aztb's 180g "all-built" thread

[aztbs]

My 180 gallon reef tank has been up and running for 2.5 years at the time of this thread starting. I have documentation of little pieces of it all over the place, but I have been asked enough for my "build thread" so I thought I would assemble one that is complete.
Forgive me for my long winded blabbing. I also have an over-abundance of pictures so this will take a while.

My story starts with my 55 gallon reef tank that was a mess!! In 1999, a local store sold me a 36" Custom Sea Life 2x96W pc fixture for a 48" tank. I was setting it up as a fowlr tank with the hope of going reef and it was going to be "everything I needed". I paid almost $500 for it! Ouch! I ran FO on and off until 2002 when I finally attempted soft corals. For about 2 years, I made every mistake that a new reefer could and did everything after-the-fact as I learned about how it all works. It could have been much worse, but the dream for the 180 room divider/peninsula tank was in the making. I was going to do this one right.

I have two major blessings to thank for this tank. First is my extra-skilled, DIY-master husband, Bill. Second is the reefcentral community, especially my local FRAG group.

So, all that blabbing aside.. let's start at the beginning! For what I paid, I nearly stole this 180 gallon tank ( I am pretty sure it is a Lee-Mar) that was pre-drilled, had the end overflow already installed. It is 72"x24"x24", fit perfectly in the room, and was setup just like I wanted. It was meant to be! This tank was 2yrs old and had never held water!!

So once I had the glass (I can't believe I have no pics of carrying the tank through the door), it was time for a stand!

...

[aztbs]

11/14/2005

I decided on steel stand because Bill had plenty of welding experience, I liked the clean, stable look of them and the easier access to equipment. So we start with a pile of steel:

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/001stand1-111405.jpg

Then a good amount of time prepping/cleaning steel:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/002stand2-111405.jpg

Then Bill gets to welding:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/003stand3-111405.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/004stand4-111405.jpg

What better way to keep all the sparks from hitting the truck on the driveway? :lol:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/005stand5-111405.jpg

12/03/05

Finally done, front and back:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/006stand6-120305.jpg

Now, I understand that this thing is WWWAAAAAYYYYYYYYYY overbuilt. That's how we like to do things. I still have dreams about leaks/floods, etc.
The steel plate in the front allowed for a nice wide OPEN area for me to access the sump, skimmer, and plumbing under the tank. This worked out very well over time!

[aztbs]

Bill is 6ft tall, it' perfect! :D
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/007stand7-120305.jpg


12/14/05

Merry Xmas to me!! It's back from the powder coaters!!
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/009stand9-121205.jpg

We cut a 1/2" piece of plywood and a 3/4" piece of styrofoam to go under the tank. The bottom glass of this tank is flush with the edges and sits on the floor. We hoped that the styrofoam would help cushion the tank and help with unlevel areas of the plywood/stand. I do not know if this is really necessary, but it makes me feel good. :P
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/008stand8-121405.jpg


And here is the tank and stand together for the first time. :love2:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/010stand10-122205.jpg

[aztbs]

12/23/2005

Ready for the first "do I hold water?" test... OUTSIDE! This tank sat empty for a long time so I was nervous.

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/011fwtest1-122305.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/012fwtest2-122305.jpg


01/22/2006

The stand comes to its final resting place. Note the poor 55g in the background:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/013setup1-012206.jpg


02/20/2006

You may be able to make out the drilling of the end wall in this picture. The overflow runs across this end of the tank, but behind the acrylic wall, it is actually divided in to three sections. The drain is in the middle. The two outer sections were setup for some kind of closed loop maybe? There were three hole in each and a couple of miscellaneous loc-line and baskets.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/014setup2-012306.jpg

For now, I decided to stick in four powerheads, two on each side. Of the three holes, two would have the outputs for the powerheads and one would be a basket to help get water in to that compartment. The teeth at the top also allowed water to flow to the powerheads.
I used a durso standpipe. In order to prevent fish/snails/crabs etc, from getting to the sump, I drilled a whole bunch of holes in some PVC and then capped it to make a basket-like intake.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/016setup4-022006.jpg

You may also be able to see in the above picture that the acrylic teeth cut in to the overflow wall just weren't cutting it when it came to flow-through. I busted all of the teeth out and replaced them with plastic gutter guard.

[aztbs]

I got a 60 gallon 48" tank from a LFS to use as my sump. In this pic, it does not have any baffles yet, but we were working on plumbing and needed it for testing. You can also see that we installed a thin piece of plywood for the stand to sit on to protect scratching up/denting our wood floor, and we have another piece cut for the sump to sit on to help keep the floor dry/undamaged.
The return pump is a Mag12.
Disregard the check valve on the return. This was a bad idea. It is useless because when the power fails, the sudden reverse of water flow makes the valve hammer up and down and all the water that is going to back flow makes it to the sump anyway. :mad2:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/015setup3-022006.jpg

When you buy a secondhand tank that is predrilled to someone else's design, it is sometimes difficult to make the plumbing work to your own design. Here is my return from the sump. The pump pushes up through the hole in the bottom of the tank, splits and runs up each corner to output near the top of the tank. The other hole next to it has been capped and never used.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/017setup5-022006.jpg

A peninsula tank offers many challenges. I really wanted all of the plumbing/electrical to be hidden and it all has to run down to the other end. Nothing can be outside of the three viewing sides of the tank. I chose to run the returns up the corner to get clean water to the opposite side as the overflow and to create more flow at the far end.

Time for another freshwater test to see if my plumbing skills were up to par.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/018setup6-022006.jpg

[aztbs]

03/15/2006

We decided to build what we call "the bathtub" to hold the sump. It is just made of plywood, and is tall enough to be able to hold a pretty significant leak/spill from the tank or sump. This has been used plenty when the skimmer decides to overflow and spit water past the sump, or when I take pumps out for maintenance and spill the bit of water from the plumbing.
Here's Bill working on the bathtub. I know it looks like I didn't do any of the work, but really, it is just that I am taking all of the pictures. Really.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/019setup7-031506.jpg

Once the bathtub is assembled, we used caulk to seal all the corners. I suppose we could have gotten carried away and used fiberglass/resin to really water seal this. But we caulked and then painted the whole thing with several coats of Kilz primer. It does hold water well enough for its purpose.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/020setup8-031506.jpg


03/19/2006
Finally, I used the Handi-Foam black spray foam to cover my PVC returns and my overflow wall with a texture that could grow in to look more natural over time and make the plumbing less obvious. (and it really does!)
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/021setup9-031906.jpg

[PreacherMan607]

WOW! Looking good so far. I also used the black pond foam when i set up my 180. And after about a month it pulled away from the sides and back. Ever heard of it doing that before?

[aztbs]

04/01/2006

I call this the "fool's tank" because I am a fool and because it was filled with salt water for the first time on April 1st.

I used 150 pounds of SILICA PLAY SAND from Home Depot. *gasp* I simply couldn't bring myself to spend $200 or more on sand. We had been doing everything DIY and/or as inexpensively as possible. So, I read and read and read and read and decided to go for the play sand. The Southdown days were over and it was not available in my area.

So here is my overflow wall, under saltwater.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/026setup14-040106.jpg

And here is a better look at the gutter guard and behind the overflow:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/027setup15-040106.jpg

It was time to get some lights on!

I purchased a 6x80W T5 retrofit kit with 2 icecap 660 ballasts. My tank is 72" long and the bulbs are only 60" long, but once you take off the end overflow, it works out pretty well. I picked a variety of giesemann bulbs: 2 actinic, and 2 blue plus, 2 aquablue. This was way way too blue, so I traded the aquablues in for two sun 6500K. Over time I think I went with 2 actinic, 1 blue plus, 1 sun and 2 aquablue(11000K).

I decided to go with T5 after giving myself a pretty serious burn on a MH bulb on my 55g. Besides being cheaper for a tank this size, I just felt like I could get better coverage with less wattage. My 55 had 2x175W bulbs and I was tired of hot spots and shadows.
I also prefer the ability to dial in color with the number of bulbs I run. I like that the canopy does not have to be so tall. I like that you can turn the bulbs off and they come back on right away. The ballasts are so quiet compared to my magnetic MH ballasts and they are smaller. Those are my opinions, I don't want to talk about the detailed MH vs. T5 debates!! :D

To get the retrofit lights on the tank, we needed a canopy. I had lofty goals to complete skin the stand/canopy in a nice hardwood, but we weren't there yet, so we decided to build a "temporary" canopy. Never call anything temporary because it was on the tank for over 2yrs!!

Here we have framed a very simple box to sit on the tank. The end is open where it sits over the overflow.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/022setup10-040106.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/023setup11-040106.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/024setup12-040106.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/025setup13-040106.jpg

[aztbs]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13449517#post13449517 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PreacherMan607
WOW! Looking good so far. I also used the black pond foam when i set up my 180. And after about a month it pulled away from the sides and back. Ever heard of it doing that before?

Thank you! The foam is ridiculously buoyant. There are a couple of tips to keep it attached.

1- Don't apply it too thick.
I really use it just for a thin texture because I do not like the look of coralline algae growing on a flt surface. It is also easier to glue frags on foam that on to glass. It doesn't need to have huge bumps or depth.

2- Make sure that the glass/acrylic is clean and dry before applying.
I used a little vinegar to prepare the surface and dried it really really well.

3- Work the foam while it dries!
As soon as the sticky mess has dried with a skin over it, start pushing on it. The foam continues to expand for some time, and air pockets inside can cause it to pull semi-cured areas away from the glass. Push the foam in to the glass repeatedly and squoosh out all of the bug air pockets and smash the foam into the tank wall really well. Keep your eye on things for about 30 minutes or so while the foam cures. If you have really thick places, it will expand for hours and the center won't dry that well.

I have never had foam pull away, but I have seen it happen. I also found that most urchins will eat into it while trying to graze on coralline algae. :eek:

[aztbs]

And we have light!

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/028setup16-040106.jpg

Here's the whole tank, and my doggie that wanted to be in the picture:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/029setup17-040106.jpg

You can see in the sump, I have a small section where the drain comes down and I have a reverse-durso drain to keep it very quiet. Then there is a baffle to reduce bubbles.
Next is the chamber for the skimmer. I put on an old RedSea Berlin skimmer right away while I waited for the ASM G4-X skimmer to arrive in the mail.
Then it goes over/under/over with baffles to a section that will be the refugium. Then there is over/under/over with baffles to go to the return section.

[aztbs]

04/02/2006

Here we have a 28" gap between the tank and the wall where more equipment is going to go. On the other side of the wall, there is a bathroom sink. ;)
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/030setup18-040206.jpg

So that means we have to cut a hole in it! This is another part where having a supportive and wonderful spouse makes all the difference! :lol
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/031setup19-040206.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/032setup20-040206.jpg


04/03/2006

We've built a stand/rack for all of the tank supporting equipment. This tall skinny chamber is my "fish room". :rollface:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/033setup21-040306.jpg

I've added a couple chunks of live rock from the 55 as well as two black mollies. You can kind of see them in the tank in this picture below. The mollies ended up multiplying like mad, I had babies growing in the refugium for a while. As I started to add more fish, the mollies eventually disappeared. (eaten?)

The mollies were REALLY good algae grazers. They kept things in control as my tank went through a mild diatom phase. The down side is they somehow magically transform what they eat in to twice as much mass in poop! :fish1:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/034setup22-040306.jpg

[aztbs]

04/08/2006

On this Saturday, we decided we were going to go to CA (from Phoenix,AZ) to get us some live rock. The prices at our local stores were just beyond the ability for my wallet to bear.

We left the house at 5AM and headed to Ocean Pro Aquatics. We helped pay for gas by picking up rock for a few other people while we were there. I hand picked all of my live rock and we dashed home. I got a great selection of Figi, Premium Tonga Branch, Marshall Island, and Kaelini rock in gorgeous shapes and giant pieces. Add up my gas money and lunch on the road and it all cost me about $4/lb total. Well worth the trip!

We made it back to the house around 6PM and I got aquascapin'. Look, I am in a picture!

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/035rock1-040806.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/036rock2-040806.jpg

Look, the mollies are hanging around in their newly remodeled home.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/037rock3-040806.jpg

You can see here where we shoved styrofoam in to the spaces in the stand. It protected the sofa from salt spray and provided a little noise barrier. It worked great!

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/038rock4-040806.jpg

[aztbs]

Here's the shots of the rock and sand storm from both sides:

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/039rock5-040806.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/040rock6-040806.jpg


This is the view that I see when I am lying on the sofa:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/041rock7-040806.jpg

Here's a shot from the short end:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/042rock8-040806.jpg

[aztbs]

04/14/06

Time to do more work on the canopy. The lights needed some fans on them.

Here we have cut out six holes with a hole saw. I bought a pack of 6 CPU fans from Fry's Electronics store for $24.99. I also bought a power adapter to be able to wire them in.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/043canopy1-041406.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/044canopy2-041406.jpg

There is one fan blowing right down each of the six bulbs:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/045canopy3-041406.jpg

For a few extra bucks, I got these foam filters and covers for the outside of the fans. They catch a ton of dust and dog hair and need to be rinsed out frequently, but I am sure glad that it isn't getting in to the tank.

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/046canopy4-041406.jpg

Here's the newly-improved canopy on the tank:

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/047canopy5-041406.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/048canopy6-041406.jpg

[savethereef]

Welcome to the Penninsula Club. We have the same Dims on tanks. Can i see some more pictures of you plumbing?

[aztbs]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13450350#post13450350 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by savethereef
Welcome to the Penninsula Club. We have the same Dims on tanks. Can i see some more pictures of you plumbing?

Thanks. I don't think I could ever have a non-peninsula tank again. (Unless it was viewable 360deg) :lol:

I am not sure how many plumbing pics I have other than what is posted so far. I will see what I can find.

[aztbs]

04/20/2006

Now we started working on the "fish room". We installed a shelf at the half way point and divided the top section in half vertically. One side was going to have a frag/QT tank and the other side would be dedicated to all things electrical.

In this shot, you can make out the division:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/049tank1-042006.jpg

Here we have put up the frag tank, a 20gallon-high. It has a U-shaped tube that keeps a siphon between it and the larger tank. A small powerhead pushes water to the large tank and then air pressue/matching water height keeps the levels even and the small tank is connected to the big system.

Removing the U-tube would allow me to QT anything separate, although I could not medicate if I wanted to reconnect the systems later. This tank was mostly made for staging frags as I buy them.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/051tank3-042106.jpg

Here you can see that the 55 is now mostly empty because it has all been transferred in to the big tank. I have put some sand/rock and macro algae in the refugium. I put a aluminum work reflector and a standard CF light bulb with a 5400K rating over the fuge. I got all this stuff at Walmart for about $15.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/052tank4-042106.jpg

[aztbs]

As for the electrical side, Bill installed an electrical subpanel dedicated just for the tank. It has 4 breakers, and each one has its own GFI outlet. Here is the beginnings of turning the electrical mess in to electrical order.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/050tank2-042006.jpg

Close up, here is the mostly finished "control panel". The ice cap ballasts are mounted at the top next to the electrical box. The small blue thing underneath is the power supply for all of the fans.
Then there are two powerstrips for a bunch of plugs. The bottom strip has all of the lights on X10 controllers and that alarm clock thing is the timer that controls them all.
Then there are the handy flashlight holders.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/054elec2-042106.jpg

Backing up, there is another long powerstrip underneath that is most of the plugs from the sump. The big blue barrel is my top-off reservoir. I am able to fill it with 30 gallons of kalkwasser which lasts about a week - 10 days depending on ambient temp and humidity. On top of the barrel is a peristaltic pump (kangaroo) that drips the kalk in to the tank to match the evap rate. It runs 24x7 and the drip rate needs to be occasionally adjusted.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/053elec1-042106.jpg

Back up even further and here is a shot of the room:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/055elec3-042106.jpg

[aztbs]

05/03/2006

Here's a sump shot with plumbing. The return comes straight out of the mag 12 and up into the bottom of the tank. You couldn't get much simpler. There is a ball valve and a union to be able to take the pump out for cleaning. The other hole in the tank has a bulkhead and a ball valve/union but I have never used it. It is capped and the ball valve is closed.
I added a clip on fan in the sump to help keep the temperature of the tank down.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/056plumb1-050306.jpg

Here is the ASM G4-X in action. I put a foam pad from an old cannister filter around the skimmer pipe to help reduce the splashing noise. I worked well and got rinsed whenever I dumped the skimmer.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/057skimmer1-050306.jpg

This is a huge collection cup full of stink!
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/058skimmer2-050306.jpg


05/07/2006

The 55 is gone gone gone. It is strange to have an empty wall there.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/059tankgone-050706.jpg

[aztbs]

I will return to continue the saga tomorrow. I have to dig up/organize some more pictures.

[ADA33]

When will we see the hood lift :)

[reef_only]

Great built. Keep more pics coming!

[aztbs]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13466981#post13466981 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ADA33
When will we see the hood lift :)

How did you know that the lift was the next part? We built it right away so we didn't have to take the canopy on and off for water changes.

First, here is what I initially did with my little 20G next to the big tank:

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/060fragtank1-051306.jpg

It was great in the beginning, but grew too ugly to look at after a while!

Thanks, reef-only. Never fear, I have a ton more pictures!!

[aztbs]

05/13 - 05/24/2006

So after some serious head scratching about how to easily access the tank, we built a motorized canopy lift out of a junked old rascal scooter. I won't rehash all of this again, but here are some build pics
:
The scooter motor:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/061lift1-051406.jpg

Some beautiful, shiny all-thread and the custom bracket that travels the length:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/062lift2-051406.jpg

The flat bracket that attaches to the canopy and the poles heading into the attic:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/063lift3-051606.jpg

A small part of the attic setup:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/065lift5-052306.jpg

The motor and chain drive all set up to turn the lift:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/066lift6-052306.jpg

Covering the tank to drill the holes though the ceiling, trying to get the poles straight:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/064lift4-051606.jpg

[onefish2fish]

looks great so far! i personally would have put 3 fans on either side of the hood, 3 blowing air in and 3 blowing out, that way air flows through it better and it runs cooler.. anyways its looking great.

[aztbs]

We quickly wired the batteries so that they were down inside the house and out of the Arizona hot attic temperatures. It is all still a 12V system, and we just throw a charger on them occasionally to keep it running.

Here's some still shots of our final acheivement:

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/067lift7-052406.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/068lift8-052406.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/069lift9-052406.jpg


For a lot more detail on the lift build, a bunch more pictures and a couple of videos of it in action, go to this thread:

What does a rascal scooter and a 180 gallon aquarium have in common? (lots of pics) (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=851618)

[aztbs]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13474320#post13474320 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by onefish2fish
looks great so far! i personally would have put 3 fans on either side of the hood, 3 blowing air in and 3 blowing out, that way air flows through it better and it runs cooler.. anyways its looking great.

My experience with my 55 taught me that fans taking humid salty air through them and pushing it out of the tank don't last very long and they need to be cleaned often. With all these fans blowing in with filters, the fans have run every day for more than 2 years and have only been cleaned once. The little foam pads get rinsed and put back on. It's great, and lets me run really cheap fans!

My other advantage was that the opposite end of the canopy was wide open, so the air had the perfect path to escape.

I thoroughly agree with what you are saying, but I had another trick up my sleeve, coming later on. Thanks for your input!

[aztbs]

So for tonight, I leave you with a couple of full tank shots:

06/17/2006

The north side:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/070ftsnorth1-061706.jpg

The south side:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/071ftssouth1-061706.jpg

The east end:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/072ftseast1-061706.jpg

I will continue this thread next week! (out of town until Tues :) )

[aztbs]

So I missed an important picture in the process. This was part of the planning almost a year before the tank was in place. Look at the giant crack in the foundation!!
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/073floorprep1-030305.jpg

There was easily a 1in difference between the high side and the low side of the floor. Lots of floating, griding, and prep and then we put in laminate floors.

This is what happens when a lazy reefer decides to get rid of insane purple walls from the previous home owner and doesn't want to move the 55 gallon reef out of the way. We had a little painting to fix up. lol

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/074floorprep2-020505.jpg

So those of you thinking about putting a big salty tank on to brand new laminate floors, please think again. It was not long before there were buckles and warps from water spills.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/075floorprep3-030505.jpg

I highly highly highly recommend tile. Beside, my dogs slip like crazy on the laminate.

[aztbs]

09/22/2006

At this point, the 20 gallon frag tank next to the big tank was looking ugly. I bought a separate little 20g long tank to use for quarantine and I had some big plastic tubs to use for fragging/re-aquascaping days. I spent a lot of time on my belly on the floor staring at all the odd critters in the refugium, so I decided to turn the attached 20g into a display refugium and grow unusual algae.

So I decided to give it the spray foam treatment, and because I had a lot of askers, I documented the process as well as I could.

I do not have any holes drilled nor is there an overflow in this little tank. I had a nice SEIO powerhead to use, but I didn't want to worry about the intake getting all clogged up with algae bits. So I used a sheet of this handy plastic black grid that you can buy in craft stores or at Walmart in the crafty section. You know, it is the stuff that people cross-stitch up with yarn to make adorable little tissue box cozies.

I built it in to a corner shield where the powerheads could hide. It would keep them safe from floaties in the water and out of plain site.

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/076twentyg1-092206.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/077twentyg2-092206.jpg

I stuck it in the corner with 2-part epoxy. The fancy purple deltec kind was all I had. It's my favorite epoxy, but I would have used something cheaper for out-of-site projects, but I was too lazy for another trip to the hardware store. That pic kind of makes it look like chewing gum. lol

Then comes prepping the tank for the foamage. I cleaned the glass real well and finally wiped it down with some vinegar. Then I taped off any part that should not be stained for all eternity with black foam.

***Side note **** DO NOT GET THIS STUFF ON YOUR SKIN ****

seriously

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/078twentyg3-092206.jpg

So you start to spray in the tank. It is best to lay the tank down so that you are working with a flat surface. It does not hold very well initially and working with vertical walls is trying and it is guaranteed that you will get black foam on your arm somewhere and wear it to work for a week.

At this point, the tank reminds me of when a big flock of geese goes through your yard. It's poopy and I would never want my tank wall to look like this.

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/079twentyg4-092206.jpg

This is where is gets exciting. The foam will expand for quite a while as it cures. It will be stickier than a half-eaten lollypop and difficult to work with. If you touch it too soon, the whole mass will cling to your glove and come away from the glass.
After a few minutes, it starts to skin on the outside. This is the ideal time to start pushing the foam around a bit, running your finger slowly around on the surface to break up the poop lines and make a more regular surface.
It is also important at this time to push the foam towards the glass. As it dries and expands, it starts to pull away in places and it will create air pockets on the glass side. This is a trap for detritus, and it creates a weaker bond. This stuff is more buoyant than my fat butt in a pool, so if the bond is weak, you will most likely see it lift up, off and away as soon as you put water in the tank.
Squoosh and flatten the foam as much as possible and work out as many of the air pockets as possible.
This is ideally to give the wall some texture and interest. I recommend putting it on nice and thin. Big giant blobs will not cure in the center, they will continue to expand and make strange little foam eruptions when the center bursts out, and they will ensure that your foam floats away.

After it has had more drying time, you can take small amounts of fresh foam in your gloved hand and pat it on to the thin places or stupid looking sections.

And here is the 20 with a finished three walls of foam:

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/080twentyg5-092206.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/081twentyg6-092206.jpg

Add a little sand and some pumps and tadaaa! It is done.

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/082twentyg7-092206.jpg

What you see in that last picture is the magic that ties this tank in with the big system. Behind the tissue-cozy overflow-like thing is a very small powerhead that has tubing running to the big tank and pushes water that direction. Then, there is that "U" made out of PVC that sits in both tanks. (I foamed the visible section in the tank) You start a siphon in that U-tube, and air pressure will even out the water level to match the big tank. Powerhead pushes water over, siphon brings water back.
If the siphon breaks, the powerhead will drain the 20 a couple of inches and it ends up raising the water level in the big sump a bit.

If the powerhead is turned off, the water level in th 20 is maintained by the siphon and the salinity will go up and up and up as water evaporates and it is replaced with salt water from the big tank. It is a good idea to check the pump regularly.

[aztbs]

The stuff you want for this is called HANDI-FOAM, black straw foam.
You can order it from places like drsfostersmith or if you have a big job, you can get a great deal on a case of 12 from http://www.foampower.com

Be very careful to make sure that you buy black foam. It comes in regular yellow and the cans look nearly identical.

[aztbs]

A break from ugly build pics, this is one of my all time favorite pictures. It was taken through the tank in to my living room. Anyone that has a look through/room divider/peninsula tank should try this. The lights in the tank need to be off, the room behind needs to be fairly well lit, and you just line up the water surface with the ceiling line of the room.
I call this picture "I live in my tank". lol
If you take a good one, post it up here - I want to see them. :D

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/083ceiling1-052306.jpg

[aztbs]

Blah, I knew I was going to get out of order. I found some full tank shots from 09/12/2006

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/084ftnorth2-091206.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/085ftsouth2-091206.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/086ftangle1-091206.jpg


It looks totally different lighting-wise than the earlier shots, and I would say that is mostly in the camera because the lights are not different. White balancing photos is sure tough with big reefs. The ambient light in the room seems to affect the picture as well.

[aztbs]

10/12/2006

The next bit of the build was inspired by the last of my poor little firefish that leaped for freedom and dried up on my floor.

I got this mesh material from a guy who got it from a guy who got it in a group order because it only comes in large quantities. I don't know the source, but I understand it is "bird mesh" and can be found in many places online. It has 1/2inch openings, but it much more lightweight and transparent than eggcrate.

So here is all you need to make one of these yourself.

1, aluminum window screen frames. Sold in long lengths at the hardware/home improvement stores.
2, screen corners to put together the frames
3, a package of screen spline
4, a spline tool (or you could use other things if you are not wanting to spend the extra $)
5, a notepad for measurements, and a tape measure
6, A cutting tool for the frames. I prefer the every handy wireless dremel which every reefer should have in his toolbox.

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/087screentop1-101206.jpg

Here's a nice closeup of the material I am using here:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/088screentop2-101206.jpg

If you have ever replaced window screens, you know how much fun it is to use spline. The toughest part is keeping it square and taut.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/089screentop3-101206.jpg

Make sure you leave yourself enough surplus on the ends because quite a bit of the mesh material gets pushed in to the frame channel. This was cutting it a bit close!
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/090screentop4-101206.jpg

And here is 1/2 of the top.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/091screentop5-101206.jpg

[aztbs]

And here are the tops on the tank:

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/092screentop6-101206.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/093screentop7-101206.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/094screentop8-101206.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/095screentop9-101206.jpg

[aztbs]

10/18/2006

The next modification came about because I found a guy on RC selling a nearly new JBJ 1/3HP artica chiller and an Iwaki 70rlt together for $400. I drove an hour and a half each way to get it and was thrilled to do so. I have pretty good temperature control with fans, but this is Arizona and the summers are brutal. It is nice to have the backup should anything ever go wrong with our home AC.

Since the tank was already running and I wasn't about to drill new holes in a full 180 gallon tank, I had to improvise a bit.

There was one unused hole in the overflow that I could make in to the input for the pump that runs the chiller. Then, I pulled two of the power heads out of the end compartment and replaced them with outputs from the Iwaki pump chiller/loop. It was a tight fit, let me tell you.

Here is the output plumbing coming up from the pump through the wood deck of the electrical cabinet.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/096chiller1-101806.jpg

It goes up and over the top of the tank in to the back compartment where it splits in two and goes out through the holes drilled in the overflow wall. There are loc-line output nozzles on the other side to be able to direct the flow.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/097chiller2-101806.jpg

This is a mess, it has since been cleaned up. (you believe me, right?)
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/098chiller3-101806.jpg

You can see the water direction in this disaster picture. Also pictured is
(1) The two 6V batteries that run the canopy lift. (they are now in a
box up off the ground)
(2) The chiller
(3) A UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply) that will run the return pump and the top-off for about 4 hours
(4) the 30 gallon top off barrel with kalk spilled all over
(5) the peristaltic pump for top-off

[aztbs]

Since I am about to put the 100th picture on this thread, I thought it should be something fun.

Here's a shot of my clownfish hosting in a feather duster. I never thought the worm would tolerate it. It took about 3-4 months before the clowns ever went near the RBTA and finally started hosting.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/099clown1-062306.jpg

Here's another one of my favorites, the Midas blenny folded himself in half in order to fit into the nook that was under this leather. They have such a cute face: :)
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/100midas1-100806.jpg

Ever wonder why your skimmer is not producing? Better check that venturi intake! This guy fit like a perfect plug.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/102skimmer3-042207.jpg

And now for something truly evil. This is when I began to fight this battle, and it has been ongoing ever since. I have learned to control them, but they never go away. I will return with more on this subject later, but I leave you with my nemesis:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/101hydroids1-092706.jpg

That's all for now, more pics coming soon!

[stunreefer]

wow, WOW, WOW!

Fantastic!!! So well documented too... I'm not one for DIY (strictly because I cant worth a damn), but every aspect came together perfectly! The foam looks great and your aquascape is truly stunning! :thumbsup:

I have to tell my grandpa that those scooters are good for something! :lol:

[aztbs]

Thanks stunreefer, :)

Next junked scooter we find will definitely be the remote control / motorized beer coolor. Just see the canopy build thread for details. lol

Here is another thing that has been a torture to me:

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/103buttons1-092106.jpg

They grow and grow and grow, fall off, find someplace they don't belong, grow and grow. And they are brown. lol
Anyone want a plate sized piece of live rock with these things COVERING it?

[aztbs]

11/25/2006

As I started to get more corals, I realized that my flow was nowhere near sufficient. The peninsula end of the tank just had some dead spots and detritus would build up because the powerheads and the closed loop from the chiller just couldn't push the water 6ft down the tank.

So I removed the last 2 powerheads and put in intakes for another closed loop. This one also had to go up and over the wall of the tank because I hadn't drilled for it.
I decided to go with a manifold on the top of the tank because I refused to have powerheads in sight in the tank, plus running cords is tough because they all have to go down to the wall end.

So, I got an amazing deal on a used Sequence Dart and I installed the manifold with 9 outputs around the tank. This is hard to take pictures of, because it is all so carefully tucked in to the little space that I had to work with.

This pic shows the crazy wye that I had to use for the intake. I used three 1inch up and over pipes to come in to a 3 to 1 connection that turns it in to a 2in input for the Dart. I got this weird piece at a Home Depot after searching around quite a bit at other stores.
This allows redundancy for clogs, as well as - have you ever tried to start a siphon on a 2in pipe? The three ball valves before the wye are so that I can remove each one and clean as well as start the siphon to prime the pump.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/104manifold1-112506.jpg

The big wye and the pump are tucked (squeezed) in next to the blue top off reservoir. You can see the 9 outputs sticking in to the tank for the time being. They get loc-line nozzles on them, but that stuff is expensive! I had to save up, so it ran with PVC for the time being.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/105manifold2-112506.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/106manifold3-112506.jpg

You can see where the PVC loop shows under the canopy here:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/107manifold4-112506.jpg

There were a couple of downsides to the manifold - my screen mesh tops no longer fit and would have to be sized down, and the canopy did not come down all the way and so light leaked out the bottom and made a glare in the TV. :lol:
It is a "temporary" canopy afterall.

So out of the dart is 1.5in pipe that comes straight up to the top of the tank, hits a T and splits into the 1inch loop with 9 3/4inch outputs. The flow is gentle but it moves everything in the tank and can be pointed as corals grow or rocks get moved.

[aztbs]

07/25 - 07/29/07

I am going to get the build stuff out of the way before I start putting up more detailed livestock pics/info. It took forever to start working on the finishwork, but it was really nice having such easy access to the tank while it was young.

We had a big party coming up at the house and I was terrified of little children playing in the sump, or giving the fish their soda pop, so it put us in gear to finally work on the cabinets/wood skin for the metal stand. We aren't professional cabinet makers by any means. :D

We decided to go with oak because it is all over our house and it is readily available and not as expensive as some of the prettier hardwoods.

We started by putting the ledge around the bottom of the tank. This is the only part of the wood that is actually 'permanently" attached to the stand. Everything else comes off with some wingnuts.
This ledge is screwed and glued in to the sheet of plywood that the tank is sitting on. (screwing in to that is nerve wracking, I tell you)
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/108wood1-072507.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/109wood2-072507.jpg

The next piece is fitting the plywood sheet to the front of the tank.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/110wood3-072907.jpg

Then finishing that piece. It gets 2 coats of Kilz primer for the inside and 2 coats of stain + 2 coats of lacquer on the front. This takes FOREVER. :lol:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/111wood4-072907.jpg

And staining the ledge. You can see in this picture that the ledge sits just on top of the plastic trim along the bottom of the tank and the wood sits flush up against the glass. I lost 1.5in of the tank behind the wood, but it was all sand and it looks more finished.
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/112wood5-072907.jpg

[aztbs]

Next, we build the walls for the side cabinets:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/113wood6-072907.jpg

Frame in tight to the display refugium:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/114wood7-072907.jpg

Cut out some door holes:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/115wood8-072907.jpg

Test fit the doors:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/116wood9-072907.jpg

And then stain and hang doors:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/117wood10-082007.jpg

Above you can see that in front of the sump, we went with a steel mesh in the center of the doors. Since I use a peristaltic pump for top off, I have to occasionally make adjustments to the drip rate. (Like if it especially dry or humid for a while). I also know that if my return section in the sump starts to get low that my top off reservoir is empty and needs to be refilled.

I am TERRIBLE about "out of sight, out of mind", so I wanted a finished stand that would allow me to keep up on my sump when I come in the front door every day. It also provides ventilation.

[aztbs]

I threw a coat of stain on the "temporary" pine canopy for the upcoming party. We also installed magnetic child locks on all of the doors.

I stopped taking pictures of the stand build here and I don't know why. Probably because it was a tedious, long running job. When I get caught up, I will put up new pics of the finsihed woodwork.

So that takes us to the next full tank shots I have from
11/01/2007

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/118ftsnorth2-110107.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/119ftssouth2-110107.jpg

[NaClH20NMYVEIN]

I have been lucky enough to see this myself, Its one of the nicest tanks in Phoenix. Great job Tiff!!

[nattydread]

Beautiful tank and great build!

[sltloser]

Beautiful tank, and awsome thread. I love that toadstool in the middle, they are so beautiful. My friend has one that is probobly that size in his 65 show!! talk about taking up room lol, anywayz great build and the tank looks great!

[Elliott]

I too have seen this tank in person and it is stunning. Tif, can you post a few of your macro shots? they are spectacular! :D
btw, Tif is also a wealth of information in our local reef club.

[~sp0ok~]

nice tank.. i would like to do this in may next tank..if its ok with u


ty for this post

[aztbs]

Thanks guys, I am still trying to get the rest of the pics in order. It is nice to put them in one place.

sltloser - I eventually had to sell that giant leather because it got to be about 14in across. I do have a field of about 7 babies regrowing from where it was attached to the rock. I wish they would stay small, they make a very attractive colony. :D More pics coming soon.

[dougie]

beautiful tank. :thumbsup:

[MikeCentore]

beautiful tank, awesome thread

[gjakub]

Your tank is beautiful. I also enjoyed the look through shot.

[spsfreak]

Very nice, I am subscribed!!

[~sp0ok~]

how is the play sand work out ???

[xXReefXx]

nice tank!!

[porthios]

further evidence that women are hands down, better aquascapers than men. gorgeous..

[aztbs]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13826601#post13826601 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ~sp0ok~
how is the play sand work out ???

I didn't like it for a very long time. I never had any trouble with it, but it has a very strange quality that makes it look like Sugar in the Raw - little crystal shapes, and slightly off white and transluscent. It is not the nice round grains of sand.
I get lots of comments from people that really like it, and I have lots of sand creatures that don't seem to mind it either.

My sand bed is kept up and turned over by:

- An army of at least 75 Tonga Nassarius Snails (the really large white ones)
- A giant Tiger Tail cucumber
- A giant Tiger Pistol Shrimp (he moves a LOT of sand every day)
- A serpent starfish
- My Choati wrasse that buries himself every night
- GIANT bristle worms
- At least 100 blue leg hermit crabs
- 4 emerald crabs
- 1 large fighting conch

And probably more.

I have grown to like it, but I still get jealous when I see the beautiful pure white look of a well maintained bed of Southdown.

[aztbs]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14216929#post14216929 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by porthios
further evidence that women are hands down, better aquascapers than men. gorgeous..

All of the ladies in Phx rock the rockscapes! lol :fish2: :dance:

[aztbs]

Thanks everyone for the compliments!

I have been a slacker, so I will post up a group of pictures from the tank's 2nd birthday.

04/01/2008

Acropora Horrida
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/120twoyr1-04012008.jpg

Hot Pink Millepora and Tubs Neon Green Birdsnest
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/121twoyr2-04012008.jpg

Pavona Cactus coral
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/122twoyr3-04012008.jpg

Sparkly Pink Zoanthids
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/123twoyr4-04012008.jpg

Pink Lipstick Zoanthids
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/124twoyr5-04012008.jpg

Ricordia Yuma
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/125twoyr6-04012008.jpg

[aztbs]

Favia
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/126twoyr7-04012008.jpg

Green Slimer, Millies, Cardinals, etc (don't miss the citron goby!)
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/127twoyr8-04012008.jpg

Birdsnests
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/128twoyr9-04012008.jpg

Clove polyps
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/129twoyr10-04012008.jpg

RBTA & ocellaris
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/130twoyr11-04012008.jpg

Randall's Goby and Tiger Pistol shrimp
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/131twoyr12-04012008.jpg

[aztbs]

And here is the 2nd birthday full tank shots:

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/132ftstwoyr1-04012008.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/133ftstwoyr2-04012008.jpg

I can't believe the tank is coming up on three years running. Time flies! I will try to get this thread caught up in time for the April update!

[[Q]Powered_ITR]

wow! amazing tank!

[kingfish83]

nice tank tiff!!!

hey i'm just pointing this out but is that Coach Whiz on the TV back during the steelers days right before they went to the super bowl?? "FREAKY"

[Elliott]

beautiful tank Tif, very nice photography as well!

[aztbs]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14221143#post14221143 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kingfish83
nice tank tiff!!!

hey i'm just pointing this out but is that Coach Whiz on the TV back during the steelers days right before they went to the super bowl?? "FREAKY"

I guess that dates my tank then, lol. I remember noticing that right as I put this thread up, but it was not as significant. I will have to take a picture through the tank of the TV during the Superbowl to show the progress. :lol:

That photo was taken on 1/22/06 - 3 yrs ago to the day of your comment!

[Electrobes]

I've read the three pages but honestly the quality of the tank and build feels like I've been reading a thread with many splits... very cool! Looking forward to more pics.. beautiful tank indeed!

[KRASHPD]

That is such a beautiful tank Tiff! You have done such a great job with it and it is maturing nicely.

[aztbs]

Thanks very much!
Elliot - this next series is what you've asked for. Like my reefkeeping skills, I am slowly getting better at using my camera. You think a reef tank is expensive, try buying photography equipment! Wow!

I did eventually save up enough to buy the Sigma 150mm macro lens for my Canon Xti. The next batch of pictures is from April 08 - June of 08, so for the sake of consistency within the thread, I am going to date it:

06/15/2008

[aztbs]

Favia close ups!
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/134macro1-061508.jpg


http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/135macro2-061508.jpg


Red Chalice
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/136macro3-061508.jpg


Neon Green Toadstool
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/137macro4-061508.jpg


The mouth of the bubble coral
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/138macro5-061508.jpg


Green Goblin Favites
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/139macro6-061508.jpg

[aztbs]

Hammer coral
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/140macro7-061508.jpg


Pink Milli
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/141macro8-061508.jpg


Micro brittle star (on the trunk of a toadstool leather)
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/142macro9-061508.jpg


I didn't realize just how cool the colors/patterns were until I was able to look at these guys super close!
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/143macro10-061508.jpg


Yellow Gorgonian
(one of my all time favorite pieces. It did very well in the reef for over a year. Then one evening the pistol shrimp knocked it over and covered it in sand. Even though I rescued it in the morning, it started to deteriorate and never recovered.)
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/144macro11-061508.jpg


Coco worm
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/145macro12-061508.jpg

[spsfreak]

Nice shots... very good photography skills :thumbsup:

[aztbs]

I had a problem for a while with my zoanthids deteriorating away. I am not sure whether the zoos were dying and then being eaten by asterina starfish, or if the asterinas were doing the killing. Either way, I was tired of getting up at night and seeing asterinas wrapped on zoanthid polyps and then having no polyps come morning.
My tank was not overrun with asterinas the way I have seen some tanks, but I brought in the predator to take care of them.

Asterina Starfish
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/150macro17-061508.jpg

This is one of the "good" asterinas in my tank. The nubby white ones that are usually asymmetrical. The ones I saw on the zoos all the time were very well formed with 5 longer even legs, and were more brown on top. This is however, PURELY ANECDOTAL!

And here is the Harlequin that took care of the problem! I picked him up from another reefer that used him to clean up asterinas as well.

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/147macro14-061508.jpg


http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/148macro15-061508.jpg


http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/149macro16-061508.jpg

I have to say that once my stars were gone, my zoanthid colonies started to come back. Again, I can't be sure if the stars were to root cause of the problem, but I think without the stars munching, the zoos were able to make a recovery.

[aztbs]

I love cardinals. I have pajamas, threadfins, and orange stripes for now and they are all spawning regularly.

Threadfins aka Blue-Eyed aka Blue Streak Cardinals
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/151fish1-061508.jpg

Orange Stripe aka Ochre Cardinal
This one released this mouthful in the night after I took these photos. He couldn't hold them any longer!
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/152fish2-061508.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/153fish3-061508.jpg


I will work on getting pics of the others. Everyone says the pajama cardinals are ugly and scary, but I think they are cool. ;)

[aztbs]

And now to the ridiculous macros. For these shots, I used a 1.4x teleconverter on the 150mm lens as well as an extension tube or two. I even invested in a set of macro focusing rails for my tripod to allow for finer adjustments. It was just like adding the gate valve mod to my skimmer! :lol:

Snail eggs!

These eggs belong to the giant Tonga Nassarius Snails. Snail eggs are amazing!
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/155macroeggs2-061508.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/156macroeggs3-061508.jpg


And here are the same eggs when they have had a day or two to develop!
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/154macroeggs1-061508.jpg


For a size reference, here are the nassarius eggs and some cerith eggs with the edge of a DIME!!!!!:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/157macroeggs4-061508.jpg

Here are the cerith snail eggs closer!
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/158macroeggs5-061508.jpg

And now they're even closer!
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/159macroeggs6-061508.jpg

[aztbs]

And for the ludicrous macro, this picture was a joint effort. Fellow RC'er grenaria and I put our camera equipment together and took tons of shots to try to capture these guys.

We had 3 Canon Speedlite 550 flashes on stands, the camera on the tripod with the 90 degree eyepiece adapter and the focusing rails and the remote shutter release. We took turns trying to get the best focus and even though laser surgery gave me bionic eyes, seeing these little guys well enough to focus was a challenge!!!!! And even with the focusing rails, making minute adjustments was tough!

You are seeing the grains of silica sand in my sand bed, and a little flake of rock surrounded by teeny copepods ( the one in the very center even has egg sacs!)

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/146macro13-061508.jpg

It pains my brain to think of how many pods live in the tank if there are this many in such a tiny tiny random piece of the sand bed.

[aztbs]

I found some more macro shots. These were all taken with a Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro lens.

Florida Ricordia
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/160macro18-061508.jpg

Striped mushroom meets yuma ric
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/161macro19-061508.jpg

Echinopora Mammiformis
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/162macro20-061508.jpg

Devil's Hand leather
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/163macro21-061508.jpg

Hawaiian Feather Duster
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/164macro22-061508.jpg

Neon Green Toadstool
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/165macro23-061508.jpg

Acropora Horrida
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/166macro24-061508.jpg

[aztbs]

I have found over 9000 photos on my hard drive that I have taken related to my tank and this hobby!! I am very happy to get the best of them organized in one place.
If you don't take many pictures of your tank - change that! It is just so cool to see the changes in as little as a year.

Have you ever seen tiny hydroids living on an SPS coral? Do you look at things closely enough? :lol:


http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/167macro25-061508.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/168macro26-061508.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/169macro27-061508.jpg


(and for those of you that have extra-keen perception - Yes, this coral has red bugs also. It is an older picture, I did the Interceptor treatments on the tank and have been red bug free for more than a year)

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/170macro28-061508.jpg

[Elliott]

ahh, speechless, blown away ! :D

[aztbs]

11/22/08

IMO - Tiger Pistol shrimp in large reef tank = BAD IDEA!!

This particular pistol has cost me a fortune in stolen frags and buried corals. He can move a LOT of sand each day and is always moving his burrow around. Visitors love to watch this guy, and I have to admit that the goby/shrimp pair can be very fascinating to watch. It is a serious love/hate relationship and if I could catch him and move him in to a different tank without destroying my reef in the process, I would.

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/171shrimp1-112208.jpg


http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/172shrimp2-112208.jpg


http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/173shrimp3-112208.jpg


http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/174shrimp4-112208.jpg


http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/175shrimp5-112208.jpg


http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/176shrimp6-112208.jpg


Proof that the goby was not always a lard-belly, here is his baby picture from 05/07/06:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/177shrimp7-1050706.jpg

[stunreefer]

WOW... I have witnessed certain SPS come in with those Hydriods and have seen differnet outcomes of them (generally hydroids die after a while), however I've NEVER seen pics even CLOSE to what you captured showing them on the coral... and that RB pic to boot, WOW... great stuff!!! :thumbsup:

[aztbs]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14245768#post14245768 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stunreefer
WOW... I have witnessed certain SPS come in with those Hydriods and have seen differnet outcomes of them (generally hydroids die after a while), however I've NEVER seen pics even CLOSE to what you captured showing them on the coral... and that RB pic to boot, WOW... great stuff!!! :thumbsup:

Thanks! In this case, the hydroids did not seem to harm the coral. It was a no-grower until I did the interceptor treatment for the red-bugs and it has taken off. You are correct, these hydroids did not last, I can not find any more on this coral.

[aztbs]

Here's a few more nightmare inducing red bug macros for you. This is a poor frag of Greg Hiller's Aqua Delight that had the worst infestation density I have ever seen. I am amazed it survived. But it has now grown in to a nice little mini colony with no bugs! I will have to take a new macro of the clean coral.

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/178redbug1-021808.jpg


http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/179redbug2-021808.jpg

[Electrobes]

What a treat, thank you for posting those pics, absolutely stunning!

[aztbs]

Finally have some current updates!!!

April 12, 2009

First, I was delighted to find that my clownfish had eggs for the first time!
My big female ocellaris has been with me for almost 5 years now. Her little black misbar mate was just introduced to her a few months ago. This was tough to photo, the male grabs the edge of the anemone in his mouth and keeps covering the eggs up, even pressing the anemone tentacles against the rock so that it sticks.

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/180clowneggs1-041209.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/181clowneggs2-041209.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/182clowneggs3-041209.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/183clowneggs4-041209.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/184clowneggs5-041209.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/185clowneggs6-041209.jpg

[aztbs]

And I just took some updated tank shots tonight, I hope you like them.

April 25, 2009

Full tank north side
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/186yr3update1-042509.jpg

Full tank south side
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/187yr3update2-042509.jpg


http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/188yr3update3-042509.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/189yr3update4-042509.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/190yr3update5-042509.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/191yr3update6-042509.jpg

[aztbs]

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/192yr3update7-042509.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/193yr3update8-042509.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/194yr3update9-042509.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/195yr3update10-042509.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/196yr3update11-042509.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/197yr3update12-042509.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/198yr3update13-042509.jpg

[aztbs]

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/199yr3update14-042509.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/200yr3update15-042509.jpg

[Mako Shark II]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14897855#post14897855 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by aztbs
Finally have some current updates!!!

April 12, 2009

First, I was delighted to find that my clownfish had eggs for the first time!
My big female ocellaris has been with me for almost 5 years now. Her little black misbar mate was just introduced to her a few months ago. This was tough to photo, the male grabs the edge of the anemone in his mouth and keeps covering the eggs up, even pressing the anemone tentacles against the rock so that it sticks.

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/180clowneggs1-041209.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/181clowneggs2-041209.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/182clowneggs3-041209.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/183clowneggs4-041209.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/184clowneggs5-041209.jpg

INSANE PICS!!! What kinda Rig are you shooting with??

[aztbs]

Thanks! It is a Canon Xti with a Sigma 150mm macro lens, 2x teleconverter, 36mm extenstion tube, and an off camera speedlite 550ex flash.

[robot2222]

wickied photos. thanks

[~sp0ok~]

nice updates

[TandN]

WOW Your tank is amazing truly inspirational :)

[urbor]

did you get rid of the sohal??

[aztbs]

Thank you! I appreciate the kind words very much!

I loved my sohal tang, but he died of unknown causes while I was on vacation. My tank-sitter was very distraught and even kept the body in the freezer for me so that I could look at it when I got home and figure out what happened. She was so worried that I would blame her!!

[billyayle]

You Forgot to show a shot from the Window I put in the Computer room so you can look at the tank as you work on these updates. ;-)

[Magga Pie]

I know this an old thread. But your tank looks amazing!! What where your final lighting choices on the bulbs? It looks like you have had great growth with everything!!

[shaneh]

WOW!!!! THIS NEEDS TO BE ON TANK OF THE MONTH!!! I feel you executed every part of reef keeping with a lot of DIY. Your photography is spectacular and I still go back to each picture and i can't even believe some of the shots you have! you have given me tons of ideas and i hope to have a reef as good as yours some day!!! I am also interested in the lighting. I am thinking of going MH on my 180 bow front but looking at your tank the coral look great and you have a much lower PGE. I'm all for that. My favorite shot is of the clown and the eggs. Again best tank thread i have every seen!!!

[Backinthegame]

Yet another gem in the Valley of the Sun! Thanks for sharing your progress. Keep up the good work!

[aztbs]

Thanks very much! shaneh, I am very flattered, what a nice post!

I am glad you bumped the thread, I need a kick in the pants sometimes to take some pictures.

The nice thing about T5 is the mix and match. I think I change my bulbs every time they are due for replacement. My color preference changes, but I find I settle on the most crisp white light I can get. I am using ATI bulbs right now, 1 actinic, 2 blue plus, 2 of the 11000K, and 1 of the pro color. I like it more at night than I do when there is sunlight in the room. Your viewing time and room lighting makes a big difference. (at least to me!)

I will work on some pictures. I don't think I will ever be TOTM, but I appreciate the compliments!

[phox202]

I got a chance to see this tank today, definitely the most gorgeous tank outside of a shop that I have ever seen. And seeing how it is all DIY, makes it that much better in my opinion.

[leslie hempel]

lovley...

[marekt]

is your tank sit directly on foam? or it is only under glass?
is there space between glass & foam?

[juldelf]

waouh
beautiful pictures !!!

[theisdept]

Hay I love your Idea with for the motorized canopy

I'm going to use a variation of that. Try to come up with a way to mount a motor in the canopy and have the cables go thourgh a pully at the ceiling and go back to motor. Depending on finding a small/lite enough motor that is mabey 24volts or something. You have to run power down from the ceiling for motor and lights!
Have to think it thourgh!

[theisdept]

Wow that Neon Green Toadstool is awesome. I've never seen one before!

[theisdept]

WOW those are great photos

Great closeups of the clownfish eggs.
Thats something you don't see often, especially in a aquarist personal tank

[coraltastic]

looks awsome. i would love to see pics of ur algae tank. very nice thread u have done a great job on posting the progress.

[hul kogan]

This is one heck of a build. Wow, so much DIY. Very nice, it's beautiful!

[squirrel]

11/22/08

IMO - Tiger Pistol shrimp in large reef tank = BAD IDEA!!

This particular pistol has cost me a fortune in stolen frags and buried corals. He can move a LOT of sand each day and is always moving his burrow around. Visitors love to watch this guy, and I have to admit that the goby/shrimp pair can be very fascinating to watch. It is a serious love/hate relationship and if I could catch him and move him in to a different tank without destroying my reef in the process, I would.

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/171shrimp1-112208.jpg


http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/172shrimp2-112208.jpg


http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/173shrimp3-112208.jpg


http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/174shrimp4-112208.jpg


http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/175shrimp5-112208.jpg


http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/176shrimp6-112208.jpg


Proof that the goby was not always a lard-belly, here is his baby picture from 05/07/06:
http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/buildthread/177shrimp7-1050706.jpg

Nice shrimp! I saw a show on these last night. They are really cool!

[aztbs]

I haven't updated this thread, even for the tank's 4th birthday. I am running behind!

Quick summary - I have had lots going on and the tank hasn't been treated as well as it should be. Everything is still doing well, but to make things easier I sold off a ton of large SPS colonies. Reducing the calcium/alk demand was necessary to keep things optimized. Simplifying the maintenance for a while let the tank coast. I lost a few pieces but overall things are healthy.

Now I am re-enthused about the setup, and seeing old pictures made me miss some corals. I was able to get frags back from locals and am back on track to getting the tank in to top condition again.
I haven't taken any recent shots, I need to spend a day with my camera and get some updates.

But look at what came in the mail today!!

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/co2.jpg

I've got big things planned! After 4 years with this tank and 2 with the last one, I am ready to be done with 2-part and kalk. Woohooo! I am excited to see growth again and take things to the next level with this tank.

I'll keep this updated as more parts arrive!!

I have to throw out props to the Arizona reefers. There is a group of wonderful people here that keep this hobby exciting and have been very supportive and generous to me. I won't list names for fear of missing someone, but many thanks go out to them!

[aztbs]

is your tank sit directly on foam? or it is only under glass?
is there space between glass & foam?

I didn't see the last few comments, I must have lost my subscription to the thread. It comes super late but thanks everyone for the compliments! They keep me fired up about my tank!

marekt - the tank sits directly on the foam everywhere but where the holes are cut for plumbing, no space under the glass at all.

[Elliott]

I hope you have better results with your Ca reactor than I did, couldn't keep my alkalinity stable, always tweaking the C02 bubble rate and flow through the reactor, which often became clogged. I switched to 2 part from BRS and using large containers with auto dosers, alk is stable, Ca stable and I have enough 2 part for 6-8 months between fill ups, 40g containers each :)

[aztbs]

I am going to the all automatic route. I will be using a reefkeeper lite to regulate the PH in the reactor and control the CO2 and hopefully it won't take too much tweaking to get the flow dialed in for my tank's demands.

I only have enough space for the 1 gallon containers of 2-part so I have to refill them often. And I have been manually dosing (with the pump style bottles from BRS). Instead of spending the money on the dosing pumps, I decided to drop the big wad and do the reactor upgrade. My tank hasn't had new equipment in a long time. And this is probably the most money I have ever spent at one time on anything for this hobby. But it is still cool!

[Elliott]

I am going to the all automatic route. I will be using a reefkeeper lite to regulate the PH in the reactor and control the CO2 and hopefully it won't take too much tweaking to get the flow dialed in for my tank's demands.

I only have enough space for the 1 gallon containers of 2-part so I have to refill them often. And I have been manually dosing (with the pump style bottles from BRS). Instead of spending the money on the dosing pumps, I decided to drop the big wad and do the reactor upgrade. My tank hasn't had new equipment in a long time. And this is probably the most money I have ever spent at one time on anything for this hobby. But it is still cool!

:thumbsup:

[aztbs]

I am getting ready to take some new photos for the tank's upcoming 5th birthday. But I am really excited to share my new additions. :D :D

My friend DJScibbity had to break down his tank to move out of state and so I have adopted his pair of pompoms. They've been living with him for nearly 2 years and I am very excited to have them. He originally got one of them from my sister's tank when she had to move, so they are staying in the family!
We just discovered the eggs when we captured them yesterday. While they were in a small container, I had a chance to take some macro shots. I am VERY excited about these photos!!!

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/pomcrabs/01.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/pomcrabs/02.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/pomcrabs/03.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/pomcrabs/07.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/pomcrabs/04.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/pomcrabs/05.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/pomcrabs/06.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/pomcrabs/08.jpg

[aztbs]

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/pomcrabs/09.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/pomcrabs/10.jpg

http://www.projectbat.com/Aquarium/pomcrabs/11.jpg

[aztbs]

Further update, I finally trapped and re-homed the large tiger pistol shrimp. The sand bed is safe again and I was able to add some sweet new corals. Updates very soon!

[Elliott]

great photos Tif!

[dave.m]

I have always been curious as to what type of anemones a pompom crab holds onto. Are they an aptasia or majano, and if so, doesn't that lead to potential outbreaks?

Thx,

Dave.M

[aztbs]

dave.m, they certainly don't look like either aiptasia or majanos to me and they don't seem to grow. They've been in DJscibbity's tank for so long, and there were not any strays left on the rocks.

I don't know the species though, I have not tried to look it up.

[dave.m]

Curiouser and curiouser. Maybe they're arificial. ;) Thx, though.

djm

[sltyncopa]

Thats awesome Tiff! Great camera work as always! You know whats funny, I haven't seen my Pom pom in ages, but when I woke up this morning he/she was hanging out on top of Jays Fungia I got from him waving away! Hilarious!

[marius880]

Wow those pics are crazy.... Good job on the set up.. Thanks for posting them

[ktg113]

I am about to do a similar build