First Reef Tank Pics - Page 5

newreefbishop · 11/18/2006, 10:35 PM

LH I dont know if you have any plans for a refugium, to have some form of nutrient export besides the bacteria in the live rock. Mangroves are in effect, ineffective....basically to equal the amount of nutrients exported by a handful of chaeto, you would need well ALOT of mangroves. I would also move em out of your main display as when the leaves drop they rot, and its just added chemicals to the display.

Still think everything looks great though....love the setup

TekCat · 11/19/2006, 02:06 AM

Here is one thought: trade mangroves for a frag in a club in your area. ....unless of course you plan on keeping them

Liquid Hobby · 11/19/2006, 12:28 PM

I'm not married to the mangroves in any way, they were not part of the original plan...

I do have plans for the refugium. My current plan is to figure out a plan for the refugium! I've got a bare bottom section in my sump, the largest section at that, specifically baffled off for a fuge. I've just recently been thinking about what to put in there. Cheato for sure! My real question is what to put on the bottom... sand and/or mud and/or rock rubble. I would like to grow several types of macro in there while I'm'm at it.

TekCat, I read in your thread that you got some bottom of a vendor's rock bin sludge. That sounds like the ticket! If you read this please point me in the right direction, or I can browse back thru your thread and find it. I think it was only a 'few' pages back...

Liquid Hobby · 11/19/2006, 01:33 PM

Answered my own questions:

Rock Pool Buttom Crude

Personally, I like the word sludge better...

TekCat · 11/19/2006, 04:12 PM

If you plan to house macro that needs substrate, then "Rock Pool Bottom Crude" (sluge) is a way to go.

But if you want only Chaeto (that doesn't need substrate) I'd suggest just ole plain Rock Rubble.

Pesonally I used just the rock rubble, I ordered both rubble and sluge, but I didn't like the fact that it'll be blown all over the tank. This is just my personal preference. Since I didn't put anything that required a substrate I'd rather have more rock rubble for pods to inhabit. But according to customers reviews on PA website, people like this stuff. Good luck.

Liquid Hobby · 11/19/2006, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TekCat
I ordered both rubble and sluge, but I didn't like the fact that it'll be blown all over the tank.

You put the sludge in and it blew all over the display? Would there be any benefit to the sludge under a thin layer of sand? Cheato is a go! Other marcos look to need some form of substrate, so I have to have a substrate of sorts.

All my readings are 0 for Ammonia, trites, trates and phos. PH 8.3.

My alk has steadily gone down from a initial 9.6 to 8.3 which seems to be it's steady state for the last week or so. Salifert Calc test is off the chart. I can't get the pink to turn blue.

TekCat · 11/20/2006, 12:07 AM

not all of it... initally some got suspended and current picked it up.

Liquid Hobby · 11/20/2006, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by TekCat
not all of it... initally some got suspended and current picked it up.

So it didn't 'pollute' your display? Is this stuff like gooey mud or very very small rock?

Now I'm confused... which isn't surprising.

TekCat · 11/20/2006, 11:28 AM

This stuff is a mix of mud and rocks. When I put some in my fuge, some of the mud got suspended in water. So, when I turned on pumps whatever was already suspended in water (plus some blew off by the current) got into main tank, making it dusty for about a day.

Sorry if I wasn't clear on term 'polluting'

newreefbishop · 11/20/2006, 02:02 PM

THis happened in my system initially when I started up my fuge, some particles got caught up in the current, but it settled down in a day or so.

Liquid Hobby · 11/20/2006, 03:55 PM

NRB: What's in your fuge?

Skorpinok · 11/22/2006, 01:42 PM

I like what you've done on the 40 gallon tank.

Quote:

Originally posted by Liquid Hobby

BTW, where did you get the screen / strainer to cover the in take of your CL?

BigJPDC · 11/22/2006, 04:23 PM

my LFS had used 1/2" bulkheads, with strainers in a bin for $2.50 each. I thouhgt about grabbing a bunch and running them through the dishwasher for someday.

jp

newreefbishop · 11/22/2006, 10:15 PM

LH In my fuge I have miracle mud, live rock bits....and chaeto.

Liquid Hobby · 11/23/2006, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Skorpinok
where did you get the screen / strainer to cover the in take of your CL?

I get this question a lot!

It's a black spa intake strianer that my LFS stocks. With all the questions on that one piece I might start sourcing them...

Liquid Hobby · 11/27/2006, 01:20 PM

Just some updated pics at 3.5 weeks. Is there a coral buying addiction support group around???

I've not spent any RC time reading about photography...

Frogspawn a day after siphoning part of the 3rd head in the back. He's not as extended as he has been (buttons in the back, they have since opened up):

The Xenia with some other Xenia like coral on the rock:

The trumpets plumped up nicely after a little cyclopese target feeding the night before (notice nice algae below...):

The Zoas. The pic has little white spots on the tenticals that are not there in the tank. The flash must have gone off...

Finally a full tank shot with the new cuke:

newreefbishop · 11/27/2006, 01:24 PM

Looking good my friend the pic with the Xenia, those are GSP....but I bet you know that by now....

Liquid Hobby · 11/27/2006, 02:32 PM

Is GSP part of the Xenia family? The look and act a lot like the GSP besides them not being green...

newreefbishop · 11/27/2006, 02:44 PM

Well let me clarify

they are Star polyps, as far as the family I dont think so, but Im not sure on that. I will research it and let you know. But you can tell if its a star polyp when they retract you should only see a purplish "crust" I suspect with your lighting in 3 months or so they will be grawing like mad, and you will have to frag it and send me some

BigJPDC · 11/27/2006, 03:36 PM

outstanding! That cuke looks crazy!
Man you made me go to the LFS on the way home and they were closed! lol, maybe tomorrow for my first frag.

What is the purple thing on the sand below the zoas?

Liquid Hobby · 11/27/2006, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BigJPDC
What is the purple thing on the sand below the zoas?

That is the GSP mat glued to a small rock and before the polyps have extended. I think I glued the correct side down... I've read how fast it grows so I isolated it to see how it goes!!!

Liquid Hobby · 11/30/2006, 06:59 PM

Finally getting my fuge set up. I just put in 10lbs of rock pool bottom crud and 10lbs of rock rubble. It should have been 15lbs of crud and 5lbs of rock rubble... As the current combo takes up half the vertical space. Not much room left for cheato...

Paid to have it 2nd day air shipped. It came in a box with styrofoam but no heat packs. The rocks and mud were quite cold to the touch. Found a dead tube worm and saw a live bristleworm. Not the abundance of live I expected. But I'll give it some time

Put it in and let it settle. Before turning the return back on I ran a pump into a filter sock within the fuge to get out as much 'dust' as possible. Man that mud dust is super fine stuff...

Now I can order some pods and begin pod production. Is there any reason to wait on adding pods?

Liquid Hobby · 11/30/2006, 07:00 PM

I also added 3 little 1 1/2" blue/green chromis. All are doing well and eating. As soon as the lights go out they dissapear into the caves and rock work.

My cuke was seen cruising the glass last night... What's it doing up there? Shouldn't it be working over my sand bed?

Liquid Hobby · 11/30/2006, 08:04 PM

Check that... 2 out of the 3 chromis are eating and well, the other seems to be hiding in the rocks. I saw it earlier, but it did not come out for feeding...

antdog · 11/30/2006, 09:05 PM

Liquid this is an awesome post!

Excellent example of taking your time and doing things right!

11/18/2006, 10:35 PM	#101
newreefbishop Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Fort Lauderdale Posts: 1,787	LH I dont know if you have any plans for a refugium, to have some form of nutrient export besides the bacteria in the live rock. Mangroves are in effect, ineffective....basically to equal the amount of nutrients exported by a handful of chaeto, you would need well ALOT of mangroves. I would also move em out of your main display as when the leaves drop they rot, and its just added chemicals to the display. Still think everything looks great though....love the setup __________________ Its not just a hobby, it's a lifestyle!!!! The 65 is gone the 110 is in, click the red house for the 110. *Updated Current Tank Info: 110 gal R/R AGA with 40 gallon DIY fuge/sump, 2 AI Sol Blue LED modules, RKL system, Vortech Powerheads, Softies, LPS and SPS. Fox Face, Coral Beauty, Goby, a mated pair of Midnight Black Photon Clowns, BTA, Sebae and small critters everywhere

11/19/2006, 12:28 PM	#103
Liquid Hobby Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 810	I'm not married to the mangroves in any way, they were not part of the original plan... I do have plans for the refugium. My current plan is to figure out a plan for the refugium! I've got a bare bottom section in my sump, the largest section at that, specifically baffled off for a fuge. I've just recently been thinking about what to put in there. Cheato for sure! My real question is what to put on the bottom... sand and/or mud and/or rock rubble. I would like to grow several types of macro in there while I'm'm at it. TekCat, I read in your thread that you got some bottom of a vendor's rock bin sludge. That sounds like the ticket! If you read this please point me in the right direction, or I can browse back thru your thread and find it. I think it was only a 'few' pages back... __________________ 120 DT/200 G mixed reef: birthed on Dec 1, 2010 * Neptune Systems controller * 40G Sump + 40G Fuge which gravity feeds into DT * Huge Reef Octopus Skimmer * Calc, GFO and Carbon RXs * 2x250W 20K Radium MH with VHO supplement * 3600 GPH closed loop with OM 4 way * 1700 GPH return

11/19/2006, 01:33 PM	#104
Liquid Hobby Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 810	Answered my own questions: Rock Pool Buttom Crude Personally, I like the word sludge better... __________________ 120 DT/200 G mixed reef: birthed on Dec 1, 2010 * Neptune Systems controller * 40G Sump + 40G Fuge which gravity feeds into DT * Huge Reef Octopus Skimmer * Calc, GFO and Carbon RXs * 2x250W 20K Radium MH with VHO supplement * 3600 GPH closed loop with OM 4 way * 1700 GPH return

11/20/2006, 02:02 PM	#110
newreefbishop Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Fort Lauderdale Posts: 1,787	THis happened in my system initially when I started up my fuge, some particles got caught up in the current, but it settled down in a day or so. __________________ Its not just a hobby, it's a lifestyle!!!! The 65 is gone the 110 is in, click the red house for the 110. *Updated Current Tank Info: 110 gal R/R AGA with 40 gallon DIY fuge/sump, 2 AI Sol Blue LED modules, RKL system, Vortech Powerheads, Softies, LPS and SPS. Fox Face, Coral Beauty, Goby, a mated pair of Midnight Black Photon Clowns, BTA, Sebae and small critters everywhere

11/20/2006, 03:55 PM	#111
Liquid Hobby Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 810	NRB: What's in your fuge? __________________ 120 DT/200 G mixed reef: birthed on Dec 1, 2010 * Neptune Systems controller * 40G Sump + 40G Fuge which gravity feeds into DT * Huge Reef Octopus Skimmer * Calc, GFO and Carbon RXs * 2x250W 20K Radium MH with VHO supplement * 3600 GPH closed loop with OM 4 way * 1700 GPH return

11/19/2006, 02:06 AM	#102
TekCat Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: MN Posts: 3,130	Here is one thought: trade mangroves for a frag in a club in your area. ....unless of course you plan on keeping them

11/19/2006, 04:12 PM	#105
TekCat Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: MN Posts: 3,130	If you plan to house macro that needs substrate, then "Rock Pool Bottom Crude" (sluge) is a way to go. But if you want only Chaeto (that doesn't need substrate) I'd suggest just ole plain Rock Rubble. Pesonally I used just the rock rubble, I ordered both rubble and sluge, but I didn't like the fact that it'll be blown all over the tank. This is just my personal preference. Since I didn't put anything that required a substrate I'd rather have more rock rubble for pods to inhabit. But according to customers reviews on PA website, people like this stuff. Good luck.

11/20/2006, 12:07 AM	#107
TekCat Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: MN Posts: 3,130	not all of it... initally some got suspended and current picked it up.

11/20/2006, 11:28 AM	#109
TekCat Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: MN Posts: 3,130	This stuff is a mix of mud and rocks. When I put some in my fuge, some of the mud got suspended in water. So, when I turned on pumps whatever was already suspended in water (plus some blew off by the current) got into main tank, making it dusty for about a day. Sorry if I wasn't clear on term 'polluting'

11/22/2006, 04:23 PM	#113
BigJPDC Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 959	my LFS had used 1/2" bulkheads, with strainers in a bin for $2.50 each. I thouhgt about grabbing a bunch and running them through the dishwasher for someday. jp __________________ Rock in the tank is money not in my bank. Current Tank Info: 65 RR AGA

11/22/2006, 10:15 PM	#114
newreefbishop Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Fort Lauderdale Posts: 1,787	LH In my fuge I have miracle mud, live rock bits....and chaeto. __________________ Its not just a hobby, it's a lifestyle!!!! The 65 is gone the 110 is in, click the red house for the 110. *Updated Current Tank Info: 110 gal R/R AGA with 40 gallon DIY fuge/sump, 2 AI Sol Blue LED modules, RKL system, Vortech Powerheads, Softies, LPS and SPS. Fox Face, Coral Beauty, Goby, a mated pair of Midnight Black Photon Clowns, BTA, Sebae and small critters everywhere

11/27/2006, 01:20 PM	#116
Liquid Hobby Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 810	Just some updated pics at 3.5 weeks. Is there a coral buying addiction support group around??? I've not spent any RC time reading about photography... Frogspawn a day after siphoning part of the 3rd head in the back. He's not as extended as he has been (buttons in the back, they have since opened up): The Xenia with some other Xenia like coral on the rock: The trumpets plumped up nicely after a little cyclopese target feeding the night before (notice nice algae below...): The Zoas. The pic has little white spots on the tenticals that are not there in the tank. The flash must have gone off... Finally a full tank shot with the new cuke: __________________ 120 DT/200 G mixed reef: birthed on Dec 1, 2010 * Neptune Systems controller * 40G Sump + 40G Fuge which gravity feeds into DT * Huge Reef Octopus Skimmer * Calc, GFO and Carbon RXs * 2x250W 20K Radium MH with VHO supplement * 3600 GPH closed loop with OM 4 way * 1700 GPH return

11/27/2006, 01:24 PM	#117
newreefbishop Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Fort Lauderdale Posts: 1,787	Looking good my friend the pic with the Xenia, those are GSP....but I bet you know that by now.... __________________ Its not just a hobby, it's a lifestyle!!!! The 65 is gone the 110 is in, click the red house for the 110. *Updated Current Tank Info: 110 gal R/R AGA with 40 gallon DIY fuge/sump, 2 AI Sol Blue LED modules, RKL system, Vortech Powerheads, Softies, LPS and SPS. Fox Face, Coral Beauty, Goby, a mated pair of Midnight Black Photon Clowns, BTA, Sebae and small critters everywhere

11/27/2006, 02:32 PM	#118
Liquid Hobby Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 810	Is GSP part of the Xenia family? The look and act a lot like the GSP besides them not being green... __________________ 120 DT/200 G mixed reef: birthed on Dec 1, 2010 * Neptune Systems controller * 40G Sump + 40G Fuge which gravity feeds into DT * Huge Reef Octopus Skimmer * Calc, GFO and Carbon RXs * 2x250W 20K Radium MH with VHO supplement * 3600 GPH closed loop with OM 4 way * 1700 GPH return

11/27/2006, 02:44 PM	#119
newreefbishop Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Fort Lauderdale Posts: 1,787	Well let me clarify they are Star polyps, as far as the family I dont think so, but Im not sure on that. I will research it and let you know. But you can tell if its a star polyp when they retract you should only see a purplish "crust" I suspect with your lighting in 3 months or so they will be grawing like mad, and you will have to frag it and send me some __________________ Its not just a hobby, it's a lifestyle!!!! The 65 is gone the 110 is in, click the red house for the 110. *Updated Current Tank Info: 110 gal R/R AGA with 40 gallon DIY fuge/sump, 2 AI Sol Blue LED modules, RKL system, Vortech Powerheads, Softies, LPS and SPS. Fox Face, Coral Beauty, Goby, a mated pair of Midnight Black Photon Clowns, BTA, Sebae and small critters everywhere

11/27/2006, 03:36 PM	#120
BigJPDC Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 959	outstanding! That cuke looks crazy! Man you made me go to the LFS on the way home and they were closed! lol, maybe tomorrow for my first frag. What is the purple thing on the sand below the zoas? __________________ Rock in the tank is money not in my bank. Current Tank Info: 65 RR AGA

11/30/2006, 06:59 PM	#122
Liquid Hobby Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 810	Finally getting my fuge set up. I just put in 10lbs of rock pool bottom crud and 10lbs of rock rubble. It should have been 15lbs of crud and 5lbs of rock rubble... As the current combo takes up half the vertical space. Not much room left for cheato... Paid to have it 2nd day air shipped. It came in a box with styrofoam but no heat packs. The rocks and mud were quite cold to the touch. Found a dead tube worm and saw a live bristleworm. Not the abundance of live I expected. But I'll give it some time Put it in and let it settle. Before turning the return back on I ran a pump into a filter sock within the fuge to get out as much 'dust' as possible. Man that mud dust is super fine stuff... Now I can order some pods and begin pod production. Is there any reason to wait on adding pods? __________________ 120 DT/200 G mixed reef: birthed on Dec 1, 2010 * Neptune Systems controller * 40G Sump + 40G Fuge which gravity feeds into DT * Huge Reef Octopus Skimmer * Calc, GFO and Carbon RXs * 2x250W 20K Radium MH with VHO supplement * 3600 GPH closed loop with OM 4 way * 1700 GPH return

11/30/2006, 07:00 PM	#123
Liquid Hobby Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 810	I also added 3 little 1 1/2" blue/green chromis. All are doing well and eating. As soon as the lights go out they dissapear into the caves and rock work. My cuke was seen cruising the glass last night... What's it doing up there? Shouldn't it be working over my sand bed? __________________ 120 DT/200 G mixed reef: birthed on Dec 1, 2010 * Neptune Systems controller * 40G Sump + 40G Fuge which gravity feeds into DT * Huge Reef Octopus Skimmer * Calc, GFO and Carbon RXs * 2x250W 20K Radium MH with VHO supplement * 3600 GPH closed loop with OM 4 way * 1700 GPH return

11/30/2006, 08:04 PM	#124
Liquid Hobby Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 810	Check that... 2 out of the 3 chromis are eating and well, the other seems to be hiding in the rocks. I saw it earlier, but it did not come out for feeding... __________________ 120 DT/200 G mixed reef: birthed on Dec 1, 2010 * Neptune Systems controller * 40G Sump + 40G Fuge which gravity feeds into DT * Huge Reef Octopus Skimmer * Calc, GFO and Carbon RXs * 2x250W 20K Radium MH with VHO supplement * 3600 GPH closed loop with OM 4 way * 1700 GPH return

11/30/2006, 09:05 PM	#125
antdog Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: The Colony, TX Posts: 47	Liquid this is an awesome post! Excellent example of taking your time and doing things right!