FarmerTy Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 I got a piece of Jedi mind trick and undata whenever you want it sir. Get you back on the road again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted March 4, 2015 Author Share Posted March 4, 2015 Thanks Ty. I appreciate the gesture. I originally got the Undata from you when I helped move your new tank. I'm afraid it turns out that I haven't treated it very well. I won't be introducing anything new for quite some time. It may be months. I'm going to have to wait for the water quality to improve. I'm also going to have to wait until the calcium reactor is back online and functioning properly. Hopefully the algae blooms go quickly, but I'll be playing it by ear until all of these conditions have been met. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 I can help you make an ATO bracket. I have the acrylic and heat gun so shouldn't take too long. I'll hit you up via pm by this weekend when I have time to get measurements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted March 4, 2015 Author Share Posted March 4, 2015 I was surprised at how expensive the acrylic was at Lowe's. BRS has one from Digital Aquatics for $24 + $9 s/h. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted March 6, 2015 Author Share Posted March 6, 2015 Coral Update: The Frogspawn and Hammers haven't opened fully and I'm beginning to think the silicone is to blame. Perhaps 48 hours isn't enough cure time? Has anyone else had this problem? I added some carbon yesterday afternoon and within a few hours more polyps had opened up than before. I checked the corals this morning while the lights were out and noticed that few corals had sweepers out. It's especially unusual for Trumpets and War Corals to be as closed as they have been. I may have to take the sump down and let it air out for a week to see if that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 Sorry I didn't follow up with my question I had asked before about how long you let the silicone cure but I do 1 week minimum. I've heard too many issues with silicone leaching chemicals to get it wet any sooner than that. I think carbon is your friend right now and if you can, I'd totally air it out for a few more days if possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted March 6, 2015 Author Share Posted March 6, 2015 That makes sense and I had suspected as much. My wife is going to visit her family on Saturday so I'll have the day to myself. I think I'll take the sump down and air it out. As it looks right now, the Cali Tort is the last of my large corals. I may have to find a babysitter for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 I'd dump that cali tort in that front display at Niko's and call it a day. The tank has been looking really good lately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 Week 86 Update: If you had asked me a year ago where I would be around week 86, then this would not have been my answer. Trying to find the upside is hard when you're watching everything deteriorate right before your eyes. Seeing as how I don't have anything else to lose, I decided to do some housekeeping and maintenance. The first thing that I would like to do is get all of my equipment into the sump. To do that I have to redesign the manifold to give me some more head room in the first chamber. I hate plumbing! I went to HD and Lowe's to get some of that 1" blue pool/spa tubing and it turns out they don't sell it anymore. Ughh I hate plumbing! All they had was 1 1\8th tubing and that didn't fit my 1" barb. I ended up having to use the braided tubing because the vinyl tubing I had before kinked in the bend. Did I mention I hate plumbing? The next thing I have to do is remove the baffles and re-install them with a better spacing. Chamber one has to be larger to incorporate the calcium reactor footprint. I would also like to make chamber three larger to fit the media reactor. I found myself with a lot of time on my hands Saturday, so I decided to fix the plumbing. Okay I know what you're thinking, more plumbing! Yeah, I wasn't happy with my makeshift rigging since I couldn't get the spa tubing. I decided to install rigid PVC throughout. The reason I didn't go with solid PVC when I originally set this tank up is because I wanted the flexibility to grow and add things as the tank evolved. I'm glad that I did because the tank has sure evolved from back then. Here is what the manifold looked like before. The return pump was hooked up to the right barb and the left barb went to the display. The barbs in between were designed to feed the various equipment. Two major problems with this manifold were that the right ball valve was unusable because I didn't have enough clearance to turn it and the left barb going to the display dipped too low and didn't give me room to work. The pump was also hard to service because it was hard to remove the vinyl tubing from the barbs. I was able to salvage the threaded ball valves and barb connections since they weren't glued in. That cut the cost of the remodel by half. Really all I needed was some fresh cement, tape and a few T's and elbows. Here it is all put together. The whole thing is about 36" long and it was really hard to take this picture! As you can see I added a few upgrades to the final product. First you'll notice that it hangs lower than the previous manifold. This is because the male adapter and the 90 degree pipe added to the bulkhead added some height. Next, the whole structure is made out of rigid PVC and doesn't have any tubing. I'm hoping that this doesn't add to the noise. I added two couplings to the manifold to allow me to service the pump and unclog any blockages. They unscrew and detach after the return pump and after the last reactor barb to allow me to remove sections as needed. Lastly, the drain pipe on the far left is solid PVC now and connects to a filter sock holder. I'm hoping this will allow me to catch a lot of the muck that was removed from the sump before it gets deposited. It is currently dry fitted for testing, but if it's too tight a fit or becomes a hassle then I will remove it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nvrEnuf Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 I'm sorry for not posting when I originally read that you had only let your silicone cure for 48 hours; I should have tried to find a nice way to point out that I had some experience with this: My daughter wanted palaudarium, so we built one. The back wall was styrofaom siliconed to the glass as a foundation. We let it cure for 96 hours to be safe...or so I thought. one month and 3 betta fish later I broke it down to try and figgure out the issue. The silicone was still wet in the center!! as soon as I started scraping I could smell it. once clean and dried for a month the system worked fine. SO, when I built my sump for my 90 I cured it for a week and had no issues. At this point I would be willing to bet all offgas has occured in your system and I wouldn't bother taking it out to re-dry. Plumbing looks good, how is it working? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 Thanks nvr! I decided to redo the silicone in case it was the brand. I redid the baffles yesterday and I'll let it dry a week like you and Ty said. To be safe I picked up a tube of silicone from Niko's. Chris said he uses it on all of his tanks. Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 All of the electrical was set up this morning. I wanted to get all of the wires off of the ground and above the water line of the sump. I mounted the controller relay as well. Hardly any of the plugs are being used since the sump is dry! All of the wires from behind the tank have been cleaned up. Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Lol it looks like your whole tank is run off that one little plug. If only, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted March 9, 2015 Author Share Posted March 9, 2015 Lol! Back in the day I only needed 2 plugs, then I got a reef tank... I wish I knew enough to make an electrical box. That would be super clean. Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted March 9, 2015 Author Share Posted March 9, 2015 Week 87: The sump is on it's way to curing and the tank is lying fallow for the time being. Now is the time to start exploring stocking options. It's been two weeks since the last fish was in there, so I'm looking at a timeline of the beginning of April or May depending on how long the tank takes to cycle. I would like to stick with the theme of Indonesia and Pacific Oceans, with the exception of the Pearly Jawfish. Fish Definite Future Stock Percula Clownfish - Every tank needs at least one! Pearly Jawfish - Caribbean Option 1: Large Fish - This would include 1-3 larger fish and possibly a utility fish. Other than that there wouldn't be much else. Generally, the more large fish you have the more waste is created. Every fish on this list will require Nori feedings and possibly frozen angel preparations. I would need a larger clean-up crew to deal with the uneaten food. None of these eat invertebrates. Emperor Angel - Indonesia - May nip LPS One or combination of Yellow Eye Kole, Yellow Tang, Desjardini, or Two Spot Bristletooth One Spot Foxface, Magnificent, or Gold Spotted Rabbitfish Option 2: Active Fish - For this option I would choose many smaller fish that are active swimmers. I like having a lot of active swimmers because it's interesting to watch and adds movement to the tank. Many of these wrasse eat snails. All of them eat worms. None of them are aggressive to fish. I would mostly feed mysis, pellets and flakes. I could feed Nori periodically, but it isn't necessary. Almost impossible to have a CUC beyond starfish or cucumbers. I think I'm leaning towards this option, but I'm worried at smaller fish won't be able to fill up a 150g display with an open concept aquascape. Dispar Anthias - Indonesia - Small school of 3-5. Christmas Wrasse - Hawaii Red Lined Wrasse aka Red Christmas Wrasse - Fiji Melanurus Wrasse - Indonesia Dusky Wrasse - Indonesia Leopard Wrasse - Fiji Richmond Wrasse - South Pacific Scott's Fairy Wrasse - South Pacific Option 3 - Mixture - This is what I normally have in a tank. It's a good mixture of fish, but it can sometimes lead to an overly aggressive centerpiece fish. I guard this Nori...like a boss! A large angel with a few wrasses sounds appealing, but I am a little worried about the lack of a CUC. Angels are messy and that food gets everywhere! 1-2 fish from Option 1 3-4 fish from Option 2 Invertebrates Current Stock Queen Conch Hermit crabs x 2 - Hitchhikers. Not sure where I got them. Possible Future Stock Hawaiian Sea Cucumber Linkia Sea Star Snails depending on fish stocking Brittle Starfish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 Option 3: Emperor with a bunch of anthias and wrasses swarming the place. I would strike Desjardini and rabbitfish from the options for option 1. They all get HUGE! I'm sure the emperor will probably need to be rehomed eventually too when it starts becoming a full size adult... but that's just the perfect excuse to upgrade and turn that closet into a tank room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted March 9, 2015 Author Share Posted March 9, 2015 Everything I'm reading has said that the max growth potential on 15" only occurs in the wild. I would expect somewhere around 10-12". My Pocket Expert Guide to Marine Fish by Scott W. Michael has them listed as 135g and liveaquaria has them at 220. My aquascape is pretty open and whatever fish I get could swim around the tank without obstruction. The One Spot Foxface only gets 7". I've had one at max length before. I like them because they eat all of the algae in the tank and keep it clean. They're also pretty interesting to watch when they flare up and stretch their spines. All of those wrasses get between 4" and 7". None of them get big like Coris Wrasses. It would be pretty cool to see 5 or 6 fish that size swimming all around the rocks. They never stop moving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 That's why I'm leaning towards the wrasses for your tank. It'll look really cool with one big show size fish like the emperor swimming around. Yeah, I'm a big fan of the one spot. The rest of the rabbitfish I haven't had direct experience with but I know they get huge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wardlaw Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 Just my .02 but all the wrasses you listed seem too similar for my taste. There are so many out there. Any reason you want a group that is so similar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted March 10, 2015 Author Share Posted March 10, 2015 Do you think? Got any suggestions? My criteria are doesn't eat fish, doesn't eat coral and doesn't get to large for my tank. Oh and it can't cost a fortune strictly based on principal. Hawaiian Bird Wrasse, Lunar, Bananna Wrasse and Harlequin Tusk are out because they eat fish. Clown, Queen, Red, and Green Coris Wrasses get upward of 2-4 feet long. They can eat fish and any inverts in the tank. Red is also super destructive and will turn over rocks. Six line and similar wrasses are pretty small and sometimes aggressive. Cleaners are possible if I could get a trained one. Other aggressive wrasses may bully the smaller ones. To get a Moon Wrasse, Pink Face or similar wrasses would be cool in an aggressive tank. They're territorial and it will be hard to add a fish later. Radiant, Exquisite, and Red Head Solomon are possibilities. I've thought about flashers but they really only come in red and orange. Lubbock's is a nice one too. A Cuban would be cool if I nix snails. Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wardlaw Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I like your last group listed with a few of the "Christmas" style sprinkled in. Always wanted a mystery but that might push the price per fish budget....like following along..good luck n o matter what your choices are Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wardlaw Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I should add, all my input is in no way professional or from experience. I am simply stating my own personal opinion..HA!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted March 10, 2015 Author Share Posted March 10, 2015 Haha I like opinions! You have expensive tastes though! My wife wants a Christmas. I want another Leopard. The biggest obstacle is the snails. If you ditch the cuc then anything peaceful will work. The problem is that you have more maintenance that way. Different colors would be a plus. Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted March 10, 2015 Author Share Posted March 10, 2015 Here are the families of Wrasses that I have researched and will consider: Halichoeres Paracheilinus - Flashers Cirrhilabrus - Fairy Wrasses Macropharyngodon - Leopard Wrasses Pseudocheilinus - Mystery only Bodianus - Cuban, Candycane or Axil only These families I am going to avoid: Coris - Destructive and get too large Cheilinus - Eats fish Anampses - Difficult to feed and ship poorly Gomphosus - Bird Wrasse, gets large and will eat other fish Labroides - Cleaner species for the obvious reasons. If I found one at the fish store that ate mysis then I would buy him. Dragon Wrasse - Destructive, gets large, fish eater Thalassoma - These fish are too aggressive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madsalt Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I have the following wrasses in my tank pair of flame wrasses green coris wrasse - has been great mystery wrasse Leopard wrasse I think - I have actually put three in my tank and I have yet to keep one around very long. I have no idea why, not due to disease or poor tank husbandry, just gone lol I had both a red coris wrasse and dragon wrasse and as you stated very destructive. I think your choices look great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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