What ya think?

Some may know others not but I have a 75 gallon tank right not that needs some much needed help. I sold it with aiptasia and green hair algae running a muck but mostly under control. I then had the opportunity to buy the tank back and did. Its gotten way, way worse in the few moths I didn't have it.... I'll post pics to show you the madness but here is the CUC/Refresh crew I just ordered,

1st is from reef cleaners- 75 gallon quick crew includes 74 dwarf ceriths, 25 nassarius, 27 FL ceriths,40 extra shells.for the hermit's and 20 nerite snails.

2nd is from reefs2go- 1 tiger conch (covers the sand bed), 5 porcelain crabs (had some before that were awesome to look at), BOGO on there 1000 Copepods (2000+ copepods), and 42 blue leg hermit crabs (thus the extra shells.

my current crew includes the 75 quick crew but almost all the snails were eaten by an raccoon butterfly fish I had to try and eat the aiptasia (worked for a little bit then he got a taste for snails), a few hermit's unknown the exact number, and a lone peppermint shrimp that I cant seem to find.

the stocking list for the tank is as follows: x1 one spot fox face (wife bought him for me and is my 2nd favorite), x1 copperband butterfly (to get the aiptasia), x2 misbar clowns (mean as hell but are the oldest fish in the tank), x1 algae blenny (for the GHA), x1 fire fish, x1 green mandarin (#1 fish), x2 Disbar Anthis (saved them from a petco in FL). If your reading the list you know why I tried to get a CUC so big.... to knock out the extra poop and extra feedings for the disbar.

The copper band does eat the frozen but not the pellets, same for the fire fish and anthis. I also supplement phyto plankton once a week to keep the pods up for the extra strain on their population due to the copper band and anthis. all the fish are fappy as of today with no real signs of aggression except from the clowns.

I have a 30 gallon sump that's split into a 12 gallon fuge, 8 gallon return, and 10 gallon mechanical filtration. I have a Nac6 skimmer, filter sock and purigen for mechanical filters and about 100lbs of live rock for natural (with plans to add 15 more lbs or so for ascetics/natural filtration) . I feed 2 cube of vitamin enriched brine/mysid and pellets as needed. I work 12 hour shifts but try to feed 1 cube of frozen daily, and 2 when I'm off.

Here are my questions:

1. stocking seems full but is it overstocked?

2. CUC to much or not enough?

3. skimmer, do I need one better or keep rolling as is?

4. I am thinking of getting a 40 breeder and switching the sump, is that to much work for an extra ten gallons?

5. would 15 more lbs or rock make a big or slight difference in helping with the pods/natural filtration?

If you want to throw input my way go for it I will always learn so any help is appreciated just bouncing some ideas around with fellow reefers

 

What's your maintenance routine, RC? How often do you change water, and how much? Do you clean between the rocks with a turkey baster beforehand? Do you vacuum the surface of the sand and rocks while removing water? How often do you change filter media?

IMOPE, and from all I've read, that of many others as well, there is such a thing as too much rock. Once you've exceeded what's necessary for your bioload, you're just blocking flow and providing more places for detritus to become trapped where it can lay and fester. Also, it doesn't matter how much flow you have or how large your CuC, skimmer, sump, or filtration may be, there will always be some manual clean-up in keeping your tank pristine and trouble-free.

HTH

 

Mr bill makes some good points. Hove you tested tank parameters? There is likely a nitrate/phosphate problem regardless of your readings. I would start with aggressive water changes. I would also get a GFO reactor and be ready to change the media pretty often in the first two months. Pull as much GHA out as you can each time. Get as much detritus out as possible.

Also I would make sure you are rinsing you frozen food very well RO water.

I hope this helps. Don't give up! The CUC will help at eating algae but the will not remove the nutrients. Just remember that.

My $0.02.

 

+ for the above comments. Also, I recommend aptasia x for the aptasia. It does a solid job.

 

you have a very similar set up to mine.. mine is stocked much lighter and with smaller fish( including a mandarin) and 1/3 the CUC and more corals as well as filter feeders... to the point the others have made.... Weekly water changes, of 30% are my norm ( my tank is only 5 months old , thus still maturing) each water change includes a turkey baster blast and a vacuuming of the "dead" zones.. My sump is 28 gallon using 2/3 of it's capacity with a relatively spacious sump containing macro algae and mangroves... I get small amounts of algae.. but not a lot.. with a little effort on my part ( water blasts and tooth brush scrub ) the tank and coral stay clean and healthy...

 

Even with a much lighter load then you guys have.Nutrients are still a constant battle in my systems.Weekly wc's are my tool of choice.Addition of hundreds of animals to control a nutrient problem(ie too much algae)is counterproductive imo.I ran my last 90 with one Mexican turbo snail and 6 nassarius snails for years with 4 fish.Algae was kept at bay but not totally absent.Weekly 15percent wc's, and a GOOD skimmer helped.

 

What Vinnyboombatz said has merit..it's all about the nutrients...all those hermits are eventually going to be an issue IMHO ( I have a half dozen or so)...not to mention that you are repeating the cycle with all that grazing stock... IMHO, it is easier to control nutrients ( incoming and outgoing) and control algae growth by growing macro algae in my refugium than feeding the problem... a once a week "spritz" and water change that takes no ,more than an hour of my time keeps my tank clean ( not sterile) and appealing.. my habits came from keeping fresh water fish...only there I didn't have the benefit of a protein skimmer or sump/refugium... live plants do the dirty work.. keeping the tank (s) algae free...

 

are GFO reactors $$$? A buddy said he has a GFO and something else. Thought he said calcium. Do they make GFO and Calcium reactors that do both in same bottle?

 

is the Two Little Fishies Phosban Reactor 150 a GFO?

 

Yes, Phosban is GFO. No, GFO and calcium cannot be mixed in the same reactor. GFO and carbon can, but you must be careful, there. Perhaps your friend was referring to a dual (double-chamber) reactor?