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mikellini
05/06/2007, 06:15 PM
Hey everyone... just moved into the new place, and I've got my old 29 gallon with eclipse hood sitting around, so I thought I'd set 'er up. I'm planning on building a new hood sometime in the near future, but for now the old one shall remain. As this is meant to be very low maintenance (because I'm lazy), I'll need the best filtration I can get my hands on.

To start, the Remora is great for low maintenance. It skims great, more than enough for a standard stock 29 gallon, and the best part is the collection cup. This thing is HUGE and I can get away with dumping it every two weeks or so.

Along with the Remora, I will need a ton of live rock. I've got around 50 lbs of Jakarta that's been doing quite nicely in my 20, but it's a little crowded in there. I'm looking forward to moving that over in the next day or two. I'm also looking at getting a Tunze Nanostream 6025. Although the 660 GPH may be a little overkill, I'm thinking I can direct it toward my LR to break up the flow and increase the filtration.

I'm going with a SSB for a few reasons. First, with only about 1.5" of sand in the tank, it only holds 25 gallons of water. I'm trying to get the most out of the water I've got so that I won't need constant water changes. having a 4"+ sand bed would reduce this to less than 20 gallons. And personally, I think the denitrification from LR is more effective and efficient than the DSB. I would go BB but it looks gross, and requires more maintenance.

For other filtration, I'm looking at a HOB fuge or a modified AC 110... any votes one way or the other? Here are some pics as of today

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t296/mikellini/tankanglemay2007.jpg

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t296/mikellini/tankbottommay2007.jpg

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t296/mikellini/tanksidemay2007.jpg

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t296/mikellini/tanknightmay2007.jpg

Doglover_50
05/06/2007, 08:47 PM
go with the aquaclear. in fact if you could fit it, you could do one aquaclear, and get a 2nd and convert it to a fuge! my 16g bowfront has the cpr bak skimmer and an aquaclear, and chaeto gets strategically placed IN the tank.

mikellini
05/07/2007, 12:33 PM
Got it all moved last night. Didn't really like the look of all of the LR so I left a few smaller pieces out for now. What you think of the aquascape?

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t296/mikellini/tankrock1.jpg

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t296/mikellini/tankrock2.jpg

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t296/mikellini/tanklight1.jpg

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t296/mikellini/tanklight2.jpg

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t296/mikellini/zoo1.jpg

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t296/mikellini/zoo2.jpg

Mojo Jojo
05/07/2007, 01:09 PM
Looking good man just make some caves so the fish can swim through ... :)

chillaxe123
05/07/2007, 07:40 PM
what r u using for lighting

mikellini
05/07/2007, 07:52 PM
chillaxe123 - The light is a 65w PC retro I put into the eclipse hood a while back. It puts out great color, IMO, great for viewing, although a little underpowered. I'm planning on scrapping the hood and making one with 4x24w T5HO lighting. The 65w bulb I'm using right now is made by Current USA, the Sunpaq Daylight/Actinic.

joeyjoeq - I was thinking about moving that big flat rock on the back wall on the right, trying to make a shelf out of it... I don't really like where it is right now. I was thinking about breaking it too, but it's such a nice piece.

nbku3vm
05/07/2007, 07:59 PM
go with the AC110 convirsion to a fuge. I'm doing a 20gallon for my boy and I just did my convirsion yesterday. It was very simple. The hardest thing was cutting my baffles with a hack saw. My drimmle seems to be burnt out? I hope I have enough acrylic left over for a cover. Don't want my future fire fish jumping out on me.

nbku3vm
05/07/2007, 08:00 PM
So I guesse I can't spell conversion?

mikellini
05/07/2007, 08:06 PM
or guess, apparently... lol jk

StunnaShadez
05/07/2007, 08:48 PM
whoa mikellini. in your last pic of the zoos, there seems to be a zoanthid-eating snail in there. it has a spiral shell. look here: http://www.melevsreef.com/id/zoas.html
i found one on a rock with my red zoos that were declining. once i took it out, the zoos were much happier and now are growing quick

mikellini
05/08/2007, 03:59 AM
Wow thanks! I never would have known... I have noticed that they have been declining. I can't remember when I first saw the snail, but I thought it looked really cool so I kept it in there. Well, it's gone now ;) Thanks again

mikellini
05/09/2007, 02:15 PM
Ammonia: 0.1
Nitrate: <5
SG: 1.0248
pH: 8.1 just after lights out