July NTOTM Helfrich's 18g ADA (Dial up beware! Lots of pics!)

[Helfrichs Chic]

Hey all thanks for voting for my tank last month! I was told to put a brief description of my tank with more pics. So here ya go!

Plumbing: (or lack there of lol)
-Tank is a ADA 18gallon. Dimensions are 24x14x16
-Lighting is a 70w Metal Halide Viper 14k bulb
-I have a rio 400 (just upgraded from a 180) that is attached to a sufrace skimmer to remove the "oil" from the surface
-1 Additional rio 180 for more flow
-No filtration or skimmer on this tank, BUT when I do a WC I throw on a small "Liberty" filter to clear up the water for a few hours.

Livestock:
-Approx a 2 inch sandbed, seeded with, Fiji, California, Florida, and aquacultured live sand.
-Approx 15 lbs of live fock, Fiji, Kalini, and Tonga, a couple peices of Marshal Island as well.
-A pair of ORA picasso True Perc. Clownfish ($170.00 for the pair... I know someone will ask lol)
-1 very tiny six line wrasse.
-1 Blue Linckia Starfish about 6inches
-4-8 Scarlet Hermits
-1 Hawaiian Blue Banded hermit
-Mics. snails, astrea, nass. and some un-id snails.
-Approx. 35 Florida Ricordeas
-TONS of diffrent Zoanthids
-1 Neon Fungia
-1 Blue maxima clam
-Several sps, tort,montis, etc.
-Some awesome Macro algae (see new one in pics below)

Upkeep:
-Once a month I do a full range of tests with all Salifert kits including: (some I do just for grins lol like copper and ammonia)
Ammonia
Nitrate
Nitrite
Phosphate
Copper
Silicates
Magnesium
Iodine
Strontium
Oxygen
and Salinity
(I think thats all of them)

I use Oceanic salt that spremixed from a LFS (yep im lazy)
and keep my SG. at 1.023, and only do a water change when testing shows it needs it. Sometimes this is 3 months between changes, but I wont go any longer due to the trace elements being used up. I also dose with Seachem Strontium Seachem Magnesium, and Lugols Iodine. I also just got some Coral Accel that I am going to try soon.

Well I think that covers it but here are some pics, and again THANKS!
I found the first week tank pics so I have to show those first!
THEN:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/oldnanoliving-room.jpg http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/oldnanokitchenview.jpg
And NOW:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/newFTStoday-1.jpg http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/from-back.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/from-top.jpg
And some other pics: Enjoy.
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/Starpic.jpg http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/clowns-now1.jpg http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/beer-gut.jpg

[Helfrichs Chic]

And more:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/skittles2.jpg http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/rics.jpg http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/nice-top-down-shot2.jpg http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/top-down2.jpg http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/sexy-shroom.jpg http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/bambams.jpg

[Helfrichs Chic]

And more yet:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/AOGlookalikes.jpg http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/bomb-zoas.jpg http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/prettypurples.jpg http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/pink-panthers.jpg
LOVE this new macro!
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/purplemacro.jpg http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/purplemacrofromtop.jpg

[Helfrichs Chic]

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/orange-ric.jpg http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/sexy-shroom-1.jpg http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/frogspawn.jpg http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/fungia.jpg http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/blue-zoas.jpg http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/acro2.jpg

And thats it for now! Let me know if you want to see something close up and I will snap a few more pics!

[Slakker]

I love your tank...it's gorgeous! Your clowns are absolutely stunning, not to mention the top notch aquascaping.

Brilliant...well done! :)

[Eklikewhoa]

Beautiful!

[Eel-byte]

Nice setup!

[aznlmpulse]

That's a great looking tank! It's always amazing to see beautiful tanks with minimal filtration. There are so many nano's out there that go overboard with skimmers, filters and sumps and never look this good.

Awesome!

[nbaker]

Wow thats one stunning setup, well done :)

[danfrith]

Beautiful tank. Can we get a few more close up's of the SPS. Also, I would watch that macro that you like, If thats what I think it is (Dictoyota, Spelling) then it will spread like crazy and be hard to get rid of. Awesome corals and good luck in the future.

[ezcompany]

congratulations :)

[BlakDuc]

Where is the best place in the US to get these ADA tanks? They are really nice! Yours is awesome also.

[Cyclone123]

Very Nice!

Awesome photos too.

[chkit]

geez, i'm on a mission to make mine look as good.

[melev]

Love the colors, love the rics, love the zoas.... Sweet setup! :inlove:

[reefman13]

How do you like the Picasso's? I was thinking about getting a pair for my tank.

[Pyrrhus]

Kudos and huzzah!

[GreyhoundTrish]

Awesome. Your tank rocks!!! :) :thumbsup:

[mike1962]

Wow! Simply amazing! I hope that my tank will some day have some of the incredible beauty that yours offers to us all.

May I ask what camera and lens you took these shots with?

[Helfrichs Chic]

WOW thank you all. I LOVE my picassos.
Reefman. Unfortunatly I lost my male Picasso Phoenix about a week ago, but these clowns are AWESOME. Every night I put a glass rim on my tank to prevent jump outs, or crawling snails and unfortunatly I left a small slit open and sure enough he managed to get through it. I feel horrible, he was such a cool fish. Still in shock. Not that I can replace his personality but I do have ORA sending me another. RIP Phoenix, so bummed. I get really attached to my fish, heck I had someone offer me $1000.00 for my pair and I said nope, they are my babies. :(

GrandGixxer: you can get ADA tanks through some LFS now. Just ask your LFS. ADA was not originally US based, but now I think they have an ADA based out of TX. I love ADA! So nice to not see a big goop of silicone, and I mean really; isnt rimless just sexy!?! :) They arent cheap thou. I want to say mine was about $120. Worth every penny imo.

Danfrith: I do have some red Dictoyota macro. Here is a pic:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/redmacro.jpg

Its VERY slow growing thou. The purple is something diffrent... at least im pretty sure. Maybe someone can ID it for me, i even have a signed macro poster by Borneman and its not on there
:( I did manage to find this place: http://www.pacificcoralfarm.com/proddetail.asp?prod=purplealgae1
but they just call it macro grrrr. It however grows VERY fast and I am sure I will be giving bits of it away once it starts growing out of control. Honestly its one of my favorite things in my tank LOL!

Well again thank you all for our comments and voting for my ntotm!!

[Helfrichs Chic]

Oh and some of the REALLY close ups were with my sisters cannon eos 20 I think its called but most were with my little cannon sd600 elph.

[jhebi]

where did you get those clowns? I want to buy, they are very pretty....

[mwoneal]

great zoa's! Nice job on the layout too.

[chkit]

helfrich’s Chic doesn't have a helfrich in the tank?

[Helfrichs Chic]

LOL I totally would but open top + $200 fish that love to jump = me not happy.

Umm It looks like the July TOTM got shut down. I am sorry guys, I wasnt prepared to run it this month and in the process of trying to make everyone happy looks like it had too mny rule changes. :( Sorry!

[msn711]

How long has this tank been up? How long have you had the linkia?

[Helfrichs Chic]

Well the rock and sand have been going for about 18months. This actual tank (ADA) has been up for about 8months. The linckia has been with me for almost 6 years now. Love that guy. I feed him once a week with vitachem soaked prime reef. I soak the food for about an hour and then flatten a nice big chunk of it and turn off all powerheads. I take tweezers and slide it down by his mouth and he munches away. I ONLY feed him when he is up on the glass so the hermit pirates dont steal it lol. Many people flame me for having a linckia in a nano, but he does get fed every week and seems happy and healthy.

[afex]

dichtoya in a tank on purpose?

i had it in my last tank and it is a nuisance algea. uncontrolled growth and roots itself into the rock.

had to get a rabbitfish to clear it up.

good luck...

[Helfrichs Chic]

wow. Yea I put it in there lol. I have heard it gets out of control but I will keep it pruned. It started out growing like crazy but lately its been slowing way down. We will see what happens, I might end up hating it. Its right in front so easy to get to. Need to buy me those dang ADA scissors! But YIKES their like $100 or something nuts lol.

[northerncal]

helfrich....that is the nicest looking nano i have ever seen. the colors in that thing are unbelievable. any tips to a fellow nano owner on the sps? I dont have any in my tank yet...but hope to soon...im trying to figure out how to run my flow to keep sps happy....thanks and once again gorgeous tank!!!!

[dynaschm0e]

Beautiful tank! Great job. Thanks for sharing. -Trey

[mskurdah]

I love your tank (and the ORA clowns)! You said you have another one on the way from ORA. How did you order it? My LFS carries ORA, but is completely unaware of the picassos.

[wilcalil]

Helfrich’s Chic

No problems at all with the clam with only 70W MH?

I'm thinking get one my own, to put on my 24g, with 70 MH + 36W PL

[blandy]

can i have some more pics of your tank on a whole (like a step back view).

Also what does ADA stand for?

[BFG]

ADA- Amano Design Aquatic. Hail from Japan by it's creator, Mr Takashi Amano. He started the Zen Aquascaping for Planted aquarium, tank that has live aquatic plants in them. Premium stuff but they do work well. Had used his ADA Amazonia soil before for my planted tank, crystal clear water and the ph went down to around 5.5, good for south american fish species. Currently he has a yearly planted tank competition with entrant from around the world and will publish a magazine containing the entrant of the competition. For the top 3 winner, they have 2 pages detailing their setup.

Hope this helps!

[pardalis]

As everybody else has stated great tank! Keep up the good work.

[Helfrichs Chic]

Thanks Northern! While I am not new to SPS in any way... this tank somewhat is. They are high up and have since browned out and colored back up a totally diffrent color. SO weird lol. I did add a bigger rio, from a 180 to a 400, and then put the 180 back in (see plumbing pic). They seem fine and show new growth but its pretty slow, it was more of an experiement really with the SPS. I think my light is not enough and my flow needs to be beefed up a bit. I am in the works of figuring out how to hang or weld a "arm" to hang a 150 pendant (30ft ceilings). We will see but I DO need to upgrade light big time. For the money the viper is a pretty good little light!

OH and before anyone asks yes ghetto lol thats a cutting board that the vipers attached to!!! LMAO! I just dont trust that thin glass and hanging that viper on it. Hey it works! LOL.

Mskurdah: If your LFS orders from ORa they should be able to order them however there usually is a waiting list. I waited 8 month with no fish in my tank lol I was determined to have picassos. A LFS ordered me a replacement for Phoenix but poor little guy was DOA. I did have them order me another pair that they still have on hold for me that will go into my porp system. MAN I gotta get that prop tank up lol. I am seriously a picasso freak at this point. Just love their look.

Wilcalil: the clam is doing great, I do feed "stew" thats, phyto rotifers and artemia. I think that helps a bunch. Usually once a week.

Blandy, here ya go. Just took these a few min ago, had to use flash but you get the idea.
From Living Room/Dining Room
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/tank-w-flash-front.jpg
From Kitchen
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/tank-w-flask-from-kitchen.jpg
From Dining room
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/tank-w-flash-step-back.jpg
With a reef book for scale: everyone says the tank looks bigger than a 18g lol
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/tank-w-flash-book-for-scale.jpg
You can get an idea on just how small it is, and my plumbing, since lots of ya want to see the minimal stuff I use. It not "pretty" but honestly you dont even notice it.
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/tank-w-flash-from-far-away.jpg http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/tank-plumbing.jpg
OH and I had to show my new tank: 54 custom PROP system. Should have water in it by next month! YEA!
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/proptank.jpg

Thanks again to everyone and the nice comments.

[Helfrichs Chic]

Sorry I moved the prop pictures, here it is
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/PROP%20till%20ya%20drop/proptank.jpg

[mskurdah]

Thanks for the extra pictures. I just love your nano!

[robbie w]

very nice

[DivaMan]

Heres a website (european) that I found for ADA http://www.adaeuro.com/articoli.asp?id_f=AQACC

Helfrich’s Chic, Im just guessing that you feed very little???

[kevin4052002]

Amazing tank Helfrich's Chic. I love the Picassos!

[Ursus]

Very sweet setup! I was looking at your setup and wondered if you had thought about maybe having some sort of metal plate that is longer than the tank by about an inch or so sit underneath it. That way you could weld some sort of arm to hang a pendant from the plate. Idk if that will make any sense, but it looks cool in my head :)

[agiacosa]

ADA= Aqua Design Amano. The tanks are Cube Garden tanks. ADA is imported into the US by Aquarium Design Group (www.aquariumdesigngroup.com). Recently, ADA has gotten into the saltwater world.

[Helfrichs Chic]

Ursus, yea ADA actually has something like that for hanging lights on. My man is pretty good at doing stuff like that and it gives him a chance to be manly and weld lol. So hopefully this next month I will have something much nicer looking for the lighting, PLUS a nice 150w Phoenix pendant too!

DivaMan: I feed every day, sometimes twice, BUT while I soak all my foods in vitamins, I strain them all and feed the pellets made by ORA. I REALLY like these pellets! They are slow sinking and dont disintegrate like some I have seen. Usually the hermits find the extras....I also feed pellet by pellet to my fish LOL, and when frozen I feed one mysis at a time. Takes a little longer but honestly its the only way to go in a nano IMO.

[mhhauser321]

Could we get some more Pictures of those clowns?

[Helfrichs Chic]

^ yup. Here are a bunch in no real order.
Its cool to see the color change.
RIP Phoenix.
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/new_clowns_geting_darker.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/picassos_changing.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/Web_clowns1.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/clowns-new.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/clowns_getting_darker_2.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/clown_feeding_anemone.jpg

[mhhauser321]

cool thanks alot

[SeanF]

The Purple Algae is a species of Ochtodes but I haven't identified what species so I haven't updated it on our website yet. Beautiful tank you have there.

[Slakker]

I love the trimless tank...just amazing.

Might have to get one when I upgrade from the Eclipse tank...

[Helfrichs Chic]

You know I love open top/trimless too. I always have. I love the "look down" view. You really get to see all corals in their splendor. The only problem is fish jumping. Everyone asks me why I dont have a pair of Helfrichi Firefish , lol not a chance. I am in the process of making a very clean lid, out of thin strips of glass and fishing line. I will post it when its done. If all goes well It will prevent my replacement picasso from jumping, and my female from trying. Poor guy.

[jfgoldfire]

That's a very nice setup.
Have you seen the ADA tanks anywhere here in the Valley?

[Helfrichs Chic]

Yea I got this one at AT. I think someone else carries them too just cant remember. AT has the big one, I think its a 90gallon with overflo. ME WANT. Its like $800 !!! Ouch

[Helfrichs Chic]

Well got some Cespitularia. Blue Xenia, thought I would add the pics.

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/xenia6.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/xenia5.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/xenia12.jpg
In this pic its already attaching to the rock after only 1 week.
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/spreading-xenia.jpg

[dapellegrini]

Helfrich - that is a nice tank! I am thinking of doing something similar with an ADA Mini-M (5 Gallon) and perhaps the same light... Wondering if you attached the light directly to the tank? From one of your photos it appears that it is attached to a piece of white board behind the tank? I am curious to know how well that specific light works with a rimless tank - my concern being cracking the glass.

Thanks!

[Helfrichs Chic]

Hey Dan, I personally wouldnt reccomend it. The light is acually pretty heavy and the glass is Oh so thin. You can try it but I didnt want to risk it. Mine is attached to a cutting borad right now LOL. I actually have a new light that will be here this week, so no more cutting board YEA! HTH

[dapellegrini]

Thanks for the input! What fixture are you upgrading to? I was thinking of hanging an Aqua Medic 70w Pendant...

[PurpleUP]

It's amazing how you maintain such a magnificent tank without any filtration! I've been wondering for the longest time how and why the setup looked soooo clean, until I read your specs. Definitely one of my top 5 favorite nanos. Great work. You're not a bad photographer either.

[Helfrichs Chic]

WOW purple, so funny that IMO your nano blows mine totally outa the water lol. Yours is seriously insane, in a good way lol so I take that as a HUGE compliment!

Wellllll I finally got a 150watter on the tank. I modded a Coralife Aqualight clip on fixture, here are the pics. I ALSO hated the coralife bulb so switched it out with a Ushio 14k.

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/light-mod-2.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/light-mod.jpg

This fixture is gonna work "for now" but I think eventually I will bite the bullet and order the ADA one that slides under the tank. Sigh. Im sure its like $300.

[Rosseau]

Though you've heard this a bit already... I love this tank.

The clean look has been accomplished and it looks like you have some happy zoas and clowns :)

[CamBarr]

i dident think ada made a halide that slid under the tank i thought they were all PC

[vsnsofadrgn]

i LOVE your tank. im am goin to get on a waiting list for some picassos. i just love em.

[Helfrichs Chic]

You know Cam I think your right on that. Thinking about it I only have seen the PC and the hanging MH.

VSN hope you get a nice pair of clowns! BE SURE to post a pic in this thread when you do! I love to see other picassos!

[blandy]

Can i ask how u deal with topups and also dosing on this tank?

[SaltwaterChris]

Awesome tank.Love the color and those clowns :cool: I've never seen that kind before.Again AWESOME TANK:D

[REEF-n-Chicago]

Absolutely amazing! Just amazing..... WOW

[Helfrichs Chic]

Blandy, top offs are about every other day and its about a gallon I would say, its a large red mixing bowl that I use lol not real technical about it. As far a dosing goes I test for the basics and more including Iodine, strontium, Magnesium, even Oxygen lol. I enjoy testing and do it about every 2 weeks. Depending on what the reading are I dose appropriately. Thanks again all.

[firedogg2]

Great pics, beautful tank!!

[mimosa]

Great tank! Especially interesting since you are running it without a protein skimmer but with a surface skimmer. Any particular brand of surface skimmer, or is it DIY? Could you post a close up picture of the surface skimmer as it is not noticeable at all in the pictures?

Like the blue SPS with the red polyps. Also, could you post close up of all the SPS corals?

[danoreef]

that six line hasn't jump out yet?

I had mine for approx. 2 weeks before it leaped out of the open top. needless to say I now use glass on top.

I can't wait to see the DIY top made from glass and fishing line.

[reefman13]

How is the growth and color you are getting out of your new bulb?

Tank is awesome BTW.

[ronreef]

A very aesthetically pleasing tank to say the least. I was browsing through RC and came across your tank given I was looking for relatively novel ideas for a nano tank. I just may have found one.

What do you do about topoffs during extended times away from the tank? Like long weekends or vacations.

[ronreef]

Oh, questions about excessive heat. How do you keep the tank at the proper temperature? Is the ambient room temp enough to keep your tank temp stable with the metal halide?

[chem-e]

Helfrich’s Chic - Have you seen the glass lids for the ADA tanks? I take it you want something a little nicer, so that's why you're doing it yourself. BTW - That's one nice tank you've got there. :D

[mnml]

*drool* your tank is inspiring! me likey!

[Helfrichs Chic]

Mimosa, Cant get a pic of the SPS, I had a little crash when I was forced to move the tank twice on a week. Lost all sps except the caps, digis, and once nice green/blue polyp sps. Lost all my rics too! :( HOWEVER I bought myself 30 more last weekend LOL! Cant go having my tank with no rics, that is NOT happening LMAO. Im so bad. I will get pics up ASAP! The surface skimmer is some litle cheapie $20 that attaches to a powerhead. The RIO is gone now too, and added a Koralia, its not the nano one but the next one up, cant remember lol. The surface skimmer is on the right, here is a pic... http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/tank-plumbing.jpg

Dano the sixliner is GONE. As usual I didnt listen to myself, and figured hey this sixliner will be diffrent and not aggressive LOL WRONG AGAIN. Had to get rid of him, funny story I caught him by hand actually lol. He was trained to eat from my hand and never was a timid fish so just got him in the corner and grabbed him. He was picking on Chops my female Picasso too much and im not having that! I love her. She also eats out of my hands.

Dano, the reason for the top is because months ago my male picasso jumped. Devistated. I have ordered in like 6 more but none have been to my liking so I still am waiting for just the right one. Not gonna drop $200 for a non-picasso looking picasso ya know. IF ANYONE has seen a nice picasso PLEASE PM ME.. lol thanks.

I will get to making the top asap, but things have been NUTS with the move and getting all settled in.

Reefman: WELL lemme tell you. I was thinking.... EH light acclimation-smacluation. I used 4 layers of egg crate instead of screen. DUMB MOVE LOL. I burnt everything REALLY BAD. I had in a 150 Ushio, and honestly I think its just too much. I have in now a 150 JBJ bulb, color is too purple for me, but the colors on the corals are FANTASTIC. My purple death palys are sprouting new heads it seems like every day! Same with my Nuclear greens but a bit slower than the PDs. The only thing thats not colored back up after the "Burn of 07" is my AOG zoanthids. Bummer they were AMAZING, and honestly I dont think they will get color back.... if they do its gonna be a LONG while. I am thinking about getting a Phoneix bulb, but I just blew $400 on my rics so thats gonna have to wait for a bit LMAO. Man I love my rics!

Ronreef: Im flattered that you like my tank so much. As far as top offs, I do things that most people would cringe at LOL. If I go outa town for a day or 3 I dont worry about it, I just top it off before I go feed the fish and off I go. The heat hasnt been an issue in the new house at all but again its winter. I keep the house now at 72 and the heater in the tank just kicks on, its set to 79. I will probally have the house at 78 in the summer, and I am sure it will get up to about 82ish. Right now its a constant 79.

Chem: NO I havent seen them. Can you get me a link? Interested in it but I never liked glass because of the condedsation/salt creep. PLUS I LOVE the look down on this tank, the colors from that view are freaking amazing. When I look down at my little growing colony of Purple deaths its just AWESOME, little tear rolls down my face. :lol: It would be a good idea to have just for every day use however, to help with top offs.

I had to move out of an now Ex boyfriends house and he still has my camera cable but I WILL get new pics us ASAP so you all can see the progress, and the new RICS! Thanks all for the comments and questions!

Happy new year and happy REEFIN!

[Helfrichs Chic]

Thought I would add the new Rics.
They are still not fully open, but are setteling in nicely!
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/IMG_2240.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/IMG_2248.jpg

[WZHANG]

wow amazing tank. Nice collection of corals and I dig the aquascape.

[nanotrigger]

Your tank is beautiful. I love the aquascaping.

[SaltwaterChris]

Sorry to here that you lost so much from just a move that's a bummer but from the new pics your tank still looks totaly AWESOME:cool:

[aspinn]

tiny bit of a necro post but WOW really nice =) if u get a chance i would love to see some updated pics! shame to hear about he crash =( but the new rics are looking good!

[mskurdah]

So it looks like your Linkia survived the tank move(s)....yeah!

I just love your Nano. It's so inspirational. Why is it so hard for me to make a tank like this.

[SaltwaterChris]

Any updates? I finialy got squared away with saltwaterfish.com and I have a nice looking pair of picasso's there bars are already staring to conect no black yet but we'll see there eating well and I got them a rbta to host in and as soon as I put it in they went for it:D

[Jimbo327]

Dang, sorry to hear about the crash of all your sps and rics, it looks like you are starting over. Haha, you don't spend any time, 30 rics at a time.

[Helfrichs Chic]

Oh updates...... yea I hate this tank LMAO!! It was for about a year and 1/2 perfect. Didnt have to do anything to it, it was by FAR my favorite tanks that I have had over the years.... and then...
I added the rics, they got burned by a light change and I lost most of the new 30. Waited a while, go some more, they had a bacterial thing going on and lost most of the AGAIN! I hate to say its its the TOTM curse lol. Tank still "looks good" when people come see it but to me its just not the same without my rics :( I think I do what many a reefer does, stuff 10lbs of coral in a 5 lb tank so to speak. When running a naked tank you gotta keep that balance and I think I just have it out of whack < too bad I dont practice what I preach lol!

Thats about $1000 in rics this year folks :sad1:

Unfortunatly I am giving up on this nano. I am actually upgrading to a new ADA the 49ish gallon one with overflow. Pretty excited about it, and will throw up pics when I get it. Dimensions are 36x18x18 if I recall correctly. It will be in the center of my room, so viewable from all sides, open top of course with some nice equipment and a Guiseman 250 MH above in a custom built hanging canopy.

SW CHRIS: Make sure you post up pics of your picassos!! I am STILL waiting for one that I think is nice enough LOL, I found a hook up and will probally grab one within a couple weeks. Once I get mine I will post where I got it lol. ;)

Well here are a few recent pics, subtract the rics of course, GOD that ticks me off lol! Hey at least my purple deaths and nuc greens are taking off, glad SOMETHING is going ok LOL.
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/topdown.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/nucgreens.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/clam1.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/FTS.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/AOG.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/PDS.jpg

[mnml]

sorry to hear about your rics but your tank is still lookin mighty sexay

[SaltwaterChris]

Your tank still looks realy nice and I'll post some pic as soon a my rbta move back into view check out my thread and tell me what you think mine doesn't look half as good as yours.

[myreefcentral]

did you get your picasso yet? and what's the update on the 49 gallon?

[brad2048]

beautiful. love the rics

[Project7Studios]

Congrats on it! Albeit a bit late! haha. I cant seem to find any information on a surface skimmer via searching so Im bringing this back from the dead! =X

You listed two powerheads, one of which was attached to a surface skimmer.

What surface skimmer did you use? How does it work? And where can I get it?

I am starting a tank with just two powerheads for water movement but wanted to control the grime on the top. From the couple pics you took, I think what youre using is perfect!

Are there other products that are simple and help to "skim" the surface gunk.

Any info is greatly appreciated!

Thanks!!!

[Helfrichs Chic]

Wow from the dead for sure! I think its is a Fulval and it was like $20 ish. I even found one on ebay for like $7.00

I took off the long extesion that comes with it and used the elblow that is provided. I used about 4'' of 3/4'' black tubing and wedged it on the elbow. I then had to get one of those little baskets to help keep the powerhead attached (I think its a rio 150? Maybe a 50, coraline covered and I forget). I will snap some pics for you this weekend, but its a pretty easy fix and works GREAT. You do have to make sure you adjust the skimmer just right tho.

[REEF-n-Chicago]

glad to see this thread back.... love the tank!

Did you upgrade yet?

[FUA]

cant get over the look of those clownfish

[Helfrichs Chic]

Upgrading SOOON! I just bought a house and in the livingroom there is a NICE 10x2 foot set back in one of the walls PERFECT for a tank, I am thinking 8ft x 2ft x 2.5ft. Open top and just lower than eye level so you can view it from the top. We will see, not closing until December so it will be a while. Thsi has been a great system but I am ready to move on. lol.

[BetterMetalReef]

Was wondering what kind of care you give your Blue Linckia. Do you specifically feed it anything? Any particular care you give it? Thanks.

[Helfrichs Chic]

Yes I do hand feed him. It involves turning off all water movement and with tweezers feeding him prime reef bits soaked in vita chem. About once every 2 weeks.

Here is a pic of the surface skimmer set up, and its a rio 900, had to scrape the coraline off to read it lol.
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/IMG_2730.jpg

[weakspleen]

Very impressive, great work.

[Helfrichs Chic]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13656248#post13656248 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by REEF-n-Chicago
glad to see this thread back.... love the tank!

Did you upgrade yet?
FINALLY! Upgraded in a big way! Pretty excited, it is a custom 110gallon Starphire Oceanic RR tank. I actually found it off Craigslist turn key. Will post up some pics, maybe next weekend, while I am moving it. :D

[mnml]

wowsers! that's a pretty nice upgrade! can't wait to see it

[E.intheC]

just read through this thread. Excellent tank! Sorry to hear about your ric's and your clownfish. Any luck finding a new one?

Do you have any pictures of the 110 setup yet? That sounds exciting!

[ReeferChick85]

Love the tank!! Looks beautiful! Your zoas and ric garden looks soo nice! :)

[rivensteve13]

sweet tank indeed

[SaltwaterChris]

Please post pics :D

[SaltHammerX]

awesome zoa's and ric's. it would be nice to see what it looks like now :D

[Helfrichs Chic]

Since this post is kinda back lol I will share the new 110 stuff ;)
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=15428923#post15428923

Sooo here are a couple pics of the ADA from last week... not nearly as nice as it used to be and the sacpe is a bit messed up lol.
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/4234_1095034695066_1202548413_30257.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/4234_1095034815069_1202548413_30257.jpg
And I DID get a new clown!!! I love him but I cant decide if he is ugly or cute so I call him ugly-cute. He has not paired up with my picasso yet, he is a Occ and she is a Perc so they may never but I think its gonna happen, he is REALLY into pairing up but she is not having it... she is such a BRAT! I think once they go onto the 110 and she doesnt have HER territory then they will pair up.
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/HelfrichChick/dark1.jpg

[FUA]

nice pic updates

[SaltwaterChris]

Good to see your still out there tank still looks awesome :D

[E.intheC]

really like the colors of that new clown!

[SaltwaterChris]

Any updates? and I thought I would bring this thread back to the front so more people could see this amazing tank it's one of my top ten favorites.

[Y-Diver]

This tank truely is incredible! The aquascape gives the tank a much larger feel! I would love to see updated pics!