★ 110 Gallon (In-Wall Office Dream SPS Reef Tank) ★ PROJECT GENESIS [Total Automation, DIY & More ]★

[WallyB]

Visit to Pick up my OLD SPS Colony ( Almost get's me into Trouble) DIY Past Project Saves me from Dumb Hastiness

So I went to pick up the Only Colony Left from my old 65 Gallon Setup (Held by a fellow Reefer for 6 Month, During my Rebuild)

Of course seeing over a hundred Frags, got my Bad Judgement Temptations going.

Instead of must bringing home my OLD Coral, I came home with 3 Extra Frags.

One the way driving home, I realized I made a hasty mistake. Too soon for my DT.... possible risk to Fish/two Frags & Tank (not doing Coral QT)....so I came home with a problem (where to put the Frags/Coral).

My Frag Tank is a now QT for the Angels, and my 10 Gallon Tank is for QT for Anthias. (With Copper Treatment)

With one Spare 10 Gallon, I dug out my OLD DIY LED Fixture. And built another QT Tank for Corals.

The fixture needed modification since it had 17 LEDS and I didn't have a LED Driver (already used up for DT Accent lights)

So I unwired it down to 11 LEDS (LUXEON ES 3W Royal Blue/Clue Blue) , for a Driver I could use.

The DYI fixture is actually made from the Heat Sink Enclosure from my GALAXY MH Ballast (which fried a while ago, and I gutted for parts)

Lucky I still had the Borrowed Apogee PAR meter, so I got a reading on the new Frag Tank Setup.

Roughly 150-225 Pars, depending how high I put the Frag Rack, and how much water I put into Tank.
I don't trust this LED reading, so will acclimatize (Raise Fixture and Lower Photo Period) and watch SPS Reponse.

The whole purpose of this tank is to QT the Frags a Bit (not sure how long).
I'll dip Frags/Coral a few times, and drain/fill the QT (Before I even consider putting into DT)

I'm using Water from my DT ...Age with Nutrients, (And I Made fresh water, to refill DT)

HERE ARE THE FRAGS that made me LOSE MY COMMON SENSE.

And here is why I actually went to my Reefer Friend (GTAreef, Thang)

To pick up my Large Tubinaria.

But now that I have a Frag QT setup, I can fool around a bit (more Frags), and not Risk DT.
Maybe Another DUMB and HASTY Idea

 

[NY_Caveman]

Visit to Pick up my OLD SPS Colony ( Almost get's me into Trouble) DIY Past Project Saves me from Dumb Hastiness

So I went to pick up the Only Colony Left from my old 65 Gallon Setup (Held by a fellow Reefer for 6 Month, During my Rebuild)

Of course seeing over a hundred Frags, got my Bad Judgement Temptations going.

Instead of must bringing home my OLD Coral, I came home with 3 Extra Frags.

One the way driving home, I realized I made a hasty mistake. Too soon for my DT.... possible risk to Fish/two Frags & Tank (not doing Coral QT)....so I came home with a problem (where to put the Frags/Coral).

My Frag Tank is a now QT for the Angels, and my 10 Gallon Tank is for QT for Anthias. (With Copper Treatment)

With one Spare 10 Gallon, I dug out my OLD DIY LED Fixture. And built another QT Tank for Corals.

The fixture needed modification since it had 17 LEDS and I didn't have a LED Driver (already used up for DT Accent lights)

So I unwired it down to 11 LEDS (LUXEON ES 3W Royal Blue/Clue Blue) , for a Driver I could use.

The DYI fixture is actually made from the Heat Sink Enclosure from my GALAXY MH Ballast (which fried a while ago, and I gutted for parts)

Lucky I still had the Borrowed Apogee PAR meter, so I got a reading on the new Frag Tank Setup.

Roughly 150-225 Pars, depending how high I put the Frag Rack, and how much water I put into Tank.
I don't trust this LED reading, so will acclimatize (Raise Fixture and Lower Photo Period) and watch SPS Reponse.

The whole purpose of this tank is to QT the Frags a Bit (not sure how long).
I'll dip Frags/Coral a few times, and drain/fill the QT (Before I even consider putting into DT)

I'm using Water from my DT ...Age with Nutrients, (And I Made fresh water, to refill DT)

HERE ARE THE FRAGS that made me LOSE MY COMMON SENSE.

And here is why I actually went to my Reefer Friend (GTAreef, Thang)

To pick up my Large Tubinaria.

But now that I have a Frag QT setup, I can fool around a bit (more Frags), and not Risk DT.
Maybe Another DUMB and HASTY Idea

LOL! Reefers.

Nice quick setup.

 

[WallyB]

LOL! Reefers.

Nice quick setup.

Yeah, I am an Reef-Aholic. It was 6 months no SPS, so I lost control a bit yesterday.

But I have recovered my Sanity.
I RETURNED the Sunset Acro since too risky right now (untested Tank). It's being held for me till I'm ready.

So I brought home two Others (a generous Donation from GTAreef for NEW TANK
.....to keep my SPS withdrawal symptoms under control)

That Deep Blue/Purple Acro is one of my favourites and last Tank I destroyed 3.

Here is the PAR mapping on the Temp Frag Tank. I have a Good Range. (Matched with Water Level to be Similar to DT)

 

[WallyB]

Angel Tail Bite (Normal Scaring or Fungal Rot ?) Treating with

So that Angel that supposedly got a Tail bite from the other fish, is showing a difference in his tail.

I assume this odd brown encrusting is like us getting a scar from a cut.

Hard to get a better picture, the Guy never stands still.

But I am treating with ParaGuard. I also have Melaxfix but both look blue and might be the same gentle treatments.

The tank has Antibiotic Med in it so it should get infected.

 

[WallyB]

WOW it Works!! (Clogged Skimmer VENTURI ) Cleaning Trick

For Years, I've been suffering due to Skimmer Venturi clogging. Yup I still have a EuroReef Classic Skimmer (Actually two)

I read a while ago, about a guy who ran a Dosing pump on a timer, to flush the Skimmer AIRLINE with a few drops of Fresh Water. He said Skimmer would It would never CLOG

I never did it, and then Last Year, I ran Fresh Linelines to thru my Basement Window to Draw in more Oxygen.

It raised my PH to better levels from 6.7/6.8 to just over 8/8.1 (since CO2 does build up in more modern houses that are sealed, from cooking, etc)

That airline prevented me from doing the Dosing PUMP Fresh Water Trick.
I would sometimes blow a blast of air into the Venturi line from my Bicycle compressor and that would SHORTLY BUY ME SOME TIME.

Today my skimmer plugged, and output was running like Crazy. Didn't feel like getting compressor out of Garage...and I had cuts on my hand and didn't feel like removing Skimmer to clean Venturi.

So I tried the Trick.

It worked immediately.

I wonder how long it will last, but I bet better than a Blast of Air.
With my Fresh Air Line, I still can do this cleaning Everytime I clean Skimmer CUP.

 

[WallyB]

GONE is an ERA......

MY 65 Gal and MH Lighting Fixture setup has gone up for sale.

http://gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1742666#post1742666

 

[WallyB]

SPS FRAG (Reference Photo Time) The First DT occupants [ FEARSOME FOURSOME ]

Since the first two Frag's from Tenurepro Tank are doing great, I'm build some trust in my Tank. And also in Tenurepro's SPS Husbandry.

So I got two more of his beauties, and they went straight into the New Tank (just a brief dip)

These are brave Lad's since there is still element of risk in the new Tank.

Wishing them all the best.

 

[tenurepro]

SPS FRAG (Reference Photo Time) The First DT occupants [ FEARSOME FOURSOME ]

Since the first two Frag's from Tenurepro Tank are doing great, I'm build some trust in my Tank. And also in Tenurepro's SPS Husbandry.

So I got two more of his beauties, and they went straight into the New Tank (just a brief dip)

These are brave Lad's since there is still element of risk in the new Tank.

Wishing them all the best.

Go fearsome four!

 

[WallyB]

My first RTN on the Acropora Tenius (in Hacked Together - Frag Tank) Chicken'd OUT. Moved all to DT.

The DIY Steve's LED fixture has alway given my problems. Burnt my Frags, and did it again this time.

Not sure why (maybe Spectrum) since PARS were ok.

So I just moved all the Frag to DT since they got a good bath in the Clean FT anyway.

Hoping the remaining FT frags haven't sustained any damage and recover in the DT.

Will mount these soon on rocks.

 

[WallyB]

SAD NEWS!!! (My Reef Tank Mate [Timmy the Hamster] has Passed away

Timmy was my Daughter's Hamster. I probably only held him Only a couple of times over the Last Two years.

But his cage was right next to my Tank Man Cave, so he kept me company many late nights of TANK Maintenance work. (Always peeking at what I was up to, at any late hour)

Today we found that he passed away peacefully....Curled up in his Sleep bin, Bedding all tidy and fluffed to perfection like always. I know he died peacefully.

We've had like 4-5 hamsters over the years. Most of them died in rough shape, escaped, or had accidents before they passed away.

I think he died of a heart-Attack from a Treat Overload. He escaped two nights ago, and there was a treat bag on the Cage table. Got them all into his cheeks. I found him on the floor, and put him back. Maybe that's was did it, since he was perfectly healthy, even last night.

Timmy was special, and his housing complex grew, as each of my 3 children had different Cages (Past hamsters, and friend donation), and Timmy got them all, combined into a MEGACage.

HE WILL BE MISSED.

 

[NY_Caveman]

SAD NEWS!!! (My Reef Tank Mate [Timmy the Hamster] has Passed away

Timmy was my Daughter's Hamster. I probably only held him Only a couple of times over the Last Two years.

But his cage was right next to my Tank Man Cave, so he kept me company many late nights of TANK Maintenance work. (Always peeking at what I was up to, at any late hour)

Today we found that he passed away peacefully....Curled up in his Sleep bin, Bedding all tidy and fluffed to perfection like always. I know he died peacefully.

We've had like 4-5 hamsters over the years. Most of them died in rough shape, escaped, or had accidents before they passed away.

I think he died of a heart-Attack from a Treat Overload. He escaped two nights ago, and there was a treat bag on the Cage table. Got them all into his cheeks. I found him on the floor, and put him back. Maybe that's was did it, since he was perfectly healthy, even last night.

Timmy was special, and his housing complex grew, as each of my 3 children had different Cages (Past hamsters, and friend donation), and Timmy got them all, combined into a MEGACage.

HE WILL BE MISSED.

Sad news. RIP Timmy.

 

[WallyB]

Sad news. RIP Timmy.

I know that Timmy was excited about seeing the new Tank coming together.
I will respect his last wishes ……..and get a HIGH END SPS in memory of him. Or two....Or THREE

 

[tenurepro]

I think Timmy would have wanted you to get an RR Pink Cadillac R.I.P. Timmy
Que in Boys II Men ‘s ‘it’s so sad to say goodbye’

 

[WallyB]

I think Timmy would have wanted you to get an RR Pink Cadillac R.I.P. Timmy
Que in Boys II Men ‘s ‘it’s so sad to say goodbye’

That's a good Start.
Timmy told me you have a Cadillac Frag for sale. He always wanted to see one in person.
My wife should understand. This isn't for me. It's for Timmy!!

 

[WallyB]

THE NEW (CaribSea Rock Arch) is looking like a Sore Thumb ( Brown Algae Aging Stage ...I hope )

So that nice (Purple Coraline Color painted Rock ARCH) isnt' Purple anymore. It's covered in Ugly Brown Algae.

For those who don't, know I am terrified of Algae from past experience.

But the rest of the LIVE rock is generally fine. Small light patches here and there (ever since I cranked up Lighting to SPS intensity)

I do need to increase my Snail count to do some Natural Pruning.

The Emerald crabs will no longer be fed any Nori.

I wish I had an Alage Blenny like in my other tank (he polishes ever rock clean)

But this is all part of New Tank Syndrome, and I'm luck I'm starting with Mostly Aged Live rock (or things would be much worse)

At a bit of Mitigation, I'm removing my one Purple Plus ATI Bulb, and putting in a Blue Plus (to reduce Algae growing RED spectrum)

 

[WallyB]

Ahhh. I may have found a contributing Factor.

I went to remove the Purple Bulb to replace it with a Blue Plus.

I and I found out That Purple Plus wasn't a Purple Plus, it was a OLD Korallen-Zucht FIJI PURPLE

No wonder why the Tank look amazing during the brief period it was on. The FIJI Purple is a really nice bulb (but not good when OLD/Expired)

I was fooling around during the Fixture Build to try a Purple bulb.
I never installed the Brand New ATI Purple plus bulb.

I still will put in the Blue Plus till the Algae settles down.

 

[WallyB]

SMART Fish FEEDING (AUTOMATION) SETUP with [SmartRelay,Apex, IO Breakout, RF Button and ** Programmed PUMP Control **]

With the Algae starting up with the Tank, I got around to doing something I should have done much Earlier (A FEED MODE). At least before fish went in.

Basically I've been feeding the fish with General Circulation, and to some degree FEEDING Extra, since the Copperband is still learning how to Eat Frozen.
The Copperband is good at getting the Masttick Food on my Feeder Stick, but that kind of feeding in a pain (which I don't want to do more than once a day)
The fish gobble up most of the Frozen before he barely manages to catch a tidbit or two. He will learn eventually.

SO I WANTED to SLOW down the Circulation, in a FEED MODE using APEX Programming.
Easily done with the FEED Option, or as many people do with a Mechanical Switch and and Apex IO Breakout module.

To be honest, I've been plugging pumps out of wall, since things are not yet properly setup. (And FORGETTING to plug them back in)

So....I went a BIT MORE ADVANCED, using some technology I figure out for my Office/Home Theatre Smart Lighting.

Here is the (SMART FEEDER) HARDWARE Setup I just installed.

(Just the beginning, since I'll be expanding Automatino features for Tank Lighting, etc)

I'll probably post a dedicated Thread (if anyone is interested) with the details but in a NUTSHELL here is how it works.

-> Instead of a CLASSIC Push Button, the SONOFF BOX is a SET of BUTTONs (that can be pushed through Automation)

(1)-> Can be pushed with the Buttons on the (SONOFF BOX)
(2)-> Can be pushed with the (SMART HOME App on a Phone, Tablet, etc)
(3)-> Can be pushed with a (RF Remote Button)

(4)-> Can be pushed (via VOICE Command, using ALEXA, or Google Speaker/Assistant)

Any one of the 4 pushes above, Triggers A FEED Mode on the APEX. (which can be many things, that Apex Controls)

For the current setup I will be using TWO BUTTONS and some basic programming

-> One Button or Alex Command for a Quiet Mode (so Copperband can get some food, and in general Efficient Feeding for all the Fish)
-> One Button or Alex Command for a SWEEP Mode (a Post Feeding Short burst of Ciculation to re-suspend some of the settled Food)

The Remote buttons are cheap ($4), the SONOFF module ($29 US), however I can still do much more with it.

https://www.amazon.com/Sonoff-Autom...873376&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=sonoff+pro&psc=1
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/86-...4ef8dce&transAbTest=ae803_2&priceBeautifyAB=0

I installed my RF button Next to Tank like this

The programming on the Apex is very flexible:

Simple like [Turn off all pumps],

or more Advanced (BLINK a T5 Bulb to TRAIN FISH food is coming, Stop Sea Swirl for 40 seconds, Turn off this pump, Slow down Return Pump, do this, do that, etc, etc)

I know this will help having this in place for the Nutrients for the SPS, and avoid Algae and other Waste Caused problems.

And for ($1 if you get from China), I got a LEARNING RF 4-Button remote for my Keychain, that copies the Code from the Remote Button, so I have that handy too.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4-K...dIAaSZe&transAbTest=ae803_2&priceBeautifyAB=0

I paid a bit more on AMAZON for a 2 Pack (one for Tank, and one for Office/Theatre Lighting), plus I didn't want to wait 6-8 weeks for it to arrive.

This multi-WAY FEEDMODE setup, especially with ALEXA at my DESK, Will allow me to dash in THROW IN FOOD, get back to my desk on other side of Wall,
and control things while I watch the fish from the Front side of the tank. Sitting comfortably at my desk.

Onward....(Plenty more to do...To complete this new TANK).

 

[Rakie]

You've been busy! Glad everything is coming together nicely.

 

[WallyB]

ing

You've been busy! Glad everything is coming together nicely.

Yes I have been busy, ....The auto feeder thing ONLY took 2 hours to setup, since I already learned all the Smart stuff for the Home Theatre lighting.

-> Anthias (3 remaining) are doing really well. Had a Nitrite spike [Typical thing with new Fish as you overfeed QT] , and I think I never noticed that (could by why the last Athias died during Transfer)
-> The Angel's tail is healing, but I see a fleck on one fin. Monitoring closely since I haven't started Copper Treatment in that QT, but if a 2nd Fleck appears anywhere I will start Copper
-> Lost one Frag (Tenius) but the rest are Fine. Tenurepro provided me one of his Tenius Frags.

-> For ALK Dosing I am trying to keep up with increased consumption. Everytime I increase Dose, I fall behind on Alk (Must be more lighting, and adding Frags)

-> I also decided to DIM down the NEW TANK Lighting (20%) and Reduce Photo period (6hrs from 8) to control the Algae on the new Rocks (and let the CUC get a handle on pruning).

-> Been also busy doing a solid reset/restore on my other Kitchen Tank. Torches were fading, and I lost one. But a bit of detritus cleanup, water changes, GFO got the tank on a recovery path. Looks great...Even my sensitive Acan have all perked up.

Really want to get Fish QT out of the Way. Mount Frags, and Sit back and start Enjoying the tank (Watching SPS GROW).

 

[Rakie]

One thing about LED is they penetrate water like no other, and supposedly, penetrate deeper into coral flesh than halide or t5.

After cutting, dipping, and water parameter change they will be more sensitive, and I would out them at the bottom for a few days to acclimate. That may have been why they were unhappy in your frag tank.

As for your skimmer problem -- first I'd suggest considering a new one. In the mean time, I flush mine with fresh water often. At least once a week.. additionally, you can put upwards of 10ml of h2o2 (hydrogen peroxide) into the air line, it will help clean it up immensely. Beware some shrimp don't react well to it in the water. Most people use 1ml per 10g water volume. So for you, 10ml should be fine.