120 G with 60 G sump build

[Palmer]

Hi Kevin,

RIght now I am running the actinics from 10 AM to 9:30 PM and the halides from 2 PM until 6:00 PM. What do you think, too much? The algae seems to have gone away on its own except for a couple of small patches.

Palmer

[Palmer]

Well it's been awhile since I have posted to this tank thread. since last spring I have lost a orange spotted shrimp goby and a sandsifting goby to the carpet. I had also lost and replaced a couple of peppermint shrimp.

I have managed to add and keep some things successfully. I have added-

Yellow tang
Black and white perc clown
Lawnmower blenny
Fairy wrasse

Candy cane coral
Red Montipora
A green sps that I can never remmember the name (in pic below)
An acropora frag
Open brain (from zoa elite)
Crocea clam

All in all things have been going pretty good!



Thing I can never remmember

[Palmer]

My wife just got a Canon SLR camera so I thought I would add a couple of shots I took to this thread. I also changed my MH bulbs recently to phoenix from Ushio and really like the difference in color.

I am dealing also with this small patch of pest algae or something. I am wondering if it is cyano. Here is a pcture below. I am basically scooping the stuff off the top of the sand bed to keep it under control.

Brown stuff



FTS



I think the clown wants an anemone





Dont mess with the big dog

[Palmer]

Here are some new photos of the tank. I did end up winning the war with Cyano. I used Chemi clean and also bought a Vortech MP40 to add more flow on my tank. I think two Koralia 2's was definitly not enough flow for this size tank. I have added a couple of corals over the last number of months and added a GBTA. Below is a pic when i first got it and it was "bubbled" up. It split shortly after getting it. I am in the process of setting up a 30 G frag tank on the other side of the wall that is behind this tank. I am taking my time with this project but I have a custom overflow I bought that I will be inserting into it and have just installed three bulkheads so I am pretty well on my way to setting that up...

Somewhat recent FTS


Before split


After


Some coral

[fishytime]

there sure is some noticeable growth when you scroll down this last page of your thread......you must be doing something right.....lookin good man

[Palmer]

Thanks and your informing me I should probably test for magnesium may have helped with that It took awhile to really get things going between figuring out how long to run the lighting and just letting all the frags encrust etc but I am pretty happy with the progress now.

[Palmer]

Well my latest project is slowly progressing. I wanted to turn a 30 G all glass aquarium I have had forever into a frag tank. I also thought it might be nice to be able to use it as an isolation tank if needed. The big quandry I had is whether to plumb it into my existing system (making isolation of course impossible) or whether to run it completly on its own (more $ + less extra H(OH) for stability..)

A really simplistic idea came to mind and I decided I would just buy a bunch of ball valves for the herbie and return and make it so I can either send the water back to my display sump or to a tank below the new frag tank just by directing the flow with the valves. Just a few bucks more and you get two potential solutions...

I had an overflow made for me and i cut it to my size with a table saw. Then I cut three holes into the tank and added bulkheads. And that is pretty much where I am so far...

I am going to put an Aqua remora pro on this that I am getting used. It is way overkill for this size tank but I figure if my sicce pump on my SWC EXT 200 gives me problems I have a back up. And despite my skepticism of the value (or over value) of skimmers I still dont believe you can overskim a tank Far from rocket science but nice to have options rather than an either or situation...

Here's the tank. I dont have the plumbing set up yet but I will likely put a small simple sump underneath it that I can have the herbie drain into if I want to run it seperate..



These are the new bulkheads and holes in my wall leading to the main display sump (This is my basement so no worries on the home front!)


Other side of the wall to display



This is the return which I will have a T fitting with ball valves to allow for plumbing to the display and a return from underneath this tank

[Palmer]

Havent posted an update in awhile. No major issues with the tank am happy with how the corals are growing. I just added a purple digi that i am pretty happy with

[Palmer]

Here are some updated photos of the display it has been awhile since I have posted!

[Whiston]

Great looking tank. Very cool to see that growth progress!