Patrick's 81G - the last dance

[tribbitt]

What does the 'bacterial musk' smell like? Very curious never heard about the smell lol

 

[finalphaze987]

I had a lot of coralline turn that bright pink color under actinics after my move when it got exposed to air for a few hours last Sunday (likely dying). Kinda lame they shorted you almost a pound, but it really looks like the old Tonga branch rock we used to get!

Yea, I'm thinking it may have started as purple...time will tell..I feel you on the Tonga branch resemblance..I thought the same exact thing when I opened it. It was a pleasant surprise. The pics they have of it on AS were just alright to me.

 

[finalphaze987]

What does the 'bacterial musk' smell like? Very curious never heard about the smell lol

If there was ever such a smell as crawling into the butthole of an LFS on a hot summer day, this would be it. Something about that marine nastiness evokes years of nostalgia

 

[finalphaze987]

2/16 added 4 maxspect and polyplab Genesis blocks soaked in PNS Deepcycle.

2/17/25 added IPSF live sand activator and wonder mud

2/18/25 added Aquabiomics gulf sand

**test results** 2/20/25
NO3 5ppm
PO4 0.02
Alk 8 dkh

2/2/25 added Indo rock from SWA

**test results** 2/25/25
NO3 7ppm
PO4 0.04
Alk 8 dkh

3/4/25 added 7lbs live sand and 3 lbs rock from TBS

3/7/25 added 9lbs Aussie rock from Aquarium specialty

**test results**
NO3 10ppm
PO4 0.10
Alk 6.3 dkh

All this manual testing with checkers kinda sucks so I think I'm going to bring the NP and trident online to trend.

With some die off expected from the aussie rock, I'm leaning towards just doing a large WC this weekend to bring the nutrients down. Alk doesn't concern me as much, but since there's coraline on the rock I'd like to keep around I may dose over a couple days after the WC till I get to 8 dkh

 

[Ayman]

@finalphaze987 what an amazing build! curious when you start your NP if you can give us your thoughts on it. I have been dealing with (0) phosphate test results despite calibration my hanna reads 0.09-0.08 and multiple trouble shooting efforts no luck.

 

[PjFish]

Whats your lighting schedule now with the Potluck of the World ? Maybe a good time to add a few cucs to clean up any die off.. Your structures looking like a Christmas tree now lol!

 

[psidriven]

I’ll buy some of the Aussie branches when you sell. Also would like a cup of sand. Definitely Mr worldwide of reef biomes

 

[finalphaze987]

@finalphaze987 what an amazing build! curious when you start your NP if you can give us your thoughts on it. I have been dealing with (0) phosphate test results despite calibration my hanna reads 0.09-0.08 and multiple trouble shooting efforts no luck.

Forsure..ill let you know how the NP goes for me.

Whats your lighting schedule now with the Potluck of the World ? Maybe a good time to add a few cucs to clean up any die off.. Your structures looking like a Christmas tree now lol!

It only gets ambient light during the day for now. I plan on turning them on after the water change and brace myself for the ugly stage.

All the rocks on the scape are temporarily lol. Once seeded in a few weeks I plan on replacing them with coral.

I’ll buy some of the Aussie branches when you sell. Also would like a cup of sand. Definitely Mr worldwide of reef biomes

I had a few people hit me up on the rocks, but will put you in line. The sand, no problem, i got u..im keeping some bioblocks in there as well to trade biomes with people with pest free tanks

 

[ReeferRey]

Brooo your build is immaculate! I hope one day I will obtain the level of patience you possess because I would try to fill beautiful setup so damn fast haha

 

[finalphaze987]

Brooo your build is immaculate! I hope one day I will obtain the level of patience you possess because I would try to fill beautiful setup so damn fast haha

I'd be lying if I didn't say I haven't thought of running down to AC, hightide, and neptune to get this thing stocked up...trying to practice restraint has been the hardest part of this build, but I know will eventually work out for the best long term.

Right now, the tank is known as dad's rock collection...lol..hopefully that changes soon and I can get some fish and sticks in here

 

[finalphaze987]

Starting to move up in the food chain...and who better to turn to other than @Coral Hub (Nathan) to get this kick started.

Everything I've been doing has been largely bacteria based and now starting to show signs of algae forming off sunlight entering from the skylight.

After consulting with Nathan, I went with the 64oz mixed pods to get the population kickstarted and some phyto to keep them fed. Everything came in quick and was packaged very well. Phyto was still slightly chilled upon receiving despite not getting to it till after work.

Excuse the lack of detailed pics, I was in a rush to get my son to basketball practice. I threw the phyto in the fridge and in the pods went. I put the tank in maintenance mode but left the MP40s on at 10%.

Upon returning home, I fired up the lights at 50% intensity on one of the preprogrammed schedules. I'm going to see how it goes for a few days to get an idea of how ugly things will get. I immediately noticed pods all over the glass and back wall where I didn't clean off. Felt good to actually see something, as I didn't get the same satisfaction from staring at live rock.

Readings today were as follows:

NO3 15 / PO4 0.05 / Alk 8.9 dkh

Still haven't gotten around to hooking up the tridents...but I anticipate it'll be soon...as convenient as the checkers are, I'd rather maintain units that givee daily automated readings to watch trends.

 

[finalphaze987]

Graduation day for my CUC! I picked their guys up as a valentines present to myself and have had them sitting in 81 degrees since...I held them for a couple more days and gradually ramped down the temp to ~77-78F. Lost 2 snails and one cleaner shrimp during the process.

45 day QT can really test ones patience when your DT is overrun with algae..but they proved worth it. I didn't go crazy feeding in QT, mostly dropping in some rock or a few TDO pellets, so it's safe to say they were hungry going in. The TBS rock was placed around the scape to aid in building the biome for the dry scape..and it spread...everything..the good, bad, and the UGLY..
The TBS stuff was engulfed in GHA..all of the ammonia I dumped in for the past 3 months shot the nitrates so high the NP couldn't read it anymore..when doing multiple large waterchanges to get it down, I decided to be my own herbivore and get to scrubbing..big mistake, I just helped spread it..

Mexican turbos mow through GHA lik

e no tomorrow..they might be big and clumsy, but
Really damn good at what they do. Here's one of the TBS rocks already polished off in the first hour of being in the tank

Before

After

He missed a spot, but its he's first day on the job and I'll cut him some slack.

Other than the turbos, there's a few hermits, ceriths, nassarious, and an emerald crab. I'm starting to get concerned that I wouldn't have enough to feed them eventually.

 

[Ayman]

@finalphaze987 Do you have any issues with the trident NP? I been dealing with no results for phosphate keeps reading (0).

 

[finalphaze987]

@finalphaze987 Do you have any issues with the trident NP? I been dealing with no results for phosphate keeps reading (0).

I'm seeing the same thing. My PO4 readings have been 0 for every test, I just haven't had the time to really tinker with it.

NO3 was reading in line with Hannah in the beginning, then it skyrocketed after a minicycle from some live rock and adding ammonia to feed the bacteria. It hasn't been reading correctly since then.

Does your NO3 read close for you? Or you seeing the same?

 

[Ayman]

Initially NO3 was also reading zero. I did a calibration and then I started seeing results. Some people online say calibrating NP using tank water with numbers from Hanna. It’s been frustrating not being able to see any results since I have set it up.