MrX's 120G Build

[MrX]

Four-stripe #2 has gone to the great reef in the sky. Damn yellow-tail(s) beat the heck out of it. I noticed yesterday something seemed to be wrong with its mouth and it wasn't eating. Sure enough, I check today and it's dead. Looks like the top part of the mouth is missing.

I found the larger cerith snail last night while adjusting my sand; the small ones have been all over the tank/rocks/glass. The nass snails pop up occassionally to wander on the glass but lately are hidden more often than not.

LED and controller stuff are at UPS in Shrewsbury. Trying to get them to let me pick them up, otherwise I have to wait until Monday.

 

[afboundguy]

I hate to add some negativity to this awesome thread but IMO you shouldn't have added fish or a CUC until the ammonia and nitrites where at zero and nitrates rose and then they saw them drop down in the 20-40 range. I can't remember the exact values you put but you mentioned there was some ammonia and nitrites which to me means the cycle wasn't fully complete.

I know people used to cycle tanks with damsels and such because more often than not compared to other fish they would survive the cycle. Ammonia and nitrites in any amount are toxic to fish. When you added the fish you more than likely pushed the tank into another cycle (normally happens when you first add a fish after a normal cycle as the tank reaches a new equilibrium but it's usually small and doesn't hurt anything) while it still wasn't finished cycling.

Couple the not ideal water conditions for fish with the fact that those fish pick on and kill each other sometimes even under the best water conditions and I'm not surprised you've lost fish. That first picture of the striped damsel looked like it was beaten up pretty bad from the cut and the tail was all shredded. I'm not a huge proponent of cycling with fish as I think it's a bit cruel to subject a fish to the toxic conditions of a cycle.

Please don't think I'm attacking you as I'm just trying to help and I have been following this thread from the beginning and it's been very enjoyable for me to tag along...

 

[MrX]

I hate to add some negativity to this awesome thread but IMO you shouldn't have added fish or a CUC until the ammonia and nitrites where at zero and nitrates rose and then they saw them drop down in the 20-40 range. I can't remember the exact values you put but you mentioned there was some ammonia and nitrites which to me means the cycle wasn't fully complete.

I know people used to cycle tanks with damsels and such because more often than not compared to other fish they would survive the cycle. Ammonia and nitrites in any amount are toxic to fish. When you added the fish you more than likely pushed the tank into another cycle (normally happens when you first add a fish after a normal cycle as the tank reaches a new equilibrium but it's usually small and doesn't hurt anything) while it still wasn't finished cycling.

Couple the not ideal water conditions for fish with the fact that those fish pick on and kill each other sometimes even under the best water conditions and I'm not surprised you've lost fish. That first picture of the striped damsel looked like it was beaten up pretty bad from the cut and the tail was all shredded. I'm not a huge proponent of cycling with fish as I think it's a bit cruel to subject a fish to the toxic conditions of a cycle.

Please don't think I'm attacking you as I'm just trying to help and I have been following this thread from the beginning and it's been very enjoyable for me to tag along...

No worries man, no insult taken, and I appreciate the feedback.

I was aware of the ammonia and nitrite when we picked up the damsels last Monday night. I had stopped into the LFS and was talking with them and they said "oh, you'll be fine, it will help the cycle". They also tried to talk me into some tank cycling product telling me I'd be ready for other fish in a couple days. I should have waited longer as you said. My daughter was asking this morning why the damsels were all in the same tank at the LFS, and why they'd sell them to me if they knew they'd just kill each other.

The snails weren't added on purpose, they were stow-aways in some live sand I got from other club members. Didn't even know they were there until the sand was in the DT.

I definitely won't be adding anything else until I'm sure the cycle is complete.

 

[MrX]

Last night I finally got around to re-doing the quick-change part of my plumbing. Ended up cutting off the old union and putting in a new one; for the life of me I couldn't find the one from the same manufacturer and they didn't quite match up. This new union connects to a 1"-to-3/4" threaded connector, which then attaches to a quick-change garden-hose adapter. Now all I have to do is connect the hose, turn some valves, and out into the back-yard goes the water from the system. Then into the sump goes the new salt-mix. Hope it makes water changes as easy as I think it will. lol

New LEDs, Apex Jr. and VDM come tomorrow!

 

[MrX]

Got my LEDs from Apollo Reef Leds today, along with my Apex Jr. and the Apex VDM to run the lights. Right now I just have the basic ON/OFF figured out. Tonight/tomorrow I'll figure out the programming/configuration to synchronize the Sicce Powerstreams and set up schedules for the lights.

One of the hanger crimp points failed when I was attaching it to the light at my desk. I had started to lift it a bit and the wire came out. Called Joe at Apollo Reef and he apologized and immediately put in an order for a new hanging kit. I was working on setting up the Apex to do a quick light test when he called back asking for some pictures of the failure to send to his manufacturer/supplier. It was good timing as I was about to call him with a few more questions. He took the time to walk through a couple of the Apex configuration screens and show me what was causing the LEDs to cycle on/off over a 3-4 second period. Great service!

I'll put some pictures of the LEDs hanging and on in the next post.

 

[MrX]

One fixture up:

Another view:

Whites only at 100%:

Blues only at 100%:

Both whites and blues at 100%:

 

[afboundguy]

No worries man, no insult taken, and I appreciate the feedback.

I was aware of the ammonia and nitrite when we picked up the damsels last Monday night. I had stopped into the LFS and was talking with them and they said "oh, you'll be fine, it will help the cycle". They also tried to talk me into some tank cycling product telling me I'd be ready for other fish in a couple days. I should have waited longer as you said. My daughter was asking this morning why the damsels were all in the same tank at the LFS, and why they'd sell them to me if they knew they'd just kill each other.

Glad to hear... No need to unnecessarily put something in harms way and I'm sure you've heard this but nothing comes quickly in this hobby

 

[pallobi]

looks great friend... good job...

 

[MrX]

More signs of life! At first I thought it was just salt or whatever floating around, but with the LEDs on if I look closely I can see little white "dots" moving around on the glass and overflow walls.

Used a golf viewfinder backwards I can see them a little better. These things are tiny white circles with like 7-8 little appendages sticking out from the main body. each appendage has little "fingers" at the end.

Pods? Snail babies? Something else?

 

[jeremy052274]

My snail babies are very obviously snail babies from quite a young age...you can see the two tentacle things and make out a bit of a shell....doesn't sound like anything I've seen in my tank.

 

[MrX]

Here's a picture of my water test results from earlier today. I read this as: pH = 8.0-8.2, ammonia = 0, nitrite = 0.25 (coming down from last test), nitrate = 0-5.0 (going up from last test):

Here's some pictures of the new life I see in my tank. Some of the ones floating around remind me of "sea monkeys" (aka brine shrimp). Think there is any possibility of the frozen brine "coming back to life"? (either when defrosted or perhaps eggs in the frozen blocks?). These pics were taken through a binocular lens held backwards against the tank glass:

First pic cropped. Red arrow points to funky looking creature:

 

[MrX]

I have been edumacated that these are "hydroid Jelly". When I Google that the pictures look just like what I see.

 

[Pat02026]

You will be amazed at all the life forms you see appear over the next few months... And years for that matter; however I have not had a marine tank mature past 6 mnths myself yet so I'm curious as to what happens with my 54.

 

[MrX]

Just did another water test. Seems like the tank is stabalizing finally: pH = 8.0-8.2, ammonia = 0, nitrite = 0, nitrate = 0-5.0

How much longer should I was before introducing my auction wins to the system? Should I get some clean up crew in there now and wait for them to settle in before adding the clowns/crab?

 

[FinsUp!]

With your most recent test results, I'd say you'd be safe to add them now. Or test again at the end of the week, see if you still read the same, then add them. I think your damsels died more-so from fighting than from an incomplete cycle. I don't know if you plan on adding the damsels to the DT at any point, but I wouldn't do it. Keep 'em in the frag tank unless you want to tear your rocks apart and have a rodeo roundup if you ever need to get them out

My pH tends to be a bit higher than yours (8.4) but other than that, your parameters are looking pretty much the same as mine usually do. What's your alkalinity and calcium? You'll want to know that before you add the candy cane you got at the auction.

Just make sure you don't overfeed when you add the new guys. I did that at first and caused another "mini-cycle"... Oops

 

[MrX]

With your most recent test results, I'd say you'd be safe to add them now. Or test again at the end of the week, see if you still read the same, then add them. I think your damsels died more-so from fighting than from an incomplete cycle. I don't know if you plan on adding the damsels to the DT at any point, but I wouldn't do it. Keep 'em in the frag tank unless you want to tear your rocks apart and have a rodeo roundup if you ever need to get them out

My pH tends to be a bit higher than yours (8.4) but other than that, your parameters are looking pretty much the same as mine usually do. What's your alkalinity and calcium? You'll want to know that before you add the candy cane you got at the auction.

Just make sure you don't overfeed when you add the new guys. I did that at first and caused another "mini-cycle"... Oops

Yeah, I believe the damsels were killed by one of the yellow-tails (or both of them). Even now I see one of the yellows charging at the other one when I feed. No plans to add them to the DT; haven't decided if I'll keep them in the frag tank or take them back to the LFS for the trade-in credit.

I haven't tested alk/cal yet. Guess I should order those kits so I can have them handy and start testing those.

Once the new clowns are in the DT I'll probably just feed there and let stuff flow down to the damsels. After I feed up here I'll go down and see how much makes it to them in the frag tank.

 

[MrX]

My clowns, emerald crab, and Krptonite Candy Cane are all home and drip acclimating now. Will post some pics once they are settled into the DT.

 

[MrX]

All four new residents are now in their new home as of about five minutes ago. Had them all drip acclimating for the last hour or so while I got the kids ready for bed.

The Krptonite is crazy green under the moonlights. It is awesome!

The clowns are already eating. I held off feeding the damsels until just now... tossed half the frozen brine cube up here in the DT and the other half down stairs. Looks like both clowns were eating some. I just looked over and the bigger clown is checking out her new digs. Sweet! The smaller (male?) clown is now doing the same!

The crab disappeared right after being place in the DT. No clue where he is right now. Sure he'll come out to play later.

The new snails are chugging along as well. I picked up 5 large nasserius and 5 astrea from the local LFS earlier. Also got a calcium test so I can start watching that. Six of the new snails went into the DT, the other four went down in the sump.

I'm gonna to go watch the tank for a bit and try to get some pictures. Will post them later.

 

[MrX]

Drip acclimating the new arrivals:

Clownfish in their new home:

 

[MrX]

Kryptonite Candy Cane under the moonlights:

Kryptonite Candy Cane under whites/blues:

Some shots of the new snails: