My 150g build thread

[Thinslis]

Thanks Eagles, I appreciate the compliment.

[Thinslis]

State of the Union: Four score and 7 years..... no wait thats not it... =)

3 weeks ago =) I put water in the tank. Today here is what we look like:

Salinity: 1.026
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
PH: 8.20
Phosphates: .1
Temp: 79

Skimmer 2 days of skimmate


Green Hair algae:






Fuge Cheto:


Mounted my electronics in the sump room:


Filter socks came in today:




I got to see first hand today what happens when your skimmer goes crazy. I put one of the filter socks in the sump and OMG the skimmer started over flowing with foam. I had to dial it down to almost no skimming to get it to stop overflowing! I'll try dialing it back up here in a few hours. I mean it was under a minute between the sock going in the water and the skimmer overflowing!

Tomorrow I leave for Chicago for a week. When I get back I'll test again and if all looks good I'll probably place an order for a clean up crew. =)

[oldreefer76]

Brian, it is looking real good, can you mod the collection cup though to drain into a waste collector? I would hate to see it overflow while you are gone for a week and where did you get the filter socks ?

[Thinslis]

I can mod the collection cup, however I have not had the time to do it yet. So I just dialed it down with my makeshift pvc regulator. It is still skimming but very dry. It should last for the week. I have someone stoping by on during the week just to make sure =)

I got the filter socks from Hector. I can get you the details if you want, paid with paypal and he shipped them for $1 200micron socks btw. I'll get a picture of what they look like when I get back, they were already looking pretty nasty after just one day!

[Thinslis]

Ok back from Chicago, tank didn't do too bad.

Filter socks got pretty nasty after 5 days:





Lots of hair Algae:


Purchased a few things today:

Mexican Turbo x2


Turbo snails x20


Scarlet hermits x5 (not pictured due to where they ended up in the tank)

And finnally.... I couldn't resist

Lawnmower Blenny x1

[MR PALM BEACH]

Those Mexican should tare right through that algea. Im big on the turbos, I have allways had good success with them when It comes to green hair algea. I bet less then a week that algea will be gone. Also try cutting the lighting down a little bit and see If that helps for now.

[Thinslis]

I've heard that lawnmower blennies are hit and miss wether they will eat the algae or not. The one I bought started eating it up within an hour. He's still feeling out the tank which is kinda fun to watch =) But everywhere he goes he munches on some of that algae =)

The Mexican Turbos havn't moved all that much yet, I'll keep an eye on them though =)

As for my other turbos, I've had to pick them off each other a few times. A big one will crawl on a little one and knock it over and the little one can't stand back up with the big one on it. They are starting to spread out now so I hope I don't have to do that anymore.

The scarlet hermits, have yet to move off their inital rock. They might be stuck in the algae jungle on that particular rock. =)

Have a great weekend all.

PS> Anyone know how to properly clean filter socks?

[MR PALM BEACH]

My turbos only come at night when all the lights go out, never see them move during the day Inless somthing is bothering It. The filter sock I just jet It out with my garden hose Inside and out, then I let It dry out In the sun killing any leftover bacteria. I found that washing them In the washer machine tends to tighten the material of the sock making them only good for 2 or 3 days and then there filled back to the top.

[Rjukan]

looks good, I like the pictures a lot!

[t11t5]

Thinslis check your pm's.

[oldreefer76]

for cleaning the filter sock cold water and a little bleach in the washing machine is what I have read

[Thinslis]

I tossed the socks in the washer with some bleach, we'll see how that works out.

Just checked the tank temp and its almost 85! I think I might need to get a chiller =(

[oldreefer76]

Crank up the AC it is still almost 80f outside tonight, we try to keep our home at 75 in the summer and 70 in the winter , plus your sump is in a spare room so just put a fan blowing on it , no need for a chiller

[Thinslis]

I'll look into the fan option (thanks for the tip) I don't have any air conditioning in the house.

[Thinslis]

Ok, I got the tank to cool down today. Tank is at 78 now. I also got my light timers worked out

Attinics On 11am
Daylights on 12pm
Daylights off 7pm
Attinics off 8pm

Fuge light on 8pm off 11am

When I get moonlights they will run 8pm to 11am

Now that I got the light timers all set I'm going to go dark for two - three days to help clear out some of the hair algae.

[MR PALM BEACH]

How are your turbos and the blenny doing? are they takeing care of green hair pretty well?

[oldreefer76]

IMHO going dark will slow the problem down but not eliminate it, you need to deal with the nutrients feeding the problem, check your tds, add a phosban reactor and or cheato to your refuge section and water changes, light does not fuel the problem nutrients do, our 55g gets lots of direct sunlight and 12 hours of T5 lighting and we have little algae growth besides coralline, increase your flow, and set your skimmer to skim wet will help also, just my 2 cents

[MR PALM BEACH]

You know If your water Is all up to par and I dont know what your live stock plans are, but you could put a foxface or a tang In there to grase on that green hair. That would be an unlimited buffet for them and plus you wouldnt even have to feed them till Its gone.

[Thinslis]

I plan to put a phosban reactor in. I have Cheato in the fuge. No direct sunlight on the tank. The tank just came off initial cycle so the algae shouldn't be a big suprise and I wasn't suprised. Plus I had the lights on for quite awhile for the past week while I figured out the auto timers (Corallife power strips suck).

I do think I'll be getting a tang or two... esspecially if I can get a deal on some /nudge t11t5

PS> The algae is getting better, the turbos are helping, the blenny is helping and I pulled a lot out by hand last night.

[Silverfin]

Nice set-up...

Looking forward to more pics! ^_^

Just wondering: What kind of Tang are you planning to get?

[Thinslis]

Xaire, Thank you for your kind comments.

I'm not sure exactly what kind of tangs, for sure they will not be on the larger side of the tang family. My tank is only 48 long so that would not be good to have a 16inch tang =)

[Thinslis]

Today my two new baby Onyx clowns arrived and my first coral. I couldn't pass up the deal I got on the coral so I got it. A blue branching hammer. I'll get picks of both when I can.

[Thinslis]

Ok, I think my full fish stocking list is as follows

Lawnmower Blenny
2x Onyx Clown
Six Line Wrasse
Blue yellow tail tang
Naso Tang
Foxface Rabbit

Possible additions
Lunar Wrasse
Scooter blenny

[Thinslis]

Just ran some water tests

SG: .026
Nitrites: 0
Nitrate: 0
Ammonia: 0
PH: 8.2
Phosphate: 0
Alk: 2
Temp 80

[oldreefer76]

Looks good alk is low though and don't see Calcium listed, not to mention there is no way you have 0 phosphate unless you are measuring it with something like a Hanna Coloromiter (spelling ?) and even then a 0 is because your nuisance algae is consuming it