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KashAlp
07/03/2010, 02:12 PM
Was bored so thought id post up a few pic's. Criticism, thoughts, and questions welcome. Tank is currently fallow as shown in the pics because i lost a few fish and im treating for ich. You can see what survived in the QT beside the DT. Tank was setup April 5th 2010. Cabinet for tank stand in the works. :spin3:

P.S sry if they arent the best pics. Point and shoot cam, and im no photographer ;)


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/kash-Alp/125%20gallon%20reef/July%203rd%202010/Picture044.jpg
FRONT SHOT OF DT, SUMP, AND QT

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/kash-Alp/125%20gallon%20reef/July%203rd%202010/Picture033.jpg
LEFT ANGLE DT

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/kash-Alp/125%20gallon%20reef/July%203rd%202010/Picture032.jpg
RIGHT ANGLE DT

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/kash-Alp/125%20gallon%20reef/July%203rd%202010/Picture036.jpg
SUMP

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/kash-Alp/125%20gallon%20reef/July%203rd%202010/Picture037.jpg
ATO AND SUPPLIES CABINET

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/kash-Alp/125%20gallon%20reef/July%203rd%202010/Picture039.jpg
DT RIGHT SIDE SHOT

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/kash-Alp/125%20gallon%20reef/July%203rd%202010/Picture043.jpg
QT/HOSPITAL TANK SHOT

KashAlp
07/03/2010, 02:12 PM
More random shots........

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/kash-Alp/125%20gallon%20reef/July%203rd%202010/Picture040.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/kash-Alp/125%20gallon%20reef/July%203rd%202010/Picture029.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/kash-Alp/125%20gallon%20reef/July%203rd%202010/Picture028.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/kash-Alp/125%20gallon%20reef/July%203rd%202010/Picture026.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/kash-Alp/125%20gallon%20reef/July%203rd%202010/Picture027.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/kash-Alp/125%20gallon%20reef/July%203rd%202010/Picture021.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/kash-Alp/125%20gallon%20reef/July%203rd%202010/Picture020.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/kash-Alp/125%20gallon%20reef/July%203rd%202010/Picture022.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/kash-Alp/125%20gallon%20reef/July%203rd%202010/Picture023.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/kash-Alp/125%20gallon%20reef/July%203rd%202010/Picture018.jpg

KashAlp
07/03/2010, 02:30 PM
gotta ask...

Besides the algea ugliness (caused from a tank overhaul and 100% sandbed swap) how do you like the "aquascape"?

The algea on the sandbed is actually receeding. It was A MILLION times worse a couple weeks ago. another 1-2 weeks and it will hopefully be all gone.

Dave VG
07/03/2010, 02:42 PM
Very nice!!! Like the scape. Those mushrooms are wild.

reefermad619
07/03/2010, 03:06 PM
Details on equipment pls. Looks good.

LukFox
07/03/2010, 03:29 PM
Looks great so far! Nice looking set up underneath. As far as the aquascape, I think it looks really nice except it's a bit too symmetrical for me. If you can make the structure on the left thinner but taller, I think it would add some pleasing variation. Try to space it differently from the center than the structure on the right. At least, that is what I would like, but it's your tank to have fun with! :) I dig the open look in the display.

KashAlp
07/03/2010, 03:48 PM
Details on equipment pls. Looks good.

125g long with 55g sump
bean animals overflow system
Reef Ocotpus Extreme skimmer with sicce pump
Ocean Runner 3500 return pump
autotopoff.com ATO double unit with failsafe.
6x 3' t5 bulbs + 2x 6' vho t12's

Looks great so far! Nice looking set up underneath. As far as the aquascape, I think it looks really nice except it's a bit too symmetrical for me. If you can make the structure on the left thinner but taller, I think it would add some pleasing variation. Try to space it differently from the center than the structure on the right. At least, that is what I would like, but it's your tank to have fun with! :) I dig the open look in the display.

Thank you :) id like to the tank be mostly about the fish with just enough coral etc to be able to call it a "reef tank". Going to add more coral but not too much more, perhaps 5-6 pieces. Will consider changing the aquascape as you suggested if i get bored of my current setup.

00nothing
07/03/2010, 03:56 PM
Thank you :) id like to the tank be mostly about the fish with just enough coral etc to be able to call it a "reef tank". Going to add more coral but not too much more, perhaps 5-6 pieces. Will consider changing the aquascape as you suggested if i get bored of my current setup.

Please do not encourage any sort of aquascaping he's happy right now kash suffers from a relatively mild case of OCD but when something is out of place hes nearly unbearable will drive himself into madness till its right LOL

:beer: cheers man tank looks great glad i get to see it whenever I want

LukFox
07/03/2010, 04:16 PM
Please do not encourage any sort of aquascaping he's happy right now kash suffers from a relatively mild case of OCD but when something is out of place hes nearly unbearable will drive himself into madness till its right LOL


He's the one who asked about the aquascape haha. I wouldn't have said anything (since it is so minor and comes down to taste) if he hadn't. :P Sorry Kash~.

TampaReefer79
07/03/2010, 04:19 PM
Was bored so thought id post up a few pic's. Criticism, thoughts, and questions welcome.

Here goes:

If I were you, I might just put the fish back into the 125. I know you're trying to battle ich, but you might actually stress the foxface out MORE in that hospital tank than he would be in the 125. The water quality doesn't look too hot in the qt and that's because you need to keep the fish eating which means lots of water changes. I can see by the algae clip you're feeding, and by the cloudy water you might not be doing enough water changes. Again, you might be better served to fight the ich from the 125 by keeping everyone happy and well fed.

Aquascape. If I'm being honest, I hate it. I'd swap out the rock (sell it here, on CL or trade with someone in a local club) and get new rock at the LFS or with someone who is getting out of the hobby. (if you do the latter, make sure you know the person and their system to make sure you aren't getting flatworms, aptasia, aefw etc) I say this because you're rocks look like base rock and are too 'boulderish' for me. I've never been a fan of using old coral skeletons as live rock either. Again, this is all my opinion. Get some rocks that don't look like boulders or old dead corals and get some with holes, caves, etc. Even if you get some dry rock, it will cover up over time.

What kind of lights are you running? (brand etc) and how old are the bulbs? I'd check on the mushrooms that you posted a pic of...I'm not sure white mushrooms are a good thing. You may want to raise them up or make sure the bulbs are good and don't need replacing. This could also be causing an algae problem which you attributed to moving things around in the tank.

I might get rid of the sand sifting star if I were you as well. Scracth that...I WOULD get rid of it. It will rape your sandbed of pretty much all life in short order, and then starve to death.

You may also want to move the leather away from the monti cap before it's too late. They shouldn't be close to each other at all. For the caps sake.


Some of the positives:

You look like you have a good handle on plumbing. Looks like you have enough flow for now (might wanna beef it up if you move to sps) and I LOVE your euphyllia corals. They are my favorite lps. Everything under the stand looks nice...neat and orderly. Try (TRY) to keep it like that. lol It's hard, trust me. I also like your skimmer!

KashAlp
07/03/2010, 07:09 PM
Here goes:

If I were you, I might just put the fish back into the 125. I know you're trying to battle ich, but you might actually stress the foxface out MORE in that hospital tank than he would be in the 125. The water quality doesn't look too hot in the qt and that's because you need to keep the fish eating which means lots of water changes. I can see by the algae clip you're feeding, and by the cloudy water you might not be doing enough water changes. Again, you might be better served to fight the ich from the 125 by keeping everyone happy and well fed.

Aquascape. If I'm being honest, I hate it. I'd swap out the rock (sell it here, on CL or trade with someone in a local club) and get new rock at the LFS or with someone who is getting out of the hobby. (if you do the latter, make sure you know the person and their system to make sure you aren't getting flatworms, aptasia, aefw etc) I say this because you're rocks look like base rock and are too 'boulderish' for me. I've never been a fan of using old coral skeletons as live rock either. Again, this is all my opinion. Get some rocks that don't look like boulders or old dead corals and get some with holes, caves, etc. Even if you get some dry rock, it will cover up over time.

What kind of lights are you running? (brand etc) and how old are the bulbs? I'd check on the mushrooms that you posted a pic of...I'm not sure white mushrooms are a good thing. You may want to raise them up or make sure the bulbs are good and don't need replacing. This could also be causing an algae problem which you attributed to moving things around in the tank.

I might get rid of the sand sifting star if I were you as well. Scracth that...I WOULD get rid of it. It will rape your sandbed of pretty much all life in short order, and then starve to death.

You may also want to move the leather away from the monti cap before it's too late. They shouldn't be close to each other at all. For the caps sake.


Before i begin ill just say Thanks for the positive comments appreciated :) Now...

As for the QT. The water isnt cloudy at all. The photo does no justice it simply looks that way for a couple reasons. 1. The light on the tank is jsut an old tube light i found in the shed. and 2. because of the white piece of bristal board behind the tank. If i take those away the water looks mint. I do daily 10% water changes and the water levels couldnt be better (amm, trate,trite, and pH wise anyways)

The rock i got what i could from were i could on a budget. I may add some more and/or swap some out for some nice quality rock in the future but for now i am content with it. Have to work with what i can afford. But yes i agree it does look kinda bolder'ish. Not a big concern anyways as i plan on having most of it covered with some sort of coral.

Lights are mentioned in first post: 6x 3' t5 bulbs + 2x 6' vho t12's. Again 2nd hand and working with what i could afford. And i actually bought the mushroom looking almost that way about 3 weeks ago. However they were almost opague and have greened up alot since being in my tank. Algea is "attributed to moving things around" it is because my tank cycled again when i did 100% substrate change. I completly emptied the tank and refilled it ending up with the algea covering most of the sandbed withen a few days. Like i said it is receeding and im very happy with progress. At the rate it is disappearing,like i mentioned, it should be completly gone within another week or two.

Star... perhaps your right. maybe... ;) noob mistake if it was a mistake. I think my sandbed population will be ok with my 3 big piles of rock aquascape. star can only be in 1 place at a time right??

The leather will stay were it is. the caps are just little pieces a friend broke of for me and i placed them there for now so they get good flow and light until they are healthy and strong. Never intended to leave them there. Perhaps a frag rack would be a more suitable place until im happy with them but the leather doesnt come close to touching them yet so i think im safe.

phew.. long post. Again, thx for your crit, anything mentioned will be taken into consideration. Just thought i should justify some of the things you said and let you know i have planned a little better then what appears.

Upset you dont like my "scape" :( lol.. jks. to each his own right :)

cheers :beer:

TampaReefer79
07/03/2010, 07:24 PM
Oh dude, absolutely. To each his own. I don't have to look at it in my house, so I was just telling you what I'd do if it were me. The cloudy looking water (which it isn't) wasn't the ONLY concern with the hospital tank. The foxface is pretty big and the qt is pretty small which = stress. That was my main point there. As for the rocks, I know all about budget rock hunting. There's no need to swap it out all at once, that would be insane. You can shop around and swap out one piece at a time over the course of months and months. As far as the cap/leather go...the leather will shed off a waxy sheen every so often that when released into the flow of the tank, will burn any sps that it lands on/touches. On top of that, it will drop 'fingers' (little babies) that will start growing wherever they land...ie: ALL OVER your tank. lol

TampaReefer79
07/03/2010, 07:25 PM
Oh and you underestimate how much and how fast that sand sifting star eats.

KashAlp
07/04/2010, 01:48 AM
Oh and you underestimate how much and how fast that sand sifting star eats.

Are they really that bad? How do people keep them if the totally wipe out sandbed populations?

AaronM
07/04/2010, 04:37 AM
Man those mushrooms are sweet. Never seen any like them.

KashAlp
07/04/2010, 10:22 PM
Man those mushrooms are sweet. Never seen any like them.

Thanks..


Anymore comments? good or bad, like it or not, dont be afriad to voice your thoughts. constructive critisism can be helpful :)