Fishdad's Reef Setup

[FishDad]

Update: Went ahead and purchased a bio reactor w/ pellets. Plummed it into the skimmer as planned. Minor disaster... while I was installing the reactor apparently I dislodged the aqualifter output from the sump. So when I turned the system back on it "aqualifted" water onto my floor. Only about half a gallon but enough for me to run around the house shouting "broken arrow!"

Anyway the reactor is working but I a little disappointed with the flow rate of the pump. Its supposedly rated for 850gph but for that rating I would expect the pellets to be tumbling a bit more. We'll see how it goes.

I also got a KH tester, came in at 4-5. After some research it seems that's low. I guess 8-9 is preferred. The only test kit I still need is for phosphates and hopefully those, along with nitrates will got down in a few weeks with this new reactor.

 

[Newman]

in the beginning stages of a reef tank you don't REALLY need so many test kits, but i understand you want to do this right and want to be prepared for everything, so that's good. the cycle might be messing with KH but i am unsure. red sea salt mix will provide the perfect KH and GH for SW environment. again, I would not worry at all.

you would only really want to know exact nutrient and mineral levels when you get SPS corals. those are the most finicky coral. the rest are more lenient.

I don't think we shared any of our past SW tanks. I'd be interested in seeing OrangeCones's reef and FreshyFresh's reef. I'd post my pico and nano pics too if everyone would like to share. but on the other hand i wouldn't want to clutter your thread, Fishdad.

 

[FishDad]

By all means, post 'em up! I would love to see them. Pics of the sump systems as well would be really helpful. You too OC... Anyone else who's got pics of their reef, lets see 'em.
I'll start...

 

[Newman]

My 3 gal pico:

And 10 gal Nano:

Both retired. Pico was 2.5 years old before i took it down and Nano was more than 1 year old before i took her down.

 

[OrangeCones]

My saltwater days ended when I moved from Florida back in the late 90s. I was not a shutterbug then and don't have photos to share The only photos I DID have (don't laugh, taken either with a Polaroid or 110-film camera!) did not survive a flood. I lost all of my family photo albums, including a 5-generation photo with me as the 3 month old baby, with my mother, her father, his mother, and her father. So me, my mother, grandfather, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandfather.

I absolutely loved my 110 reef I had that was used as a room divider. You could view it from all sides except one short side (which is where the overflow was, so nothing to see anyway - it was drilled and this lead to the wet-dry filter below and to the sumps under the stand). Everything in it was what I collected myself SCUBA diving, even the corals. I worked with a shop that dropped artificial 'skeletons' to grow inverts out in an undisclosed location in international waters. They would remain there for years until 'ripe' with wildlife. It was near an artificial reef that was created by sinking several ships. We'd drop off a few new skeletons 4 times a year, and take in any that were ready, never taking more (and often taking less) than new skeletons we'd drop on that visit.

 

[FishDad]

Newman, those are absolutely stunning tanks. You've got an eye for layout too.

OC that's terrible, I'm really attached to my old and new family photos that span generations and it would crush me to lose those. Over that past year I have been scanning everything I have on to picasa for preservation purposes. I'm big in to my families genealogy too so I also use them on ancestry.com.

It sounds like you were a spy or something, 'an undisclosed location in international waters". If I remember correctly you are getting ready to move again right? After the move any plans for another reef?

How about you Newman, you ever going to do another reef?

 

[OrangeCones]

The location was secret even to us that went diving. The pet shop/dive boat's owner was afraid if others knew WHERE it was, they would 'help themselves' to what he spent on average 5 years to cultivate. It was in international waters to prevent any sort of problems with having permits/etc. to be allowed to collect. What was nice is that he did not collect what was already there, but only what he helped to create (and he created more than he harvested).

Yes, getting ready to move (pre-qualified for mortgage, now looking for the 'right' house to call home - one with a pool!!). No reef in the immediate plans due to funds but I will likely set one up again once we're settled. For now, I have a 40gallong breeder plant-only tank (there is one kuhli loach and an oto I've not been able to catch in there still), and a 20gallon long plant/fish tank. The fish in there are all South American, including a freshwater puffer that does not bother a shoal of 30 neons, despite many that say you can't keep them with others.

 

[FishDad]

How far off the coast are international waters?

I have this visual image of a bunch of scuba divers with potato sacks over their heads, cruising out to sea.

 

[OrangeCones]

3 miles beyond any state's coastline ends the state's jurisdiction. From 3 to 12 miles is USA jurisdiction. International waters would be beyond 12 miles from the coast and not within 12 miles of another state's coast.

The 'secret' site was/is (haven't been diving since '98) off Florida, south of the panhandle, before you reach Alabama. Water there was 50 or so feet deep, so easy to get to for diving. Always have to wear gloves when handling the skeletons, as it was not uncommon for fire coral to colonize. If you've ever touched it, you'll know!

 

[Newman]

That's horrible about the flood, OC. I would be depressed if i lost all of my family photos...
That's a really cool method of collecting coral too.

I have touched fire coral before i think. it sorta looked like thick, relatively smooth branched SPS that was yellow-tan-grey in color? anyway i don't remember feeling any sharp pains while i was holding it so maybe it wasn't fire coral. i do remember it gave my skin a really weird feeling though. almost like pain but not quite. i had to wipe my hands often. i think it was the slime that was irritating to the skin.

Thanks FishDad. when i get the time and money i will start up my ~2 gallon vase as a pico tank. i already tried stating it up in October but i had to take it down. At least is still have all of my materials ready(rock, sand, light fixture, heater, air pump and all). So if i was to start it up again it would be super easy. This is my inspiration for that vase reef: The History of Pico Reef Biology | NanoReefBlog
and this: Reef Vase - "Blue Crevice" - Pico Reefs - Nano-Reef.com Forums

 

[OrangeCones]

That's horrible about the flood, OC. I would be depressed if i lost all of my family photos...

What was horrid for me is that the boxes that contained the photo albums (in a climate controlled storage shed) were at the top of a stack of boxes, over 6ft off the ground. The area flooded and the water rose to almost 2 ft in the shed. I was not told of the flood (happened on the 30th of September) when I called to pay the rental fee on October 1st. I had plans to come two weeks later when we were ready to move into an apartment. Had I been told, I would have come that day. Instead, the lower boxes wicked up the water and eventually collapsed. The boxes on top that included the photo albums fell into the water. Everything was molded Believe me, I spent about an hr crying over the loss. I lost everything I owned except for the suitcase full of clothes I had with me, my laptop, and my pick-up truck that month. Every item I had in the world. I likely could have salvaged some kitchen pots/pans etc. but didn't have the strength to filter through it with all the mold. Took all weekend to put everything into a dumpster.

I have touched fire coral before i think.

If you'd have touched one of the fire corals, you'd have felt pain. This link shows what they can look like (there are several varieties native to the area we were in).

Venomous Corals: The Fire Corals by Eric Borneman - Reefkeeping.com

 

[Thyra]

That is so sad about the flood and loosing photos. Wasn't there anyone else in your family that had copies of some of them?

 

[OrangeCones]

I've been able to replace some, but not many.

 

[FishDad]

What an awful story, OC. It sure illustrates how fleeting material possessions can be, no matter how safe you think they are. Three boys have made me realize that. If it can be crushed, cracked, thrown, colored on, or flushed... it will be. My fish tank it just one baseball throw away from annihilation.

 

[FishDad]

Alright, nitrites bottomed out this morning. So I added two fish and two coral. The fish are a wild caught Ocellaris Clown and a Six Line Wrasse, both about 1 inch. The coral are a tree coral and green star polyp. All seem to be doing fantastic except the star polyp, which has yet to open up.

I drip acclimated them, which was the first time I had ever done that. Hopefully that makes a difference. I know OC swears by it.

BTW that diatom bloom appears to have stalled. Good sign or bad sign?

 

[OrangeCones]

Diatoms love nitrogen, so any ammonia, nitrite or nitrate will feed them.

 

[FishDad]

Alright, so they lost 2/3 of their food source. That makes sense.

 

[OrangeCones]

*Reports FishDad to the ASPCA for diatom abuse!*

 

[FishDad]

They'll never catch me!

On another note I'm holding my breath for a bacteria bloom. I've heard that can happen when these bio reactors first get going. My understanding is that the carbon and bacteria take time to stabilize. That would be a big bummer since my tank is crystal clear right now.

 

[Newman]

imo corals should all start at the sandbed when you first get them. it helps acclimate them to your light. then move them up in a few weeks.
why did you get one clown, and a wild caught one at that, do you not want a clown pair? Clownfish are captive bred by the millions, idk why settle for a wild caught. way to take Nemo right out of tha reef lmao!

but everything looks cool