Well not good news. Tonight our CO detectors started going off. Had the fire department over and something is wrong with our furnace. I'm thankful we invested in CO detectors, if not, who knows what would have happened. We had no other warnings.

So we are going to see how much it will be to repair or replace our hvac at 715 am. If it's a full replacement I may have to sell everything I've been buying the last two months for th fowlr. but we are glad to be alive.

Furnace repairs are no fun. I hope that it is not too expensive for you. Definitely glad to hear your family is alright!

Posted By Pete H. on 12/29/2011 10:40 AM
Furnace repairs are no fun. I hope that it is not too expensive for you. Definitely glad to hear your family is alright!

Not good for us, $4250 but we get 6-700 back in rebates. We needed a furnace replacement. There were cracks inside the heat exchanger. So we just had them do the whole shebang.

wow scary, makes me think I should have these. Our furnace isn't that old but you never know anymore I guess.

Here's what I ended up with the base rock in the tank. The live rock will probably go into the middle and make that higher.



Should have my skimmer, heaters, and pump tomorrow or Wednesday so I can get the tank filled and cycling.

Getting so close to filling it up! Ordered an RO/DI unit today.

Looks great!

RO/DI Shipped today, sand is shipping Friday from Reefrocks.net

Here's my box today of stuff from MD



the Cadlights V2 1150 skimmer



Sump construction underway. Two baffles done. One to go. Left a little extra room in the skimmer chamber to accommodate my reverse durso.

RODI was delivered today. Going to setup my mixing station this weekend.

My sump is done and plumbing is test fitted.

Well, I haven't updated for awhile.
I've had the tank up and cycling for almost a couple weeks now. Ammonia is going form 4ppm to .25 in 25 hours, so there's a bit to go yet.

Here's the sump plumbed. I have the pvc mounted at least now and not just sitting there. I added an APC 1500 battery backup as well last weekend.



Working on RO/DI storage and salt mixing station.


Ordered an Odyssea T5HO light.
Moonlights:


Actinics + 10k:


Actinics only:


I am seeding with rubble from PA. I had 10 pounds they sent me last week that wasn't heated at all and was pretty much frozen so I lost most of it. I'm getting another delivery for free today with heat packs for sure this time. So we'll see how it goes.

Planned Stocklist:
2 O Clowns
1-2 Flame Angels
Some sort of goby
Small CUC

Looking for a larger showpiece type fish. Was thinking of trying a yellow or kole tang. I know if the limitations on my tank and the recommendations of a 6 foot tank for yellows, but we'll see.

Thinking of putting in a couple easier corals.

Also working on putting an ATO together. Just trying to find a cabinet that halfway matches what I have already.

Current full setup is:
Glass-holes 700gph overflow kit with Enkamat to quiet it down
Glass-holes 3/4" return kit
75 pounds of base rock
14 pounds of LR Rubble from Premium Aquatics
Koralia 4
Koralia 3
Odyssea T5HO 4 bulb light
20 Gallon Long sump
1 1/2" return into 2" reverse durso
Quiet One 3000 return pump (Split with a return to the first chamber to get a little more flow in the sump)
CadLights TIA 1150 G2 Skimmer
IO Salt

Well I haven't updated this since starting to add livestock. It's no longer a FOWLR, I have three corals now Hammer, Candy Cane, and some zoas. But here's my copy paste from RC that I posted today.

I don't know what to think anymore. I. Just. Don't. Know.

We lost our royal gramma. It was MIA for over 2 days. It was eating and roaming the tank for the first few days I had it. Then I didn't see it at all on Sunday or Monday. I figured it buried itself within the rocks. I moved a few rocks around and it never popped out. I searched with a flashlight before bed lastnight and didn't seen any purple or yellow.

I woke up today and there it is laying on the sandbed dead. No signs of ich, fungus, wounds, or anything. Just lifeless swirling on the sand bed.

I'm to the point I have no idea what to do. I've got alot of money wrapped up in this and the wife is not happy about it.

I don't know what else to look for. I've tried 3 LFS and have had deaths from two of them so it must be something I am doing. Water tests are spot on at 0,0,<5 and 1.024 on my hydrometer. The only thing I can think of is the hydrometer is off. I did order a refractometer from the slowest shipping ebay seller I've ever had the non-pleasure to deal with. I hope that comes in the next day or two. But I wouldn't think that even a too high salinity would cause spontaneous death.<br><br> My new clown (added yesterday with candy cane and some zoas), old clown, chromis and hammer coral have been doing fine. I can't imagine one clown, one coral beauty, and one royal gramma deaths in one month isn't a coincidence. All the fish that have died have eaten for me. The clown had ich, the beauty and RG showed no visible signs of trauma or sickness. <br><br>I guess I need to invest in a QT. I have a 10G hospital tank from my freshwater days I can use to QT from now on. Seems like a racket that LFS only provide 24 hour guarantees. Maybe I'll try LA when the temps come up a bit to at least get a 14 day guarantee. <br><br> Anything else I can look for in my tank? <br><br> sorry for the rant, it's just been a disheartening last month or two. <br><br>Timeline for cycle and adding fish: Cycled for 4 weeks with 50 pounds of base rock, 20 pounds of dead, and 20 pounds of live until nitrites were gone and processes 4ppm ammonia within 24 hours into nitrate.<br><br> Added 5 red legged crabs, 5 blue legged crabs, one emerald, 5 snails, two clowns, one head of hammer coral and coral beauty. Coral beauty died within 4 days with no signs of illness or trauma <br><br> Added one chromis about two weeks later which is still doing good.<br><br>  Older of the two clowns gets ich or brook. Pulled immediately from tank and put into QT. Died one day later. <br><br> Added one royal gramma. Died lastnight (6 days after adding to tank with no signs of illness or trauma)<br><br> Yesterday added a new clown from AC&C, one candy cane frag, and one zoa frag. <

The only thing I can think of that kills that fast is velvet. I too have gone thru this, don't add any more fish. I know you're looking at a new setup so it might be easier than you think to kick this. Since you did see signs of ich, it's still there. Can you get the remaining fish out easily? They will be fine in your 10g hospital tank for a short time. 

Thanks for the tips. This should be a good time to do that since I want to switch out my DT in the next couple of weeks.

Now if that damn refractometer would show up that was ordered going on two weeks ago. I specifically chose a "US shipper" but they didn't even ship it for 5 days so I assume they ordered from HK and waited to get it and shipped it to me. Live and learn I suppose.

Most of the stores in the Dubuque area get their shipments on Wednesday, and I believe they all come from the same supplier out of Chicago. I've had 2 deaths since I started my tank in August they were a pair of saddleback clowns that I purchased the day the store got them in, one died within 24 hours the other lived for about 72 hours. If all your parameters are good it is a possibility that the stress from shipping could have played a role? I normally wait until Sunday to check stores for fish, it gives them a few days to recover from shipping. Just a thought.

Posted By mpivit on 02/21/2012 08:43 AM
Most of the stores in the Dubuque area get their shipments on Wednesday, and I believe they all come from the same supplier out of Chicago. I've had 2 deaths since I started my tank in August they were a pair of saddleback clowns that I purchased the day the store got them in, one died within 24 hours the other lived for about 72 hours. If all your parameters are good it is a possibility that the stress from shipping could have played a role? I normally wait until Sunday to check stores for fish, it gives them a few days to recover from shipping. Just a thought.

Are you from Dubuque?

Yeah I normally go to Exotic Critter Corner in Maquoketa that was on a Saturday and I lost one of those clowns and the coral beauty from there. But he mentioned he was running .017 and copper at the time.

I also go to Bill at The Fish Shack in Manchester. I lost the RG I got on a Wednesday when he gets his deliveries. It's just hard for me to understand how these fish can live fine and eat for up to 4-5 days before keeling over.

  So if I QT all my current fish into my 10G until I get a new 75G setup do I need to feed my DT to keep ammonia and BB going?

If you just throw in enough to keep your hermits fed that should be good.

I am living in Dubuque now, but I am not originally from here. I've been very happy with the Corals and inverts down in Maquoketa.
I have bought most of the cheaper fish on sale at Petco in Dubuque with a 100% survival rate. The 2 nicer fish I have are from ACC and have been doing great for months.

Cool, let me know if you start fragging I might be interested in some.

I'll have to look more into PetCo. I usually just go there to get salt.