Lost Shepard's Reef

[Js.Aqua.Project]

So in my continued personal tradition, this build thread is starting well after the tank build...about 3 years after...but anyways...

I was able to trade an 800gal water reservoir I had for a 240gal tank & stand a local club member was looking to get rid of and happen to be in need of a large RODI tank, so after a little bit of convincing my wife the tank and stand made it into the house:

With its dimensions of 96"x24"x24" we experimented with the idea of making it a peninsula room divider (as seen above) before finally settling on putting it behind our couch. I would then set about skinning the stand and building out a frame for the canopy.

Next I would begin doing the rockwork while the canopy and lighting was out of the way. In the past I would typically use Nyos reef cement for making my structures but this time I free stacked everything wanting to make a sloping structure with plenty of open space. As I knew this tank would be frequently viewed from the end as we coming in the house and walk in to our bedroom, I wanted to be able to see down the whole tank without always having to walk around to the front.

Next it was on to the wiring/plumbing after letting the tank sit for about 48 hours to verify there were no leaks anywhere (it was a used tank after all). I went with 5 AquaIllumination Hydra 26HD lights that I already had on hand, putting them on a 6' rail right in the canopy.

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

Target Parameters:
I am a Red Sea Coral Pro guy, have used the salt for years, it has treated me well so I'm going to stick with it.

Salinity: 34 ppt ~ 1.024
Ca: 450
Alk: 11.5 dKH
Mag: 1350
NO3 0<X<5
PO4 <.08

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

Current Equipment:
Lights: AI Hydra 26HD x5 (Tank), Kessil (Fuge)
Powerheads - Gyre XF350 x2 (update: added cloud controller 12/4/23)
Skimmer - Eshopps S300
Heater: Eheim 200W
Return - Hydor Seltz D
Controller - Neptune Systems Apex (2016)
Modules - FMM, PM1x2, Trident, EB832, EB8x2, AFS, LLS 15" (added 1/14/23)
Probes - 1 temp, 4 pH
Calcium Reactor: GeosReef 16x2 w/ CarbonDoser

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

Current Livestock

Fish:
Firefish
Black Ocellaris Clown
Starry Blenny "Spots" - named by my 3 year old
Niger Trigger - "Mabel" -named by my wife, originally named "Berta" by previous owner
Hippo Tang "Ethel" - named by previous owner
Half Black Mimic Tang
Orchid Dottyback
Smith's Blenny
Mandarin pair

Inverts:
Astrea Snails (50+)
Sea Cucumber - guy is 7+ years old
Horseshoe crab - "Walter" (all horseshoe crabs are named Walter)
Peppermint Shrimp
Blue Leg Hermit Crabs

Coral:
Zoas (White Zombies, Captain Americas, and other assorted zoas)
Green Palys
Toadstool
Montipora Caporicornus
JF Burning Banana
Jedi Mind Trick
Jack'O'Lantern Lepto
Stylophora
Grandis
Discoma Mushrooms
Clavularia
Caulestria
War Coral
Seriatopora
Porites
Turbinaria
Bubble Tip Anemones

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

Here are a couple photoshopped photos just documenting growth over the past few months:
Jun 2023 - Oct 2023: About 1/2" of growth on outer ring

Jul 2023 - Oct 2023: about 1" of growth on outer ring

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

11/11/23 update:
Changed out CO2 canister on the CaRx as it ran out (causing a 2.1 dKH drop over 10 hours) and have now upgraded to a 20lb tank instead of a 5lb.

Photos of corals as of this morning:

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

11/16/34 Updates:

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

12/2 Updates:
Sent off a left over free ICP-Analysis.com test that I had from MACNA 2019 this morning that should arrive there on Monday per USPS. I will see and post the results when I get them compared to my results from March.

Here are some photos tracking coral growth/coloration:

Here is a end view FTS:

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

12/10 Photo Update:

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

As I said in last week's update, I had a left over sample ICP test from MACNA 2019 still hanging around so I sent it off. I got the results back on Wednesday.

While I always take these when a huge shot of cynicism this one make it look like my Iron and some the trace elements related to Iron are zeroed out. So I will verify those with a friend's test kit and dose accordingly.

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

12/29 Update:
Got a Hanna Low Range Iron checker for Christmas so will be using that to help verify iron levels and dosing. This tank has historically had low iron. Have spent the past four days raising the iron from 4ppb to 123ppb (.004ppm to .123pm) with Red Sea Iron+.

Made a spreadsheet in Google Sheets for better tracking of Trace Elements when I send off ICP tests or get water tested another way.

Photo updates:

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

1/7 Update:

Had to remove the Niger Trigger from the tank this week, he was ripping snails off of the rocks and glass and eating their feet, then I caught him going after my daughter's favorite fish - the starry blenny "Spots". I am disappointed as he was really cool and his tail streamers had come in really nicely, but keeping the 3 year old happy and clean up crew alive is also a priority. I also believe he ate my potential harem of clowns I added as well as my two preexisting skunk cleaner shrimp.

Photo updates:

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

1/14 Update
My old nemesis has struck once again...gravity...

I prefer to free stack my aquascape as much as possible rather than cement (which I have used in the past) and this aquascape has been intact for the entirety of this tank's lifetime with me this far... until this evening.

I was gluing out some frags I recently received and while working on a section towards the middle of the tank, I wiggled a rock causing a chain reaction akin to the children's game Mouse Trap and two large rocks on the right end fell from the top of my aquascape. Needless my rate of speed increased dramatically to pull rock off of coral but my largest montipora piece broke off of its rock and into pieces. I spent several minutes stacking rocks back as best as I could and have a slightly modified aquascape to look at moving forward in addition to the new coral inhabitants.

Photo Updates:

 

[mrpontiac80]

It’s looking great!

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

1/28 Update:

Tested Iron (16ppb) and NO3 (~.1ppm) today and finally I am having success getting Iron stabilized.

This tank has always had an issue with low Iron despite the Calcium Reactor, I guess either tank consumes it faster than the reactor replenishes, the media in the reactor (Seachem) doesn't have enough Iron), or something else is at play here.

I like to keep low nutrients but never zero them out usually aiming for .25ppm NO3 and have been feeding heavy and using Reef Energy AB+ to supplement amino acids, guess I now have an excuse to up my bioload.

Photo updates:

 

[sdreef]

1/28 Update:

Tested Iron (16ppb) and NO3 (~.1ppm) today and finally I am having success getting Iron stabilized.

This tank has always had an issue with low Iron despite the Calcium Reactor, I guess either tank consumes it faster than the reactor replenishes, the media in the reactor (Seachem) doesn't have enough Iron), or something else is at play here.

I like to keep low nutrients but never zero them out usually aiming for .25ppm NO3 and have been feeding heavy and using Reef Energy AB+ to supplement amino acids, guess I now have an excuse to up my bioload.

Photo updates:

Interested to learn why you are prioritizing stabilizing your iron?

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

@sdreef
I had multiple test come back at 0ppb, and it gets consumed really quickly.

From observation (and reports I have read online) iron levels impact the green colors of corals and I had a birdsnest that was losing its color, since working on my iron level it is getting its green back again.

There are also reports that iron can help in suppressing some microalgae and helping with the growth of macroalgae, so since I do have a refugium I wanted to give this a shot as well.

 

[sdreef]

@sdreef
I had multiple test come back at 0ppb, and it gets consumed really quickly.

From observation (and reports I have read online) iron levels impact the green colors of corals and I had a birdsnest that was losing its color, since working on my iron level it is getting its green back again.

There are also reports that iron can help in suppressing some microalgae and helping with the growth of macroalgae, so since I do have a refugium I wanted to give this a shot as well.

I see, thanks. Iron is an important trace element, but icp is an unreliable method of detection. This thread may be of interest.


Thread 'HOBBY GRADE TEST KITS CAN OUTPERFORM ICP MEASUREMENTS…REALLY??'
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hobby-grade-test-kits-can-outperform-icp-measurements…really.1007101/

Are you dosing iron daily or how are you going about adding it? I had considered getting the Hanna low range checker, but it has an accuracy of plus or minus 20 ppb so I thought that may not be ideal for an element with a target level of <1 ppb. Iron has a widely acceptable range though and I see you were raising your iron to significantly higher levels. Why did you select those target levels?

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

I see, thanks. Iron is an important trace element, but icp is an unreliable method of detection. This thread may be of interest.


Thread 'HOBBY GRADE TEST KITS CAN OUTPERFORM ICP MEASUREMENTS…REALLY??'
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hobby-grade-test-kits-can-outperform-icp-measurements…really.1007101/

Are you dosing iron daily or how are you going about adding it? I had considered getting the Hanna low range checker, but it has an accuracy of plus or minus 20 ppb so I thought that may not be ideal for an element with a target level of <1 ppb. Iron has a widely acceptable range though and I see you were raising your iron to significantly higher levels. Why did you select those target levels?

So I am actually friends with Rick, he lives about 20 minutes from me and I have the extreme luxury of being able to reach out or meet up with him when I have questions.

ICP tests do have a lot of trouble with iron, last I was talking to Rick he seemed to think it had to do either with the low levels they are at (so calibration) or that it still metabolizes in transport.

I use the Hanna checker and verified with him best protocols/procedures for most accurate results.

I am targeting 12ppb as natural sea range is any where from 6-9ppb and there are reefers who keep it as high as 16ppb. I think Rick targets 12ppb as well.

Poste edited on 3/15/24 for Grammer.

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

Photo Updates 2/8/24:

Tank:

End Shot:

Growth: