Day by day log of a newbies 75 gallon, TBS startup tank - Page 5

wooglin · #**101** 06/30/2005, 09:16 AM

SKWO, all I did before buying the package was make sure I had my tank setup with a proper skimmer. After that, I simply followed the directions concerning testing and water changes that TBS recomends. When ammonia or nitrite got with close to a toxic level I would do a 50% water change, and that was it.

One new piece of advice is to remove sponges that begin to smell, they really can foul the water, and some of them will die.

bennkrys · #**102** 06/30/2005, 07:33 PM

Wooglin, beautiful job on the tank. LFS only sells fiji and I live in a town where its 180 miles to anything else decent. Our LFS is decent and i feel well priced. The first time I looked at TBS rock I wasn't at all impressed. It seemed too, something, busy, I guess. I continued to read on however and after two days of reading and making it to page 37 of the thread I was hooked. Problem is I just put a 72 gallon reef ready together and got rock already, darnit. On a positive note, I only got about 40 lbs and spent about $120.00 so... Since I've been waiting for four long long weeks for the LFS to FINALLY get some rock in, you have converted me through your wonderful thread. The 40 lbs of rock will go into a rather large sump and TBS will be going into the display tank. Can't help it, gotta have it.

wooglin · #**103** 06/30/2005, 07:36 PM

It is worth it trust me...

wooglin · #**104** 06/30/2005, 09:16 PM

Timbor · #**105** 07/19/2005, 09:16 AM

Any new updates?

Tim

wooglin · #**106** 07/19/2005, 02:55 PM

I just did my maintanence I do every three months where I trim back some corals, etc. I will get some pictures up soon. I moved the large fire coral that was in the middle to another tank as it was encrusting onto my overflow, and heading for some other corals.

jstevens · #**107** 07/21/2005, 11:29 PM

wooglin,

I'm interested in more info on your lighting since I also have a 75g. My tank has been running for about 9 months and I have mostly zoo's and a few LPS. I currently have PC lighting, and am replacing that with 2x250 halides which should arrive soon (XM 10K's). I wanted to start adding SPS and clams, and like the glitter lines too. Will probably want to supplement w/ actinic but will figure that out soon.

Anyway, 1) what's your photoperiod? 2) how high are your bulbs off the water?

Also, I hope to not have to buy a chiller, and expect I might need to use a fan or two... I recall that you are using a chiller; did you ever attempt to cool with fans? Also I run my tank 79-80 and I think you keep yours a few degs cooler.

I started referencing this site, and following this thread, since the early days of setting up my tank, so thanks!

wooglin · #**108** 07/22/2005, 12:33 AM

My photo period is actinic from 11am till 8pm and the halides are 12 till 7.

The lights are about 4-5 inches from the water. The fixture is only about 1.5 inches, and the bulbs a few inches up inside the fixutre itself. It is a Hamilton fixture.

As for the chiller I use a low cost pacific coast cl-280 1/10 hp and run my tank at 74 degrees. Never ran without.

FastUno · #**109** 07/24/2005, 05:09 PM

Wooglin, that is TBS live sand you have in there, right? Do you ever find the need to siphon out your sand? Do you ever see detritus build up in your sand?

Do you see a lot of critters?

I will be moving soon & have to make the big decision again on whether to continue doing BB or to put some sand in the new tank. I must say that it is easier to maintain a BB tank, at least compared to my previous experience with sand. Looking back, I don't think my old sand was live enough to make a great impact.

I was thinking of something like 60lbs of Aragalive Live Sand in a 75g tank.

wooglin · #**110** 07/24/2005, 05:20 PM

I dont clean the sand at all. Al natuuraal

robilium · #**111** 07/24/2005, 09:03 PM

HAs anyone got their TBS lately?

I have been waiting 2 months now for my second shipment......

Getting bummed out a bit. Unfortunately almost all of the live stuff that came on my first shipment is all gone. It appears to have been eaten by the various hitch hikers. I have taken out 6 Gorilla crabs, 3 other crabs, and a worm. I have seen at least 2 more gorillas. I also have a t least 1 pistol shrimp - but no mantis fo far.

Any advice for those of us forced to wait wooglin?

wooglin · #**112** 07/24/2005, 11:35 PM

Alot of bad weather in Florida this time fo the year. I would just wait. I would not worry too much about the pests. I have all of them in my tank.

wooglin · #**113** 07/31/2005, 07:04 AM

An update, well it finally happened to me. I had a NTTC while I was at church camp this week and the tank was being looked after by a friend. I lost all of my fish and inverts save for one clown goby and one engineer goby, and I also lost all my acros. Otherwise thanks to the fast action of some friends, the rest of the corals were saved.

As for the TBS rock, it is worth the wait. The weather will be calming if it has not already and I am sure they will get the rock kicking.

rjwilson37 · #**114** 07/31/2005, 08:27 AM

Sorry to hear about that Wooglin, I feel bad for you.

What is a NTTC?

Bax · #**115** 07/31/2005, 09:24 AM

wooglin

Very sad to hear of your loss.

Your system is, as always, a great inspiration to many of us newbies. I look forward to tagging along while you rebound from this episode. Just a blip in the reef'n road.

Keep it up, good luck

wooglin · #**116** 07/31/2005, 12:01 PM

NTTC = Near total tank crash

In my case had the guys from my LFS not shown up to do massive water changes to get the PH back to normal it would have been a TTC. But due to their great response, they saved almost all of my coral. The fish and all inverts such as shrimp and crabs were the real causalties.

rjwilson37 · #**117** 07/31/2005, 12:10 PM

What happened to cause this episode to occur?

wooglin · #**118** 07/31/2005, 12:33 PM

Top off sensor got stuck, and too much topoff/kalk was dosed at once.

rjwilson37 · #**119** 07/31/2005, 12:46 PM

Why is it that this stuff always seems to malfunction when people are away. You would think that since you were at church camp, maybe it should not have happened and someone could have helped prevent it.

wooglin · #**120** 08/07/2005, 07:06 AM

Here are some pics post crash. Since the gang at Emerald Bay showed up so quickly to do water change, most corals survived. Fish were my main loss.

Bax · #**121** 08/07/2005, 07:38 AM

I am sure you'll be back up in no time wooglin

You may have already said, but what brand of float were/are you running. My Ultra Life float switch tends to stick now and again so I try to blast it off with a turkey baster every once in a while.

wooglin · #**122** 08/07/2005, 07:15 PM

Here are the other pics I posted wrong:

rjwilson37 · #**123** 08/07/2005, 09:09 PM

Everything that is there looks very healthy still, thank goodness.

Wooglin, my tank made it to TOTM on Ultimate Reef, here is the link to check it out.

http://www.ultimatereef.net

FastUno · #**124** 08/07/2005, 11:14 PM

Wow, still looks amazingly healthy.

How often & how much of a water change do you find that your tank requires?

Also, how is the home-made 2 part dosing going?

wooglin · #**125** 08/09/2005, 01:19 PM

You need to talk with Richard. Send him a PM with your phone number. I have never dealt with Mark, in fact I thought the only employees were Mark and Richard, but if you sent TBS rock back, then I am sure Richard will take care of you.