Yeti's 24G Nano Urgent Build

I was doing some work on the sump and noticed the carpet by the sump was wet.... as in soaked!
Checked the sump, everything is fine, then looked at the display tank, and saw that there is a slow leak coming from the bottom seal at the back. "S@$t" I said. It was 9PM, and nothing was ready. I have to have two tanks, as Sam & Sybil (clowns) cannot go into the 75G.
So Mrs Y has been rinsing and rinsing the big foam filters, I've been mixing fresh SW, just in case. And tomorrow evening is going to be rather different.

The plan is to syphon off water in to totes, move rock, then fish to totes and buckets. When all water is out, use some of the sand for the nano, along with some egg crate. Put rock in, use most of water from the 30G, plus 8G of new water, add a few of the fish, use Chem Pure in filter, and pray for an easy cycle.

Rest of rock and fish will go into the 75G.

Anyone see any mistakes in the plan?

Yeti
You should be okay, there should be no cycle if you are just switching tanks, good luck.

Epoxy! You could fix the leak without even draining the tank. If anyone in Tyler has some epoxy let yeti know!

Everything ok? I'm headed to XLN on 5th street to Pool Playoffs. I'll be leaving in about 5:30.. I'll just text you.

I'll be starting in a little while, I think I have it sorted, based upon how you showed me when we moved the 75G, but thanks, and go kill'em.

Well that was fun.....
Like have Root canal treatment for the evening, taking down your first reef tank.
Even better is finding you are missing one fish, when you've taken all the rock out.

"Where the hell is the Orchid Dotty?" I looked at all the rock in Totes, in water.

And went back to removing the other fish, and then the sand. It was on the two option strategy, I thought. (I later found there was a third option).

(As I sit here typing this I keep thinking somethings wrong, the familiar quiet gurgle of the overflow and the hiss of the skimmer are missing, the house seems somehow too quiet).

The Nano uses far less live rock as I've built an island instead of the reef wall I had in the 35G. But choosing which pieces was the tricky part, my favourite smaller pieces, plus the ones with coral on, and of course hunting the Orchid.
One of the first pieces, I took it from the tote, turned it over "OH hell", There visible through one of the holes was a side of Orchid. It had squeezed into a narrow tunnel in the rock and was about 2 inches from the entrance, no turning space, and through the one hole I could see it's side. So with Mrs Y holding the rock under water in a bucket I then had to chomp away at the small hole, careful not to cut the Orchid. After a few minutes of very careful grinding we had the hole much larger, and the Orchid swan free. Option 3. Cut your fish from the rock.

I'm not sure about the rock layout in the Nano, but it will do for now, and the rest of the rock is in a Tote, for tonights projects. More rock for the 75G, along with setting up the sump under there too.

When all is completed I will naturally post pics, as no rebuild is complete without pics to appease the demanding audience.

Exactly! :-)

Glad to hear it's gone well thus far.

All in the 24G is seeming fine, however the Orchid Dottyback must have been hurt in getting into the rock. Mrs Y saw it had black spots on it, and put it in QT. They look almost like black mold or a black fungus, about 8 tiny patches mainly in the fins, of which 3-4 have now turned whitish.

It doesn't look like Ick, as they are to big.

Sorry to hear about the orchid, hopefully it does ok. Glad things went fairly smooth orya. Like Donnie said there shouldn't be a cycle just switching tanks like that. Keep us posted.

Up date on how things are.

The Orchid is looking much better, still in QT, but the black has gone, and the white patch is fading, so hopefully in a few more days it can return to the 75G.

Nano
As promised, here are a couple of pics. Some things are a little miffed, in particular the Duncan, I have been spot feeding it every other day for the last few days to see if it will spread out again. One head is looking good and coming out, the others are still reluctant. I've moved it higher, to see if that will help.
And for the first time most probably, the Sunshine Dotty makes an appearance in ETAK (bottom right). The Orchid was so dominant, that it was a cave dweller until dinner was served. I really like the look of this fish, but the lesson I've learnt is, only one Dottyback per smaller tank



As a result of the 30G, I had a bundle of live rock that had to be situated, the 75G had the space. Sunday was .... busy, one of those days that turns into a total fish day. Anyway, I pulled all the rock from the 75G, and started again.
I had hoped to have 2 islands, and the Toadstool separated in the centre, but with the amount of rock I had to use it became a wall, but as I'm using the large PH along the back I have no fear of still spots, the other 3 total over 1600GPH, so I have some water movement.
I'm also happy to see that I'm starting to get coraline growth on the glass.
I'm intending to add a 6 Line Wrasse, but other than a White Tailed Bristletooth Tang I can't think of anything that would be accepted (the white tail is a different shape to the Yellow and the Hippo Tangs, so I'm hoping it will be accepted). I think I'll have to go on the "email me " list, as they are seasonal.

So an update on the 24G cube. Darn it, but I've had far better growth than in my 30G bow front under the T5's.
Sam & Sybil still rule the front of the tank, and have moved all the sand from anywhere near their beloved Green Hairy Mushroom (Which split, so the clone is seeing if Mrs Y's clowns will host it).
June 2012
[img][/img]

Aug 2012
[img][/img]
Back left corner "Donnie's Duncan" has gone from 4 to 8 heads, a fussy eater, needs to be protected when feeding, but then again I've found that to really look after Duncan's a tube or something placed over them about an hour prior to feeding, so they shrink, then get used to the tune, and expand, then feed so the fish can't rob/harass the Duncan/Blasto/etc really works.
[img][/img]

The Stalking Duncan with specific feeding has gone great guns, yes I love Duncan's.
BUT! Other major successes.
Green Acro... growing! I got a green and a beautiful Purple Acro from "Grimreefer" as part of a package. Now they were all in great shape, but alas my sump/lights didn't do it. Most gradually faded, I assure you it was not his corals, but my skills at "reefing". However, I now have fantastic growth on the Montipora Cap in this tank and the 75G tank. AND.. the Green Acro has major polyp growth. Now this may sound like a Geek or Nerd talking, but, sorry, it's so exciting to see not only a Cap monti, spreading and thicking, but to see an Acro actually branching out, with 4 branches, well I guess you really understand, or don't.
Also you can see the growth of the Brown Cap Monti, amazing, my only concern is that it may grow over the Acro.
The Waving hand as has gone mad, such that I broke a piece off and gave it to a friend, along with some of the "snowflake"Gabe gave me. The other major lesson was, if a coral looks dead, don't give up on it.
June 2012, just top right of the Green Slimer you can see a small sick pale green patch, a Riccordia. It was in the 75G, and I thought "OK it's gone, but lets just conform it's dead".
3 Months later, it's come back to life, and is spreading beyond the frag plug! The lesson is "if you think it's dead, give it to me"!!!!!!... OK, so maybe move it to somewhere within your own tank.

Looking back. I went wet with SW 26th Sept 2011. I have learnt so much. So, so damned much. Longview (Plus the Ex Pat Yankee) and Marshall guys, I have to thank you so much for what you gave me as the basics, and the further assistance.

Now maybe, just maybe, I will consider getting an Anemone!

ps
Jason, do you want those two delightful, beautiful, colourful enigmatic, friendly Yellow Tailed Blue Damsels that I said """" Don't put them in there"""" into the 75G tank for your new tank build? Going cheap..... like you catch them, they are your's?

Tank is great Yeti. I'm glad the Duncan is doing well for you. I never feed my Duncan and it has gone from one single head to probably twelve heads.

Looks awesome and glad everything made the move. I have some SPS from Matt, but I am not to happy with them not seeing much color yet, but I LOVE my LPS the colors are much more vibrant and so much move action in the tank.

Looks like you've been doing that for years. Well done sir!

Thank you all for your kind words. I still feel like a total novice, achieving growth when I don't understand why. Having read so much, I'm still thinking about that which I have read, but then find other articles which contradict these.
In the end I decided that I should try and keep and grow corals that I really like, to which I am considering finally getting an Anemone, and another go at a Pink Birds nest.
My water seems to be OK in both tanks for Cap Monti's to be getting both thicker and extending. The Green Acro, light side, remains heavily polyp'ed, and is branching (still miffed the blue faded and died as that is a beauty).
My Zoa's have this strange attitude, half of them are in full colour, the other half, seems closed, but never die. And remain the same after moving in the tank.

Dreadful as it may seem, I've never tested the water in this tank. I check the salinity, do water changes of about 20% and Mrs Y added a Sea Hare whilst I was in the UK due to the back wall becoming a green carpet.
I removed the Turbo Snails to the 75G tank as the became bulldozers/backhoes. I have just the 4 fish in there Sam & Sybil, Eyebrows (Orange Spotted Goby) and the Sunshine Dottyback (Killer, after it bit the Yellow Wrasse to pieces within 18 hours) a fantastic looking fish, but an attitude that means I won't add any other fish to the tank.

From where I sit as I type, or when I read, this tank is always in view, so I notice small changes. Currently I have a soft brown algae growth appearing on the glass, not sure why, but then again, at this time of year, the sun directly strikes part of the tank in the morning and in the evening. I am doing regular water changes, and recently added some calurpia(? spelling).
I have in the tank, next door to my Feather Duster, one of the cut offs from Esmirelda, "Daughter of Esme". I shoved this into a hole in the rock (you fool Ian) and it took root within 2 days. It has major polyp extension, but remains pale, as though bleached by the compacts 9 inches above it. Now Mrs Y has the 2nd daughter of Esme in her tank, cut only 3-5 days ago. Her 6G JBJ has less wattage in her compacts, and daughter 2 is remaining brown and has good polyp extension too.

lol, I haven't had my feather dusters populate yet, but I now have great current in my tank and I agree it is amazing to see new growth. There is no rhyme or reason why one does better then other next to it, I have moved things in my tank and for some reason 6 inches away something wouldn't open but I moved it six inches and suddenly it likes that spot go figure

Bit of an update.
The Green Acro is not only branching, but I also realised has spread completely over the plug base, this may seem simple, but after the fighting with water and light in my 30G, this is a major step for me. Also the Green thing that I thought had died, turns out to be a Green Monti Cap, and has more than covered the plug in it's rebirth.
The Brown Monti Cap is in fact a purple (as Jason realised) and is now starting to encroach on the Acro plug!
I wish I understood this hobby/passion/obsession.

Your tanks were looking great. I've got another Yellow-tailed Damsel you can have to make a "Trio" if you like

Ps. Jon loves the Bear!

You are so generous, I met Shh yesterday, it seems that you introduced him to the delights of the Damsel too, so I think we'll perhaps gift wrap 3 for you???

Glad he likes it, I just hope it's not eating too much.

lol, Yeti there is no understanding the darkside but glad your getting the growth I turn off my pumps when I feed that way everything floats and the target fed corals can eat there food I turn the pumps back on after 15 mins.

damsel's are a creature and nature of there own I have a 65G with 3 different types of damsel's and thought why not so I added 2 velvet damsel's and they lasted a whole 2 days the yellow tail and light blue left them alone it was the domino's that where the problem, after I moved the Domino's to the wife's tank I found out that when older will host/bond with a green carpet anemone go figure. I really love the color of the velvet/neon Damsel I bought all 4 that petco got in(6.99 each) first time I have seen them, 2 in wife's tank (dead) and 2 in my big 90G doing great my yellow tang had to say hello for a couple of days, but I moved a few rocks around to make more spots to hide and swim through.