So aquascaping is complete (till I change it again :) ) still playing around with closed loop eductor locations for even flow

setup skimmer and adjusted water level in sump by having the skimmer overflow into a bucket till it stopped and started to strip the water ... about 9.5" ... works really between 9 and 10 inches

Will take some shots of tank room when I get it cleaned up

Trim around tank going up next ... then working on lighting (currently just a couple cheesy 24" shop lights )

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...ted%20tank.jpg

So trim is up (just needs paint) ... inhabitants include Blonde Naso, Yellow Tang, Dussemeri Tang and pair of percs
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...0905e5cea7.jpg

Shot of the camouflaged doorway

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...r/IMG_6206.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...r/IMG_6207.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...r/IMG_6207.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...r/IMG_6208.jpg

Sink and RO unit

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...r/IMG_6209.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...r/IMG_6218.jpg

Fold down ramp behind tank

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...r/IMG_6213.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...r/IMG_6211.jpg

Can see the returns for the closed loops more clearly here

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...r/IMG_6212.jpg

QT tank cycling

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...r/IMG_6214.jpg

Sump

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...r/IMG_6215.jpg

In the above pic the green garbage bin is my RO water storage with a float valve, pump and heater ... the bucket in front of that is circulating salt for water change.

Going through the usual cycles ... first was diatoms and a few days ago a spot or 2 of cyano so I have cut back from 3 X 400W MH to just the center MH on a reduced light cycle and so far it has held it back to one small spot down low that I blow off each night before lights out

Need to add a auto top off from the RO storage to the sump next

Looks good! Love the hidden doorway - I didn't even understand how it worked until you showed the pic of it open. :lol: I really like the idea of your boardwalk too, no ladders. Of course the Bob Marley banner is sweet too. ;)

IME, tanks do better at the beginning if you just run your actinics/blues for the first month, then slowly introduce the halides increasing by an hour a week or so. It really makes a big difference, and the blues seem to really get the coralline growing.

Thanks!

All tank rooms should have Bob's music playing LOL

This is a restart from like 10 years ago ( except newer smaller tank/sump) so only lights I have running to begin with are my MH :wink: as they were at the top of the box I had on the shelf labelled "tank parts"... have 3 workhorse 7 ballasts and will be adding actinics in the future when I get around to buying some endcaps :biggrin: and wiring it all up