Sniperhank's UPGRADED 55 gal Build

[Sniperhank]

What would be even cooler if one of my pom poms would show back up lol.

[Sniperhank]

The best part is is that it originally ran to the nem when I put it in. Then vanished. Days later it showed back up and hasn't left that nem at all. I thought I lost it like so many inverts before.

[TLTGF]

I just found my Pom Pom the other night, and then the power outage, so no telling if mine is still around. Nothing else was lost, so it may show up again. It was a month or more since I saw it last. Cool creatures though.

I didn't even realize that was a nem until you said that. I thought it was a Duncan. After looking again its obvious. Lol

[Sniperhank]

It happens. It normally doesn't look like that, but I just switched up my radion graphing and things have started improving I think. Now to address the phosphates.

[Sniperhank]

I continue to fiddle in my tank, trying to make room for 2 plate coral in the sandbed. Might be an idiot, but my birthday is approaching and I decided to treat myself since I am discharging the final kid on my caseload back home the same day. Thank god. I've realized that there alot of coral in there that I really like. I need a new tank asap. Bigger tank with bigger sandbed. WTB ASAP.

[Sniperhank]

So, as you can see above I ordered 2 new plates. I JUST got an email for the promotions from saltwaterfish...spend 89.99 and get a free plate coral. I could have had 3! Lol...owell, didn't have the room for it anyway. If anyone is interested in this and need new corals, just add the promotional plate and the code is freeplate.

That aside, continuing weekly maintenance. Have been using aquaplanner pro on my iphone to keep me to a tighter schedule and track my test results. Pretty much everything is on point except for the alk level. It won't go up, basically I gave up on trying to raise it. Things are going decent in the tank aside from the .03 phosphates. Not much I can do about that since it is coming out of my water. Either way, ran out of di resin so I'm back to distilled from the store. Ironically this issue didn't occur from this water so I'll just scratch the ro/di until I move in the future. It just isn't worth the fight.

My rbta moved again today, slowly making its way to where it was originally it looks like. Odd critter. Hopefully it stays away from my coral if it decides to keep moving. Just think it doesn't like that I added the other powerhead to the top of the tank. Guess it is sending a current down into the corner...like I wanted to occur and keep junk from building up in the corners like it had started doing.

Holding off new pics until the new plates come to keep dangling the carrot infront of you guys to see if I can hit 200 pages on this build! Lol.

[Sniperhank]

Ok, I lied. Came home from work and couldn't sleep. Rearranged the sandbed again to make room for those plate coral. So, FTS time.

[Bearchumjs]

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

Ok, I lied. Came home from work and couldn't sleep. Rearranged the sandbed again to make room for those plate coral. So, FTS time.

Your tank looks awesome!

[Sniperhank]

Thanks. I wish it was going as well as all the positive praise I get in the thread.

[Bearchumjs]

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

Thanks. I wish it was going as well as all the positive praise I get in the thread.

You will always be your hardest critic. I know you are wanting it to be so much nicer, but it really does look nice. I can't wait to see the new plates! When will they be delivered?

[Sniperhank]

Tuesday or Wednesday, my 2 day shifts.

[Sniperhank]

I came home and my red star polyps were covered in a white fungus. Did a coralRX dip and scrubbed the remaining fungus away.

[Mrc8858]

Man its a never ending battle with you.... Hope that rain cloud finds someone else to loom over real soon lol.

[Mrc8858]

Honestly imo what you should do when the 120 build starts is use the 55 as a holding tank for all your new corals coming in so any thing that hits the 120 has been checked out first in your 55 cause I bet a lot of this stuff is coming in on your coral purchases which I frickin envy you on. I swear every week you got a new shipment on the way haha

[Sniperhank]

Lol I know right? It is odd because that thing has been fine for a long time and then started acting oddly. I took it as a sign something was wrong in the tank, but nothing out of the ordinary. It's too bad too, that was one of the pieces I was going to pass down your way.

[Mrc8858]

Oh please no lol star polyps and me do not get along well. I've never seen anything like it, my gsp is unstoppable lol. It's literally growing through anywhere from 3-5" of rock and sprouting out tiny holes on the other side. It's like a freakin zombie or something so I'm just gonna have to take out the whole rock and smash it up cause its jumping to New foundation rocks now. Only problem with that though is that rock also has my watermelon favia on it so looks like that'll be getting fragged in the process as well haha.

[Sniperhank]

Brutal. Either way, it won't be going anywhere now. Too messed up.

[Zippo1313]

I'm glad ur going to upgrade tanks I think you will have a really nice set up in it to but may I ask y your going with a 120 when for not much more u could have a 180 and have more depth to work with I'm just curious and hope all goes well and I was thinking why don't u build your self a still and distill your water might help with the ph and such

[Sniperhank]

The decision was on a 120 so I could have the dimensions I wanted, as large as I could go without testing the waters for needing a third radion, and well...it is still very early planning no where near completing.

Now in terms of the 55's life after that tank goes up, several ideas. First was it becoming a sump. Second a frag tank. Third a qt. and fourth, which is the newest idea due to the revival of Caribbean Gorgorgians, either a Caribbean tank or an attempt at a biope. One way or another it'll need resealed first.

[Sniperhank]

AND the perfect size.