30g build with a lot of DIY

[needmorecowbell]

So I have a 30 gal tank that has been running for about a half a year now. It has 120w dimmable leds for lighting and a 20 long sump below. It will be a mainly sps build but for now there are a decent amount of softies and lps. As the title says, I do a lot of DIY. I made my sump, a "Xenia" scrubber, a water change station, and a few other things that I can't think of at the top of my head. I will be doing much more diy over the summer starting with an ato and canopy, along with led.

I have a photobucket which I'll put a link to in my sig that has all the pics of it. I also have a YouTube account which has videos of my tank. My name is Adammoose1000. Here's the more recent pics..

191325191326191327191328191329

[needmorecowbell]

191330191331191332191333http://img.tapatalk.com/60ecc8fb-8927-a033.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/60ecc8fb-8945-9093.jpg

[needmorecowbell]

Here's my latest video.. It's a little old, I'll do a new one once I finish building my computer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ha8ED6WCz0w&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Some things have died since then. Right now I only have a 6 line wrasse and a bangaii cardinal. The scooter went on a hunger strike and ended up with a collapsed stomach after a few months of hard work training it to eat frozen, it was very disappointing. I'm getting a Midas Blenny and a flame hawkfish soon.

[needmorecowbell]

Just finished sanding the doors to my tank. I used 60 grit then 150 grit. I'll be painting everything black once it's primed. I'm not sure how I'm going to sand down the tank, any suggestions?

[needmorecowbell]

i finished sanding my tank stand. i had a little dust in the tank because i didnt cover the tank immediately (stupid me lol) so i used paper towels to get it off the surface. didnt get it all, but a good amount. im going to use a grey primer and then paint with a matte black. i might put a coat of shelac or something to keep it protected but im worried it will make it too glossy for what i want.

out of the diy spectrum of things, my corals are growing fast. im not sure why but my stylo birdsnest has started to grow rapidly along with my mystery acropora. They bother are encrusting at the base but the stylo is also growing new branches from the base. finally starting to see some ceramic disappear. My light is keeping everything growing like crazy, and my softies look amazing (especially the zoas), but the 2 acans dont look as pretty as they were.

also, can anyone tell me what it means if i see a lot of orange coming out in my corals? ive heard that it means something, like excess of some mineral.

[Decadence]

Nice! What is that white "cage" in the sump?

[needmorecowbell]

Thanks! It's eggcrate, I was using it for a guard from the macro algae but now it's kind of a place for pods. I always see them in it, more so than the chaeto.

[needmorecowbell]

Just started priming everything, the doors are finished and now they need the black. The stand is about a fifth of the way primed. I'm trying to do small increments so the tank doesn't take in too many fumes.

[needmorecowbell]

Finished the priming, now all I need to do is paint it black! I've changed my mind, I'm going to do an eggshell instead of matte.

* I've taken step by step pics, I'll post once I'm done with the whole project.

[needmorecowbell]

First coat of black interior eggshell enamel paint finished, looks just how I wanted it. I'm probably going to do two more coats and save the rest for the canopy.

To anyone doing the same as me, USE GREY PRIMER!!! Lol it would have been a lot easier. I could have probably been done in two coats instead of three.

[needmorecowbell]

It's done! I'll have some pics tomorrow most likely. Next project is the canopy, should be great!

[Gboy66]

Hows it goin adam? Not alot of followers here! Tank is looking good

[needmorecowbell]

Thanks! Yeah I know, don't know why, maybe some more Pics.

[cteagan]

looks good. I'm not sure why anyone would buy a sump......cheap tank, lowes plexiglass and some aquarium sealer.

[needmorecowbell]

Thanks! Yep that's what I was thinking. They are really expensive too. I love my sump, it has helped a lot with water quality.

[needmorecowbell]

the pics are in! heres the first coat of primer..
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02280.jpg
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02291.jpg

first coat of black..
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02297.jpg
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02298.jpg

last coat of black..
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02300.jpg
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02301.jpg

done!
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02303.jpg
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02304.jpg

[needmorecowbell]

my zoas..
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02286.jpg

acro
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02289.jpg

frogspawn
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02290.jpg

fts
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02296.jpg

[needmorecowbell]

i had to redo the way i put out the links, so this will kinda be a double post but i cant edit, sorry.
the pics are in! heres the first coat of primer..
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02291.jpg
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02280.jpg
first coat of black..
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02297.jpg
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02298.jpg
last coat of black..
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02300.jpg
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02301.jpg
done!
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02303.jpg
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02304.jpg

[needmorecowbell]

my zoas..
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02286.jpg

acro
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02289.jpg

frogspawn
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02290.jpg

fts
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02296.jpg

[needmorecowbell]

Found someone my age that is starting a reef aquarium that lives in a reachable distance from me. Its a hike but I'm happy that there is someone. I'm going to be giving him my death star palys, spread the love, ya know?

I'll be starting to buy the supplies for my canopy tomorrow most likely. I'm also buying a bunch of corals Sunday.. Well maybe I'll control myself a little and buy a few.. Not sure.

Ive been seeing bryopsis in my tank since the emerald crab died so I'm going to buy another in hopes that it will eat it. Im not even going to try to kill it, I'll live with it before that war. It's not too ugly.

[SwimsWithFish2]

Looks great man.:)

[needmorecowbell]

Thanks! Glad to see some more people here!

[Boboli]

Hard work is paying off!
Keep it up looks nice!

[Gboy66]

Looks great man!!!

[needmorecowbell]

Thanks everyone! Canopy supplies will hopefully be bought today, not sure. If they do I'll start on the frame.

[needmorecowbell]

Nevermind, not my age.. 26 lol.

Good news, found out one of my hermit likes the occasional bryopsis. There wasn't any bryopsis on my zoa frag which had a lot of the stuff on it..

All of my sps are growing like crazy now.. Its exciting. Also, from now on I'm taking the coral of the frag when I buy it and I'm manually attaching it to my scape. It will look more natural IMO.

[needmorecowbell]

Bought the 1" cube sticks and put the bottom and top of the frame together. It was 17.59 total for that part, I used nicer wood though. Wood was 4 36" pieces, and 4 10" pieces. Make sure you account for the width of the wood, my tank is actually 12" wide. I used wood glue to get it together and later I'll be putting it together with screws/nails (not sure yet, most likely screws).

[needmorecowbell]

The store called, they have my Midas Blenny! I'm not sure when I'll be getting it, but I definitely will be buying it. Just Dont know when because it's pretty far away.

[needmorecowbell]

I'm off to a persons house who is selling me a few sps and giving me a Hollywood stunner.. Very excited.

I'm going to probably get the Midas Blenny in a week so I don't have to worry about aggression while I'm gone.

I finished nailing the canopy top and bottom, seems pretty sturdy. I added 1 1/2" nails instead of brad nails because we didn't have any. I'll probably add the corners in sometime soon do It can actually look like a canopy somewhat lol. Right now two rectangles isn't doing it for me. I'm sure it will look nice in the end though.

[needmorecowbell]

Got the corals!!! Almost all sps :D

1 purple tip acro
1 bonsai acro
1 green slimer
1 big hollywood stunner
1 green tabling acro (I'm super excited about this one)

I'm about to explode with excitement on this buy... It was 30$ and all of these corals are going to be absolutely beautiful IMO. Im still in disbelief, I thought I was going to get like 2 corals or so, not 5, let alone 5 decently sized frags. Most were under halides and the chalice was under t5s. I'll be putting them all at the Sandbed tonight. I don't know where I'm going to put them lol. I can't wait to see the colors under my LEDs, I'm about to pee my pants in excitement or something lol. It's pretty ridiculous that I'm 15 and I'm just about as excited as a normal teenager who just found out he got a car. I think I've expressed how I feel pretty well now... Pics soon, probably next monday because I'll be gone for the weekend.

[needmorecowbell]

Everything has been placed where I want it, the lights are at a lower setting and they were originally under halides, so they'll be fine.

The bonsai looks great but it's brownish, not purple (the tips are purple) I think it will color up eventually.

The slimer is my favorite, it's polyps are crazy and it is sooooo green.

Chalice is pretty, it will be staying on the bottom so it doesn't sting anything, not much room in my tank lol.

Tabling acro is cool, a little brown, but it will green up I'm sure.

The purple tip doesn't have much polyp extension, which makes me think more flow.. Well see in a day or two.

Fish are very healthy, I'm pretty satisfied with the tank now, the Midas blenny and canopy will be finishing touches :)

[needmorecowbell]

heres the pics!!!http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02366.jpghttp://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02362.jpghttp://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02337.jpghttp://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02347.jpghttp://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02332.jpghttp://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02365.jpghttp://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02351.jpghttp://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02339.jpghttp://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02335.jpghttp://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02329.jpg

[needmorecowbell]

http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02331.jpghttp://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02326.jpghttp://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02318.jpg

[needmorecowbell]

Just bought an ato, it's going to be a lot easier to take care of the tank with it. Just water changes and feeding now :)

[SwimsWithFish2]

Looks great man! What kind of ATO? I LOOOOVE my jbj.

[needmorecowbell]

It's from autotopoff.com, single float switch one. Comes with everything you need but the pump.
Also, found out that the tablet acro is a solitaryensis, and the purple tip may be a granulosa. Today It opened up and it has neon Green tips. I'm starting to have a little too much green In my tank lol.. Maybe a fish? :D

[needmorecowbell]

http://youtu.be/tZ2odeYJrJQ

http://youtu.be/WlKkMZqRyp4

new vids, im loving my tank soo much right now..

[needmorecowbell]

My ato came in. I attached it to where I wanted it. It looks like it will work well. Just need the aqualifter to come in tomorrow. Then I'll have my ato all ready! The corals all look amazing. The tabling soli looks a lot greener and has some nice lookin polyps.

[needmorecowbell]

Found out my tabling acro is a solitaryensis... Very pretty and can't wait for it to get a little more color. I moved the bonsai up a lot because I heard they like as much light as possible. And I'm only running at 25% right now B)

The other corals are great also, the purple tip has neon green polyps on the base, hopefully I'll get some on the tops too.

[needmorecowbell]

I finished building it I'll be posting a pic or two and maybe a vid of it when I come home on Monday. Schools out!!

[needmorecowbell]

Came back today, the ato worked perfect, but there were problems with the tank. I had a lot of algae on the walls, which is really uncommon. Two of my corals have bleach marks, the bonsai and monti. The monti has a small patch of diatoms covering a piece of if, but I'm not worried because it has happened before and grew even faster after it had happened. The bonsai fell over at some point. The bottom of one branch does not look happy at all, I'm worried because it isn't a very hardy coral and I've heard the skeleton is porous, so supergluing the bleached part would be risky, as it could travel up the skeleton. I'm hoping it will heal up, it's such a pretty coral.

The other corals look fantastic. I am loving my Hollywood stunner, it's well, stunning. The purple tip has actually grown, which is very exciting, and the stylo birdnest is really encrusting the rock now. I'm thinking of fragging my seriatopora into a bunch of pieces and selling it to save a little bit more for a car, I already have some nice pieces (I might have already said this, or just serious déjàvu)

To anyone who might want to upgrade their tank a little bit, but nothing major.... GET AN AUTO TOPOFF!!! It's very nice :)

[psteeleb]

looking great !!

[needmorecowbell]

Thanks! Means a lot! The polyp extension came back on the bonsai today, I think it's going to make it.

[needmorecowbell]

I saw this video a while ago, and was like, "wow, that's when you know your corals are happy"..... Guess what.. That just happened to my tabling Acro. It made me pretty happy, not gonna lie lol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4DfdQSA35E&feature=youtube_gdata_player

The purple tip tort is now my favorite coral. It's polyps are super awesome and it has actually colored up in my tank compared to the halides it was under when I bought it.

[needmorecowbell]

Thanks!

The bonsai doesn't look so good... It has completely bleached on the place that was on the sand but it is still coloring up on the rest of it. The polyps aren't as far out anymore also. I might be cutting it so it doesn't bleach anymore.

[needmorecowbell]

Picshttp://img.tapatalk.com/6c202042-37b7-77d8.jpg193574193575193576193577193578
These are pics from my moms iPod.. Not the best quality, but better than the expensive crappy camera.. Wish that was an oxymoron.

[needmorecowbell]

193579
And this one.

[needmorecowbell]

new video, pretty long, but i like to talk :)

http://youtu.be/PkZ0vQBiSRI

[needmorecowbell]

Update
I bought a flame hawkfish today! Ive been talking about buying fish and finally got to it. now I just need the midas blenny and ill be good. I did a good job acclimating, no aggression whatsoever with the 6 line.
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02440-1.jpg http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02414-1.jpg http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02438.jpg http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02413.jpg http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02412.jpg http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02449-1.jpg

[needmorecowbell]

the hawkfish has now chosen it's home, its not moving lol. It picked the Koralia at the top left of the tank. It perches there and won't move even if I move the pump. Its almost like he's being hosted by it, really cute. He snugs into the crevice between the magnet and motor, it's pretty funny. Crazy eater, almost scary.

The 6 line is being great about it. He flared his fins a few times and now is kinda scared of it, thank god the hawkfish is bigger, although I don't think it would've mattered, my bangai slightly bullies the wrasse rather than vice versa.

[needmorecowbell]

Just a question, could I add green chromis to my tank? If I can, how many could I add without being overstocked? This would be instead of the midas Blenny so my fish would be 1 flame hawk, 1 bangaii cardinal, and 1 six line wrasse.

[needmorecowbell]

Well, the things I ordered came in today. Calcium was 430 mag was 1350, I raised it up to about 1500, I'll raise it more tomorrow, don't want to freak anything out. I also found the beginning of cyano again, yay!!! :I it makes me hate vacations, I'm gone for a week and I have 2 algaes that are hard to get rid of.. Im not skipping any water changes, and I only have three fish.. I dont know what it could be.. Maybe my rodi filter needs replaced?? My levels are good in everything, so I don't know.. I regret buying the hawk now, it all started when I increased the bioload a bit. If I was to change it, I would have a pair of black Darwin clowns and maybe a small goby, or maybe not. I know I sound Whiney, I'm sorry, but this is giving me such a headache.

[needmorecowbell]

http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02543-1.jpghttp://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02534.jpghttp://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02532.jpghttp://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02529-1.jpghttp://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02521.jpghttp://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02516-1.jpghttp://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02490.jpghttp://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/w448/penfan321/DSC02481-1.jpg
okay heres some pics that i took the time to edit in photoshop. i only change the white balance and sometimes the brightness using curves and the brightness adjustment. the hawk is really over saturated, but you couldnt see him chilling in his powerhead if i didnt. the rest are pretty accurate to what they look, some are in blues, some in both white and blue combined.