New Red Sea Max 750 G2+ FOWLR (Maybe)

[tmecfowlr]

Brand new to reefing. Basically there was an office I worked in that had some tanks and I fell in love with the triggerfish and the way they swim. Always planned to have a tank in my own office one day. Don’t plan on having my own office any time soon though so convinced the wife to do an in home tank.

Started with tons of research and was convinced that bigger is better due to dilution and water stability as well as future upgrade prevention. Also because the triggers that inspired the whole project generally need bigger tanks in the long run.

So I settled on the 6 foot long, 160 display with 40 gallon sump.

Also despite doing tons of research, still felt way too overwhelmed to pick all the necessary equipment individually which is why I went with the Red Sea max package.

Tank was delivered April 22nd. Got the space all cleared out for it.

 

[tmecfowlr]

Assembled, leveled and in place as of April 25th. Plumbing and sump still need to be installed.

 

[Gk5321]

Very nice tank

 

[tmecfowlr]

While waiting for the tank a built my aquascape. Used caribsea liferock. Shapes, arches, the reef tree, a shelf, some caves and a large arch. Apparently this a a NSA design. I may need to add more here and there if the fish need it but this is what I settled on.

 

[tmecfowlr]

Tank filled and aquascape installled as of April 28th.

Basically following the BRStv 5 minute aquarium guide. Added some Dr. Tim’s and keeping the lights off as long as I can stand it.

Also forgot to mention, I read about all the Red Sea seam breaks about a week after I filled the tank. Don’t know how I missed it with all my research. Too late now though. Crossing my fingers that the G2+ models really are better.

 

[tmecfowlr]

Added the first livestock the day after the tank was filled. A pair of frostbite clowns. (Ronald and Mac). The front right corner of the tank is hosting them. All that space to themselves and they never leave the corner.

I should also mention that I have no space (nor permission) to run a quarantine setup so I’ve decided to only add pre-quarantined items.

Using Marine Collectors for fish, Inverted Reef for inverts and TerraReef for corals. (I know, I said FOWLR but I can’t help myself. We’ll see if they survive.)

 

[tmecfowlr]

Well I couldn’t help myself. In an attempt to get the clowns a better host than the corner of the tank, I bought a frogspawn coral thinking they might take to that. So I made it about 2 weeks before turning some lights on .

I am only running them a few hours per day to give the frogspawn some light and so far it’s been okay. Frogspawn added on May 16th

Excuse the blue photos. Haven’t mastered reef photography yet.

Oh and of course, the clowns haven’t even noticed it.

 

[tmecfowlr]

I also set up a water change system in a nearby utility room. 4 cylinder RODI system with float valve into a 20 gallon tank. Another 20 gallon tank next to it for mixing salt water. There’s another Red Sea reef run pump in between the two tanks for pumping water from the RODI side to the salt side, as well as from either holding tank to the display tank. Went with the reef run pump for this so I have a back-up in case the display tank pump ever goes down.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Tank filled and aquascape installled as of April 28th.

Basically following the BRStv 5 minute aquarium guide. Added some Dr. Tim’s and keeping the lights off as long as I can stand it.

Also forgot to mention, I read about all the Red Sea seam breaks about a week after I filled the tank. Don’t know how I missed it with all my research. Too late now though. Crossing my fingers that the G2+ models really are better.

Love the aquascape!

 

[tmecfowlr]

On May 23rd I added a clean up crew purchaser from Inverted Reef. 4 emerald crabs, 10 hermits, and 6 cerith snails for starters.

In another futile attempt to provide a host for the clowns I decided to add a bubble tip anemone. It arrived on May 29th. Probably too small to host at the moment but is at least doing well. Has split once already, not sure if due to stress or over feeding.

Also thought I’d try a torch coral for hosting. That arrived on June 4th. Again no luck with the clowns. But all additions seem healthy.

I know I’m adding the corals way too early as I don’t even have the lights on full time yet. Just couldn’t help myself and figured if they don’t make it it’s a lesson learned.

Followed that up with 5 Nassarius, 10 Trochus and 2 scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp that arrived on June 6th

 

[Northern Flicker]

Dawg this is just a reef now! Embrace the darkside

 

[tmecfowlr]

Sorry for the rapid fire posts. Trying to get caught up to present. So we left off on June 6th. Tank was just over a month old. Again following recommendations from BRStv 5 minute aquarium guides. This was about the point that they added “utilitarian” fish. So I did the same.
Again from Marine Collectors. Added 4 new fish. Seemed like a lot at once but that’s what they did so that’s what I did ‍

Melanarus Wrasse named Rainbow Dash (kids are naming the fish ) We call him Dash for short. My pictures are terrible but he’s really pretty rainbow colored.

Purple Tang (Zebrasoma) named “Lil boo tang”


White Tail Tang (Bristletooth) named “Malibu”
She’s a bit camera shy


Aiptasia Eating File Fish name “Stanley” (cause he’s flat )



We also added a lawnmower blenny at the same time, named Duane cause the kids say he looked like a rock. Unfortunately when added he settled on to a rock and didn’t move much. About two days after eating I woke up to find him being eaten by a hermit. Not that I think the hermit killed him. For whatever reason he must’ve died and the hermit was doing his clean up job. This is the only loss we’ve had in the tank so far.

Fortunately it was within the 3 day “fish happens” window and Marine collectors is replacing him. They have been really great to work with. They recently got a new administrative assistant and have been very good with communication.

I know, the pictures are bad. I’ll work on getting some better ones.

 

[tmecfowlr]

Final update that brings us up to present I think. I got the itch again and thought I’d try a hammer for the clowns. Still didn’t work for them but it’s a nice addition to the tank. It arrived on July 17th.




Also placed another order with Tim and Heather at inverted reef, they have been great to work with. 10 more hermits, 10 Nassarius and 10 cerith plus a cute little Pom Pom crab. I think my Melanarus has been picking off some of the inverts so we needed to replenish. 10 more trochus are on order too, just waiting to finish QT.

Here’s how the tank looks overall so far.

 

[tmecfowlr]

Last update for now just to go over a few details.

I do have the lights on a full schedule now since I have the 3 corals, plus anemones. It’s been good for Dash (the Melanarus) as well because he only comes out when the lights are on. So I made it about 2 months with them mostly off.

I also had two vacations planned that took me away from the tank for two full weeks with a week home in between. I set up an auto-feeder and erred on the side of over-feeding.

That combined with the lights on has led to a bit of a diatom outbreak though not that bad really. Upon returning after the second vacation I did a 20% water change. Other than that I do 10% water changes weekly. So far so good, everything seems to be healthy and thriving.

 

[tmecfowlr]

Dawg this is just a reef now! Embrace the darkside

Very true. I'm leaning more towards that now. Just not sure how everything will fare once I add the not so reef safe tank inhabitants. At this point I'm at peace with them munching on whatever is in there.

 

[Devaji]

great job! looks like your not going to have a trigger then? i think the pink tail is somewhat reef safe.
IDK at this point stick to smaller fish like the tangs and wrasses.
its hard to not add coral to tanks eh.
I wanted to do a FOLWR with butterflies for years I am stocking the IM 200 peninsula some times i want corals but I have a smaller RS 300 for the LPS tank that way I can have both.

the good news is you can move that empty china hutch to the left of the tank and get another and have matching tank side by side.
just saying....only encouraging a little bit here.

 

[tmecfowlr]

lol… the hutch was the compromise to allow the tank. It’s empty in the photo because it was new but very much not empty anymore.

As for the plan, nothing has changed. Still planning on adding triggers. They’ll probably eat all my coral which will make me sad for a moment but the whole reason for the tank was the triggers. So I’ll have spent a few hundred on some very expensive trigger food and transition back to true FOWLR if that’s the case.

At least it’s given me something fun to do while I slowly add fish.

 

[Devaji]

lol… the hutch was the compromise to allow the tank. It’s empty in the photo because it was new but very much not empty anymore.

As for the plan, nothing has changed. Still planning on adding triggers. They’ll probably eat all my coral which will make me sad for a moment but the whole reason for the tank was the triggers. So I’ll have spent a few hundred on some very expensive trigger food and transition back to true FOWLR if that’s the case.

At least it’s given me something fun to do while I slowly add fish.

you could always save the corals and either sale or give them away. or better yet set up a small nano just for corals could even tie it in to the main tank.

I just want you to have two tanks....haha

not much of a trigger fan here but i do like the clown trigger. if i even do a really large tank 500-1000 i'll have one of those guys..maybe.
what triggers do you fancy?

 

[tmecfowlr]

I’d love to have a second tank but I don’t think I can swing it at this point.

As for the triggers I’m looking at the Niger, Blue Jaw and/or Picasso

Love the clown trigger too but I’ve heard they can be very aggressive.

 

[Stang67]

Blue jaw will be the best option. That genus is reef safe. I have had Scooby and no problems with him earing coral or cuc.