Susan's Grand 125 Adventure

[Susanedw]

Now I have to figure out how to use them and find out whether they should be lower. Will prob. add a couple pcs of liverock to the left side from a tank I'll be taking down. Plan to ask on the forums

Have tons of flow. Might not need a 3rd eflux unless it is to go behind one of the rock islands. Have 3 in there now. 2 efluxs only at 40-50 % power.

 

[Susanedw]

whoopee!!! Electrical side of cabinet is now officially finished! In fact everything is now done except 2 things:
Finishing the manifold
Adding a shelf along back for the doser which I don't need yet.

My hubby did a great job routing wires and attaching everything. To avoid holes in stand sides, we cut plywood, painted it and attached those. Everything is mounted to the thicker wood. anything that needed to be double-stick taped, had a plastic (forget what it is called) sheet cut and screwed to the wood so it's easy to pull off and remove sticky. Loop controller is on a hinge and he drilled a small hole for the sensor for the controller if I don't need to see what what I'm doing (hitting a weather pattern or lights on or off). Very pleased. Now for some fish and corals!

looking inside right side of stand. Back wall is hinged on either side as it is open top and bottom for cord and plumbing access

looking in with controller swung out and back wall


Left side

back. doser pump shelf and extra power strip for future
Right side. Gray hub for lights is behind the controller. On same plate as the blue hub. controller flat against side wall

Susan

 

[Pat24601]

You are making great progress!!!

 

[Pancho75]

Everything is looking very nice, good job!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Susanedw]

The uglies are about to descend upon my poor unsuspecting tank. Diodoms have shown their little faces...

I've had the lights mostly off for the cycle--been trying out a schedule for a few days to get it set. Added some extra corals that I had to sell to a lfs to the tank. Will be keeping one of each for that tank. Guess it is time to
pick out a cuc. More uglies in my future, I'm sure.

 

[Pat24601]

Diatoms are kinda fun. It means things are getting going.

 

[Susanedw]

that was my thought, Pat. Time to move a few trochus snails into the tank--mine have had babies and babies and babies-- and order some other types, like ceriths.

 

[Susanedw]

Moved some LR from the display refugium to the new coral qt tank (RS E170). Took out some of the trochus snails and added them to the 125. Found 2 narsarius and tossed them into the 66 as there isn't anything for them to eat in the new tank and I need to replinish cuc there as well. Still adding saltwater to the tank.

Tomorrow will take the goby and damsel out and add them to the 125. Hate to have the sand sifter there--he's a messy fish but unless I put him in the coral qt, I'm not sure what to do with him. But a fish with the corals defeats the qt aspect. Would rather get a rainford?? goby as they don't make quite the mess.

Used about 15 gal of water from the 66 gal and 5 from the DR to add to the coral tank. That with the LR should keep it from cycling. Will be removing all sand from the DR and will put that in the coral qt and add some more into the fuge.

Almost every rock has some kenya tree. Might have to chisel bits off as I don't want it in my fuge and getting into my new tank.

 

[Susanedw]

Made temp covers out of egg crate so I can add my 2 fish. The goby and damsel are in a bucket with some new tank water being added. Also added a bunch of trochus snails and set them on top where the diatoms were getting thick. One rock is completely cleaned off! Saw a baby. I'd added a couple scoops of old sand to the back of the tank. I know they'll be more in the tank I'm emptying out. Removing all sand and rock and will watch for snails. Not tearing it down so that means it should be good to go as a fish qt tank. Does need some major cleaning! Might also put 2 hob filters--the aquaclears. One is on the 10 gal which is coming down totally. bta will go into coral qt. Can't figure out how and why it is still alive.

Hope to be all done with tank stuff by end of weekend.

 

[Susanedw]

I think I have the dreaded MTS-- Multiple tank syndrome <g> This hobby needs warning labels like bags of potato chips or cats--can't have just one. Of course I love chips and have 5 cats....

Okay, here is my FINAL set up. No more tanks unless I upgrade one of oniathe main displays and that won't be for at least a couple years if not longer!!

Office:
RS Max C250 AIO 66 Gal Display
39 gal tall Fish QT Eventually I'll be full up of fish and then won't need up and running (Ha!)
Living Room:
Aqueon dual mega flow 125 gal Display with Bashsea Sump approx 35 gal
RS Max E170 AIO 45 gal Coral QT set up with rock and sand.

Spare 10 gal for special treatments if needed though will treat in 39 gal. No sand or rock. Have to remove all sand as there are tons of baby snails in there and meds will kill and spike amm.

Noticed the damsel swimming length of tank. Seems happy to have it all to itself except for the goby. Will be adding 4 more damsels as the first fish or some lemon chromis.

 

[Pat24601]

Sounds awesome to me! I totally have MTS.

 

[Susanedw]

Got coral! Went to 2 lfs's and picked up 10 coral frags. No fish though. So am going to try ordering online. Have never ordered fish via internet. Will try liveaquaria. Looking at ordering:
Ruby Head Wrasse
Carpenters Wrasse
Lubbocks Wrasse
2 percula clowns

Here are the corals I bought. All in the coral qt tank and looking good. Only the pavona is not tentacled out
Duncan 3-4 heads
Neon Green Torch
Branching GSP (for the lone centerpiece rock)
2 Micromussa's--one rainbow from Legendary Corals
Silver GSP--share rock with other gsp
Pavona
short branch goneapora--will go in 66 gal tank
tenuis acropora
Stylophora

 

[Susanedw]

We now have fish!!! Well, fish are in QT anyway. Currently the tank has:
1 yellow tail Damsel. Will add more later, when I add the tangs
1 yellow head sleeper goby
New soon to be additions once they pass QT:
2 percula clowns
1 Ruby Head Fairy Wrasse
1 Lubbocks Fairy Wrasse
1 Carpenters Fairy WRasse--on backorder. Was in stock when I ordered. Now it's not...

This was my first time ordering online. Liveaquaria.com. I admit to being very pleased and surprised. I decided there was no risk with their 14 day guarantee. Local stores have none and I seem to loose half or more. Figured I would receive 2 tiny clowns. Both are good size, maybe close to/at adult size. The ruby head is also good size, maybe 2.5 inches. The lubbocks is the smallest. All swimming and doing well. The 2 wrasses hanging together, clowns not far away. Won't hesitate to order online again. Once it gets hot, probably can't do it, will have to see then.

Will add some blue light on low in a while and try feeding as well. Added some plastic gutter mesh to the egg crate cover. and have a small flap for feeding.

Will most likely to a round or 2 of prazi. Nothing else unless I see issues.

I think I'm going to like having wrasses. So far anthias are my favorite. Now I have 2 favorites...

So when this batch goes into the tank, I'll get another order to put in QT.

 

[Susanedw]

Corals from Sunday

 

[Susanedw]

 

[Susanedw]

Had a concern that when my backordered wrasse arrived, I'd be adding 1 fish to a qt of 4 fish, including 2 wrasse's. Cancelled the order but ordered 2 others so that on Tuesday I can add 2 more fish to the qt and avoid the aggression that comes with adding 1.

McCoskers Flasher and Blue head Fairy WRasse. That should give me a nice grouping of wrasse

 

[Susanedw]

Almost didn't order clowns as it seems like all i've had just hang in one area and don't do much. Might be because these guys are new but they are all over the qt tank, swimming back and forth and exploring every inch!. the 2 wrasses are also out and about. No hiding at all since putting them in. Have multiple pvc fittings and a decoration with a hidey hole and fake plants. All four fish get along, hang together for a while, they swim off. The 2 wrasse are usually together.

The ruby heads coloring has really come out in so short a time. Added low blue light and just a bit of the whites (chinese black box). I know they don't need light but figured they might respond better if things were more "normal". No idea if the Lubbocks is a male or female or a juvinelle. Doesn't really matter. it's coloring has really come out as well. Everyone is eating.

Not sure if I should do a round of prazi starting tomorrow or wait until the other 2 wrasses get here on Tuesday. I'm using some stability as I've added 4 fish to the qt tank. Will use for a few days.

Phone died. Will add more pics later!

 

[Susanedw]

Fish all doing well so far. Was a bit worried as one clown hide out in a pvc tube for a while this morning. Been out all afternoon so far. The 2 wrasses found places to hide for the night. Put food in water and out they came. OH! Watching tank while I type and saw sand spray. The Ruby Wrasse was digging out between 2 pvc tubes on the sand that are zipped together. It found a nice bed spot to slide into. Nice to know.

I think I just might be in love with wrasses. They weren't on my list for immediate additions but what I wanted wasn't available and now I'm glad. They are so pretty and colorful. Eager for the other 2 coming in on Tue--McCoskers and a blue head.

 

[Susanedw]

We got fish. McCoskers and Blue Head. Both swimming around. Ruby Head a bit aggressive toward Blue Head. Both are young males and nice size fish. No idea sex of the other 2. McCoskers is smaller, about same size as Lubbockis. Hopefully they settle out. Plan to keep in qt for a month to get them fat and settled. Not sure if I'll treat with prazi or not as I don't want them to stop eating. Will evaluate in a week. No sign of any ailments or such.

 

[Susanedw]

Update from a couple weeks ago
New Fish:
McCoskers Wrasse--seems okay. Been watching. Not as active but eats
Ruby Head Wrasse--Had white stringy poo. Metro and focus now in food for 10 days
Blue Head Wrasse--Normal Poo spotted today. Actually not sure which of these two wrasse had the icky poo
Lubbocks Wrasse--Probably won't make it. Has injury, most likely spinal, and isn't able to get up into food column to eat. Thought it was gone, tried to net it and it zipped back into pvc tube. Trying to get food to it
2 clowns--seem okay. Not a mated pair and both are same size. Hang out in same area but often each in a different pvc tube.

Corals adjusting. Added the green torch and 2 micromussas to the tank along with the silver gsp and branching gsp. Duncan looks to be doing good. The 2 gsp's are ready for me to glue in their solitary rock. And the duncan. Still giving micros time to adjust. 1 looks good. 1 has feeding tentacles but isn't as t hickly fleshed out yet. Reverse sunset and orange sedosa seem okay and ready for perm. attachment

In coral qt, watching several others. Some may go in this tank, some to other tank.
Short branch gonipora will go to 66 gal
tenius not sure. Great polyp exten. I put the other tenius from the 66 in coral qt as it has no polyp extension
Stylophora doing great. not sure where it will go
Pavona still not fleshed out or feeding tentacles.
sps prob. do better in the 66 gal although it has high nitrates.

Not much else doing. Ordered the screen kits from brs. will be here on friday.

All that's left is to purchase another eflux pump, a spare return, a doser. Just some small stuff Still a few tweaks and a manifold to finish, although no use for it at the moment. Not sure I'll use it for water changes. I'll ask on the forum on how that works and if any advantages.

Then, just need to get fish and corals into the tank--have 2 fish from previous set up but of course in a 125, it's pretty sad...

So it's all waiting and watching now. Fish out of qt second week in April. Will decide if I will do a round of prazi.