smokythemattman@gmail.com

@cpeguero he is super chill. I don't have any inverts, most I had when I set my last tank up 5-6 years ago so they died off. I never added more yet because of the trigger. The betta hasn't eaten anything in a few years. They are more slow/lurky. Just my take but unless it was a really tiny goby that just sat in front of the betta I don't think its much of a threat even then I still doubt it, they are more of a sit in a cave and wait for something to swim by variety, not really active predators from my experience. Mine could easily eat the dottyback and others and it shares caves with some. I'd pull the trigger, mine is quite shy during the day but will swim around here and there and at dusk/night he's out alot. I'd pull the trigger, super cool fish. Ill take picture of it for sure once I get a chance here soon

So far the setup is 3 MP 40s on reef crest ramping between like 60-100%. 2 Amazonas 960s on about 60% most light colors except for orange/red. Probably to high still Couple Finnex heaters and the return pump is a chunker on from Dolphin I think. Fish Vlamingi Tang Hippo Tang Chocolate Tang Desjardini sailfing tang Niger trigger Female blue throat trigger Marine betta Royal gramma Flamr hawkfish Starry blenny Mystery wrasse Clownfish pair Splendid dottyback Potters angelfish Corals Toadstool leathers like 3 different kinds Cabbage leather Green slimer Some assorted zoas Couple big gorgonians (still mad from being in a stock tank I think) Sinularia Different mushrooms. Have a few rocks covered in them, I mostly got rid of the green hairy ones that were a plague Kenya trees (down from probably 50) Xenia on a rock by itself Other softies Im forgetting Upcoming stocklist Corals SPS of the easier ish fast growing varieties. I miss having SPS can't wait to watch it grow out in this tank. Fish to buy Melanarus pair or single Talbots damsels pair Sapphire damsel pair Dusky jawfish Yellow watchman goby Coral beauty A Genicanthus angel pair TBD by what I can find in that genus Moorish Idol (survival rate sucks but Ill give it a try in a tank this size) Yellow coris wrasse pair or trio Anthias trio either lyretails or dispars Probably others as time goes on but those are most of my current targets

Correct, I've had some back and forth with the LFS about it, they want me to pay to have them come back out and fix what I paid them to do the first time which I shouldn't even have to explain to them why I won't accept that offer. I've ordered new pieces so I await their arrival and will attempt myself. For now I am going to setup a funnel to catch the drops (right on the side of the sump of course) and hookup the returns so I can get it all going and see what the flow situation is. I had everything in a stock tank and decided it was time so moved em over. So far these Orphek Amazonas lights are insanely powerful. I have managed to have some bleaching on a couple leathers that were probably higher up than they should have been so have moved them and reduced the lighting a teensie bit.

Version 1 of get the rocks and existing angry corals into the tank. Everythings been ok for about a week now. Still have to fix the leaking bulkhead. Have learned of a LFS to never use again. Beginning to look for more corals to start to fill the tank in and let it grow.

Thanks everyone! I've got some glue being delivered tomorrow. I'll likely take the bulkhead off and check the inside of it and the gasket in there as well. I forgot the bottom of this tank isn't glass its PVC so I gave a little more of a tight turn on the nut but still no luck. Not sure why they used one threaded fitting and not another but I may try that approach. Hoping taking apart and putting back together fixes it. Just have to wait for some pieces and parts to do it right so I don't have a big open hole in the overflow haha

I tightened that side as much as possible and it is slightly better but still pretty leaky. The pipe isn't flush cut cut and is able to with maybe handshake strength be pulled out which also doesn't seem right so I will likely try to cut it so it's a better cut. I reached back out to the LFS that did the install but nothing so far other than tighten the nut. The other pipe with that piece to hold it in place inside the overflow is not going anywhere easily. Shouldnt there be a threaded piece on the pipe to connect into the bulkhead body or does the pipe jut sit in there?

Thanks for responses. Seems one side is different than the other and that is likely my source of issues. Went to tighten the inside nut and don't think there is a piece to tighten? Maybe again I'm stupid with plumbing but the other side sure seems more "correct".

Thanks guys! Next dumb question, I assume to tighten it there is a piece in the overflow I need to lock in place with a set of pliers while tightening it from the bottom. I assume to remove it would just be reversed. I can't tell if anything is glued in place already or anything. I'm forcing myself to learn some more on the plumbing side instead of just putting a big ass funnel underneath of the drips to direct it into the sump lol (that will be plan D), I think it may be to severe to self seal. As soon as I poured a couple gallons into the overflow it started to leak. The glass is thick there its 1" so I will probably try to tighten it more but not break anything, if that doesn't work probably best it seems to just buy another bulkhead/gasket and replace it vs sili

New tank had the plumbing done by a LFS that did the tank install. As soon as water enters the overflow immediately the leaking begins from underneath the glass where the what I think is a bulkhead connects to another piece and the glass. I'd truthfully do not much if the drops didn't land on the sump edge and splash everywhere. It seems snug with slip joint pliers, maybe to snug is why it leaks? Can I just silicone inside the overflow chamber around the pipe and on the underneath where it leaks? I know nothing of plumbing and I'd hate to replace the pieces and just have it still leak if the glass isnt flush etc. Any ideas, sub-par picture shows the water drops around the flat gasket looking piece above the threading, it's the pipe connection nearest the camera.

@Gatortailale thanks I can't wait to have it stocked. Trying to be slow, I've had some moving curveballs and kept mostly everything alive. I have about half my rocks from my 180 in a big stock tank with my corals and fish, I've added a few small ones from that into the main to seed it. I was only slightly concerned with some of the die off from some of my extra rocks but once the very much alive ones go in it would be enough. Kept them wet and at around 70 degrees and the ammonia tests don't really show anything in there. Hopefully have enough of a bacteria base alive when I add those rocks in it can do the job. I've done it this way before same as yourself did you run into any issues?

Rocks starting to go in. Added all of my very much dead rock and some of what I hope is still alive ish rock. Added some salt to keep salinity in normal ish ranges. Going to check for any ammonia/mini cycles and other levels in the next couple days to week or so before adding my livestock in.

Tank is filling up, has sand and about half full of water so far. Rocks going in tomorrow and setting up the lighting. Livestock being moved from their stock tank in hopefully this weekend pending no mini cycle in there

Tanks trim is done, moving stuff into it within the next two weeks was hoping.to have had it done mid January but the snow bamboozled some building final touches. All my current livestock are in a 150g stock tank. For equipment for this thing I'm doing 3 mp40s from my 6 foot tank, those things on like 2/3 reef crest mode grew a tank stuffed with SPS for years, 2 on the right side looking at the picture (the left is open for viewing) one on the back wall and Ill likely add a maxpect gyre to the back wall for some more random flow. That and the return should be pretty solid for a good fairly strong random flow. Lighting I have 2 Oprhek Amazonas 960s. Those lights are absolutely insane, highly recommend giving them a look, they are beefy but really strong. I have 1 lighting the 150 stock tank to light acclimate a little bit. Its currently 6+ feet from some corals and at less than half strength and they are happy and open. I went with two of those for 2200$ instead of multiple smaller lights. Sorting through some ideas for return nozzles from the return pipes now. I had trouble with my 180 being to clean with ~20 fish. So I will start with just a fuge and see how it goes before adding any more filtration. Next up is the part I suck at... rockscaping