120g Reef Tank Diary

[dolfans1]

I was hoping to start this a couple of weeks ago after some requests, but with the website being down and me traveling, I haven't been able to get around to posting until now. Here is where I am at so far:

Equipment:

Tank: 120g dual Mega Flow (glass), 48"x24"x24"
Sump: 20 g Berlin style
Skimmer: Euro-Reef (with its own pump)
Pumps: 2 Mag Drive 700 + 2 Penguin PH
Lights: 2 x 400 W MH (10000 K) + 2 VHO actinics - total wattage just under 1000 (8.2 W/g). You can get a tan under there if you want. Lights are cooled by 3 PC fans, 2x3" blowing in and 1 4" blowing out. I built the canpoy myself.
Chiller: ViaAqua 1/3 HP PolarBear Chiller (I found that the tank was running ~88 F with the lights on, so I needed to add the chiller.)

I have an RO/DI water system installed in my garage, and ran the pure water line through my attic down the wall behind my tank into a float valve installed in the sump. This keeps the water topped off at all times. For anyone interested in doing this, plan ahead - the space in the sump can get very tight when you have a large skimmer, 2 submersible pumps, and a float valve.

I have attached a picture of my tank without any live rock and without the canpoy.

On July 31 - Aug. 1, I began adding live rock. I have 60 lb base rock, 80 lb live rock, 20 lb live sand, and 80 lb aragonite sand. I kept the pumps and PH running after adding the sand. The water went from very cloudy (picture is attached) to very clear overnight. I added a small piece of uncooked tilapia (part of my dinner that day) to start the cycling. The canopy was installed, and the tank was cycled with the lights on. The ammonia and nitrite peaked at 0.50 ppm on day 4, and the nitrate peaked at 10 ppm. A picture of the tank at this point is attached.

I went out of town on Aug. 10, and returned on Aug. 15 to a tank becoming overgrown with hair algea. My levels look good: Ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 5 ppm, phosphate 0, pH 8.2, SG 1.024. There are also a lot of small tube worms, white and pink, and other critters that I've seen attached to the glass that look like small white fleas. Any help IDing these would be appreciated.

Last night I added the first live stock to the tank: 12 hermits (assorted kind) and 12 turbo snails. They have both begun munching on the hair algea, especially the hermits. I am going to monitor the water for a few days, and if there is no ammonia spike, I am going to get maybe a Tang. Next week the LFS is getting a large shipment of snails and hermits, and I'll stock up on them. I'm looking to get a total of about 100 each. The last picture is my tank as of tonight. Feel free to ask any questions or offer any suggestions.

 

[AW2EOD]

That looks great! Keep us posted!...and more pics are always welcome.

 

[dolfans1]

My ammonia had spiked to 0.5 ppm 1 day after adding the hermits/snails. I think 2 or so snails died. After 2 days (today) all readings are at 0. Interestingly, I didn't see a corresponding nitrite spike. I must have enough bacteria to handle the stuff as it's generated.

I spent about 45 minutes today "weeding" the hair algea. There is still quite a bit, but it is too hard to get out. The LFS said it's natural for a new tank, and sold me some Marine SAT. It's a biologial clarifier; the bacteria supposedly compete for the same nutrients as the hair algea, and eventually the hair algea starves. We'll see. I should notice a big change in 2-3 weeks.

I also added the first fish - 6 green chromis.

My plans are to add a bunch more hermits/snails on Thursday, and possibly next weekend add an anenome. I'm looking to get a combo of anenome and clownfish that are compatible. Anyone have any suggestions?

I've attached a picture taken today after adding the chromis.

 

[Oliver]

the ammonia probebly spiked because you added one hell of alot of snails and hermits, take it easy on the bioload. The algae is very normal, and it comes in 'plagues'. I had exactley the same thing. Don't buy any chemicals though, as soon as you get something eating the algae it goes away, you need a algae grazing fish, any that you had planned for? the tank looks great by the way, don't buy anything else for 2 weeks as your bioload is very high and if you over crowd the tank at first your ammonia will rise and things will die! I strongly disagree with adding an anemone at the moment. It is safe to add them atleast 5 months after the tank has started, other wise you are compremising their health. I have a boubble tip anemone with 2 ocellaris clowns hosting it. It is ment to be 50/50 chance that they do but I know tons of people who have the same thing.

 

[dolfans1]

Thanks for the comments. When I went to the LFS yesterday, they had suggested getting the anenome and clownfish as my next purchases. I had also read (in several places) that anenomes should only be put in tanks that are at least 3 - 6 months old. They told me as long as the tank is cycled and stable, it doesn't matter, but I am inclined to believe the people in this forum who are not trying to sell me something.

The 6 green chromis (chromises?) that I bought yesterday seem to be doing well. They already appear to be feeding on the amphopods/copepods - they are darting around lunging after these things, so I think that is a good sign.

My ammonia/nitrite/nitrate readings are still at 0 a day after adding the fish.

My draft list of fish that I would like to get include a yellow tang, a pair of tomato clownfish (to go with a bubbletip anenome), a flame angelfish, a lawnmower blenny, and a pair of cleaner wrasse. Does this sound reasonable? My next fish purchase I am thinking of the flame angelfish, which will hopefully help with the algea problem.

I am still reading up on the corals, so haven't decided what I want. Any suggestions/tips would be appreciated.

 

[Oliver]

the flame won't graze! get the lawn mower first. the cleaner wrasses will probebly pick at the other fish to try to find food but may end up hurting them, why them?

 

[mogurnda]

I like the idea of getting tomatos and a BTA. Captive-reared BTAs are pretty easy to find, and tend to be easier to keep. I agree that they can go into a tank when it's cycled and stable, but you only know if a tank is stable after a few months, right?

Please skip the cleaner wrasses. Most don't eat prepared foods, and there will not be enough parasites to keep them fed. They won't eat ich/cryptocaryon, so they don't serve the purpose many buy them for anyway.

What kind of corals are you thinking about? You have enough light for any corals and clams you could think of, so it's a matter of taste, to some extent.

If you want to go with acropora, I would wait a few months for the tank to stabilize. I added some acros too early in my tank's life, and lost a lot due to bleaching and RTN (rapid tissue necrosis). Now that the tank has settled down, the survivors are starting to grow extremely well.

Among the other stonies, montipora species are very hardy and adaptable, as is pavona.

Of the soft corals, you have room for some big colonies of sarcophyton (toadstool), sinularia, capnella (kenya tree), gorgonians and all sorts of others.

It's really a matter of what you like looking at. The only thing that makes stony corals a bit more work is their higher calcium/alkalinity demands, but that's manageable.

 

[Gealcath]

Actually the bacteria dont compete with algae at all, its other forms of algae competing with other algae, or an algae population getting so big it exhausts the nutrients it needs and dies off.

 

[dolfans1]

First hitchhiker spotted

I spotted the first LR hitchhiker this morning (except for the tubeworms). I was checking out the tank this morning before the actinics came on looking for the chromis. It was pretty dark in the tank and hard to see. The actinics came on when I was watching, and I saw a bristleworm, 4 - 5 cm long, scurrying along the bottom. Not the ideal hitchhiker, but as long as it doesn't bother me I won't bother it. I was surprised that something this large went undetected all this time. If I can get a picture of it I'll post it.

The chromis have started eating the flake food - another good sign for them.

I haven't decided on what types of coral I want yet - still reading up on them. I figure I've got a couple months to decide.

 

[dolfans1]

I haven't had much chance to post lately, due to travel and other things. The tank has also kept me busy in my spare time.

It looks like I am finally starting to win the battle against the hair algae. I cut down my MH lights to 5 hrs/day for 2 weeks, and I've also been adding Kent Marine SAT Biological Clarifier weekly. Even though my phosphates were reading 0, I also added Phosgard to remove any traces that my kit might not be detecting. There is still some algae, but nothing like before - particularly on the rocks. I've attached picture - 2 weeks ago the live rock on the left side was completely covered with algae. Today I increased the MH lights to 6 hrs/day.

I also just set up a 20 g quarantine tank. I'll start cycling tomorrow. In a couple weeks I'm thinking of adding a flame angel. Another month and a half or so and I'll start adding corals.