GOFOR'S 52" x 36" x 26" CDA Peninsula & SoCal Tank Room Build

Joined
Nov 1, 2007
Messages
546
Likes
335
Points
28
How exactly is your AquaMaxx AF-1 plumbed? Do you have a separate pump feeding it or is it connected directly to the main drain line?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
It's connected directly to the main drain, then I have an emergency/trickle drain going directly into my skimmer section.
 
Joined
Nov 1, 2007
Messages
546
Likes
335
Points
28
Why into the skimmer section and not the drain section?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Great question... for me, it was largely due to room availability in the drain section, and I didn't want it to be too crowded in that section since I knew I would have to change the fleece filter roll, clean the filter roller from time to time, etc., and also so that if my emergency drain was flowing, I wouldn't miss it somehow. The Skimmer section is the next section after my drain section, so it seemed pretty logical to just have the emergency drain go in there.

Hope that helps.
 
Joined
Nov 1, 2007
Messages
546
Likes
335
Points
28
NOT-SO-GREAT UPDATE

Hey Guys... it seems like almost immediately after my last update back in October, things started going downhill for the tank. Hence the lack of updates... :(

The worst of it (and the most recent/last nail in the coffin) is that pretty much all of my fish have died due to what looks to be Brooklynella somehow being introduced into the tank. I have been using a local vendor for some "pre-quarantined" fish, and have also used reefcleaners for some clean-up crew that are supposed to be in fishless systems (therefore, supposed to not be able to introduce fish-born diseases into your tank). These are the only things I've introduced into the tank the last few months.

I'm not one to blame anyone but myself, so, going forward, I will not be relying on anyone to do my quarantine for me, and if I do, I'll still put the fish through a quick 2-week 2.50ppm Copper Power treatment to make sure none of the HORRIBLE stuff (such as Ich/Velvet/Brook) make it into my tank again.

This also happens at a not-so-great time since I have a family trip planned around Christmas, so I can't set up quarantine tanks at the moment (since I can't leave a quarantine tank running by itself for the 3-4 days I'll be out of town). So, it looks like the 76-day fallow period/clock will start at the end of the year, and I'll move whatever fish that have survived at that point to quarantine tanks and start this thing all over.

I hate these kind of updates, but hopefully there will be a silver lining to all of this soon.
 
Joined
Nov 1, 2007
Messages
546
Likes
335
Points
28
sorry to hear man, fish diseases seriously suck
Yeah, I might just go with some rather basic fish this time around, so that I don't risk losing such pricey specimens. When it comes down to it, if I can't quarantine the fish myself (which I feel like I've gotten much better at through this process), then I won't get the fish.
 
Joined
Oct 8, 2018
Messages
1,063
Likes
1,202
Points
18
Location
Redlands
Yeah, I might just go with some rather basic fish this time around, so that I don't risk losing such pricey specimens. When it comes down to it, if I can't quarantine the fish myself (which I feel like I've gotten much better at through this process), then I won't get the fish.
i haven't had issues with qt vendors, but if you have the space, i think it's worthwhile to still qt their fish even if it's just observation for a month or so. i just put some ORA fish through observation qt lol, i just dosed general cure twice and watched for awhile. i figure it gets them accustomed to whatever i feed anyway
 

Jimbo327

New member
Joined
Oct 2, 2007
Messages
996
Likes
725
Points
3
Location
Orange
Sorry to hear about the fishes. That really sucks. Do you know what killed the fishes?

One of my fears of having an outside sump is that it pulls in some insecticides or exhaust. It's highly unlikely, but just make sure. Do you have a monthly pesticide guy that comes and sprays around the perimeter of your house? Etc.
 
Joined
Aug 7, 2020
Messages
493
Likes
179
Points
3
Location
Hacienda Heights
NOT-SO-GREAT UPDATE

Hey Guys... it seems like almost immediately after my last update back in October, things started going downhill for the tank. Hence the lack of updates... :(

The worst of it (and the most recent/last nail in the coffin) is that pretty much all of my fish have died due to what looks to be Brooklynella somehow being introduced into the tank. I have been using a local vendor for some "pre-quarantined" fish, and have also used reefcleaners for some clean-up crew that are supposed to be in fishless systems (therefore, supposed to not be able to introduce fish-born diseases into your tank). These are the only things I've introduced into the tank the last few months.

I'm not one to blame anyone but myself, so, going forward, I will not be relying on anyone to do my quarantine for me, and if I do, I'll still put the fish through a quick 2-week 2.50ppm Copper Power treatment to make sure none of the HORRIBLE stuff (such as Ich/Velvet/Brook) make it into my tank again.

This also happens at a not-so-great time since I have a family trip planned around Christmas, so I can't set up quarantine tanks at the moment (since I can't leave a quarantine tank running by itself for the 3-4 days I'll be out of town). So, it looks like the 76-day fallow period/clock will start at the end of the year, and I'll move whatever fish that have survived at that point to quarantine tanks and start this thing all over.

I hate these kind of updates, but hopefully there will be a silver lining to all of this soon.

I would think the CUC, it might be a fishless system but who knows how much CUC they keep adding to that system that probably were with fish/ wild collected
 
Joined
Nov 1, 2007
Messages
546
Likes
335
Points
28
i haven't had issues with qt vendors, but if you have the space, i think it's worthwhile to still qt their fish even if it's just observation for a month or so. i just put some ORA fish through observation qt lol, i just dosed general cure twice and watched for awhile. i figure it gets them accustomed to whatever i feed anyway
Yeah, that'll be the plan. I usually put them into acclimation boxes first to get them acclimated, but I have the QT tanks so I might as well take the extra cautionary step.
 
Joined
Nov 1, 2007
Messages
546
Likes
335
Points
28
Sorry to hear about the fishes. That really sucks. Do you know what killed the fishes?

One of my fears of having an outside sump is that it pulls in some insecticides or exhaust. It's highly unlikely, but just make sure. Do you have a monthly pesticide guy that comes and sprays around the perimeter of your house? Etc.
No pesticides to speak of, and my next door neighbors have a pool (no garden), so I don't think they have anything coming into my yard.

I'm fairly certain the culprit was Brooklynella (based on their physical signs and how quickly they all succumbed to it). But just to make sure, I'll be doing an extra long fallow period to make sure all the nasties are eliminated.
 
Joined
Nov 1, 2007
Messages
546
Likes
335
Points
28
I would think the CUC, it might be a fishless system but who knows how much CUC they keep adding to that system that probably were with fish/ wild collected
That's a really good point. Not sure if reefcleaners quarantines newly added specimens before adding to their main tanks (which is what I would obviously do), otherwise, a fishless system is only as good as your most recent additions.

Honestly, I'll never know, but it at least gives me a chance to learn from some mistakes and try a slightly different approach with my fish selection this go-around.
 

Latest posts

Top