My JBJ 28gal Nano Build Thread

[Nelz]

Well, from one kneedragger, to another, all I can say is..................hhhoooeeelyyyy freaking WOW!

I just read through the entire thread start to finish, pretty cool watching it come to life. The colors are just stunning.

Pretty sure this is the route Ill be taking, is the nano cube, I thought they were too small, but after seeing a few......I WANT

Keep up the work and the progress


My keen eye noticed a MC DVD as well, is that off season Pr0n? LOL

[Sean_South]

Amazing build Ange!

Just went through all 19 pages in a 2 day span my head is still spinning.

I am actually going to start my first tank soon and will be going with the JBJ 28 inspired by you. I was going to spring for the JBJ LED advance, but seeing what you were able to do with the Quad PC was amazing and have decided to go that route(however you should probably have a disclaimer results not typical ). I am going to move very slow with the corals though. I just have a few questions for you if you wouldn't mind answering.

1. I can see from your signature that you have 3 tanks-2 reef and 1 fresh. Was this your first salt water set up? Because if so it was very inspirational to see what you were able to do. Any previous experience?

2. I read in a few of your posts you referencing your sump. Are you just talking about the false back of the tank or did you actually plumb a sump?

3. How long did you research all the equipment you were going to use before beginning, or did you learn as you go?

4. Where did you learn most about reef keeping, was it here on RC, your buddy who hooks you up at your LFS, or another website/guy? I enjoy reading the forums and the wealth of information here but I love getting hands on with a book. If you went that route do you have any recommendations for a book? Anything geared specifically for Nanos as opposed to saltwater aquariums in general?

Once again I am truly blown away by your tank, and will be using it as a huge reference for my build. Thanks for making your build thread, and thank you for any help you can provide.

-Sean

[ange062]

Originally Posted by Nelz

Well, from one kneedragger, to another, all I can say is..................hhhoooeeelyyyy freaking WOW!

I just read through the entire thread start to finish, pretty cool watching it come to life. The colors are just stunning.

Pretty sure this is the route Ill be taking, is the nano cube, I thought they were too small, but after seeing a few......I WANT

Keep up the work and the progress


My keen eye noticed a MC DVD as well, is that off season Pr0n? LOL

Thanks!! And yeah, I buy each seasons GP video to watch sporadically in the off season And I have a few different motorcycle photo annuals from WSBK etc.

Originally Posted by Sean_South

Amazing build Ange!

Just went through all 19 pages in a 2 day span my head is still spinning.

I am actually going to start my first tank soon and will be going with the JBJ 28 inspired by you. I was going to spring for the JBJ LED advance, but seeing what you were able to do with the Quad PC was amazing and have decided to go that route(however you should probably have a disclaimer results not typical ). I am going to move very slow with the corals though. I just have a few questions for you if you wouldn't mind answering.

1. I can see from your signature that you have 3 tanks-2 reef and 1 fresh. Was this your first salt water set up? Because if so it was very inspirational to see what you were able to do. Any previous experience?

2. I read in a few of your posts you referencing your sump. Are you just talking about the false back of the tank or did you actually plumb a sump?

3. How long did you research all the equipment you were going to use before beginning, or did you learn as you go?

4. Where did you learn most about reef keeping, was it here on RC, your buddy who hooks you up at your LFS, or another website/guy? I enjoy reading the forums and the wealth of information here but I love getting hands on with a book. If you went that route do you have any recommendations for a book? Anything geared specifically for Nanos as opposed to saltwater aquariums in general?

Once again I am truly blown away by your tank, and will be using it as a huge reference for my build. Thanks for making your build thread, and thank you for any help you can provide.

-Sean

Thanks!!

1. The 28 was the first tank setup, no previous experience. The planted was #2 and the pico is the newest.

2. I just mean the stock false-wall back chamber area, no external sump has been added.

3. Not a whole lot, I researched before each individual purchase but have added things slowly over time as they became needed.

4. I've done a ton of reading, mostly online from various sources including RC, advanced aquarist, DFS, and many others. I've also learned a lot from several of my LFS and just chatting with local reefers. But most of all, I am a learn by trial and error type person, and always have been. I have made mistakes along the way, but always ensure not to let them happen again.

And thanks again for the kind words! I'll be keeping an eye open for your build thread! Oh, and for reference I have made the disclaimer several times that PC-quad results may not be typical. While I have shown it's possible, it's not the best or easiest way to get good growth from high light stuff and you have to pay very careful attention to placement in the tank.

[ange062]

Ive raised the Radion up twice over as many weeks to try to combat an issue I have noticed with coverage and shading of lower areas of SPS colonies. I bumped intensity slightly today as well to compensate, will track progress over the next few weeks.

The macro lens for my DSLR comes Thursday so will have a photo-update then.

[ange062]

I haven't had a whole lot of time, but haven't had much luck with the macro lens yet. I can take perfect shots of anything outside of the tank, but through the bowfront glass/water I can't seem to get the focus right even at higher aperture settings where the DOF is much higher. Anyway, I should be able to figure it out once I can play with it more, I've learned a couple of small tricks already.

As far as the tank, the GSP was growing too quickly, and was starting to overrun some SPS. The ORA Blue Mille was affected at the base and has since STN'd up to near the tips The ORA purple stylo also lost some polyp's but it hasn't spread and the affected areas are actually recovering. I filled the big open area left by the GSP with a bright purple/white acro.

Here is the only macro shot so far that I am actually happy with:


And an FTS from today:


And a couple bearable but not great coral macros.
ORA Purple Stylo:


ORA Green Stylo:


ORA Bellina:


Cali Tort:

[tandldel]

Sorry to hear about the blue mille and purple stylo. Hopefully the Blue Mille can be salvaged. Your pictures look great for just getting used to the lens. The clown looks great..Also your Bellina has grown and nice PE on all sps as well. What is the new purple Acro looks like a a tort of some kind---great size.

[flipsideleo]

Looking good, Angelo! Loving that first shot, too! Yeah... macro lenses take photography (especially in our hobby) to a whole different level.

[ange062]

Originally Posted by tandldel

Sorry to hear about the blue mille and purple stylo. Hopefully the Blue Mille can be salvaged. Your pictures look great for just getting used to the lens. The clown looks great..Also your Bellina has grown and nice PE on all sps as well. What is the new purple Acro looks like a a tort of some kind---great size.

Thanks for the compliments! Not sure on the species of that white acro, plan to put up a post in the SPS ID forum. The bellina is the fastest growing acro I have had experience with to date, it can almost keep up with the birdsnests!!

Originally Posted by flipsideleo

Looking good, Angelo! Loving that first shot, too! Yeah... macro lenses take photography (especially in our hobby) to a whole different level.

Salamat po Leo!!

[venom550pm]

How high is the Radion from the water? Mine is enroute to me as i type

[ange062]

Originally Posted by venom550pm

How high is the Radion from the water? Mine is enroute to me as i type

I started with it at 6in, but have since raised it up to 9in to get better coverage. I think it is working out much better at this height, but at the expense of light bleed outside the tank and coralline growth in the sump area and skimmer at the back of the tank.

Congrats on your purchase, you won't regret it! Make sure you turn it way down for acclimation though, read back a few pages if you haven't already to learn why Ive got some acclimation profiles already created, PM me if you want them.

[venom550pm]

Originally Posted by ange062

I started with it at 6in, but have since raised it up to 9in to get better coverage. I think it is working out much better at this height, but at the expense of light bleed outside the tank and coralline growth in the sump area and skimmer at the back of the tank.

Congrats on your purchase, you won't regret it! Make sure you turn it way down for acclimation though, read back a few pages if you haven't already to learn why Ive got some acclimation profiles already created, PM me if you want them.

Thanks, when it comes in i'll let you know. I have a BC HQI so i was planning on starting the radion at 50-60 percent (because 150w is 60% of 250w) and see how it goes. How did you mount yours, is it hanging from the ceiling?

[ange062]

Originally Posted by venom550pm

Thanks, when it comes in i'll let you know. I have a BC HQI so i was planning on starting the radion at 50-60 percent (because 150w is 60% of 250w) and see how it goes. How did you mount yours, is it hanging from the ceiling?

Just keep in mind the PAR and spectrum will be different when switching to LED from MH, so it's best to be cautious.

Yes, ceiling mounted, more info here:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...&postcount=340

[SkullV]

Originally Posted by venom550pm

Thanks, when it comes in i'll let you know. I have a BC HQI so i was planning on starting the radion at 50-60 percent (because 150w is 60% of 250w) and see how it goes. How did you mount yours, is it hanging from the ceiling?

Start it at 40%.

[ange062]

Originally Posted by SkullV

Start it at 40%.

Id second that, Skull also knows from personal experience how powerful the Radion is.

[martinphillip03]

Its been awhile,2011, since your last post. I would like your overview of the tank and your plans for 2012. Very nice thread. You have very good communication skills. Thank you.

Marty

[ange062]

Originally Posted by martinphillip03

Its been awhile,2011, since your last post. I would like your overview of the tank and your plans for 2012. Very nice thread. You have very good communication skills. Thank you.

Marty

LOL, I guess it WAS last year and all!! Thanks for the comments. For an overview of the tank, just look back through the last 20-something pages and it's all there!

For 2012, I think my plans after today are just to LET IT GROW!! I removed my last piece of unwanted coral today, the tree coral that just really didn't fit in anymore. It's something I have been wanting to do for a while, but a nice fairly mature blue stag colony at my LFS is what really pushed me over the edge!! I figured it was the perfect coral for that spot due to the size and height of the coral that it would be replacing, and that it would have plenty of room for vertical growth.

So, without further ado, a couple of pics of the new coral and an updated FTS! The placement of the stag isn't final yet, I want to see how it reacts to LED before mounting it.





FTS 1-5-2012:

[JasonBJones]

Ange, looking good. That blue stag is awesome. I am about to go visit Dennis and take a look at the new shipment of SPS he received.

[ange062]

Originally Posted by JasonBJones

Ange, looking good. That blue stag is awesome. I am about to go visit Dennis and take a look at the new shipment of SPS he received.

Thanks Jason!! It's a pretty sick shipment, not frags but larger colonies from a Bali mariculture farm. In particular that caught my eye are two millie colonies, one yellow with bright green tips, the other a light pink color, both with insane cotton-looking PE.

[tandldel]

Ange looking good nice new addition with the blue stag. Also I noticed on the top left looks like a new addition as well wondering what that is?

[ange062]

Originally Posted by tandldel

Ange looking good nice new addition with the blue stag. Also I noticed on the top left looks like a new addition as well wondering what that is?

Oh yeah, good eye!! Forgot to mention the rose millepora up there!! I'll get some macro's of it later. Thanks for the comments.

[tandldel]

Originally Posted by ange062

Oh yeah, good eye!! Forgot to mention the rose millepora up there!! I'll get some macro's of it later. Thanks for the comments.

Nice looking colony is it aquaculture? They love being blasted by the light so thats a good spot. Mine is set low and took awhile to color up but they look great once they do. Looking forward to the pictures.

[ange062]

I thought it would be fun to do monthly shots since the tank start to show progress:
3/1/2011:


4/3/2011:


5/11/2011:


6/9/2011:


7/7/2011:


8/9/2011:


9/8/2011:


10/10/2011:


11/6/2011:


12/3/2011:

[ange062]

1/5/2012:

[cdrewferd]

Great tank and great progress pictures. Hope my tank looks like that some day.


Drew

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[abaralnek]

you have alot going on in there,looks awesome..