Moving on up... IM 30L AIO to Planet Aquarium Crystalline 85g SPS Bare Bottom Reef Build Thread

[jd-woodlands]

Added a yellow coris wrasse, adds a nice pop of color.

 

[jd-woodlands]

Close ups.... Left to right tank shots

 

[jd-woodlands]

Added another nice wild acro, getting good color and highlights.

 

[jd-woodlands]

Close ups of the top mounted acros, getting good growth and coloration.

 

[jd-woodlands]

Here’s a video of the tank, everything just looks better live action! Make sure to flip your quality to 1080p!

 

[45ZoaGarden]

Looks AMAZING! Keep up the good work

 

[Lionsreef]

How is your pair of Bellus Angels doing? Just wondering if they will outgrow your tank? I was thinking of getting a pair for mine.

 

[jd-woodlands]

The male is pretty huge but the pair seem to be doing well. Haven’t had any issues lately with livestock. Hopefully they are done growing.....

 

[jd-woodlands]

Been awhile since I posted an update... been battling AEFW for awhile now, tried all the products out there (none actually work directly on AEFW, don't waste your money!). Finally bit the bullet and going to go the rip and dip approach.

Along with this approach I might as well change the aqua scape and rebuild the tank - will still be SPS only, but just keep my favorite pieces for larger grow outs.

Starting to lose some of my nice colonies due to AEFW, so it was time.

Plan is:

Buy a temporary full tank setup - Done
Fill, add livestock, cycle - In progress
Rip out non Acropora (monti, stylo, etc) and move to temp tank
Sell corals I am not keeping
Break off Acro colonies from bases from live rock
Kill acro bases on live rock with kalk paste or similar
Dip acros weekly for 2 months
Rescape Tank
Remount Acros to new aqua scape
Tear down temp tank and sell as package deal / part out

Anything I am missing? Anyone have any tips on rip and dip that has went through this process before? I want to make sure I have eradicated AEFW for once and all at the end of this.

Will post updated full tank shot of old and new tanks in a couple of days - and will document this process. I expect some coral losses.. just hope the colonies I want to keep survive well enough.

 

[jd-woodlands]

Current FTS:

here’s a closeup of some corals that are not happy. Burt tips + algae + post AEFW dips = not happy.

I had an outbreak of some sort of algae or something else as I dosed acropower too much too fast - grows on all the rockwork and unhappy SPS. Just did a massive 55 gallon water change and dosing peroxide to battle it.

here is the new temp tank getting settled in, been wet for about a 1 week - moved over a few zoas and some sps test frags. I was able to quick cycle it with the previous owners Xport brick and some live rock, and some turbo start for good measure. So far so good, no nitrites or ammonia, and stocked with 10 baby common clowns + 30 Asteria snails.

Next weekend may start moving over some stylos, montis, and other non acros from the main tank.

 

[jd-woodlands]

Finally took the plunge and tore down the tank for rip and dip of acros to treat for AEFW

post deep clean, rock scrub, and coral detachment.

Finally got out this giant gorilla crab!

Also took the opportunity to banish my lightning maroon which is way to aggressive - makes it impossible to work in the tank.

will begin dipping this weekend with potassium chloride and continue the next 2 months to be sure all AEFW are killed.

 

[jd-woodlands]

Lots of corals browned out as well, working on raising nutrients. Dinos or lack of testing caused phosphates to go to 0.

 

[jd-woodlands]

First losses already, some stags and a rainbow Aussie acro on their way out. Bummer.
Dipped in potassium chloride, 1 tablespoon
per gallon for 5-10 mins.

 

[jd-woodlands]

Another one gone, asd rainbow milli

 

[jd-woodlands]

Todays carnage: large colony of wwc yellow tip, frag of Walt Disney, misc stag pieces.

didn’t think I would lose the yellow tips, was a very healthy piece.

 

[jd-woodlands]

Ugh… looks like I’m losing my other large colony of Walt Disney… this sucks.