Lenz's 180

[lenzh]

I thought it might be time to show off my tank. So many good people in the community in Edmonton have helped me out. I'm learning as I go and making progress.

Tank Specs

-180 with RR overflow and custom maple stand and hood
-50 gal sump
-SWC Extreme 200 skimmer - upgraded with bubble blaster 3000 pump
-DIY LED/T5HO lighting system - 72xCree XRE 6500 K LEDS and 8xT5 39 for color
-2xVortech MP40w

I've tried not to go too exotic with the fish and corals for now. Just focusing on what's relatively easy to keep and trying to get as many frags as possible locally.

some pics:

Stand under construction
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=426&pictureid=3954

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=426&pictureid=3955

Light being built
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=426&pictureid=3953

First day after setup - Early May 2010

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=426&pictureid=3956

About 4 months in:

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=426&pictureid=3958

And today...
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=426&pictureid=3959

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=426&pictureid=3962

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=426&pictureid=3963

I'm guessing a few of you might see some of your pieces in there:)

[BlueTang<3]

Looks good about time you showed off some of your stuff. Hows all the peices doing you got from us.

[Dez]

Is it just me or are the pictures not showing up. I was kind of excited to see a fellow Edmontonian's aquarium.

[lenzh]

you can see the red monti in the middle is taking off. It was already pretty big when I got it from you, it's spreading out pretty good

[Jack]

Ya, pictures are all little red x

[lenzh]

N00b alert. I think I had my photo links marked private. Should work now

[Madreefer]

Looks good. Was it much work to build that light?

[lastlight]

That looks great seems the LED thing is really working out for you. Are your vortech's both running at the same time? Looks like you've got a gyre going there with the placement. Are they the only powerheads in there?

[outacontrol]

looks really good, where did you order your LED parts?

[lenzh]

The light was a ton of work. I know why they charge so much for those things. lots of connections to test, retest etc. Parts were ordered from Dealextreme, some vendors on Ebay and luxeonstar.com in toronto, where I got the drivers.

As far as the flow goes. I have a tall skinny cabinet on the right side of the tank that partially blocks that side, and I have the tank right against the wall, so the only place I can put the Vortechs is in a semi-gyre kind of setup. It works well, but I think I will need more flow as the SPS grow. I am thinking maybe a couple of the single-speed Tunze's

[Delphinus]

Is this your first tank?? Wow. Two Vortech's, LED lighting, and a killer aquascape that makes me want to toss mine out the window and start over. :lol: Some seriously nice setup you've got here!!! Nice work!!

[lenzh]

Hey thanks. It's not my first tank, I had a 65 for a couple of years and a 29 before that (before nanos were cool), but I'd have to say this is the first tank where I've really thought it all out before diving in.

[lenzh]

Updated with new picture...

Not too many changes over the past few months. I upgraded to full LED from half LED and half T5. That's about it...

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=426&pictureid=4540

[nlreefguy]

Wow dude, seriously nice tank!

[lenzh]

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=426

just over 2 years in now

[lenzh]

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=426&pictureid=5461
just over 2 years in now

[gregzz4]

Lookin' awesome dude :smile:

[lenzh]

A few more recent photos

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-U0MDGOOqfNg/UJVNCKJHk7I/AAAAAAAAAAo/PGiI3si6hME/s800/IMG_6991.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Y9RaVmBRW9w/UJVNEaEK9tI/AAAAAAAAAA4/1WJWiRhqyfc/s800/IMG_6992.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Il-OuYaJyDw/UJVNCiBI4DI/AAAAAAAAAAw/NFQHQiFKHBo/s800/IMG_6985.jpg

[kien]

wow that's a nicely matured tank right there! What's your husbandry like these days?

[Aquattro]

That is a seriously nice tank! Great job!!

[lenzh]

wow that's a nicely matured tank right there! What's your husbandry like these days?

Not too many changes in the equipment since new, still running my beefed up SWC 200 skimmer with an extended neck and the bubble blaster 3000 pump. I have a Askoll 1500 circulation pump pushing around 900 gph along with 2 Vortech MP40es and a smaller Tunze pump.

Lights are 128 3 watt LEDs mostly Cree XRE with a mixture of Royal blue, blue, neutral white and a few greens and reds for color. I also run a couple of t5s (ATI Aquablue) for color balance.

I dose Ca and Alk about 5 times a day each, and I dose a vodka/vinegar mix as a carbon through a lab grade infusion pump about 10 times a day. I still use zeolite (zeovit) stones, but that's about the only part of that system I use. Still working on tweaking corals color, but I have no complaints about growth rates.

I focus on "easier to keep" fish, as I am away a fair bit, and I don't want any too needy creatures.

Oh yeah, and I keep it all running with reefkeeper elite.