The Amazing 100

[Reddog170]

Well I am updating again. Mt computer would not work right so I was unable to order my tang today. The LFS says that he really does not know how big a lavender tang will get. I guess I either do not get one for chance that it will outgrow my tank or gamble and get one. Until I know for sure I will hold off. I do not want to get a fish that I will have to get rid of later. I think I can put a regal tang in, I have seen plenty of them in 75's, but again am not sure. Guess I either do not add anymore fish for a while or gamble. I am not one for gambling much so I will have to wait. I am just kinda going nuts, so many questions and cant get any answers. I am very close to getting rid of my serpent/brittle star. I do not know for sure why he seems to like to atack the kenya trees and noone will speculate on this to help out. I also do not want t get rid of him, I really like him. But the kenya trees were my first coral so I am kinda partial to them. I am starting to think that I am the only one with these problems. They are nothing major but have a huge impact on the future direction of the tank. Ohh well I will just keep doing more research. Shaun

[yungreefer2410]

i don't know anything about your star... hopefully you'll find some answers

[Reddog170]

Apartantly it is not very common for a brittle star to go after any coral. So I started lookingf for what else he may be after that would cause him to apear to atack the Kenys trees. Well as it turns out the rock that the Kenya Trees are on also has a bunck of algae and crevouses that capture food. I do not think he is after the trees any more but after the stuff in the rock. I also seen my pepermint shrimp last night for the first time in weeks.
I also realizd something else. I wanted nothing but softies to start out with in this tank. Now I have several hard corals, Purple digitora, birdsnest, and some crusting cap thing (will get pics up and ask for help with ID later). I am also buffering with Kalkwasser. I kinda had to do something, my calcium levels were faling fast and even with daily water changes the best I could do was hold it about 320 or so. I think that this is something that I will forever be a student to as everday it seems I learn something new. Well back to work on my tank, power heads acting up. Have two of them that want to run backwards. Shaun

[yungreefer2410]

that sucks with the ph. sounds like you need to start dosing ca. as to what brands idk

[Reddog170]

I have started dosing with Kent Marines Kalkwasser. I have been doing it at a low dose, about 1/2 of the top off water and testing for calcium as I go. I want to get the calcium up but not throw anything else out of wack at the same time. Hope it goes well. I mean if I have to build a calcium reactor I will. I just dont know if I want to or not. Shaun

[Reddog170]

Well I have just spent two hours cleaning algae and my wife found a neat trick, 4X4 guaze pads. They work great. But on the subject of algae I am starting to get some HA. Is there anything I can do to stall it out so it does not take over my tank? I was told by one guy to raise the Magneisum and that would wipe it out but he could not tell me what else it may or may not do. I do not have enough, yet, to pull out with my fingers but I am getting a "fuzz" on some rocks. Catch everyone later, Shaun

[Jeremy0322]

Do you have a phosban reactor, killing the food source will stall it

[Reddog170]

Dude I have been thinking bout building a reactor. They look pretty simple. Just was not sure that thwould really work as good as I would like. How long does the phosfate sponge media last? Does it leach back out into the water? can I just run the tank return thu it? Many questions I know. Also what skimmers do you have for sale? I cannot open the link in your signature. Shaun

[Jeremy0322]

Originally Posted by Reddog170

Dude I have been thinking bout building a reactor. They look pretty simple. Just was not sure that thwould really work as good as I would like. How long does the phosfate sponge media last? Does it leach back out into the water? can I just run the tank return thu it? Many questions I know. Also what skimmers do you have for sale? I cannot open the link in your signature. Shaun

hmm...thats odd that the links wont work, it just worked for me. There is a berlin body left, it needs a pump but the body itself is going pretty cheap I think. As for building the reactor, I am pretty sure you just run water into a tube through media and then out the other side, thats atleast what they look like in these pictures..

Aquarium Phosphate Control: PhosBan Reactor 150 and Parts from Two Little Fishies

It looks like water goes in and then is sent to the bottom, then it fills the tube and goes back out through the other hole, so really all you would need is 2 pieces of PVC, like a 4" and a 1/2" and then some caps and stuff, if I understand it right.

[Reddog170]

That does look pretty easy to build. The links dont work for me, my computer is about to completly die so it is probably not the link but my computer. PM me on that berlin body. Shaun

[Reddog170]

Figured I would update this alittle. I had a green brittle star but he found a new home after he used my firefish for a midnight snack. My psycodelic manderin found his way into a pump. Other than that my sps have been growing great, and fast. This pick does not do the tank justice at all. The colors just do not pop in the pics like they do in the tank. My zoos are spreading like wildfire and my yellow tang eats anything that does not eat him first. I am have an explosion of pods that is wild. One weird thing is that in the evenings several of my hermits gather in the same spot every night. No idea why. I have steped my lights over to MH lighting via 2X 250 watt pendants. They really put some good color to my SPS. My LPS open up good under the mh but have slowed growth tho. Other than that my tank has just been growing and maturing. Maybe someday make to a tank comprable of a TOTM. LOL. Shaun

[Reddog170]

Yes I got white sand again! I had put a phosban reactor on my tank but found out I was using to big a pump for it. My tank is almost algae free. My HA is hardly noticable and my brown and red algae is gone. And I did it without adding anything to my water. Now I wanted to get some opinions here. I want to add more fish to my tank but just do not know what. I would like a lavender tang but from there I just do not know. Maybe a blenny? or a couple goby's? But no more clowns, that big female likes to bite me as it is. I know it is just because I am so sweet, LOL. I am open to ideas here. My main display is a 100 gallon tank that is 60 inches long 18 inches deep and 24 inches tall. Let me know what you all think, Thank you Shaun

[tbone71788]

so how did you get it algae free i been trying everything i just cant get rid of the hair algae by the way the tank looks great

[brikeibur]

Very nice Red....

That's a good-looking tank!

[Reddog170]

I got rid og the HA with a lotof manual removal and started running a phosban reactor, changing the GFO every three days. IF I wait any lomger than three days I will start getting minor algae outbreaks, but nothing bad as long as I do not let it go more than a week.
Thank You for the comments, this tank has been a lot of work but I love it. My wife says I can get a bigger tank but I like thi one and think I will wait at least another year before thinking about changing. Thank You, Shaun