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Tank reno
Heya folks, I usually enjoy skimming through reefin' logs and pictures in my free time so I figured I'll contribute and throw up some content for others to glance over. Early this spring I dismantled my tank and had a new one built about a foot to the right and forward, why so much effort for so little gain? It allowed me to remove the two step sunken landing at my front door which the aquarium had been previously hiding in the basement.
https://i.imgur.com/xKlA5i6.jpg It's 50" long, 24" tall, and 26" wide. Rear mounted overflow chamber in the center, two returns in the top back corners, and the same sump as before with a refugium for random algae scum in the middle. Running an eShopps skimmer which is probably rated just right for the new tank, two maxspect 230 gyres on alternating 10 second waves up high, and still have to pickup some bigger wave pumps for that rocking effect. Tank is filled now with rock but my light is still a couple days away so I'll throw up some aquascaping pics when it's here. In the meantime here's my somewhat unhappy corals waiting for treatment in quarantine before they move in. https://i.imgur.com/sIt3Anc.jpg https://i.imgur.com/UzaCUJA.jpg |
Your unhappy corals are still quite nice :)
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A couple corals are super browned out, but most have handled things ok.
Almost done with the outside of it, I tried to make an opening hood out of the wavy panels but they are just too flimsy even with 1/4" sheet for support. Probably have to make something firmer and just match the wall instead. https://i.imgur.com/e92ZEW7.jpg https://i.imgur.com/slpdBeV.jpg Light is supposed to arrive on the 10th, and I'll most likely get some cheapo wave pumps like Jebao for the ocean motion. |
Those panels are tres cool. What about half inch ply? It may sit a bit proud of the wall but will look great!
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Got my light and started to finish the upper front panel. I just beefed it up to 1/2", it's actually flush on the right side but exposes that I didn't line the tank up perfectly with the wall on the left and the panel sticks out a bit. Not gonna mess with it anymore, I'll just turn one issue into more. All that is left is to smooth out the panel joint some more and paint it.
https://i.imgur.com/kWP5i8Q.jpg I basically ended up with a "wall-o-rock", but jazzed it up a little with an arch up high connected to an island and a low bridge joining the peninsula out front back to the wall. I do like the way more artistic bonsai or reef bommie inspired aquascaping looks, but the good ol' wall offers up so much room for coral. I've kept as few pieces as possible in the back to allow for more flow so it's not so much of a brick in there. https://i.imgur.com/wxrQJHe.jpg https://i.imgur.com/ofvoAmX.jpg https://i.imgur.com/YyFh4GI.jpg The lights aren't nearly that blue, old iPhone just picks it up soooo much. Now is time to wait for the algae cycles and then add some fish and inverts. In there now are sand sifting stars, tiger cucumbers, and a gold watchman gobie pair with a pistol. |
Whole thing is fully hooked up now, all that's left is to finish treating the corals and move the quarantine/frag tank into the sump room so I don't have these extra wires hanging across the hall.
https://i.imgur.com/1pmVhpV.jpg Was expecting the rock to re-cycle after coming out of the tubs but I got the white bacteria film followed by the "brown stage" of algae fairly quick with no spikes of anything. Green hairy algae just started growing too so I added the algae eating crew of snails, urchins, and a powder blue tang. By next weekend I hope to have most of the corals back in barring any problems. Secret sump room door in storage https://i.imgur.com/GUvOn1z.jpg It ain't pretty like those all-in-ones or designer plumbing, but it gets the job done. https://i.imgur.com/RvtKtJk.jpg https://i.imgur.com/ECBgC0L.jpg https://i.imgur.com/XSk3oke.jpg The room is really small even without the other tank in it, I'm as far back as I can get for these pics. I'll work on the quality of pics too, this old iPhones camera is really starting to show its age compared to newer stuff. |
Everything I have is back in now, LPS are super pale probably from lower light in the temporary tank and no nutrients in the new one. Acros browned out hard, lost 4 colonies in the end; purple nana, blue tenuis, reddish "dragon" type, and yellow tenuis (<-worst loss for me). Not too bad I guess considering the poor conditions for three months and horrible alk swings in the temp tank.
Added a school of firefish to pump up the nutrients in the main tank, and popped a sea hare in frag tank to deal with the hair algae farm I got going on in there. New equipment seems to be working well. Satisfied with the Jebaos, there's really not much to speak of for options on them, but for the price they accomplish what I wanted quite well. I added two T5s for supplemental lighting to help kinda "fill" the water with light more. I'm pleasantly surprised with LEDs so far in terms of growth and look, however the diffusion and shadowing doesn't seem to be fully solved yet with them, hence the extra T5s. They should start making them curved or something to help bend the light into crevices and whatnot. Still only have smart phone and a Fuji point-n-shoot for pics, feels like reefin' almost automatically wants to make you a camera guy too so you can properly share all your work lol. https://i.imgur.com/PE8TI2C.jpg https://i.imgur.com/2LjbIvK.jpg https://i.imgur.com/G2on1Q2.jpg https://i.imgur.com/nKosRq6.jpg https://i.imgur.com/kwcwz0T.jpg |
Your coral looks really sweet. Where did those wavy panels come from?
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Pretty sure the panels were from Rona on Macleod and Southland, there was a whole bunch of different patterns too. It was the "last chance" clearance section though, so you may have to hit up a couple locations to find enough.
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Main tank is doing well, pretty pleased with all the changes and new stuff. Adding corals has halted a bit cause I want to at least attempt quarantining and the frag tank is having a tough go.
After moving everything out and the subsequent hair algae explosion caused the nutrients to hit a hard 0.0 for nitrate and phosphate. All the lps frags bleached out big time but seem able to recover, most of the "back-up" acros rtn'd, but a few toughed through it. Being extras, it didn't bother me toooo bad, still sucks when corals die though. Added a little Burrfish to help bring nutrients up, wanted to try and keep something unusual. Jury still seems to be out on whether they bother corals or not, I imagine inverts are a no go, but it doesn't seem to care so far. |
Ain't got no job, ain't got no money, ain't got no frags... but I did trade some junk for an old dslr. Frag tank still needs even more fish or nutrients in it, but main tank is chugging along nicely.
In case anyone was wondering if you can get rid of clove polyps with a three month blackout and re-curing in a rubbermaid tub... you cant. I will accept them, although it appears their numbers stay down with lower nutrients, so we'll see how regular maintenance works out. Just did auto settings on camera and a quick auto balance on pc and it looks pretty good already. Leds are on a gradual sunrise/sunset so I'd say this is about 6500-8000k white for these. Brains https://i.imgur.com/Z9rQs0G.jpg Chalices https://i.imgur.com/4TkKR5Q.jpg Micros https://i.imgur.com/NC1RWIV.jpg Sunset Millie from someone here, FlamesFan I think? https://i.imgur.com/qmMj54V.jpg Wild Sarmentosa https://i.imgur.com/nUuOz7a.jpg Maricultured icefire https://i.imgur.com/dzTgS9l.jpg It came with a macro lens so I can fart around with getting better focus shots as I go, and maybe some extreme mode led blues |
Wow that looks really nice. Show us more!
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Getting better, some fluorescent colors seem like they overexpose even after running it through filters. Must be a setting on the camera (or operator), feels like the usual problems taking pics under our bluey lights. Tried some 10k-ish pics.
Aussie wild piece https://i.imgur.com/muDnmrT.jpg Aqua cultured Miyagi Tort https://i.imgur.com/ANALnHA.jpg Rainbow Micro https://i.imgur.com/jgdbajx.jpg Maricultured pink table, I snapped it in half and interesting color patterns of pink/blue/green are filling it in https://i.imgur.com/VgPZBGI.jpg Ultra watermelon chalice, growth rim coming back https://i.imgur.com/mrRYjZ8.jpg |
Nice tank! Also the photography skills are nothing to complain about:lol:
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Wow, looking real nice! Cant wait to see it again in person.
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Tank's doing pretty good, only really been struggling with too low of nutrients. Added some chromis and anthias for a bump and began to occasionally dose KNO3. Pale LPS and receding chalice prompted me to do so. LEDs are up to about 60% and camera work is mostly hit or miss with settings, new pics are around 12-15kish
Aussie Lobo https://i.imgur.com/1UQMLFs.jpg Top down, yellow and orange a little over exposed https://i.imgur.com/SydfoXu.jpg Bubblegum and sunset Millies, plus a freebie cactus coral in the corner there https://i.imgur.com/DqrRk2b.jpg Really like this table, Walt Smith mariculture piece https://i.imgur.com/mw6jicc.jpg Euphyllia corner https://i.imgur.com/E9N1elR.jpg |
Been a year since the move and things are pretty decent. Always seem to struggle with one or two unhappy corals but I guess that's just how it goes. Only a dozen or so spots left and I'll just let 'er buck.
Some LPS https://i.imgur.com/shpFLun.jpg Clam 'n SPS https://i.imgur.com/pbc0EFi.jpg More SPS https://i.imgur.com/0jNb2NH.jpg Micros https://i.imgur.com/6C4uTKI.jpg Mix https://i.imgur.com/fcC1fbj.jpg Full tank https://i.imgur.com/PHylagV.jpg |
Tank looks great.
Question about your firefish... How many do you have in there and how long have you had them for? |
I originally got a few red ones, but now I'm convinced they will fight til there's just a pair left. So I have just two reds and two purples and they seem fine and stress free with that.
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