Mike's 120 reef ready build

[jerl77]

amazing tank i have to see this tank one day

 

[MikeC]

amazing tank i have to see this tank one day

Thanks Jerl unfortunately the tank is in what I call recover mode for the last three/four months from a number of misfortunes I had to deal with including:

STN
Changing salts
AEFW
Alk swing
Turning my LEDs up too high and bleaching.
Chasing pH with a DIY Co2 scrubber.

:smash:

So now I'm at the point where
I removed acros and have no signs of AEFW
ALK is under control with KALK & 2-part
LED's were turned down and built slowly back up.
DIY Co2 scrubber taken off-line pH hovering around 8.

I have not added anything new to the tank since the last photos and the tank looks depressing

I keep telling myself that eventually it will get back to where I'm proud of it again and I can join the experienced reefers club :lol2:

P.s. Your welcome over any time

 

[jerl77]

wow sorry to hear mike

 

[d5332]

I hope is not as bad as it sounds when reading.

I am going to suggest you just ignore what it looks like today, keep maintaining it without putting new stock in it and 6 to 12 months from now you tank will look the same or better.

 

[afernandez]

All that it's part of the experience buddy...sorry to hear about the mishaps but we are in it for the long ride. This hobby does test your love for it a lot! . I've been on the edge of pulling the plug but I just can't ... LoL at times I feel like a jukie lol

When stuff like this has happen to me I can't deal with it at that instance I have to walk away and come back with a clear mind.

Best of luck with everything buddy.

 

[MikeC]

I hope is not as bad as it sounds when reading.

I am going to suggest you just ignore what it looks like today, keep maintaining it without putting new stock in it and 6 to 12 months from now you tank will look the same or better.

That's the plan

Thanks

 

[MikeC]

All that it's part of the experience buddy...sorry to hear about the mishaps but we are in it for the long ride. This hobby does test your love for it a lot! . I've been on the edge of pulling the plug but I just can't ... LoL at times I feel like a jukie lol

When stuff like this has happen to me I can't deal with it at that instance I have to walk away and come back with a clear mind.

Best of luck with everything buddy.

Thanks man

 

[garys reef]

Sorry to hear that buddy I am having a huge issue with my tank as well my rbta's are taking iver and killing all my s poo s ss well as mt apex for some strange reason froze and my tank went thru some real issues so I gotta rip the tank apart and start over again it sucks to look at my tank ri ghost t now but I will bribg it back if u need any help let me know

 

[MikeC]

Sorry to hear that buddy I am having a huge issue with my tank as well my rbta's are taking iver and killing all my s poo s ss well as mt apex for some strange reason froze and my tank went thru some real issues so I gotta rip the tank apart and start over again it sucks to look at my tank ri ghost t now but I will bribg it back if u need any help let me know

Sht that sucks man likewise on the help just let me know

 

[MWoodhill]

Thanks Jerl unfortunately the tank is in what I call recover mode for the last three/four months from a number of misfortunes I had to deal with including:

STN
Changing salts
AEFW
Alk swing
Turning my LEDs up too high and bleaching.
Chasing pH with a DIY Co2 scrubber.

:smash:

So now I'm at the point where
I removed acros and have no signs of AEFW
ALK is under control with KALK & 2-part
LED's were turned down and built slowly back up.
DIY Co2 scrubber taken off-line pH hovering around 8.

I have not added anything new to the tank since the last photos and the tank looks depressing

I keep telling myself that eventually it will get back to where I'm proud of it again and I can join the experienced reefers club :lol2:

P.s. Your welcome over any time

i hate aefw after a dreadful strike long time ago i always throw corals in once for a while to cut down the chances of infestation

 

[tunicata]

nice, this really looks good.

I just swapped out my 120g for a 80g rimless and reduced my rock load AND have it barebottom right now.

I'm doing it to make it easier to keep strong parameters. I didn't use starboard though...
What's the benefit of using starboard instead of just leaving rocks on the glass (other than scratches, or extra protection from rock falls?)

I'm pretty sure i can easily take out the rock and slide the starboard in (push the fish into the water column) if it seems worth it.

 

[MikeC]

(other than scratches, or extra protection from rock falls?)

Other than what you have mentioned, I went with the 3/4 inch thickness and have a one inch gap all the way around the tank, I have power heads at the bottom and it pushes all the detritus into this gap and it makes it easier to siphon out each week.

That and I know it will eventually get covered by coralline algae but sand is white and I like the way it looks :smile:

 

[tunicata]

Ok, I've only gotten through maybe half of the thread but...are any of your big rocks touching the ground ? Thus making it easier to sweep the floor?

Right now since I don't have starboard, i can see the underside of the tank and rocks from in my sump area. I can see that there is more 'stuff' coming off of my rocks or just detritus trapped under the rocks already. Not all of it will be easy to blow out.

In the pics it looks as if each large rock has been carefully suspended on legs. How do I describe...uh,
like a triangle, 3 or 4 small rocks are on the floor. Then larger rocks are balanced across the tops of the small rocks. That way the entire top is nicely supported?

 

[MikeC]

Yes, the main Idea was to leave as little rock as possible touching the bottom just so detritus don't get under there and rot/turn into phosphates/food for algae
The power heads at the bottom prevent anything from settling there.

 

[jackson6745]

Hey Mike. My tank has been running at a low PH as well. I picked up a pail of soda lime and I am going to rig a DIY air filter. My question is besides a higher PH number, have you noticed any positive correlations with the reef?

 

[MikeC]

Hey Mike. My tank has been running at a low PH as well. I picked up a pail of soda lime and I am going to rig a DIY air filter. My question is besides a higher PH number, have you noticed any positive correlations with the reef?

None at all.
I took my scrubber down and I'm dosing my ALK at night and Ca during the day has helped level out my pH and it is stable at around 8 now.

 

[kingator]

Hey mike was up ..any updates...fts ..lets keep this going lol....im about to start my first sps system now

 

[MikeC]

Hey mike was up ..any updates...fts ..lets keep this going lol....im about to start my first sps system now

kingator a few other people have been asking me for a update so I decided to just copy and past allot of what I emailed you lol.

So hear it is:

I got hit hard with the dreaded 3 Acropora eating flat worms,Red Bugs,and Montipora Nutibranch I know all ****ing three?.really?

Ok so first my coris wrass jumped threw a one inch hole in my canopy and went carpet surfing. I told myself I would get around to replacing him some time soon.

Flat worms:
At that time I noticed the flat worms.
ok so I tried to pull stuff out to dip but some where incrusted and it was a 4 week never ending battle, and in the end I removed all Acros and they went in the garbage.
I told myself this was a learning lesson and i needed to take the hit and go without Acros for 6 weeks.

Red Bugs:
Just as I was about to start adding Acros again I went over the tank with a magnifying glass and noticed Red Bugs I couldn't believe it. My only guess is that I had them and the coris wrass was keeping them in check and then when he died they became noticeable.
So Red bug are not that bad I did a three week treatment with Interceptor and they were gone.

Montipora eating Nutabranches:
I noticed them after I was checking out the tank after the red bug treatment and about to start buying across again.
Out when my Monitys in the garbage all but the two on the over flows I'm still keeping and blowing off every night with a turkey baster just to see if the corris wrasses and my new 6 line are doing their jobs lol and i haven't noticed any nutiys.

Thats when it hit me that leading back to that coris wrass jumping out is when all this **** started popping up.
I now have two in my tank for the last 3 weeks and plan to add another for good measure.

I have a good idea who I got these from but in the end I have accepted that no one is to blame but myself for not protecting myself the way I should have.

Now I will never add a plug or rock base that some acros come on ALL plugs and rock bases get cut off and throne in the garbage, then the Acro goes into the Dip.
The bugs all lay their eggs on the plugs and or base rock so if you dip them the Dip don't kill the eggs and a week later they hatch in your tank.
Dip will only kill the bugs/worms/nutibranches that are out of the eggs and on the across.

I have had my 30gal rimless set up for sps for the last 3 months with this method and things are doing great in that tank.

Salt:
I just went back to Red Sea Salt my tank looked the best when I was using Red Sea.
I started out with Red Sea and had good luck the ESV is ok also it mixes clean but to be totally honest I can't deal with the measuring with a scale and the time it takes to make up water.
The Red Sea if I decide to do a water change I can mix it up and 20min later be changing water. I also like the fact that if i only want to suck the detritus out of the tank that settled and maybe only take out a gallon doing so. I can mix up a gal of red sea in a few min and replace it and not have to get out scales and charts.
The only thing is now that my system is low nutrient I am using the Blue Bucket not the Coral Pro. The blue Bucket has better parameters for low nutrient like [email protected], Ca@420-440 and Mag1250-1310

RODI:
Best money I have spent.
http://spectrapure.com/AQUARIUM/RO-...ms/MaxCap-Automatic-Flush-90-GPD-RO-DI-System

Im still not sure if Im going to keep the 120 or take this opportunity to upgrade not necessarily bigger? but I always wanted a larger rimless and really love the Medal Halide 250w over my 30 and I can't put them over the 120 the stand is to high and close to the ceiling?
who nows I'm in limbo but happy with my 30 and it gives me hope and inspiration.

Some quick cell phone shots:
This is my 120 I took it tonight.

some shots from my 30

 

[deo glass]

nice tank! as far as dipping goes, from what i recall, most dips don't "kill" anything. they simply paralyze em which is y they say to use a pump in ur dip bath and agitate them to become "airborne"?.

 

[MikeC]

nice tank! as far as dipping goes, from what i recall, most dips don't "kill" anything. they simply paralyze em which is y they say to use a pump in ur dip bath and agitate them to become "airborne"?.

Ya to get them off the Acros use Dip (I use Bayer)