12/8/2023
Gennadiy from ABC aquarium setup the new reef tank and stand!! We are so psyched!
1/5/24
Installed tracks in the canopy today per the recommendations on this link Mounting radions in canopy. Worked out real well. I easily slide three radions onto these tracks and I believe I could put 4 (as I have one backup laying around).
1/21/24
Tank setup has been delayed for a long time while I researched and implemented support columns in the basement under the tank. There was way too much bounce in the floor when we initially filled it so I ended up emptying it and working on support.
Finally started filling the tank today. Rock work and sand in place. Going to look a bit murky for a while as the sand was not rinsed much.
1/25/24
Reef tank filled and started cycle with ammonia chloride. Third day. Ammonia still high. Daily add of microbacter7 to hopefully see the appropriate bacteria populations to kickstart the nitrogen cycle.
1/26/24
Still no movement on the ammonia level. Water is looking clearer everyday though. Order Neptune APEX controller from Gennadiy today.
1/30/24
Picked up Neptune APEX Pro controller from Gennadiy. Worked on setting it up and mounting all the gear in the cabinet. Setup the pH and temperature probes. Heater from BRS and InkBird controller from Amazon should both be here next thursday. The tank has warmed up some with the old heaters but it’s taking forever so I’m getting upgraded heater. The cold start might be what’s slowing down the bacteria population growth.
1/31/24.
Setup on the ORP and salinity probes on the APEX. This system is pretty cool. Learning how to program it next.
2/1/24
Nitrites finally showing some movement. Test turning slightly purple indicating increase in nitrite level.
2/2/24
Finally got the Tunze Osmolator ATO setup. Running with the emergency shutoff float sitting pretty low in the sump…. cause I’m a nervous nelly. If the return pump goes off it sets off the too high alarm on the ATO. I’m still running with the reservoir 1/3 full so it can’t possibly overflow the sump. I think I can program the APEX so that if the pump stops it will cut off power to the ATO so the alarm will get squelched… and turn off the heater in the return compartment. I’ve seen warnings on the internet about putting the heater in the return compartment but I see no other places to fit it in the sump.. and we haven’t even looked into where to put a backup heater.
3/28/24
Survey video of the corals so far.
3/30/24
Added some new zoas corals and a Tomini tang to the tank yesterday. The Tomini tang came from the The Reef Shoppe and the Zoas came from Caribbean Forest
