Bryan's 220 Build - Wrasses and More

[btkrausen]

Another quick update

Looks like I have another 100lbs of live rock coming this week. Should be arriving Tuesday and I'll just be able to pick it up via Southwest freight.

Also, going to do my first water change to start bringing salinity back up. With about 250 total gallons, I'll be doing 40 gal water changes (like I normally do) but probably with water at 1.115. I think that should be ok since it'll bump it up just a little but not over do it. I'll pull the water out of the tank and let the new water mix with the sump water before going back in, so the difference in water will be minimal.

 

[btkrausen]

Well, after 4 hours of work, I completely tore down my sump, cleaned it all up and reworked it a bit. Now the sump is on the far left side instead of the middle, leaving me plenty of room for a nice fuge. Looks much better in person, but you get the idea, haha:

 

[btkrausen]

Woot, got 100lbs of Tukani live rock in via Southwest freight. Was nervous, but after I got home, it turned out to be fantastic. So much life on the rock and great pieces. Had a few very large pieces and bunch of medium pieces. Didn't end up with a ton of rubble either. Overall it was a great shipment straight from LA

This was the second box:

In the tank, not even half of it, the rest is in a rubbermaid attached to this system. Check out the lonely cleaner shrimp checking out the new goods, haha:

 

[redtop03]

that is some nice looking rock..that sump is way too neat and clean,makes mine look like crap LOL looks great

 

[btkrausen]

Thanks Willie. The rock has a TON of stuff on it, and found some crabs (thankfully dead) but plenty of other goodies that hopefully make it. The skimmer on the QT is pulling some nice stuff out of the water, and I also put some carbon on the tank today to keep it clean.

Man, I can't wait to get this rock swapped out to see if it helps.

 

[btkrausen]

So for the fun of it, I'm testing my dry rock to see how much phosphates it is really leaching. I tested a bucket of new RO water after sitting for a day with a powerhead, and then tested after a day of adding some of the live rock to the bucket. I'm measuring with a Hanna Checker. Results are in:

Pure RO: 0.02
***Live Rock Added***
Day 1: 0.06
Day 2: will update tomorrow

Looks like the rock is definitely leaching some phosphate into the water.

 

[btkrausen]

No cool fish update like Brett, but an update nevertheless

Working my water change skills like mad, and have the tank up to 1.15 before my last water change today, which probably raised it to probably 1.16 or 1.17....so I'm almost there. However, I probably only have enough salt for another water change, maybe not enough for that, so I ordered two boxes of salt from DFS since they are only $40 and I got free shipping on top of that If you are coming out of hypo-salinity, be prepared to spend money on salt, haha.

After I fed tonight (mysis and bloodworms soaked in Selcon) I watched in awe as the Adornatus male showed off for the females. He would start from the side, flash all his fins, and swim over to the female and shake and swim around her. They didn't seem to pay much attention, but the Longfin Fairy was making sure that the Adornatus male knew who was boss, flashing his stuff at the male.

I was really enjoying watching the Adornatus until I saw he was the reason my Hooded Fairy wrasse hasn't been coming out at all, and won't swim around. After showing off for the females, he'd go down and nip at the Hooded Fairy, chasing him through the rocks and such. I thought the Hooded Fairy was dead a week or two ago, but he's been quietly hiding in the rocks.

After this, I've decided to take out the Longfin Fairy (as he bullies any new wrasses to death) and likely the Adornatus male. The Longfin fairy is gorgeous, his fins are dark red with black outlines. He is darker than any pic I've seen of one, and has super long pelvic fins colored in red and black. Would much rather take out two $35 wrasses than have them kill a $250 wrasse

Will be in Dallas this coming week, and then back to the water changes I go. 150 lbs of live rock still in the QT for now until I get salinity up to at least 1.023.

 

[MarvinsReef]

Keep at it bro. Next thing you know, the tank is in cruise control.

 

[Mike&Terry]

Man, sorry to hear you are having to pull out the Longfin and Adornatus... Your new rock looks good. We're looking forward to seeing your tank transformation once that live rock is moved in. :bigsmile:

M&T

 

[btkrausen]

Thanks guys, much appreciated. I just got back from Dallas an hour or so and already have the RO running for more water changes. Got two boxes of Instant Ocean while I was out of town as well. I hope to have the salinity up to at least 1.020 this weekend, I think I'm at 1.107 or something like that right now.

I'm gonna put out more of the dry rock tomorrow, leaving enough to provide hiding spots for the fish. Once I get to 1.023, I'll start putting some of the new live rock in.

I'm not sure if the Hooded Fairy is still alive, I'll find out tomorrow.

 

[btkrausen]

Well good news....found the Hooded tonight and he's still making it somehow. Saw his tail sticking out of a rock and when I tried to grab it, he went under the rock further.

So I moved the rock and he swam away looking for another hiding spot. This guy is tough, and I can't wait to get the other bully wrasses out so he can live a better life

 

[btkrausen]

So I really want to buy this Blue Strip Akindynos Clownfish thats on LiveAquaria right now. LADD is the only fish that I'd buy to go straight into the DT, especially one thats been on there for a little bit.

What do you guys think? Should I be patient and risk him getting purchased? When I get him (I'll have him shipped for Wed delivery) I should only be 1 or two water changes away from my goal and then I'll start putting in rock slowly.

Thoughts?

 

[Aquaph8]

Your almost done, stay the path man. If it sales there will be more. There's always another fish.

 

[btkrausen]

Your almost done, stay the path man. If it sales there will be more. There's always another fish.

Thanks Brett. I'm impatient sometimes, especially when there is a fish sitting on DD just begging me to buy him

I do need to get a CUC going again. Funny thing is that once my salinity has been coming back up, it seems there are snails that have come out of hibernation as I've noticed maybe 5-10 on the glass.

Hopefully only another week or so and I'll be back in this

 

[btkrausen]

So two 40gal water changes this weekend and I should be up to about 1.020 now, will check tomorrow. Hopefully only 1 or 2 more water changes and I'm up to my goal salinity. Its funny that since bringing up my salinity, I've been seeing pods and snails come out of the woodwork, haha.

I just place a decent sized order on ReefCleaners.org for a CUC, including two fighting conchs, dwarf ceriths, nassarius, florida ceriths, and nerites. I didn't order the 220gal package, I got something a bit smaller to start off with. I also ordered 2 orders of pods to help seed and a bunch of red gracilaria to gow in my sump for tang food

I asked the order to be delivered on Friday, so by then I will be up to my goal and should have some of the new rock in there as well.

 

[btkrausen]

Still working on water changes, but getting close One plus on all these water changes is that my cyano seems to had almost completely dissipated.

This is my tank below...yup...looks like crap, haha. A few other pics below of my Blueface and then my Hooded Fairy that is still in hiding but getting braver.

 

[Mike&Terry]

Brian, Glad to see the Hooded Fairy and love that Blueface!

M&T

 

[skinz78]

Great looking fish for sure!

 

[MarvinsReef]

Man, that Blue Face is awesome!!!

 

[btkrausen]

Thanks guys, the Blueface is a great citizen, and is the most skiddish fish in the tank. He's been getting better though, but most of the time when I go to the tank he runs and hides.

He tears up some nori and love eating that Rods Pacific Plankton