trix25
04-24-2009, 06:02 PM
I posted this at another local forum but thought i'll post it here as well since this forum has been a huge source of motivation for my tank. thanks guys/gals :mrgreen:
p.s. this tank has been in the works since beginning of last month...maybe even longer actually :redface:.i had to take some time off after a couple of months of studying for my designation.
So a little about me. Started off with freshwater back about 10yrs ago, then was introduced to the world of discus. Bred discus for a while and quickly got bored and tired of doing water changes on 8 different tanks. Pretty much left my 33gal running without much care the last couple of years. Then all of a sudden the urge to get back into aquarium hits me. Wanted to do reef tank for a long time, but i couldn't justify spending all that $ to start one up. I didn't know where my career was gonna take me so that last thing i wanted to do was spend thousands of dollars to quickly sell everything off.
So my setup:
-33 Gal Hagen tank with my 16 gal DIY acrylic custom sump
-Protein Skimmer bought used
-3 x Water pumps
-More than 50lbs of sugar sand free from canreef
-Ebo Jager heater – reused from before
-250w Metal Halide ballast and light
-CPR C50 External overflow
-53 lbs of Live Rocks
-Salt Mix
-Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Tap Water Filter
-Hydrometer
-API Saltwater Master/Reef test kits
-Misc plumbing lots of them
-JBJ ATO
as of today i think i should have all the equipment and livestocks that i need for my tank to start the cycle. infact i have saltwater in the main tank with live rocks cycling for the last week and a half.
i still have to hook up my tank to the sump, I ran into some problems with my plumbing but now is all test fitted and i just have to hard plumb everything. I also can't wait to do some aquascaping. saw some really nice aquascaping here and on nano-reef.com that have given me some inspiration. hopefully i can aquascape something i like with the rocks i have.
anyways here are some photos from the start of the build till the what i have today.
enjoy
pAt
Before:
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm108/TrixSpeed/Saltwater%20Tank%20Journal/IMG_0137r.jpg
After black back:
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm108/TrixSpeed/Saltwater%20Tank%20Journal/IMG_0138r.jpg
my stand after some mods to fit the sump
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_t_YDX4cvvKg/SdImd3TcyoI/AAAAAAAABNo/394ljhl4Zes/s640/IMG_4155.JPG
the DIY for my acrylic sump
my pieces
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_t_YDX4cvvKg/SdInLXVGz-I/AAAAAAAABOo/sYsAcx0_NLg/s640/IMG_4173.JPG
the tools
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_t_YDX4cvvKg/SdInRoCugLI/AAAAAAAABOw/ULtVNo3RnsM/s640/IMG_4174.JPG
the sump
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_t_YDX4cvvKg/SdInvG7TVJI/AAAAAAAABPc/N33Ij3eHO5o/s640/IMG_4179.JPG
the test fit for my baffles.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_t_YDX4cvvKg/SdIoUgKEjsI/AAAAAAAABQQ/MGbKKal3SUs/s640/IMG_4188.JPG
my JBJ ATO
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm108/TrixSpeed/Saltwater%20Tank%20Journal/IMG_0188r.jpg
MY finished DIY sump
from left to right = return/refugium/intake
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm108/TrixSpeed/Saltwater%20Tank%20Journal/IMG_0187r.jpg
my live rocks with shrooms can anyone ID this mushroom, it came with my live rocks
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm108/TrixSpeed/Saltwater%20Tank%20Journal/IMG_0183r.jpg
my live rock with my feather duster
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm108/TrixSpeed/Saltwater%20Tank%20Journal/IMG_0180r.jpg
more to come...when i have time :D
p.s. this tank has been in the works since beginning of last month...maybe even longer actually :redface:.i had to take some time off after a couple of months of studying for my designation.
So a little about me. Started off with freshwater back about 10yrs ago, then was introduced to the world of discus. Bred discus for a while and quickly got bored and tired of doing water changes on 8 different tanks. Pretty much left my 33gal running without much care the last couple of years. Then all of a sudden the urge to get back into aquarium hits me. Wanted to do reef tank for a long time, but i couldn't justify spending all that $ to start one up. I didn't know where my career was gonna take me so that last thing i wanted to do was spend thousands of dollars to quickly sell everything off.
So my setup:
-33 Gal Hagen tank with my 16 gal DIY acrylic custom sump
-Protein Skimmer bought used
-3 x Water pumps
-More than 50lbs of sugar sand free from canreef
-Ebo Jager heater – reused from before
-250w Metal Halide ballast and light
-CPR C50 External overflow
-53 lbs of Live Rocks
-Salt Mix
-Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Tap Water Filter
-Hydrometer
-API Saltwater Master/Reef test kits
-Misc plumbing lots of them
-JBJ ATO
as of today i think i should have all the equipment and livestocks that i need for my tank to start the cycle. infact i have saltwater in the main tank with live rocks cycling for the last week and a half.
i still have to hook up my tank to the sump, I ran into some problems with my plumbing but now is all test fitted and i just have to hard plumb everything. I also can't wait to do some aquascaping. saw some really nice aquascaping here and on nano-reef.com that have given me some inspiration. hopefully i can aquascape something i like with the rocks i have.
anyways here are some photos from the start of the build till the what i have today.
enjoy
pAt
Before:
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm108/TrixSpeed/Saltwater%20Tank%20Journal/IMG_0137r.jpg
After black back:
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm108/TrixSpeed/Saltwater%20Tank%20Journal/IMG_0138r.jpg
my stand after some mods to fit the sump
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_t_YDX4cvvKg/SdImd3TcyoI/AAAAAAAABNo/394ljhl4Zes/s640/IMG_4155.JPG
the DIY for my acrylic sump
my pieces
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_t_YDX4cvvKg/SdInLXVGz-I/AAAAAAAABOo/sYsAcx0_NLg/s640/IMG_4173.JPG
the tools
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_t_YDX4cvvKg/SdInRoCugLI/AAAAAAAABOw/ULtVNo3RnsM/s640/IMG_4174.JPG
the sump
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_t_YDX4cvvKg/SdInvG7TVJI/AAAAAAAABPc/N33Ij3eHO5o/s640/IMG_4179.JPG
the test fit for my baffles.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_t_YDX4cvvKg/SdIoUgKEjsI/AAAAAAAABQQ/MGbKKal3SUs/s640/IMG_4188.JPG
my JBJ ATO
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm108/TrixSpeed/Saltwater%20Tank%20Journal/IMG_0188r.jpg
MY finished DIY sump
from left to right = return/refugium/intake
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm108/TrixSpeed/Saltwater%20Tank%20Journal/IMG_0187r.jpg
my live rocks with shrooms can anyone ID this mushroom, it came with my live rocks
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm108/TrixSpeed/Saltwater%20Tank%20Journal/IMG_0183r.jpg
my live rock with my feather duster
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm108/TrixSpeed/Saltwater%20Tank%20Journal/IMG_0180r.jpg
more to come...when i have time :D