Im back

[joepdiver11]

Finally getting to document my build. Started with a 32 gallon biocube but stock of course is never good.
I added a second return pump. Modified the cover to add 5 extra feet of led lighting. 8k and 12k actinic blue and white with sunsetter control.
Biocube uv and biocube skimmer.
Ordered live rock from TBS but the southwest airline screw up postponed delivery til end of Jan. Started tank with live sand and dry rock. At the Dino phase.
My numbers are
Ph 8
Alk 8
Salinity 1.025
Ammonia 0
Po4 .25
Temp 79
My issue is my No3. My tropic marin test kit keeps coming up 100ppm. Took a sample to Lfs and he got 5ppm. Did a 20% water change and test still came up 100ppm. Waiting on different test kit. 3 fish seem happy. Active and eating. 2 clown and 1 neon goby. It is great I found r2r. I am learning quite a bit. Wish I had this when I had the meltdown of my 150.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Sounds like you are off to a good start. Would love to see pictures of the tank!!

 

[joepdiver11]

Sounds like you are off to a good start. Would love to see pictures of the tank!!

 

[joepdiver11]

 

[joepdiver11]

I added 2 corals from P.O.T.O. auction. Luckily I live 15 min from them. Very helpful guys. Gave me a cup of their sand and some coraline flakes from tank.

 

[joepdiver11]

Diatoms seem to be dismissing but getting some cyano. Cleaned it off the rocks and vacuumed it out and did 15 % w.c.
Salinity 1.024
Ph 8
Alk 9
Ca 340
Nitrate 50 down from 100
Po4 2
Trying to learn lesson from last tank and not chasing numbers

 

[joepdiver11]

After waiting a month I finally got my live rock and love sand from Tampa Bay Saltwater. Most of the pieces were porous but a few seemed dense and smooth. Expected some green algal growth.Lots of purple coraline algae, few hitchhikers, red sponges and crabs. My livestock seems happy.

 

[joepdiver11]

3 months old now. I have added 6 new 12 inch led strips from 21led. 2 white, 2 blue and 2 - 50/50 white/ blue with sunsetter control.

Bay 1 has skimmer. Bay 2 has heater, intank media holder, and 2 bio blocks. I modified the stock media holder into a refugium but not using yet. Bay 3 has stock return pump but I drilled additional hole and installed second 210 gph return pump from vivisun. Stock pump has biocube uv.

My stock is a neon goby, 2 clown fish, a small 6 line wrasse and striped blenny, small white bubble tip anemone, 2 cyphastrea corals, 3 zoa frags,1 paly frag,Kenya tree and birdsnes, and a piece of Gracilaria.

My numbers are
Temp 78
Sal 1.024
Ph 8
Alk 7
Cal 380
Mg 1500
N03 5
P04 .5

Doing 15 water change weekly.
Adding 10 ml phytoplankton daily.
1 scoop of new hatched brine shrimp daily.
Followed r2r diy directions and made a copepod house.
I have been dosing CA and raised level from 280 to 380 over a month.
Does anybody else have fish that look at you with that feed me face.
I have to feed less.

 

[joepdiver11]

So far doing good. I've added an Inkbird heating/ cooling control which is keeping temp stable at 78,2 new cooling fans using a bio- cool printed holder and one fan is top of cover.
I'm trying my hand at home made frag holders. I'm having some luck with them.
I've added a RBTA,2 candy cane,2 Duncan, 3 gorgonians and a fungia.
All doing good.
I started phyto cultures and add 30 ml daily, acro power amino.
I'm still amazed I am still finding new things on the live rock. I found 2 decorator urchins that just showed up.
I was wondering if the phyto that I am adding is also adding some f/2 and causing the tufts of algae that are showing up. Luckily my cuc and my pulling out out I am keeping it under control.
The information I find here is helping quite a bit . I don't need to ask alot of questions since most answers are already here.

 

[joepdiver11]

Bad day today. Yesterday I performed 10% water change, cleaned rocks with turkey baster, vacuumed gravel and dosed 50 ml of phytoplankton. This morning I am missing 4 fish and 2 fish in distress. Testing showed high ammonia and nitrites. Did another water change 50%. This brought numbers down and remaining fish look better. Corals and clam look ok
Temp 78
Salinity 35ppt
Alk high at 15
Mag high at1600
Nitrate 20
Po4 0.2
Ammonia .2
Ph 8

After water change ammonia down to 0.
I don't know if any of the above actions caused this or am I overfeeding. Fish always look hungry. Lol
I did notice after I started dosing phyto I had an outbreak of hair algae. I cut back on dosing by 75% and hair algae retreating. I am wondering if f/2 fertilizer caused outbreak and my reduction of dosing caused the algae to die back and cause spike. I will test tonight and hope numbers stay good.

 

[colejr]

3 months old now. I have added 6 new 12 inch led strips from 21led. 2 white, 2 blue and 2 - 50/50 white/ blue with sunsetter control.

Bay 1 has skimmer. Bay 2 has heater, intank media holder, and 2 bio blocks. I modified the stock media holder into a refugium but not using yet. Bay 3 has stock return pump but I drilled additional hole and installed second 210 gph return pump from vivisun. Stock pump has biocube uv.

My stock is a neon goby, 2 clown fish, a small 6 line wrasse and striped blenny, small white bubble tip anemone, 2 cyphastrea corals, 3 zoa frags,1 paly frag,Kenya tree and birdsnes, and a piece of Gracilaria.

My numbers are
Temp 78
Sal 1.024
Ph 8
Alk 7
Cal 380
Mg 1500
N03 5
P04 .5

Doing 15 water change weekly.
Adding 10 ml phytoplankton daily.
1 scoop of new hatched brine shrimp daily.
Followed r2r diy directions and made a copepod house.
I have been dosing CA and raised level from 280 to 380 over a month.
Does anybody else have fish that look at you with that feed me face.
I have to feed less.

I am struggling to modify one of the canned programs, custom settings. Have you been able too?

 

[joepdiver11]

Are you trying to modify the sunsetter or the biocube program?

I am struggling to modify one of the canned programs, custom settings. Have you been able too?

 

[colejr]

Are you trying to modify the sunsetter or the biocube program?

Sunsetter, but i figured out what i was doing wrong last night!!
I only have blue lights and it appears that I was programming the wrong channel. Likely I plugged into the wrong cable. All is good now

 

[joepdiver11]

Good to hear. All part of the fun.