Susan's RMS Max C250
- Thread starter Susanedw
- Start date
Susanedw
Well-Known Member
Update time. Almost to my 10th month birthday. A year ago, I was contemplating starting this journey, doing research and checking for used and new tanks to see what I wanted. Even visited some fish stores to see some tanks in person. In November, I found a new tank on craigs list but it was more than I wanted to pay or could pay. A couple weeks later, price dropped and that was the green light. I brought home my Red Sea Max c250. These last almost 9 months have been a real journey. Yeah, I've made a lot of newbie mistakes but I've learned a ton, including that there is so much more to learn. Here is where I stand now:
--Need to hook up doser. A bit nervous in going automated
--Ordered a new heater with a controller. Temps dropping at night as I'm not using a heater. With no chiller, just fans, can't have the temp go past 76. Now don't have to worry that temp will go too high
--Count down to fish returning to tanks. About 3 weeks left of going fallow. Have 6 fish left. 3 will go to display refugium, 3 to main tank
--Huge population of pods. Going to get some chaeto and put in a bottle with holes and hide in back of tank for pods to have a safe haven. Both tanks.
--Need to get both tanks plumbed together and decide what to do with canister filter hooked to refugium for filtration. Keep for extra filtering or not?
--Will do a big water change and clean out sump before fish added back in
I also set up a 10 gal coral qt. Will be a long term coral tank or frag tank. Ordered a better hob filter, one with an actual area to put media in layers and not using those awful cartridges. It’s approx. 3” across and about 6” high. Put in the bio media and rubble rock. Put small bag of carbon on top until water is clean. Got a power head for it and led lights. I plan to purchase the larger hob of that brand for the hex 20 qt tank. It has a small canister and hob but that hob can’t hold bags of media like purigen. Will get rid of all the cheap hob’s except 1 for an emergency
Can’t believe I’m taking care of 4 tanks now—2 qt and a display refugium (still not plumbed with MT) and MT.
Coral Updates:
--Need to hook up doser. A bit nervous in going automated
--Ordered a new heater with a controller. Temps dropping at night as I'm not using a heater. With no chiller, just fans, can't have the temp go past 76. Now don't have to worry that temp will go too high
--Count down to fish returning to tanks. About 3 weeks left of going fallow. Have 6 fish left. 3 will go to display refugium, 3 to main tank
--Huge population of pods. Going to get some chaeto and put in a bottle with holes and hide in back of tank for pods to have a safe haven. Both tanks.
--Need to get both tanks plumbed together and decide what to do with canister filter hooked to refugium for filtration. Keep for extra filtering or not?
--Will do a big water change and clean out sump before fish added back in
I also set up a 10 gal coral qt. Will be a long term coral tank or frag tank. Ordered a better hob filter, one with an actual area to put media in layers and not using those awful cartridges. It’s approx. 3” across and about 6” high. Put in the bio media and rubble rock. Put small bag of carbon on top until water is clean. Got a power head for it and led lights. I plan to purchase the larger hob of that brand for the hex 20 qt tank. It has a small canister and hob but that hob can’t hold bags of media like purigen. Will get rid of all the cheap hob’s except 1 for an emergency
Can’t believe I’m taking care of 4 tanks now—2 qt and a display refugium (still not plumbed with MT) and MT.
Coral Updates:
- White Tipped leathers doing great. Need to remove them from the rock they are on and poxy them onto rock. Removed a large colt that keeps growing back so need to just dump the rock.
- New Clove colony doing really good. Lots of new heads. Even attaching to rock now
- Montipora Capricorn has tons of new growth. Spreading off plug onto rock
- Sedosa getting all knobby and growing.
- Zoa colony, my first corals, spreading to rock
- Sun corals need to be epoxied down. 30+ heads. Doing great. New heads
- candy cane not doing much yet.
- sephilia not doing much yet. Would like to see it get fleshier
- green star polyps spreading in 3 places from main colony now
- ricordia split into 2
- 2 mushrooms, orange and blue getting larger
- Rhrodactis split into 3
- 8 head duncan now has at least 9 or 10 new heads. It just exploded with growth and it is awesome
- One acro doing really well. Lots of PE and seeing some new growth. Other gone I think but it i a haven for pods.
- Birds nest was a teeny tiny tip. It' has grown tons and is branching
- Colts exploding in my tank. I think all the big original ones are going to display refugium. That is going to be for all my "problem" children they can do whatever in there with the xenia and macros
- Torch looks like it split but I can't tell if there are more heads. It's def. much larger
- Favia hasn't done much. Should move higher maybe but don't want it where it will harm other corals.
Pat24601
Well-Known Member
Great detailed update!
My two thoughts are, what are you dosing that you feel you want automated dosing? Personally, the only thing I ever dosed is A and B. I never found keeping up with it manually to be a big deal.
The reason I ask is I think you are kind right to be nervous. While clearly most people do fine with dosers, I've seen people wipe out their tanks when something goes wrong.
Heater is a great idea. Even if you don't need it, it's not that expensive and provides a good bottom line temp for your tank.
Personally, I'd probably ditch the canister filter. Not only are they a pita to maintain, but they can be nitrate traps.
My two thoughts are, what are you dosing that you feel you want automated dosing? Personally, the only thing I ever dosed is A and B. I never found keeping up with it manually to be a big deal.
The reason I ask is I think you are kind right to be nervous. While clearly most people do fine with dosers, I've seen people wipe out their tanks when something goes wrong.
Heater is a great idea. Even if you don't need it, it's not that expensive and provides a good bottom line temp for your tank.
Personally, I'd probably ditch the canister filter. Not only are they a pita to maintain, but they can be nitrate traps.
Susanedw
Well-Known Member
Ugh, my cat just wiped out my post. Thanks @Pat24601 I got a doser so I could dose smaller doses more often. I'll be testing each head out, and maybe using smaller bottles or jars to start off.
Yeah, heater and controller weren't too costly and a small price to pay for that insurance of not over heating tank. For the summer, I've had the heater off so will take that one out and put in the new one. Temps are starting to go down to around 74 or 75 at night. Because I don't have a chiller, I aim for the 76 range otherwise tank heats too high once lights come on.
Prob. true on the canister. I have the bottom filled with rubble and there might be copepods breeding in there but if I don't need it or there isn't any extra benefit, then will ditch or use on my qt tank. Prob. overkill for a 20 gal though.
Yeah, heater and controller weren't too costly and a small price to pay for that insurance of not over heating tank. For the summer, I've had the heater off so will take that one out and put in the new one. Temps are starting to go down to around 74 or 75 at night. Because I don't have a chiller, I aim for the 76 range otherwise tank heats too high once lights come on.
Prob. true on the canister. I have the bottom filled with rubble and there might be copepods breeding in there but if I don't need it or there isn't any extra benefit, then will ditch or use on my qt tank. Prob. overkill for a 20 gal though.
Susanedw
Well-Known Member
Okay, been a while since I updated. Lots of fishy stuff going on. First, Sunday was my 10 mo birthday. To celebrate I set up my doser. Got these cute jars from walmart. The holes in the lids for straws are perfect for airline tubing. Will have to adjust dosages and times I'm sure. Dosing alk 2x's a day, Ca and Mg 3 times.
On Saturday, the 14th, fish went back to their tanks. Fallow period all done! 2 damsels and the gold head sleeper sand sifting goby all went to the display refugium. The goby is happy to be shifting sand. He's already dug out his burrow. Sand is piled everywhere. Damsels are much more out and about since being in a QT than before. Still need to get the two tanks plumbed together. Had to cut an egg crate top as tank, a 39 gal tall didn't have a lid. Fits perfectly so the goby can't air surf... Tank currently has unwanted colts and xenia and dragon's breath macros.
The 2 chromis and scooter blenny back in main tank. The chromis coming out more now but still hugging the rock. Scooter all over, happily pecking away at the pods. Nice to see fish back in the tanks although the corals are doing fantastically. I'll post pics of them in a separate post.
Redid the 20 gal hex qt. Took out pvc and old sand, replaced. Kept half the water and the media rings in the canister filter. Added new live sand and decorations and better power filter that actually has a media basket, not just room for cartridges which don't allow you to use purigen or a bag of carbon. Exactly what I need and wanted. Aquaclear 70 rated for up to 70 gal, plus a canister rated up to 30 should give me plenty of filtration. Tank ready for new arrivals in a week. Had to do an egg crate lid as top doesn't fit with new filter. I know fish don't need light but need to find a way to have light for a few hours a day. For me to observe.
Also used left over egg crate to do a fitted pc along front of main tank instead of my bridal veil mesh. I keep the lid open due to heat and no chiller. I have a fan on top to blow onto water.
also set up a coral QT. Not happy with it. It is going thru its cycle--numbers all good. But flow is an issue. LFS suggested I needed 5-6 lbs rubble rock so I put it under the egg crate. Bad idea as I can't clean if needed and flow is not good so now have algae, some the normal brown stuff but had cyano. Treated for that, now using fluconazle as some frags are bad with algae. After getting rid of bryopsis finally, do not want that back in. Most coral/frag tanks I see do not have rubble. Not sure what to do. Don't want to disrupt the corals. Will post in forum for suggestions.
but at least I feel good about overall progress of 10 mo into this hobby.
Will add photos next time. All mine are too big as I just added them to dropbox instead of emailing as smaller images. Also, I really miss being about to upload multiple photos all at once instead of one at a time. That needs to be fixed on this forum. My other forum went back to the multiple images. Much more friendly.
On Saturday, the 14th, fish went back to their tanks. Fallow period all done! 2 damsels and the gold head sleeper sand sifting goby all went to the display refugium. The goby is happy to be shifting sand. He's already dug out his burrow. Sand is piled everywhere. Damsels are much more out and about since being in a QT than before. Still need to get the two tanks plumbed together. Had to cut an egg crate top as tank, a 39 gal tall didn't have a lid. Fits perfectly so the goby can't air surf... Tank currently has unwanted colts and xenia and dragon's breath macros.
The 2 chromis and scooter blenny back in main tank. The chromis coming out more now but still hugging the rock. Scooter all over, happily pecking away at the pods. Nice to see fish back in the tanks although the corals are doing fantastically. I'll post pics of them in a separate post.
Redid the 20 gal hex qt. Took out pvc and old sand, replaced. Kept half the water and the media rings in the canister filter. Added new live sand and decorations and better power filter that actually has a media basket, not just room for cartridges which don't allow you to use purigen or a bag of carbon. Exactly what I need and wanted. Aquaclear 70 rated for up to 70 gal, plus a canister rated up to 30 should give me plenty of filtration. Tank ready for new arrivals in a week. Had to do an egg crate lid as top doesn't fit with new filter. I know fish don't need light but need to find a way to have light for a few hours a day. For me to observe.
Also used left over egg crate to do a fitted pc along front of main tank instead of my bridal veil mesh. I keep the lid open due to heat and no chiller. I have a fan on top to blow onto water.
also set up a coral QT. Not happy with it. It is going thru its cycle--numbers all good. But flow is an issue. LFS suggested I needed 5-6 lbs rubble rock so I put it under the egg crate. Bad idea as I can't clean if needed and flow is not good so now have algae, some the normal brown stuff but had cyano. Treated for that, now using fluconazle as some frags are bad with algae. After getting rid of bryopsis finally, do not want that back in. Most coral/frag tanks I see do not have rubble. Not sure what to do. Don't want to disrupt the corals. Will post in forum for suggestions.
but at least I feel good about overall progress of 10 mo into this hobby.
Will add photos next time. All mine are too big as I just added them to dropbox instead of emailing as smaller images. Also, I really miss being about to upload multiple photos all at once instead of one at a time. That needs to be fixed on this forum. My other forum went back to the multiple images. Much more friendly.
Blue Space
Well-Known Member
Crud!! I was just about to ask for pics and then I get to the VERY last paragraph...
When I setup a coral QT after macna I experienced a massive cyano bloom. Everything in the tank was covered -like overnight. I rinsed the coral off with brisk shake in some of the water I changed out. Then had to stay on 50% wc everyday. After that no problems. Good luck!
Susanedw
Well-Known Member
lol's @Blue Space It's so much easier to share via drop box but the files are too big. So I emailed these so I could choose to send smaller files. Wish we could upload larger files and have the multiple option back.
Both Tanks
front pc of egg crate. Other tank has egg crate top as well
Hex 20 gal qt all ready for new batch of fish
Coral qt Not too happy. Not sure I want to do a 76 day qt. Not sure the corals would make it.
Both Tanks
front pc of egg crate. Other tank has egg crate top as well
Hex 20 gal qt all ready for new batch of fish
Coral qt Not too happy. Not sure I want to do a 76 day qt. Not sure the corals would make it.
Susanedw
Well-Known Member
My tank passed the 1 year mark and is doing well. Lots of coral growth. Trying to get fish repopulated. Had 4 in QT. 3 died already. Not happy. No more fish from that lfs. They were the ones responsible for the velvet that hit my tank last June.
I'm starting a 125 build. Have a dual overflow tank, purchased an R & J Stand and a Bashsea bio fuge sump. Am eager to get the ball rolling. Need to do a bunch of stuff to the stand first: some extra wood added then painted, a cabinet built into one side etcl. Will prob. not start a new thread.
I'll be honest here. Since we can no longer upload multiple pics, it's not worth my time to do them one at a time.Too frustrating. Another forum had also gone away from multiple uploads. they reinstated it fairly quickly. Pics are so important as part of this hobby/process that to make it difficult or time consuming defeats the purpose of building a community. My .02 cents
I'm starting a 125 build. Have a dual overflow tank, purchased an R & J Stand and a Bashsea bio fuge sump. Am eager to get the ball rolling. Need to do a bunch of stuff to the stand first: some extra wood added then painted, a cabinet built into one side etcl. Will prob. not start a new thread.
I'll be honest here. Since we can no longer upload multiple pics, it's not worth my time to do them one at a time.Too frustrating. Another forum had also gone away from multiple uploads. they reinstated it fairly quickly. Pics are so important as part of this hobby/process that to make it difficult or time consuming defeats the purpose of building a community. My .02 cents
No change to uploading pics that I now of...
??? @Travis
I just click the picture frame icon, add address, and repeat to add multiple images. Only took me a few seconds to add 3 images above...
Maybe Travis the owners of RS will know, if the forum software Xenforo changes & he can tweak an option, if it changed, I am sure it was be a default option update - but adding like I just tested, only took a few seconds. We Love Pics !
I just click the picture frame icon, add address, and repeat to add multiple images. Only took me a few seconds to add 3 images above...
Maybe Travis the owners of RS will know, if the forum software Xenforo changes & he can tweak an option, if it changed, I am sure it was be a default option update - but adding like I just tested, only took a few seconds. We Love Pics !
Susanedw
Well-Known Member
Starting the new year out right: Nitrates down to 5. Did a wc with vacuum and stir of 2/3's of sandbed. Will do the rest next wc. Will test again tomorrow to see if it was a fluke. Normally around 20
Lost 2 bangaii cardinals and 1 firefish in qt. 1 surviving. treating with cp. Not sure why. No more fish from that lfs. they gave me velvet last time.
Another coral update. I'm pleased that some of the corals I thought I'd lose seem to be recovering. Trying to QT them was a mistake. I thought it was a new QT system but the frags my dau gave me at Thanksgiving were put into the qt tank and it was completely cycled. All of them started fading and receding. So that tank, a 10 gal, is just not a good environment overall.
Newest corals:
Reverse Sunsets--5 pcs given by dau for me to trade to LFS who was impressed with mine (got from dau). All recovered from attempt at qt. My original encrusting on rock. Looks great
Sedosa Monti--3 pcs given by dau for me trade to LFS all seem to be doing well. All nice dark orange--had turned lighter pinky color. My original doing super
Goniastrea--Still has color. Don't see it doing much but I figure it's hanging in
Leptastrea--Was doing good, glued to a space 2 inches higher, different angle, and it started bleaching out. Put it back, still fading. Put it on bottom and more than complete recovery. Moved it to rock near sand bed other side of tank and glued. Very happy
Chalice--Figure it was a goner. Moved it to sandbed and it looks to be recovering. Will have to figure out where to move it too. Maybe all the way to the left on the side of the rock where it gets a bit lower flow
Blue Toadstool Leather--Beautiful. Love it. Nice and flowy in flow.
2 micromussas--both doing great. NIce and fat and fleshy. Love these. Will get more for new tank and maybe couple more here.
Hammer Head--Seeing extension and some growth
Blue acro or Tenius or ???--not extending as much as I'd like yet. Nitrates just went down so we'll see. Other acro good PE
Current corals
White tipped Leathers-2--Both doing nicely. Just noticed the big one is maybe too close to the cloves. Have to see if there will be an issue there
Palm cloves--spreading Maybe have to shift rock so they can't jump rock. Removed to long feelers reaching out. Not decided if I will let them spread or not. They share a rock with a sun coral colony
Paly colony--a year old in my tank. Doing well
Sunset Zoa's--looking nice
Large head Palys--Doing super. Spreading, new heads. Maybe should have put in a different spot. Will debate whether to move
Radioactive Dragon Eye zoas--Were tiny heads. Doubled in size. Looking nice
Watermelon Zoas-Nice looking
Ricordia-2 Getting larger. Maybe should pull large frag off rock and put on sandbed. Might be too close to zoas
Orange and blue mushrooms--producing and blue moved off frag
Rhodactis--Now 5 pcs and onto rocks
GSP--spreading
Duncan----what can I say but wow
Turbinaria--seems happy
Torch--now at least 3 heads. Seeing stinging tentacles. Think it's trying to reach the leather. Shifted rock to give more room between 2 and changed carbon and purigen
Acro --brown with good PE
Birds Nest-okay I think. Keeps getting stuff growing on tips--cyano or something. Not seeing new growth in a while but looks like good PE
Favia or Favite--can't remember--Moved it from side to up and was doing better. Moved it down, more center with better flow and now extends feeding tentacles and looks like it is finally growing. Did nothing where it was originally
Lots of colt "weeds". Some can stay, some get pulled...
Fish
2 chromis
2 Darwin clowns. Like to nibble my fingers....
1 peppermint shrimp--latches onto fingers in hopes of food. Will "drink" from turkey baster for food
1 cleaner shrimp now moving all over tank
1 mandarin physc. doing good. Finding food.
1 scooter blenny also doing good.
Display refugium--will become new qt tank. 20 gal hex too small for tangs to qt
1 gold head sand sifting goby. Getting huge. Will put him in new tank and hope he doesn't make too big a mess. Have too many bottom corals for this tank now. Don't want to return him as he might not survive to another home.
1 damsel--will maybe add to this tank when I take down this tank.
Pics of corals and tank shot
White tipped leather, orange sedosa frag, 2 reverse sunset frags, palm clove, sun coral
Small palys, large palys, 2 more sedosa-3rd not make shot, scrambled eggs & dragon eye zoas, chromis and darwin and cleaner shrimp
Dragon eyes, watermelon zoas, ricordias, orange and blue mushrooms
Duncan, gsp, green mushrooms
Turbinaria, reverse sunset frag, blue toadstool leather
Torch and hammer head
chalice, reverse sunset frag, goniastrea and war coral not making it.
Leptastrea and favia
testing to see if I can copy images and paste from another site.
Lost 2 bangaii cardinals and 1 firefish in qt. 1 surviving. treating with cp. Not sure why. No more fish from that lfs. they gave me velvet last time.
Another coral update. I'm pleased that some of the corals I thought I'd lose seem to be recovering. Trying to QT them was a mistake. I thought it was a new QT system but the frags my dau gave me at Thanksgiving were put into the qt tank and it was completely cycled. All of them started fading and receding. So that tank, a 10 gal, is just not a good environment overall.
Newest corals:
Reverse Sunsets--5 pcs given by dau for me to trade to LFS who was impressed with mine (got from dau). All recovered from attempt at qt. My original encrusting on rock. Looks great
Sedosa Monti--3 pcs given by dau for me trade to LFS all seem to be doing well. All nice dark orange--had turned lighter pinky color. My original doing super
Goniastrea--Still has color. Don't see it doing much but I figure it's hanging in
Leptastrea--Was doing good, glued to a space 2 inches higher, different angle, and it started bleaching out. Put it back, still fading. Put it on bottom and more than complete recovery. Moved it to rock near sand bed other side of tank and glued. Very happy
Chalice--Figure it was a goner. Moved it to sandbed and it looks to be recovering. Will have to figure out where to move it too. Maybe all the way to the left on the side of the rock where it gets a bit lower flow
Blue Toadstool Leather--Beautiful. Love it. Nice and flowy in flow.
2 micromussas--both doing great. NIce and fat and fleshy. Love these. Will get more for new tank and maybe couple more here.
Hammer Head--Seeing extension and some growth
Blue acro or Tenius or ???--not extending as much as I'd like yet. Nitrates just went down so we'll see. Other acro good PE
Current corals
White tipped Leathers-2--Both doing nicely. Just noticed the big one is maybe too close to the cloves. Have to see if there will be an issue there
Palm cloves--spreading Maybe have to shift rock so they can't jump rock. Removed to long feelers reaching out. Not decided if I will let them spread or not. They share a rock with a sun coral colony
Paly colony--a year old in my tank. Doing well
Sunset Zoa's--looking nice
Large head Palys--Doing super. Spreading, new heads. Maybe should have put in a different spot. Will debate whether to move
Radioactive Dragon Eye zoas--Were tiny heads. Doubled in size. Looking nice
Watermelon Zoas-Nice looking
Ricordia-2 Getting larger. Maybe should pull large frag off rock and put on sandbed. Might be too close to zoas
Orange and blue mushrooms--producing and blue moved off frag
Rhodactis--Now 5 pcs and onto rocks
GSP--spreading
Duncan----what can I say but wow
Turbinaria--seems happy
Torch--now at least 3 heads. Seeing stinging tentacles. Think it's trying to reach the leather. Shifted rock to give more room between 2 and changed carbon and purigen
Acro --brown with good PE
Birds Nest-okay I think. Keeps getting stuff growing on tips--cyano or something. Not seeing new growth in a while but looks like good PE
Favia or Favite--can't remember--Moved it from side to up and was doing better. Moved it down, more center with better flow and now extends feeding tentacles and looks like it is finally growing. Did nothing where it was originally
Lots of colt "weeds". Some can stay, some get pulled...
Fish
2 chromis
2 Darwin clowns. Like to nibble my fingers....
1 peppermint shrimp--latches onto fingers in hopes of food. Will "drink" from turkey baster for food
1 cleaner shrimp now moving all over tank
1 mandarin physc. doing good. Finding food.
1 scooter blenny also doing good.
Display refugium--will become new qt tank. 20 gal hex too small for tangs to qt
1 gold head sand sifting goby. Getting huge. Will put him in new tank and hope he doesn't make too big a mess. Have too many bottom corals for this tank now. Don't want to return him as he might not survive to another home.
1 damsel--will maybe add to this tank when I take down this tank.
Pics of corals and tank shot
White tipped leather, orange sedosa frag, 2 reverse sunset frags, palm clove, sun coral
Small palys, large palys, 2 more sedosa-3rd not make shot, scrambled eggs & dragon eye zoas, chromis and darwin and cleaner shrimp
Dragon eyes, watermelon zoas, ricordias, orange and blue mushrooms
Duncan, gsp, green mushrooms
Turbinaria, reverse sunset frag, blue toadstool leather
Torch and hammer head
chalice, reverse sunset frag, goniastrea and war coral not making it.
Leptastrea and favia
testing to see if I can copy images and paste from another site.
Beautiful !
Susanedw
Well-Known Member
Harvested my second batch of pods tonight. Didn't empty jars totally, only about half. Will do a total clean toward end of month. Last harvest, I strained jars totally and cleaned and put half back in. Have 2 jars going. Now if I could keep the phyto from crashing. Have 2 batches going, from 2 sources. The algae barn phyto crashes on me. Had success with the other brand first time around before it crashed. Went to AB after with no success. If it crashes again, I'll not try again but use it to feed pods until I get a large enough supply.
Here is a short vid of my first harvest in Dec.
Noticed during my flashlight venture of tank that there are a lot of copepods on back wall. Also see lots of amphipods running from light in the rocks. Scooter Blenny and Mandarin have lots of food!
Here is a short vid of my first harvest in Dec.
Noticed during my flashlight venture of tank that there are a lot of copepods on back wall. Also see lots of amphipods running from light in the rocks. Scooter Blenny and Mandarin have lots of food!