65 Gallon Project

[BigJPDC]

nice - I actually commented way back then on how I liked your design. Looking at those pics makes me want an anem again - what do you think about ritteri's? There is a tank full of white ones at an LFS here. I know they are white because he keeps them under PC, but I don't know anything about that species.

jp

[newreefbishop]

Today was a good day tank wise got alot done. Did a 20 gallon water change, finally got my calcium levels down to 475. Im very very happy now. As all my parameters acutally are within proper levels.

Salinity 1.027
Temp 80.5
Phos. 0
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0
ammonia 0
calcium 475-480

WOOOT!!!!!!!

Also got a couple nice frags yesterday....Ill take pics and show you what they look like once things settle in the tank.

BigJ as far as Ritteri's they are beautiful anemone's and flow with the water currents.....They arent too picky as faas placement in the tank, but from what I can tell generally like to be attached to rocks high up in the tank. Personally, because of your setup, and you light scheme I think the Ritteri would do well, or I would wait till there are carpets, bubble tips or colored LTA's available in your area. I think a gren carpet anemone would look great in your tank...but a bubble tip woud look good too soo many choices.....either way my friend get the anemone.....a good test of health owuld be to check feeding response. Have the LFS feed the anemone before you take it. Pick one with good feeding response, check thier mouths if posible....make sure it is closed and tight as an open gaping mouth is surely a sign of problems to come.

Enough rambling.......let me know if this helps...

[BigJPDC]

Excellent advice there nrb, thank you! You are right on, high up in the rocks is an area I have thusfar neglected. I wonder why I am having trouble finding info on the ritteri? I would like to see pictures of some healthy ones to get a better idea of what it will look like.

I will keep you informed, might take a trip out there tomorrow. They have been at that LFS for some time now, before I even built the tank, and they are bone white and full of bubbles.

jp

[newreefbishop]

No problem, you can start your reading here....you may have seen this already but im a google goon, skilled in the art of doing sarches.

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume...wn_anemone.htm

http://www.edge-of-reef.com/anemoni/...agnificaen.htm

Thats a start of course....I will get some more info for you.....

[BigJPDC]

Pretty cool, thanks nrb. My searching got easier once I found out it's H. magnifica. The pictures in your second link are awesome.

jp

[newreefbishop]

No problem my freind....no problem at all.....The fact he has had them for awhile can be a good and a bad thing. You said he has them under PC's....check there mouths to make sure they arent gaping that is the most important think, its a sign that the symbiotic micro-organisms might have been expelled....basically, it is the reason that its white (bleached). Like I said though if he has had them for awhile....they should be ok....

[newreefbishop]

Oh....one last note to add....

I should have my two new Seio Nano Streamers shortly.....that will make total water turnover around 2000 GPH......in a 65 gallon tank........LOL

[newreefbishop]

I was wrong about the pumps....they are actually Tunze turbelle nano pumps....which are on backorder

SO I went ahead and got two Koralia 3 pumps...rated at 850 GPH...

Let me be the first to say these things are GREAT....they are out of this world producing tons of random flow. I still have one of the Tunze pumps on backorder. So I will compare. I will make a short video the will show the amount of flow I am getting. MOst of the coral love it...Im still waiting for my LTA to adjust fully, she comes out in the morning but in the afternoon she isnt as big as she usually is.

[newreefbishop]

Here is a pic......this was taken saturday......with my blackjack no less....



I will update thread with new pics tonight

[newreefbishop]

You can see the new rock on the left starting to come in with coraline.....within 2 months Im thinking they should have good coverage and blend right in.

[BigJPDC]

Lookin good nrb, those halides sure make things look crisp.

[newreefbishop]

Thanks BigJ

[BigJPDC]

Hey what happened to the no powerhead rule? =)
I was thinking about getting one of those Koralias and suspending it from the canopy somehow but changing my seaswirl to a single nozzle seems to be doing just fine. If I had any more flow I would have to turn things off at night so the fish could sleep. Are you using any kinds of wave timers?

Could you give me some advice on how you have your corals anchored to the rocks? I haven't found anything that works.

rock on
jp

[newreefbishop]

JP- Well the no powerhead rule is coming in phases. The koralia is rather small and un-imposing. But provide tons of flow and when you think about it my pump is pushing roughly 500 gph, so with the 1700 that these two small pumps are doing its crazy. Thats 2200 GPH, I will be stocking a couple other pieces of hard coral that will grow into place so the powerheads will be hidden within a 6 months or so.

Im not using any wave timers because from what I can tell, looking at the motion of the anemone and my xenia, the flow rocks back and forth every which way.

Anchoring coral to the rocks have been a case of trial and error, I found 2 things that work.....

http://www.aquadirect.com/store/home.php?cat=483
Two little fishies putty and aquascape epoxy, both can be used underwater with fish and critters present

I tried a variety of things some killed coral....none killed fish, but thats what I found works, and for situations where I need extra hold I use a little super glue gel.....

[BigJPDC]

If my eheim return does 400-5 gph because it's dialed back and the Mag9.5 on the CL gives 800-900, that's 20x tank flow combined, and any more for me really makes things crazy in the tank. Maybe if I was coral only I could do more but the fish really get knocked around and I don't want to have to turn feeding time into a big production with turning things on and off.

Anchoring and arranging corals has been an adventure for me. Almost all the zoa polyps I super-glued to a rock last week have worked their way loose. If the snails would stop knocking things over I wouldn't have any issues.

awesome advice,
jp

[Liquid Hobby]

I don't know BigJ, I'm at 30X turnover in my 40 and the fishies are just fine. At feeding I just hit a switch, feed, wait a few minutes then fire the loop back on.

The sway and water movement I get throughout the tank is really nice but by no means breaking reef... You can always get a bigger pump! but if all is well, then don't change a thing!

Love that Devil's Hand, upper right corner. I don't have a real softie like that, I've been looking at them for a while now.

[newreefbishop]

Thanks LH the devils hand is actually one of my favorites.....its a dark green when its "sleeping" and day time light brown with a greenish tinge, I love it....

Below I have two vids of the tank in action right before lights out and as usual a crappy full tank shot. I have an SLR coming in shortly.



Here are the vids.... they are both different





Also Im looking at about 33X turnover per hour, and look at my fish.....they handle it just fine....remember most reefs are actually pretty turbulant....and thats thir naturall habitat.....at feeding time I flip one switch leave it of for 5 minutes to carefully examine the inhabitants....and to run tests and then its back on.....

Let me know what you think...

[BigJPDC]

Very cool, I gotta add a video to my thread now. Maybe this weekend I will drain the megaflow and put in that checkvalve. I need to do it anyways and then I could shut the flow down for feeding, maybe even with a footswitch so I wouldn't have to open up the cabinet.

[BigJPDC]

nrb - have you seen the thread here on RC about the Koralia 2 and 3's getting recalled? Somethign about a bad motor seal and leeching electricity. Check it out, I would hate for something to happen to your tank..

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1061498

jp

[newreefbishop]

Based on the timing I think I got a newer batch, I spoke to Doctor Foster & Smith they said the batch I recieved was after the recall. They also confessed thats the reason for them being backordered. I guess that what I get for being untop of technology. In any case I put a volt meter in the water to test and its showing nil.....so I think Im good....I will keep watching it.

[newreefbishop]

Ok so its been a few weeks, I have gotten some new coral courtesy of another FMAS member. I have given everything a little time to grow in....here are some pics....also I have decided to start a 25 gallon tank, this will is connected to the main system and will also have its own filtration system. basically it will be a 35-45 total system full of softies and a couple fish....with intake and exhaust piping to my main sump. I will have a small sump with a skimmer, and a small fuge. ANyway enough talk here are the pics......

First here is the small tank...I will split the thread once I start moving forward on this.



New Purple RIM Monti..... I have been wanting this for awhile now...this is ORA aquacultured



Orange Cap Starting to grow nicely...$15 dollar frag...



Sea Mat Polyps...courtesy of local club member


Clam is growing well with beautiful colors


Zoa's and Xenia


Rock Anemone

[newreefbishop]

Zoas, shrooms....can someone tell me what kind of zoa this is?


My beautiful LTA and clowns.....tell me what you think


Green Ricordia 3 heads now...with 5 mouths total...i expect a few splits in the next month or two


THis is a bit funny but as we all know there are many vaiations of green star polyps, im my tank I actually have two....this is the newest one....it has HYPER green polyps..sorry its a bit grainy....but you can actually see the new part encrusting the rock..


more zoas from FMAS


Toadstool, GSP the they have retracted since lights went out


Xenia forest......from FMAS member...thanks John your the bomb

[newreefbishop]

Full tank shot


Purple rim Monti


Zoas at the bottom of the tank...


Polyps


Another button polyp/ricordia shot

[newreefbishop]

Here you go...updates...lol Le tme know what you think....Im working on that SLR camera.....anyway...like I said let me know what you think...

[PatMayo]

Are you using a tripod? That might help. Also I would use manual focus rather than auto.

Regards,

Pat