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hershey
09-27-2007, 03:45 AM
hey everyone, well i decided to start a tank journal. The tank i found is a 65 gal its 36x18x24 enough room for what i want to do. the will be a reef not sure if i will do a predominately sps, or perhaps a mixed reef, or just a lps and softy tank. anyways the sump/fuge is made out of a 27 gal, the skimmer is a twin beckett (i know overkill) and a mag 18 will run the skimmer and returns well heres some pics

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd112/steam_heel/IMG_0367.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd112/steam_heel/IMG_0368.jpg

today i did a test run with tap water and everything seems good with exception of the skimmer its not bubbling enough i'am not sure if its because its just tap water or if it has to break-in yet

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd112/steam_heel/IMG_0384.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd112/steam_heel/IMG_0385.jpg

michika
09-27-2007, 03:51 AM
Was your tap water test run freshwater or salt? Your skimmer requires a higher surface tension to function optimally. The higher surface tension is provided by the salt. I'm sure once everything is running the skimmer will be fine :D

hershey
09-27-2007, 03:56 AM
yeah it was just freshwater, thats what i figured but i wasn't sure

michika
09-27-2007, 03:57 AM
When are you adding salt? I like what you've done so far.

hershey
09-27-2007, 04:26 AM
in a couple days as i'am still waiting for my ballasts to come in and i have to finish the canopy yet

Doug
09-29-2007, 01:41 PM
:smile: Glad to see you posting it over here also. Look forward to its progress.

hershey
10-01-2007, 03:08 AM
well I got a little more done in the last couple days. I now have the tank full of saltwater, and just about full of rock with the exception of a few pieces with corals attached. tomorrow as i will have to wait a couple weeks for a ballast, I'am going to install my halide from my 33 in the canopy. I also don't have the skimmer running yet as i decided to dedicate the mag 18 to the returns and run the mak 5 for the skimmer

heres some pics feel free to comment on the aquascape

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd112/steam_heel/IMG_0382.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd112/steam_heel/IMG_0384-1.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd112/steam_heel/IMG_0385-1.jpg

hershey
10-01-2007, 03:41 AM
and heres the sump/refugium working

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd112/steam_heel/IMG_0386-1.jpg

michika
10-01-2007, 03:58 AM
Looks like everything is coming along well.

How do you feel about your aquascaping? I know you said that you wanted a reef of some sort in your first post, so at best I can maybe suggest making the aquascaping more varied, a few taller pieces etc.

Delphinus
10-01-2007, 04:57 AM
There's a ghost of a really odd fish in the tank in that first photo. :) It sort of looks like it's taking a picture of us. ;)

Tank setup looks great so far, can't wait to see more. :cool:

Doug
10-01-2007, 01:28 PM
That beckett will skim better with the Mak 5. No problems with the Mag 18 on that overflow? Using both as overflows or just the 1in? I would have thought it would be to much flow for it.

hershey
10-01-2007, 02:24 PM
I have it throttled back a bit and the overflow handles it with no problems, and I could run it fully open but the flow out of the overflow is to fast and misses my refugium

Skimmerking
10-02-2007, 06:17 PM
i see that some ones likes my tank and skimmer. looks good Buddy glas your happy with the set up. oh by the way I found the straight piece of pvc for the union and the pump i found to give it to you my bad.

i would run the mak 5 and have it teed off to a return pump, i might be in the market for a mag 18 too .:mrgreen:


btw i like what u did to the doors on the front is that door on the side still still to open.

hershey
10-02-2007, 08:18 PM
i see that some ones likes my tank and skimmer. looks good Buddy glas your happy with the set up. oh by the way I found the straight piece of pvc for the union and the pump i found to give it to you my bad.

i would run the mak 5 and have it teed off to a return pump, i might be in the market for a mag 18 too .:mrgreen:


btw i like what u did to the doors on the front is that door on the side still still to open.

Hey Mike, I cant seem to get that mak 5 to pump, it just spins i even tried to prime it so right now i'am just using my coralife skimmer until i get back from fort mac.

no just the to front doors open now

hershey
10-02-2007, 09:22 PM
well i finished transferring everything from my 33 to the 65
heres some pictures don't mind that shadow from the brace, i have a 2x250w electronic ballast coming

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd112/steam_heel/IMG_0403.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd112/steam_heel/IMG_0406.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd112/steam_heel/IMG_0407.jpg

hershey
11-09-2007, 07:04 PM
well its been about a month since i last posted so here goes. Ive been out of town working for the last month, and I'am finally home for 5 days. While I was gone my wife has been looking after the tank and she did not to bad of a job, I do have a bit of hair alga growing but its not to bad yet well heres some new pics

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd112/steam_heel/IMG_0441.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd112/steam_heel/IMG_0440.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd112/steam_heel/IMG_0437.jpg

hershey
11-13-2007, 12:06 AM
got the new lights hooked up I now have 2 x 250w 14k bulbs heres a pic

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd112/steam_heel/IMG_0447.jpg

hershey
12-30-2007, 06:33 PM
well heres a couple new pics of my tank. theres some hair alga growing but i believe it was caused by a couple mangrove leafs i found in the sump only time will tell tho

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd112/steam_heel/IMG_0456.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd112/steam_heel/IMG_0457.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd112/steam_heel/IMG_0458.jpg

Myka
12-30-2007, 11:41 PM
Nice transfer! :) Funny, I am the middle of the exact same thing. Transfer from a 33 to a 65. I am only using one 400w MH, and I am going to cut out the plastic brace and install euro bracing. Will be a fun comparison! You're using a lot more rock than I am going to, and we have different corals too. :D I have a perdy rad and green open brain like you though. Haha!