JKreef's 75 Gallon Project

[mnreefman]

very nice.... i like the size of some of thoes rocks... in my 300 lbs of fiji i got a few in that 20 lbs range but most are in the 10-15.... gunna be sweet... and ill pm ya once im done wth that pump

[Newt]

Originally Posted by mnreefman

... and ill pm ya once im done wth that pump

Sounds good, and can't wait!

Still can't decide if I want anymore rock in the tank. I think I want to build it up a little more to fill it in some, but I'll have to wait until Wednesday to order the new rock.

I'll let you all know what I decide on, and I'll try to get those clear tank pics up soon, camera battery died today, so it's charging.

[Newt]

Hey everyone!

Finally an update for you all...I've been really busy with work so I haven't had much time to do anything, especially fiddle with my tank, but my Bday is the 19th so I took a couple of days off, in which I plan on using to work on the tank. I couldn't think of anything else that I would want for my birthday from my parents so they offered to buy my lighting unit, so I'll have that in a week.

For now I've decided against adding more rock to my tank, unless the rock is attached to frags.

Even with being incredibly busy I have keeping up my 15% weekly water changes to keep the levels stable, took my water to work today to test because I'm out, and here were the levels:

pH: 8.1
Nitrites: 0.0
Nitrates: 5.0
Ammonia: 0.0
SG: 1.025
Alk: approx. 2 meq/L
Temp: 78F

I plan to raise the alkalinity a little and keep it at about 2.5 by dosing with Kalk, this should solve my low calcium levels also.

I was happy today after testing, because the cycle is done! I am very happy with the live rock, there was very little die-off so that helped with the speedy cycle, and there is already a good amount of some nice purple coraline algae showing up, as well as a bit of bright pink here and there.

Today I ordered my "Monty's Helper Package" aka inverts, as well as a zoanthid colony from reefermadness so those should be here friday morning, hopefully before I have to be at work.

This last weekend, I cut out the baffles for my sump project, and just started siliconing them in to place, but I'm not in a real hurry to do that until I get my hang-on overflow and return pump. After all of that is done, I should be able to finally start running my skimmer, but as I like to say, "better late than never."

Anyways, if I have some time I'll try and manage to get some pictures posted, and not hold out too long. lol.

[Newt]

Received my shipment from Reefermadness this morning, and I couldn't have been anymore thrilled. I was rushed before work to get everything in the water, so I was worried all day that something wouldn't make it, but after coming home tonight, I got to take a better look at everything, especially my pair of Amphiprion perculas, they are in great shape, and one is a misbar, on one side it looks as if he only has two stripes, and the other he has a broken back stripe.

My Monty's Helper package specimens were scurrying about the tank already doing their jobs.

And my small zoanthid colony that I ordered are already out in full polyp extension. They are Green skirted, some with a powder blue ring, and then a bright green of yellow center.

Any a suprise for me in the box this morning, a second zoo colony, a freebie! It has various colored polyps, red skirts, green, even a few pink. It's truly one nice coral.

Another thing that I'm proud of is how fast my coraline algae is now spreading, I must be doing something right, my rocks are turning a beautiful purple with various spots of the brightest pink that I've ever layed eyes on.

My calcium levels were a little low, so tonight I started to mix up kalk and add to my tank, I'm sure it will help greatly with coraline growth.

Levels:
pH: 8.2
Nitrites: 0.0
Nitrates: 5.0
Ammonia: 0.0
Calc: before kalk approx: 300
SG: 1.024
temp: 78F

I know all of you are going...PICS PICS but the lights are out for now until later this morning, so I will try to get some pics up by tomorrow afternoon. You will have to be patient with me because I only have a point and shoot camera, and my close-ups will most likely be horrible.

[Gina]

Glad to hear that everything is going along well!
Your zoas sound really nice! Pretty cool they threw a freebie in for you!

[Woodstock]

Good deal JKreef! It so much fun adding new stuff to the tank Ohh.. Use a tripod for the close ups to reduce blurring.

[KimPossible]

Another thing that I'm proud of is how fast my coraline algae is now spreading, I must be doing something right, my rocks are turning a beautiful purple with various spots of the brightest pink that I've ever layed eyes on.

Very Nice! I luv looking at my rocks too! Your doing a great job!
Thanks for the detailed posts

[Newt]

Well I know I promised them earlier, but I've been really busy. But better late then never. Just a couple for tonight. My pair of percs, and my mixed zoo colony. I'd have some pics of the green colony but my hermits were hanging out on it and made all of the polyps close.

Enjoy, and sorry about the bad camera skills, I need some nice zoom lenses.

[Newt]

Here's the Green Zoo colony, another blurry pic.lol.

[Woodstock]

Beautiful fish and corals! Nice monster turbo you have too

[cheeks69]

Love the Percs and Zoa's It's coming along very nicely also glad to see you haven't rushed anything keep up the great work

[Newt]

Patience is a virtue, well and patience is also caused by lackamoneyitis.lol.

I want to make sure that I'm doing everything right, so I am starting out slowly, making sure everything stays stable. Plus I don't want to start packing SPS in there until I get my lights which I will hopefully get sometime this week, because they are my birthday present from my parents. and that is on the 19th.

This next week, I will be ordering a few more colonies of zoos or 4 lyretail anthias.

Thanks for the comments everyone, it really makes all of my hard work worth it.

[Craig Manoukian]

Originally Posted by JKreef

I"ll get the sand, and order the rock, and finally take some pics with something in my tank!

Can't wait to see your progress!

[Newt]

Thanks Craig,

My next update on tank progresswill most likely be in a week or so, but I will be asking questions and responding to comments. So not to worry I will be around. I should have some more added to the tank, and I'll have to dig my tripod out so I can take some "quality"(not as good as Travis for example) shots of my tank. Like posted before you can hopefully look forward to seeing a quaint school of anthias to my tank, as well as the possibility of more zoos and maybe even a new mushroom frag or two.

Hopefully soon I can look forward to the completion of my sump.

Here's a question to throw out there:
Would it be too soon to add a tricdacnid clam to the tank? I would wait until my halides arrive. Only wondering because at the LFS where I work we have a 3 in. aquacultured gold maxima from ORA, that has been doing fantastic for about three weeks, and I wouldn't mind adding it to the collection if possible, but also wouldn't want to purchase it and have it die of "new tank syndrome"

Any and all comments and suggestions are always appreciated.

[Craig Manoukian]

I would hold off on the clams until you get through several months to a year of cycling and maturation. A stable tank is very much desirable. I would also look for a 4 - 5" clam to start as they don't have the target feeding requirements of smaller immature specimens, larger clams rely mainly on photosynthesis.