Post Apocalypse update

Valkyrie · Sep 12, 2016

I haven't posted since just after my apocalypse 2.5 weeks ago.
My ammonia badge has settled down and tomorrow I'll be testing everything to see where we stand.

I got my Apex Jr controlling the heater and when I get my Ethernet adapter I'll finish setting it up. I'm planning on getting a camera to watch things as well, but that's not imperative right now.

I've gone through a lot of changes regarding my tanks and what I want/plan to do. I've decided that since it was going to be crazy challenging to run a sump to the 29g, I'm not going to do it after all. I *might* get a hang on back type of refugium, instead though. We'll see.

The other reason I made that decision is that I really, really, really want to get my 55g up and honestly, I can't afford to put together 2 sumps right now. I'm prioritizing.

I'm missing my clowns so much right now and it was really hard when I went to pick up the Apex to not walk out with a new pair, but I haven't even looked at the water parameters yet. Everyday I turn on the light and look at the barren aquascape, today I noticed some growth, I don't know what I'm looking at though.

saltyfilmfolks · Sep 12, 2016

Keep up the good work. Youll get there. Ive had great success with non sumped tanks. I know a few tricks if you'd like. What filtration are you running right now(that big pumpy lookin thingy)
My 30g long was the best tank so far in my short career. 3+ years it ran before my own apocalypse.

How long has this new beauty been running?

Valkyrie · Sep 12, 2016

saltyfilmfolks said:
Ive had great success with non sumped tanks. I know a few tricks if you'd like. What filtration are you running right now(that big pumpy lookin thingy)

Any tricks and tips you have would be awesome.. All I have going is a protein skimmer.

saltyfilmfolks said:
How long has this new beauty been running?

I was given the entire set up, including fish, Nov. 2015. Before that it had been running about 3 years.
Now, it's like starting fresh...but not...it's been 19 days since the apocalypse.
Right now the KH is too low, the Nitrates are too high, and the salinity is oddly low. So, we go onward.

Thanks for the encouragement.

saltyfilmfolks · Sep 12, 2016

Valkyrie said:
Before that it had been running about 3 years.

Gads, heart breaking.
Get the salinity stable and retest, but you probably knew that. Get the bacteria back up to snuff too. I had to rebuild my jbj cube into a 30cube. there were several weeks(a month) it acted weird at first. Even though the rock n sand were 2 years plus old.
Biggest tip REFUGIUM. HOB. Every tank Ive had had one, 5g (two years) 10g 20g 30g(three years). I got a leak on my lil 30 now and had to take it off so im a bit paranoid right now.
On the cheap I used the $10 breeder box from amazon. some use an oversized aquaclear with a light on top. those are cool, the chato pushes the lid off when it needs to be trimmed.

My skimmer died in my current 55 while I was away for a month and the Mrs didnt realise I emptied it every week, she did it twice cuz it wasnt ever full. The fuge exploded with growth, so did the corals BTW. The glass got pretty green fast but there was no cyano or dead coral.

The other thing is good mechanical filtration IMO. In those little tanks I found the 3 HOB skimmers I had owned never beat the oversized aquaclear. It pulls the particle out before they rot and get to the skimmer. Unless yours is pulling lots of large particles out and gets black gunk. Then I want one.
Is that the skimmer pump in the pic?

Valkyrie · Sep 12, 2016

Ok, so you had the breeder box/refugium, the oversized aquaclear and the HOB skimmer, all 3 hanging off your tank?

I have thought about a HOB refugium, I'll look a little deeper into it. Thanks!

Yes, that's the skimmer pump in the back of the tank.

saltyfilmfolks · Sep 12, 2016

Valkyrie said:
Ok, so you had the breeder box/refugium, the oversized aquaclear and the HOB skimmer, all 3 hanging off your tank?

I have thought about a HOB refugium, I'll look a little deeper into it. Thanks!

Yes, that's the skimmer pump in the back of the tank.

haha. No I tried 3 different skimmers.

https://www.amazon.com/Marina-Hang-...F8&qid=1473731035&sr=8-1&keywords=breeder+box