fort's 57 gallon Rimless Reef Build

[fort384]

Good to know that experience! thanks!

It is already on the very bottom of the tank, but I turned down the lighting further, and I guess we will see what happens.

[redsea]

Do you think your tank is too clean?

I thought that I have heard before the LPS corals don't like completely pristine water.

Good luck and I hope they get better for you!

[fort384]

Well, the Frogspawn is definitely improving. The hammer has not changed and I think I probably nuked it. I am more and more convinced it was just too much light. After 4-5 days now of running at 20% white / 30% blue, things are looking up a bit, at least with the zoas and the frogspawn.

I am noticing a lot of new life on my live rock and even spreading to my base rock. The clowns are doing great. The jasmine's are doing great, and most of the zoas are doing well (there is still one colony that is not open. It was the highest up in the tank and I think I may have nuked it along with the hammer).

I added some sympodium yesterday (a tiny frag). It is doing well and opened up nicely today.

Water parameters are looking phenomenal (As far as I know):

1.025 SG
8.2-8.3 pH
10 dKH
460 ppm Ca
0.03 PO4
0 NO3
0 NO2
0 NH4

I think I got my skimmer dialed in nicely... it is producing a cup of skimmate about every 3 days, and it is coffee colored.

Also added some blue leg hermits (10) and 3 nerites over the past week.

I am looking towards adding my next fish in the next week, unless anyone thinks I need to wait another few weeks? Most likely going to stock a royal gramma next, followed by 3-4 blue reef chromis, which I finally found a source for.

As always, any feedback is appreciated, since I have no idea what I am doing

[scottayy]

0 n03? That's quite impressive. How did you obtain that?

[fort384]

Water changes, a refugium, and skimming I guess. It was around 20 a couple of weeks ago, and I have done 3 water changes, and now it is sitting at 0 detectable. Also, my chaeto has about tripled in size since I first added it to the refugium.

[roydooms]

Great looking tank Justin! I remember the last time we talked, you were talking about setting up a reef tank. Now I just need to talk to one person if I have questions regarding freshwater plants and reef tanks. Great job :salute:

[fort384]

Thanks Roy!

Things are coming along. The frogspawn is recovering nicely. Some of the closed up zoas have started opening back up, and my large zoa colony is almost fully open. The hammer however still looks terrible, but hopefully it is not dead and will come back like the frogspawn did. I am convinced I just had too much light and that was the issue because things have really turned around since setting it lower about a week ago.

I added some new inhabitants: 3 nerites, 3 turbo snails, some sympodium, some new zoas, a mushroom, and a coral banded shrimp. He is being shy at the moment so the pic is kind of dark, 'cause he is hiding under the rock.

I am also seeing quite a bit of coraline growth, but along with it I am getting some diatoms again... not out of control, but annoying none the less. I guess they should clear with time.

Here are some photos:

This zoa colony was closed up for a few days, but since turning the light down, it is almost fully opened up again.


These zoas are really hardy... them and the daisies were the only things not affected by my huge lighting influx. They are still looking good.


My newest zoas... partially opened I as added them a couple hours ago:


My $2 mushroom:


Another new addition... sympodium I think?

[fort384]

My coral banded shrimp... cool little guy. He has only been in a few hours, so he is still adjusting to his new home:


Jasmine is looking healthy still:


Perculas seem to be enjoying their new home:


And the FTS. Like I said... diatoms... but also coraline! You can see the sad looking hammer on the right, and the recovering frogspawn on the left:

[scottayy]

How much light is that and how long is your tank and how high are they above the surface?

[fort384]

14" above tank, 2 AI sols, tank is 36" long

[scottayy]

Oh wow. They must be really intense. I would think the corals would be fine being 14" off of the water.

Really nice look corals though. Your reef tank is coming together!

[fort384]

Added a Royal Gramma to the tank this afternoon.

Unfortunately he is being shy and hiding in the rock work right now, so no pics yet.

[redsea]

Cool Shrimp, I plan on purchasing one (or a pair) someday.

Congrats on your new purchase, I really like the color of the Grammas, really bright and vivid.

[spoonman]

The sympodium looks like clove polyps to me. Are they the same thing?

[fort384]

I don't believe so - I think they are different.

[fort384]

I was able to get a better shot of the Coral Banded shrimp tonight as he is getting more adventurous.

[fishfanatic]

Absolutely stunning! Great picture!

[scottayy]

Royal gramma's are great. Really interesting fish. I have a coral banded shrimp.. but I think it might be a different kind because mine builds caves under rocks and hangs out with the watchman goby.

[ChrisReefer]

+1 on the Royal Gramma! I added one about 2 weeks ago and for the first week he hid quite a bit but now he swims around with my clownfish all the time

[fort384]

Well, the tank is doing great. My royal gramma is still pretty shy, but I have seen him venture out a couple of times...

I am pretty sure my first hammer is now completely dead. I left it in the tank just in case something decides to come back, but there is no green left in it.

I added a few more frags yesterday and all is looking well. The frog spawn has recovered in a big way and is almost back to its original size. I also found a new hammer that is purple/blue in color. It is tiny right now but hopefully with the new lighting it will do much better and make it.

I also picked up some new zoas... some blue ones, and a single polyp of blue pop zoas (orange center with purple ring), and a new mushroom.

The jasmines have started to spread. I see some new small polyps developing.
I will post some pics in a while.

On another note, anyone think I can put an anthias in a 57? I would really like one but I am seeing mixed reports on how large a tank I need to have. LA doesn't match several other sources I am finding, which say most of them are fine in a 55.