*If you’re not down for a detailed long winded thread I would skip the novel go straight down for pictures/specs lol.
As a primer and or disclaimer I’m going to be overly detailed and ramble. This will serve as my build thread share
my struggles and progress of my tank. Currently in the process complete overhauling broken into 5 stages (currently working on stage 3)
1.treating black bugs (effectively)
2. Removal dead skeletons and m debris/unwanted coral/ any loose aiptasia
3. Continue aiptasia removal/salvaging zoas/improving water flow.
4. Eradicating the aiptasia treating my rock in isolated system/placing my
corals on racks in DT.
5. New Aquascape-ultra minimalistic super open the appearance all the mass coral. Thinking forward about growth, shading, and flow. Now that I know collection well. I designed this system with the intention collecting all the Acros and other corals I’ve grown fond of over 18 year stint reef keeping. Along my motley crew of fish most which been in my care a long time acquired in trades/behavioral issues from my business all of them have problems lol. I will post my personal reefing disasters which led up to
today, And I’m merging my other thread for to keep me honest it will help you understand what I’ve lost along the way also with what took place and what not. I look forward to completeling this epic project and hope we’ll learn from each other and have a good time! For member’s who’ve had contact before with me before this rough patch with life I apologize for leaving you hanging especially TyFarmer. You were a great help to me still hopefully I’m past my fight with the grey/black bugs I ask for your forgiveness my friend! You kept my anxiety at bay after during my initial treatment when my beloved PC rainbow turned in the filament monster. I’m almost positive it was on reef2reef this guy who basically told me “chill dude!” In utter panic after interceptor evaded me on all local platfroms (it fairlybuncommon practice for vets to prescribe it due to modern all in meds. There’s no way he’s messing with me... Well sure enough there was one interceptor posting a qty of 24 medium chews for $65 bought right then. I thank you for your wisdom wherever you may be now lol. I still have a ton definitely great advice!!
Here’s what led up to everything it starts off all negative/depressing. I’m like glowing just to see this through and I install/service reef tanks for a living most of tank are full on stony/sps/collector focused I have to challenge myself and be interested or it becomes less of a passion becoming monotonous. I get burnt to a crisp at times I’m trying separate my work/personal reefing this go around.
The bad.
A bad car accident and dealing with business losses coupled with my delusional state of mind for a solid 5-6 month. I’ve been really hard on myself my entire life it’s taken a toll on me. I’ve struggled a lot with life lately, but hoping this is what I needed. For the most part gave up tried to do what I could like I’m talking feed once a week, top off when the pump is running dry, and dumping 125ml’s+buffer when I remembered. I had treat for black bugs but I did not feel comfortable with the insane amounts of interceptor at the given time it 4-8x what red bugs call for. After the first round was rough on my coral, and decide no follow up treatment was going to take place. They came back over 7 month under the Regimen coupled no regular maintenance ex: w/c’s and awful efforts overall care my dkh got to 15dkh. That was the straws that broke the camels back. I started loosing acro’s within days it was horrific and devastating. That’s when I started doing w/c’s, WT for the first time in months, got my head right. A good friend was fluffing me and I caught a wave have been ready to get it done!
Here’s my original whatever thread I’ve added to I’m pretty Copy and pasting it.
I’ve been around for awhile and then but never have I been a member. I thought it was time to keep some sort of log of my tank. Anyways I’ve been growing corals since I was 10 years old and now I currently run my own aquarium service company at 28. I’ve had large, medium, and nano tanks. Apparently I just can’t get enough lol. It’s been up for about 16 months now
Tank: 36”x18”x18”
-custom built planet aquariums tideline rimless w/ starefire and thicker glass and drilled return.
-completely hard plumbed pvc, ball valves, and schedule 80 unions.
The novel version (planet aquariums)
The tank’s 50 gallons 36”x18”x18” standard dimensions but the tideline model it was custom order built by planet aquarium in Arlington, Tx. (which the tideline is the current ghost/external overflow since the old flat panels with glass external all started cracking flooded a lot of houses nice ones at that. They ended having to build a lot new really highend tanks, because external box wouldn implode and crack randomly. Most smaller tanks where fine it was only the large ones like over 120 gallons. Truly I didn’t care I tried to get them to make me one they refused! I ordered it with starfire and I had them use way thicker glass and drill the back for the return they usually wouldn’t go that far custom bc it’s just not worth their time on a small tank, but they agreed they did it originally told me 2 weeks they lost order form twice waited a month to let me know. A total of
3 months for them to finally deliver it. I paid a pirce tag of $850 apparently the cost of materials and labor, because I don’t know what they do now during the time I ordered my tank planet ordered precut glass. The machines that cut glass are apparently super expensive. They made a elaborate story as to how supplier basically had a disagreement and didn’t want to do small cuts for my tank they finally hugged it out I guess. I really wish I had done regular glass or they called to offered instead of just dicking around since the guy was being a ****. The starfire is soft and scratches so easily I gingerly move my magnet around. The tanks no where near big enough to even notice or be able appreciate starfire haha. I just got obsessive when It came to this build I learned my lesson. I’m Chill AF I don’t freak out or get mad after 2 month mark with my money tied up. Considering I could’ve ordered a 45 or 55 gallon planet crystaline and have it the next day for $200 I felt jaded. It all worked out it’s beautiful and scratches so easy lol. It the nicest tank I’ve ever owned! With the sump it’s with rocks sand it’s holds a net volume of 55 gallons on the dot. I measured it with a 5 gallon jug when I filled it out of curiosity. I hard plumbed it all sexy like and stayed up for 2 days straight getomg the apex, plumbing, electrical, and the livestock transferred. Last picture is 14 or 15 months ago a few weeks after I the livestock when in. Overall I’m happy with Planet the tank a true work of art I mean silicon was perfect and inform it was built how I ordered it, but patience is necessary the finished product is always stellar. I got to see a decent amount of their custom stuff(most of their master builders worked oceanic/all glass/DSA (Deep Sea Aquatics after they went out)/now planet they are very talented group that have decades of experience they started shipping to the Contiguous US awhile back. I’m just concerned they’re take on to much and start get a bad reputation. My only other option was Dutch Aquarium Systems DAS they’re stacker LFS tank builders. Seeing as I despise them along with the fact their guaranteed to ruin your house then they’re charge you to “break it down” like that “””” bc I know for a fact they don’t disassemble repairs typically. Going over the existing seams with silicone, and when tank comes back with same sand it left with and not even remotely clean near the seams it’s blatantly oblivious.. I’ve reinstalled a repaired 5’ tall 250 narrow reef tank only to get a call 20 minutes after finishing it leaking in the same spot ended up working all night. I have more stories that’s probably the memorable one. I told my helper it was going to leak lol.
Stand: 36”x18”x18” (height 36”)
-Costal classic mocha
Sump:
-Trigger Systems crystal elite 30
Lighting:
-Ati sunpower 36” (6x 39w)
-Sb reef actinic led bar
Equipment:
-Sicce syncra 3.5 (return pump)
-reef octopus 202S space saver cone
-Apex
-gyre 230’s
-Eshopps ato float/ 2 gallon res (which feeds the tank brs kalkwasser) (no longer used)
Redundancy
-apex monitors the temperature in two stages controlling the heater they all fail
and secondly ATI Sunpower will turn off if the temp exceeds 79.
-Large battery b/u for power outages can keeps circulation going.
-Grounding probe for stray voltage is cheap insurance. chemistry (got out of the # chase)-I just keep it stable, and use salifert kits exclusively! WT performed often big 3 several times a week. I firm believer frequent water changes weekly or biweekly 5-10% I use plain instant ocean.
• 7.5-8.5 dkh
•Cal 450-475 ppm
•Mag 1300-1400
•Salinity 1.026
•K 400-420
• No3 Don’t test 20-25 ppm back in(Jan 2019)
•Po4 Don’t test .19/.22 Hanna 774 back (Jan 2019)
Dosing
-Balling method maintains Alk/Cal/Mag 2x daily. Using BRS pharma grade dry bulk been happy with new like and the value it amazing. Currently dosing 110ml’s Alk/Cal and 5ml’s mag total daily. I also dose k randomly.
Nutrients don’t exist in my world, a distant memory. The coral’s color/vitality give the me information I need. Back in the day we never measured it in our old school sps tanks. I had bought into the obsessive nutrient reduction craze of running ULNS and spent years living by my Hanna meter. I started this system all the reactors/Refugium and dosing every “liquid gold” (zeovit).
Pretty early on I went back the fundamental’s of reef keeping strong flow, lighting, large skimmer,redundancy and stability! I simplified my life and had my desire results. Removed all Reactors and media/Refugium/ and abandoned dosing the zeovit/aminos.
Livestock:
•Fish
-Purple tang
-Kole tang
-Yellow tang
-Sixline wrasse (RIP)
-Melanurus wrasse
-Leopard wrasse (female)
-Helfrichi firefish (RIP)
-Yellow watchman goby (RIP 8 years )
-Marine Betta
-Bartlett’s anthias (1) (RIP)
-Lyertail anthias (1)
-Springeri damsels (2)(mated pair that spawns)
-Mated pair misbar onyx clowns (sold to client)
-Aiptasia eating filefish (zoa destroyer)
•Inverts
-100 black footed trochus snails
-50 astrea snails
-5 asst. turbo snails
-10 pepermint shrimp
-Coco worm
-Emerald crab (in refug)
•Corals
-leathers
-zoas
-mushrooms
-torch’s/frogspawn/hammers
-war coral
-orange fungia plate
-electric green candy cane
-lobo (removed)
-Sps
Fox flame (nearly died it was part of my motivation to get my tank back it was a single branch and I managed to grow 3.5” round colony in a year)
Walt Disney 3x (mother/2x b/u frags)
Rainbow loom
BC secale
BC death lemon (RIP black bugs)
BC awarewolf (RIP black bugs)
BC backdraft the movie table
BC efflo (RIP black bugs)
BC battle stag
BC TDF (RIP black bugs)
BC blood red Mille (RIP black bugs)
BC crimson bliss (RIP black bugs)
BC Aquaticman (RIP black bugs)
BC magic wand (RIP shading)
PC rainbow
PC Superman (all time favorite)
Vivids purple cap
Paletta pink tip
TGC mayagi tort
TGC blue tipped nasuta (RIP black bugs)
Garf Bosnia
Route 66 mille
Sniper’s bubblegum Mille (RIP black bugs)
Ora blue polyps stag
Ora valida (so vanilla, but on my must have forever and always)
Ora joe the coral (RIP black bugs)
Ora green planet
Ora red planet
Ora stellar stylo (not so stellar stylo )
Oregon tort (had it for 4 odd years for only 3” )
Ora Borealis (RIP black bugs)
Ora green birdsnest
JF green anacropora
JF coolers champagne
JF solar flare (RIP black bugs)
JF burning banana stylo
JF scarlet fever
Pinky the bear x2
Somewhere over the rainbow Mille (half dead)
Orange passion
Orange setosa
CB bubblegum Digi
CB Maleficent x2
Red devil nasuta
RR Pink Cadillac x2 (back up frag recovering from bugs/ mother was a goner)
RR Pink Floyd
Drews red table
Tubs Stella
Dog boy dave’s table
Skeletor (RIP black bugs)
WWC tri-color stag
WWC heart breaker
Tyree red dragon large colony (RIP black bugs killed me)
Ponape birdsnest
Flaming Phoenix monti
Pac-Man
Seasons greetings (RIP shading)
TEK sunburst cap (lobo killed it)
Milka Stylo
There’s more!!!
As a primer and or disclaimer I’m going to be overly detailed and ramble. This will serve as my build thread share
my struggles and progress of my tank. Currently in the process complete overhauling broken into 5 stages (currently working on stage 3)
1.treating black bugs (effectively)
2. Removal dead skeletons and m debris/unwanted coral/ any loose aiptasia
3. Continue aiptasia removal/salvaging zoas/improving water flow.
4. Eradicating the aiptasia treating my rock in isolated system/placing my
corals on racks in DT.
5. New Aquascape-ultra minimalistic super open the appearance all the mass coral. Thinking forward about growth, shading, and flow. Now that I know collection well. I designed this system with the intention collecting all the Acros and other corals I’ve grown fond of over 18 year stint reef keeping. Along my motley crew of fish most which been in my care a long time acquired in trades/behavioral issues from my business all of them have problems lol. I will post my personal reefing disasters which led up to
today, And I’m merging my other thread for to keep me honest it will help you understand what I’ve lost along the way also with what took place and what not. I look forward to completeling this epic project and hope we’ll learn from each other and have a good time! For member’s who’ve had contact before with me before this rough patch with life I apologize for leaving you hanging especially TyFarmer. You were a great help to me still hopefully I’m past my fight with the grey/black bugs I ask for your forgiveness my friend! You kept my anxiety at bay after during my initial treatment when my beloved PC rainbow turned in the filament monster. I’m almost positive it was on reef2reef this guy who basically told me “chill dude!” In utter panic after interceptor evaded me on all local platfroms (it fairlybuncommon practice for vets to prescribe it due to modern all in meds. There’s no way he’s messing with me... Well sure enough there was one interceptor posting a qty of 24 medium chews for $65 bought right then. I thank you for your wisdom wherever you may be now lol. I still have a ton definitely great advice!!
Here’s what led up to everything it starts off all negative/depressing. I’m like glowing just to see this through and I install/service reef tanks for a living most of tank are full on stony/sps/collector focused I have to challenge myself and be interested or it becomes less of a passion becoming monotonous. I get burnt to a crisp at times I’m trying separate my work/personal reefing this go around.
The bad.
A bad car accident and dealing with business losses coupled with my delusional state of mind for a solid 5-6 month. I’ve been really hard on myself my entire life it’s taken a toll on me. I’ve struggled a lot with life lately, but hoping this is what I needed. For the most part gave up tried to do what I could like I’m talking feed once a week, top off when the pump is running dry, and dumping 125ml’s+buffer when I remembered. I had treat for black bugs but I did not feel comfortable with the insane amounts of interceptor at the given time it 4-8x what red bugs call for. After the first round was rough on my coral, and decide no follow up treatment was going to take place. They came back over 7 month under the Regimen coupled no regular maintenance ex: w/c’s and awful efforts overall care my dkh got to 15dkh. That was the straws that broke the camels back. I started loosing acro’s within days it was horrific and devastating. That’s when I started doing w/c’s, WT for the first time in months, got my head right. A good friend was fluffing me and I caught a wave have been ready to get it done!
Here’s my original whatever thread I’ve added to I’m pretty Copy and pasting it.
I’ve been around for awhile and then but never have I been a member. I thought it was time to keep some sort of log of my tank. Anyways I’ve been growing corals since I was 10 years old and now I currently run my own aquarium service company at 28. I’ve had large, medium, and nano tanks. Apparently I just can’t get enough lol. It’s been up for about 16 months now
Tank: 36”x18”x18”
-custom built planet aquariums tideline rimless w/ starefire and thicker glass and drilled return.
-completely hard plumbed pvc, ball valves, and schedule 80 unions.
The novel version (planet aquariums)
The tank’s 50 gallons 36”x18”x18” standard dimensions but the tideline model it was custom order built by planet aquarium in Arlington, Tx. (which the tideline is the current ghost/external overflow since the old flat panels with glass external all started cracking flooded a lot of houses nice ones at that. They ended having to build a lot new really highend tanks, because external box wouldn implode and crack randomly. Most smaller tanks where fine it was only the large ones like over 120 gallons. Truly I didn’t care I tried to get them to make me one they refused! I ordered it with starfire and I had them use way thicker glass and drill the back for the return they usually wouldn’t go that far custom bc it’s just not worth their time on a small tank, but they agreed they did it originally told me 2 weeks they lost order form twice waited a month to let me know. A total of
3 months for them to finally deliver it. I paid a pirce tag of $850 apparently the cost of materials and labor, because I don’t know what they do now during the time I ordered my tank planet ordered precut glass. The machines that cut glass are apparently super expensive. They made a elaborate story as to how supplier basically had a disagreement and didn’t want to do small cuts for my tank they finally hugged it out I guess. I really wish I had done regular glass or they called to offered instead of just dicking around since the guy was being a ****. The starfire is soft and scratches so easily I gingerly move my magnet around. The tanks no where near big enough to even notice or be able appreciate starfire haha. I just got obsessive when It came to this build I learned my lesson. I’m Chill AF I don’t freak out or get mad after 2 month mark with my money tied up. Considering I could’ve ordered a 45 or 55 gallon planet crystaline and have it the next day for $200 I felt jaded. It all worked out it’s beautiful and scratches so easy lol. It the nicest tank I’ve ever owned! With the sump it’s with rocks sand it’s holds a net volume of 55 gallons on the dot. I measured it with a 5 gallon jug when I filled it out of curiosity. I hard plumbed it all sexy like and stayed up for 2 days straight getomg the apex, plumbing, electrical, and the livestock transferred. Last picture is 14 or 15 months ago a few weeks after I the livestock when in. Overall I’m happy with Planet the tank a true work of art I mean silicon was perfect and inform it was built how I ordered it, but patience is necessary the finished product is always stellar. I got to see a decent amount of their custom stuff(most of their master builders worked oceanic/all glass/DSA (Deep Sea Aquatics after they went out)/now planet they are very talented group that have decades of experience they started shipping to the Contiguous US awhile back. I’m just concerned they’re take on to much and start get a bad reputation. My only other option was Dutch Aquarium Systems DAS they’re stacker LFS tank builders. Seeing as I despise them along with the fact their guaranteed to ruin your house then they’re charge you to “break it down” like that “””” bc I know for a fact they don’t disassemble repairs typically. Going over the existing seams with silicone, and when tank comes back with same sand it left with and not even remotely clean near the seams it’s blatantly oblivious.. I’ve reinstalled a repaired 5’ tall 250 narrow reef tank only to get a call 20 minutes after finishing it leaking in the same spot ended up working all night. I have more stories that’s probably the memorable one. I told my helper it was going to leak lol.
Stand: 36”x18”x18” (height 36”)
-Costal classic mocha
Sump:
-Trigger Systems crystal elite 30
Lighting:
-Ati sunpower 36” (6x 39w)
-Sb reef actinic led bar
Equipment:
-Sicce syncra 3.5 (return pump)
-reef octopus 202S space saver cone
-Apex
-gyre 230’s
-Eshopps ato float/ 2 gallon res (which feeds the tank brs kalkwasser) (no longer used)
Redundancy
-apex monitors the temperature in two stages controlling the heater they all fail
and secondly ATI Sunpower will turn off if the temp exceeds 79.
-Large battery b/u for power outages can keeps circulation going.
-Grounding probe for stray voltage is cheap insurance. chemistry (got out of the # chase)-I just keep it stable, and use salifert kits exclusively! WT performed often big 3 several times a week. I firm believer frequent water changes weekly or biweekly 5-10% I use plain instant ocean.
• 7.5-8.5 dkh
•Cal 450-475 ppm
•Mag 1300-1400
•Salinity 1.026
•K 400-420
• No3 Don’t test 20-25 ppm back in(Jan 2019)
•Po4 Don’t test .19/.22 Hanna 774 back (Jan 2019)
Dosing
-Balling method maintains Alk/Cal/Mag 2x daily. Using BRS pharma grade dry bulk been happy with new like and the value it amazing. Currently dosing 110ml’s Alk/Cal and 5ml’s mag total daily. I also dose k randomly.
Nutrients don’t exist in my world, a distant memory. The coral’s color/vitality give the me information I need. Back in the day we never measured it in our old school sps tanks. I had bought into the obsessive nutrient reduction craze of running ULNS and spent years living by my Hanna meter. I started this system all the reactors/Refugium and dosing every “liquid gold” (zeovit).
Pretty early on I went back the fundamental’s of reef keeping strong flow, lighting, large skimmer,redundancy and stability! I simplified my life and had my desire results. Removed all Reactors and media/Refugium/ and abandoned dosing the zeovit/aminos.
Livestock:
•Fish
-Purple tang
-Kole tang
-Yellow tang
-Sixline wrasse (RIP)
-Melanurus wrasse
-Leopard wrasse (female)
-Helfrichi firefish (RIP)
-Yellow watchman goby (RIP 8 years )
-Marine Betta
-Bartlett’s anthias (1) (RIP)
-Lyertail anthias (1)
-Springeri damsels (2)(mated pair that spawns)
-Mated pair misbar onyx clowns (sold to client)
-Aiptasia eating filefish (zoa destroyer)
•Inverts
-100 black footed trochus snails
-50 astrea snails
-5 asst. turbo snails
-10 pepermint shrimp
-Coco worm
-Emerald crab (in refug)
•Corals
-leathers
-zoas
-mushrooms
-torch’s/frogspawn/hammers
-war coral
-orange fungia plate
-electric green candy cane
-lobo (removed)
-Sps
Fox flame (nearly died it was part of my motivation to get my tank back it was a single branch and I managed to grow 3.5” round colony in a year)
Walt Disney 3x (mother/2x b/u frags)
Rainbow loom
BC secale
BC death lemon (RIP black bugs)
BC awarewolf (RIP black bugs)
BC backdraft the movie table
BC efflo (RIP black bugs)
BC battle stag
BC TDF (RIP black bugs)
BC blood red Mille (RIP black bugs)
BC crimson bliss (RIP black bugs)
BC Aquaticman (RIP black bugs)
BC magic wand (RIP shading)
PC rainbow
PC Superman (all time favorite)
Vivids purple cap
Paletta pink tip
TGC mayagi tort
TGC blue tipped nasuta (RIP black bugs)
Garf Bosnia
Route 66 mille
Sniper’s bubblegum Mille (RIP black bugs)
Ora blue polyps stag
Ora valida (so vanilla, but on my must have forever and always)
Ora joe the coral (RIP black bugs)
Ora green planet
Ora red planet
Ora stellar stylo (not so stellar stylo )
Oregon tort (had it for 4 odd years for only 3” )
Ora Borealis (RIP black bugs)
Ora green birdsnest
JF green anacropora
JF coolers champagne
JF solar flare (RIP black bugs)
JF burning banana stylo
JF scarlet fever
Pinky the bear x2
Somewhere over the rainbow Mille (half dead)
Orange passion
Orange setosa
CB bubblegum Digi
CB Maleficent x2
Red devil nasuta
RR Pink Cadillac x2 (back up frag recovering from bugs/ mother was a goner)
RR Pink Floyd
Drews red table
Tubs Stella
Dog boy dave’s table
Skeletor (RIP black bugs)
WWC tri-color stag
WWC heart breaker
Tyree red dragon large colony (RIP black bugs killed me)
Ponape birdsnest
Flaming Phoenix monti
Pac-Man
Seasons greetings (RIP shading)
TEK sunburst cap (lobo killed it)
Milka Stylo
There’s more!!!
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