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View Full Version : Coleus's 155 bowfront tank. HRV installed and new mixing station


Coleus
03-22-2011, 05:24 AM
Ok, where should i start? Just want to make a thread to share some of my frustration and happiness of this very stressful saltwater hobby. I want to post something here so maybe someday i can look back and see how much sweat and tear that I have experienced in this hobby.

BE WARNED: that all picts won't be as nice because i suck at taking photo and don't have a good lens. That explains why Kien had to come over and took my babies pictures lol.

Ok, let's start. I started with 92 gallon bowfront with cichlids for couple years. They were very easy to look after. Water change happened once a month. Good old time!
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=190&pictureid=1791

Near Xmas 2008 , after re-watching Finding Nemo with my niece, I figured i should start a salt water. So went to one of the big chain LFS and bought myself a 45 bowfront tank (just a big fan of bow front tank) with Coralife PC light, rena xp, etcc because at that time I did not do any research and just listened to whatever person worked there told me. Bought live rocks and some "magic" chemical to help the water cycle faster. Got myself right 2 nemos right away :-). At that time, I thought to myself "wow salt water is not that expensive".

Then started to add some coral and fish starting 2009
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=189&pictureid=1792

and then more live rock, the more the better right?

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=189&pictureid=1793

I was pretty happy with 2 nemos, one dory, and urchin, two shrimps and some lps back then because babies were on the way I did not want to over killed my bank account.

Then my saltwater hobby took to another turn when my co-worker told me to visit CANREEF.

OMFG, since the day i joined, i started stocking more corals and fishes until i ran out of space and then The Unpreventable thing happened: TIME TO UPGRADE (does it sound familiar to anyone?)

Found a used 155 bowfront tank, and here it started
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=189&pictureid=4290

Fast forward to Oct 2009
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=165&pictureid=1987

Then decided to remove the sand
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=165&pictureid=2216

And then disaster happened when i overdosed my vodka, most of my coral died or brow out.

Then babies came and got no time for tank so sold most of my corals and left with fishes and some easy LPS. Add couple coral/fish here and there.

And now full again
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=535&pictureid=4280
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=535&pictureid=4288

Feeding time
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=535&pictureid=4276

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=535&pictureid=4270

And some other shots on my suppose QT tank
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=535&pictureid=4266
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=535&pictureid=4271

Here is my last fish i added 5 months ago and turn out he is a vegetarian.
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=535&pictureid=4279


Hopefully, in couple months i will able to compare with new pictures to see the growth of my tank

The Grizz
03-22-2011, 05:34 AM
Well it's about time Tai, still really love those Duncans dude. I have seen your tank at it best and worst but it always looks great.

Ps your photos are really good as far as I am concerned, not all of us are pros at it especially me. :biggrin:

Raven34
03-22-2011, 06:52 AM
Wow a rock beauty! He looks nice and healthy. How's that? any tips?

Coleus
03-22-2011, 03:38 PM
Wow a rock beauty! He looks nice and healthy. How's that? any tips?

he was very healthy when i picked him up and i really don't do anything special.

I give him food with selcon once a week and Ocean Nutrient pellets every day.



Well it's about time Tai, still really love those Duncans dude. I have seen your tank at it best and worst but it always looks great.

Ps your photos are really good as far as I am concerned, not all of us are pros at it especially me. :biggrin:

Thanks Greg

chris88
03-22-2011, 11:29 PM
how much vodka did you put in to overdose?

lastlight
03-23-2011, 12:02 AM
For someone who sells enough equipment to start 10 reef tanks it's nice to see your pride and joy finally =) Looks nice and your photos got better too. What did you notice (good or bad) after you removed your sandbed?

Coleus
03-23-2011, 03:11 AM
how much vodka did you put in to overdose?
Can't remmember but after 2 weeks of vodka dosing, my lps started dying so i stopped and things were back to normal


For someone who sells enough equipment to start 10 reef tanks it's nice to see your pride and joy finally =) Looks nice and your photos got better too. What did you notice (good or bad) after you removed your sandbed?

I prefer bare bottom because it is much easier to clean and suck out the debris. Also, if my coral got knock over and sink to the bottom, it won't likely die by the time i come to rescue. Also over time, the sand started to look dirty and as i read you need to replace every 4-5 years which I found too much work. However, i still have a DSB in my refugium

Delphinus
03-23-2011, 03:31 AM
Digging the gorgonian. :cool: How long have you had it and what are you feeding it?

Coleus
03-23-2011, 04:54 AM
how much vodka did you put in to overdose?
Can't remmember but after 2 weeks of vodka dosing, my lps started dying so i stopped and things were back to normal


For someone who sells enough equipment to start 10 reef tanks it's nice to see your pride and joy finally =) Looks nice and your photos got better too. What did you notice (good or bad) after you removed your sandbed?

I prefer bare bottom because it is much easier to clean and suck out the debris. Also, if my coral got knock over and sink to the bottom, it won't likely die by the time i come to rescue. Also over time, the sand started to look dirty and as i read you need to replace every 4-5 years which I found too much work. However, i still have a DSB in my refugium

Coleus
03-23-2011, 04:57 AM
Digging the gorgonian. :cool: How long have you had it and what are you feeding it?

I have 4 gorgonians, the brown one i got it last summer i think and it is very slow growing. The purple one just recently got it from JL with Kien. The blue one and red one i got from gold couple weeks ago. I tried to target feed them with reef roids.

abcha0s
03-23-2011, 12:46 PM
Nice tank Tai, although it doesn't look like a 29 cube?! :smile:

Considering the vodka overdose - are you running pellets on this tank now?

Coleus
03-23-2011, 03:28 PM
Nice tank Tai, although it doesn't look like a 29 cube?! :smile:

Considering the vodka overdose - are you running pellets on this tank now?

I have been running pellets for more than a year now and i have no issue with it

lobsterboy
03-23-2011, 11:50 PM
so nice Tai

Coleus
03-24-2011, 02:32 AM
so nice Tai

:redface: Thanks John

kien
03-24-2011, 03:20 AM
bout time! I like your tank, it looks very peaceful :)

Coleus
03-25-2011, 03:19 AM
bout time! I like your tank, it looks very peaceful :)

Thanks Kien. Peaceful :-) yeah for now

Coleus
03-25-2011, 03:22 AM
This guy should win the longest poop award

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=165&pictureid=4327

The Codfather
03-25-2011, 04:11 AM
This guy should win the longest poop award

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=165&pictureid=4327

You might have internal parasites, poop shouldn't be white. (I could be wrong thou.)

Coleus
03-25-2011, 04:20 AM
i dont know if it is internal parasites or not but i took this picture almost a year ago.

fishytime
03-25-2011, 05:09 AM
tank looks good Tai.......if you still have the fish, then I would say it was just a good duece:biggrin:

Coleus
03-25-2011, 05:44 AM
Yeah he is still kicking last time i checked :-). Thanks Doug

Coleus
03-27-2011, 04:44 AM
Updated: Almost got a disaster this morning.

I Got up this morning and checked the tanks. My RSM 130 had no water movement because i forgot to turn off the switch last night after feeding my coral. Fortunately, everything is still alive because of my temporary tunze skimmer was running inside the tank.

Then noticed the water in my main tank was hitting the top screen. Checked the overflow and saw one is jammed :-( Thus my ATO filled all fresh water from top off bucket. Fortunately, it is only 5 gallon so it ran out of water to fill otherwise i would have a wet floor and wife would be mad.

Now I installed a float switch in my overflow to detect if it jammed again, it will shut off the return pump.

Again, 2 lessons learned from this

1) Never have a big reservoir top off water
2) Must have float switch to detect when an overflow occur.

The Grizz
03-27-2011, 04:53 AM
WHOW, that would not have been good the little misses would have kick you a$$ for sure if the floor got wet. One of the reasons I have been thinking of having my top off manual operation from my well room or just put in a couple electric silenoids in the line.

fishytime
03-27-2011, 05:00 AM
ya thats a good lesson.....my Girly has been using a 20g rubbermaid bin for her top up(probably 15 gallons when full) and asked me to swap in a 50g tank that she had bought.....I pointed out that if anything went wrong she would then have 50 gallons of fresh water in the system......she decided to stick with the rubbermaid.....I say never have a reservoir big enough to flood your sump or cause to much of a salinity drop to cause issues with the tank...

kien
03-27-2011, 05:15 AM
What kind of an overflow are you running?

Coleus
03-27-2011, 05:19 AM
i got no idea what they are, i will take some picture tomorrow. But they are lamed

Coleus
04-05-2011, 04:54 AM
couple new shots

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=535&pictureid=4362

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=535&pictureid=4361

Coleus
04-05-2011, 04:58 AM
also here is my frustration on caps of hanna phosphate kit. Why can't they make them screw caps?

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=237&pictureid=4363

BlueTang<3
04-05-2011, 12:36 PM
tank is looking good. I dont have a problem with the caps but hate the fact that it times out so fat you add the mix then are rushing to shake it and get it in before it times out.

Coleus
04-05-2011, 03:46 PM
tank is looking good. I dont have a problem with the caps but hate the fact that it times out so fat you add the mix then are rushing to shake it and get it in before it times out.

yes i hate that too, i lost my first test because of follow the instruction exactly.

So, next round, i used both vials, one for tank water and one for tankwater + reagents

Lance
04-05-2011, 04:29 PM
I'm loving that Gorg! And your Hanna caps look just like mine. :lol: PITA!

Coleus
04-05-2011, 05:51 PM
I'm loving that Gorg! And your Hanna caps look just like mine. :lol: PITA!

Thanks.


Anyone know if that Gorg is Photosynthetics?

Delphinus
04-05-2011, 07:16 PM
Coloured polyps, so it's non-photosynthetic..

Coleus
04-05-2011, 07:56 PM
I'm loving that Gorg! And your Hanna caps look just like mine. :lol: PITA!

Coloured polyps, so it's non-photosynthetic..

Hmm, it does not seem react to my spot feeding at all :-(

Delphinus
04-05-2011, 10:24 PM
What I found with gorgonians, and this applies to photosynthetic gorgonians as well since they still will eat, that particle size is extremely important and that what works for one won't trigger much of a response in another. So try different things until you find the magic food that works. Reef chili, Reef Roids, Acan+, Cyclops-eeze, rotifers, maybe even oyster eggs if the polyps are very small. If you have time and energy maybe try baby brine shrimp.

The most success I've seen with NPS gorgonians (actually for any NPS coral) tends to involve clever DIY strategies for continuous feeding. Things like taking a kalkwasser reactor but instead of using kalk, just feed it tank water and then load it up with the food items of choice (eg. cyclops or whatever) and then mixing all day and dripping the food-laden water into the display tank 24/7 or on some intervals scattered throughout the day.

In some cases I've seen people go way crazy and have a little fridge unit that the food can be stored in so it won't spoil over the course of the day. Or others using fridges and syringe pumps preloaded with mysis or something. Really neat to see ideas folks come up with. :lol:

Coleus
04-06-2011, 02:48 AM
What I found with gorgonians, and this applies to photosynthetic gorgonians as well since they still will eat, that particle size is extremely important and that what works for one won't trigger much of a response in another. So try different things until you find the magic food that works. Reef chili, Reef Roids, Acan+, Cyclops-eeze, rotifers, maybe even oyster eggs if the polyps are very small. If you have time and energy maybe try baby brine shrimp.

The most success I've seen with NPS gorgonians (actually for any NPS coral) tends to involve clever DIY strategies for continuous feeding. Things like taking a kalkwasser reactor but instead of using kalk, just feed it tank water and then load it up with the food items of choice (eg. cyclops or whatever) and then mixing all day and dripping the food-laden water into the display tank 24/7 or on some intervals scattered throughout the day.

In some cases I've seen people go way crazy and have a little fridge unit that the food can be stored in so it won't spoil over the course of the day. Or others using fridges and syringe pumps preloaded with mysis or something. Really neat to see ideas folks come up with. :lol:

Thanks Tony, I have tried Reef chili, Reef Roids, Acan+, Cyclops-eeze but not others, will try them out.

Coleus
05-11-2011, 04:25 AM
Alright, have not had lots of time lately to enjoy the tank and taking shots but saw my blue linkia are on the front glass so took out camera and snap snap

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=535&pictureid=4449

Cugio
05-11-2011, 12:51 PM
This tank looks absolutely amazing in person. I'm still shocked at how large your BTA is. Great job. :razz:

Coleus
05-12-2011, 02:10 AM
This tank looks absolutely amazing in person. I'm still shocked at how large your BTA is. Great job. :razz:

Thanks Donny.


Here is the new addition of the tank. Thanks to fishytime :-). The first clam in my main tank.

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=561&pictureid=4450

Coleus
05-12-2011, 02:15 AM
So today, I am getting bored of SPS already and start missing all my LPS. I still have some LPS but not much and they seems to do well in the corner of my tank where i don't really see them. I am missing the waiving actions. Anyway, took some pictures and see how well my sps is growing since Mar. Here are some comparison photo, please ignore the size because i am moving some of them and my camera focus is not at the same distance so they are not 100% correct but you probably see new growth. Now this make me get excited about SPS again lol


http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=561&pictureid=4454

This one recovers nicely from a little bleaching when i first got it
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=561&pictureid=4455

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=561&pictureid=4451

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=561&pictureid=4452

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=561&pictureid=4453


Cheers

Coleus
05-12-2011, 02:21 AM
except for this coral :-(, It is not doing well so i moved it down a little bit


http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=561&pictureid=4456

Coleus
05-28-2011, 04:23 AM
Got some time today to snap some more pictures and new clam just bought.

Also got some picture of golden angel which i rarely see

This clam opens right away, is it bad or good sign?
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=561&pictureid=4485


One of my favorite fish, very active and friendly

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=561&pictureid=4482

Don't see this one out very often

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=561&pictureid=4487

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=561&pictureid=4489

and here is another modest citizen
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=561&pictureid=4488

is my fish too fat? you be the judge
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=561&pictureid=4484

fishytime
05-28-2011, 05:07 AM
Im assuming that because you got a new maxima clam (very nice BTW) that your collection of angels have been wearing their halos and behaving with the hippo clam?......love the Golden too!

Coleus
05-28-2011, 05:53 PM
Im assuming that because you got a new maxima clam (very nice BTW) that your collection of angels have been wearing their halos and behaving with the hippo clam?......love the Golden too!

Thanks. Well all my angels show no interest in the hippo clam so far which lead me to get this maxima clam. Continue to cross my fingers....

Btw, now i understand why people become addicted with clam. They are just awesome to look at it from the top. Also, Doug, you have any advice of where to put the maxima, I read they require intensive lightning.

fishytime
05-29-2011, 04:09 AM
Btw, now i understand why people become addicted with clam. They are just awesome to look at it from the top. Also, Doug, you have any advice of where to put the maxima, I read they require intensive lightning.



I love clams because they are like fingerprints......every one is different in some little way..the palcement of the maxima will depend on what your running for lighting and how deep the tank is?......as a general rule croceas and maximas prefer to be on rock(or glass) and hippos squamosas and derasas seem to prefer being in the sand....... you can place them up high in the rock work if you want but you need to make sure the DONT fall....what I try and do is, find a small to medium sized, either flat or cup shaped piece of live rock and try and get the clam to attach to it at the bottom of the tank.....that way you can move the clam on his rock, without cutting its "foot", if it doesnt seem happy where it is.......

The Grizz
05-29-2011, 04:26 AM
Nice clam you have there Tai, hope you have better luck then Doug & I did.

Coleus
05-29-2011, 05:41 AM
thanks guys. Well, i hope i don't get marine velvet from this. lol. Never understand why I can't stop adding stock to my tank.

marie
05-29-2011, 05:49 AM
......


is my fish too fat? you be the judge
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=561&pictureid=4484


No your fish aren't too fat.....when they start to look like Doofus then they're too fat :lol:

whatcaneyedo
05-29-2011, 07:09 PM
Could you provide a picture from the side so that we can see the scutes? From the front this looks like a crocea not a maxima.

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=561&pictureid=4485

Coleus
05-30-2011, 04:11 AM
Could you provide a picture from the side so that we can see the scutes? From the front this looks like a crocea not a maxima.

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=561&pictureid=4485

It is indeed a Crocea after i have done some reading and compare. Here is the best shot i can take from the side

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=561&pictureid=4494

Just did not want to move it for shot, sorry

Coleus
05-31-2011, 04:34 AM
I love clams because they are like fingerprints......every one is different in some little way..the palcement of the maxima will depend on what your running for lighting and how deep the tank is?......as a general rule croceas and maximas prefer to be on rock(or glass) and hippos squamosas and derasas seem to prefer being in the sand....... you can place them up high in the rock work if you want but you need to make sure the DONT fall....what I try and do is, find a small to medium sized, either flat or cup shaped piece of live rock and try and get the clam to attach to it at the bottom of the tank.....that way you can move the clam on his rock, without cutting its "foot", if it doesnt seem happy where it is.......

Hi Doug,

I have 3x 250W MH and 4 T5 Maristar and it is 11 inch from the water line. My tank is 24 inch deep, barebottom.

How long does it take for clam to stick to the rock? The hippo clam keep turning, so i will try to move it to different spot. Right now it is at the bottom of the tank. Should i move it up a little bit?

Coleus
07-03-2011, 05:39 AM
Tear drop maxima
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=561&pictureid=4545

Another croeca

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=561&pictureid=4546

and this....

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=561&pictureid=4547

kien
07-03-2011, 05:51 AM
Wow pretty clams! :-D

Leah
07-03-2011, 12:02 PM
Nice additions!...bet they taste awfully good too! :wink:

kien
07-03-2011, 02:23 PM
Apparently they do :-(

Coleus
07-26-2011, 03:45 AM
It is unfortunately that my angels like to nip at nice clams only. They don't touch the hippo clam alone. I guess i can have some more hippo clam :-)

On to another topic, I finally got my HRV installed. It is very nice, drop my humidity level from 55 to 40 in less than 1 hour. I also notice my tank ph level is getting better as well. Hopefully it will do the job well in winter.The unit is Lifebreath 155 MAX and I got it installed by BMS heating.

The installer is very knowledgeable, he answered to all my questions cleary and the installation was very clean and well organized. Couple screenshots


https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-xzb1p1GQyLY/Ti4TMh7p6oI/AAAAAAAAAA8/QseqxXyw3OE/042.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-w-PFExyVBUE/Ti4TNHAF5gI/AAAAAAAAABA/hxWOZRJuc64/043.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-MMo6UtzBzYA/Ti4TNZCB9PI/AAAAAAAAABE/qCq8aIj1mZg/044.JPG


and also in the process of upgrading my mixing station
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-8FxJH93I69w/Ti4UgjQDEyI/AAAAAAAAABc/TxZhoi7IT0U/045.JPG

Hopefully, this will help me to only do water change twice a month instead once every week

The Grizz
07-26-2011, 03:49 AM
Nice HRV unit, what did that bad boy set you back Tai? I am looking to get something similar for my pool room.

Coleus
07-26-2011, 03:58 AM
Nice HRV unit, what did that bad boy set you back Tai? I am looking to get something similar for my pool room.

It costs me lots of clams that is for sure :-). Around 2K all in. You got a pool, damn that is nice. Can i hop in sometimes?

The Grizz
07-26-2011, 04:11 AM
It costs me lots of clams that is for sure :-). Around 2K all in. You got a pool, damn that is nice. Can i hop in sometimes?

Anytime you and the family are in the area drop in & take the twins for a dip.

All I need is the main unit, there is an air exchanger box that is all piped in but the motor crapped out and the stupid thing is 24 volt. I have been thinking of trying to switch it to a 110v motor but have not got to it yet.

kien
07-26-2011, 04:22 AM
nice score! Looks like that install is a lot easier with an unfinished basement. Mine was a bitch, apparently. I wouldn't know first hand as I didn't install mine, but there was sure a lot of cussing from my installer, LOL

Coleus
03-28-2014, 09:27 PM
I am bored so post some picture for my tank progress

end of 2013 and was too lazy to clean the glass LOL
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-IwERtIuDXz8/UqZOkJi2jmI/AAAAAAAAATI/CUKI6g1G98c/w1167-h875-no/PB090016.JPG


Got a new elegance coral from Tyson for my tank. She is a beauty
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-GwVgtFM4Lwo/UzXnRQIkoAI/AAAAAAAAAVs/iAHQ6SFTzog/w861-h531-no/Snap1.png

Coleus
03-28-2014, 09:29 PM
Just notice over 3 months and my emperor has changed its stripes has been changed lots

kien
03-29-2014, 02:48 PM
Still looking great Tai! Love your fish!

eli@fijireefrock.com
03-29-2014, 02:59 PM
Looks good Tai now clean some glass..
by the way how's the big tank coming along....lol..

Coleus
03-29-2014, 10:09 PM
Looks good Tai now clean some glass..
by the way how's the big tank coming along....lol..

Thanks for reminding me that I have a big tank to be finished. Well, at right now, it does not look like it will be done. I will try to sell it :-) and build a main floor tank instead. Way too cold in the basement

lastlight
03-29-2014, 10:18 PM
Wow didn't know you still had this tank. Very nice I can't believe the size of the nem.