cmcoker's Reefer 250

[cmcoker]

Over the past several years I have had a few different setups. I started with a biocube 14 given to me by a coworker, it's still running as a softie tank. I then converted a 20g freshwater to salt, about a year later up to a 55g followed by a 120g setup. I really enjoyed the larger tank but then I hurt my back. And let me tell you doing maintenance on a 120g eurobraced tank on an extra tall stand is no fun with a back injury. I ended up having surgery about a year ago for it, and since then had been thinking a smaller tank may be needed.
So when we decided to move, I made the decision to breakdown the the 120g and get a smaller setup.

Last Saturday my reefer 250 was delivered.

The delivery guyslid it off a furniture dolly with a thud, right onto the corner of the tank.. He seemed surprised that I wouldn't sign for it til I opened up the tank..
Luckily, there didn't appear to be any damage.
We got the tank up and plumbed today, and have started adding water..
So ready to get this thing cycling!

 

[aaron23]

very awesome cant wait to see more pics

 

[cmcoker]

very awesome cant wait to see more pics

Thanks, I filled the tank with rodi hoping it wouldn't settle and it hasn't! Started adding salt but I need to pick up another bucket. Hopefully start on aqua scape tomorrow or Monday

 

[cmcoker]

So that's as far as I got on my aqua scape yesterday, lol. Santa brought me some Thermomorph for Christmas so I will be using that to attach the rockwork together. Just played with the Thermomorph a little this morning and think this will be pretty fun to work with.

I am putting the eggcrate into the tank under the sand bed, I know it's controversial to some but I used it in my standard 55g and that was probably my most successful tank, so I will be using it again. I really want something above the glass bottom cause I am a clutz. It seemed to really help my base rocks stay in place last time I used it, and goby/shrimp pair didn't seem to mind it.

 

[cmcoker]

Rock is in the tank, still have a few rocks in a holding tank with some corals on them, they will be incorporated later.

Added the sand as well, I used 20lb each of Tropic Eden Mesoflakes and Mini flakes live sand.
Requisite cloudy tank shot

Every post I've read had said how little the Tropic Eden clouded... Maybe not the live sand.
Running some floss in the sump to help clear it up. Once livestock is added my pistol shrimp will help get it cleared out.. Gonna need more filter socks..

Here's a picture of the two sands, the Mini flakes is on top bottom layer is the Mesoflakes. I couldn't ever find a pic that compared the two.

 

[cmcoker]

We have lights! I am using a diy led I put together a couple years ago. I have another fixture that I'll mount Tuesday, and clean up the fixture and wiring. I'll also drop the light a couple inches most likely. I'm using a dual monitor mount to suspend the lights, pretty happy with it so far.
Also threw some stability, lrs reef frenzy, and ammonia alert badge in last week. No ammonia reading, I think the livestock will be good along with the rock they are currently being housed with.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Looking good!

 

[cmcoker]

Looking good!

Thanks! I hope to move livestock over tomorrow and address the algae issue on the rocks in the the holding tank as well.
Had to put something in the DT so moved over a single hermit crab, lol.

 

[cmcoker]

I was planning to do the return mod Broadfield posted, in the show off your reefer thread. But was hoping to make it a little smaller, since it seemed like it'd be pretty big in my 250. Then I was at the lfs to pickup some salt and was looking at their reefer 250 and noticed they had attached a locline Y straight onto the stock nozzle.. So I was chatting with one of the employees about it, he wasn't real sure on the size thought it was a 3/4" (which he didn't have in stock) but with messing with it we realized they had used on of the Y outputs to attach it. So I thought excellent, thus is what I want to do. Called a couple lfs and found a 3/4" Y.

Came home and it's a little too big, so I wrapped some plumbers tape around it and that made it fit nicely.

You can see on this pic, that the outlet on the right is actually the female part of the fitting.

 

[cmcoker]

Moved fish over January 3rd, diatoms started yesterday, today I noticed a white lesion on my YWG. I think it'll heal o it's own, he's eating like a pig and acting normal.

 

[Leaellynasaura]

That look on his face lol. I think he will enjoy the new home.

 

[cmcoker]

Continuing to monitor YWG, lesion appears to be healing.

Otherwise the tank is plugging along, diatom bloom, starting to see some green algae on the rock as well.

Clownfish photo bomb, lol.

 

[cmcoker]

Tank still plugging along. Put a fake anenome in for the clownfish to sleep in, took about two weeks but they are sleeping in it nightly now. It's temporary until the toadstool I got has gone through qt and grown a little. YWG lesions is about healed.

#reef2reef, #worldwidecorals, #mywwccontest

 

[cmcoker]

Got a new fish, Paracheilinus lineopunctatus. Picked him up Saturday, think I saw a fluke in the freshwater dip I did before placing him in QT.
Plan is to start copper now and do a round of general cure after a few days.
Hes eating well and already out and about, and has already determined I bring him food...

 

[eatbreakfast]

Lokking good!

 

[cmcoker]

Lokking good!

Thanks!

 

[cmcoker]

New wrasse is still plugging along in copper. TReated with general cure for flukes this week which caused some intermittent refusal of food.
Plan for water change and Fluconazole treatment for algae tomorrow. I had dried and scrubbed the rock before using it again in this tank, but some of the GHA is returning. The urchin I added is helping but don't want it out of control again.

 

[cmcoker]

Playing around with powerhead placement and took a video for someone who was contemplating the RW series of pump. Figured I'd throw the link up here as well...

Oh, and don't mind the fake anenome it's temporary for the clowns , I have a toadstool on quarantine that will go there for them.[emoji6]

 

[cmcoker]

FTS:

Getting through the uglies, seeing a little coralline pop up. Started adding the tiniest bit if kalk to my ATO.

Added the toadstool out of quarantine. Leaving the fake anenome until it grows, or the clowns take up residence.

 

[cmcoker]

Uglies clearing up. I added a rock with some favia out of the holding tank, think I got the algae that had been plaguing this rock under control