Sniperhank's UPGRADED 55 gal Build

[Sniperhank]

Did maintenance yesterday and freed up time to do an update and some fts. Things are really on the up and up. Really long and frustrating battle with algae.
For those not familiar with the system, stuck using distilled water from Walmart. Was the lowest in nitrate level I could find available to me.
During the time of not keeping this thread updated, the hair algae issue was awful as it continued to explode and I lost several coral in the system.

[Dary421]

If it was easy then it wouldn't be as much fun,... I really respect the " marine " aquarist" they've earned my respect

[Sniperhank]

Totally out in Erie and seeing all the purpl tangs is amazing. There are so many rarely seen fish at this Petco my mind is blown right now.

[Sniperhank]

Added a rose urchin to the system and two more big turbos.

[paul87]

Glad to see an updated pic of the tank man! Wish I had a bigger tank so I could get a tang. They are really cool fish. I've seen a few rare fish at my peace before. Sometimes I think their orders have got to be completely random like the eating size flounder (12") I saw the other day. Lol.

[Sniperhank]

Water change day. Did some rearranging on the left to open up room to swim. Sucked all kinds of crud off the rock under it.
The new urchin is going to town. I should have had one before.

[Autumnsky]

Urchins are really great creatures!!! One of my favorites.

[Marty.h]

Looking good an urchin will soon have things looking spangly

[Dary421]

What kind of urchin did you get ?

[Sniperhank]

They called it a rose tip. Believe it to be a simple pin cushion. No carrying anything off either.

[Marty.h]

Have you looked at a Kole Tang AKA Yellow Eye Tang they are one of the smallest tangs you can get and being a Bristle tooth it would absolutely flatten algae and have them rocks looking like new.

My Kole works from dawn till dusk keeping the place clean

[Sniperhank]

I actually did have a bristletooth in the system until things went south and it died with everything else.

[Marty.h]

If you able to I would put a Kole back in you will be surprised how quick they batter algae

[Sniperhank]

Oh it is all taken care of now. Things are pretty squared away.

[Marty.h]

Having one will help keep things at bay.

Algae in a marine tank has broken many people but glad you got it sorted it can be a complete pest

[Sniperhank]

I am too. I really want to upgrade this bad boy and work towards the end goal of a clam tank. Many hours of video have been watched now on larger tanks and it is a must happen.

[Marty.h]

Research is the way forward and clams are stunning I sadly can't keep them in mine as I have polyclad Flatworms and every clam I've put in has become dinner!!! I now have to starve then out of the system

[Sniperhank]

Brutal. All my clam attempts have been failures in this system. Unsure as to why. I consider instability due to not using ro/di.

[Marty.h]

Yeah there may of been some impurity they did not like hopefully you now got that sorted and your next ones thrive

[Sniperhank]

Quick photo update. I discussed for some time my smallest Duncan colony dying off and then beginning to return. Figured I'd snap a picture of it as I put my boots on today as another head has re grown.