otherwise my new system will be SPS dominated.
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Fishy888
2500 Club Member
I’m pretty sure this is a good sign.
I hope this means the nem is getting ready to move back into the light.
I just started up the RO/DI machine once again. I’m going to finish cleaning the sump. After that I’m going to perform a phosphorus test for the first time on the new system. ALK should be just fine considering I just filled the tank on Sunday.
Soon it’ll be time to clean the old sand. It’s been exposed to air for a while. It also has tons of die off in it. I’m going to soak and rinse all the sand with RO/DI water (just a few hours as I want any sulfur and other chemicals that would cause harm to get dissolved and discarded with the water). I’m going to get it in saltwater and let the sand cure. Hopefully both the rock that’s going into the sump tonight to cure, and the sand which will be cured in the bin, will finish curing at about the same time.
I hope this means the nem is getting ready to move back into the light.
I just started up the RO/DI machine once again. I’m going to finish cleaning the sump. After that I’m going to perform a phosphorus test for the first time on the new system. ALK should be just fine considering I just filled the tank on Sunday.
Soon it’ll be time to clean the old sand. It’s been exposed to air for a while. It also has tons of die off in it. I’m going to soak and rinse all the sand with RO/DI water (just a few hours as I want any sulfur and other chemicals that would cause harm to get dissolved and discarded with the water). I’m going to get it in saltwater and let the sand cure. Hopefully both the rock that’s going into the sump tonight to cure, and the sand which will be cured in the bin, will finish curing at about the same time.
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Fishy888
2500 Club Member
The sump is in place and the rocks are in it.
I’m expecting high ammonia readings due to all the die off. I also expect a rapid colonization of good bacteria in the now curing rocks. In anticipation of all this I added my chaeto to the sump. It’ll mop up the nitrates and some phosphates and hopefully grow nicely. LaCl will take care of whatever phosphates the chaeto doesn’t use.
Once the ammonia phase is over I’ll seed the curing rocks with some from the 10 gallon tank. I just added a rock tonight to the 10 gallon “life boat” tank. I’ll add more rocks to the 10 gallon tank so I can seed even more rock.
The mollies are growing quite nicely. I’m going to let a couple of them loose in the sump to eat the remaining algae on the rocks. I’m not sure if they’ll eat decaying algae but I’m not so sure the hair algae is really dead. It’s quite hardy after all and I’ll have a freshwater LED light strip on the sump. That should sustain the chaeto and the remaining GHA.
The way I have things now gives me tons of room to work in the sump. I have it sitting directly on the floor which is level. Once the curing process is done I might build a frame to hold the sump which would also serve as a brace for the bottom frame of the stand. I’m definitely going to brace the upper frame in two places so I can hang some lighting for the sump. Across the back I’m going to add a board about midway between the top of the sump and the bottom of the upper frame. That’ll hold the manifold and help support the weight of the drain line and return line plumbing.
Hopefully today I’ll remove the outlet bank on the old stand and install it on the new stand. I’ve got to finish wiring up the second outlet bank today so I can install it as well. I’m going to use some of the wood from the old stand to build a cabinet for the outlet banks and any other electrical components. That cabinet will also house monitoring equipment for the tank and sump. I want to build a second cabinet for holding fish food and the tools I use specifically for my system such as nets, the turkey baster, measuring cups and spoons, etc. I still want to attach them to the sides of the stand.
I’m expecting high ammonia readings due to all the die off. I also expect a rapid colonization of good bacteria in the now curing rocks. In anticipation of all this I added my chaeto to the sump. It’ll mop up the nitrates and some phosphates and hopefully grow nicely. LaCl will take care of whatever phosphates the chaeto doesn’t use.
Once the ammonia phase is over I’ll seed the curing rocks with some from the 10 gallon tank. I just added a rock tonight to the 10 gallon “life boat” tank. I’ll add more rocks to the 10 gallon tank so I can seed even more rock.
The mollies are growing quite nicely. I’m going to let a couple of them loose in the sump to eat the remaining algae on the rocks. I’m not sure if they’ll eat decaying algae but I’m not so sure the hair algae is really dead. It’s quite hardy after all and I’ll have a freshwater LED light strip on the sump. That should sustain the chaeto and the remaining GHA.
The way I have things now gives me tons of room to work in the sump. I have it sitting directly on the floor which is level. Once the curing process is done I might build a frame to hold the sump which would also serve as a brace for the bottom frame of the stand. I’m definitely going to brace the upper frame in two places so I can hang some lighting for the sump. Across the back I’m going to add a board about midway between the top of the sump and the bottom of the upper frame. That’ll hold the manifold and help support the weight of the drain line and return line plumbing.
Hopefully today I’ll remove the outlet bank on the old stand and install it on the new stand. I’ve got to finish wiring up the second outlet bank today so I can install it as well. I’m going to use some of the wood from the old stand to build a cabinet for the outlet banks and any other electrical components. That cabinet will also house monitoring equipment for the tank and sump. I want to build a second cabinet for holding fish food and the tools I use specifically for my system such as nets, the turkey baster, measuring cups and spoons, etc. I still want to attach them to the sides of the stand.
