250 Gallon room-divider project log

[jeffbrig]

I've been posting less frequently to this thread as the tank matures, so here's an update over the last few weeks.

Bought these new corals last month (all Bali aqua/mari cultured) and they have acclimated to the tank without issue.


The chiller started acting up last month as well. I realized it when I went to feed the tank just before lights out and the water was noticeably warm to the touch. The thermometer showed the tank at 86 and change. I turned out the lights and put a box fan over the top of the canopy, connected to the temp controller. That brought the temps back to normal over the next few hours. I ran the tank with the fan for a week or two while getting the chiller problem solved. This held the tank temp down, but the increased heat/humidity load on our AC system meant it had trouble keeping up on those 90+ days.

The problem with the chiller was that the compressor wouldn't run. It would click on the immediately back off, so there was no cooling. A member of my local club is an AC guy, and he came by and helped me put a new startup kit (capacitor & relays) on the chiller, and we got it running again. Unfortunately, I discovered a few days later that it was just barely cooling, running LONG cycles, and burning up the electric bill. The tank still rose to 83 or 84 during the hottest part of the photoperiod (chiller set point is 81).

Fortunately, my local club (FMAS) had another frag/equipment swap at the beginning of this month. In addition to selling a boatload of frags, I was able to pick up a 2 year old 1/3hp chiller for a steal. Hooked it up and we're running great. I'm probably going to take the old one in and have it looked at. I might repair and resell it, or keep it as a backup. But, now I can do it as my leisure.

I'm also considering a Tunze wavebox as an addition to the tank. I've been looking at my buddy Rogger's tank, and he was one in there. The polyps on every acro are constantly swishing back and forth, and I simply don't have that level of movement in my tank. I'm seriously considering picking one up, but waiting for a good deal to come along.


The tank's been looking a bit empty lately, so we decided it was time to add some more fish. (Our pink skunk clowns both disappeared without a trace). A local reefkeeper tore down a large system, and was selling this group of tangs. I bought them for two reasons....I lost my own purple tang to stress during the tank tear down a few months ago. And, based on the TOTM discussion of a naso eating dichtyota, I figured we should give one a try. Got a great deal buying the group together. The naso is probaly 6-7", and the others are all ~3". They're in the 55g right now with cupramine, and we'll have them in the main tank in about 2 weeks.



Oh, and the RBTA split again this weekend, so we'll have one of those available in a few weeks.

[The Reefer91]

Jeff, it's funny. i was just looking for your thread.

[jeffbrig]

The blond naso eats dicthyota!!

The tangs are still in QT, but I pulled a small clump out of the display and "fed" it to them. The yellow and purple paid it no interest, but the naso was all over it. We're very excited!!

[The Reefer91]

that's awesome.

well, now your tang can earn his keep!

[kipher]

That’s awesome. I wish I could put one in my tank. Unfortunately my 75G is too small. Hope he keeps the Dicthyota mowed down in the display. Not to mention, if he does eat it consistently it will be nice for him that there is a decent algae growth that he can graze on without relying on you to feed him nori. A win, win for both of you.

[kipher]

How is that Naso doing in the QT? Is it about ready to go into the display yet? Just wondering if he has started to doing his job in the display.

[maxxII]

Somehow I missed the latest split on this thread and wondered what had happened with this tank. Did some looking around and here it is...

Sorry to hear about the ich in the main tank again...

Best thing I can tell you with that is that the fish will develop an immunity to it and it will go away...

Hows things other wise???Recent pics?

Nick

[FB]

We need new pics

[BigRedSpecial]

yes what happened to this thread? we need updates... UPDATES!!!!!

[Saiyan]

As has been said in the past WOW!!! I have been around the hobby my whole life but I have never been as humbled as this thread has made me. I have spent at least 4 hours reading this thread and can't believe all of the great info contained in it.

It is truly amazing to see the amount of thought and care that have gone into this build. It's good to see all of the different stages that you have gone through. Even with the best set up and planning and a very long maturation period there are still no guarantees.

I am sure that given a little more time this will be TOTM. Thanks for all the sharing and I hope you don't mind if I steal a few of your ideas when I do my upgrade. I will just have to mortgage the house and sell a kidney or two before I can go on an adventure this grand.

Luke

Oh and a nice wallpaper quality FTS would be pretty cool.

[jeffbrig]

Well, honestly, I thought interest had waned a bit since the tank was pretty well established. I've been posting here and there, and in my local club forum, but had kind of let this thread fall by the wayside. Just spotted it while scanning the main forum.

Here's a picture I took last weekend after re-arranging a lot of the coral:


Most of the tangs


And our newest additions include a handful of midas blennies. They're very cute fish, they always seem to be smiling.


In the near future, I'm upgrading the tank's flow a bit to help detritus removal, and keep the acros happy. I scored a box of Tunze equipment for a song, so I'm planning to install a wavebox and another pair of 6100s over the holidays. I'm also going to try to hook up that Schuran calcium reactor that I've been sitting on for almost 2 years now (has it really been that long?).

[BigRedSpecial]

Wow, looking as good as ever. Believe me, after following this through what, 3 splits? It takes a lot for us to lose interest.

P.S. Jeff, what were the dimensions on that tank again?

[Reeftanks6]

wow i have just read all of your pages this is such a nice tank

[jeffbrig]

72x30x27

[BigRedSpecial]

thanks, I was pretty sure it was 72x30 but couldn't remember the third dimension. Do you have any trouble reaching the bottom of the tank? I'd like to have a 30" high tank eventually, but despite being 6'1", my reach is only 27 inches...

Edit: one last question; you say the calc reactor isn't up yet... so your only calcium addition is from kalk? No two part or anything?

[Reeftanks6]

Your corals and fish all look so healthy way to go

[JJ4417]

How about another shot showng the full cabinet that you built as well?

[chris wright]

Keep updating it mate, with a tank such as nice as yours, nobody's going to loose interest

Cheers

Chris

[FB]

WOW thanks for the new pics. Just amazing

[jeffbrig]

Originally posted by BigRedSpecial
thanks, I was pretty sure it was 72x30 but couldn't remember the third dimension. Do you have any trouble reaching the bottom of the tank? I'd like to have a 30" high tank eventually, but despite being 6'1", my reach is only 27 inches...

Edit: one last question; you say the calc reactor isn't up yet... so your only calcium addition is from kalk? No two part or anything?

The design of the canopy has about 2" of wood and return PVC above the top of the tank. I can just touch the bottom near the outside edges, but not towards the center. I keep a pair of plastic tongs inside the canopy for picking things up off the bottom. Overall, it's not bad. Removing coralline on the lower portion is the only chore I don't like.

I've been using Randy's DIY 2-part (plus magnesium) for the past year or so. I'm currently dosing ~200mL of each part daily. I built a DIY kalk reactor, but I've had issues with the mixing pump clogging, so it's been intermittent.

[Reeftanks6]

ok got a couple ? how is your achilles and PBT doing? What do u think the minium tank size is for the achilles the PBT and the naso?

[jeffbrig]

The achilles is doing well, he shows ich from time to time but is still hanging in there. He's been a little thin recently compared to normal, so we've upped feeding a little bit. Since we added the naso, I think he's finding less algae in the tank.

We lost the PBT to some sort of bacterial infection. He had a cut from fighting with one of the other tangs (probably the achilles) and was moved to the refugium. That seemd to heal, but a few weeks later he was dead with red splotches on his sides. We didn't catch signs of it fast enough to do anything about it.

As for keeping the three together, you definitely need a big tank. In all honesty, my 250 is not big enough for a full adult naso tang. I saw one in Hawaii a 2 summers ago that was in the 20" range. I strongly hesitated before putting one in my tank. If it wasn't for my dichthyota algae problem, I never would have purchased one. As it was, one of the reasons I bought mine was because he was living in temporary housing in a friend's rubbermaid sump. The achilles and PBT just NEVER got along. Constant squabbling. The achilles wanted the PBT to stay in one small section of the tank, otherwise he would give chase. Maybe the dynamic would have been different with a different stocking order, or more tangs in the tank to serve as a distraction. But I don't think I'd try those two together again unless I had A LOT more space.

[Hop]

Definitely not loosing interest... Just don't post much anymore

Tank is looking great and I think that when you have that much stuff to take pictures of, you should show it off

[jeffbrig]

Some fresh pictures from last night. The tank is fully decorated for Christmas.








I picked up some new corals from Reef's Edge, one of my favorite LFSs. These are from a new Bali supplier that they are doing business with.


This yellow acro (possibly a humilis?) is amazing. Very bright yellow body and polyps. The growth tips are pink. Cute little acro crab, eh?




I'm always a sucker for contrasting colors. This one has an even tan coloration (not a faded tan), but what stands out are the blue polyps. Just waiting for it to get comfortable and open up. The picture doesn't show it well, but the growth tips are yellow.




Again, I'm mesmerized by contrasting colors. Nice blue body and polyps, but if you look closely, there's a bright green ring around the polyp openings.




Here's another Bali acro from Reef's Edge a few months back. This one has proven to be absolutely bulletproof. Crazy bright green, and it has held the same color whether it's sitting on the bottom of the tank or the top.

[jeffbrig]

This is an ORA blue tort that I bought back in February. It was a single 4-5" vertical stalk when I cut it in half in August. Since then, it started branching out.




Sweepers from a favia.




This is another new monti that I just love. The color really glows under actinics.




I got this one from a friend in Sarasota last month. It was plain and brown, but he said "trust me". 6 weeks later, it has green polyps and pink tips. Growing like a weed, too...




that's all for now...