Deep Blue 80 gallon

[Jmalin]

I am by no means a carpenter, and got some help because I was a noob. I first figured out how to build a frame that would leave room for me to work the corner overflow. I then primed the subframe, and then started to work on the plywood. I used bonding to level and fill in any divots. I ironed on veneer. I sanded everything smooth. I sanded inbetween coats of paint.

 

[Jmalin]

I also waterproofed the inside of the frame. It will hold like two inches of water in there. Watched YouTube a bit and figured out how to make my own sump that would work for me. Had someone cut glass and bevel it, only for like $11 a piece totally worth it. I leak tested the tank in my garage. When I got the tank inside I realized I had cracks in the plastic flame when more light shown on it. I took it back to the garage and used jb weld and haven’t had any problems.

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

Looks nice, good job.

 

[Jmalin]

October/November 2021 I added cured rock, I added a clown fish, and transferred some corals I didn’t care about. I also added some love sand, some critters like micro brittle stars, pods, and feather dusters.

 

[Jmalin]

Later in November 2021 I was having a baby and decided to transfer a bit more of my coral. I had glued some
Cloves and gsp to the back wall.

 

[Jmalin]

December 2021 was a big month for my tank, I took the dive and bought a 48inch reef breeder light which has really helped with coral coloration, I also got a metal sign from my wife for Christmas, and thought putting uv paint behind it would be cool to make it pop. Corals we’re all opening ans healthy. I did dip all the corals I transferred in hydrogen peroxide and rodi pretty harshly.

 

[Jmalin]

In January 2022 I transferred some more coral. Got some fish from petco that didn’t make it they had parasite. I transferred in another clown that I had and was lucky it was not a female yet and the pair bonded. Also was lucky and my Trochus snails breed and I got an on going supply for my tanks.

 

[Jmalin]

Looks nice, good job.

If you like that hopefully you will like it now 10 months later. Trying to post it all up.

 

[chadfish]

Awesome job. How long did it take to build the stand?

 

[Jmalin]

Awesome job. How long did it take to build the stand?

A while, because I didn’t know what I was doing. Needed my brother to help me with the cuts for the plywood. Honestly the longer part was the sanding, painting, sanding, bonding, veneer, that took like 2 months for me. I had a toddler and a 6-9 month pregnant wife at the time, kind of slowed things down lol.

 

[Jmalin]

February through April 2022 things were growing in, still figuring out placement of some things. Sit some trades at the farmers market. Also got some annoying byropsis from that at the time on some plugs.

 

[Jmalin]

May to June 2022 I had a yellow coris somehow manage to jump a perfect rainbow shot underneath the screen and past the plastic rim to the floor. They were also really hard to find still are now it seem. I picked one up I’m Brooklyn. Also have a friend that is not a reefer down there who new a reefer who randomly had 17 csb and let me trade for one. I have not really spent money on coral, mostly only 10-30. And 30 was really rare. I have luckily been able to trade and trade over the past 5 years.

 

[Jmalin]

July to August 2022 I lost a yellow tip frog spawn and some heads of green frogspawn probably do to calcium swing. I started dosing calcium along with alk which I already was. I use b ionic. I also have an ato I set up from Avast which I highly reccomended. I found out about it from mofo corals. Also since my Jebao doser is running my tank is more stable. This is the first time I have had an ato and doser. I was always doing both by hand, and I will say I’m never going back. 7 years in and just getting this stuff smh. All my
Tanks were 29 gallons or bellow though before this. Over the 7 years I have lost lots of zoas and euphyllia. I’m learning with the bigger tank it’s easier to stabilize things compared to the nano tanks.

 

[Jmalin]

8/6/22 pics of my tank today. My zoas are the happiest they have ever been. Little nervous leaving for two weeks on a vacation this next weekend, last time I did this I lost corals. I feel better this time having a friend that’s a reefer come every couple of days to check in on my tank. I do have an acro that isn’t the prettiest and is starting to encroach on some of my sps that I actually like May have to rip it off and stop it’s growth.

 

[ChrisV]

8/6/22 pics of my tank today. My zoas are the happiest they have ever been. Little nervous leaving for two weeks on a vacation this next weekend, last time I did this I lost corals. I feel better this time having a friend that’s a reefer come every couple of days to check in on my tank. I do have an acro that isn’t the prettiest and is starting to encroach on some of my sps that I actually like May have to rip it off and stop it’s growth.View attachment 180768View attachment 180776

Looks great!

 

[Jmalin]

I got some bubble algae first time I have had it and I have been in the hobby since 2014 with multiple tanks. I got pitho crabs to eat it, but unfortunately they have stayed in the sand and don’t go high enough to eat it. Going to look into more options, manual removal and hydrogen peroxide has not been effective. I know emerald crabs can work but didn’t want anything that can get a taste for coral. The pitho crabs may frag and out it on themselves but I hear they don’t eat it or pose a threat to any fish. The one crab I have already took a bunch of tube worms and out them on his body. Tank is doing well besides the couple spots of bubble algae that I don’t want out of control. My calcium was staying low for a while no matter how much I dosed, but I believe that’s due to coralline that was booming. Alk and mag have been stable. I also have now nitrates and phos probably because I have lots of corals and rock, and not many fish. I feed heavy frozen food and pellets, sometimes reef roids even. Planning on getting some new fish but worried to introduce anything since everything is going well. Maybe a blenny, goby, and fairy or carpenter wrasse I was thinking. Currently have 2 ocellaris clowns, 1 target mandarin, yellow coris, 4 banggai cardinals, royal gamma. Any stocking suggestions let me know, just not wanting anything to mess with my sand bed since corals on the bottom, and nothing that can develop a taste for corals so I was avoiding tangs since I had an issue with one and zoas.

 

[nickeg79]

Get a foxface it will get rid of the bubble algea. I have one doesn’t bother any corals.
I feed pellets in the morning and frozen at night.
I have the same tank as long as the foxface isn’t huge I think it’s a good fit

 

[Jmalin]

Get a foxface it will get rid of the bubble algea. I have one doesn’t bother any corals.
I feed pellets in the morning and frozen at night.
I have the same tank as long as the foxface isn’t huge I think it’s a good fit

I have thought about it but they can develop the taste for corals. Most tangs don’t eat coral either, but I had a blue tang devour some zoas. My take is like 95% softies and that’s what they can get the taste for.

 

[Jmalin]

Well I had my banggais cardinal breed and the male was carrying eggs. He got beat up and lost the top part of his back fin. I removed him to heal and put him in another tank. I have everything ready to breed them if I get it going again. The next day though when I was upset about the fish stuff, I saw my csb nem split which will open up a new world of possibilities in the trading for coral world. So some sunshine on a cloudy day. Happy also since it was over a foot wide stinging everything.

 

[Jmalin]