Bryan's 120 Reef

[PSU4ME]

Well the storm coupled with an ich outbreak took 2 of my anthias, my picasso clown and my powder blue tang. Currently deciding what to do about that (fallow, UV, hardy fish etc).

In the mean time i'm buying more corals so that i don't get any urges to add any during the fallow period.

Just ordered this from BlueZoo:
Yellow Fiji Leather, Sarcophyton elegans
Dalmation Linckia Starfish
Radioactive Green Trumpet Coral, Caulastrea curvata
Ultra Green Open Brain Coral, Trachyphyllia geoffroyi
Orange Splash Metallic Green Ricordea Yuma, Ricordea yuma

 

[ReefFrenzy]

Man Bryan that sucks!

I didn't know you were without power during the storm. How long did that last?

I keep my eye on Craigslist every so often looking for another generator to back up the tired one I have. Sometimes you can find a good used name brand one for under $150. Sorry to hear about the fish loses. That is the worst "helpless" feeling there is in this hobby I imagine...

Larry

 

[PSU4ME]

Yeah it sucked. 8 hours without power but it seemed to be enough to give the ich the edge it needed. We are going to go buy one but haven't cause we never lose power. This time a tree snapped the wire right in front of the house.

 

[ReefFrenzy]

One of my service clients had an emperor angel die and go missing three days before the storm hit NC. Now granted we are five hours inland, but he lost power at his business for 10 hours. For whatever reason he never called me when he couldn't find the angel or to ask what to do when the power went out. (This is the same guy who texts me constantly while he watches reruns of Tanked...LOL) He DID try and help matters by buying a couple battery powered airstones, but it was too late. The ammonia from the dead 6" angel and the power outage caused 100% losses....

Bad week for a lot of folks.

Larry

 

[PSU4ME]

Well the wife "forced" me to buy the nicest looking purple tang today...... Let's see how this goes!

I'll get some pics tomorrow but he is in the QT with lights out for a bit.

 

[PSU4ME]

Been doing a few things to the tank cause I haven't been happy with it lately......and at the end I should probably just leave it alone for a bit so I think I'm going to do just that. This is my last change for a while......added a 25w emperor aquatics UV sterilizer to the tank powered by an awesome little ehiem compact pump (so quiet).

These units are beastly:

 

[steved13]

Looks good!! I hope it serves you well.

 

[Choff]

Nice Bryan hope this solves your ick issues.

What flow rate are you going to run through it? How did you determine 25w was what you needed?

Sent using Tapatalk 2

 

[PSU4ME]

Nice Bryan hope this solves your ick issues.

What flow rate are you going to run through it? How did you determine 25w was what you needed?

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Hey Choff,
I'm running it at about 100gph. I think the effective range for protozoa is at 80-130gph for this unit. I bought a flow meter and plan to check it once a month to make sure it is within range. Its powered by an ehiem pump which has a restrictor on it so that's how i regulate the flow.

Steve recommended this brand and after researching it, I can see why. They are one of the few that actually rate the gallon size for the life of the bulb and this unit is sized for 130.......so it should work for my tank. The next step up is only like $50 more but it is 44 inches long and I just didn't have the space.....its a 40W UV. Bought it from BRS and they comment on the quality and realistic "application" of the unit. Pretty easy setup.

 

[whippetguy]

Nice addition, I'm interested to see how it works for you.

 

[Choff]

Thanks Bryan, I saw what it was rated for and how close that was for your tank volume. I wondered if it was like skimmers and you should go up.

These have been on my mind as my next fish is going to be a simotanious addition of a yellow and purple tang.

Really hope it works out for you. Can't wait to see some picts of the purp.

Sent using Tapatalk 2

 

[PSU4ME]

Yeah good point man. I think that EA is the only company out there that gives a true rating so i felt comfortable with the 130g recommendation. The whole double a skimmers rating isn't true here (thank goodness!).

I've decided that my tank needs to work with my lifestyle and I needed the UV.....hopefully both fish and corals agree!

 

[PSU4ME]

Well in keeping with my luck, Mr. Purple got HLLE while in QT. All of this in 2 weeks:

He is much better now that he is in the DT and is quite healthy but is on a strict diet of vitamins and fats to help reverse the HLLE. i'm going to try and get a current pic but it is hard with him since he still hides from my initially.

 

[steved13]

Wow, that looks really severe for 2 weeks. I would make sure your GAC is exiting the reactor through a fine filter sock. I've seen mine stain a sock after being run for weeks, and I run very low flow through the reactor, no movement at all.

 

[Choff]

Bummer.

Did you plumb your qt through the UV? I I'm thinking about getting one now after seeing all the issues you are having with Tangs (my next 2 fish) and I just found a spot of bryopsis in my tank. Read how uv can help minimize the spread.

Sent using Tapatalk 2

 

[PSU4ME]

Wow, that looks really severe for 2 weeks. I would make sure your GAC is exiting the reactor through a fine filter sock. I've seen mine stain a sock after being run for weeks, and I run very low flow through the reactor, no movement at all.

Yeah he was clean before I got him but I put him in a QT tank that i ran carbon on alot to remove copper.....just stupid on my part. In the DT i have very low flow through my carbon so he is in a much better spot. I couldn't believe how fast it spread.

Bummer.

Did you plumb your qt through the UV? I I'm thinking about getting one now after seeing all the issues you are having with Tangs (my next 2 fish) and I just found a spot of bryopsis in my tank. Read how uv can help minimize the spread.

Sent using Tapatalk 2

I don't have a UV on the QT but I have thought of getting a small 9W turbo twist but i'm not expecting to many more fish. The UV will help stop the bryopsis spread by killing the free floating spores only if they pass through the device.......this is what people call the downfall of UV, it only kills what passes through it but at the end of the day, Mr. Purple doesn't have ich so i'm happy!

 

[steved13]

After seeing what gets trapped in my filter sock after rinsing the carbon and even after it's been running for 3 weeks, there's a lot of particles that come off of it. I hope the HLLE improves and quickly. From what I've read it doesn't always reverse, but sometimes it does.

 

[PSU4ME]

yeah I do to......he looks much better now (the pic looks really bad) and he is eating like a cow so I am keeping a close eye on him. I have every type of seaweed you can think of and live Ulva.......and a fridge full of supplements so hopefully they fight it off just as fast as it happeend.

On another topic, I think the UV is doing a good job......algae on the glass is slowing down and no ich outbreaks!

Time to think about new fish!

Taking suggestions - i'd like a pair or a trio.

 

[yungreefer2410]

If your tank is old enough and has enough cope pods to support it, Mandarin dragonets are one of the most beautiful fish (IMO) and a mated pair of them would be a great addition to your tank.

 

[PSU4ME]

Figured i'd throw a few updates on here:

- Ich is under control.....say what you want about UV's but my tank has never looked better (thanks Steve!).
- The SPS i got from Reggie are really starting to take off with good, vibrant growth.
- Cleaned all my equipment over the weekend and all looked good except the mag 7, the impeller only had one blade left. - new one is ordered.
- Replaced the mag 12 with the mag 18....really like the added flow. Ordered a back up impeller for the 18, mag 12 on double standby.
- Installed two R2 moonlights and let me tell you something........what a nice addition (great stocking stuffer from my dog )
- took down all QT and hospital tanks.....all cleaned and ready to go again.
- All water params look solid which makes me happy
- Fixed the Tunze ATO problem......just a film covering the eye so i moved the return to a different compartment.

I know all of this doesn't mean much without pics but I just busted out the new camera yesterday and if it takes as good a picture as it looks through the lens we are in for a treat. Wife picked up and tripod and a SD card today so pics tonight!!! Finally I can get some good LED pics.