Trickman2's - 280 Gallon Upgrade

Trickman2 · Jan 5, 2021

Wow guys, I have really been slacking on keeping my thread up to date. Between Covid and just life...the tank is still running solid. I will have to update with pictures and some fun stuff soon.

Trickman2 · Jan 12, 2022

Pictures -Recent

Trickman2 · Jan 12, 2022

01-12-2022- Hi Guys, been a long time since I updated my thread on my tank build. Some good and some bad...Sad stuff like my crosshatch triggers just would get depressed and stop eating. Two males did this for no reason. Eventually my Female Crosshatch got depressed after losing the second male and refused to eat. I have decided that Crosshatch triggers are beautiful but need more then I can provide. Sold the Broomtail wrasse as he was just causing too many issues. I recently switched out the lights from T5's to the Philips coral cares Gen2 because California is crazy and Electricity is insane (Even with Solar panels I got a massive True up bill this year. I decided that the T5's where costing too much to run in electricity and the need to replace bulbs. So the cannon, and T5's where removed. I researched and looked at prices and went Two Coralcares due to being on sale and that they seem to be very close to T5's in nature by all the reviews...A little heavy but so far I like them. My Coral growth has been insane...I stay with mostly encrusting corals and some softies. I have put in lots of different frags, some has done great and some have been lost. Really the wild west in my tank. That Red Monti, Reaper Kenya just goes nuts, Magic Carpet Shrooms have taken off also. Need to get on the water changes again and clean up under the stand...Salt creep, dust, etc. It is on my to do list. I have two more small builds that I am working on...Just IM 25 gallon tanks for both my little girls.

Big things added since last update:

Switched to CoralCares Gen 2
Running two MP60s
XR15s Gen 4 (Just before the Gen 5's came out...oops)
Added the Plank feeder by Avast Marine
Replaced DI system with a new one from Bulk Reef supply
Kessil Fuge light H80

Upcoming-

Maintenance (Cleaning Stand)
Redoing DI and Water change Station
Energy balancing, Pumps, lighting schedules
Livestock - Fish (Any Suggestions)
Lighting Tuning

Trickman2 · Jan 12, 2022

My youngest- IM 25 gallon - Custom Purple Heartwood Stand - A Little off topic

VanDalsenReef · Jan 12, 2022

With the avast now you could try some more higher end anthias. Purple queens or even Bartletts or lyre tails would nice as well. Beautiful system none the less

VanDalsenReef · Jan 12, 2022

Following

Trickman2 · Jan 12, 2022

VanDalsenReef said:
Following

I was thinking some Anthias would be fun to give a shot. Overall it has been a good system and have been happy. Thanks for the kind words.

Trickman2 · Feb 18, 2022

02-18-2022- adding stuff lately
Added 4 ASD Yellow Ring hornets Zoas
Added a small Colony of AOI zoas
Added 100 Astrea snails
Added 100 bumble snails.

Moved some Rock around
Trimmed GSP
Traded in some Reaper Kenya for the yellow Rings
Added a Golden nugget wrasse a last week. He hides in the sand a lot. He has come out twice to eat.
Replaced heater
-Current dosing,
Kalk,
all for reef
Continuum Bacter CleanM
SeaChem Reef Plus

Trickman2 · Feb 18, 2022

Trickman2 · Mar 23, 2022

Update 03-15-2022 : All fish pulled and are in QT after an ich outbreak. Not sure if it came in on some recent snails or on the Wrasse. The achilles came down with it first...Surprise, surprise. They stress out so much...Doesn't surprise me. Anyways all the fish our out in my 55 gallon QT in the garage now. Ticked me off.

Trickman2 · Mar 27, 2022

3-26-2022 - All my fish are in QT as of today...Reef Chromis are fast. Finally trapped the last one tonight. Bubble Magis Trap is good with a small modification. I also tried the nyos Fish Trap...It was just too slow. This Trap was too slow without the Modification. See Pictures. All fish are in QT now.

Trickman2 · Mar 31, 2022

03-31-2022- Big Updates coming soon. Things coming

UV-Sterilizer Bulb replacement
Re-Plumbing - Add secondary Pump
Auto Water Change System - Kamoer X2SR Auto Water Changer
Re-Plumb Water change station.

Things have been a little nuts lately...Sadly I have all my fish in QT at the moment which just sucks. Not sure where the Ick came in on...I have added a bunch of Snails, corals and that Gold nugget wrasse.
Me not maintaining my Qt practices got me in this spot.

The UV sterilizer has been a nightmare...Hard to find the bulbs and when I ordered a new one from Ebay it took 20 days to get to me. Then on top of that I broke the quartz sleeve...my local fish store had the replacement tube but the Old Sleeves O-Ring was fused to it. No way to remove it. So now I am waiting on that part. Sometimes these things happen but I would have been happy if things went a little easier to plan.

Trickman2 · Mar 31, 2022

Trickman2 · Apr 6, 2022

Big Big Update

Autowater Change system setup Kamoer Q2SR installed.

Trickman2 · Mar 15, 2023

03-15-2023- Last week was the week from hell and massive losses.

On February 16, 2023- I added two large Squirrel fish to my 300 gallon . Everything was going fine other then the tankmates being a little riled up by the larger Squirrel fish which was a Sabre Squirrelfish.
Fish list: Bluejaw trigger, Achilles tang, Chevron Tang, large reef Chromis, Yellow Damsel.
Added - Scarrlet Squirrel and Sabre Squirrel.

The aggression seemed to be getting more and more in the tank and I found the Achilles tang hiding and cowering. So I assumed the Sabre was responsible as he did act aggressively around the tank.

TImeline of events:

02-16- I added two large Squirrel fish one Sabre Squirrelfish.
03-01- Small Bluejaw trigger is missing/dead.
03-02 -Small Polleni Grouper added- After Qting Tank transfer method. (Purchased on 02-18)
03-05 Sunday- I took in the Sabre out -Chevron showing aggression and chasing Achilles and other tankmates around
03-06 -Monday morning- Achilles found beat up and cowering and hiding breathing hard. Removed and put in QT - Traded in Sabre
- Assumed I had upset the tank pecking order by adding the bigger fish.
03-07 - Harlequin tusk being chase a little by Chevron tang and Achilles dead in QT.
03-08- Tuesday, Harlequin tusk acting frightened and jetting around the tank. Pulled and did hydrogen Peroxide bath- Finally captured the Chevron tang and put in QT. Tusk still acting weird when I went to put him back in to main tank. Acted frightened and hid.

What is in the tank at the moment.

Smaller squirrel fish
Polleni grouper
Yellow Damsel
~~Reef Chromis/dead~~
~~BlueJaw - missing/dead~~
~~Tusk - Dead~~
~~Achiless - Dead~~
~~Sabre -Traded in~~
~~Chevron -Traded in~~

Found sump/ refugium (Chaeto) had went nuclear last week after using a product call Razor which is designed to release grime off rocks. Did over 300 gallons of water changes and couldn't get things under control. Saturday I drained the sump/fuge and sucked out all the miracle mud. Added 6 bags of Chemi-pure blue, Phosban, and carbon to the sump.

Not a good week....losing corals for sure...what survives remains to be seen.

Gumbies R Us · Mar 16, 2023

Trickman2 said:
03-15-2023- Last week was the week from hell and massive losses.

On February 16, 2023- I added two large Squirrel fish to my 300 gallon . Everything was going fine other then the tankmates being a little riled up by the larger Squirrel fish which was a Sabre Squirrelfish.
Fish list: Bluejaw trigger, Achilles tang, Chevron Tang, large reef Chromis, Yellow Damsel.
Added - Scarrlet Squirrel and Sabre Squirrel.

The aggression seemed to be getting more and more in the tank and I found the Achilles tang hiding and cowering. So I assumed the Sabre was responsible as he did act aggressively around the tank.

TImeline of events:

02-16- I added two large Squirrel fish one Sabre Squirrelfish.

03-01- Small Bluejaw trigger is missing/dead.

03-02 -Small Polleni Grouper added- After Qting Tank transfer method. (Purchased on 02-18)

03-05 Sunday- I took in the Sabre out -Chevron showing aggression and chasing Achilles and other tankmates around

03-06 -Monday morning- Achilles found beat up and cowering and hiding breathing hard. Removed and put in QT - Traded in Sabre

Assumed I had upset the tank pecking order by adding the bigger fish.

03-07 - Harlequin tusk being chase a little by Chevron tang and Achilles dead in QT.

03-08- Tuesday, Harlequin tusk acting frightened and jetting around the tank. Pulled and did hydrogen Peroxide bath- Finally captured the Chevron tang and put in QT. Tusk still acting weird when I went to put him back in to main tank. Acted frightened and hid.

What is in the tank at the moment.

Smaller squirrel fish

Polleni grouper

Yellow Damsel

~~Reef Chromis/dead~~

~~BlueJaw - missing/dead~~

~~Tusk - Dead~~

~~Achiless - Dead~~

~~Sabre -Traded in~~

~~Chevron -Traded in~~

Found sump/ refugium (Chaeto) had went nuclear last week after using a product call Razor which is designed to release grime off rocks. Did over 300 gallons of water changes and couldn't get things under control. Saturday I drained the sump/fuge and sucked out all the miracle mud. Added 6 bags of Chemi-pure blue, Phosban, and carbon to the sump.

Not a good week....losing corals for sure...what survives remains to be seen.

Sorry about your losses with the fish and coral!!! Wishing you the best of recovery!

Trickman2 · Mar 20, 2023

Gumbies R Us said:
Sorry about your losses with the fish and coral!!! Wishing you the best of recovery!

Tank is Stabilized now...Added 3 small rabbitfish. Some of the Corals are starting to recover now.
Lost a lot of fish but I guess it is time for a fish reset.
Removed a bunch of fish.
Currently, in the tank at the moment... Sadly a pretty Hard reset but I think it has to be done. Chevron tang was sold as he was being too aggressive. Going to reset the Tang Population, Maybe get another Crosshatch trigger...Rabbitfish are part of the new algae clean up crew. Have a few Biota fish coming this week...Some of those will go into my daughters tanks. Was a real bummer but sometimes it is good to reset. Have Aipitisia problem going on as well...More to come on that.
- 1 yellow damsel- Pending removal by Trapping.

New Permanent Residents.
- 3 Rabbitfish -Orange-spotted spinefoot -(Siganus guttatus)
- 1 Baby Polleni grouper

Trickman2 · Mar 24, 2023

Removed the yellow damsel and sold....

Current - Ordered some fish from Algaebarn - 4 Pavo damsels for the girls tanks. Three goldline rabbitfish...two went into the 300 gallon. One is being given to my dad for his 90 gallon.
Fish: