Second attempt at saltwater with 90 gal reef

[Rshahnyc]

Hey everyone just wanna share my progress and ask advice here and there

I started a 90 gallon reef tank with a 30 gallon sump in March.

Live sand + live rock from established tanks. It’s now been about 4 months total.

Stock list
2 clowns
Foxface
Hippo tang
Sailfin tang
Purple tang
Flame angel

The purple tang was unfortunately an impulse buy but he’s doing great and he isn’t beefing with anyone.

I also have a bunch of coral doing well including 2 torches, 3 hammers and some wavy Xenia + gsp. I have 3 nems, all have grown tremendously.

In terms of filtration I started with just some rock in the sump + filter socks but now have a skimmer, uv light. I just installed a algae scrubber 3 days ago.

I over feed probably (2 cubes a day) but they seem to eat it all. My nitrates are around 10-12 and my phos was as high as 0.88 which is why I added the algae scrubber (surf 2x from SMF).

I’m assuming my nutrients will get better but am I done with fish? I’d love either a wrasse or 2 bangais.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Following along!

 

[Rshahnyc]

Thinking of adding the Bangais

 

[BeanAnimal]

I personally think that your tank is far too small for any of those tangs or, foxface let alone 2 or more of them.

Your tank is suitable for a couple of smaller tangs (Tomini, Scopas, etc.) as they don't get nearly as large or territorial.

I am sorry to sound negative, but overstocking is very common and even if the fish "seem happy" they are not suitable for tank of this size.

The tank looks nice, but it is always best to move forward slowly with a young tank. How did the "first attempt" turn out and why is this a "second" try? If you don't mind sharing.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Personally I think your tank looks great and the fish look great and I think that's a full tank in only 4 short months which is kind of fast. I would shift the focus to corals now and let the fish grow.

 

[Rshahnyc]

I personally think that your tank is far too small for any of those tangs or, foxface let alone 2 or more of them.

Your tank is suitable for a couple of smaller tangs (Tomini, Scopas, etc.) as they don't get nearly as large or territorial.

I am sorry to sound negative, but overstocking is very common and even if the fish "seem happy" they are not suitable for tank of this size.

The tank looks nice, but it is always best to move forward slowly with a young tank. How did the "first attempt" turn out and why is this a "second" try? If you don't mind sharing.

Hey that’s fair.

My first attempt was 6 years ago on a JBJ cubey (no skimmer, no UV, no ATO) in a floor to ceiling window apartment. I was able to maintain with 2 clowns for a couple month albeit with algae struggles. The LFS convinced me that a nem would be fine. Then it turned into summer. I had a tough time chilling the cubey and then matching evaporation and I didn’t use RODI water. All a recipe for disaster.


This time I’m doing more management of parameters. 90 gals and a sump. Water changes, got a skimmer + UV. I also have a guy that comes in when I need to make major changes maybe once a month with water changes and equipment upgrades.

I just installed an ATO and an algae scrubber a week ago.

My phos sucks 0.85, nitrate 4-8. Rest seems fine. Corals and fish look happy. Scrubber still with no real growth yet, I just checked.

Anyways, my Newest problem is my ato pump started running over the set water mark and then it senses it and says it’s overfilled and beeps. Causing my skimmer to go bat**** right now so I’m taking some water back out.

Asides from that I’m fully stocked imo and now focusing on swapping out corals and maybe I gotta get rid of one of my nems. They all grew so much.

 

[Gman83]

Nice looking tank!

 

[Rshahnyc]

Also just for the record, I cycled for 4 weeks or so with half dry rock and half someone’s live rock (still wet). Then put in clowns and left it alone for a little while. And then I pretty much absorbed half of a 75 gallon tank in terms of rock and coral and his hippo tang. I again left it alone for a while but the past 8 weeks or so I admit I’ve let “sales” and excitement get the better of me.

I’ve been checking parameters and really my issue has become phosphate. I’m hopping this SMF Surf2x will do the trick in another 2-4 weeks or so

 

[Rshahnyc]

Still having phos issues.

Phos 0.88 2 weeks ago
**Water change** --> Phos 0.57
Phos 0.86 1 week ago
**Water change** --> Phos 0.48
Phos 0.84 yesterday

Algae Scrubber (SMF Surf 2x) has been on for about 3 weeks now. I see some slime, but no real significant algae growth. I keep cleaning my filter sock too.

I feed 2 cubes a day (one Brine with Spirulina, one Mysis). I stay away from flakes/pellets. Once every couple of days I'll throw in a half sheet of Nori on a clip for my tangs.

Stock list:
- 2 Clowns
- Hippo Tang
- Sailfin Tang
- Purple Tang
- Flame Angel
- Foxface
- 2 Bengali Cardinals
- Snails
- Hermit Crab
- Cleaner Shrimp

What am I doing wrong with the algae scrubber or does it just suck? I don't want to do water changes. I know I have to LOL I'm trying to get towards minimal effort. Just not cooperating with me yet. Should I just get a fleece roller and punt the filter sock?

 

[Gman83]

I have no experience with the algae scrubber, (and you might have said this, so I'm sorry if you did) I have read other people have taken some fine grand sandpaper and just slightly scuff where the water cascades to help algae. I have no idea if it works or not. You may want to also try some GFO to help with the PO4

 

[Rshahnyc]

Still unfortunately having phos issues.

0.84 again and down to 0.45 after a water change.

I threw in some macroalgae into the surf 2xx to see if it will grow and absorb some of it.



Still feed 2 cubes a day (one Brine with Spirulina, one Mysis).

Stock list the same:
- 2 Clowns
- Hippo Tang
- Sailfin Tang
- Purple Tang
- Flame Angel
- Foxface
- 2 Bengali Cardinals
- Snails
- Hermit Crab
- Cleaner Shrimp

Corals looking good and I added some pieces

So idk if I should be stressing the phos.

 

[Rshahnyc]

The entire tank is thriving despite NYC being hot AF. (I had 2 separate nems split, now I have 5 in the system..***). That temp situation pushed me to get a 2nd hand apex system and I just got my apex gear installed. After a few days at or around 82 (dumping RODI ice in the sump), I programmed a little fan in the sump and opened the cabinet door and now I'm sitting between 79-80. Crazy. But my LLS is losing an inch every 4 days now though. Next step is set up the ATK and reservoir (job for this weekend).


Added some new coral. Everything is eating well. No livestock loss. No bullying issues. Gonna have to sell or rehome the Purple Tang by end of year.

Update re: Phos issues

Spoke to SMF and changed the schedule to 1 light plugged, one not plugged and run for 18H. That was 4 days ago.

My phos then was 0.65
My phos today was 0.65

Is it starting to work? Hmmm who knows until I open the box to find out on Friday (1 week from change)

 

[Rshahnyc]

Some updates!

- AI 32 and 26 replaced for AI 64s!
- new sump who dis? And switched it all over to PVCs and finally have a off valve in case of failures
- got my apex system setup with a trident, atk, LLS.
- finally made my torch garden but it was a Learning experience. I don’t think I lost anything though even though I might have glued some of the torch tentacles to a rock lol.
- I know I wasn’t supposed to add anymore fish but I couldn’t help adding this little guy (firefish). He’s doing good.

Now the issues
1) My trident Alk/Ca/Mg readings are all low!
—> consistent and low
—> calibrated using solution from apex
—> first two tests back to prior results

So it’s either true and what the heck. Or maybe I should calibrate with my tank water and input the Hannah/Salifert values of alk/ca/mg?

2) My melanarus just ate my hermit crab. Now he looking chonky/bloated.

3) Getting a bunch of aptasia in the back right rocks. I added 8 Nudis today.

4) he’s not misbehaving but I’m starting to feel my purple tang is a little cramped. Might try to catch and trade down with my LFS who said no problem. Might also just add 2 wrasses instead to avoid this in the future.

 

[Rshahnyc]

Pics

 

[Tamberav]

Nice looking tank but some of the big fish just don’t look right in such a small tank. I hope you upgrade soon. I’d probably go for 180g min for the fish you have.

I like a lot of fish too and my 80g was getting cramped with growing wrasses so ended up getting a 150g.

 

[Rshahnyc]

2 weeks ago
Alk 6.8
Ca 520
Mg 1130

Today
Alk 8.2
Cal 500
Mg 1190

Planning on doing a 10% water change with coral pro salt. That should bump me up and keep me close with my new doser.


Another Q. Starting to want to get rid of my Xenia colonies which are taking up a third of my display on the L side.

How would you go about doing it? Removing the rock itself? Adding cycled plain rock in place of it so that we need the bio processing capacity?

 

[Rshahnyc]

Good morning! Couple updates!

1) Parameters are looking much better in terms of Alk/Ca/Mg.

1 Month Ago
Alk 6.6
Ca 520
Mg 1120

Now
Alk 9
Ca 480
Mg 1210

2) Phosphate struggles are still occuring.
- Phos seems to have stabilized around 0.45
--> Algae scrubber Surf 2xx is not doing much. The growth just isn't significant. There is some green in there but its sludgy and not really growing fine hair algae. I'm thinking about adding a media basket and a fuge light to the SUMP near my return or my UV outlet.
--> I have started using reef roids q7days so maybe my phos would've come down a little if that wasn't the case.
--> I've been doing 10 gal water changes instead of 5 gal water changes
--> I received a Trident NP but haven't set it up

3) My Cor-20 was going crazy because my apex controller was faulty. After talking with customer service they sent me a new head. I'm still too scared to actually go through with the switching it over onto the new controller lol. That's gonna take some time so I need to have a real off day.

4) My corals have been hit or miss at times. The torches seem to be mostly extending and doing well. I can't tell if 1-2 of them are not doing so well. The tentacles appear thin at times.

5) WORST PROBLEM OF ALL THOUGH is that the aptasias are taking over the back of the tank. I introduced 8 nudis but haven't noticed a dent in around 3 weeks time.

 

[Rshahnyc]

Here’s a vid of the torch garden

 

[SantaMonica]

If you can post pics of the surf I might be able to get it going for you.

 

[Rshahnyc]

Would love some direction on this. Thank you @SantaMonica

I’m running it right now for 18H a day with both power supplies on. I even tried to throw a bit of dragon breath in there with no success.

It looks more bubbly because the light/weight from the light is off.