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Bolick's 55gal mixed reef

Bolicks

Supporting Member
First time reefing: Aiming for an eventual mixed reef, LPS down low and "easy" SPS mid-high. Hoping to document my progress and greatly appreciate unsolicited tips!

Equipment:
  • Tank: Oceanic Biocube, 29 gal, de-rimmed
  • Return pump: Sicce 1.5
  • Flow pump: 1x Jebao OW-10
  • Lights: AI prime HD 16 (DT), Kessil A80 Tuna Sun (Refugium)
  • Heater: 2x Orlushy 150W, controlled by Inkbird
  • ATO: Reefbreeders Prism Ato
  • Cover: DIY extended Kraken Reef mesh lid
  • RO-DI: Ro-buddie 4-step

In the tank:
  • Aquascape: 30lb Reefsaver MarcoRocks
  • Sand: CaribSea Aragonite

Fish:
  • 2x ocellaris clownfish
  • 3x black reef mollies (with babies on the way)
Coral (in order of addition):
  • Pulsing Xenia
  • Green star polyps (glued to back wall)
  • Blue Ricordea
  • Dragon soul Favia
  • Assorted Zoas + 1 blue eyed Palythoa
  • Green branching Hammer
  • Green Torch
  • Blue Cyphastrea
  • Green Lobophyllia
  • Reddish Chalice
  • Green Duncan
  • White Alveopora
  • Red/green Candycane
  • Red/blue Lord

Pictures:
TANK.JPEG


Modified fuge:
FUGE.JPG


Current work in progress:
Getting past cyano (recently added fuge rock, seems like silicates are fueling growth).
Dialing in flow for Torch and Hammer (seems too strong).
Crush aiptasia (berghia nudibranch ate a few, then seemed to dissapear).

Most frags aren't glued down yet, just so I can adjust their position relative to flow. Curious to hear your experiences regarding LPS placement and flow.

Maintenance and feeding:
Currently doing 10% W.C. every week. Would love to automate this with a doser.
Dosing Korallenzucht LPS aminos every day
Growing and dosing 100mL semi-dilute phyto every night
Auto-feeding PE pellets 2x day (eaten within 1 minute)
Occasionally feeding homemade, mysis-based frozen cubes or frozen adult brine shrimp.
Occasionally feeding home-hatched baby brine shrimp.

Backups and redundancies:
Need more! Currently have a power-outage airstone (ugly) overnight or during trips.
Inkbird controller for heaters

Bonus pic of baby mollies that I'm currently raising in QT:
bbmollie.JPG
 
I've got the biocube 16. That was my first reefing experience. That tank has been up and running for a year now. How long has this tank been up and running?
 
Parameters dump:


1/8/20

Ammonia -0-0.25
Nitrite - 2-5 (lower than yesterday)
Nitrate - 10-20ppm
Salinity - 1.022 (overfilled with ato)
- Added 1/4 cup IORC, added to sump, unplugged ATO to get sal. back to 1.025

Sal 1.023
Ammonia -0
Nitrite - 0.5 ppm
Nitrate- 20ppm

Dal 1.2035
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20ppm
Ph 8-8.2
0.2 sea chem phosphate
API phosphate

Nitrite 0
Ammonia .25
Sal .024
Nitrate 10-20
Phos 2ppm

Sal .021 (after correctly calibrating refractometer, prev. salinity after ATO crash was likely 1.019)
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 20ppm
Phos 2ppm

Sal 1.022
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
Phosphate 2ppm
Nitrate 20ppm

1.022
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
Phosphate 2ppm
Nitrate 5-10

1.0225
Nitrite 0
Ammonia <.25
Phosphate 2ppm
Nitrate

1.023
Nitrite 0
Ammonia <.25
Phosphate 2
Nitrate 10

1.0235
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
Phosphate 2, 0.1 via seachem
Nitrate 0

Stopped ammonia testing
Switched to seachem phosphate testing

Reef
1/18
1.0245
Phosphate 0.15
Nitrate 2-5

1.0245
Phosphate .1
Nitrate

1/22
Sal 35ppt
Phos <.1
Nitrate <5

1/24
Sal 35.5 (actually 34, was miscalibrated)
Nitrate
Kh 8
Phos 0.07
Calc 420

1/31
Calc 460
Phos 2
Nitrate 15
Kh 9
Sal

2/7
Nitrate 0-5
Sal 36ppt
Calc 460
Phos .05-.01
Kh 10


2/12
Calc 480
Phos 0.1
Kh 9
Nitrate 15ppm
Sal 35ppt


2/19
15ppm nitrate

2/20
Ph 8.1
Calc 480
Kh 9
Phos .05
Nitrate salifert 5-10ppm
Mag 1500


2/25
Ph 8.2
Nitrate api <5
Calc 480
Kh 9
Phos - .05
Mag salifert -1350
Nitrate salifert - 2.5
Salinity - 35.1ppt

3/5/2021
Calcium - 500
Ph - 8.2
nitrate api - 0
nitrate salifert 2.5
mag salifert - 1350
phos seachem - 0.05
Kh -7

3/11/21
Sal 35ppt
Kh 8
Nitrate api 0-5
Nitrate seachem 0.5
Phos seachem - 0.05-.1


3/17
Kh 8
Calc 480
Ph 8.2
Sal 35ppt
Mag 1500
Nitrate 3


3/26/21
ph 8.2
kh 9
nitrate api 5
phos 0.15
 
Last edited:
Nice tank! Water changes seem to be doing a great job at keeping the alk stable. Which salt do you use, it may be here and I missed it.

I want to automate my water changes too, have you had any ideas how you want to try it? I’m thinking those ecotech dosers but they are not widely available so I’m thinking I’ll wait for the 2nd gen.
 
Nice tank! Water changes seem to be doing a great job at keeping the alk stable. Which salt do you use, it may be here and I missed it.

I want to automate my water changes too, have you had any ideas how you want to try it? I’m thinking those ecotech dosers but they are not widely available so I’m thinking I’ll wait for the 2nd gen.
Currently thinking of BRS dosers (or some other kind of super consistent pump that can be calibrated) on timers! Want to keep it as simple and foolproof as possible for sure.
 
Nice tank! Water changes seem to be doing a great job at keeping the alk stable. Which salt do you use, it may be here and I missed it.

I want to automate my water changes too, have you had any ideas how you want to try it? I’m thinking those ecotech dosers but they are not widely available so I’m thinking I’ll wait for the 2nd gen.
Also currently using IO reef crystals mixed to 35ppt.
 
Currently thinking of BRS dosers (or some other kind of super consistent pump that can be calibrated) on timers! Want to keep it as simple and foolproof as possible for sure.
If you want brs dosing pumps I have two new in box I'm trying to get rid of.
 
4_6_2021

Calcium (API)500
pH (API)8.1
KH (API)7
Mag (Salifert)1380
Nitrate (Salifert)10
Phosphate (Seachem)0.1

WC: 4_6_21, 20%

FTS:
fts_4_6_21.jpeg


Other updates: Added y-splitter for return flow, directed wide and short diffuser to skim top for gas exchange, directed random flow nozzle down and behind main rock.

Fish: Clowns have taken to guesting in the torch host - hope the torch adapts, polyp extension is a little reduced.
 
4/23
Some reef issues - recently added 9 juvenile mollies (1 m.o) from parents (currently in the DT) who all made the FW to SW transition without much issue. So far, 4 juvenile mollies have died... two seem to have gotten bullied by the adult male molly or clowns, other two seemed okay (and the most recent died surprisingly over the course of ~6hrs).

What's going on?! Maybe they're eating something toxic?

Has anyone added baby/juvenile mollies to their tank?

Tested water to assess whether this is due to poor parameters (W.C. two days ago, hence high calc/kh)
Ph 8.2
Ammonia api - 0
Nitrite api - 0
Calc api - 520
Kh - 10
Phos - 0.15
Mag salifert - 1290
Nitrate salifert - 10
Salinity - 35ppt

Bonus pic of berghia munching aiptasia:
IMG_1745.JPG

Will have some to add to the DBTC soon, given their current pace!
 
5_4_21

pH - 8.2
KH - 8
Nitrate - 20ppm

Hoping the chaeto will get that nitrate back down! Probably overfeeding too.

5_6_21
PO4 - 0.1
NO3 - 20
 
Last edited:
Turns out those vivid creative 18mm biocube return -> locline adapters are pretty flimsy. Snapped today while trying to change return flow - Hope corals won't be too pissed.

IMG_1807.jpg
 
FTS coral update:

reef2.jpg


Huge thanks to Coral reefer (Stylo, monti, candy cane, favia), Ashburn2k (stylo, digis and favia), Corallus (pink zipper & bambam zoa, grandis paly, not all pictured, will move onto xenia rock after some trimming), Squist (RBTA), Hamada (cyan & green GSP and Kenya tree) and PeetaJai (protein skimmer) for getting this cube stocked! So appreciate of all of y'alls generosity and help - awesome to get started this way. Hoping to grow all of these out, and continue to spread them in the club. Was awesome to take an SF coral trip and see some tanks!

All the SPS is opening up nicely with some good PE and seems happy - although I wonder whether I should get a second powerhead to point at the first to create more turbulent flow (edge of this one can be seen in the upper right corner). Currently it's blowing behind the overhang branch rock, and in front of the tall "SPS rock". Accidentally breaking my random flow nozzle adapter actually increased return pump flow quite a bit - seems good for the tank so far.

LPS and zoas also seem quite happy - opened up right away. RBTA still a little grumpy looking, but stopped walking after the first night. Hopefully it'll adjust well!
 
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