afboundguy's downsizing (or upgrading???) 25 gallon cube build

[afboundguy]

Don't think the little guy made it... Been over 72 hours since I've last seen the little guy... Still sort of holding on hope that he's hiding and pigging out on the pods in the crevices...

 

[MrX]

Don't think the little guy made it... Been over 72 hours since I've last seen the little guy... Still sort of holding on hope that he's hiding and pigging out on the pods in the crevices...

Hopefully it's just hiding on you. It's soooo small.

Did you just toss in some of your baby brine in the tank to just float around and hope it grabs some of that?

*fingers crossed*

 

[afboundguy]

Hopefully it's just hiding on you. It's soooo small.

Did you just toss in some of your baby brine in the tank to just float around and hope it grabs some of that?

*fingers crossed*

Yeah I put in baby brine shrimp naupulia three days in a row...

 

[afboundguy]

Been a sad journey I'm confident the little mandarin is no longer with us. Haven't seen it since I lost sight of it a little under 2 weeks ago. Guess the FedEx guy spinning the box as he walked up the driveway didn't help his chances and honestly looking back at it I should have made a huge stink to FedEx. I notified the shipper that happened but I guess I was too excited to get the little guy I wasn't thinking straight...

Next time I will opt for the 5 hour round trip down to CT to grab another one to greatly reduce the stress from shipping...

 

[afboundguy]

Only real big news on the tank front is I finally broke down and replaced my API test kits and old Salifert mag test kit with the Red Sea Foundation Pro 3 pack. Just finished testing with both sets with the following results:

API
ALK - 9/10 dkh
Calcium - 360-380
Salifert Mag - 1380/1410

Red Sea
ALK - 10.4 dkh
Calcium - 475
Mag - 1440

I figured the API calcium test was off as I've been consistently in the 360-380 for months. I know it's sort of acceptable but definitely on the low side but knowing it was more than likely off as I've been getting very good growth and the tank has been looking good I just caulked it up to the test kit.

The pet family didn't seem impressed with the new goody

 

[Owen386]

Sorry about the Madarian that's like one of my favorite fish. I lost one back in the day when truthfully I should not have buying one.
Good luck with your next one. And yeah 5 hours is a heck of a ride, but hey atheist you can take away one factor in getting one.

 

[afboundguy]

Well I may have just ruined my pod and phyto cultures When I was downstairs checking things I decided to make water and the 20 gallon tank the cultures sit it (sort of like emulsion heating) was low on water so I put the waste water line in it and forgot about it.

Remembered and it was too late the tank was full and the cultures had been diluted as there are holes in the top. I emptied out some of the mason jars and I'm hopeful the pods will survive and I'm seeing if the phyto will survive. If not I have extra to re-start the cultures just the cherry on top of this wonderful May day that it snowed...

 

[afboundguy]

Been a bit since I've updated the thread. I'll try and snap some pictures of everything that I've been doing tank wise the next few days.

Spent Tuesday at my parents for Memorial Day with my brother who was in the service and lost friends and it was a special day honoring those who sacrificed their lives serving this country. Afterwards we went to where my Great grandparents and great great grandparents and other relatives were laid to rest. I was a little kid when my great grandmother passed and around 18 when my great grandfather passed. My mom and grandmother wanted me to play the bagpipes at the cemetery and there were lots of familys there and everybody seemed to really enjoy my playing. I was really out of tune as I didn't tune up the bagpipes properly I just put them together and played.

Anyways here's a link to the video...

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

Been a bit since I've updated the thread. I'll try and snap some pictures of everything that I've been doing tank wise the next few days.

Spent Tuesday at my parents for Memorial Day with my brother who was in the service and lost friends and it was a special day honoring those who sacrificed their lives serving this country. Afterwards we went to where my Great grandparents and great great grandparents and other relatives were laid to rest. I was a little kid when my great grandmother passed and around 18 when my great grandfather passed. My mom and grandmother wanted me to play the bagpipes at the cemetery and there were lots of familys there and everybody seemed to really enjoy my playing. I was really out of tune as I didn't tune up the bagpipes properly I just put them together and played.

Anyways here's a link to the video...

Great job, always did love the sound they produced. Spent a lot of time around them as a kid with friends.

 

[afboundguy]

It was such a crappy video I almost can't listen to it lol. I had them close enough tuned when I left my parents house but I think one of the drones got pushed in a lot during the car ride over because at my great great grandparents graves a few rows away I adjusted one and it sounded way better...

 

[afboundguy]

Been a bit since I've updated the thread. First thing the little mandarin never made it but I did pick up another aquacultured one from a local sponsor and she's doing great. I haven't seen her eat any frozen food (also really haven't been looking) as she's plumped up quite nicely on the pod population and the baby brine shrimp nauplii I put it almost daily with the Paul B spot feeder. I did crash my phyto and pod population (twice) by leaving the RO/DI waste line unattended in the tank that held the glass containers but the phyto has recovered and I'm slowly increasing the pod cultures again...

 

[afboundguy]

 

[afboundguy]

First time I crashed the pod culture I went too big too fast... I went from about 1/2 gallon container to 2.5 gallons and coupled with right after the RO/DI waste water fiasco they were doomed...

This BBS hatchery is awesome... So easy glad I spent the extra few bucks on it...

 

[afboundguy]

I wanted to get rid of the internal stuff in the tank (heaters, filters etc) for a cleaner look. I ended up getting a HOB fuge...

 

[afboundguy]

Wasn't a huge fan of how it was set up so I ordered an enclosed overflow to clean it up... Had to do some minor modifications but nothing too bad...

 

[afboundguy]

Before...

Pre overflow box... I was just using a CPR surface skimmer box...

After with the overflow box... I do have to get a black or gray 45 for the return plumbing it's driving me nuts... I also ended up getting a new Reefbreeder RP-M powerhead and I'm impressed with the results and so are the corals. The after picture sort of sucks as I just took it after the lights turned on as I stupidly forgot to take one last night when I finished up...

 

[afboundguy]

Was finally able to capture a few pictures of the mandarin on the spot feeder this morning...

 

[CAPSLOCK]

That is one tiny mandarin! So glad the second is doing well. The new overflow looks good, and you're right about that white plumbing.

 

[afboundguy]

That is one tiny mandarin! So glad the second is doing well.

She was a little bigger than the Biota one I got but not much. I think she was ORA bred but can't remember 100%. She definitely has fattened up since I got her and grown. She was by no means thin or emancipated when I got her she was nice and healthy and swimming around a ton at the LFS she just wasn't as fat as I've made her

The new overflow looks good, and you're right about that white plumbing.

I just purchased some bulkheads as I want to switch to the Triton method and I can't get anywhere close to the 10x turnover rate that it require without risking it overflowing. It's working awesome right now but I want the 10x turnover for the end goal of less water changes.

I have a few spare 5.5 gallon tanks I'm going to drill to create the gravity fed refugium where I will pump up from the DT (pump in the overflow box) into the tank and it'll fall back into the DT. This will also give me some added peace of mind as I'll be drilling two return holes one slightly higher so if the first one clogs I'll have the emergency 2nd one. I will also be able to put in my own baffles and arrange the compartments to my liking as I think the baffles in the current HOB fuge is probably the biggest factor preventing me from pushing 250 gph through it...

So in true afboundguy's build thread fashion stand by to stand

 

[afboundguy]

Just did a water change last night and really scraped the crap out of the sides. The left side has some corals that were a little too close to get the scraper and my hands in but I managed last night. Also remounted a few corals I may or may not have bumped off as well as remounted one of my gorgonias that had to be moved once I put in the new overflow box...

Now to sit and wait for the bulkheads and diamond hole saws to arrive in order to start the next project!!!