the very first pics of my tank

[hotrodolds]

started with a 20g early january and it quickly developed a small leak. Stepped up to a 29g i found for cheap the weekend the leak started. Sorry for the bad FTS gonna get a better one soon.

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m62/hotrod455olds/IMGP1715.jpg
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m62/hotrod455olds/IMGP1714.jpg
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m62/hotrod455olds/IMGP1713.jpg
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m62/hotrod455olds/IMGP1719.jpg
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m62/hotrod455olds/IMGP1720.jpg

Livestock
Two occ. clowns
GBTA
watermelon zoas
eagle eye zoas
bright green zoas
small frag of montipora plate


Equipment list
150watt Fishneedit.com metal halide
Koralia 1
330gph aquatech filter
cheap walmart heater
keep the tank between 78-81 lights kick it up from the 78thermostat on the heater during their 11hr cycle.


OT but my other money pit is back on the road for the first time in a year and half. Had to share that lol
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m62/hotrod455olds/004.jpg

[Ansphire]

Nice start.. what lights are you using?

[hotrodolds]

The fishneedit.com 150watt metal halide. Going to pick up their 2bulbs in the future so i can have some actinic lighting. Good fixture for the price, im happy with it.

Better fts
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m62/hotrod455olds/IMGP1725.jpg

[NanoReefWanabe]

that tank though it looks very nice looks far too new to have a bubble tip in it...great start though...

[wschang812]

nice aquascaping

[DSR]

The nem looks fine to me. Good job on the rest of the tank as well.

[hotrodolds]

I was expecting a comment or two about the nem being in there so soon. So far it appears to be doing alirght. I felt comfortable doing it only because ive got a really light bioload so water quality is very stable and clean. Also the microfauna seems very healthy, my ceriths have been laying eggs and they have been successfully hatching and surviving also have a giant pod population. All of those things led me to believe i could handle the nem. It went right into a hole in the rock and is yet to walk around or move from that spot so i think its happy.

Thanks for all the compliments though. I am trying my best to do this thing right even if on a college budget.

[DSR]

Your tank has been set up since january? Not sure why it would be too soon for a nem. But, regardless, it looks like it is having a great time and the tank looks nice and clean. What are you plans for the tank...

[hotrodolds]

The plan is to fill it with primarily low end but colorful zoas and brains/favias. Hard to find stuff in my price range though. Luckily zoas seem to grow quick. My eagle eyes doubled in two months, only have had the watermelon/greens frag rock about two weeks.

[DSR]

Man, join a reef club in your area and I am sure you will be able to get nice stuff for great prices. I have met a few really cool folks in my area that have really hooked me with up with great deals. For example, I got a huge piece of stylopora for $20.00 and it is a nice piece. Get involved locally and you will have that tank full in no time... and, that car is killer. I'll trade ya my tank and my dog for it.

[Ansphire]

Get some blue in there and you will be very happy.. er..!..

[jkburn88]

Nice set up - I really like the look of that light. What bulb are you using?

[NanoReefWanabe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15261987#post15261987 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DSR
Your tank has been set up since january? Not sure why it would be too soon for a nem. But, regardless, it looks like it is having a great time and the tank looks nice and clean. What are you plans for the tank...

i only said the tank looked too new...since there is absolutely no coraline algae anywhere in the tank...

lots of Pods and ceriths laying eggs dont convince me the tank is stable enough to support a high demand animal like a nem...those populations could be exploding as a result of a poor enivronment, and exploding as a survival instinct...i also never saw pods in my tank unless the lights were out and early in the morning when the lights just come on and the glass was completely covered...which is also a strong indicator of a new tank...(granted there are no predators usually) once fish are added you pretty much dont see pods anymore though..

at any rate the tank looks good i only urge you to carefully watch your nem...keep up the diligent work

[hotrodolds]

All of my live rock was very cheap bottom of the bucket live rock, save two pieces, and have little to no coraline. Ive got specs of it growing here and there but yeah, as you can see the rock is pretty plain looking still. It was all added in stages as i could afford it as well that big shelf piece was the last piece and it went in about 2.5 months ago. No pod predators in there is probably the best explanation for all the pods, a six line is on agenda for some point in the future. I'm keeping an eye on the nem though, its mouth stays closed tight and it quickly snags up any food that hits its tentacles.

Anyways though, spent this weeks tank money on an emerald crab, coral banded shrimp, and some silversides for the nem. I think the crab was a good investment. Started eating stuff almost as soon as he hit the ground.

DSR- Im in one, that really small brain frag was a freebie from someone. Its colors are awesome just grows so slow.

Ansphire- Debating on buying a high quality 20k bulb or a set of t5s from FNI to blue the tank a lil bit. Its going to be the same cost. Leaning towards the T5s at the moment just for the adjustability.

JKburn- the light is just the stuck 14k bulb from FNI. It burns much whiter/cooler than better highend 14k bulbs ive seen on other peoples tanks, almost a white 10k light. Was much bluer the first two months or so.

[KevinYates]

i went radium 250w over my 30cube.. never going back! the color is amazing, im a fan of xm20ks but i have to give radiums 2 thumbs waaaay up!

i know they cost 85$ and you have to replace them every 6months, to me the difference is worth it. another draw back is you have to run these on an Electronic ballast and they are only SE bulbs, (which works for me because im running a lumenmax II)

ive never run t5s, so i cant make a judgment on what you should do, only recomment radiums if you decide to go with MH.

as we all know, everybodies taste in color and bulbs are different, and theres no way of telling by looking at pictures how this bulb is going to look in real life on your tank, so find a hobbiest thats running these bulbs to look at, or you can buy a used bulb for cheap to get the feel, or buy a new one and sell it for 10-15$ cheaper if you decide you dont like it after 2.5 weeks- always let it break in before you decide.

-Kevin.

[want2reef]

Tank looks good. :)

I like your other money pit, is the color hugger orange?

[b_julien]

Looks good. Have the zoas started multiplying yet?

[rehype]

I love that first pic. Has a very natural look to it..

[hotrodolds]

kevin i got an electronic ballast so do you have any good recommendations for DE bulbs or have you only dealt with your current SE fixture?

Hugger orange, now why would i paint some nice olds with a camaro color? lol I actually dont remember what the name of the orange is. Its lighter than hugger though. Its just a mid 70s GM orange i ran across and liked. Did the paint, body, engine everything myself. Sharp looking camaro, love the paintjob lol. If i dont get buy an rx7 after grad this spring im gonna get a 69 'bird.

The eagle eyes have doubled since i bought them. The watermelon and greens were just added two weeks ago though. Did notice a new bud on the WMs though.

Thanks for the compliment rehype.