Bfirecat's Red Sea 525XL

[Coral reefer]

Par seems good. Acros browning could be (imo) more light than they can use (probably not with your par numbers) or maybe alk higher than they want with very low nitrate/phosphate

 

[bfirecat]

Hmm, Alk is around 8.3-8.5, pretty stable with dosing.
Nitrate is now at a range of 5-7 (testing every couple of days), phosphate is a steady .06.

Should I change any parameters or just let it be?

At this point in my reefing career, the tank is good as its gotten, albeit missing some fish.
I am okay with not chasing numbers and lowering the bar of the tank to no acros/difficult sps.
I am thinking of adding Reef Roids (instead of Reef Chili) or some other similar food on my next reef changes.

 

[Coral reefer]

With low nutrients like that maybe try high 7s alk

 

[bfirecat]

I've allowed the tank to lower itself to 7.7 Alk and will keep it at that level.

All other parameters are about the same right now, with nitrate at 10-15, and phosphate at .07.

I think I was having issues before because vibrant crashed my nitrate and phosphate.
I was never needing to clean the glass, and only scraped it for coralline algae.
After dosing, algae is back to growing as normal and frags look happier (in general).
Unfortunately, it looks like hair algae and possibly bryopsis is back.

Going to use Reef Flux in a week and go from there.

 

[bfirecat]

I stopped carbon and the skimmer for 3 days after dosing Reef Flux.
The bryopsis is starting to turn white. The tank is super cloudy.

However, all the inverts and corals are doing fine.

I just turned on the skimmer today, and will start carbon at day 14.

 

[bfirecat]

The tank is clear from bryopsis, and the water is back to clear.

I added a saltwater molly to test for velvet and ich. I'll wait another two weeks before adding fish.

Since I only have two O. clowns and a chromis left, I was wondering about a stocking list.

I've been wanting a triggerfish since I started the hobby. Through my research, I'm not sure if any would work for the tank.
What do you guys think of a Niger, Sargassum or blue throat?

I'm also deciding between which tang to pick. I was thinking powder brown, powder blue, or purple. Any thoughts?

Must have fish:
2 o. clown
1 chromis
1 helfrichi firefish
1 foxface
1 pyramid butterfly

Deciding between:
1 Purple - Powder Blue - Powder Brown Tang
1 Triggerfish (if possible)

Thanks

 

[Coral reefer]

I have had somewhat limited, but pretty good experience with blue throats.
I would go purple over the powders.

 

[bfirecat]

Do you think the blue throat would do well in a 110g?

 

[Meshmez]

Have you considered a Kole tang?

 

[bfirecat]

I have but think they look really weird... like gem tangs

 

[svreef]

I have a blue throat trigger and he’s a very cool fish. I think he would be fine in that tank. He’s a little skittish but gets along well with others.

I’d go for a purple tang instead of a powder. They’re beautiful and generally not as aggressive as the powders. Bay bridge has two that look really nice.

 

[Coral reefer]

I have a client that put a blue throat in an 80 gal about a year ago. So far so good

 

[bfirecat]

Just another update:

Stocking plans:
1 sailfin tang
1 copperband butterfly (I know I know....)
1 small tomini tang
1 blue throat trigger
1 sixline wrasse
1 bi color blenny
1 spotted mandarin
2 o clowns
1 chromis

Been dosing 20ml Acropower and 10ml NeoNitro daily.
Autodosing 58ml of All for Reef throughout the day.

DBTC - Coral Reefer:
Red and blue war coral - doing well and growing
Jelly bean favia (bleaching happened) - back to full color and growing now
Cali tort - colored up after lighting changes, basing out
Red leptoseris - growing slowly
La lakers monti (bleaching happened) - colored up again and encrusting
Mystic monti (bleaching happened) - still a bit light but encrusting
Sunset monti (some bleaching happened) - still a little brown but slowly encrusting)
Purple frogspawn - started splitting
Rainbow monti (bleaching happened) - colored up and encrusting

DBTC - RandyC:
Miami Hurricane chalice - grew a little bit
Orange digitata - slowing growing
Aussie gold tort - extremely browned out
PC Rainbow acro - snapped off but starting to color up. It was extremely brown but now there's a bit of color back.

 

[bfirecat]

The first batch of fish are in.
2 o clowns and the chromis are back from QT.
Also got a blue throat trigger and a desjardini sailfin tang.

For the first time in a long time, I feel like the tank is going well.
Added a dream coral of mine, a large CC magic carpet mushroom, and some chalices.

 

[Twisted]

I like the magic carpet

 

[bfirecat]

After seeing some inspiration, I've decided to add a 14g Innovative Marine Peninsula as a frag tank and wanted to plumb it into the display.
I'm going to remove the false wall and baffles, but would like ideas on where to drill on the back, and if I should use an external overflow box or just bulkheads.
I'd like to have 2 drains, 1 main and 1 emergency just in case the main gets clogged.

Also decided to get a UV sterilizer, and hoping it will fit in the sump area.

I removed the Clarisea filter since it was a pain to get to.
I fragged the magic carpet, and the sunkist yesterday, hoping they recover.

The rest of the fish are coming in today.
Sixline wrasse for pest control (to be replaced with a pink streaked wrasse if I ever find one)
Spotted mandarin for pest control
Tomini Tang for algae control
Royal Gramma for the fiancee
Pyramid butterfly for me

 

[Coral reefer]

You want an overflow box for sure.

 

[Patio]

I use the modular marine overflow on my IM20. Came with three bulk heads (in a very tight space), I ran bean animal. Street elbows helped get all the plumbing in the small space.

 

[bfirecat]

Dang, looks like Modular Marine is overflowing with business and isn't accepting anymore orders for a while.

Any other good options out there for a small tank, or is it worth the wait?

 

[Patio]

I remember hearing someone here mentioning to just send modular marine an email... but I can't remember who?