Idaho-Tank build... Starting over

^Hey, thanks for asking

I actually tested yesterday.. here are the results:

Testing day.

Temp = 79
Specific gravity = 1.025

Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 0
Ph = 8.3
Phosphate = 0
Calcium = didn't test
KH = 9 dKH


Not a lot to update but I haven't seen both peppermints in a long time... wondering if one died. I am also wondering about my YW Goby. A couple days ago I see him laying against my overflow - like pinned against it. I thought he was dead... watched him and saw his eyes and mouth move so not dead yet... I turned off the pump and he began to swim around - but towards the top of the water column.... not down on the sand bed like normal. His color looks fine. No visual parasites. On occasion I see him swimming but he was up against the overflow again this morning. Any ideas whats wrong with this guy? He wants to be there... the current is not all that strong and on occasion he will swim away then swim back to this spot... Doesn't look to me like any issue with his swim bladder as he will swim up and swim down.

 

Really weird. Maybe he is gettin bullied.

Its not Droid, it's me fishies.

 

^who is getting bullied? The Goby? By who? The clowns stay away from him and the copper banded butterfly just does his own thing.

 

IDK. But maybe when you are not around is when it is happening.

 

^he is starting to act more normal now.. My wife did see him trying to jump the other day. Fortunately I have lids so he is not going anywhere.


*update*

A couple days ago I made some additions to the tank. A local person with a really nice and healthy tank is selling everything off - has to move... He had a 90 gallon that was 4 long. Had several beautiful corals and fish.... I ended up buying a really nice sailfin tang and a male & female Blue Jaw Trigger. He had these three fish in with another tang, several types of crabs & shrimp as well as many smaller fish. I was a little worried about "reef safe"triggers but these two have been with several types of coral as well as tiny fish and have not caused a problem. Ive had triggers in the past and loved them and am happy to have found a kind that should be reef safe.... Will keep a close eye on them regardless. The tang is amazing. From the reading ive done a 100 gallon tank min is suggested, and some say 125. - If my tank was not 100 gallon and 5' long I wouldn't have gotten him. I think he will be happier with the extra foot of length in my tank over his previous home. I may upgrade to a 240+/- gallon in the future and if I don't I might have to eventually consider finding a bigger tank for him. This tang is so nice - literally follows me around from one end to the other. I drip acclimated him and 10 mins after I put him in the tank he was eating out of my hand. The triggers came close to eating from my hand today but were still slightly hesitant. I don't want to always hand feed but it is fun when I have to be into the tank anyway.

In addition to the fish I picked up some more zoas and a purple polyp rock, along with another piece of live rock that I drilled holes in for some frag plugs.

I have been doing a 15% water change once a week and might drop that back to 10% per week now. I ran my tests again today and everything looked great.


Specific gravity = 1.025
Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 0
Ph = 8.3
Phosphate = 0
Calcium = 500
KH = 9 dKH

Ive been noticing growth in the past week on my birds nest SPS. Several little "bumps" which I assume will become new branches have appeared.

Before:


Today:


My Mangroves have finally started to show signs of life... about a week or so ago I noticed roots coming out of the bottom. I was wondering if they were ever going to do anything. Maybe I will start to see some leaves begin to sprout out of the top soon? Here is shot showing the roots.


Here is my new and probably only tang:


And the pair of Blue Jaws (male on the right):


Purple polyp:


New zoas:

 

Very nice additions. Good pickups.

Its not Droid, it's me fishies.

 

^Thanks ReefBruh.


Good news - my odd little Yellow Watchman is acting more normal again. Has dug a new hole near his old home and is again acting like a goby. Looks like he just lost his mind for about 4 or 5 days. Craziest thing I've ever seen.

 

*Update*

Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 0
Ph = 8.3
Phosphate = 0
Calcium = has dropped to 440
KH = 9 dKH

Everything has been going great with the exception of a dead plate coral. Not sure what happened to it.. just slowly started to go and then it went quick. Its my first loss so Im not going to get to upset - but am disappointed.

Since my last update a little over 2 weeks ago Ive added a cleaner shrimp and 4 Bangi Cardinals along with some new frags. Ive never had Bangi Cardinals before but have always admired them - love their pattern and the way they stay in a group. They have been eating well and are usually together although on occasion I will see them separate.

The cleaner shrimp is a cleaner shrimp... He has worked over a few fish but doesn't come out as often as cleaners Ive had in the past.

As far as the frags go - I traded some of my ever growing sump macro algae for some really nice Zoas. I now have 6 varieties. I also found a guy selling 7 SPS frags for $35 - couldn't pass that up.

My Bangi's


Some recent shots of the tank




And..... I saw my pistol working and was able to get a quick video - so fun to watch these two work together.

 

great video bud! i need a pair lol. dang you have alot of star polyps

 

Nice steal on those SPS's. Tank is looking good too.