my 180g tank build when returning to saltwater hobby

[Fish Think Pink]

Like many of you, I started with a dream. Previously I had 5 saltwater tanks but when life happened sold tanks and fish. Memories of those tanks as well as any scuba or snorkeling would fan dream of returning to saltwater tank hobby. Those original fish only tanks were decorated with dead/dry corals, many from my parents trips to Florida Keys most winters while I was a child. I hung onto those corals, shelved in boxes in my parents' basement. Early 2019 those corals made their way to me in Texas, and dream took on more urgency. I joined local DFWMAS. I bought fish and coral books trying to replace what I used to have. I made my fish list. I dreamed more. In 2020 we completed remodeling enclosed porch off back of home. I set return to hobby target of Spring 2021.

Summary of thread:
- Original setup:
--- post #1 - initial purchase & setup, including tank floor shim
------- chiller undersized & replacement TBD August
------- floor shim aka support underneath tank
--- post #3 - water change plan (RO setup in laundry room)
--- post #5 - cleaning filter socks
--- post #6 - aquascape caves for fish sleeping (coming)
- Ongoing documentation
--- post #4 - mail order ICP water results from aquariumwatertesting.com
--- post #7 - coralline algae growth (main tank and its sump)
--- post #8 - CBB Copper Banded Butterfly (2nd try)
--- post #11 - live black worms (fridge keeper vs aquarium culture)
--- post #12 - UV sterilizer and bio-pellets (aka green hair algae control)
--- post #17 - Princess Anthias (aka my pink dream beauties)
--- post #18 - Pod Culture (aka growing pods using banana peel)
--- post #19 - Indoor Pod Lazy Culture 2.5g tank culturing bottle per day
----- jump right there: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/m...rning-to-saltwater-hobby.815645/#post-8744125


Original Setup:
Our home came with a "bonus room" which most in neighborhood had ripped off their homes due to poor construction. We framed out 2x4s on two walls to hide the house exterior bricks. We added ceiling and wall insulation, which likely is why most neighbors hated their bonus room electrical usage and/or temperature control (had NO insulation). We added ceiling canister lighting with two lights at "small end" (between doorways path) being controlled by dimmer and middle and other end of room 4 lights being controlled by another dimmer. Then we dry walled and trimmed so now entire room looks like "room" intended to always be there. We'd planned a mini-split heating/cooling unit but haven't yet purchased for installation (as of Summer 2021) but we do need/want that enhancement.

Before laying our travertine floor tile, we ground down cement super high areas, used thinset and cement to raise floor. We tried to ensure our tile laying was most flat where tank would go. As soon as room was remodeled and we were just doing our 'punch list items' I actively was watching for used reef parts to reduce my costs.

My local DFWMAS club sales forum included a complete tank setup sale from someone leaving hobby. I bought it. Our original planned tank size was smaller and middle of room along different wall. This meant our electricity plan for dedicated circuit with 4 outlets would essentially be unused and tank would share room's electricity. This also meant our careful flat floor placement wasn't going to be used by fishtank. Further below is 6 foot shim box details.

November 11, 2020 used a DFWMAS partner LFS to relocate tank, fish, anemones most water & all to our home. This first photo is eleven days after move on November 22, 2020 once water parameters, coral, 13 anemones and my 2 fish seemed stable.




Chiller (undersized replaced):
Above also came with a broken chiller which we fixed. The chiller has turned out to be undersized for our 180 gallon display tank. Adding to that, our room doesn't have the planned mini-split heating/cooling originally planned. The glass sliding door that was original to house is left open all the time so this room gets all its heat and cooling from main house. There is a ceiling fan to move air, and a giant original window that opened from kitchen to room is left open as well. We have added a floor box fan blowing from doorway to undersized chiller. We are also keeping tank canopy top side doors open to remove heat from tank area.

Replacement 1/4 HP chiller ordered and expected arrival by early August 2021.


Support Underneath aka "SHIMS":
Before stand and tank went in, we had to compensate for flooring. This room originally was porch, so sloped from front to side and side to side to facilitate draining away from house and garage foundations before original builder turned slab porch into bonus room. While floor may SEEM level, if you peek at white peeking underneath tank stand, you may be able to tell a little more white on right side than left side, when facing tank (see photo, above)

Since originally we had planned smaller tank, our tank placement shifted to area shown in above photo. This is because the original cement slab is thickest where room corner has house on one side and garage on other side.

Once realizing we were getting 180g tank, we measured stand then determined where it would be placed. We ripped down 1x6 lumber as "shims" to level all direction making flat surface to then sit display stand. These 1x6" also compensated for differences in each tile as the rectangular tiles in hex pattern had more rise/lift in the area where the 180g would ultimately be placed (shown).

For our 180g shims, we also used 4x4 posts cut crossgrain for added support and those went in corners and where down support posts in stand came down. We were also thinking ahead when laying 2 supports across bottom of stand so over time no bowing within stand itself, even though sides had support.

Instead of leaving bare wood, we painted all individual 'shim' parts with white paint leftover from room's remodel. After white paint dried, all parts were then taped to floor using painters tape so they would not shift when display tank was moved into place. After tank stand, tank itself, fish, water, etc was in, we removed visible blue painters tape from the three visible edges.

<TBD picture of 360 degree level 'shims' painted white, before tank stand on top>

 

[ShepherdReefer]

Like it, cant wait to see more.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Water Change Plans
RODI Setup in Laundry Room​

As soon as the tank went in, my next priority was water changes plan. We also bought his RO system. We bought a large plywood board from local home improvement store, found wall studs, and mounted plywood to wall. This is my RO system:

100GPD 5-Stage RO/DI system | Melev's Reef

If you are looking to buy an RO/DI system, this is the 5-stage Reverse Osmosis De-Ionizing filtration system you want. It can produce 100 gallons per day when optimum conditions are met. (60-70 psi, 76° F, TDS

www.melevsreef.com

We plumbed RO system into washing machines plumbing, then patched up drywall behind washing machine. We bought a stand to hold water tank from local home improvement store. We added a hot water heater pan with a water sensor alarm. There are better/fancier alarms than mine, but it gets the job done.

Basement Watchdog Battery-Operated Water Alarm Sump Accessory BWD-HWA - The Home Depot

Use the Basement Watchdog Battery-Operated Water Alarm to detect leaks before costly water damage occurs. This alarm can detect as little as 1/32 in. of water and produces a loud 110 dB alarm that can

www.homedepot.com

Ashamed to admit my water alarm 'water dog' Watchdog Water Alarm goes off most weeks so I've got to begin turning off water making when I have "enough" and not try to get as much cleaned water as I can.



Having changed our RODI filters as TDS meter climbed to 3, in hindsight we should not have mounted the plywood and canisters over the dryer 240w plug......

We used care and bucket when disconnecting those canisters from lids, but need to give this more thought by time of next filter change (roughly 6 months)... If we were to shift the whole RODI board with canisters all to the left over washing machine (only bit of washing machine edge shows in photo) and swap in longer blue tube from final canister to storage tank, that may be the simplest and safest solution.

Water and electricity do not mix well. 240w is even worse... Laundry room hasn't been remodeled yet, but even if it had been, just some spackle and paint would patch wall holes we'll leave behind shifting from one side of room to other, but if someone drops water and gets a 240w shock - that can be life threatening.

11/10/22 update: water dog alarm no longer sits in the pan... I finally realized I *hate* cleaning up the overflowed water. Instead, I threaded the water dog alarm pad thru water holding tank top slid in lid, and it hangs into tank. Advantage of this is it now goes off when water is close to the top but not yet overflowing. Alarm just sits all the way at the top. I have added a bit of painters tape so I know how much should be hanging into storage tank. When family comes by, they just yank up (but not out) the sensor pad to stop squeal and then turn off the water.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

mail order ICP water results
from aquariumwatertesting.com​

Fast forward to May 5, 2021, and just received my ICP water sample results I mailed for analysis. Only surprise is salinity report, so we'll get a local independent validation, then adjust. Also going to order some solution to recalibrate my Milwaukee MR100ATC Salinity Refractometer. Third, going to stop my rare iodine supplemental dosing for inverts. Finally, silica not unexpected given what is going on right now with some diatom algae in tank (will keep up with my airline tubing siphoning out diatoms & its bound silica)



This is the post which really helped me decide which ICP test I wanted to first get. https://www.marinedepot.com/blog/20...-water-testing-which-service-is-right-for-you

Interestingly, the post has aged enough that the company I wanted to use has a different website than listed by the testing service. After searching around, found them rebranded as www.aquariumwatertesting.com and ordered my 1 vial $50 test, which resulted in above results which came via email from [email protected]

The reason I wanted to do an ICP test is we couldn't ourselves find cause for hammers dying other than peppermint shrimp, shrimp are now gone but not before lost 4 hammer corals. Remaining 2 hammer corals haven't yet returned to fluffy selves. Can't say I have hammer garden with just 2 remaining... but if you go further along in thread posts to future threads, you'll see replacement hammers growing nicely in our updated hammer garden.

Otherwise, above testing found nothing out of the ordinary which gives us some peace of mind.

Here is a March 2021 photo of tank (before peppermints eating hammers).

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Cleaning Filter Socks​

Once I had tank in and water figured out, keeping tank clean was next priority. Researched online how people clean their filter socks. Read how top loaders could damage or be damaged by filter socks. Fast forward to now and have front load washing machine and have tried washing filter socks in front loading washing machine, but two things bother me:
- residual soap from earlier cleaning perhaps getting on filter socks
- leaving residual algae in washing machine from cleaning filter socks

As long as weather is nice (no active lighting/hail/thunderstorm), I use my washing station I developed. I'm a believer of use what you have, and I had two plant stakes unused.

Version 1:
- Poked plant stakes thru fence and into ground for stability
- Put a filter sock over plant stakes
- Used hose with nozzle on jet

Version 2 (worried plant stake(s) might poke thru filter sock)
- Bought 2 1/2" pipe caps & short length of 1/2" PVC ($3 for all 3 at hardware store)
- Cut PVC in half
- Put pipe cap on each half
- Put PVC half with pipe cap over each plant stake
- Put a filter sock over plant stakes
- Used hose with nozzle on jet - BETTER & current configuration in use

1 Below is a picture of the plant stakes covered by PVC half with pipe cap, plus hose

2 Below is a picture of dirty sock

3 Below is a picture of half clean filter sock (side view)

4 Below is picture of drying rack - yep just another unused plant support trellis I had handy.

If it is raining when I am washing socks outside, I do bring filter socks inside to dry in shower. I've also learned not to leave them drying when Spring pollen is going crazy, as I end up washing the socks again and bringing in to dry without pollen

While I've used my front load washing machine to wash filter socks, I'll stick with outside cleaning described above version 2 as washing machine did seem to make the filter socks 'fuzzier' (I did wash 2x - 1st with little bleach, then 2nd time to remove bleach and perhaps any soap left from earlier clothes cleaning before sock washing). I worry extra wear and tear from sloshing around will cause earlier failure, but I have no foundation for wear worry. There was a lot of 'banging' sounds as the plastic rim on filter sock is not removable. I'm hoping filter socks last as long as possible. I do have 4 pairs of filter socks (I have dual returns, so two in use at all times) and eventually they'll wear out.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

aquascape caves for fish sleeping​

Having water flow thru aquascape very important to me, so we took rocks we weren't using and crafted them into shapes. We used reef mortar, acrylic pins, and posts for stability while leaving easy future dismantle option.

We first created caves in center of tank (think 2 story condo).
<picture to go here>

Underway is right side of tank, where anemones and their cups we created are located. While this is an improvement over how it was on right side of tank, this doesn't have flow thru that I'm seeking, so even with recent rock work changes this is still in progress as more work will come in future
<pictures to go here>

Then we worked on left side of tank, with terraces and cave underneath (Dec 2020):

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Coralline Algae Growth
main tank and sump​

Here is our tank as of June 29, 2021. Turned up white lights so I didn't have so much blue. Was surprised at the amount of coralline algae everywhere



This below is our sump middle chamber with 5 weeks of coralline growth. Sump is acrylic, so I had to use side of expired credit card to scrub it clear again - was careful not to scratch acrylic. Light for sump is $3.50 LED 5k lightbulb from local home improvement store. Refugium light does a great job of growing macroalgae, but sump chamber 2 redesign let all macroalgae escape.

Link to my value priced refugium light:

An inexpensive Refugium Bulb | Melev's Reef

melevsreef.com

Sump chamber 2 (before cleaning) - pink coralline really took hold:

Late winter I seeded our tank and sump with this @AlgaeBarn product Pink and Purple Live Coralline Algae in Bottle (2 bottle set), but didn't notice much for weeks and then was slight, but over months based on above photos it really made a difference (purple seems more in display tank, pink seems more in refugium):

Coralline Algae

Coralline Algae in a Bottle excelerates growth of colorful coralline algal crusts over your live rock. Choose between pinks with Pink Fusion®, purples with Purple Helix®, or get 2 bottles, one of each, with Pink and Purple! Unlike coralline "accelerators," Coralline Algae in a Bottle is a live...

www.algaebarn.com

Planted Macroalgae in Refugium
Our $3.50 LED 5K spectrum 60w bulb has really seen some refugium changes!

As of about Christmas 2021 we added some spare sand leftover from main tank into the refugium (BF wouldn't take out the other media, just in case so its on top... perhaps that is helping anaerobic bacteria but long term scares me so do NOT recommend doing sand on top of other porous media). Then a couple straggly caulpera plants. Then found red sea grape (LFS said was dragon tongue) macroalgae and tucked that into sand (it doesn't have roots).

Here is planted refugium start and 30 days later (before & after). Note - moved Pod Hotel into other sump chamber with socks... don't know if pods ever use hotel:

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Copper Banded Butterfly (2nd try)​

Today July 22, 2021 my 2nd try CBB has eaten very well for first time since purchasing July 3rd. It's been getting by on pods, ignoring the thawed spirulina mysis it ate at LFS, and 2x daily ignoring mostly the black worms dropped into DT. Other fish learning to eat black worms (6 line always loved black worms), and today CBB really going for worms even in water column so not even waiting until reaching sand or rocks. CBB is going to make it.

Because it's hit or miss if various LFS have live black worms, first 1lb worm order arrives 7/28/21 - getting RO chilled for my worm keeper in fridge so they can be rinsed and stored properly on arrival. Paying extra for UPS overnight morning deliver from Eastern Aquatics (are these California Black Worms from/via Pennsylvania to Texas (giggle):

https://shop.easternaquatics.com/product.sc?productId=1&categoryId=1

Even with overnight shipping cost still cheaper than many many orders from LFSs, assuming my worm keeper keeps worms alive. More to follow on worm keeper
<TBD photo or link to worm keeper>

8/25/21 update - CBB still eating only blackworms but feedings 2x daily its healed completely and grown taller and thicker. Travel took me away and BF added food to worm keeper. Worms died, but may have been dying due to quantity/weight of worms and worm keeper size. 8/25 replacement 1/4 pound worms arrived (thank you Craig at Eastern Aquatics in PA). Craig says worms will live +6 months in fridge if washed daily and not too deep (1 pound needs catbox sized pan - eek! Don't have that kind of space)

CBB 2nd try - background:
At my LFS they had three to select from, 1st choice wouldn't eat in front of me (they said it was eating well.....) but 2nd choice ate thawed spirulina mysis and spirulina brine mix. Picked up a couple extra packs of this frozen food as my other fish also enjoy when I mix some in.

Added CBB to acclimation box in tank. WOW. My Death Dealers acted like sharks in feeding frenzy with CBB as chum. This latest acclimation box The Shu from Octo Aquatics took external non-stop abuse without even a wiggle! Hoping its wide enough and CBB is dumb enough that CBB didn't realize everyone (sailfin & yellow tangs, flame angel) is trying to kill it... But CBB is no longer eating well...

Flew back East for parent's BDays since dad just passed so Mom has distraction, and CBB still in acclimation box, moving around various territories, still daily attacks. While gone, BF tried to feed CBB but not raise box to surface and CBB escaped... CHASE WAS ON ... Heard mirror and food did not dissuade tangs from getting CBB ... THANK GOODNESS CBB is small and FAST! and smart (or lucky) enough to get back into acclimation box on its own. Lid down. Fish safe.

Flew home and fish still in acclimation box. Side gash. Not eating. Bought more pods to add into acclimation box on CBB's rock. Sailfin tang moved to sump jail to try and break territory hold. Once sailfin in sump, CBB out of acclimation box and into main tank. CBB looking for and finding numerous pods; got more pods and black worms.

After 2 weeks sailfin still attacking box, body slams & tail cuttings... Photo showing comparable markings:



Above photo shows how similar sailfin tang and copperband butterfly stripes are on their bodies. Sailfin tang has tried to KILL/ERADICATE it's mirror reflection in the past, so wondering if sailfin thinks CBB is another sailfin tang... Rats

Decide sailfin isn't just territorial aggression but misplaced species aggression, so 7/17 sailfin tang rehomed to LFS. Feel like bad fish mom, but CBB wins over sailfin - one was going to have to go back to LFS or another home.


Acclimation Box and QT Saga:
<insert here>

Copper Banded Butterfly (CBB) 1st try:
<insert here>

Long Nose Butterfly (aka Sorry CBB #1 Died Gift from BF):
<insert here>

Copper Banded Butterfly (CBB) #2 update October 2021:
CBB doing very well. Taller, thicker and happily eating (still only) live black worms

Copper Banded Butterfly (CBB) #2 update January 2021:
Still CBB doing very well. Taller, thicker than October update and happily eating (still only) live black worms

Copper Banded Butterfly (CBB) #2 update Sept 2022:

RIP 9/16/2022 - was bitten multiple times, then PTSD & stopped eating

Build Thread - 55 gallon Copperband Butterfly Fish Sanctuary Tank

After more than a year, my Copperband Butterfly Fish suddenly found with least 3 bites out of its tail. This was out of the blue. Uncertain who did this in tank, though historically my tangs and flame angel have been Death Dealers... but July 2021 did 3 weeks of acclimation box and rehomed worst...

www.reef2reef.com

Copper Banded Butterfly (CBB) #3 update November 2022:
No plans yet for CBB #3, but someday CBB #3 will come. In the meantime, CBB 55 gallon original sanctuary tank (purchased in hurry when limited $$) was tempered sides and bottom. I've found new Sanctuary tank and CBB's fish friends will be moving into new home. We are picking up used 60 gallon tank and sump this Saturday with our little truck. I'll do a build thread once that Ft Worth tank setup is actually in my home.

 

[dvgyfresh]

Here is our tank as of June 29, 2021. Turned up white lights so I didn't have so much blue. Was surprised at the amount of coralline algae everywhere

Impressive coralline! Love the tank.
Don’t have experience with CBB but wishing the best!

 

[adittam]

Love your build thread, love your similar desire to do things on the cheap, love your tank!
Matt

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Live Black Worms:
Fridge Worm Keeper vs Small Aquarium Culture​

In January 2021 from Amazon I bought below worm keeper for fridge. When in use, daily worms get rinsed with refrigerated RODI water, new clean water added, and worm in worm keeper go back into fridge.

While some LFS intermittently carry live black worms, Eastern Aquatics in PA is where I get quantities of worms which works out to be significantly cheaper (even with overnight 10:30am delivery shipping) than LFS worms (for comparable quantities).

When I ordered pound of live black worms, it nearly filled my below keeper. Worms were doing fine until after a month BF tried to feed worms in keeper while I was back East and returned to mostly dead worms. BF said worm deaths began day after feeding, so likely ammonia killed worms and daily washing/rinsing with cold RODI water was insufficient to keep up with decaying food & worm deaths.

Craig at Eastern Aquatics reported they did successful 6 month fridge test on worms. At end of 6 months, Eastern Aquatics stopped test but worms were still alive in fridge without having been fed. Recommends 1 pound of worms be in area equivalent to cat litter box size area so top worms are not crushing/killing bottom worms.

Live Black Worms in Aquarium (culturing/feeding)
Do not have sufficient fridge space for multiple worm keepers and do not like idea of not feeding worms because worm nutrition is my Copper Banded Butterfly fish's only (so far) food. I swiveled to live black worm culturing.

Research said have torn up brown paper towels for decomposition (food?) or gravel so when stirring it breaks worms and helps multiply. People who mentioned having live worms were willing to private message me tips, and @blazn went above and beyond - thanks @blazn! Gravel would likely be beneficial to support ammonia-nitrite-nitrate cycle media. However, it is so simple to have bare bottom aquarium and add 1ml bacteria starter (cheap freshwater type) during each water replacement. When I open RODI nozzle to refill couple inches of water in tank, that turbulence maybe is equal or more to whatever gravel stir breakage would do to worms. My worms currently have just an airstone... its worms ... worms do not get Ritz treatment - worms are just fish food

I'm finding worms are MUCH more wiggly in aquarium than when in keeper.

Under my tiny tank I put a bit of plywood so I can more safely carry tiny tank to sink to dump out dirty water and then to my RODI unit in laundry to add water, then back near window and my desk/office where tiny tank sits. No tank light - its just worms.

Online research said add fish flake/wafer food and replace when gone in 2-3 days. I have some old PE flake food bought to tempt earlier fish into eating (didn't work) so its been repurposed as worm food (because I'm not a flake fish food person - prefer thawing frozen food more like what fish might find in wild). Small amount of worms shown in picture will eat 1 large flake (2" square) in couple hours. Larger amount of worms covering most of bottom on that same tank can eat enough flakes to cover the size of my whole hand in about 2 hours. Sometimes if I've overfed worms that day there will be a congealed slime on tank side walls that I wipe off with a paper towel during that day's worm washing water replacement.

When feeding worms, water will turn cloudy (or worse) as shown. Tend to change worm 1 gallon of water daily (99% water change) - helps I make my own RODI water (see above post #3). Below photo shows how much water is in tank - estimate 1g since that is a 3.5gallon acrylic tank that was too small so just storing. Likely a bucket would suffice ... it's just worms... but I do like watching them.

Observing worms, they like to attach themselves together. Worms like to put one end out (breathing, seeking food, unknown why). It makes it easier to pinch them, put into cup and then take cup-o-worms to reef tank to feed fish. I've found adding some RODI water from worm tank into cup before dropping worms into transport cup makes it more likely they'll get off my fingers and into cup.






I also have worm feeder funnel cup, but I use it more for straining/cleaning worms in wormkeeper than as fish feeder. Don't remember where I picked up this worm feeder funnel cup, but it seems identical to one I had many years ago. While today I'm not using funnel cup, over time if this CBB still only eating black worms maybe I'll transition to using feeder as intended. CBB will slurp black worms away from yellow or blue tang, flame angel, really any of our fish but those are ones known to be aggressive eaters (and are... my flame has gotten so very thick because it eats the thawed food first, then tries to eat as many black worms (refer post #8 for more details)




This is link to my 3 part feeder:
Amazon product


September 14, 2021 worm pound restock from Eastern Aquatics arriving as I ran out of worms - these fish all love them, not just Copperbanded Butterfly. Third of a pound lasted about month, and while I know I'm a heaver feeder - don't think a single worm was left uneaten when added to tank. I do turn off all pumps when adding worms so they don't go flying everywhere. Gravity helps worms drop straight in front so CBB can easily find and slurp any not eaten while dropping down thru water column.

Update: pound of worms was enough for 4 buckets as well as my small tank. Each plastic 5 gallon pail with about 1 gallon of water had its own airstone. As worms were able to consolidate, went to fewer buckets with goal only using small tank. My fish love to eat these Eastern Aquatics worms!


FeedingBlack Worms in Aquarium (culturing/feeding)
As of January 2022, I've expanded my food options to live black worms. I felt by the time I'd had worms 4-6 weeks and nearly all fed to fish, about the time I re-order another pound of live black worms from Eastern Aquatics, the worms feel slightly thinner than when they originally come in from Eastern Aquatics.

I'm supplementing my worms Ocean Nutrition Formula Two flakes with both store brand instant potatoes and ZooMed Spirulina 20 flakes. Jury is still out if this is making a difference. If so, then improvement difference is likely more instant potatoes, but honestly it bothers me the instant potatoes aren't more nutritious... what goes into the worms goes into the fish...

 

[Fish Think Pink]

UV Sterilizer (and Bio Pellets)​

Excited to add Pentair 40w UV sterilizer. Plumbed into right side return line on Sept 8, 2021. Given it's 4 foot long configuration, its also standing on right side alongside of tank.

Green hair algae returned this summer while I was away and algae growths killing corals. Have been getting in there to manually remove, added bio-pellet reactor in early August to reduce nitrates and phosphates, and adding Vibrant.

Bio-pellet reactor took about 3 weeks to begin seeing noticeable decreases in our nitrates and phosphates - very excited by results. While some might still consider us high (I'm a heavy feeder 2x daily fish, 1x daily corals, 1x weekly anemones): 4 nitrate and phosphorus/phosphate at 23/.07 - exciting!

Have been using Red Sea NoPoX and GFO in sump sock trying to help get numbers better aligned while bio-pellet reactor did its 4 week break in period. Pump for bio pellet reactor sits in first chamber (where filter socks located), reactor drains/empties into third chamber (where return pumps located). Middle chamber had been refugium for macro algae, but since back to Vibrant use currently middle chamber empty (new red ogo lives in tiny tank to grow tang snacks)



January 2022 update - BF still thinks UV harms good tank bacteria and forbids its use. UV got turned on for week after respected Dr came to our home for holiday party and advised turn it on, but then memory faded and reverted back to UV OFF requirement.

Watching him learn is almost as interesting as the fish... sigh... Asking to turn it on leads to not pleasant discussions so just leaving it off... EVENTUALLY I'll get to use it

Around Christmas 2021 the biopellet reactor shown was upgraded to larger dual reactor for more biopellets that now also get BioDigest probiotic every two weeks, and the other chamber of reactor has Brightwell PO4 EXPORT cubes. We've also switched to planted refugium (see other section), and all this (plus tiny bit of Red Sea NOPOX to dial in nitrate and phosphate numbers) are working for us and our tank

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Full Tank Photos​

August 13, 2021:



September 16 2022 full tank photo (using reef sunglasses as filter on iPhone):

 

[PeterC99]

How's the copperband doing?

Did the UV light help with the GHA?

 

[Fish Think Pink]

How's the copperband doing?

Did the UV light help with the GHA?

After 4 months missing, last night one of our missing neon blue gobies was caught in return overflow and returned to tank. Had looked and looked, but blamed crab. Neon blue goby seriously thin. Amazing job hiding in overflow and feel lucky we found. Two others had disappeared early Spring, and hindsight perhaps same fate but if so then long gone.

UV light has had no noticeable difference in GHA. Still pulling green hair algae out - during last night's catching of blue goby discovered sliding false panel in each of our corner overflows, so removed, scrubbed off green hair algae then replaced. Have additional cleanup crew snails and 3 lettuce nudibranches arriving today.

Copper band butterfly doing AWESOME - noticeably bigger (taller & longer) and tripled in thickness (was waif thin upon arrival) ! Post #8 above is where I'm doing periodic updates on CBB. Still eating just black worms, and post #11 is where I'm tracking how my worm management is going. I'm getting in more worms than I have fridge space, so I've got an old little tank doing freshwater worms (and sometimes I have up to 4 buckets also with worms and air stones).

 

[PeterC99]

Great job on the copperband - they are tough to keep! But once you get them established they are beautiful fish.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Princess Anthias & Tiara Anthias
Pink Dream Beauties​

November TBD - counting down... @tsmaquatics hunted down these hard to find fish for my special order - I've always dreamed of having these pink fish (pushed out from October arrival due to another trip back East)


Princess and Tiara Anthias
Tiny princess anthias babies arrived, along with a favia anthias. Favia was first in acclimation box, swam right out and thought would be lost... Fish all so small they would swim out thru slots of acclimation box, but miss their friends and come back. Eventually since Favia wouldn't go back in, and since favia was getting bigger faster than princesses, let them all into main tank praying they would not go into overflow.

Fast forward to January 30 2022 and have 2 princess anthias (lost 1), 1 favia and from LFS 1 tiara anthias. Did not know Tiara anthias existed but even more pink and beautiful than princess anthias. "Tail-less" princess anthias suspect crab bit off tail, shimmies to get black worm then goes back into hiding... its growing but not sure what its eating. Unknown if tailless princess anthias will make it. Other three doing great and continue to grow.

March 2022 update: tail-less princess anthias has not been seen in weeks so think died. LFS has been trying to order more female Tiara anthias for me. Suspect my female going male, they've male Tiara in stock so hope to swing by to see it before it sells. Current anthias count: 1 princess, 1 favia & 1 tiara.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Pods, Pods, Pods - outdoor culture
Experiment Begins​

This is based on the pod banana leaf post https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/more-pods.835488/

I spent $5 for my 58 quart/55 liter bin (which if this fails, will match other bins I have). Decided not to use a bucket as light seems important, and my buckets are all solid. I'll be setting container outside near back door, under roof eaves which are wide. More light will enter container thru translucent side than thru top (which I will leave top off per thread).

I saved a banana peel for a week, and using about 2" of old peel skin and about 2" of newer peel skin, I'm slightly over 3" by 1" wide estimate of banana skin ('leaf').

Doing tank water change, and I'm sure to start with "green" water due to hair algae problem in display tank... not sure how this will impact my pod test. I'm stacking odds in my favor by adding 200ml live phyto (mixed species) I bought from R2R person @Eldredge. Also forgot to see if Spirulina was available at store, but I am periodically planning to add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon 'now and again' to feed pods like @atoll reference pod thread post #1 advises. Not in a rush for spirulina as I have Reef Nutrition Phyto Feast (bought from LFS) that I can give pods a squirt to feed - its very concentrated and a little bottle always lasts me a long time.

Day 0 photos - pod experiment beginning (2021-09-30):

note: I am probably going to need to move this further from door because family sure to FREAK OUT seeing my pod experiment...

Day 8 photo - added spirulina & another jar Tig pods as can't find original pods. Spirulina 2 capsules (more than 1/4 teaspoon) broken open and poured in so even though I don't yet have plain spirulina powder at least this gets pods going (and I took 2 spirulina capsules, too!). Location gets sunshine nearly all day, wondering if that is too much sun (& heat?). This is supposed to be lazy culture so will just continue to watch with occasional add capsule spirulina contents poured out into pod tub (gelatin capsule itself thrown away inside house trash).


October 26, 2021 update - outdoor experiment #1 has failed. It began looking icky, and today it smells. Blaming Texas heat, southern facing backyard, no shade, location by back door also had 13.5 gallon / 55 L container on cement pool apron which may have amplified heat. These outdoor variables I can't change, so uncertain if I will try again because outdoor experiment started after worst of summer heat over (so now its fall heat... miss having seasons).

Fortunately indoor pod experiment #1 is going extremely well, so refer next post within this thread.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Pods, Pods, Pods - indoor culture
Experiment Begins​

This is based (loosely) on the pod banana leaf post https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/more-pods.835488/

English is so fun:

• banana leaf = European English
• banana peel = American English (I'm Texas USA, but saying "leaf" for atoll)
• leaf = peel

Outdoor culture seems stalled (dead?) so 10/9/2021 bought 2.5 gallon tiny tank, used clean, newly mixed saltwater, 300ml live phyto (from @Eldredge here on R2R) & 2 bottles of Reef Nutrition Tigger Pods from LFS. I'm occasionally tossing an opened capsule of spirulina on top.



October 21, 2021 - lots of tiny baby pods visible thru glass. First noticed them just a few days after adding pods - suspect its because Reef Nutrition Tigger Pods are adult pods so the 20+ days for maturity for eggs came with mature 'enough' pods so it kickstarted eggs & babies! Spirulina and pods seem about same size, so I'm stumped on net to use getting pods out of culture and into main tank to feed fish. My special stir stick is shown in left of below picture - literal stick found in side yard having fallen off tree branch. Pods seem to congregate on bottom, and since no flow in tank I try to give tiny tank a stir daily when I feed a bit of spirulina (usually) or phyto (not as often). Seems very strong green - maybe I'm overfeeding OR light is causing phyto to grow.


October 26, 2021 update - started daily feedings this past Sunday, and seems to even be enough for 2x daily pod feedings. Inside tiny tank is going VERY VERY well. Feeding spirulina may prevent 2x daily feedings - Spirulina is MESSY! I don't like catching bunch of Spirulina in net, so this morning I scooped pods before feeding. LOVE this 'lazy banana leaf' pod method! Just feed bit of spirulina and harvest

October 29, 2021 update:
Already up to THREE pod feedings a day from tiny tank culture to main tank just giving pods a bit of spirulina powder - love that I work from home so I can scoop pods breakfast, lunch and dinner (its the only 'breakfast' food tank gets). Based on price of LFS/online pods, I'm saving bottle $$ equivalent daily (not that I could afford to spend that much $)... it really means my mandarins should be fat & healthy breeders once they get a little older & bigger. I'm now officially out of the brine shrimp hatching game. The live phyto I buy is just for main tank trying to outcompete nuisance algae so will go down in size and buy less frequently from R2R guy.

At this rate of "do nothing but feed little bit and scoop out lots of pods," tiny indoor tank pod experiment complete success as I can do lazy pod culture method forever (they say never clean tank, so I'm down with that too!) - note I do have a bit of tape to mark waterline so I can manually ATO with RODI water when evaporation happens - water is too gross to test salinity.

If you want to be lazy and save money yet feed tank well, refer link at top of this post. Credit goes to others who paved my way!

January 30, 2022 update:
Now three tanks:

• 2 started with Reef Nutrition Tigger Pods
• 1 started with AlgaeBarn EcoPods

Tried AlgaGen Apocolypse pods, but they were so small that I broke down that tiny tank. AlgaGen has a different larger pod but arrived dead so I couldn't culture them. Eventually plan to order again but with quick shipping so they are sure to be alive. Likely spring when I have more time I'll revisit different pod species.

EcoPods may be smaller than Apocolypse (and have Apocolypse mixed in), but they swim more actively. I can't see those pods easily with my naked eye when I take them out, but given how pods make water shimmy its still easy to know I scooped a bunch each day to move in to feed my main tank mandarins (and others).

BF talked me into water change, and I may have accidentally poured my smallest species down drain... sigh... local club member Hans has given me a spare 25 micron bit of fabric to use going forward. Likely in spring when I have more time (if not before) I'll get another AlgaeBarn EcoPod jar to reintroduce pod strains that suspect I lost down drain.

NOTE: WHOLE POINT OF LAZY IS NO WATER CHANGES... why oh why did I listen...

Local club member Hans uses syringe to extract his pods from his tanks. I don't get many that way BUT its a way to get water out because when I do feed live phyto instead or in addition to spirulina powder, my saltwater levels rise. I'm tossing that siphon water into main tank ... (refer post about biopellets and nitrate/phosphate control... lol ... my BF thinks its overfeeding fish that drives our numbers up... our main tank also controls waste from our pod culture tanks which gets caught in my nets along with pods and all gets released into main tank)

Pods, Pods, Pods - indoor culture
Experiment Continues GREAT
​

Above info is over a year old as I type this update on 12/9/2022... forgot this was here as now I am keeping a whole THREAD dedicated to pods over at my local hobby club site - latest info instead is here now - if you are here for pod info then go here::

raising tig pods - tiny 2.5g tank experimental culture #2

2nd attempt at raising tig pods is officially underway. Original attempt was outdoor lazy banana leaf method I found online - that is still underway but seems to be failing. Suspect Texas temperature and full day direct sunshine is too much, but that pod culture experiment still underway. 2nd...

forum.dfwmas.org

 

[LuizW13]

I want to try culturing pods and phyto one day.