135.4 Waterbox build chronicle and trials

crazysun · Jan 14, 2019

Flooding the thread with updates today after a three month hiatus. A lot has happened, a tank interruption, temperature issues, new light controller, and a new pest (but he's pretty cool).

My 14 year old daughter has been spending more time in the basement where the tank is located. She had a sleep over one weekend and I forgot to fill the ATO. Well, the ATO alarm went off in the night and she decided that it was too annoying to sleep with, instead of getting me to help she took matters into her own hands. She found an off button, pressed it and no more alarm. Back to sleep for her. What she found was the main power supply switch. All life support was turned off. I didn't find it until about noon the next day wondering why the tank lights were not on. After asking her what happened she told me how annoying my tank is and she got a good nights sleep after she took care of the loud interrupting sound. 12 hours in the dark and cold. We sure did have a talk after that and now it is a dad joke that she thinks is more annoying then the alarm.

The inkbird was been 5-7 degrees off since the power outage. It took me a few weeks to figure out the issue and adjusted the settings on the controller.

I place a new Kessil Spectral controller on my lights and have been messing with the lights way more than I should. I have no way to know how much light and color I am flooding into the tank. After the above issue and disco lighting changing I think I have beached the upper corals and the lowers were ticked. I think I have it somewhat figured out.

The new pest is a Golden Head Sleeper Goby and Sand. (If you can't guess, I am going to post about him)

crazysun · Jan 14, 2019

Golden Head Sleeper Goby. I love and hate this guy.

This fish is active and quite the work horse. He keeps the sand aerated and clean. The problem is he buries everything. He rearranged the whole floor of the tank. I had to move a lot of coral and all the lower coral are aggravated all the time. I need to blow all the rocks off daily. He is fun to watch and I will never be able to catch him. Even though I enjoy him he was a mistake.

See he keeps sifting sand.

buried my Zoa island.

A real *******.

crazysun · Jan 14, 2019

Got a Mini Maxi Anemone. This guy is great and growing big.

crazysun · Jan 14, 2019

I liked the Mini Maxi Anemone so much I wanted more. I got a Rock Flower Anemone. I am starting to like Anemones, maybe a bulb tip next.

crazysun · Jan 15, 2019

Placed a second tang in the tank. I was wondering how the two tangs were going to mix. It was a good experience, it chilled out the Tommi Tang. They had a bit of discovery time but overall the now both spare ruling the tank.

crazysun · Jan 15, 2019

Took some phone pictures under the blues. Samsung s7

kireek · Jan 18, 2019

Well done and documented! I like your selection of corals.I'm sure you will have a blooming mixed reef in time.

crazysun · Jan 29, 2019

Latest water test.
Temp: 77.5 - 78.5
Salinity: 35 1.025
PH: 8.2 Hanna Checker
Alk: 9.8 Red sea test
CA: 430 Red sea test
MG: 1480 Red sea test
Nitrates: 16+ Red sea test
Phosphates: 0.03 Hanna Checker UL

With a wacky ligth schedule change and nitrates over 16 + I am having more algae than I want. Nitrates are to high for my liking and the corals are not happy. Some corals are suffering.

crazysun · Jan 29, 2019

I am starting an upgrade project. I wanted to plumb a manifold and going to run a couple of reactors. One with carbon and the other to deal with my higher nitrates. All of a sudden like that nitrates were higher. I am going to run a bio reactor. Hopefully in several weeks I will not have to worry about higher nitrates.

crazysun · Jan 31, 2019

I have been preforming water changes for the last couple of days and the corals have responded very well. I believe the algae and higher nitrates are bothering most of the corals. It also does not help that my light schedule was not consistent until now.

crazysun · Jan 31, 2019

Installed the manifold and the carbon reactor. Reactor running smoothly.

crazysun · Jan 31, 2019

During my last Dental appointment I ask for an extra tooth brush. I told them what I was going to use them for my aquarium and they set me up. The brushes are very stiff and small to maneuver. I am going to use them to clean off the algae on the rocks. They work pretty good.

crazysun · Jan 31, 2019

Added the biopellet reactor. Hooked it up and it is running smooth. Issue might be is I didn't start it slowly. I added about a cup and a half of bio media. I should have added half as much and then add up to the max a week or so later. My nitrates were down to 4 with water changes. Hoping there is no bacterial bloom.

crazysun · Feb 1, 2019

Ok, I had enough of the sleeper goby burying all my low lying corals in sand. I put up a 10 gallon tank to hold my mushrooms and zoas. This will free up some space to try and catch him. I kind of hate him and sand right now. This is just one of the issues and changes going on.

crazysun · Feb 3, 2019

Mushrooms and Zoas transfered. They seem to be doing well.

crazysun · Feb 3, 2019

Issues I am dealing with at the moment.
1. I have higher nitrates than I would want. The nitrates were getting between 16 and 24 ppm. Battling it with several water changes and added a Biopellet reactor.
2. I have three or more different types of algae on the rocks. I believe it is because of the change of the light schedule and higher nitrates. I changed the light schedule and attacking issue number 1 above.
3. I am losing a Hollywood stunner chalice, Duncan, and a Cyphastrea corals. Attacking the light schedule and nitrates should help else they are just lost. The other corals have reacted well to the water changes. The Acans have been very puffy.
4. Golden Head Sleeper Goby from hell.

crazysun · Feb 3, 2019

Corals I am currently losing.

crazysun · Feb 3, 2019

Algae I am dealing with. Most of the GHA only grows half way up the rocks. The Cyano grows mostly on the top half of the rocks. Then there is a bright grean algae on the sand bed.