Fishfreak2009's 5' 100 Gallon Build

[Fishfreak2009]

Figured I should give this tank a build thread. We were originally gonna put a 180 gallon in this spot, but the 100 gallon just fit better after the dining room remodel.

Idea behind this tank is a wrasse and butterfly dominant system, with a few other fish added in as well. Corals will be whatever the fish don't eat, since the fish always come first and foremost in my larger systems.

Scored this 5'x18"x20" acrylic tank and stand for free from a local reefer who upgraded.

Quickly got it plumbed, filled with water, and moved in a combo of live and dry rock. Currently running no skimmer or any other mechanical filtration, no filter socks, just open sump with black mangroves and oriental mangroves. I have a sea grape tree (Coccoloba uvifera) coming shortly that will be planted in there as well, and I will eventually move some Caulerpa over to the refugium. I'll add a skimmer at some point, it's sitting in the garage waiting to be cleaned up and hooked up. It's an AquaMaxx skimmer. Sump is a bare 55 gallon aqueon from a petco sale, and a Jebao DC pump for the return pump. Chinese knockoff kessil freshwater plant light for the refugium, I'll probably add 1-2 more down there. Lighting is currently 2x 165W Viparspectra LEDs, I'll try to add a 3rd at some point. I'd also like to eventually add some powerheads, but none for now at least. And heated with a 300W Eheim heater.

Fish list as of 4/18/24:
2 Banggai Cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni)
1 Pajama Cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera)
2 Bicinctus Clownfish (Amphiprion bicinctus)
2 Royal Gramma (Gramma loreto)
1 Lantern Basslet (Serranus baldwini)
1 Lemonpeel Angel (Centropyge flavissima)
1 Pearlscale Butterfly (Chaetodon xanthurus)
1 Double Saddle Butterfly (Chaetodon ulietensis)
1 Pakistani Butterfly (Chaetodon collare)
1 Rhino Bannerfish (Heniochus varius)
1 Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)
1 Orange Spotted Blenny (Blenniella chrysospilos)
1 Rhino Blenny (Paraclinus marmoratus)
1 Indonesian Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus lubbocki)
1 Pink Headed Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus chaliasi)
1 Whip Fin Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus filamentosus)
1 Katoi Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus katoi)
1 Yellow Flanked Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus ryukyuensis)
1 Yellow Banded Possum Wrasse (Wetmorella nigropinnata)

And here are LOTS of pics and a quick video for those who managed to read all that

 

[ReefStable]

Absolutely beautiful! I love the fish! The colors are amazing!

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Well, lost 3 of the black mangroves (Avicennia germinans). Turns out they were infested with spider mites...

Oriental mangroves (Bruguiera gymnorhiza) are doing pretty well, they started stretching for the light, so I added another light today.

And the sea grape tree (Coccoloba uvifera) finally arrived today! I got it potted and we'll see how it does!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Figured I should give this tank a build thread. We were originally gonna put a 180 gallon in this spot, but the 100 gallon just fit better after the dining room remodel.

Idea behind this tank is a wrasse and butterfly dominant system, with a few other fish added in as well. Corals will be whatever the fish don't eat, since the fish always come first and foremost in my larger systems.

Scored this 5'x18"x20" acrylic tank and stand for free from a local reefer who upgraded.

Quickly got it plumbed, filled with water, and moved in a combo of live and dry rock. Currently running no skimmer or any other mechanical filtration, no filter socks, just open sump with black mangroves and oriental mangroves. I have a sea grape tree (Coccoloba uvifera) coming shortly that will be planted in there as well, and I will eventually move some Caulerpa over to the refugium. I'll add a skimmer at some point, it's sitting in the garage waiting to be cleaned up and hooked up. It's an AquaMaxx skimmer. Sump is a bare 55 gallon aqueon from a petco sale, and a Jebao DC pump for the return pump. Chinese knockoff kessil freshwater plant light for the refugium, I'll probably add 1-2 more down there. Lighting is currently 2x 165W Viparspectra LEDs, I'll try to add a 3rd at some point. I'd also like to eventually add some powerheads, but none for now at least. And heated with a 300W Eheim heater.

Fish list as of 4/18/24:
2 Banggai Cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni)
1 Pajama Cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera)
2 Bicinctus Clownfish (Amphiprion bicinctus)
2 Royal Gramma (Gramma loreto)
1 Lantern Basslet (Serranus baldwini)
1 Lemonpeel Angel (Centropyge flavissima)
1 Pearlscale Butterfly (Chaetodon xanthurus)
1 Double Saddle Butterfly (Chaetodon ulietensis)
1 Pakistani Butterfly (Chaetodon collare)
1 Rhino Bannerfish (Heniochus varius)
1 Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)
1 Orange Spotted Blenny (Blenniella chrysospilos)
1 Rhino Blenny (Paraclinus marmoratus)
1 Indonesian Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus lubbocki)
1 Pink Headed Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus chaliasi)
1 Whip Fin Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus filamentosus)
1 Katoi Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus katoi)
1 Yellow Flanked Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus ryukyuensis)
1 Yellow Banded Possum Wrasse (Wetmorella nigropinnata)

And here are LOTS of pics and a quick video for those who managed to read all that

Some great fish in there!

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Quick feeding video:

 

[Fishfreak2009]

I had to share because this guy is so cool! He knows I bring food and now begs for it whenever I go near the tank by walking back and forth along the front glass.

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Moved a few new fish in! Current stocklist now sits at:
2 Banggai Cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni)
1 Pajama Cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera)
2 Bicinctus Clownfish (Amphiprion bicinctus)
1 Royal Gramma (Gramma loreto)
1 Lantern Basslet (Serranus baldwini)
1 Lemonpeel Angel (Centropyge flavissima)
1 Pearlscale Butterfly (Chaetodon xanthurus)
1 Double Saddle Butterfly (Chaetodon ulietensis)
1 Pakistani Butterfly (Chaetodon collare)
1 Rhino Bannerfish (Heniochus varius)
1 Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)
1 Orange Spotted Blenny (Blenniella chrysospilos)
1 Rhino Blenny (Paraclinus marmoratus)
1 Spotted Mandarin Dragonet (Synchiropus picturatus)
1 Dusky Wrasse (Halichoeres marginatus)
1 Cosmetus Wrasse (Halichoeres cosmetus)
1 Indonesian Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus lubbocki)
1 Pink Headed Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus chaliasi)
1 Whip Fin Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus filamentosus)
1 Katoi Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus katoi)
1 Yellow Flanked Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus ryukyuensis)
1 Blue Flasher Wrasse (Paracheilinus cyaneus)
1 Carpenter's Flasher Wrasse (Paracheilinus carpenteri)
1 Yellow Banded Possum Wrasse (Wetmorella nigropinnata)

And here are a bunch of pics from the past couple days. Still a little cloudy, but once I have the copper currently running in here out of the system, I'll hook up the UV sterilizer which should fix that.

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Well, an update since I haven't done so in a while.

First, the Pakistani butterfly unfortunately passed away. I could find no reason why on necropsy, had it roughly 20 days. Stopped eating 2 days before passing.

Second, I ended up removing the flasher wrasses, as they seemed to just hide and were not eating well, losing weight, even though nobody bothered them. Took them back to the LFS. I won't be adding any more flashers, as I seem to have horrible luck with them.

Third, I added a yellow coris wrasse today, nice 2.5" individual, transitioning to male based on the green striping in the face.

So far everyone else seems to be doing well!
Here are a few pics of the fish under blues!

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Picked up this guy today from a local hobbyist who had to tear his system down. He's had this fish for a couple years, but recently fighting with his koran angel, hence the nips in the fins. Already eating well, around 6" long and close to 10" tall. Hoping he and the Rhino bannerfish get along. Even though the banner is half the size, there has been some posturing and chasing, but no damage done. The moorish mostly shrugs it off and keeps swimming. Going to check them again when I run home tonight. Currently at the hospital with wifey and our beautiful baby girl born this morning!

Zanclus cornuta - the Moorish Idol

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Well, today was the big day to add corals! My local reef group (Southeast Michigan Reef) all came through and hooked me up with a TON of freebies to fill this tank with, so that the butterflies hopefully don't completely wipe out any particular coral. I added a couple mushrooms, a tiny turquoise polyp staghorn Acropora frag, and a Stylococcinella colony. Everything else (GSP, TONS of about 6 types of Palythoa, some more mushrooms, a green Sarcophyton, a couple small rose BTAs, TONS of different Monti caps, a couple different Monti digitatas, and some Pavona) all came from local reefers who wanted to help with this experiment.

So far, they've mostly nipped at damaged tissue (from transport) on the Monti caps and digitata, a little nipping at the Stylococcinella, but nothing crazy on any of them. They haven't touched anything else. Can't see any visible damage. They actually seem much more interested in the microfauna, worms, pods, etc that came off the corals. The Heniochus almost immediately ate both Aiptasia that I was able to see on the frags, picked them out from between the palys without even making the palys close up.

Shot a quick video, most of the corals aren't really opened up yet, but so far so good! You can see the Heniochus varius nipping at the red digitata colony in the video, but it's actually nipping at the skeleton covered in detritus, not at the healthy tissue at all.

 

[Fishfreak2009]

All the corals that were left were officially pulled. Unfortunately the butterflies decided just about every coral was fair game. Once they ate the Montiporas and the Stylococcinella, they turned on everything else, even the Palythoa, GSP, and mushrooms. Only thing they left alone were the little RBTAs, but I pulled them anyways since they probably would have been next.

Here are some pics from today.

 

[Fishfreak2009]

After the previous moorish idol failed to ever eat and passed after roughly 6 days, I decided to retry again today and grabbed this nice juvenile that was devouring frozen mysis and nori. Also grabbed a rafflesi butterfly and a blue striped razor goby. Putting them into quarantine shortly, excited to see them in the display eventually! Forgot to grab a Pic of the goby in the store tank, so here are a couple bad pics in the bag. On our way home to get them in quarantine.

Also waiting on a few other really special fish that should be arriving later this week. Going to have to upgrade this tank to a 180 gallon sooner than I thought.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

After the previous moorish idol failed to ever eat and passed after roughly 6 days, I decided to retry again today and grabbed this nice juvenile that was devouring frozen mysis and nori. Also grabbed a rafflesi butterfly and a blue striped razor goby. Putting them into quarantine shortly, excited to see them in the display eventually! Forgot to grab a Pic of the goby in the store tank, so here are a couple bad pics in the bag. On our way home to get them in quarantine.

Also waiting on a few other really special fish that should be arriving later this week. Going to have to upgrade this tank to a 180 gallon sooner than I thought.

Best of luck with the moorish idol!

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Best of luck with the moorish idol!

Already eating frozen mysis pretty well at home. Butterfly is definitely the shyest of the 3, but coming around.

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Received my shipment from VioletAquarium today.

Plebeius butterfly looks pretty good, already eating clam on the half shell.

Baby regal angel came SUPER skinny, spinning in circles, breathing heavy. Thought it was going to die, it layed on the bottom for 3 hours. Upright swimming now, hiding behind some PVC, still looks rough, top fin is pretty torn up.

Pintail fairy is in hiding, came in lethargic, curled in a c shape with a shredded tail. Hoping it makes it.

Bluehead tilefish is not a bluehead tilefish, but a dusky tilefish. At least it looks healthy and is eating, but it is not what I ordered...

Bananafish (substitute for the chevron butterfly since it was apparently out of stock when I ordered it) looks great. Fat, swimming, and eating. They did call me ahead of time to either refund or to swap to a different fish, which I chose the bananafish and partial refund since the chevron cost more.

Most of them have 1 or 2 spots on them (ich), but that should clear up in the hyposalinity quarantine.

Overall, pretty unhappy and will not order from them again. Here's hoping everyone does well.

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Received my shipment from VioletAquarium today.

Plebeius butterfly looks pretty good, already eating clam on the half shell.

Baby regal angel came SUPER skinny, spinning in circles, breathing heavy. Thought it was going to die, it layed on the bottom for 3 hours. Upright swimming now, hiding behind some PVC, still looks rough, top fin is pretty torn up.

Pintail fairy is in hiding, came in lethargic, curled in a c shape with a shredded tail. Hoping it makes it.

Bluehead tilefish is not a bluehead tilefish, but a dusky tilefish. At least it looks healthy and is eating, but it is not what I ordered...

Bananafish (substitute for the chevron butterfly since it was apparently out of stock when I ordered it) looks great. Fat, swimming, and eating. They did call me ahead of time to either refund or to swap to a different fish, which I chose the bananafish and partial refund since the chevron cost more.

Most of them have 1 or 2 spots on them (ich), but that should clear up in the hyposalinity quarantine.

Overall, pretty unhappy and will not order from them again. Here's hoping everyone does well.

To update this, lost both the regal and the pintail today.

Pintail had no tail left, basically an infected stump. It was dead when I got home from work today.

Regal angel was also dead, and also had a bacterial infection down into the body around the large wound in the dorsal fin.

 

[Fishfreak2009]

A few pics, even got one of the black molly gang lol.

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Picked up a few new fish for this system today, added them into the quarantine. Also managed to get a halfway decent pic of the Oxymetopon cyanoctenosum (Razor Goby) and the Hoplolatilus cuniculus (Dusky tilefish)

Cirrhilabrus bathyphilus (Hooded Flame Fairy Wrasse) and 2x Lepidozygus tapeinosoma (Fusilier Damsel)

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Well, quarantine had a major crash, so I moved everyone over to the display, only for them to carry over a particularly bad Vibrio infection. Lost most of the new fish (the latticed butterfly, the Razor goby, and the exquisite firefish survived), and lost the lemonpeel angel, the pearlscale butterfly, the bicinctus clown pair, the damsel, the Yellow Headed Sleeper goby, and the yellow watchman goby.

Also had a horrible cyano outbreak at the same time. Fortunately it was sensitive to Cipro, so the rest of the fish are unaffected and have been treated.

Since then, I've added a variety of different macroalgaes, a few sponges, and a couple gorgonians, and they seem to be doing well. The butterflies sampled the gorgs, but don't seem to like the flavor and are leaving them alone. Looks like this will be a macroalgae, gorgonian, and sponge dominated tank.

Here's a video from last night

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Did a nice overhaul tonight, changed 25% of the water, moved over all the inverts that were in fallow (nassarius snails, astraea snails, blue leg hermits, an XL tiger pistol shrimp, a female coral banded shrimp, a peppermint shrimp, a striped cucumber, a black cucumber, a red brittle star, and a black brittle star. Also moved some of the GSP and Palys back in here, a green nepthea leather, along with some rock flower anemones and a rose bubbletip anemone. They previously left the anemones and leather coral alone, so hoping they continue on that trend. Even if they nip the palys and GSP, there is enough that they hopefully don't completely consume it.

I did find that the flame angel ate all the red grapes off the red grape macro, but the wiry stems still seem to be growing, so leaving them for now. The Caulerpa racemosa and Caulerpa peltata are starting to spread (though the Caulerpa mexicana and Caulerpa paspaloides were mostly consumed by the flame angel), the Halymenia (Dragon's breath) is completely untouched and looks amazing, the Halimeda opuntia is untouched and starting to grow a bit, and the Codium seems to not be doing well and slowly falling apart. The yellow Eucheuma macroalgae melted in here, so I won't try it again. I'll leave it in the seahorse tank where it is still growing. The double saddle and latticed butterflies both regularly nip at the gorgonians, so the polyps are usually closed during the day, but they still seem to be growing, so leaving them for now.

Lastly, I also moved the last few fish out of quarantine into this system today, so there are now 3 XL green chromis, a yellowfin dwarf angel (Centropyge flavipectoralis), and a flagfin angel (Apolemichthys trimaculatus) added to the group in here. They seem to have settled in nicely already and are eating with the rest. Both angels claimed different caves already, and have been nibbling at the pieces of Caulerpa mexicana and Caulerpa paspaloides that are left.