Build That Cube!!! 40G First Reef Build!

MSOEME2009 · Jun 28, 2018

Kanaplex + Focus + sera fishtamin (vitamins). I will hit up walgreens for some epsom salt tonight for swelling

I made 6 frozen cubes of food with the medication in it.

Not sure if it's fin rot or bullying. The other pectoral fin is now missing pieces/split. I haven't seen anything major in the tank. The wrasse does come at him once or twice a day but the card moves away. However it stays in the back section of the tank. Doesn't explore or roam. Not sure if it feels threatened or just likes the more opens section the corner provides.

We will see...

MSOEME2009 · Jun 28, 2018

Well I guess they're nocturnal. Lights just went out and he's roaming the tank...

MSOEME2009 · Jul 2, 2018

Update:

The bad:
Last cardinal died after fighting fin rot & an eye infection... Kanaplex didn't save him. It was probably my fault for rushing to get more livestock even when my gut said "do not" after seeing a coral beauty in distress.

I'm going through some algae on my sand and an island rock. Brown and nasty. I posted a separate thread in the algae forum.

The one hermit crab keeps knocking off my GSP tower; the second gluing killed my newly developing polyps ;Shifty; it's just hanging in there now.

The good:
I got the neptune DOS. I was hesitant to get it because of the cost but the simple interface is worth it. Construction is good, and I used my thin wall RODI tube instead of the clear stuff that came with it. I used 2x space saver jugs from BRS to fit in the cabinet. NO MORE ROOM!

The hammer coral + mushrooms are doing great. So is the gramma + six line. I couldn't get a picture of the six line, he's scared to death of the phone...

MSOEME2009 · Jul 3, 2018

Well I think I'm in the Dino battle from what others have said based on pictures.

I've shortened my lighting period, eliminated whites, put a new sock in, started a 1/10 mL dose of H2O2 BID.

Checked PO4 today was at 9 ppb (0.03) again, dosed 10 mL of PO4. Will check tomorrow again to get it to around 0.1 PPM . Nitrates are dropping, just hit 3 PPM. I've altered my skimmer to shut down at night now while the refugium is on (only 8 hours). Not that it probably makes a difference, I lowered my tank temperature from 79 to 78 with the thought that the metabolism would slow.

I will probably pick up a green killing machine UV today (24W = 0.5 W/G). Will probably pick up some stump remover to try to get 10 PPM.

The funny thing is that the fighting conch is plowing through it, which makes me suspect it isn't... However I don't think the above treatments will be ill advised either way.

Figures as I have some frags coming Tuesday...

Aaron-A2 · Jul 3, 2018

If it's dino, my recommendation - and what worked for me - is a 3-5 day blackout. Boxed the entire tank up, fed with lights off, done.

MSOEME2009 · Jul 13, 2018

Small update; the sand problem has somewhat subsided. I only skim 12 hours now, plus the fighting conch has done a great job. I thought I lost a crab (not in shell) and I threw away his exoskeleton (I thought wrasse got him), but he just molted! I have a TON of pods in this tank; they're everywhere! +1 to @AlgaeBarn product!

I bought some coral on eBay; I was pleasantly surprised. They came out immediate and the color is great (my phone doesn't do it justice... need filter...)

Yellow Torch:

Yellow Hammer:

Candy Lobo:

Blue/Yellow Florida:

My teal hammer is growing! Two new heads!

MSOEME2009 · Jul 13, 2018

Does anyone else get cyano in their skimmer???

MSOEME2009 · Sep 12, 2018

Sorry I have been MIA. I've just let the tank do its thing and not mess with it.

Here's a few notes over the last few months: SPS does well here. I added a green monti-cap and stylo about a month ago and am seeing great growth. The stylo is branching out from a small single stick to about 5 spots and the girth has gotten 3x in size. The monti-cap is growing in all directions. The fire shrimp I added has been growing well and has already molted around 3 times, each time when I see his exoskeleton in the power head thinking he was a goner. I just added a lepto, another stylo, and a chalice yesterday along with a lawnmower blenny. Even though algae has been very minimal on this tank. I've gone out of town for weeks at a time only to come back on the weekend, scrape the glass, and change my pre-filter floss while emptying the cup. Purple coraline is coming in.

Nutrients (or lack of) have been an issue. I cannot keep nitrates. My PO4 averages at 0.02 PPM while I dose NO3 every day/other day to keep it at 0.5-1.0 PPM; otherwise some of the coral (mainly the meteor) was bleaching and dying back. My chaeto only gets trimmed once every few weeks and keeps a small size but dense. The sump is nasty with film and some hair.

The DOS has been great, set and forget with weekly testing to make sure I'm on track. I needed to make a Ca adjustment yesterday, I was pretty low at 375 because I haven't tested that for a month. Same with Mg (but my 2 part is almost out) which was to be expected. I use the Red Sea 4 part trace weekly.

Good or bad, I have not done a water change in months. Tank looks good, why bother if I feed well and replenish trace.

I just cleaned my return pump and power heads a few days ago for the first time. Flow on the return is better. My Apex said I was down to 36W from now 44W. Flow seems better. I also broke a MP10 wet side by dropping it (***); it still works fine however, the ceramic part of the shaft came off at the base exposing the metal slightly. I hope it's titanium or stainless. I noticed the tip is exposed on the unit and have not noticed corrosion. Next time I clean, if I see corrosion, I'll buy another....

Just an FYI, if you fill your ATO manually like me, pay attention. I hook my RODI up to it once every two weeks or so; however I've managed to overflow it not once, but TWO TIMES. I get sidetracked with meetings or something and all of a sudden I have a OMG moment. My office is on top of my kitchen and has engineered flooring (luckily), the first time, I was able to take out my can lights, find the water and use towels to prevent drywall damage. Second time, I missed a spot and the water found its way into a drywall seam and now is slightly discolored.

Now I set a timer every time. Maybe I really need the Apex leak detector kit...

Pntbll687 · Sep 12, 2018

MSOEME2009 said:
Sorry I have been MIA. I've just let the tank do its thing and not mess with it.

Here's a few notes over the last few months: SPS does well here. I added a green monti-cap and stylo about a month ago and am seeing great growth. The stylo is branching out from a small single stick to about 5 spots and the girth has gotten 3x in size. The monti-cap is growing in all directions. The fire shrimp I added has been growing well and has already molted around 3 times, each time when I see his exoskeleton in the power head thinking he was a goner. I just added a lepto, another stylo, and a chalice yesterday along with a lawnmower blenny. Even though algae has been very minimal on this tank. I've gone out of town for weeks at a time only to come back on the weekend, scrape the glass, and change my pre-filter floss while emptying the cup. Purple coraline is coming in.

Nutrients (or lack of) have been an issue. I cannot keep nitrates. My PO4 averages at 0.02 PPM while I dose NO3 every day/other day to keep it at 0.5-1.0 PPM; otherwise some of the coral (mainly the meteor) was bleaching and dying back. My chaeto only gets trimmed once every few weeks and keeps a small size but dense. The sump is nasty with film and some hair.

The DOS has been great, set and forget with weekly testing to make sure I'm on track. I needed to make a Ca adjustment yesterday, I was pretty low at 375 because I haven't tested that for a month. Same with Mg (but my 2 part is almost out) which was to be expected. I use the Red Sea 4 part trace weekly.

Good or bad, I have not done a water change in months. Tank looks good, why bother if I feed well and replenish trace.

I just cleaned my return pump and power heads a few days ago for the first time. Flow on the return is better. My Apex said I was down to 36W from now 44W. Flow seems better. I also broke a MP10 wet side by dropping it (***); it still works fine however, the ceramic part of the shaft came off at the base exposing the metal slightly. I hope it's titanium or stainless. I noticed the tip is exposed on the unit and have not noticed corrosion. Next time I clean, if I see corrosion, I'll buy another....

Just an FYI, if you fill your ATO manually like me, pay attention. I hook my RODI up to it once every two weeks or so; however I've managed to overflow it not once, but TWO TIMES. I get sidetracked with meetings or something and all of a sudden I have a OMG moment. My office is on top of my kitchen and has engineered flooring (luckily), the first time, I was able to take out my can lights, find the water and use towels to prevent drywall damage. Second time, I missed a spot and the water found its way into a drywall seam and now is slightly discolored.

Now I set a timer every time. Maybe I really need the Apex leak detector kit...

Looking good!

We've all been there with filing containers and forgetting about it.

I silicone a magnet to a float valve so I can put it on any container

MSOEME2009 · Feb 28, 2019

Had to close the tank down. New baby so it would have been two tank moves (a toddler is taking my office) and then we'll work on a larger house. Here are some parting photos. When I get settled into our new house, I'll look to have a setup that puts this to shame.

It's amazing to see what a year does...