125 Gallon Reef w/ Bean Animal Overflow Build

[josho923]

After a long hiatus, my father and I are FINALLY planning on putting water in this thing tomorrow. It's been a long time coming with various delays and hiccups, but I can't thank my father enough for his help and I can't wait to get rolling! Hopefully, we will have it up and running tomorrow and I will keep you guys posted. Here is a quick video about the tank build when it was about halfway done: https://youtu.be/dNu6wZeZ_88
I plan on posting more once it's running and as I start to add livestock, etc. As always, constructive criticism is welcomed!

 

[this is me]

Josh,
Very nice tank and set up.
On the Tunze 6105, you can change out the shroud to a 6205 shroud and it will have a much wider flow pattern.

 

[josho923]

Thanks for the feedback, "this is me." I plan on taking your advice re: switching to the 6205 shroud for wider flow. Since I haven't seen these in motion in the tank yet, I just want to make sure I actually order the right part to switch out - would it be the 6205 "propeller housing" as seen for sale here? https://premiumaquatics.com/products/propeller-housing.html
Thanks again

 

[this is me]

That is correct.
You can put one 6105 with the original shroud and the other with the 6205 to see the difference.

 

[josho923]

Awesome, just ordered two of them!

 

[josho923]

Curious if anybody has bought the Turbelle Stream circulation pumps lately. In each box, they already come with two shrouds, the 6105 shroud and what appears to be the same shroud as the 6205s shrouds I ordered that just arrived in the mail. I'm just eyeballing the ones that came in the mail compared to those that are already running inside my tank, but they look the same. Anybody know about this?

 

[this is me]

That is interesting. I bought my pair a long time ago and it did not come with two shrouds. I had to pay the extra for the larger shroud.
I just bought two 6255 and they only came with one shroud.

 

[josho923]

Maybe Tunze realized the demand for the larger shrouds with the 6105s and starting shipping them with both options - both boxes definitely had one of each in it. If anybody has the need for 6205 shrouds, I have a couple extra now

 

[josho923]

On a somewhat related note (the Tunze Turbelle Stream 6105s):
I am having a hard time getting the 6105s to "listen" to my Apex programming. The pumps still seem to only be listening to the controller settings themselves, rather than my Apex programming. They are running through the controllers that come with the pumps themselves, and then are also hooked up to my Apex via the two channel Apex to Tunze Stream cable that you are supposed to use, connected to the V1/V2 port. I've read a common issue is that the plastic on the end of the connector gets in the way and doesn't allow for a full contact connection, but I've ensured this isn't the issue. My programming seems to be OK and is as follows:
Set daytime
If Time 09:00 to 09:59 Then dawndusk
If Time 10:00 to 19:00 Then daytime
If Time 19:01 to 20:00 Then dawndusk
If Time 20:01 to 08:59 Then night
If FeedA 005 Then OFF

My profiles also seem to be working appropriately: when I look on my APEX Fusion, it shows that the power settings are changing according to my programming: i.e. it will show 95% at one point and then 35% at another when it has shifted. However, I am not seeing a difference in pump behavior when the power setting from the Apex is changing. When I modify the settings on the Tunze controller itself, this seems to clearly change the pump behavior - increase the power, it revs up, increase the surge power or frequency, it responds as it should.
Anybody have any advice? I am wondering if there is something I need to do so that the pumps will listen to the Apex, rather than their controllers themselves? For example, on my Waveline DC return pump, you have to set it on the bottom of the 12 speed settings on the pump's controller itself, or else the controller will be the driving force, rather than the Apex. When placed on the bottom speed setting of its controller, it will then listen completely to the Apex. Is there a similar issue going on here with the Tunze Turbelle Streams?
Thanks in advance to anybody who can offer some help.

 

[this is me]

Did you set the Tunze controller to "external"?

 

[josho923]

Oh man, this one is embarrassing

The controllers are tucked back in the cabinet below the tank, so I never even noticed that! Thanks so much, I just switched them over and will see if that did the trick!

 

[josho923]

Turbelle Streams are now listening to my Apex beautifully, thanks again!
Everything is pretty much up and running. I currently have two midnight clownfish, two gladiator thick bar clownfish, a magenta dottyback, a yellow clown goby, two cleaner shrimp, two turbo snails, and a few scarlet reef hermits; all doing well.
For starter coral, I have zoas, a Kenya tree, a green star polyp, and frogspawn. I've read/heard that the green star can spread like crazy, so I put it on a small rock island, and did the same with the frogspawn.
The yellow clown goby is the only one not eating, which I'm reading is pretty common. Going to try a multitude of different frozen foods, etc. to see if I can find something that works (sounds like Cyclop-eeze was great in the past but hard to find right now it seems).
Also already found and removed a keyhole limpet - I know that they largely feed on algae, but I read countless, fully witnessed accounts of them eating soft corals also.

 

[josho923]

Just got my Vertex Alpha 170 skimmer up and running 2-3 days ago. Main issue I'm having, which seems all too common, is the pump is surging like crazy. Tried adjusting volute (recommended 2-4 turns to start) in either direction, now currently at around 1 1/2 turns, and standpipe is wide open, since any closure was causing it to overflow. Skimmate is too wet, but is nice and nasty looking/smelling. I realize break-in for this skimmer will likely be 2+ weeks, but I'm wondering if anybody has advice on the surging issue? Water height is 9 3/4," recommended is 9-10. I've read some people found greater success with the surging by lowering the water level, so was thinking of trying to lower it by an inch or so.

 

[this is me]

Sweet.
How can you have 2 pairs of clowns in a 125? Maybe they're all Occelaris which is less aggressive?
On the GSP, you want to isolate it to a rock that is not touching any other rock. It's an encrusting type of softie that will carpet whatever hard surface it can touch and sting/suffocate anything in its path. For this reason, you do not see them in a lot of tanks. The Frogspawns are much more manageable and you do not need to take such measure.

Cyclop-eeze are hard to find due to limited production. I still have 3/4 bar frozen in my freezer. To be honest, I'm not really sure what it does. Lol. I have not seen any fish that won't eat go for it.

 

[josho923]

Yes, both of the clownfish pairs are Occelaris - so far they're all getting along like best friends but I realize that can change, so I'll keep an eye on them.

I was also wondering about the Cyclop-eeze, it just seems like every anecdotal story of a yellow clown goby that wasn't eating ending up eating that, not sure why. I have a good variety of foods on their way so hopefully something will work.

 

[josho923]

Quick question on a pH swing!?!?!?
- pH is steadily dropping today, and since I've started the tank up, it already tends to run on the lower end of desired pH in the first place. I have limited coral in the display tank and a large portion of chaeto in the refugium, which only runs overnight. So, in general, my pH tends to drop a little by day and rise overnight. However, today, there is a huge swing happening. Since 10 AM this morning, in just under 3 hours, my pH has dropped from 8.06 to 7.62 as of now. Looking at the graph, the pH is steadily dropping since then and it is still going down by the minute. I haven't even had my hands in the water at all - nothing added to the tank, no heavy feedings, etc., etc., etc. ORP, which I know is tricky to interpret, is also climbing in the same timeframe, which also adds to my concern. Temp and ORP, etc. remain rock solid where I want them to be. I know when I last checked my parameters everything looked great, although my alkalinity was on the lower end/just outside of the desired range, so maybe as the bioload has increased a bit, there is less buffer and my pH is plummeting?

 

[this is me]

Josh,
Not sure what's causing your PH to crash in a couple hours. Are you sure the connection is not lose? Or the PH probe is in good calibration?
You stated your PH increase at night due to your refugium light? How about during the day when the main lights are on in the tank? Your refugium light should help the PH from dropping at night but it shouldn't be strong enough to actually increase the PH.
Chronic low PH is common if
-you're running a ca reactor.
-the tank is in a closed off area
-the tank is near the furnace
-low ALK of less than 7ddKH
-too many people in the house

Things to do to help with low PH issue
-open the windows
-plumb your skimmer air intake from the outside
-drip kalk
-reverse light cycle between your display and your fuge
-Co2 scrubber(connects to your skimmer)

 

[josho923]

Thanks so much for all the help! I'm thinking the main culprit is the alkalinity being too low. Thankfully, without intervention the pH reached a nadir of 7.56 and now continues to climb, currently it's at 7.78. This is a daily occurrence every morning around 9-10 AM, after the refugium light goes out (reverse light cycle already in place; I have a large amount of chaeto), but this morning was wayyyyyy more dramatic of a drop than has been typical. I'm wondering if the cellular respiration by day of the macroalgae isn't raising it much, like you alluded to, but rather that while it is conducting photosynthesis overnight it is helping to counteract (and sort of mask) the low alk/low pH issue.
I am planning on a full reef so I'm going to need kalkwasser vs. two-part, etc. Any advice on what the best system is to go with in general? My priorities are the best quality system and also minimizing the amount of maintenance/day-to-day husbandry/work. Cost would be lower down on the ranking system.

 

[josho923]

Some updates:

- whatever caused that transient pH drop as noted above was a one-time event and there have been no issues since then...
- no responses to my question above, but after some more research, I'm going with a DOS and DDR Dosing System package that will run two-part via my Apex.
- for those of you who have a hard time catching a fish in a reef tank, an additional good idea (all my Dad's idea, not mine): I was attempting to use the Aqua Medic Fish Trap with the collapsing door controlled by the pull of a string. Not an awful design, though it has some flaws. For those fish that are impossible to catch without ripping all of your rock out, it seems to be worth the money if you're planning on being in the hobby longterm. I was attempting to use it a few times to catch a magenta dottyback that introduced ich into my tank (had already caught all other fish and placed them in QT at first sign of disease), but without any success - the clear plastic "cave" seemed insufficiently welcoming/safe for the dottyback, even with it baited with some very enticing foods. I was trying to place things over the trap to make the interior darker and more accommodating, when my Dad thought up the idea to use the Krylon fusion black spraypaint that I had to paint the outside of it. On my first shot with the new change, I had the dottyback caught within 10 minutes or so! All fish have now been in quarantine and being treated with Cupramine for 3 weeks now. I plan to have a fallow display tank for at least 72 days in hopes of getting rid of it for good, and going forward I will quarantine all livestock at least 6 weeks for observation prior to them making it into the DT. Corals and inverts are doing well in the DT in the meantime.
- Also getting an Innovative Marine Lagoon 25 to be used as a frag tank, so I'll have a dedicated frag tank for coral, etc. QT and my dedicated 29 gallon barebottom tank for fish QT. I welcome any advice re: pros, cons, and mods of this tank, especially re: a good choice for compact, good-looking lighting for it.
- We're currently also working on creating a water exchange system from the basement with a Little Giant pump and the two barrels, etc. to make water exchanges easier.
- Will try to upload some pictures sometime soon.
- I have lots of nice styrofoam cooler-type fish transport boxes if anybody would like one or two; happy to help a fellow reefer out if you're willing to make the trip somewhere near where I live in Worcester.

 

[cilyjr]

The best system for calcium and alkalinity is the one that works best for you.

Larger systems benefit from a calcium reactor but it is much more expensive to set up and can be challenging for the new aquarist. A calcium reactor will add calcium and alkalinity in balance and reactor media is much cheaper then buying 2 part.

Kalk will limit out in high demand tanks because it has a very high ph and eventually you won't be able to add enough to maintain calcium and alkalinity without raising pH