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Unread 01/08/2018, 02:34 PM   #101
sam.basye
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FTS


Elegance placement





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Unread 01/08/2018, 05:35 PM   #102
saf1
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Looks nice. Will be interesting to see how it does up there. They typically require dirtier water quality believe it or not (not sterile SPS reef stuff) and found lying in muddier shallow water in the wild. Used to be labeled has a beginner coral but later got a very bad rap of difficult to keep / experienced need only apply. I always thought that was due to everyone trying to keep them in SPS pristine systems and that is not how they are found in the wild.

I don't know - I'm lazy so mine did very well It probably thanked me for not doing water changes... Again, looks good though!


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Unread 01/08/2018, 05:47 PM   #103
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The way I get my shots is through Google photos and you can style the photos and change color saturation and other stuff like that. I have it built in with my pixel 2 but you might be able to get it on the app store.

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Unread 01/08/2018, 06:09 PM   #104
sam.basye
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30 Cube Foam Rockwall Reef Tank

saf1, maybe thats why it’s done well for me. Lol my water is nowhere near pristine with a lack of water changes...
I read up a lot when I bought it and most say it does better on the sand bed so it can lay out on top.. I haven’t seen any real proof of this in my previous tank and it can lay out across the rock work where it is now, so we’ll see!

Google photos just gives me a link with no picture?
I think I’ll just keep using Tapatalk’s image hosting since it apparently doesn’t look any different. I’m just crazy. Lol

Starting to get my first diatom bloom. Yippee



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Current Tank: 30 Cube build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2661418
26g Foam Rockwall build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2457621
Foam Wall

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Unread 01/08/2018, 09:25 PM   #105
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Here’s my tan spine rock boring urchin. For those of you new to my threads, I collected this guy, and his purple cousin not pictured, from the Florida keys a little over 2.5 years ago.



Here’s a little artistic fun.



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Unread 01/08/2018, 11:27 PM   #106
Michael Hoaster
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I've always thought that was the coolest looking urchin. You've had it for two and half years? Amazing!


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Unread 01/09/2018, 01:25 AM   #107
sam.basye
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I’ll see if I can get a picture of the purple one if it wants to be sociable tomorrow. Lol

Sure is! My friend and I drove down to Florida for spring break my last year of college which was March of 2015. This was pretty mush the only time we went snorkeling - turned into a family reunion.. and we went snorkeling in a spot I found surfing the forum/google on good snorkeling spots off the side of the road near a bridge in the Middle Keys.
The coolest things I brought back are both of these urchins and a sheepshead minnow that lived out it’s expected lifespan in the 26g. Amazing fish with great personality and neat silver coloration.
On a family trip in July or August of 2014 I caught Snappy in the Naples area, so I’ve had the Caribbean pistol shrimp for 3.5 years now!
I don’t feed either of the urchins or Snappy. I have determined the rock boring urchins like meaty items, not algae.

I need another Florida trip!


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Current Tank: 30 Cube build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2661418
26g Foam Rockwall build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2457621
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Unread 01/09/2018, 01:44 PM   #108
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Ok Sam...now you have been snorkelling you need to kick it up a notch and get Scuba certified. Best thing I've ever done so to speak - really enjoy it outside diving in the cold waters of Northern California. Always nice when I travel or we go on vacation and a ocean with warmer waters with diving is near


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Unread 01/09/2018, 04:03 PM   #109
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I do need to. The only issue is there’s no way my wife would do it (pretty sure she’d get a panic attack..) and that kinda limits the fun. Lol

One thing I really want is a snuba/hookah setup! And a place to use it. Lol
It’s the best of both worlds, just limited to 25ish ft with longer fun time.


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Current Tank: 30 Cube build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2661418
26g Foam Rockwall build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2457621
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Unread 01/10/2018, 07:36 AM   #110
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sam.basye View Post
I do need to. The only issue is there’s no way my wife would do it (pretty sure she’d get a panic attack..) and that kinda limits the fun. Lol

One thing I really want is a snuba/hookah setup! And a place to use it. Lol
It’s the best of both worlds, just limited to 25ish ft with longer fun time.
I've never done snuba but I would have to say that SCUBA beats it for sure. No tether and you can go deeper. I always thought that snorkeling was awesome and how much better could scuba be?? Well, it's a lot better. For a reefer like you and me, it's one of the best things in the world actually. You would not regret it regardless of your wife's ability. My wife also cannot dive but when we go on trips, I'll get out at least once and she'll do something else. It works pretty well. And we can still snorkel together otherwise.


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Unread 01/10/2018, 07:49 AM   #111
saf1
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My wife isn't interested in it but my daughter is. Also niece, nephew, and brother in law. So if we are all going on vacation chances are high I'll have at least one dive partner My brother in law is who I typically dive with. It is fun but yet another expensive hobby. Fun stuff usually is I guess.


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Unread 01/12/2018, 10:23 PM   #112
sam.basye
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30 Cube Foam Rockwall Reef Tank

Lots of updates!

I got the lights on Thursday and just sold one today. So far I’m down to being in it for $295 and I still have a mounting arm and 2 sets of wide angle lenses to list. Looking good!

The wife got home early Thursday and saw all my purchases scattered across the floor. Lol
She looked and asked if she even wanted to know what it all cost. I said no. Hahaha

So far I’m really liking the Radion! Got it mounted up and it barely fits behind the return. I had one powered on sitting on top of the fish feeder box and next thing I know I smell something burning. The Radion started burning a hole in the 4 on the box!



My half-a**ed wiring because I needed a male to male usb cable to setup the Reeflink. Lol



The elegance is huge! Way bigger without the tight space in the corner of the 26. It looks really good up in the rocks.



I moved the mp10 to the other side for different flow around the bigger corals to help isolate them better.

Bought some aluminum flat stock for the light over the 2.5g





Mounted the Reeflink to the wall and repositioned the bubbler.





Check out this cool nickel sized clam I found at the beach this summer! It’s been living in the 2.5g.



My purple rock boring urchin decided to say hi.



Went to the LFS and they got some eels in for me, but none were poking out yet and they couldn’t get any to come up so going to wait to make sure they’re good to go before buying one.


The landlord came by the other day to fix a leaky pipe in the wall and really liked the tank! Kept talking about how great it looked!

McPuff, I used the appoinkment joke today! Went right over her head.. I had to ask again and she didn’t see any humor in it - just looked at me. Lmao
I told her the other day while we were in the kitchen that it smelled like bacon. Lol

The way the light mount sits, it is tilted forward slightly which normally would bother me, but I get more light in the back corners.

Both tanks




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Current Tank: 30 Cube build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2661418
26g Foam Rockwall build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2457621
Foam Wall

Last edited by sam.basye; 01/12/2018 at 10:30 PM.
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Unread 01/12/2018, 11:38 PM   #113
Michael Hoaster
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Wow it all came together great! That light looks serious!


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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance,
our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey

Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018
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Unread 01/12/2018, 11:43 PM   #114
sam.basye
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Kinda like concert lights! Haha


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Current Tank: 30 Cube build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2661418
26g Foam Rockwall build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2457621
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Unread 01/13/2018, 03:52 AM   #115
kampo
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Tank looks great. can't wait to see it once it fully matures.


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Unread 01/13/2018, 09:04 AM   #116
fabulousfavia
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Wow looks great can't wait to see what u put under there.

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Unread 01/16/2018, 01:34 AM   #117
Barber Reefer
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looks great


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Unread 01/16/2018, 08:32 PM   #118
sam.basye
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30 Cube Foam Rockwall Reef Tank

Thanks everyone!

Just about done moving everything over!
Got the damsel and blenny transferred a couple days ago. Also found one crab. Only things left are the other crab, the pistol shrimp, and toadstool leather. The other rbta, green zoa’s, xenia, and remaining monti spongodes still needs to be removed as well, but not a priority since it’s not going in the new tank.

The blenny just looked at me like I did it wrong by netting and transferring it to the new tank. Lol It sat there up front for 10 to 15 min staring at me with those big eyes. Haha



Also got the second ATO set up on the 2.5g tank and some coral glued in. I need to pick up a hermit or two and maybe a fish for it tomorrow. It’s got a couple small random tufts of green hair algae.
I also want to find a cubeier ATO reservoir to fit inside the modified kitchen cabinet stand.



Surprisingly enough, my report of blooming diatoms went away after I posted about seeing them pop up. Another win for foam wall tanks!

Got just about everything either glued or puttied in place. A few extra green digi and birdsnest frags left over.



Also sold the second ReefLink for $80 leaving me with about a $5 profit which effectively made the one I’m keeping only $60.

Lastly, we got a dog! Cooper My wife found him at the shelter and he has a great personality. Little 3yo dark brown pit mix.






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Current Tank: 30 Cube build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2661418
26g Foam Rockwall build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2457621
Foam Wall
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Unread 01/16/2018, 08:46 PM   #119
saf1
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Looks nice (great).

Blenny with attitude? Check.
Dog? Check.
Gold star? Check. Taking in a dog from a shelter = super awesome sauce and priceless.


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Unread 01/16/2018, 10:37 PM   #120
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The tank looks awesome with everything moved in! The wall really is dynamic. How was it for you, doing another wall? By the time I finished mine, I never wanted to do another! But I imagine it would be a lot easier the second time around. What lessons did you learn from the first, that helped for the second?

What kind of blenny is that? It kinda looks like a Red Lipped.


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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance,
our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey

Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018
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Unread 01/16/2018, 11:13 PM   #121
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Thanks, saf1 and Michael!

As for the wall, it’s been 3.5 years since doing the first one, minus the wall in the 2.5, so I was ready to try doing another one. Plus, the excitement of a new tank also helps! Foaming the egg rate directly to the tank made it easier too. Trying to get the wall back in was a pain on the 26g. I had to break it to get it to fit..
I actually felt like this wall was easy and went really smoothly.

Make sure you look at the wall from every angle before filling it so you don’t find a spot you missed. Lol
One thing I have thought after every wall I’ve made is I wish I used more rock. It’s difficult zip tying the to the eggcrate so you can’t see them once finished and rock is kinda expensive.
It was also challenging foaming the wall in the tank due to a lack of visibility and can/tube angling.
One thing I might try next time is not pressing all the air out of the entire wall so it doesn’t look as flat.

The key to making the wall realistic is to have flowing lines. In this tank, the rock starts halfway up the back left side and comes up a little towards the front which then slopes down across the front and curves back into the sand bed ending with the taller pointed rock in the center. I also chose the rock at the top right because the shape would allow the return nozzle to fit nicely and tight to the rock. I don’t want to see equipment, so this helps the nozzles to blend a little better.
Also, choose rock that matches the wall.. lace rock is cheap and a similar color as the wall, especially with gray sand thrown on. You could use other, lighter colored rock, and throw crushed coral or white sand on to help it blend.
The walls that don’t come out that great have rock randomly spaced across the wall and often stick out like a sore thumb. Everything has to tie into each other and flow.

That’s my bi-color blenny. It’s purply-gray with a yellow/gold tail. The while splotches only show up in certain lighting. It has been exploring all the different nooks and crannies to hang out in.


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Current Tank: 30 Cube build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2661418
26g Foam Rockwall build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2457621
Foam Wall
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Unread 01/17/2018, 09:06 AM   #122
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The tank looks great. I really like the rock work. Very interested in trying this out, maybe just on a QT tank or even just for fun on something smaller.

The dog looks really happy to be with you. Looks at those eyes. :0)


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Unread 01/17/2018, 09:19 AM   #123
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Looks really good. I wish my blenny was like that.

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Unread 01/23/2018, 10:58 PM   #124
ratherbeflyen
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sam.basye View Post
Nice looking wall! What’s it made out of??
It's made out of lighting diffuser / egg crate, landscaping black lava rocks, and held together with ~100 lbs of black sanded grout.

Step 1, build a mold out of wood or you will scratch your tank for sure.

Step 2, lay out the rocks how you want.

1

Step 3, measure and cut your egg crate so it will fit in the tank around the center brace.

2

Step 4, mix grout and use it just like brick mortar to hold the rocks in place.

3

Step 5, build a small pond out of plastic and 2x4's to cure the rocks before adding to the tank. (Use rags or old socks to protect the plastic from sharp edges)

4


Step 6, squawk 7500, and ident


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Unread 02/02/2018, 11:34 PM   #125
sam.basye
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30 Cube Foam Rockwall Reef Tank

Thanks guys!

Finally the semester has started back up and I’m busy working again. I’ve got 5 students and one that really tests my patience. Lol
4 instrument and 1 private.


Flying in the clouds.

Dog update!

Cooper likes to ride





Fish update!

The 26g is almost gone. Ripped the wall out and cut off the remaining coral attached to the wall last night and removed Snappy. The big rbta finally gave up without any light for the past week and it moved to the wall for easy removal.
The 26g has been running with no filtration for the past 2 months on the floor with no issues. Just a power head and 25w heater.





Everything is placed and looking good in the 30g. The plate coral hasn’t been looking too good and I think it’s been getting too much light, so I moved it to the back corner. The burning magician zoa’s are bleaching out which led to this determination. The plate coral is looking better today.
Probably gonna turn the light down a little.







Now got find people to buy the coral that doesn’t fit!




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Current Tank: 30 Cube build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2661418
26g Foam Rockwall build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2457621
Foam Wall
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