Step-by-step account of my first reef (with lots of pics)

[Dudester]

Last weekend I wasn't nearly as productive as I planned to be. My brother came in from out of town and we played hard and worked little. Actually we built some custom shelves for my daughter's room but the tank will see no benefit from that project. I did, however, manage to buy a nice jig saw for the shelf project, and I'll in turn use that saw to cut out the hole for the fan I'm going to mount into my light rack. I went ahead and bought the Radio Shack fan that I linked previously, and I also got a power supply for it. It's not a variable voltage power supply and once I spliced the fan wires to the power supply and turned it on, I heard why people use the variable voltage device. The fan is indeed LOUD, but I think I'll need it to crank full bore to adequately cool my tank. Hopefully when I mount it into my light rack the reverberation with the wood won't amplify the noise.

I never did re-treat with FWE and, of course, they're everywhere again. I'm really going to have to dedicate myself to regular intervals of treatment (like maybe every 4 days for 5 treatments) to eradicate them once and for all. I'm totally convinced that treating once without follow-up measures is both nonproductive AND a waste of money.

My bryopsis is growing back after my last pruning, but definitely at a much slower pace! I think that by limiting feedings and pushing alkalinity I've been able to at least get a grip on the stuff and hopefully the end won't be too far away. Still waiting for a clean-up crew once I hear from John.

All of the new corals that were showing signs of STN have stopped showing tissue loss as of about 5 days ago, and quite honestly the amount of loss was minor. I did not have to frag them. I'm confident that they will survive (at least for now) without further damage and I'm looking forward to some new growth.

Lastly, the cabinet door that warped after my flood incident has remarkably warped back into shape . My brother and I were going to fix it but it now seems that won't be necessary. See what laziness, I mean patience does for you?

[Bax]

You can program that fan to actuate off the temperature probe of your ReefKeeper. That is how both of mine operate. When the water temp hits X they go on. I think mine go on at 82 and off at 81.5 or some such thing? They cycle on and off all day when the halides are on.

Oh, by the way my ReefKeeper temps reads higher by 1 deg than three other digi thermometers I own so I set mine a degree higher for each operations, that's something you may want to check if you're going to run temp controlled equipment off it.

[Dudester]

Originally posted by Bax
You can program that fan to actuate off the temperature probe of your ReefKeeper. That is how both of mine operate. When the water temp hits X they go on. I think mine go on at 82 and off at 81.5 or some such thing? They cycle on and off all day when the halides are on.

Ditto for me. My fan turns on at 81 and off at 80.

Thanks, Bax. When I hooked up my ReefKeeper I calibrated the temperature to my pre-existing digital thermometer (that I still keep in the display tank) so that it would have an accurate reading. I then checked this with a small floating thermometer that I keep in my salt-mixing container, and they were quite close, so even if my tank temp is not 100% accurate, it's darn close and at least the changes are minimized. I keep the extra thermometer in my display because I check the tank's temp almost every time I walk past it. The ReefKeeper is mounted inside my cabinet, but the digital thermometer display is located in a place that's relatively inconspicuous if you don't know it's there, but easy to see if you do (know what I mean?). I also like having dual checks on my temperature since this is one parameter that can change very quickly and have severe consequences to the tank if it occurs.

You have 3 digital thermometers for your system? Wow, and I thought I was paranoid. Why don't you recalibrate your ReefKeeper temp probe so that you don't have to set it higher?

Cheers!

[bcoons]

I got my new ReefKeeper II last week. I had planned to install it last weekend, but I got sidetracked (more later.) I did get it programmed, since I figured it would be easier to do that on the desk before it was mounted in the stand. I'll get it in the stand this weekend.

I have it programmed like so: (we'll see if this formats right)

REEF KEEPER II CHANNEL SET-UP

CHAN FUNCTION

1 White LEDs 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM

2 MH Light 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
(emergency off @ 84°F)

3 Heater On @ 79° F

4 Fan On @ 82°F Off @ 80°F

5 Blue LEDs 9:00 PM – 11:00 PM

6 Left PH A, Off w/ feed, Nite Mode On

7 Right PH B Off w/ feed, Nite Mode On

8 ‘Fuge/Sump Pump Off w/ feed
& CPR BK2R Protein Skimmer PH

Wavemaker @ 5 min. Feed Mode @ 4 min.
Night Mode 8:00 PM - 8:00 AM

ON REGULAR POWER STRIP
Skimmer aux air pump
Auto Top Off System Power
‘Fuge light (on timer XX:00 – XX:00) (Still thinking on this.)


I have that printed out on a 4"x6" file card in a clear vinyl envelope taped on the cabinet under the control head. I'll take some pics when I get it mounted. I'm also looking forward to getting the pH probe in there and see what the pH is really doing.

My distraction this weekend was GETTING MY FIRST CORALS! I went to our favorite LFS on Saturday and lo and behold, John was there! So we talked awhile about my tank and now that I had some light where I might start. So, I brought home some zoos, mushrooms, a xenia elongata, and a frogspawn. Oh yeah, and a maroon clown. Also bought some of the two part B-Ionic to try to bring up my calcium levels.

So the corals have been in my tank now for 4 days and they seem to be doing well so far. I hope I have more success with them than I do with fish. Of the seven fish I have had in my tank over the last six months, only a green chromis has survived the whole time since day one.

I also noticed, now that I have a lot more light, that there are a lot more little critters in the tank than I had seen before. More snails, feather dusters, and little bug like critters. I just noticed tonight something like hair algae on the rock the mushroom corals were on, but the red-leg hermit crabs seem to be eating it.

I must admit that things are more interesting with some corals and other critters in there.

I still need to get down and see your tank, Mike. If you're ever up this way be sure to call. We tried to call you saturday from the store, but no answer on your cell phone. You must have been working!

Oh, and I only have two digital thermometers in my tank!

Bruce

[bcoons]

Oops, forgot what I was going to ask. Dudester, do you have a glass top or any other covering over your water surface? I don't think I ever saw any in your early pictures on this thread.

I had a glass cover on mine, as I have heard that a lot of fish, particularly clowns, tend to jump out of the tank without a cover. But, I took the cover off for the last couple of weeks while the weather was warm, and I kind of like the no glass cover "feel." It seems so much more natural to see the water surface shimmering, and it just seems like there would be better gas exchange and cooling.

So have you ever used a glass top? Should I worry?

Bruce

[Dudester]

bcoons Glad to hear you have some corals in your tank. You're definitely ready, and I'm sure John hooked you up with some beautiful (and hardy) specimens. Keep a close eye on your tank, as you are doing, and you'll see things happen that will amaze you, such as the proliferation of coralline and other algaes, division of your shrooms, and "critters" galore (especially at night).

As for your ReefKeeper settings, it looks good, except I personally would set it so that your fan turns on at 81 instead of 82. The problem I see is that, in Texas and with MH lighting, your tank is going to see 82 degrees for sure, and you probably don't want it going much if any higher than that. On a really hot day, your fan might not be able to compensate quickly enough to control the temperature. If my fan didn't turn on until my tank reached 82, the water would probably get to 83 on a regular basis before the fan could catch up. This may not be the case for you, since I have a closed loop pump and a submerged sump return pump that both increase the heat in my system, and there's nothing wrong with keeping yours where it is as long as the temp remains in your desired range. Just keep a close eye on all of your thermometers for several days while your new ReefKeeper runs your system and see how it goes. It's so easy to re-program that making changes shouldn't be an ominous chore. The 4x6 card is an awesome idea - I think I'll steal that from you for sure!

My tank is completely uncovered. I also like to see the water rippling at the surface (remember this old pic from before?).


I don't worry about fish jumping out too much, but I specifically selected fish that are not notorious jumpers (like firefish, anthias, pseudochromis, etc.). I could never imagine my clownfish jumping out. It seems like the only time she leaves her frogspawn is when she comes to the surface during feeding time. I think you'll be safe with your maroon as well. And you're absolutely correct about gas exchange and cooling being better when "topless."

Thanks for calling and please do so again next time you're in Austin. As mentioned, my bro was in town last weekend I most certainly was not working! I didn't answer my phone as I was either on the tee box or, more likely, the 19th hole .

[Dudester]

Hey Bruce, almost forgot. Of course you could cover your tank with egg crate, even if only temporarily, while your new fish acclimates into your tank. This would provide some protection from jumping and still offer the benefits of an open-topped tank. Once you're comfortable that the fish won't jump ship, then you could remove the egg crate. I keep egg crate over my quarantine tank for this very reason. By the way, are you using a QT? Are you dipping your new corals? I love "our favorite LFS" too, but that's where I got my flatworms so beware and trust no one!

[bcoons]

Well, so far I have been doing without a Q tank, but that is about to change this weekend. Second priority (after installing the RK II) is to finish setup of the Q tank. I have a 10 gal on a stand, with a small HOB filter, heater, light, thermometer, and some PVC fittings for cover. I put the old tank water from last weekend's water change in the Q tank, and will do the same this weekend. Then I'll add a few small pieces of LR and get all the equip running.

My main reason for doing this now is that I need to get my camel shrimp out of the main tank before he starts nibbling on my corals! If/when I finally catch him I can pop him in the Q tank until I can take him down to our little LFS in town and try to swap him for another peppermint shrimp.

I also notice that since I have put the corals in the tank (with no dip or anything - hey, I'm still a newbie! I was nervous enough just trying to get them out of the bags and into my tank) there is now some green and red stuff growing on some of the rock, and some of what looks like hair algae. It may finally be my turn to learn how to deal with it. I now have ALL of the books you recommended a month or so ago, so I guess it's time to start reading about dipping or quaranteening corals to avoid bad stuff getting in my tank. (Now that I already did it.) Great timing, huh?

Also this weekend I'm going to pull all my powerheads and skimmer and give them a good cleaning. Also will pull the AC 'fuge off and give that a once over.

Looks like it's gonna be a busy weekend. I hope it rains, so I won't feel guilty about not being out doing yardwork. I live on an acre, and the grass is already green and growing. Darn, I could have used a bit more of "winter."

And good idea on the egg crate. I have some here already. I think I'll cut a panel that fits and see how it looks/works.

Regards,
Bruce

[Dudester]

bcoons - I'd do without the LR in your QT. This is personal, as there are many out there who do use LR in their QT successfully, but if you need to treat your quarantined corals or fish with meds (e.g. copper) then the LR will subsequently be rendered unusable for your main tank. (I think this is correct - if wrong someone please correct me.) If your reasoning behind using the LR is to populate your QT with bacteria, you'd be better off placing a sponge in your refugium for a week then transfering that sponge to your QT's HOB filter. This will populate your Q far better than by using water from your current tank, which actually contains very little bacteria (proportionally).

If you want to learn a lot about QT's in a short amount of time, then read the first several pages of this thread.

[bcoons]

Originally posted by Dudester
bcoons - I'd do without the LR in your QT. This is personal, as there are many out there who do use LR in their QT successfully, but if you need to treat your quarantined corals or fish with meds (e.g. copper) then the LR will subsequently be rendered unusable for your main tank. (I think this is correct - if wrong someone please correct me.) If your reasoning behind using the LR is to populate your QT with bacteria, you'd be better off placing a sponge in your refugium for a week then transfering that sponge to your QT's HOB filter. This will populate your Q far better than by using water from your current tank, which actually contains very little bacteria (proportionally).

If you want to learn a lot about QT's in a short amount of time, then read the first several pages of this thread.

Good point. I guess the LR in the Q tank is not a good idea.

I had actually read that whole thread on Q tanks a while back. Unfortunately, as you get older the brain cells get over-written more often and the info doesn't "stick" as well as it used to. Need to go back and look at it again.

I think I'll do the sponge in the 'fuge thing for awhile.

[melev]

Bcoons, you just need a good defragging.

If you do use LR in your quarantine, and the fish gets sick, you'll set up a hospital tank. I wouldn't dose meds in the quarantine tank personally. If it is ich, just leave the quarantine tank fallow (fish-less) for six weeks and it will be ready to go again.

[bcoons]

I've got two questions for the group, but first ........

Woo hoo! I got my Reefkeeper 2 installed today. Boy, what a nice little unit. Easy to set up and install. Now I can do all my lights and pumps and also monitor pH. I'm pumped!

Here's the RK 2 on the right front of the cabinet. The ATO system is on the inside cabinet door and the top off water is in the plastic bin.



The power panel is re-designed from the original RK. Plugs 1 and 5 are spaced apart to be able to plug in wall warts, and plugs 4 and 8 are relay driven for higher current devices, and ballasts that don't like triacs.(Man, I need more power cables and wires in my cabinet. There's still some extra room!)



And a frontal shot showing the installation. Right now I have a 4x6 file card with the channel assignments in a vinyl holder taped to the cabinet under the display head. Once I memorize the new channel assignments I'll move the card to the inside door of the cabinet under the ATO controller. That will clean up the look a little. You can also see the big digital thermometer with alarm function up on the wall. It is easy to glance at whenever passing the tank, and it is a good backup to the temp controller on the RK 2.



I also took a few pics of my new corals. Rather than post them here, click on my "gallery" button above to see them. They're not much, but it's a start.

I also cleaned all my powerheads while I was at it, and also did the mod to the Maxi-Jet 600 PH that melev described a while back. I cut off the output tube with a hacksaw. Wow, what a difference in flow! So now I have a PowerSweep on the left side of the tank and the modified MJ 600 on the right side. They are set by the RK 2 wavemaker to alternate every 5 minutes.

OK, now for my questions:

1. Mike, (and others) how do you determine how much of the two part B-Ionic to dose each day? The bottle directions indicate about 5 ml per day for my 20 gal tank, but my calcium tests low at about 230-250 ppm. Is there a formula I should use to figure out bigger doses to raise my calcium levels?

2. How do you get the ^&%^#$%% top off of the ^$#$%^% 5 gal bucket of Instant Ocean salt mix? I'm about to set up an IED (improvised explosive device) if I don't figure it out pretty quick. Is there some simple trick to getting the top off that I am completely missing?

Thanks to all for their help to this newbie.

Bruce

[melev]

Hey Bruce, when you modified the MaxiJet, did you drill holes in the base?



That helps even more.

Since it is better to raise levels slowly, I would just up the dosage daily and test again in a week to see what the numbers are. So if you had to dose 15ml, dose 20ml a day and see what you end up with. Alternately, you can add a calcium raising product all by itself, and then use B-Ionic to maintain it at that point. Is the Calcium level that low right out of the bucket of IO?

Peeling the lids are is very difficult, and you may feel like you're going to lose a fingernail in the process. There are bucket openers available on the market. I have a plastic one somewhere that I can't find, which I bought at Home Depot I think (Paint Department). When I worked in fast food years ago, we had an aluminum one to open the "pickle" buckets. We went through a lot of pickles.

[Dudester]

bcoons - The pics look great. I love your zoos and shrooms. Great way to get started. As for the RKII, well, what else can I say except that I'm incredibly jealous! Regarding your questions:

1. Mike, (and others) how do you determine how much of the two part B-Ionic to dose each day? The bottle directions indicate about 5 ml per day for my 20 gal tank, but my calcium tests low at about 230-250 ppm. Is there a formula I should use to figure out bigger doses to raise my calcium levels?

The bottle indicates that volume as a starting point. You'll need to titrate the amount up daily to determine how much your tank needs, and this is based upon your rate of coralline algae production and the needs of your corals. A good thing to do, since your levels are quite low, would be to give the tank a bolus of calcium. You can determine the amount you need to add by using this chemistry calculator. If you're going to use the Ca component of your B-Ionic to raise your calcium quickly, then you'll probably use a fair amount of it and it may be time to go ahead and order a gallon of the stuff from an online vendor (much cheaper than at our LFS, but don't tell John I said so). Once you get the calcium where you want it (around 350 I would guess, since you don't have any SPS), then add your B-Ionic daily and test for calcium daily. If the level drops, you'll need to increase the amount of B-Ionic. Keep doing this each day until you find the volume that matches your tank's consumption. Of course you should be checking alkalinity as well .

2. How do you get the ^&%^#$%% top off of the ^$#$%^% 5 gal bucket of Instant Ocean salt mix? I'm about to set up an IED (improvised explosive device) if I don't figure it out pretty quick. Is there some simple trick to getting the top off that I am completely missing?

The bucket lid has a little "bulls eye" on the vertical ridges that project upward from the lid. Strike the bulls eye with a hammer (counter clockwise orientation) while holding the bucket in place, and this will loosen the top. When you're finished getting your salt out, make sure you hammer it closed tightly (clockwise, of course), as moisture entering the bucket will cause it to clump into large chunks.

[bcoons]

melev - Oops, I forgot the holes in the bottom! Man, that's what I get for not going back and looking at your pictures before I went out to the garage. OK, I'll pull it out and drill those holes tomorrow. At least I got the other part right. I can already see the difference it makes. Quite a bit more flow.

As for the calcium, my tank has been testing at about 230-250. The test kit uses titration/color change, which always give me trouble as I don't seem to discern colors very well. As you add the drops into the solution it's a redish pink color. You're supposed to count the drops until it turns "blue", but it goes through a purple color first, so I'm never sure where the purple turns into blue. Last weekend when I brewed up a new batch of saltwater using Instant Ocean, after 2 days of mixing, I tested calcium at somewhere between 19 and 23 drops, or 285 - 345 ppm, depending on when I called it "blue." Does that sound about right for fresh IO salt mix?

The B-Ionic bottle instructions say to add 5 mL daily for a 20 gal tank. Is it safe to add much more? How much? Is there some danger point I should not exceed? Now that I have a pH monitor on the RK 2, will watching the pH tell me if I'm dosing too much?

Do I have enough questions?

[bcoons]

Mike - Saw and replied to melev's post before I saw yours. That chemistry calculator site you provided is pretty interesting. Doing a quick calculation using the B-Ionic part 2 (CA) it shows I should dose 112 mL. Wow! That's quite a bit It says to add in several doses. So once it gets to where it needs to be then I experiment to find the correct daily dose to hold the level? OK, I think I'm getting it. Man, it's been a lot of years, (like about 40) since college chemistry. I guess I better order another Calcium testing kit.

With the pH monitor on the RK2 I can finally watch my pH closely. When I got it set up about noon today my tank pH read 8.2, right where the test kit always said it was. Tonight, just at lights out it was 8.35. I have the 'fuge light on daytime now, and off at night. So it will be interesting to see what the pH is tomorrow morning before lights on. I'll watch that for a few days then try a night cycle on the 'fuge light and see what kind of a difference it makes. Boy, I like measuring gadgets. Now I'm eyeing that Pinpoint calcium monitor. A man can't have too many meters.

OK, I'll try your method on the 5 gal top tomorrow morning. If it doesn't work I'm gonna get some det cord.......

[Dudester]

Bruce - The calcium in fresh IO should be closer to the 345 than the 285 that you're seeing. I don't know what test kit you're using, but my Salifert kit has a similar titration, from red to purple to blue. The correct calcium is read when the solution is blue, not purple. Make sure you're doing the test in adequate light, and place the test vial on a piece of white paper to help you discern the correct color.

You can add a lot more B-Ionic than that. I currently add 45ml of each solution (about 1 ml/gallon of system water) to my tank daily, and I still have to boost up my calcium periodically with Kent Turbo Calcium. You're not going to hurt anything by using more than 5 ml/day (except your wallet ). I asked a similar question to Randy Holmes-Farley, and he mentioned that 1 ml of B-Ionic per gallon of system water is not uncommon, especially in a tank with high calcium/alk demands. Marc made a good point about raising your calcium level slowly, although I've done it rapidly on a few occasions without any detrimental effects. The calculator I referred you to lists a caveat to add 1/3 to 1/2 of the required amount of calcium supplement, test the next day, then repeat. This certainly seems like a safe approach.

You should try not to change your pH by more than 0.2 at any given time. B-Ionic will certainly raise your pH, which is why I add mine in the early morning when my pH is at its lowest.

[melev]

You want to run your refugium lighting at night, and off all day. That way the plants will produce oxygen and raise the pH while the display tank's pH drops - it is a small buffer to help keep them a little more stable.

When adding the Calcium part of B-Ionic (well, actually either part), you need to add it slowly in an area of high flow. Whatever number you dose, it should be added slowly over 20 seconds or so, not just dumped in. If you see it turn to flakes, you added it too quickly and wasted the dose. B-Ionic should be added early in the morning when the pH is at its lowest. The Alkalinity part will raise the pH as soon as you add it.

What test kit are you using to measure Alk & Ca?

[bcoons]

OK, thanks, guys. I think I'm getting it. I'll start adding larger doses tomorrow after the water change. I'll pay closer attention to trying to get the color to blue rather than purple. Looks like I just need to spend more time playing with my tank. At least it keeps me out of the bars at night. (Oh, wait..... there are no bars here. It's a dry town!)

[bcoons]

Originally posted by melev
What test kit are you using to measure Alk & Ca?

The calcuim test is a "SeaTest" kit by Aquarium Systems (same guys that make IO?) and the Alk test is in my master test kit by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Are there better?

[Dudester]

OK, so let's talk about my tank for a little while .

About a week ago I noticed that my skimmate production suddenly decreased to about 1/2 the usual volume. I didn't think much of it since I've been feeding much less and I assumed less food = less waste = less nutrients = less skimmate. Well today the MaxiJet that runs the skimmer was completely off! I removed the powerhead and found that the impeller was not revolving at all due to deposits inside the unit. I tried to scrape them off but was not successful. Fortunately I have been planning to clean all of my pumps and last weekend I bought a plastic container and some chemical-proof gloves. I already had a bunch of muriatic acid (for my pool), and I decided to give the MaxiJet a good acid wash. Since I already removed the powerhead, I just went ahead and took the skimmer off of my sump and cleaned it out with acid as well. I hooked the MaxiJet up to the skimmer and submerged it in a diluted solution of muriatic acid out in the driveway. I let it run for about 30 minutes, and when I removed it the pump was as clean as the day I bought it. Simply amazing! I hooked it up to my tank (after a thorough tapwater rinse) and it's skimming like mad, once again. I took a picture of the skimmer running in the acid solution but I've gotta go pack since I'm leaving town tomorrow. I'm so glad that this occurred today instead of tomorrow. Although the tank would probably be OK without skimming for 5 days, I'm sure it's better off with the skimmer functioning properly. I guess the FWE treatment is going to have to wait 'til I get back. So have fun, little beasties, because next weekend will be rather unpleasant for you (I truly must be ill, as I am writing to my flatworms ).

Bruce - I like Salifert test kits.

p.s. it always makes me happy to see Melev repeat the advice that I've given - it sorta validates me

[Dudester]

Hey Marc , speaking of MaxiJet mods, do you think my Remora skimmer would function better if I modified the powerhead like you describe?

[bcoons]

Originally posted by Dudester
OK, so let's talk about my tank for a little while .

So have fun, little beasties, because next weekend will be rather unpleasant for you (I truly must be ill, as I am writing to my flatworms ).

Who said this was an insane hobby?

Just as a data point, I cleaned the MJ 1200 that drives my CPR BP2R skimmer today. First time in about two months. It was still vey clean inside, with almost no deposits of anything. This is probably because I don't have a lot of calcium and stuff in my tank. Once I start heavy dosing to get the calcium levels up for the corals I'll probably have deposits like you do. I just re-assembled the pump, ran it in a vinegar solution for an hour or so, then put it back on the skimmer.

Have a good trip.

[melev]

Talk about your tank?! Who's thread is this anyways?

I'll answer that: Ours!



















Okay, okay... it's yours for now.

Glad you figured out what was going on with your skimmer. I had something occur with my Euroreef a while back, where the water level dropped a good 4" in the reaction chamber. I kept trying to adjust the gate valve to fix the situation, but eventually I figured out that an astrea had wandered into the input of one of the Sedra pumps and created the perfect obstruction.

At least now I know what to look for if the skimmer acts strangely.

[Dudester]

Yep, glad I cleared that up. Actually, the skimmer's still not putting out as much as it used to, but it's working and clean, I know that for sure.

Marc, about that MJ pump modification, do you think it would improve my skimmer's performance? Thanks, and I'm off for the next several days. If you say "yes," it'll have to wait until I get back. Just like the assassination of my flatworms!!