August Update

It's been a few weeks since my last update.  That's about the time the "sump build" started.

Utilizing days off, plus other random moments here and there, I've finally completed the sump... mostly.

Still on the to-do list is to get the baffles worked out.  I went with the "weather stripping" method and got less than stellar results.  Once the baffle situation is worked out, I am going to (once again) attempt to move my HOB skimmer to the sump.  After the skimmer is gone (if possible), I'll then move my heater to the sump.

Other than that, it's up and running.

A couple days ago I ended up (finally) removing the Chaeto from my display tank.  I trashed all of it (about two grapefruit sized balls) except for about a golf ball sized piece.  I threw that down in the sump so as not to have to look at it anymore.  I'm hoping with the new changes, it doesn't last long ;)

Took a few shots tonight.  Didn't get any of the sump (here is my sump gallery), but I did get a few close-ups after lights-out with just the actinics.

Everything is still going well.  I'm not sure if it's the new RO/DI system installed or the sump (perhaps a combination of both), but I've been feeling good thoughts from the tank.

Just before installing the sump and water system, I completed removal of a vast majority of the substrate. Last week's water change consisted of 10 gallons and about 30 minutes.  Such a nice change of pace for cleaning the tank.

Today's water change also included the sump since it'd been working for about a week now.  I utilized the power head I purchased for my salt storage container.  I used it to suck up the detritus on the bottom of the sump and had it pump it through my gravel vacuum tube into a bucket.  The sump took about 5 gallons, and the tank another 10 gallons.  ASW was already made (had been for about 4 days), so I headed down to the basement with three buckets, filled them up, and brought them back up to the tank.

I utilized the same power head to pull water from the buckets into the sump.  The whole process took about 30 minutes again.  Now with all the things I have in place, I KNOW I'm removing much more of the detritus than I was 30 days ago, and I KNOW that I'm not adding anything with my water.

Removing crap and not replacing it while filling with water is a really nice feeling, I must say.  Probably why I was in the snapshot mood tonight.  I have a restored feeling of pride in the tank.

Just about there

So today a spent a lot of time on the tank...  and as life would have it, it doesn't look like it.

Once again I siphoned more sand out.  I probably got another 3 gallons out.  Almost everything except for the sand underneath the anemone bowl.  I ended up changing about 25 gallons of water today (33%) and it looks like crap.

I also took this opportunity to see what siphoning a bare bottom would be like.  It was actually pretty easy.  Water changes are going to be a lot quicker and will use less water in the future.  I bet I can cut the water changes from 20 gallons (27% change) to 10 or 15 gallons (13-20%), depending on how many hermit crabs are in the way.

Had a good day at the LFS today as well.  Had a nice chat with the owner about what I was wanting to do.  Ended up purchasing a RO/DI unit (about damned time), an HOB overflow, three more powerheads (2 x 425 gph and 750 gph), and a return pump rated at 750 gph.  That takes my display flow to 3625 gph (tank turnover of 48 times per hour).  This amount of flow should keep detritus suspended nicely until it is drawn into the sump.  The flow rate for the sump is much lower to allow that detritus to settle there.

Later I stopped by Home Depot with my return pump and overflow to figure out the plumbing.  All my pipes are purchased as well.

So I have everything I need except for the sump container itself.  I'm still undecided between a glass tank, a DIY acrylic box, or a rubbermaid tote.  If I could plumb two totes together, that would be even better.  I have about 36" of width that I'd like to fill, which would give me 12" of storage in the cabinet still.

More later as the build progresses.

Once Again, Power Filter Changes - Undone

Removing the filter pads from the power filter did no good.  The layer of skim was still at the surface of the water even though the filters output was churning the layer.  However, with a lack of filter pad, the larger particulates were being swept into, then right back out of, the power filter.

So today I picked up some new filter pads and also two Hydor Koralia 425 power heads.  The pads are now in the filter to clean up the particulates in the water, and the nano power heads are installed to assist with lessening the dead spots caused by the flow of just the power filter and 750 power head.  I'm sure some tweaking will need to be done to the additional flow. I'm only hoping they're powerful enough to do what I need them to do.  They sure don't put out much.  But I was worried about having too much velocity in the tank, so they'll have to do.

Noticed tonight a bunch of "chaeto bugs" on the power filter input.  I wonder if the tank is feeding on them at all...

Settling Up

In the two days since removing the power filter, I am beginning to see the type of filtration it provided.  Like here, I have a film of material that is settling to the surface of the water.

I have a way of removing material that settles to the bottom of the tank (siphon vacuum), but I do not as of yet have a way of removing the surface material, at least in great enough numbers to keep the surface clean.

The protein skimmer is Hang-On-Back with an input 5 inches below the surface.  It might be assisting with cleaning up this surface layer, but it doesn't seem it's affecting it directly.

I pointed my power head toward the surface, just enough to break the surface tension (which also helps in the water surface gas transfer) which only resulted in stirring up that layer and bringing further down.  I ended up pointing the power head back in it's original direction.  I'll let that material settle to the surface again.

I think what I'm needing to deal with this is what is accurately being referred to as a "settling tank".  With the use of a weir for an overflow, this surface material should be skimmed off the top.  I'll probably need some sort of tank or bucket to catch this utilizing a sock filter, then a water pump to move the water back up into the tank.

For now, it's a simple enough design that won't require the detailed planning of a typical hobby sump/refugium.

I think I'll start getting some prices on stuff.

Observation of Adding Live Rock to a Newly Established FOWLR

A week ago, as previously mentioned, I brought home 15 pounds of live rock and 10 Dwarf Hermit Crabs.  For the past three or four days, the protein skimmer has been collecting a lot more than I'm accustomed to seeing it collect.

Up until now, I emptied the skim trap about once a week, or three times every two weeks.  There would be about half an inch to three quarters of an inch of skim.

Now I'm seeing that much collected within an 18 hour period.  I've been dumping it daily for the past few days.  In the past, I've never seen the bubbles filling the trap.  They've always just remained at the top.  Now I have bubbles filling the trap except, of course, where the skim takes over.

So I wonder what's happening here?  Could 10 less-than-one-inch crabs be increasing the detritus in the water column by an estimated factor of 10?  Six Damsels occupy the tank.  I don't quite think the crabs equate to 54 more Damsels (which would produce nutrients by that same factor of 10).

Already having 35 pounds of live rock, I, in essence, added an additional 43% of live rock.  Does that translate into adding an additional 43% of nitrifying bacteria to the tank?  Maybe not, but it's not a horrible estimate.  With ammonia and nitrite readings effectively at zero for the past 4 to 5 weeks, I've potentially added 43% more bacteria without increasing their food source (ammonia and nitrites).  Is this potential ammonia- and nitrite-starvation causing the nitrifying bacteria to reduce in population to a more sustainable number?  Seems sound to me, but I'm no rocket surgeon.

I think the solution lies with both the large percentage of live rock added AND the crabs, with just a sprinkle of "lack of flow":

Sure, I added some animals to the tank along with the new live rock, but not enough to increase the amount of ammonia in the tank by my estimated 43%, which would be enough to feed the addition of 43% more nitifying bacteria.  So some of these bacteria must be starving and dying off.

Without a powerhead (as of yet), the most flow that my live rocks and substrate gets is a very light flow from the power filter, which only effects the half of the tank the power filter is in.  So there is a bit of "marine snow" sitting on my rock and substrate.

Watching the crabs, they tend to sift through this "snow" while grazing upon the substrate and rock.  The first day they were introduced into the tank I noticed them tossing up a decent amount of white particulates.  These particulates are particles that are decomposing and contributing to nutrient production.

My logic (whether false or not) is leading me to believe that the crabs are causing the increase in skimmage, not due to their bio-load in the tank, but by their behavior of tossing "snow".  Remember, I have yet to introduce any flow to speak of to the tank so the live rock is not able to "clean" itself.  To compound the issue, I've added an approximate 43% of nitrifying bacteria without an equivalent increase in their food supply.  I believe the dead bacteria now contributes to part of my detritus.

This leads me to believe that I can expect another increase in skim production once flow is introduced into the tank.  Flow will, in essence, be performing the same function as the crabs seem to... dusting off substrate and rock.  If my logic is sound, skim production will increase, but also will not last as long as the crab-induced skim production will.

Prior to the introduction of the crabs, I was more than likely "under-skimming" - more "dead organic compounds" were being introduced into the system than were going through the skimmer.

Now that the crabs are sifting through protein particles while grazing, I have a little catch-up to do.  More (hopefully, anyway) DOCs are making to the skimmer than are being created.

With the addition of flow in the next couple weeks, I feel confident that more nutrients will be skimmed than generated, allowing me to get caught up and then begin to find a new "normal" with the skim trap.

So now that I'm at the end of my thought process, the title of this entry seems misleading.

Comments?  Alternate theories?

The Short List for the Near Future

Damsel's are small, pretty, and have a relatively small gallon-per-fish requirements.  But they're also pretty territorial.  If they aren't eating, they're usually attempting to dominate one of the other Damsels, except for the smallest - he only has the hermit crabs to pick on.

So in the next couple of weeks, the plan is to bag up the Damsels, which is no small feat.  In my many weeks of studying them, I've found that they are particularly adept at hiding and fitting into tight spaces.  End result - the live rock is going to have to be either removed from the tank completely to catch them, or at least I'm going to have to arrange it to avoid any nooks, cranny's, or hiding spots.

I've heard of fish traps but haven't really looked into them.  I'm going to want to bag these guys up pretty quickly.  My entire life has taught me that traps will generally sit empty and I just don't have inclination to make multiple trips to the LFS to drop off fish a couple at a time.

Back to moving the live rock around... I now have hermit crabs, so they will either need to be temporarily removed from the tank or I'll need to be careful moving rock around.  There are only 10 in the tank (I've only been able to spot 9 at any one time), so moving them to a temporary bowl or cup should be the easiest way to go.

I'm thinking our first fish will probably be a Clownfish, which I'm sure is a very common choice.  It's actually a close race between a False Percula Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) and some sort of Tang - and due to the cost of Tangs, more than likely a Blue Hippo Tang (Paracanthurus hepatus).  If it weren't for the "Nemo" themed birthday party this weekend, the Tang may still be in the running.

Personally, I'd prefer to have a handful of other types of Clowns, but I'm a little limited in what's available at my LFS - I'm not yet adventurous enough to hit other saltwater LFS's or order online.

I've been doing a little research on the Clown which is beginning to sway what the first coral will be.  Still undecided, but I seriously doubt I'm coming home with a mushroom on that day.  I can't really visualize a clown claiming a mushroom.  No real hope in deciding now what coral to start with... I'm not familiar enough with the LFS selection, but I'm going to shoot for something that at least remotely resembles and Anemone, if possible.

I've also read the Clownfish live in small groups - so there's hope for a handful of Clowns living (hopefully) as they do in the wild.

Also with the first fish and first coral, I'll be bringing home some "flow".  The LFS and I have talked a bit about what I'll need.  He recommended a 750 gph powerhead for the end of the tank opposite of the backpack filter... makes sense - the filter is already producing a little flow down on it's end.  It was also suggested that in the future, if more flow is needed, get a smaller powerhead for the filter end to add just a bit more flow.

I'd also like to feed the fish a more varied diet in the future.  So I'm thinking Reefpods - they feed on detritus so they're a part of the "janitorial crew".  I've read that they love to live in Chaeto, and Chaeto helps with Nitrates.  I saw today where someone liked the look of "grass" in their tank, so they just balled up some Chaeto and nestled it in the corner.  I realize that's not the most efficient use of Chaeto for removing Nitrates, but I can see that it's a happy medium for dual use - removing Nitrates and housing Reefpods.  I don't yet have a refugium, so it doesn't sound like a half-bad idea, especially if I have some flow in the tank.  Who knows, maybe when I do get a refugium, I'll still have Chaeto in the main tank just for another Reefpod shelter...  (I have since gained insight that deters me from this action)

Eventually I'd also like to start making a little money (or losing less, whichever the perspective is) in saltwater.  I'm tossing around ideas for selling beginner fish and corals, but that's going to take a lot of equipment, time, and work (not to mention space).  But I've been in business before and baby-steps are OK with me... I'm used to it.

Look what happens when a guy brings a salt tank home for his son...

... and this is just short list (figuratively).

I guess I'll go get that water change done.

The Bait - History to Now

Jax found interest in saltwater tanks by chance last summer while attending a pool party.  He couldn't keep his eyes off it.  It was very entertaining to him.

Then just before Christmas, we had a family vacation to Houston, which incorporated Corpus Christi and Padre Island.  Jax got his first taste of beach, sand, and large-scale aquariums.

With his birthday coming up in March, and us fresh back from the Gulf, we decided to set up a salt tank in mid January so that it would be cycled and ready for his birthday - in about 8 weeks.

We headed to our local fish store, picked up a 75 gallon tank and stand, and grabbed everything else we'd need (except for anything live) to get the tank started.

That night we had the tank on the stand filled with water and salt mix with the filter and skimmer handing on the back and running.  About 50 or 60lbs of crushed coral lined the bottom of the tank.  It would be a few more days until the heater arrived (the LFS was out of stock).

Once the heater arrived, it, too, was placed in the tank.  It only took a day or so to dial in the water temperature to almost 80 degrees.

After a few days of water now at temperature, it was time to add the live sand.  I also took this opportunity to head back to the LFS and pick up a few more necessary items.  I ended up coming home with about 35 lbs of live rock, 7 damsels, and fish flakes.

Water testing for the first couple of weeks was a daily thing.  I'm not sure whether I've gotten lazy or whether I have a little faith in the tank stability, but currently (at week 7) I'm testing twice a week at most, but at least once a week.

As the weeks progressed after adding the live sand, rock, and damsels, I watched as the Ammonia level increase.  Ammonia retarded as the Nitrites began to rise, and eventually Ammonia and Nitrite levels gave way to the beginnings of Nitrate readings.  It's about that time that the brown algae showed up.

It was about 4 weeks when the first water change needed to occur.  The next one was just yesterday, and I still have Nitrates at 20ppm, so I'm prepping for another within the next day.

So here we are, less than a week from Jax's birthday with a "cycled" tank.  We've only lost one damsel in the process, my salt mix jug is nearly empty, and my test strips are about gone.  Also within the last week, about 10 dwarf red hermit crabs were added to the tank to help keep the brown algae at bay (at least on the substrate and live rocks), and we've upgraded to coral-capable lighting.  More on those last two items later.

So here we are.

Current Tank Specs (as of May 23, 2011)

Current Nutrient Levels:





Fauna:

• (2) Percula Clownfish (added 3/25/2011)
• (1) Heteractis crispa Anemone (added 3/25/2011)
• (2) Pajama Cardinals (added 3/25/2011)
• (1) Black Brittle Starfish (added 3/25/2011)
• (5) Dwarf Red Leg Hermit Crabs (added 3/11/2011)
• (1) Dwarf White Leg Hermit Crab (added 3/11/2011)
• At least (2) Fire Worms (discovered3/25/2011)
• Stomatella Snails (discovered 3/11/2011)

Flora:

• Neon Blue Spot Mushrooms (added 3/25/2011)
• Encrusting Anthelia (added 3/25/2011)
• Star Polyps (added 3/25/2011)

Hardware Components:

• 75 gallon tank
• 48" Coralife Lunar Aqualite (4 Moonlight LEDs, 2 T5HO Actinics, 2 T5HO 10K)
• Eheim Jager 150w fully submersible heater
• Marineland Emperor 400 power filter (not in use)
• CPR Aquatic Bak-Pak 2 protein skimmer 
• (2) Hydor Koralia Evolution 750 gph power heads
• (5) Hydor Koralia Evolution 425 gph power heads

Environmental Components:

• 60# Crushed Coral (removed July 2011)
• 20# "Live" Sand (removed July 2011)
• 75# Live Rock