Aquatic_Adam's 125 Marine Journey

[Aquatic_Adam]

Hello everybody.

Been awhile since I have been back to this community but I have refound my love for fish as I am taking my first plunge into marine aquariums.

So the tank has actually been up and running for awhile now (about 6+ months) and has been doing pretty well!

The setup:

125 gallon glass display tank with drilled overflows

40 gallon long sump

The equipment:

2 Reef Breeder Value LED fixtures (https://www.reefbreeders.com/shop/re...-led-fixtures/)

2 SunSun JVP-102 1300GPH Wave Makers (Aquarium Water Pump Supplies : Amazon.com: Best Choice Products SunSun JVP-102 1300 GPH Wavemaker, 2-Pack)

1 SCA-302 Protein Skimmer (Amazon.com : SCA-302 180 Gallon Protein Skimmer (In Sump) Newest Version : Pet Supplies)

1 Eheim return pump(Amazon.com : EHEIM Compact+ Pump 2000 for up to 528 US Gallons (2000L) : Pet Supplies)

2 300 watt Fluval Heaters (Amazon.com : EHEIM Compact+ Pump 2000 for up to 528 US Gallons (2000L) : Pet Supplies)

1 Reef Keeper Lite (although I need some more help with this: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f14/reefkeeper-lite-question-343620.html)

The inhabitants:

2 Ocellaris Clowns

1 Powder Brown Tang

1 Orchid Dottyback

2 Yellowtail Damsels

1 Dwarf Flame Angel

1 Bicolor Blenny

1 Diamond Goby

1 Skunk Cleaner Shrimp

1 Sand Tiger Conch

Assorted CUC (working with John Maloney at Reefcleaners.org for completing this).

1 Orange Fungia Plate

1 Green Goniopora

Assorted Zoas including "Green Bay Packers"

Neon Green Star Polyps

The Verdict:

Like I said, first plunge into the marine aquarium world. Been keeping freshwater planted for a long time so I am kind of of the mindset that I would like the tank to be coral focused, with fish movement/color as accent because to me that makes the prettiest tanks overall. That being said...I am pretty much clueless for the corals since they are unlike anything I have ever kept before! I have had a bit of growth with the Packers Zoas and the Orange Fungia Plate but the tank is still very sparse. I will get some pictures up as soon as I can!

Hopefully you guys can advise me on my first journey and it can be a successful one together!

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Little update.

Had my first losses. I pulled a rookie mistake and bought a Powder Brown and Powder Blue Tang. I thought I could make it work as the Brown was large and are supposedly more tolerant. Not the case. The smaller Blue got stressed and died.

To compound the issue; in attempt to put a divider in the tank to aid the Blue...I stressed the Brown into Ich. He then passed away about 2 days ago.

And now my other fish have Ich. Lovely.

Tank parameters:

Temperature - 79 degrees
Specific Gravity - 1.025
PH - 8.2
KH - 150 mg/L
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - <5

I am testing for Phosphate, Calcium, and Iron tonight.

On a positive note. My invertebrates and corals are all looking very good.


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[Aquatic_Adam]

Well. For anyone who is reading this. Had a massive die off after the Ich problem. Currently down to 2 Ocellaris Clowns and 2 Yellow Tail Damsels. One Damsel is not looking good either.

Expensive lesson learned.

So I guess I will look for some help on here for a stocking plan for this 125g.

My gf would like some fun active fish like Triggers or Tangs.

Anybody tell me what they stock or would stock in a 125?


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[Sniperhank]

There isn't anything you didn't already have that wouldn't do well in a 125. It is at this point going slow and waiting to see what happens. You want things to be stable and water changes keeping up with the nitrates to 0. Then think about adding a fish. Then the next month, another fish. So on.


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[Aquatic_Adam]

There isn't anything you didn't already have that wouldn't do well in a 125. It is at this point going slow and waiting to see what happens. You want things to be stable and water changes keeping up with the nitrates to 0. Then think about adding a fish. Then the next month, another fish. So on.


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Thanks Hank.

Yeah it's just been a bummer. The tank was doing well and finally had some beautiful movement but now almost everything is gone.

I guess the positive side is that it allows me to freely rescape!

I was thinking about a Copperband Butterfly as I love their shape as well as I saw my first aiptasia last night. Can't catch a break at the moment! Haha.


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[Sniperhank]

Skip the copperband. They are very picky eaters and have an atrocious track record in the hobby. They belong in the ocean, skip it.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Skip the copperband. They are very picky eaters and have an atrocious track record in the hobby. They belong in the ocean, skip it.

Fair enough. I'm assuming chem clean up for the aiptasia then?

I'll go out together a potential stocking list.


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[Aquatic_Adam]

Did water test the other day:

Reef 1-10-2016

Temperature - 79 degrees
Salinity - 1.027
PH - 8.2
KH - 150 mg/L
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - <5
Phosphate - 0
Calcium - 320

Calcium is a bit low. Using my additives to slowly move it up.

I'm having an issue with Green Hair Algae. Pretty much starting to take over my tank. That and my Chaeto Macroalgae is not growing. I'm hoping to add a Lawnmower Blenny in the coming weeks to hopefully shrink the GHA population and allow the Chaeto to take root. Then that combo, with manual removal, to eliminate it from the tank.

Does anybody know if it's the GHA that's limiting my Chaeto growth or if there is other factors? Like potentially low iron?

After my Ich wipeout, I have been fallow for awhile. I added 3 Green Chromis to the tank as the proverbial canaries. I will be monitoring them for a couple weeks to see how everything goes.


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[Sniperhank]

The Gha won't limit the cheato, it's just telling you that there are more nutrients in the water column than the cheato can use up.

I should also state that adding more livestock to the tank won't solve the issue. Though a lawnmower will eat Gha, it won't eat all of it and it will only add more nutrients for the algae to consume, leading to more algae.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Fair enough.

But that's what's concerning me. The Chaeto isn't growing at all so it isn't removing any/much nutrients from the water column. I purchased a small ball of it way back when I started the 125 and it's still the small ball. I'm just curious as to why considering I tend to read reports about needing to trim them constantly due to rapid growth haha.

Perhaps I need a different spectrum light bulb for my fuge


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[Aquatic_Adam]

Also, thank you Hank for helping me good to know that there are still some people on here with knowledge


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[Sniperhank]

When you get near a computer, read the articles about algae battles in my signature from our articles section. It breaks down what you are experiencing. The Gha is simply out competing the cheato for a majority of the nutrients in the water column.

Cheato is a slow grower, even though it can be effective for nutrient control. That said, some have great success with it while others can't even get it to grow at all. I want to say some have theorized alkalinity being tied to that, but no one has proved that to my knowledge.


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[Aquatic_Adam]

Thanks Hank.

I will check that out when I get home. Luckily I got some time before I get back into adding fish so I can take a couple runs at getting the GHA out and letting the corals grow in.


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