My 72 gallon BF tank journey

[Greenmaster]

I like the peg idea Lefty... I added my rock first and then my sand rather then peg it like you did... one benefit to the way you are doing it is that burrowing fish/inverts can burrow under the rock and the rock stays stable.

 

[leftyfish]

Tank shots

The PVC idea I got from a forum post from the gentleman that owns the cultured reef. HomePage. I have a goby/shrimp pair (Fish and Chips) who love to live under the rocks in my 29G, so I thought this would be great for them and the snails.

This is the tank as of tonight, mostly set up (minus the inhabitants of my 29G)

This is the sump...I added more chaeto, live rock and the light...

close up of sump...

 

[leftyfish]

I tested the water that the fish were in (from the tank as it was setup before I had it) and the nitrates were 20, so I guess by doing a 80% water change I cut it in half.

 

[Greenmaster]

If you are using RO/DI water then your nitrates should be down to <5

 

[leftyfish]

Thanks greenmaster, yes I use RO water and just tested prepared saltwater, it is zero for nitrates, no DI filter.

I'm thinking the large mass of bioballs and a rather nasty floss I changed out? They did sit without water going through them for about 24-48 hours.

Any other reason for nitrates to be so high?

 

[leftyfish]

So I researched water changes and nitrates a bit. It seems if I do another 50% WC I can get them down about 75% of what they were in the tank before I bought it. (first WC was around 80% when I set up the tank, which reduced the nitrates in half 20ppm down to 10).

I've been testing ammonia, nitrates, phosphates and nitrites. All but trates measure 0, so far so good with moving and setting up the tank.

Ordered more salt, new chemipure elite and purigen today to replace what is in the sump.

Awaiting a cuc from reef cleaners as the ones in the 29 are not enough.

Drip acclimated some snails, one emerald crab and some zoas from the 29.

 

[leftyfish]

Mandarin

 

[leftyfish]

Also, I have a hard time telling the difference on the nitrates between 5 and 10, the colors are so close. It's the API test kit.

 

[Greenmaster]

Most test kits are "open to interpretation"

 

[sean112280]

Looking good!

 

[leftyfish]

Still testing good. Drip acclimated all of my corals and clam and my feather duster that lives in a rock, with one of my bubble tip majanos. I know majanos are satan's spawn. But it is the coolest looking bubble tips and is neon green with actinics.

Attempting to catch "Fish" my pistol shrimp over night with some chaeto in a container. Then I can move the rocks out to catch "Chips," the wheeler's goby.

Found a protein skimmer in the box of goodies I got with the tank. HOB Red Sea brand, but it is only rated for 40 gallons. So it is up and running and pulling green crap out of the water. Need to research other skimmers, maybe one for the sump, as it seems like they all are going to make some noise?

 

[leftyfish]

Well, I moved everyone else over, except the pistol shrimp "Fish," I lifted the rock he was under and no sign of him. I had to set up another tank, 10g with everything (rock, filter media, and new sand, two young clowns) to see if he shows up. I'm so sad. I hope he appears. I'll go try to get another "Fish" tomorrow if he doesn't. Poor Chips doesn't know what to do without his shrimp.

CUC from ReefCleaners showed up today!! YEAH!! I dropped one of the snails on the carpet and found it 40 min. later, it climbed right up the glass, those things are crazy!

And the carpet nems settled in although the were pi$$ed at me for removing them last night. I have three, yellow, blue and magenta.

 

[Greenmaster]

Sweet.

 

[Purevil21]

Really nice pictures, I am glad to see everything is moving along well for you.

 

[leftyfish]

Thanks guys, I keep checking the parameters and keeping fingers crossed everything keeps going fine. Will mix up a batch of water tonight to do a large water change tomorrow night to hopefully finally get control of the nitrates. Also put the rest of the chaeto in the sump, maybe that will help.

I love watching the mandarin hunt for her food, very predatory.

 

[Purevil21]

API nitrate tests are off sometimes. I had some that were old, and you can never tell when yours is old because API doesn't print the manufacture date on their product. It said my nitrates were 100 when they were 5, maybe less than that.

 

[leftyfish]

API nitrate tests are off sometimes. I had some that were old, and you can never tell when yours is old because API doesn't print the manufacture date on their product. It said my nitrates were 100 when they were 5, maybe less than that.

from an online search, someone who emailed API:
Each bottle has a Lot # printed on it, last four digits are the month and year of manufacture.

Example: Lot # 28A0102. This is a pH reagent manufactured in January of
2002.

Pond Care Wide Range pH, Ammonia, High Range pH, Nitrate,
Phosphate, Copper, Calcium and GH all last for three years.

Nitrite and KH will last for four years.

Freshwater pH(low range) and Pond Care Salt Level will last for five years.

Hope that helps!

 

[hackteck]

did you put those snails on the glass like that lol

 

[leftyfish]

They crawled up, it was like a scary movie! And I only ordered the 29g size cuc!

 

[Purevil21]

But they don't give a useful shelf life if I am not mistaken.