Choss' 96 gallon Reef Savvy "Nano" Tank

[choss]

I haven't seen the little guy in about 2 weeks. We will see shortly when I add the live rock to the tank. I believe he moved into a new rock so I will see if I can get him to come out. I hope he didn't die on me.

Good news, Fred the Mantis is alive and well. Last night I spotted him under his original rock just after lights out. This morning I heard him clicking away. He may be trying to break down a snail I added to his thank this week. This weekend I will be adding about 20 lbs of the live rock to the display and sump so I’ll have to be careful that Fred doesn’t accidentally make the transfer.

 

[Mattres]

Just catching up on your thread mate and you’re making some good progress! I liked the short video and like how your scape turned out.

 

[choss]

Thanks Matt. Are you back from the states? I am happy with the scape - I probably over thought things but the scape was pretty important to me. I did take your advice and I have about 15lbs - 20 lbs of live rock in there as well. I added two very small pieces to the display (which I can remove at a later time but they actually work well so I may leave them), and a few pieces to the sump. That was a few days ago. I added a bottle of Dr Tim's bacteria, and then started some ghost feeding. After 4-5 days everything except amonia is at 0 (amonia is at .25) except my PO which jumped from .23 to 1.23. I am not yet running the skimmer or any carbon/GFO - I am waiting on some chaeto from Algae Barn but will fire up the skimmer this weekend when I am back from my travels. If you would do anything different (like add GFO) let me know. I'm keeping the display lights off and so far no algae in the display.

 

[Z3speed4me]

Definitely going to follow this thread; a ReefSavvy build is in the plans for my future upgrade, they truly are made incredibly well!

You really should have no need for GFO with zero bioload, honestly I hate the stuff in general.

 

[choss]

Z3 - great to have you along - thanks for following. I've never used GFO on my tanks although I thught about it on my current 40 where I had a few algae issue doing an all dry rock build. I'm hoping the addition of some fresh live rock will help on that front with this build. I will probably fire up the skimmer this weekend once I take some readings on the tank. I've been looking forward to testing out my Rlss skimmer.

 

[Mattres]

Thanks Matt. Are you back from the states? I am happy with the scape - I probably over thought things but the scape was pretty important to me. I did take your advice and I have about 15lbs - 20 lbs of live rock in there as well. I added two very small pieces to the display (which I can remove at a later time but they actually work well so I may leave them), and a few pieces to the sump. That was a few days ago. I added a bottle of Dr Tim's bacteria, and then started some ghost feeding. After 4-5 days everything except amonia is at 0 (amonia is at .25) except my PO which jumped from .23 to 1.23. I am not yet running the skimmer or any carbon/GFO - I am waiting on some chaeto from Algae Barn but will fire up the skimmer this weekend when I am back from my travels. If you would do anything different (like add GFO) let me know. I'm keeping the display lights off and so far no algae in the display.

Not back yet, just arrived in Jasper Canada. Came from Sunshine mountain in Banff skiing for the first time, wow! will be trying to do that a lot more from now on! I think we arrive in New York on the 9th of March.
I’m glad you went with a scape that you’re happy with and one you’ve been imagining for a long time. I think that’s the most important thing with a scape, bringing to life what you’ve got pictured in your head!
The additions of live rock should help boost your diversity and get the tank running smoothly!
Yea I wouldn’t bother with GFO, I haven’t used it in years. In fact my Mini ran high phosphates for years with no ill effects.
I think fire up the skimmer when your back like u said and let the tank do it’s thing!

 

[choss]

Awesome. Enjoy your adventure and if you have time in NY send me a PM and maybe we meet up for a quick drink.

 

[Mattres]

Awesome. Enjoy your adventure and if you have time in NY send me a PM and maybe we meet up for a quick drink.

Sounds great, I’ll let you know!

 

[choss]

Update
So having added about 15 lbs of live rock to my sump and display, I started ghost feeding the tank and taking measurements to see if the tank is cycling. I waited about a week and then fired up my skimmer.

RLSS R6i review:

I turned on the skimmer, dialed down the DC pump to the lowest setting, and got perfect foam. No adjustments needed, been running like a champ for about a week. And considering I'm only ghost feeding it has already managed to pull out a bit of gunk. Anyway, it is plug and play and extremely quiet. I'll revisit once the tank is stocked and I'm feeding heavier.

RLSS R6i by choerenz, on Flickr

Next I added Chaeto that I purchased from Algae Barn. They were a bit behind in their supply, so I had to wait about an extra week before I received delivery. It is really nice looking - clean, a very light but healthy looking green, and its now in the sump floating above the live rock which I have on a platform above the heaters.

rock in sump by choerenz, on Flickr

chaeto & rock by choerenz, on Flickr

Early in this build I mentioned a mistake I made in my manifold, and that I had wasted a nice union valve that I'd never use. But, I have found this valve to be really useful. You will see form my readings below, my salinity was a bit high in the first few days of running the tank. It occurred to me that the manifold is a perfect way to do emergency water changes. So I was able to quickly drain about 10 gallons of water and watched with amazement as the little osmolator pump was able to keep up replacing the water as i took out a gallon at a time.

I've also been using the manifold line to blow water through the refugium section where I am getting build up of detritus from the live rock. It works like a charm. I just turn the water flow on for a minute or two and blow all the gunk up and into the foam block that is separating my fuge chamber from the return pump.

manifold tube by choerenz, on Flickr

I've been testing my water and here are the readings so far:

water testing 3_10 by choerenz, on Flickr

I am not seeing much of a cycle. It could be because I have 2 liters of seasoned siporax in the sump, or maybe it is the live rock, but other than a very small rise in ammonia readings, and one nitrite blip, I'm not seeing any movement indicating a traditional cycle. So later today I will add my first fish, which is likely to be a clown fish that I added a few months back to my 40 gallon AIO tank. This clown has not yet really bonded with my resident clown, but they seem to now get along well enough.

Here is a list of other fish that I have in various tanks and also some wish list fish, that I would love some opinions on as to what order I should add them later. The ones in bold I have already in my holding tanks:

Ocellaris Clown fish
Starry Blenny (Salarias ramosus)
Yellow Watchman Golby
Square Tail Bristletooth Tang
Six Line Wrasse

Wish List
Chromis Damsels
Purple Tang
Flasher Wrasse
Purple & Yellow Wrasse
Fairy Wrasse
One or two smaller gobies

I suppose the real question here is whether I need to add the tangs at once (I plan to limit to two tangs) and whether I can add the six line wrasse at all. Maybe if its the last fish in?

 

[Dan I]

Tangs separate times should be fine since they're from different families. If you really desire the six line, I would advise to place that fish last. They are small fish with big attitudes and think they are the one true king of the tank as they mature.

 

[Janci]

Great update and nice to see the tank is coming along nicely.
The live rock and siporax will deal with the cycle for sure.

Purple tang should be the last tang to add. They are great personalities and will dominate the scene.
The sixline... lovely fish but it limits the possibility to add more fishes afterwards.
If you stick with your list, indeed better to add this one also as last.

 

[YHSublime]

I’d avoid the six line, but that’s just me. Tanks looking great!

 

[choss]

Tangs separate times should be fine since they're from different families. If you really desire the six line, I would advise to place that fish last. They are small fish with big attitudes and think they are the one true king of the tank as they mature.

Yes I thought as much as well. I think one from each family is the max and they will have very different coloration - not sure how much that maters but I thought I'd steer clear of a yellow tang because the kole is bright yellow (although turning darker towards brown each week).

Great update and nice to see the tank is coming along nicely.
The live rock and siporax will deal with the cycle for sure.

Purple tang should be the last tang to add. They are great personalities and will dominate the scene.
The sixline... lovely fish but it limits the possibility to add more fishes afterwards.
If you stick with your list, indeed better to add this one also as last.

Janci thanks for the kind words. I'll have a few full tank shots later today. I snapped a few last night but am struggling a bit with my son's camera. I really need a good photography lesson! Yes I agree on the purple tang. That was my thinking as well. Also, right now I'm limited on adding any of the wish list fish as the mantis shrimp is occupying my QT tank! I really need to find this guy a home. He's got big personality and deserves more than a small corner of my sump.

I’d avoid the six line, but that’s just me. Tanks looking great!

My thinking right now is that he will become the resident fish for my 20 long frag tank. That way as I QT new frags he can deal with any pests. The main reason I purchased him in the first place was to deal with pests on clams and acros. I think the yellow coris wrasse (or Yellow & Purple Wrasse) serve a similar purpose but may be less aggressive. I still need to research further. In any case, I will need to get some covers made for both frag and display if I add these fish as planned.

 

[choss]

Its official - I have a fish tank

Yesterday I added the first resident to the Reef Savvy. This was a rescue clown fish that I found on the site Next Door. A family had him in a small tank with a bunch of other fish. I think he could be a Picasso Ocellaris but I'm not 100% sure. He's been living in my 40 gallon AIO tank but hasn't yet really bonded with my original Ocellaris Clown so I thought he could establish himself in the new tank as resident #1.

Here are a few more pictures

Clown by large island 2 by choerenz, on Flickr

clown by large island by choerenz, on Flickr

Clown front view by choerenz, on Flickr

Clown turning by choerenz, on Flickr

clown back turning by choerenz, on Flickr

Clown close up by choerenz, on Flickr

and one last closeup....

Clown1 by choerenz, on Flickr

 

[choss]

I'm starting to get some brown algae growth in the sump chamber where I'm running the H80 Kessil lamp for my chaeto. Its spilling into my skimmer chamber so I need to look into solutions to block the light spill. In the meantime I added 4 snails to the rock and chaeto to see how they do cleaning up the new upstart algae.

 

[drtrash]

Onyx percula

 

[choss]

Yes I think you nailed it.

 

[Janci]

Its official - I have a fish tank

Yesterday I added the first resident to the Reef Savvy. This was a rescue clown fish that I found on the site Next Door. A family had him in a small tank with a bunch of other fish. I think he could be a Picasso Ocellaris but I'm not 100% sure. He's been living in my 40 gallon AIO tank but hasn't yet really bonded with my original Ocellaris Clown so I thought he could establish himself in the new tank as resident #1.

Here are a few more pictures

Clown by large island 2 by choerenz, on Flickr

clown by large island by choerenz, on Flickr

Clown front view by choerenz, on Flickr

Clown turning by choerenz, on Flickr

clown back turning by choerenz, on Flickr

Clown close up by choerenz, on Flickr

and one last closeup....

Clown1 by choerenz, on Flickr

Looking great Choss.
The scape looks spot on.
Good to see movement in the tank.

 

[choss]

Looking great Choss.
The scape looks spot on.
Good to see movement in the tank.

I am very happy with the scape. I am now trying to stay patient on adding corals and more fish. I haven't seen any real cycle so I was thinking I'd add a few more items this weekend. Maybe another fish or two and some LPS. As I recall you had a previous tank and were able to add fish and corals almost immediately.

 

[Janci]

I am very happy with the scape. I am now trying to stay patient on adding corals and more fish. I haven't seen any real cycle so I was thinking I'd add a few more items this weekend. Maybe another fish or two and some LPS. As I recall you had a previous tank and were able to add fish and corals almost immediately.

Good to hear all is ging well.
I started my tank with 100% live rock from my previous tank and added One-&-Only bacteria to give it another boost.
It ran a couple of days and when I did not see any ammonia/nitrite/nitrate I added some fish.
Till even today, I have not enough bioload in the tank to detect NO3.

As you have only live rock, I would be more cautious.
Still nowadays with the use of these live bacteria, many things are possible if managed well.