135.4 Waterbox build chronicle and trials

[Fudsey]

@xoomercom No idea why but if you ask around you'll see. Chromis can be deadly to each other. Might be the tight confines of a tank. No idea really.

@crazysun I added a bristle worm to my tank on purpose

 

[NY_Caveman]

Found another hitchhiker. This one is a good one, a Brittle Star. Small and hard to photograph. How do they replicate or multiply? Wouldn't mind a couple more. Hitchhikers I do not want are Bristle Worns.

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Bristleworms are excellent CUC, but many folks are weirded out by them. I definitely keep mine.

 

[NY_Caveman]

@xoomercom No idea why but if you ask around you'll see. Chromis can be deadly to each other. Might be the tight confines of a tank. No idea really.

@crazysun I added a bristle worm to my tank on purpose

LOL, jinx!

 

[mta_morrow]

I just came across a website on here that sells cool packages that include micro brittle stars and bristleworms.

I just looked in my save threads and it’s not there!

I was going to order a pack. I want some in my tanks as well @Fudsey!

 

[crazysun]

Bristleworms are excellent CUC, but many folks are weirded out by them. I definitely keep mine.

Just not a fan. Ugly and some can get pretty big. The tank I had years ago had several. I will probably get some some time.

 

[crazysun]

@xoomercom No idea why but if you ask around you'll see. Chromis can be deadly to each other. Might be the tight confines of a tank. No idea really.

@crazysun I added a bristle worm to my tank on purpose

The four that I have are peaceful until it is feeding time. Then it is every Chromis for themself. They are very competitive with the food.

 

[NY_Caveman]

http://www.ipsf.com/

They have worms, micro stars and tons of other goodies. I have not ordered from them before but am about to for my new build.

 

[mta_morrow]

http://www.ipsf.com/

They have worms, micro stars and tons of other goodies. I have not ordered from them before but am about to for my new build.

Thanks! That’s the site I was trying to find again!

 

[BZOFIQ]

@xoomercom No idea why but if you ask around you'll see. Chromis can be deadly to each other. Might be the tight confines of a tank. No idea really.

Not that I don't believe you, I've seen numerous posts recently about same, its just that I wanted to get a dozen or so for my new build and now I am questioning whether there is a way to successfully keep a "school"

 

[crazysun]

Last water test.
Temp: 78.8
Salinity: 35
PH: 8.2 red sea test
Alk: 8 red sea test, at 10 three days ago
CA: --
MG: --
Nitrates: 1 red sea test
Phosphates: 0.00 hanna checker UL

Skipping the weekly water change to a bi weekly water change.

I like using the media cups instead of socks. So far works good changing a filter pad weekly when I clean the skimmer cup. I see that Red Sea has came out with a media cup too.

 

[mch1984]

Tank looks good, I used to complain about bristle worms then learned to like them. When i upgraded my tank I started with all new rock and redid frag disc and plugs on my coral. Somehow I ended up with none in the tank wish I had some. Funny how things come around like that. I see more and more people going with filter cups instead of socks. Makes me wonder if I should as well.

 

[crazysun]

Tank looks good, I used to complain about bristle worms then learned to like them. When i upgraded my tank I started with all new rock and redid frag disc and plugs on my coral. Somehow I ended up with none in the tank wish I had some. Funny how things come around like that. I see more and more people going with filter cups instead of socks. Makes me wonder if I should as well.

Being new to sumps and socks, went right away to the media cup. I run carbon in one cup and have the other for a future GFO bag. I place a filter pad inside the cup that I change 3 to 4 weeks and a pad over the cups that I change weekly. I feel it is a lot easier to maintain.

Just don't like to see the worms in the sand against the glass. I will probably have them introduce by accident in the future.

 

[crazysun]

Added the Tomini Tang to the house. She is a bit shy, but being the biggest fish she will own the tank. I am planning on adding a yellow tang in the future. We will have to see how that will go with her owning the tank.

 

[crazysun]

I like these shots of my mushrooms

View attachment 20180721_175053.jpg

 

[crazysun]

Latest water test.
Temp: 78.8 - 79.5
Salinity: 35 1.026
PH: 8.2 red sea test
Alk: 9.2 red sea test
CA: 450 red sea test
MG: 1540 - 1600 red sea test
Nitrates: .25 red sea test
Phosphates: 0.00 hanna checker UL

Using Red Sea Coral Pro salt. I really have nothing or very small frags that are absorbing the elements. Is the magnesium high? And are the nitrates and phosphates too low?

 

[crazysun]

During feeding time I notice the tank was colder. I checked the temperature and it was hanging around 74.4. It was a little odd to see that the coral frags I have were not as colorful and recessed. The Toadstool and GSP, that have great polyp extension, where retracted in their body. I had my two month old heater stop working. I took a gamble on only running one heater at the start of the tank. I was planning to add another heater sometime in the future. Those sometime in the future plans can bite you in the butt or never materialize. I threw in my heater from my water mixing station and went to Pet Co. I bought two 200 watt heaters and placed them in the sump. The tank got down to 74.2 on one thermometer and 73.8 on another. After about an hour the tank was climbing back up to 75.4.

I think that they should make a better heater that we can rely on with todays technology. I see and hear too many stories of heater failures. This is a good lesson for me on redundant life support. Someday a controller will be in works.

Tank at 74 degrees pic...

 

[Fudsey]

I have had that happen numerous times so I bought the Finnex controller. Best thing I have done

 

[crazysun]

I have had that happen numerous times so I bought the Finnex controller. Best thing I have done

I'll have to look into that controller. The heater that went out was a Finnex 250 watt.

 

[Fudsey]

I don't trust heaters at all.

https://www.amazon.com/Finnex-Tempe...pID=41SxzZIkcYL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

 

[Fudsey]

I set the temp on the heater to around 80-82 and then the controller at 79. This way if the controller fails it will keep the heat up but the alarm will go off as I have it set to 81 high and 77 low.