Saltgator's 240 Build

Saltgator · Mar 22, 2012

Thanks. Both cleaners are in and tangs all ready have the stations set up. ***** fingers crossed***** These tangs are my pride one's too. My chevron, black, and orange shoulder.

Mike&Terry said:
Love your rockwork. Good to hear you got the leaky bulkhead fixed. Sorry to hear about the ich outbreak and kudo's to you for holding off on adding the Regal!

Keep the pics coming... :bigsmile:

Saltgator · Mar 22, 2012

Trying more pics with camera phone and some of it's settings.

Tangs trying to get some cleaning

More of my sick guys :cry:

Unkown Acro

Red planet

Upclose of one of my doughnuts

Saltgator · Mar 22, 2012

2 of my 3 acan groups

Poci

Tri color

Saltgator · Mar 22, 2012

GSP

Another doughnut

Hammer

Bonsai

Saltgator · Mar 22, 2012

Desera and squamosa

RBTA and picassos

RBTA and picassos

Red/orange-ish monti cap

Saltgator · May 20, 2012

Well, the day has finally arrived that I'm thru my 8th week of hypo :clap2:!!! It about time!!! Started bring the QT up today and hoping to have the salinity up by Sat (I'm goona raise the salinity every other day or so and SLOWLY). After all is done, my black and orange shoulder tangs, along with my 2 picasso clowns will finally meet another member of the DT family, a juv chevron that I've had in another QT for 3 weeks now (replacing the previous chevron). I'm planning on adding the chevron and the originals at the same time next weekend (all depending on the hypo QT salinity). On a side note, anybody that has done hypo with clowns, I have a weird qestion. My 2 picassos have developed what appears to be white bumps. Now the salinity has been 1.008 for 8 weeks (hypo for ich) and these "bumps/tags/???" have been on them for well over 2 weeks. The clowns aren't scratching, no heavy breathing, and completely seem fine (with this exception I'm trying to explain). It also dosen't appear to be them excreting mucus. Both of them have been hold down their own 6 x 4 inch PVC like it was their nem, even rushing my viewing area when I get too close. Eating and growing like never before as well. Any thoughts???

revhtree · May 20, 2012

Hmm that sounds weird and I am not sure but maybe someone will.

Glad you're almost through!

Saltgator · May 20, 2012

revhtree said:
Hmm that sounds weird and I am not sure but maybe someone will.

Glad you're almost through!

Thanks Rev. We'll see.

Country boy using tapatalk on a HTC Evo

Saltgator · May 29, 2012

Update: The juv chevron has been in the 240 all by himself for a day now. Coming from QT and into the 240, he's lost (LOL). Good thing is today he finally decided to explore and act himself (cleaning the acrylic walls). Hopefully this weekend, he will have the other tangs with him. The chevron was the smallest of all 3 and the black and orange shoulder are slowly having their salinity raised back to the 240's level. The clowns seem to be still have whatever they have (still on the fence on I.D.), but whatever it is, it's going bye bye. They've been in their own QT and acting fine and eating like pigs still. I took them out of their smaller QT tonight and placed them under the halides (not under the MH, off to the side) so that I could get great light to see the progress of their issue and see their gills. All looked good, the male still had a few tags, but not as much as before. The female didn't have as many as before, and her color was a bit off. I am guessing the color issue might be because (this is the first I'm noticing, plus the male was full color) I had to catch her while see was in her PVC. My recent addition of the ritteri nem has been a ride for sure. All was good until the ritteri started walking up the wall (as ritteri do). This brought it to my center overflow. After playing on the Xbox one night, I decided to see how close the nem was. Well, to my dislikes, it was half in the DT, half in the overflow! After trying to assist, I noticed the nem was already cut from the overflow seperation. I had no choice and cut the remainder to stop anymore injury or total loss. After trying to save both halfs, I ended up with the larger of the 2 still in good condition and feeding tonight. The smaller piece isn't looking to promising. All in all, everyone is looking like the 240 will have it's residents back soon, plus the addition of my red sea regal angel (I can't wait for this). Once all the QT are removed, supplies everywhere are picked up and everyone is in the 240, I'll update with pics. Just thought I'd share tonight.

REEFKEEPER10 · May 29, 2012

Congrats. Glad to here they made it through the ich outbreak. :clap2:

Saltgator · May 29, 2012

REEFKEEPER10 said:
Congrats. Glad to here they made it through the ich outbreak. :clap2:

Thanks. I'm sure happy too. Just getting everyone back to the 240 and having my regal eat and I'll be set.

Country boy using tapatalk on a HTC Evo

larryl · May 29, 2012

Kick butt tank.

Saltgator · May 29, 2012

larryl said:
Kick butt tank.

Thank you sir.

Country boy using tapatalk on a HTC Evo

Saltgator · Jun 9, 2012

Update: The ritteri anemone has been let out of the holding after the overflow split. The smaller portion that was left didn't make it, but the larger portion seems to be fine. All the previous tangs and clowns have been returned to the 240 and couldn't be happier (moved everyone a week or so ago) . The clowns ran (I mean swam fast) to the ritteri and haven't left it yet. The ritteri has decided to start the "walking" again, so I'm watching where it's gonna go. The chevron tang finally met the black and orange shoulder. The first meeting was a "who are these guys" with the chevron, but being that they were a bit bigger, the chevron, orange shoulder, and black have had zero issues and are schooling together (yeah, and odd couple or trio). Their all doing great and I'm really wanting to change the aqua scape, but stressing my guys is halting me (for now).

While everyone was in hypo and the DT was fishless, an outbreak of FW was noticed. Not wanting to use a chemical, I'm thinking of starting a wrasse collection, starting with a yellow coris. I know what I've seen with these guys and FW's, plus the are mild mannered allowing me to be able to add 2 future pairs ( flame and richmond pairs).

Just 2 days ago, while watching everyone and looking over corals (which I do multiple times a day), I noticed I wasn't getting any PE on my red planet. Well, it RTN'd overnight. I believe that it might have been light or flow (everything else seems ok around it). I quickly fragged the base (which was encrusted) from the placement on the rock and moved the frag to a better flow and lighting area, and will continue to watch it. The base hadn't been hit with RTN yet. We'll see.

mcdonaldtj · Jun 9, 2012

Tank is looking awesome, with the flatworms, I noticed after I got a coral with them on it that soon after they were all gone. My cleaner wrasse took care of them within a few days.

V/Tim

Saltgator · Jun 9, 2012

mcdonaldtj said:
Tank is looking awesome, with the flatworms, I noticed after I got a coral with them on it that soon after they were all gone. My cleaner wrasse took care of them within a few days.

V/Tim

Thanks. I can't wait till a wrasse starts cleaning house with them.

Country boy using tapatalk on a HTC Evo

Saltgator · Jul 24, 2012

Been a little but on an update (I'm a slacker), so here's a tiny update. Been fighting cyano and a ALK swing. Corals aren't looking good so no pics. LED's should be in this week, so once I get them hung, maybe come pics. My FW overload has pretty much gone away (even though I know better). My potter's wrasse is what I believe to be my best tool or the yellow coris that I haven't seen in a week. Less FW, but now 3 aiptasia showed up (luckey me). Looking to add more rock (my aqua scape just isn't sitting right with me), so maybe some pics soon of this too. The ritteri has healed nicely too btw. Hope to be updating with some more things soon. Thanks

Saltgator · Aug 4, 2012

Just another update (no pics, please read). My Alk swing ended up rising then falling, going from 11 to 6!!! My mistake with 2 part and dosing. Bringing it back up slowly now throughout the week. The cyano issue is a pain. I siphoned 10 gallons of top layer on my tropic eden and each 5 gallon bucket was the color of skimmate!!! My phosphate was a bit high, so working on that now, throwing the idea of a turf scrubber runnning on my system up in the air. I haven't decided if this is a way I want to go. The aiptasia nems were delt with via side cutters cutting the rocks they were growing on. Those pieces of aiptasia rocks now are yard rocks!! During my Alk swing, my Cal raised up too, around 530!! Coraline is enjoying that, but a bit high for me.

After 2 failed attempts with 2 regal angels, I decided to try a majestic from a LFS. I had the LFS feed him and I also inspected him prior to a purchase. Well, sad to say, but he has past as of last night. He was eating fine, both at the store and in my DT. No issues with my tangs as they had seen him for 2 days in a DIY acclimater/acrylic holding area. Not sure of the issue that caused the death, but it is tough now loosing the 3 angel. I'm really wanting a angel, especially a regal, but becoming fustrated with the loss. Maybe it's not my fault, but offering them the best housing I can, enriched food, nori, live sponges, LPS in my DT (not my choice, but it would help them if needed), and no bullying from the 3 tangs, I'm not sure where I'm going wrong. <<<< Maybe tangs are just going to be it!!!:squigglemouth:

During my swings in numbers, all except 2 of my sps have RTN'd. No name frags, red planet, bonsai, pocci, monti cap, have either turned ghost white by now or just about completly there now. I tried to save a few by quick fragging when I noticed RTN, but no luck. All my LPS and the few softies (button polyps, xenia, and GSP) have started taking off or still in full extention.

It's been a week now since the LEDs were installed and the MH lighting was taken down. I tossed the idea up a few times, not sure whether to make the switch. After long thinking, I choose LEDs just because of the heat the MH was putting out and the bulb prices. Just fyi, I was loving the MH, but being in the hot sun at least 5 days a week, I didn't want to spend time enjoying my tank and sweating at the same time. Plus, the A/C had to try to cool the house down while the MH ran. Whether the LEDs willl grow the SPS I will be placing in the DT remains something to be seen with my eyes, but as of now, the 2 nems (a ritteri and RBTA), different LPS, 2 clams, and a few softies are enjoying them so far. I have the LEDs turned down for light adjustment (50% blue, 30% white), but plan to kick it up a bit this weekend a tad more.

Anyway, sorry for the rambling and NO PICs on an update, but soon I'll update with more. BTW, I know what most will say with my numbers getting outta control, but I've been focusing on pottie training my daughter and let me tell you, this ain't no easy task!!! She seems to have by bull-headed ways. The more I try, the farther it seems I getting to winning with her. Her mother and I are drawing blanks as to when we'll win (LOL). Anyway, while I'm loosing that battle with her, I'm getting the DT back up to par.Have a good one.