MD’s 90 Gallon Shallow Reef

[MarcosD]

Got a couple things today

My Hydros collective is coming together Just need to get one more ATO kit for my second tank

The IM Helios feel super good quality! I got dual 200W elements for a 400W heating system. I think it’ll be enough on the 90 gallon. The heating elements are tiny!

 

[PizzaOven]

Nice progress, it's coming together!! I just switched to titanium heaters, I guess since they're more efficient than glass heaters, they can be a lot smaller. I put two 200W on my 65g system, which is way overkill. The downside to this is more on/off cycles with the extra power and efficiency. My Neptune Apex Jr is old, I hope the outlet relays have enough cycles left to not fail on me before I switch to Hydros.

 

[MarcosD]

Nice progress, it's coming together!! I just switched to titanium heaters, I guess since they're more efficient than glass heaters, they can be a lot smaller. I put two 200W on my 65g system, which is way overkill. The downside to this is more on/off cycles with the extra power and efficiency. My Neptune Apex Jr is old, I hope the outlet relays have enough cycles left to not fail on me before I switch to Hydros.

Yeah definitely liking the titanium a lot better. The Eheim jager glass heaters have been really reliable for me but they’re super long and inconvenient placing them in the sump

 

[Darkxerox]

Should retain heat slightly better since the tank is acrylic too

 

[MarcosD]

Came back from my 8 day long vacation tonight and first thing I did was check on my tanks. Coral wise- everything looks fine. Lights were off when I got home so I’ll have to wait and see tomorrow when lights turn on. I was getting daily update pics and looks like everything opened up fine as of this afternoon. Unfortunately- didn’t see my yellow tang when I got home I did a pretty thorough look around with my flashlight and no sign, but clownfish was swimming around. I’m hoping it’s just hiding sleeping. Would be a huge bummer. On the bright side, not sure if it was the couple pieces of live rock I got from @Darkxerox or the bio bricks I moved over from my frag tangs, probably combination of both, but I was having a very bad ugly phase that was still going on before I left and it seems to have majorly subsided. Will see what it looks like with lights on tomorrow. Hopefully I find baby yellow. Tank has a custom lid now so there’s no gaps for him to have jumped out. But I have a lot of CUC and 8 days would be enough for them to wipe all evidence if he did in fact pass

 

[FinalPhaze987]

I hope you find the little guy..glad to hear everything else is fine after your vacation tho.

Bacteria and a good CUC did it for me as well...my ugly stage lasted a month. Dinos and GHA..30 days and a CUC later, no trace of the uglies..

 

[ReyDeFarts]

Glad you're back safe and happy to hear the tank is doing well! I hope the fish is just hiding

 

[Darkxerox]

Hope you find it, doesn't seem like the survival rate on these has been that great without special care.

 

[MarcosD]

Found the little guy! No idea where he was hiding

 

[derek_SR]

Feed him! Mine is eating TDO pretty ravenously, and I think has started eating some frozen also. Mine is pretty bright yellow and thickening up already.

 

[MarcosD]

Feed him! Mine is eating TDO pretty ravenously, and I think has started eating some frozen also. Mine is pretty bright yellow and thickening up already.

Yeah he hasn’t really gained any weight since I got him I’ve been feeding TDO x small 3 times a day and a frozen cube daily. Maybe I should up the TDO pellets. He doesn’t seem interested in nori. I already tried a few different brands and put them in different spots. He ate up the burning bush I got from you tho!

 

[ReyDeFarts]

Found the little guy! No idea where he was hiding

That's great news!

 

[Alexander1312]

Yeah he hasn’t really gained any weight since I got him I’ve been feeding TDO x small 3 times a day and a frozen cube daily. Maybe I should up the TDO pellets. He doesn’t seem interested in nori. I already tried a few different brands and put them in different spots. He ate up the burning bush I got from you tho!

These are primarily herbivores, so he or she should eat seaweed. I would continue to offer this until he knows it is yummy. The fact that they might also eat TDO or frozen food does not mean they should eat this primarily.

 

[MarcosD]

These are primarily herbivores, so he or she should eat seaweed. I would continue to offer this until he knows it is yummy. The fact that they might also eat TDO or frozen food does not mean they should eat this primarily.

I bought some seaweed pellets to hopefully help substitute. But I know it’s not the same. It just sucks to see the seaweed just sit there and break down. I’ll keep offering it in small amounts till he gets it

 

[Alexander1312]

I bought some seaweed pellets to hopefully help substitute. But I know it’s not the same. It just sucks to see the seaweed just sit there and break down. I’ll keep offering it in small amounts till he gets it

Theses pellets are good too. My triggers love them . And yes, if this is your only herbivore, then just letting it sit for too long seems a waste, increasing nutrients unnecessarily. I use this one https://octoaquatics.com/product/octo-strong-nori-cage/which keeps the pollution a little bit controlled.

 

[MarcosD]

Got Avast Plank mounted onto tank. Going to keep CBB I got from @Darkxerox and other fish fat hopefully. Still need to program into Hydros.

Messed up and purchased an upgraded mixing assembly not knowing that the version I got already included it. If anyone wants it, I’ll PIF

The Plank v3.6 Mixing Assembly Upgrade

Upgrade your Plank Automatic Feeder to v3.6! Improved circulation capabilities: Working with Sicce engineers, Avast Marine was able to achieve a tight-tolerance mating volute for the Sicce Nano mixing pump. This allowed them to smooth out the rotational flow inside the Plank mixing tube. The...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[Darkxerox]

Really easy to program in the hydros. Just set the drum on as a generic outlet:

I leave the pump on 100% of the time to save a controllable outlet. But @JVU has his turn off an hour a day to soak all the junk out which seems like a good idea.

 

[MarcosD]

Really easy to program in the hydros. Just set the drum on as a generic outlet:

View attachment 69178

I leave the pump on 100% of the time to save a controllable outlet. But @JVU has his turn off an hour a day to soak all the junk out which seems like a good idea.

This made my life so much easier lol

 

[Alexander1312]

Got Avast Plank mounted onto tank. Going to keep CBB I got from @Darkxerox and other fish fat hopefully. Still need to program into Hydros.

Messed up and purchased an upgraded mixing assembly not knowing that the version I got already included it. If anyone wants it, I’ll PIF

The Plank v3.6 Mixing Assembly Upgrade

Upgrade your Plank Automatic Feeder to v3.6! Improved circulation capabilities: Working with Sicce engineers, Avast Marine was able to achieve a tight-tolerance mating volute for the Sicce Nano mixing pump. This allowed them to smooth out the rotational flow inside the Plank mixing tube. The...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Maybe its just how it looks on the picture but I like to pull the pump power cord closer inwards so that food does not directly fall on it. Minor point and can be done tne next time you are cleaning it or not at all.

Regarding the feeding settings - 1:15 is a long time - I only do 35 secs. 4 times per day. Plus frozen plus seaweed. I know these CBBs like to eat frequently but that's a lot of food dumped into the tank each time. Also, I believe someone recommended this here, but I am using the maximum on time in the advanced settings. Just to be extra safe since a I had this feeder dumping in the entire drum due to a faulty setting at one point.

 

[MarcosD]

Maybe its just how it looks on the picture but I like to pull the pump power cord closer inwards so that food does not directly fall on it. Minor point and can be done tne next time you are cleaning it or not at all.

Regarding the feeding settings - 1:15 is a long time - I only do 35 secs. 4 times per day. Plus frozen plus seaweed. I know these CBBs like to eat frequently but that's a lot of food dumped into the tank each time. Also, I believe someone recommended this here, but I am using the maximum on time in the advanced settings. Just to be extra safe since a I had this feeder dumping in the entire drum due to a faulty setting at one point.

View attachment 69183

Good point on the pump power cord. Didn’t catch that.

I haven’t seen how much comes out when running but I think 35 sec would be a good starting point instead of 1:15. I’ll try that

Good tip on the maximum run time.

Thank you sir!