P-Daddy
09/11/2011, 04:39 PM
So I've had a 34g Solana for a little over 2 years. It's been a great tank, but will always be limited by the fact that it's an AIO. I've tried a lot of different equipment, and a lot of the stuff that fits in the rear chambers is inefficient, ineffective, underpowered, or just cheaply made. Don't get me wrong, this tank is certainly viable (many members here have done great work with the Solana series) and there are also a lot of people who make quality equipment specifically designed to overcome some of this tanks limitations.
With that said between my protein skimmer, media reactors, dosing pumps, and gargantuan light fixture I have lost sight of the clean, modern, and minimalist intentions I started with 2 years ago. It looks cluttered and it annoys me.
The health of many of my SPS corals has also been on the decline, I've noticed an increase in nuisance algae (bubble) and may even have a minor dinoflagellate outbreak. In 2 years I have never missed a weekly 10g water change, changed my carbon and GFO religiously once a month, and kept my skimmer running at peak performance or close to it. Perhaps I am a victim of old tank syndrome, maybe my large fish have outgrown the system and produce too much waste. Either way I can't export any more nutrients than I already do, or easily improve my water quality much more. So rather than continue to slowly decline.....
So I've had a 34g Solana for a little over 2 years. It's been a great tank, but will always be limited by the fact that it's an AIO. I've tried a lot of different equipment, and a lot of the stuff that fits in the rear chambers is inefficient, ineffective, underpowered, or just cheaply made. Don't get me wrong, this tank is certainly viable (many members here have done great work with the Solana series) and there are also a lot of people who make quality equipment specifically designed to overcome some of this tanks limitations.
With that said between my protein skimmer, media reactors, dosing pumps, and gargantuan light fixture I have lost sight of the clean, modern, and minimalist intentions I started with 2 years ago. It looks cluttered and it annoys me.
The health of many of my SPS corals has also been on the decline, I've noticed an increase in nuisance algae (bubble) and may even have a minor dinoflagellate outbreak. In 2 years I have never missed a weekly 10g water change, changed my carbon and GFO religiously once a month, and kept my skimmer running at peak performance or close to it. Perhaps I am a victim of old tank syndrome, maybe my large fish have outgrown the system and produce too much waste. Either way I can't export any more nutrients than I already do, or easily improve my water quality much more. So rather than continue to slowly decline.....
http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z182/P-Daddy_bucket/6e0e1fa8.jpg
http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z182/P-Daddy_bucket/ee7bf99c.jpg
And some stuff...
http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z182/P-Daddy_bucket/96108127.jpg
More to come.
With that said between my protein skimmer, media reactors, dosing pumps, and gargantuan light fixture I have lost sight of the clean, modern, and minimalist intentions I started with 2 years ago. It looks cluttered and it annoys me.
The health of many of my SPS corals has also been on the decline, I've noticed an increase in nuisance algae (bubble) and may even have a minor dinoflagellate outbreak. In 2 years I have never missed a weekly 10g water change, changed my carbon and GFO religiously once a month, and kept my skimmer running at peak performance or close to it. Perhaps I am a victim of old tank syndrome, maybe my large fish have outgrown the system and produce too much waste. Either way I can't export any more nutrients than I already do, or easily improve my water quality much more. So rather than continue to slowly decline.....
So I've had a 34g Solana for a little over 2 years. It's been a great tank, but will always be limited by the fact that it's an AIO. I've tried a lot of different equipment, and a lot of the stuff that fits in the rear chambers is inefficient, ineffective, underpowered, or just cheaply made. Don't get me wrong, this tank is certainly viable (many members here have done great work with the Solana series) and there are also a lot of people who make quality equipment specifically designed to overcome some of this tanks limitations.
With that said between my protein skimmer, media reactors, dosing pumps, and gargantuan light fixture I have lost sight of the clean, modern, and minimalist intentions I started with 2 years ago. It looks cluttered and it annoys me.
The health of many of my SPS corals has also been on the decline, I've noticed an increase in nuisance algae (bubble) and may even have a minor dinoflagellate outbreak. In 2 years I have never missed a weekly 10g water change, changed my carbon and GFO religiously once a month, and kept my skimmer running at peak performance or close to it. Perhaps I am a victim of old tank syndrome, maybe my large fish have outgrown the system and produce too much waste. Either way I can't export any more nutrients than I already do, or easily improve my water quality much more. So rather than continue to slowly decline.....
http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z182/P-Daddy_bucket/6e0e1fa8.jpg
http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z182/P-Daddy_bucket/ee7bf99c.jpg
And some stuff...
http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z182/P-Daddy_bucket/96108127.jpg
More to come.