Dez' Tank Journal

[Dez]

Good news. It's been a couple of days since the 100% water change. Fish are doing awesome. I bought 3 clownfish and they are doing well and eating. Good polyp extension on whatever frags I had before, so I think whatever problem I had is solved. I have to start raising my calcium though because I tested it and it's only 320 - 340ppm. DKH is good at about 8. I'm surprised reefer's best salt tested so low in calcium. I tested twice just to make sure. Regardless, this is a minor problem.

This is what it looks like now:



From the living room:



Man, I have to start using a camera other than my cellphone. Those pictures suck. Sorry guys.

My cabinetry for the other side should be coming sometime in the next couple of weeks so I added a fan today so that the canopy stays dry. I had this 12V DC fan from 5 years ago. It's adjustable speed so I have it dialed down so that I can't hear it. Just a bit of airflow to keep the canopy dry. The less voltage, the slower the fan goes. I think I got the fans at Princess auto ages ago.



And mounted:



Hopefully its smoother sailing from here.

[Dez]

I have been pretty crazy with work and haven't updated the journal in a while. I've hooked up the fan from the basement. Here are the pictures



Here is where the vent ends up (goes upstairs, up the side of the fish tank and ends at one end - when you place your hand there you can feel the sucking of air so I am pleased with the flow)



And my fish tank stand/frame skirt from the den side:



With the canopy open allowing full access which I am enjoying:



and a crappy picture of my nice fishies:



Generally things are going really well in the tank. All sps have full sps extension and some of the tips are changing colour indicating growth starting. The tank is almost there. I still have to drill my water change tank and install and plumb it. Right now for calcium I'm just doing the old fashioned "let the kalk sit for a few ours in a 5 gallon pail and drip it in to replace all top-off water". It's annoying but I haven't had the time to hook my kalk reactor and calcium reactor with all the other stuff that is going on. Enjoy.

[Leah]

Wow!!!! the cabinet is just Beautiful. And the fish look great, can't wait to see some more shots.

[mark]

looks like the cabinet turned out great

[lastlight]

Wow wow WOW!!! Your work with the wood on that side is awesome! I dig the clean look without molding etc. Iron-on veneers? How did you build all that?

[Dez]

Originally Posted by lastlight

Wow wow WOW!!! Your work with the wood on that side is awesome! I dig the clean look without molding etc. Iron-on veneers? How did you build all that?

I'd like to take credit, but I paid someone to do it. For the time I would've had to take to build it, I was way farther ahead working my real job and pay someone to do it. It is solid maple and stained, then laquered. This guy had build a ton of fish tank stands. It's growing on me - looks too much like a box, but we didn't want any fancy stuff. Once decorations are put on either side of it then it might look a bit better.

[Joe Reefer]

I think it looks awesome!

[muck]

Originally Posted by Joe Reefer

I think it looks awesome!

Me too Des. Looks absolutely stunning!