My 125 reef

anonome

anonome

Active Member

Originally Posted by crt81
I love the yellow leather with the blenny on top!
I saw one at my lfs and I wanted it but I don't have the room- I didn't want to over crowd it.
Do they get big? Was that the size of it when you first got it or has it grown?
Is it a fast grower?
My yellow leather has probably grown somewhat, I have had it about a year now. I had pc lighting until recently. Bought my new light in April, so we shall see if it grows faster now. It sure has gotten more intensely yellow since the halides were put on the tank. I have seen really big ones...dinner plate size.
 
stanlalee

stanlalee

Active Member
the worse thing is on some pics the date is blocking some of the tank
I love to look at peoples 125's
 
anonome

anonome

Active Member
Originally Posted by Stanlalee
the worse thing is on some pics the date is blocking some of the tank
I love to look at peoples 125's
Thanks Stanlalee, I will try to do better with the dates next go around!!!
LOL!
 
ghettotang

ghettotang

Member
Originally Posted by Anonome
Ghetto Tang....My light is the Aqualight Pro 72", 3 150w 10,00k hqi metal halides, 4 96w true actinic 03 blue , and 4 1w lunar blue moonlights 834w total.
As far as the rock...majority of it is figi live rock, some buna branch, and some tonga. This combination gives the different colors of coralline....figi mostly purple, buna mostly pinks, and the tonga gives me the greens and reds. I would say that I have about 200lbs maybe more? I started with 150lbs then added a few pieces here and there. I just added some tonga this past weekend....about 15lbs. Don't skimp on the rock, buy quality rock...with coralline already growing on it. I bought most of the figi rock off of this site.
Sand 160lbs...60lbs was live sand.
Water changes faithfully done every Friday afternoon 10gallons at a time. No need for additives if water changes are done on a regular basis. I do have Seachem advantage calcium, just in case.
IMO the best money spent was on the skimmer...Aqua C Remora Pro....Awesome, Awesome skimmer.
Good luck with yours
Thanx. As far as your sand bed are you having trouble keeping the nitrate and phospate from the sand. What do you do to keep them at ZERO level as possible. The reason why I asked because I'm still debating wheather I should go with sand bed or no sand bed. One of my LFS they have display 125g reef tank without and sand bed. I asked them why they don't used substrate and the owner explain to me that it cause nitrate and phospate high. So I'm still gathering information about whether I do it or don't do it. Any suggestion between the two. Also when u feed your coral and fish how much do you place it into the tank and the how do you keep the debritus so that it doesn't get at the bottom and top of the sand.
Thanx
Jay
 
stanlalee

stanlalee

Active Member
Originally Posted by saltcreep
Beautiful. You now made me want to move my 55 reef into my 125. What are you using for lights?
I know you were marveling at the tank too much to read

Originally Posted by Anonome
My light is the Aqualight Pro 72", 3 150w 10,00k hqi metal halides, 4 96w true actinic 03 blue , and 4 1w lunar blue moonlights 834w total
 
anonome

anonome

Active Member
I truely want to thank everyone for the kind and encouraging words about my tank, it is my passion, and pride n joy. I must say that for the first 6-7 months I was regretting going from FOWLR to full reef. Not only the added expense, (went from 46g bow front to my now 125g) but all the extra time it consumed. Something was always going wrong, and had to be fixed. First the red slime incident, then not enough flow, and yada yada yada....... I can honestly say that the "hard work" has lightened considerably, but the tank is still a "work in progress". Whose isn't? LOL

To all those that are starting their passion, pride n joy....."no pain no gain"!!! And read, read, and do more reading...it can be done!!!
 
saltcreep

saltcreep

Member
I was actually.... totally missed it. Thanks. Do you find the moon lights help the health of your corals or just good for viewing?
 
anonome

anonome

Active Member
Originally Posted by saltcreep
I was actually.... totally missed it. Thanks. Do you find the moon lights help the health of your corals or just good for viewing?
Not sure it helps the corals, but I love the moonlights. I can sit real still and watch the tank at night. It is amazing what happens when the lights go out. I can actually watch my ever hidding purple reef lobster, what a character.
 
trippkid

trippkid

Active Member
No doubt, I have reef lobster too. That sucker hides all the time. The only way I know he is alive, he molts about every 3mo. I have moonlights too and it is really to cool to look at it with all lights out. I did just see today the Purple Lobster, I think he's getting too big for the old spot. I have had it for about a yr and a half.
 
anonome

anonome

Active Member
Originally Posted by GhettoTang
Thanx. As far as your sand bed are you having trouble keeping the nitrate and phospate from the sand. What do you do to keep them at ZERO level as possible. The reason why I asked because I'm still debating wheather I should go with sand bed or no sand bed. One of my LFS they have display 125g reef tank without and sand bed. I asked them why they don't used substrate and the owner explain to me that it cause nitrate and phospate high. So I'm still gathering information about whether I do it or don't do it. Any suggestion between the two. Also when u feed your coral and fish how much do you place it into the tank and the how do you keep the debritus so that it doesn't get at the bottom and top of the sand.
Thanx
Jay
Well Jay, I have non readable phosphate levels. But my nitrates stay around <10 which is perfectly acceptable for a reef tank. Very few tanks can honestly say that they have zero nitrates with fish in them. I do run some carbon, changed every 14 days, and chemi pure to help with any coral allelopathy. Carbon gets a bad rap, but if replaced frequently it doesn't have a chance to release what it took out back in the tank. Water changes help tremendously to reduce the ppm of nitrates, and an excellent skimmer. I prefer the natural look of a tank with sand in it. But, I have seen many beautiful tanks with bare bottoms. I think that if you commit to having a large tank, then husbandry needs to be addressed. Are you the type to do frequent water changes? Or just sit back and wonder why things are going wrong without any water changes? If you can honestly answer yes to wc's, then going with sand should be the way to go. Just be sure to have at least 3 inches of sand, or more in the tank. This helps to break down unwanted nutrients.
As far as the feeding of the fish. My fish are absolute pigs! I feed once daily. Alternate between algae based flake, and frozen. I have to distract the fish to add sinking pellets for the bottom dwellers. They also get 2 1" by 3" strips of nori. I really should do a video of the tangs at feeding....they attack the nori with such a vengance. Very little if any food ever gets to the bottom, this is why I must feed the bottom guys. I don't even bother with the clips, they literally will take it out of my hand. Hope this helps.
 
ghettotang

ghettotang

Member
Originally Posted by Anonome
Are you the type to do frequent water changes? Or just sit back and wonder why things are going wrong without any water changes? .
Thanx for you help it really help a lot. No, I do water change every week. I actcual have 75 gallon tank, and that were I'm trying to experience the reef tank that why I asked so many question because I want to make sure that when I start the 125g tank I'm gonna to it right. But the only problem is that the question I've asked is the one that I'm having problem now. As far as the flow how much flow do you have to have. How to position so that you don't get a debritus build up. It there any rule of thumb how to place powerhead. When you do water change how much do you take out and place in and whe you do use 50/50 fresh water and salt water or when you put the water you match the same salinity as what you have in the tank. If yes then, would raise your salinity even higher. Where did you get your live rock.
Thanx
Jay
 
anonome

anonome

Active Member
Jay, I have about 12 times the turn around of water flow in the tank. The powerheads are positioned to deflect off of the glass in the front to bounce back into the tank. You will have to experiment on the placement. You want plenty of current, but not so the the fish, sand and coral are blown all over the tank. I must have the right amount of movement, I have little to no dietrus buildup.
As far as the water changes, like previously stated, I do 10 gallons weekly. Some people will tell you I should do more, but this works for me. I feel that my tank benefits more from frequent water changes than one huge one once a month. When you do water changes you use all salt water, because you are removing salt water. You only use freshwater when you are toping off the system, which I do daily. I probably need to use on an average 3 gallons of fresh daily. I may have to use a 50/50 mixture if the tank has less specific gravity that I like to keep. I keep my tank at 1.026 measured with a refractometer.
 
anonome

anonome

Active Member
Didn't really want to start a new thread, but my yellow figi leather is splitting in half. Looks, and acts normal, but is definately splitting. Is this a good thing? Is it stressed for some reason.....maybe the lmb is stressing it. LOL. But seriously, is this a good thing? Or should I be concerned? Just started on Saturday the 9th. No slime, fungus, or anything out of the norm on the stump.
 
anonome

anonome

Active Member
Originally Posted by Anonome
Didn't really want to start a new thread, but my yellow figi leather is splitting in half. Looks, and acts normal, but is definately splitting. Is this a good thing? Is it stressed for some reason.....maybe the lmb is stressing it. LOL. But seriously, is this a good thing? Or should I be concerned? Just started on Saturday the 9th. No slime, fungus, or anything out of the norm on the stump.
Well, today is the 14th and the figi is definately now two, but shares one stalk, but the stalk is starting to seperate. I will try to get photo's tomorrow. Still as yellow as normal, beautiful as usual, but now two.
Any ideas why this occurs?
 
anonome

anonome

Active Member
I WENT SHOPPING TODAY!!! Enclosed are some pictures. I also enclosed a picture of the figi leather that has split. I got a really good deal on the red lobo brain...It has some bleaching on one half of it, but little tissue recession. I got it for $15, I figure for the price I would try to see if I can nurse it back to health. The ridge hammer is an awesome piece. Not sure if the torch should go in front of it, or stay where it is? Also got the cream lobo brain. Also, quite large.
I think I am officially running out of space......well, maybe not.




 
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