lots of brightwell Microbacter 7 could help to skip the wait time for the sponge.

Velvet wiped out my 90g. Its awful! I wish you the best of luck!

Agreed.
When I'm doing the tank transfer method for MI, I have no filter for almost 72 hrs but do a 100% WC every 3 days. Depending on bioload in the QT there isn't enough time to elapse for the ammonia levels to reach high enough to be detrimental and definitely not enough time for it to turn into Nitrate. Stick an ammonia badge in there for a bit of safety and don't get complacent with WC schedule and you should be ok.

Well, just a bit of an update.

The exodus of my fish stopped. The final count was 5.

1x Powder Blue Tang
1x Blue Throat Trigger
1x Sailfin Tang
2x Clownfish (sorry Brett :( )

Everyone that is left in the tank has been doing well ever since. Leopard Wrasse, 2x Diamond Gobies, Foxface Lo, and a Axelspot Hogfish.

The tank has not and will not be seeing any fishy additions until the end of March at the earliest to be certain that the remaining fish are completely in the clear.

I have also decided to setup a 20G Q-Tank for any future additions. 20G High tank, Koralia Nano, Aquaclear 50 HOB Filter and 50W heater.

Besides the fish loss, I have been struggling lately with my Wall Hammer coral. One of the heads has been melting away and recently my Pagoda Cup has started to loose heads as well. It has been a bit confusing as to why, but a couple days ago I realized I had over looked one thing while trying to figure out what could be causing it. My Salinity! I have a feeling my skimmer had been skimming quite wet, which has slowly been taking SW out of my tank to only get replaced with RO top-up water.

It dropped to 1.018 from 1.026. I did a 25G change yesterday which brought it up to 1.021. I also added extra and the evap in the last 24 hours (till the point where my ATO kicked back in, has raised it up to 1.024. Unfortunately I think it is probably too late. The wall hammer isn't look to happy today, and the pagoda is surely on its way out. :(

This tank has been quite frustrating. Of all the tanks I have kept in the past, I've had more things go wrong with this one that all my other tanks combined it seems. I've always read that large tanks are easier to keep/maintain, I'm personally not sold on that idea yet.

On the bright side, I am starting to see a large amount of Pods, Sponges and other various filter feeders growing in my "refuge" on the glass. I say "refuge" because there is no Sand, no Mangroves, No rock really (only small rubble), and a small ball of cheato that doesn't really grow.

Ohhh this hobby!

April Update:

I still ended up loosing my wall hammer, pagoda cup, and torch coral. I tried to do what I could to save them but it was too late really.

Things have really turned around lately with the tank though. I have replaced the 2 clownfish back in mid march and I've got 2 tangs in QT right now.

I've decided to go down the softie coral route with this tank with coral that is simple and easy to maintain. I had added a large rock of Green Star Polyp, a good size Toadstool Leather, 3 Maxi Mini Nems (came on the same rock as the Toadstool).

Besides those additions, my zoas have been doing well ever since I added them to the tank. Red Mushrooms are getting HUGE too.

I really think the soft coral route is the way to go with this tank. I'm really liking the look of it and the motion it provides is nice. I'll leave the SPS headaches for my tank at home. :mrgreen:

http://i1258.photobucket.com/albums/...psb95a719c.jpg

http://i1258.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5efd511f.jpg

http://i1258.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8c08cc5a.jpg

http://i1258.photobucket.com/albums/...ps56bfb433.jpg

http://i1258.photobucket.com/albums/...ps672b0c87.jpg

Sexy! Especially that last photo.

FTS?

don't give up !!!

i agree with you, i kept nano tanks all my life, and now i started a 'bigger' tank - 60 gallons. I know its not as massive as yours, but I been having issues as well.

i guess with nano tanks if you keep up with the water changes then it helps fix whatever problem it is quickly as there isnt much water to replenish/replace.

I have lost some fish/corals too!

but keep at it... i kind of waiting out for my two ich invested tangs to either make a somewhat recovery or die. Either way I plan to stop adding any fish for a while, and focus on corals. I haven't tried sps as i m not confident enough yet to take care of them.

Best I can get with my cell phone.

http://i1258.photobucket.com/albums/...psace4dc14.jpg

Its coming together well!

Did you ever end up dosing anything for your sponges like the Brightwell additives?

great 'nem shot! Tank is coming along nicely. There's nothing wrong with wanting to limit ones SPS headaches. :neutral:

Thanks Catherine.. The picture does it NO justice. I'm actually quite happy with how things are looking right now. I got lots of space to fill in with corals though. They've got $30 frags (large) of Pulsing Xenia at Big Al's right now, so may have to snag one of those this weekend (or tonight after work).

No dosing for Sponges... My sponge population is getting big in my overflows and sump though. I should start dosing a few things though. (Amino acids, coral snow, etc)

I need to get my hands back on a decent camera. It drives me nuts having such crappy photos. :P

We'll see how the headaches go at home.. I just picked the Forest Fire Digitata and Branching Hydnophora last night at Concepts for my home tank.

Sweet! I think you got the two that I was eyeballing, but couldn't bring myself to buy.

Test Results for July 10, 2013:

Mag: 1350
CA: 540
ALK: 7.056 dKH
Phos: 0.32
Temp: 26C
SG: 1.024
NH3/4: 0
NO2: 0
NO3: 5-10ppm

Phosphate reading seems high, but I have no algae issues except for the typical film on the glass every few days. Nitrates seem a bit high too but it is an older test kit so I'm not super confident in the result. I also have a 30G batch of fresh Saltwater for a water-change this week.

I gotta get my CA down too. :eek:

We need a new fts I think. Glad things are going well with the tank. How the heck did your calcium get that high? Even reef crystals shouldn't drive it up like that.

Manual dosing without testing. :redface:

Hoping that after my WC it brings it down a bit and then I'll stop dosing for a bit and work on bringing UP my ALK.

Still though the inability to keep even the easiest SPS is bugging me. I thought this was due to poor Mag/CA/Alk levels, but they really aren't that bad right now so my next guess would be the 0.32 Phosphate reading even if I lack any algae could be the issue. I've also had a few different zoos melt away on me recently.

10months old this week.


Current stocking on this tank for fish is:

- One-Spot Foxface
- Sailfin Tang
- Orange Shoulder Tang
- Flame Angel
- Axilspot Hogfish
- Pair of Occelaris Clown
- Longnose Hawkfish
- Mated Pair of Diamond Gobies
- Blue Chromis
- 2 Large Cleaner Shrimp (not fish obviously)

Corals:

- 4x Various Maxi-Mini Nems
- Toadstool Leather
- various Zoa frags/mini colonie
- Large Green Sinularia
- GSP Rock
- Red Mushroom colony
- Pink Zoo Colony
- Green Open Brain
- Acan Colony (I had to save it from my home tank)
- Candy Cane Colony (thought it had died for sure, but a few of the mouths seem to be coming back)
- 1 Head of Purple Mushroom
- Clove Polyp

Just a thought.... SPS and leathers don't mix very well.... Could be that the chemicals that the leathers release are causing you some issues.... Are you running carbon?.... I'm sure the phosphate numbers aren't helping either ....

Hmmm.. No carbon, although it's been something I've wanted to add. Good point though, although I was trying SPS before the Leather went it, but that was at a time when I wasn't 100% sure what my M/Ca/Alk levels were at. The phosphate numbers are quite surprising to be honest, considering the utter lack of algae.

Dosing without testing? Josh!

I'm a big believer in carbon. You should totally slap some in there. Best of all you CAN use it without testing lol.

Nice work on hitting 10 months! Can't say I've done that many times myself.

I know, I know!

I have ran it on most of my other tanks, just means I need to spend more money on hardware (or bring in my Vertex Rx from home). Speaking of equipment, there may be a Neptune Apex in the near future being added. :wink:

Thanks Brett.. I can't say I've hit 10months on many of my past tanks either actually. I usually upgraded before reaching this point (and not because I was running out of room, but because I wanted a bigger tank). :lol:


@fishytime - Just to clarify, I am by no means looking to make this a SPS tank. Most of the office likes the soft stuff that blows around in the current and provides a lot of motion. While sps polyps do provide motion it's never quite to the same extent as softies. That being said, if I could keep 2-4 colonies of SPS (Montipora Plate, A. Stag, etc) just to mix things up a bit I'd be happy. So I will keep trying, once i get my Phosphates down.

I agree with this. I too want to see more photos!


Also it feels like its been ages since I've seen you Josh. I miss our random weekly get togethers at the store.

Gonna have to crack the whip on Dave and his crew to get the new shop done then! :razz:

I'll try and get a new FTS this week with a camera that is better than my phone. :lol:

Just ordered some "Top Secret" goodies from Reef Supplies.. Hope to see the order next week. :twised:

:pop2:

:pop2:

I thought kien had a monopoly on Popcorn. :lol:

:pop2:

^
|

synchronized popcorning!!

Couple photos for you guys.

Still not that great even though I was using an actual camera.

http://i1258.photobucket.com/albums/...psc2fd2b1c.jpg

http://i1258.photobucket.com/albums/...psc686f587.jpg

http://i1258.photobucket.com/albums/...psb19599c9.jpg

http://i1258.photobucket.com/albums/...ps952c4db6.jpg

http://i1258.photobucket.com/albums/...pseb07c92e.jpg


Go ahead... ask me why there is a MOUNTAIN of sand on the left side.. lol

The empire is expanding!

Why has Mt. Sand appeared in your tank?

Nice! Thank you for the photos!

I have a Mated pair of Diamond Gobies... and they have setup shop under the rock that is under that pile of sand. I'm not 100% sure on the spawning habits of Diamond Gobies, but the few vids I have found on youtube would suggest this is what they are doing. The Male builds a mountain while the female stay in the burrow.

While very cool that they are spawning.... aesthetically, it drives me up the freaking wall! I typically end up bulldozing it and putting the sand back where it belongs.

Even as I sit here at my desk, I can see the male working away on that mountain, mouthful by mouthful.... :mad:

Nice!!

He is totally taunting you.

Couldn't help but notice Mt. Sand as well. Apparently it's a conversation piece! :lol:

It actually is the most discussed thing in the tank with my co-workers.. that and the size of the foxface... They think he is big.. :lol:

:mrgreen:

If only they knew!

*Thanks for the package Canada Post* :whoo:

The Sailfin and Orange Shoulder come to mind.. Currently the Foxface dwarfs both of them... We all know that will change. :lol:

http://i1258.photobucket.com/albums/...ps51ec1d06.jpg

http://i1258.photobucket.com/albums/...ps087e543f.jpg

Video!
http://s1258.photobucket.com/user/Da...063ed.mp4.html

Nice looking tank there. How do you get the foxface to float in mid air like that? Oh wait... There's water in there? ;)

:shocked!: That face is how it started out when I received my goodies yesterday..

http://i1258.photobucket.com/albums/...psc9aa8cc7.jpg

http://i1258.photobucket.com/albums/...pscfa5923d.jpg

I got around to getting the basics of the install done last night at the office, was there till 10pm on a Friday.. I like to think I'm pretty tech savvy so I was hoping I could set the rest of it up today. The tricky part was going to be setting up the network connectivity as this is a office network and I believe we have DHCP running so that would be a challenge to work around without making any changes to our system.

:mad: This is sorta how I felt after 6 hours at the office today.

Well I put the new bulbs in last night, but didn't get a chance to see them as my lights were off for the night.

Gotta say.. I'm kinda disappointed in the color. I was expecting the 15K to be a bit more blue that what they really are.. Wasn't expecting 20K by any means (nor could I find 20K Moguls in Canada) but these are a lot more white than I was hoping for. Very bright though.

I got moving along with the controller today as well but am also a bit frustrated with it for a few reasons.

1. Being that I am connecting this to our company Network which is setup with DHCP. This is giving me all sorts of headaches trying to even FIND the Apex on the network let alone using the iphone app. Needless to say I gave up on it after about 1.5hrs of playing around. I will have to get our IT guys to give me some direction on this next week.

2. I'm not finding the programming as user friendly as I was hoping it would be. Perhaps it is better to do via the web browser.

3. I'm actually more worried about my temperature now that I have a much more accurate reading. It's getting upwards of 81.2F (when I left the office today.. and likely drops 77 in the evenings. I contribute this ALL to the MH lights. I never expected to have temp swings that large with over 200G in water volume in an Air Cond. building. I think right now my only option it to pick up a couple cheapo fans to mount next to the lights to blow the hot air away from the tank.

On the plus side I am happy I DO have a good idea of what my temps are and I can now shut off certain things (like my skimmer) when temps get high. It's nice to see what my pH is on a regular basis too.

Hopefully I can fix a few of these things that are bugging me and stabilize the daily temp swing.

Yup, that definitely sounds a lot better in your thread.. Although the halides would fit in my thread too.

Also, nice toys!!

Do you have heat issues kien?

Only if my AC is off, or busted like it was last year.. That was part of what caused my wipe out last spring/summer.. we didn't have AC and I didn't have the time to address the heat issue compounded with other issues. Anyway, we finally got a new AC unit last fall and it has kept my temp at around 80 or 81 on most days. 82 on those days where we hit 35 and over. So ya, heat is definitely an issue that needs to be addressed somehow. Mind you, come October it is a total non-issue. Once fall/winter rolls around the AC is off and it is generally cold enough outside to not have to worry about overheating at all.