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Mattdg's 120G SPS / Mixed Reef Build and Progress
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I am long overdue for an update. I will get to that very soon.
In the meantime, here is the most recent video, featuring our 120 gallon mixed reef.
In the meantime, here is the most recent video, featuring our 120 gallon mixed reef.
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whoops, double post!
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The 120 mixed reef has reached some level of equilibrium, in the past 6 months. Cyano and Briopsis were becoming a major issue towards the beginning of 2019. I decided to run two courses of Fluconozole back to back, followed by two courses of chemiclean. I do not make a point of using chemicals / antibiotics in my systems, but I felt it time to take care of the issue, once and for all.
I did the same thing with the downstairs rack and rubble frag system, so there was no chance of cross contamination. I have not added an new frags, snails or crabs since my last update, in order to prevent re introducing any bad stuff.
I am happy to report that as it stands, the systems are both 100% Briopsis, Hair Algae, Cyano, Aptasia free! It pays off, eventually. I will post a video below, outlining my ordeal in getting rid of the hair algae. There is a lot more info there.
As far as fish, coral and nutrient uptake, I am up to 140ml of BRS two part per day. All of the SPS is coloring up and growing fast. The PH in my system has been hanging around 8.2/8.5, due to the house being more open in the summer. I find this always results in increased coral growth Alk/Cal/Mag uptake. I have started making a point of monitoring PH closely with a newly installed Pinpoint meter, and adjusting ALK/Cal dose accordingly.
NO3 spiked to 80ppm, a few months back. I did not notice a huge difference in overall tank appearance. The issue was due to the hose in the NOPOX dosing container coming un lodged. I fixed the problem, which reduced overall NO3, but resulted in a pink slime outbreak in the sump, clogging up the protein skimmer and GFO pump. NOPOX daily dosing was cut in half, raising the NO3 to 30, but eliminating pink slime in the sump. Since there are no adverse affects at the current NO3 level, I will continue running the system at these levels.
The tank is reaching the two year mark. In past systems, this has been a point where the tank starts to really stabilize. There is a good population of sponge in the the overflows and sump, taking up excess nutrients and the biological system, especially beneficial bacteria are settled in and functioning at optimum capacity. I do dose a bit of micro bacter 7 every week, with the skimmer switch off. Water changes are 10% bi weekly, which I have no plans to do differently. I am currently dosing Red Sea Trace, on the off week, based on calcium uptake. BRS has a good video on doing the math for it's two part, based on the Red Sea instructions.
Here is the video showing the process of reducing and eventually eliminating HA, in my reef.
Picture update will be next.
I did the same thing with the downstairs rack and rubble frag system, so there was no chance of cross contamination. I have not added an new frags, snails or crabs since my last update, in order to prevent re introducing any bad stuff.
I am happy to report that as it stands, the systems are both 100% Briopsis, Hair Algae, Cyano, Aptasia free! It pays off, eventually. I will post a video below, outlining my ordeal in getting rid of the hair algae. There is a lot more info there.
As far as fish, coral and nutrient uptake, I am up to 140ml of BRS two part per day. All of the SPS is coloring up and growing fast. The PH in my system has been hanging around 8.2/8.5, due to the house being more open in the summer. I find this always results in increased coral growth Alk/Cal/Mag uptake. I have started making a point of monitoring PH closely with a newly installed Pinpoint meter, and adjusting ALK/Cal dose accordingly.
NO3 spiked to 80ppm, a few months back. I did not notice a huge difference in overall tank appearance. The issue was due to the hose in the NOPOX dosing container coming un lodged. I fixed the problem, which reduced overall NO3, but resulted in a pink slime outbreak in the sump, clogging up the protein skimmer and GFO pump. NOPOX daily dosing was cut in half, raising the NO3 to 30, but eliminating pink slime in the sump. Since there are no adverse affects at the current NO3 level, I will continue running the system at these levels.
The tank is reaching the two year mark. In past systems, this has been a point where the tank starts to really stabilize. There is a good population of sponge in the the overflows and sump, taking up excess nutrients and the biological system, especially beneficial bacteria are settled in and functioning at optimum capacity. I do dose a bit of micro bacter 7 every week, with the skimmer switch off. Water changes are 10% bi weekly, which I have no plans to do differently. I am currently dosing Red Sea Trace, on the off week, based on calcium uptake. BRS has a good video on doing the math for it's two part, based on the Red Sea instructions.
Here is the video showing the process of reducing and eventually eliminating HA, in my reef.
Picture update will be next.
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One quick picture update, more to come.
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Here are those pictures I promised.
Chessmanmark
Well-Known Member
Terrific thread Matt. The videos were very professional. I enjoyed catching up on the history of your reef journey.
I also noticed a few guitars on the wall and what looked like a Fender amp. What kind of music do you like to play?
I also noticed a few guitars on the wall and what looked like a Fender amp. What kind of music do you like to play?
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Thanks for checking it out Mark! The instruments are primarily used for producing and composing these days. The Vibrolux belongs to a friend who lives in Italy. Never sure when he's going to come to the States and pick it up, but until then... Looking forward to meeting you at the swap!
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Yeah, it does work. Like everything reef keeping, it just takes a commitment to the process and a heavy dose of patience. Nice meeting you as well and swapping coral. Both are doing great!
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Right Side of the 120 from above. Left to right Bali Green Slimer Acropora Yongei (have had this colony since 2007), PC Rainbow Acropora, Hawkins Echinata, ORA Borealis Acropora, JF Homewrecker Tenuis, Red Dragon deepwater acropora, Milka Stylophora, Rainbow Millepora (looking pink in upper right corner)
Our Orange Spotted Blenny has made a home in this Psammocora colony. He consistently maintains this hole in the coral, so the colony does not grow into and block the entrance of his cave.
Huge ORA Bird of Paradise Seriatopora, Montipora Setosa, Limelight Hydnophora, Green Stylophora, ORA Green Birdsnest, Tyree Pink Lemonade Acropora
Top down view of our approximately 50 gallon Rack and Rubble basement aquaculture system. I'll put a video link below this post, if you want to see more.
Plants inside for the coming winter, to the left of our 120 gallon mixed reef. Red Mangrove grown by Julian Sprung acquired at Reefapalooza NY 2019, 6 year old Avocado tree grown from seed and a couple terrariums filled with locally collected mosses. PAR 38 LED's keep the plants healthy through the short days of Fall and Winter.
Our Orange Spotted Blenny has made a home in this Psammocora colony. He consistently maintains this hole in the coral, so the colony does not grow into and block the entrance of his cave.
Huge ORA Bird of Paradise Seriatopora, Montipora Setosa, Limelight Hydnophora, Green Stylophora, ORA Green Birdsnest, Tyree Pink Lemonade Acropora
Top down view of our approximately 50 gallon Rack and Rubble basement aquaculture system. I'll put a video link below this post, if you want to see more.
Plants inside for the coming winter, to the left of our 120 gallon mixed reef. Red Mangrove grown by Julian Sprung acquired at Reefapalooza NY 2019, 6 year old Avocado tree grown from seed and a couple terrariums filled with locally collected mosses. PAR 38 LED's keep the plants healthy through the short days of Fall and Winter.
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I just posted this on another thread, inquiring about using BB LED's with a T5 hybrid fixture. As previously mentioned in this thread, I have been using these $50 Sunblaster HO T5 fixtures mounted either side of my Viparspectra BB's, for the last year now. This setup works so well, I struggle to come up with an excuse to upgrade.
I still plan on investing in a good PAR meter, in the coming year, to decipher when to replace my Viparspectra's LED plate.
I still plan on investing in a good PAR meter, in the coming year, to decipher when to replace my Viparspectra's LED plate.
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Wow! What an honor to receive the Reef Tank 365 badge and be included with all of the amazing reefers who have come before.
Thank you for all of the kind words. It truly is my pleasure, to share our 120 gallon mixed reef with you, the Reef2Reef community.
www.reef2reef.com
Thank you for all of the kind words. It truly is my pleasure, to share our 120 gallon mixed reef with you, the Reef2Reef community.
Reef Tank 365 - Reef Tank 365 Featuring mattdg's 120 Gallon Mixed Reef
Today's Reef Tank 365 Feature is mattdg's 120 Gallon Mixed Reef Join me in congratulating @mattdg for their tank being spotlighted as today's Reef Tank 365 feature! This 120 gallon reef was started in March 2017. You can follow this reef and see more pics and info info by clicking HERE...
www.reef2reef.com
stanleo
Valuable Member
I have the same tank. I was wondering how that gorgeous naso tang does in their? I have always assumed my tank would be too small for one.
Also, what is the starfish with pink markings?
This is a great tank. I would like to follow along.
Also, what is the starfish with pink markings?
This is a great tank. I would like to follow along.
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The Naso tang is quite the wall of a fish. Very personable and a sweetheart to every other critter we add to the tank. He loves to block whatever you are trying to look at, with his wide body.
I posted a video, awhile back, where I go into some detail about him and some of the other fish. I'll put a link below, if interested.
So far, so good having him in this four foot tank. In my opinion the key is to give him 8 feet of swimming area, by keeping open sections all the way around the central reef structure. If this tank were a wall of coral, I would find a new home for him. Picking out a healthy, eating specimen and introducing at a much smaller size probably helped too.
The starfish is a Fromia. I'm not exactly sure what region it is from.
I posted a video, awhile back, where I go into some detail about him and some of the other fish. I'll put a link below, if interested.
So far, so good having him in this four foot tank. In my opinion the key is to give him 8 feet of swimming area, by keeping open sections all the way around the central reef structure. If this tank were a wall of coral, I would find a new home for him. Picking out a healthy, eating specimen and introducing at a much smaller size probably helped too.
The starfish is a Fromia. I'm not exactly sure what region it is from.
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Happy Holidays everybody.
We are away visiting family so we have some neighborhood friends keeping an eye on our home. This is the first time myself and family have all been away, while this system has been set up and in full swing. Despite the fact we have house sitters, they are not reef keepers, so the tank is completely on it's own.
I recently added two battery backup air pumps, that trigger on, in the event the power goes out. It does happen in our area, but typically for 2-4 hours at a time. There was only one occasion earlier this year, where the power was out for a full 24 hours. Lost power, being my main concern, is why the two battery backup air pumps and an ice cap battery backup for the MP40QD were recently employed. They will give me a 6-10 hour buffer to hook up the gas powered generator, depending on temperature and time of year.
I have not asked the house sitters to do anything with the aquarium, other than let me know if there is a loss of power, or any leakage in or around the tank. I am getting to know some experienced reef keepers and maintenance people in the area, so will hopefully have some solid connections in the future, but for now I find it best policy to put the entire system on an auto feeder, automate the RODI topoff and keep the home thermostat turned up, rather than have someone with no experience left with critical, nerve wracking reef aquarium responsibilities.
Perhaps this is a reason to point one of our home monitoring camera systems at the tank or install an apex in the future, which I will most definitely do. I feel there is a real opportunity for someone with the applicable know how, to produce an affordable stand alone tank monitoring system, for those of us without an APEX or similar type, all in one, controller. I for one, prefer a modular setup over an all in once controller and would welcome the introduction of a basic stand alone aquarium monitoring system... leak detection/temperature/PH/internal flow/feeding alert via an app or text.
That's it for now. Hoping by the time we take back the keys, all I'll need to do is scrub a whole lot of algae from the glass.
We are away visiting family so we have some neighborhood friends keeping an eye on our home. This is the first time myself and family have all been away, while this system has been set up and in full swing. Despite the fact we have house sitters, they are not reef keepers, so the tank is completely on it's own.
I recently added two battery backup air pumps, that trigger on, in the event the power goes out. It does happen in our area, but typically for 2-4 hours at a time. There was only one occasion earlier this year, where the power was out for a full 24 hours. Lost power, being my main concern, is why the two battery backup air pumps and an ice cap battery backup for the MP40QD were recently employed. They will give me a 6-10 hour buffer to hook up the gas powered generator, depending on temperature and time of year.
I have not asked the house sitters to do anything with the aquarium, other than let me know if there is a loss of power, or any leakage in or around the tank. I am getting to know some experienced reef keepers and maintenance people in the area, so will hopefully have some solid connections in the future, but for now I find it best policy to put the entire system on an auto feeder, automate the RODI topoff and keep the home thermostat turned up, rather than have someone with no experience left with critical, nerve wracking reef aquarium responsibilities.
Perhaps this is a reason to point one of our home monitoring camera systems at the tank or install an apex in the future, which I will most definitely do. I feel there is a real opportunity for someone with the applicable know how, to produce an affordable stand alone tank monitoring system, for those of us without an APEX or similar type, all in one, controller. I for one, prefer a modular setup over an all in once controller and would welcome the introduction of a basic stand alone aquarium monitoring system... leak detection/temperature/PH/internal flow/feeding alert via an app or text.
That's it for now. Hoping by the time we take back the keys, all I'll need to do is scrub a whole lot of algae from the glass.
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