A Reef Tank in the Desert - +/- 1,400 gallon system

[danfeig]

Originally Posted by CHSUB

great reef!!! question, how are you going to keep the orange cup coral alive, being that it is so larger and your tank is so massive, it seems like an impossible task?

Thank you CHSUB!

It's actually not an Orange Cup coral but rather a Dendrophyllia. I am a big feeder and where it is located, it will get brine and mysis shrimp. I do have some long feeding tubes and a couple times per week I will feed it directly.

[danfeig]

Originally Posted by acabgd

Just to let you know it was not just the music that wasn't working - the whole video was blocked "... due to copyrighted soundtrack..." or something along these lines. I was not able to even start the video.

acabgd,

I feel bad that the video doesn't work for you. I will talk to Sam and see if there is another way to post it or if we can post it on some other video service.

[danfeig]

So I wasn't sure that my lobster was still alive. It always hides in a cave under one of my towers and I haven't seen it since before I went to Florida.

Tonight when I was feeding, he came out. He's really cool. Never seems to bother any of my corals or fish. I'll come out with my flashlight when the lights are out and never seem to see him.

He's about 5" long. Sorry for the crappy iPhone pics.

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[CHSUB]

Originally Posted by danfeig

Thank you CHSUB!

It's actually not an Orange Cup coral but rather a Dendrophyllia. I am a big feeder and where it is located, it will get brine and mysis shrimp. I do have some long feeding tubes and a couple times per week I will feed it directly.

excellent to see you understand the requirements for keeping this coral. i had one years ago, orange cup that is, but believe requirements are the same? i found it a giant PITA. i have thought about trying again when my tank is a little more stable. during feeding, i thought i would place a 2 liter soda bottle over it and add food through the top, but first going to see how you do...also interested in the goni, i have found it impossible to keep beyond 1 year or so.

[danfeig]

So yesterday was rather a slow delivery day. I spent the afternoon working on my 150 gallon rock/frag tank and on my refugium.

I added 50lbs of live sand to my 150 and as soon as the water clears up, I will be moving all of my chaeto to it. The flow from my 150 into my system is much greater than that of my refugium. Tomorrow morning I will be adding two Ecotech Radions above the 150. One over the frag/rock section and one over the chaeto/macro algae section. I may order a 3rd Radion for above the macro algae section.

My 45 gallon bow-front refugium will be turned into a seahorse/pipefish tank. I will be connecting chiller to this tank to maintain a 74 degrees temperature. It will have a slow turnover rate with my system. I am thinking perhaps it will turnover 2-3 times per day, so I should not have an issue maintaining the temperature without cooling my entire system. Summertime I might increase the turnover rate to help cool things.

My pod/baby mysis population of my refugium has exploded. I am hoping to add tomorrow a few large rocks to the system and my delivery Friday consisted of a ton of macroalgae from Inland Aquatics in Indiana for both my refugium and for my 150.

My order consisted of several varieties of macroalgae, including Caulerpa prolifera, Halimeda opuntia, Turtle Grass, Halimeda clump, Caulerpa mexicana, Udotea flabellum and many others.

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[Newbie Aquarist]

Are you going to keep the fuge lit 24/7. I've heard the grapes doesn't go asexual that way. Are you just goin to run the whites or the reds and whites on the fuge?


Sent from my iPhone using Siri and Tapatalk.

[danfeig]

Originally Posted by Newbie Aquarist

Are you going to keep the fuge lit 24/7. I've heard the grapes doesn't go asexual that way. Are you just goin to run the whites or the reds and whites on the fuge?


Sent from my iPhone using Siri and Tapatalk.

My plan right now is to run a normal daylight schedule.

Perhaps I am making a mistake. I am planning on mostly having Chaeto in the 150 which will have a high turnover rate in my system. I'll be adding a few powerheads so the Chaeto is really turning and churning.

With the 45 gallon seahorse tank, I will have several different macroalgaes. It will be connected to the system at a slow turnover rate. Hopefully I would notice an outbreak beforehand. I may run the drain from the 45 gallon system to the intake of the skimmer pump....

I have been advised that my system is large enough to absorb a small outbreak of algae going asexual. I am open to suggestions, comments and help.

[Newbie Aquarist]

I didn't know if you were placing all the algae in one system or separate systems.


Sent from my iPhone using Siri and Tapatalk.

[danfeig]

So Sam was out yesterday and shot a short video.

He decided to shoot it with a lighter setting, virtually all whites.

He is still planning to shoot a couple more before he goes back to Columbia University for school. We are planning on shooting a video of a lightening storm and one of the fish room.

Enjoy!

[danfeig]

Try again!

[dotcommer]

Wow, Great Job!!!. I love your intro edit.
He did a much better job this time with the slower edits. It allows you to see movement of the corals and fish. The one thing that I wish he would do is a full tank shot for a longer amount of time. I know he showed it in the beginning for about 10 seconds, however it would be great just to see a full tank shot for a few minutes long. You have so much going on in that tank, it would be great to see a vid of just that. Better yet, just hook up a live webcam, so we can log in and watch it anytime :-)

[CHSUB]

AWESOME!!!! you have done an amazing job, coral placement, fish, just perfect. i can imagine how diffcult it must have been placing the sps's on the towers. i too would like to see a longer FTS and a video of the entire system with you narrating......

[Made2Rock]

Originally Posted by dotcommer

Wow, Great Job!!!. I love your intro edit.
He did a much better job this time with the slower edits. It allows you to see movement of the corals and fish. The one thing that I wish he would do is a full tank shot for a longer amount of time. I know he showed it in the beginning for about 10 seconds, however it would be great just to see a full tank shot for a few minutes long. You have so much going on in that tank, it would be great to see a vid of just that. Better yet, just hook up a live webcam, so we can log in and watch it anytime :-)

Ditto

Joe

[danfeig]

Originally Posted by dotcommer

Wow, Great Job!!!. I love your intro edit.
He did a much better job this time with the slower edits. It allows you to see movement of the corals and fish. The one thing that I wish he would do is a full tank shot for a longer amount of time. I know he showed it in the beginning for about 10 seconds, however it would be great just to see a full tank shot for a few minutes long. You have so much going on in that tank, it would be great to see a vid of just that. Better yet, just hook up a live webcam, so we can log in and watch it anytime :-)

Thank you dotcommer.

I will share your comments with Sam. He should be back out this weekend and we'll see what he can do.

How is your build coming along?

[dotcommer]

Originally Posted by danfeig

Thank you dotcommer.

I will share your comments with Sam. He should be back out this weekend and we'll see what he can do.

How is your build coming along?

It's coming along slowly, but now the holidays are over things should start moving along. I am going to pick up my tank this by this weekend from my acrylic guy. He is finalizing the polishing in the next few days.

Your tank is looking like the amazing reef photo you posted on the wall before starting your build. I know it has been a lot of long hours and money, but its becoming an incredible piece of live artwork. Great Job!!!

It would be great to see the tank in a video as if you were standing right in front of it. Tell Sam he did a great job on his last edits.

I was curious what you keep your water params at and have you had a hard time keeping them stable?

[Crazy_Beaver]

Originally Posted by danfeig

Try again!

Well done Dan!Tank looks amazing!

[danfeig]

Originally Posted by CHSUB

AWESOME!!!! you have done an amazing job, coral placement, fish, just perfect. i can imagine how diffcult it must have been placing the sps's on the towers. i too would like to see a longer FTS and a video of the entire system with you narrating......

Thank you CHSUB!!!

The placing of the corals on top was not bad at all. The difficulties are always placing corals in the middle of the towers when I need to stick my head into the tank and hold my breath while the SuperGlue adheres the coral to the rock.

I spoke with Sam last night and I hope to have him back to shoot a couple minute video of a FTS.

[Made2Rock]

Originally Posted by danfeig

Thank you CHSUB!!!

The placing of the corals on top was not bad at all. The difficulties are always placing corals in the middle of the towers when I need to stick my head into the tank and hold my breath while the SuperGlue adheres the coral to the rock.

I spoke with Sam last night and I hope to have him back to shoot a couple minute video of a FTS.

Yes I'm still wrapping my head around a tank 48" deep but I do have a suggestion here. Get a snorkel for when you do have to put your head in the water. I'm not a big fan of them and hate to use them but in this case it is a really good fit for what you need and it'll allow you to deal with the coral without trying to do it in a single breathe. You could also add a little length of hose onto the end of it if you need to get deeper.

Joe

[Newbie Aquarist]

Amazing tank and amazing video also. My younger sister started out at Columbia but transferred and graduated from Brown. My oldest sister went to Harvard. Tell Sam I wish him the best and keep up the excellent video skills.

[danfeig]

Originally Posted by Made2Rock

Ditto

Joe

Thanks Joe!

[danfeig]

Originally Posted by Crazy_Beaver

Well done Dan!Tank looks amazing!

Thanks Crazy_Beaver!

I am enjoying your build thread!

[Ness]

Hey Dan just so you are aware that orange coral is actually a Tubastrea (Sun Coral), not a Dendrophyllia. Awesome tank by the way.

[danfeig]

Originally Posted by dotcommer

It's coming along slowly, but now the holidays are over things should start moving along. I am going to pick up my tank this by this weekend from my acrylic guy. He is finalizing the polishing in the next few days.

Your tank is looking like the amazing reef photo you posted on the wall before starting your build. I know it has been a lot of long hours and money, but its becoming an incredible piece of live artwork. Great Job!!!

It would be great to see the tank in a video as if you were standing right in front of it. Tell Sam he did a great job on his last edits.

I was curious what you keep your water params at and have you had a hard time keeping them stable?

It's funny how the holidays slow everything down.

I still enjoy every minute working on the tank. I find that when a coral is not opening up fully or just isn't "looking right" I am checking out all of the parameters trying to figure out what is wrong.

I keep my salinity at 35 or 1.025. Calcium between 420 and 440 and my Alk at 10-11dkh. My temperature I try to keep around 76-77. It get's a little tough in the summer and goes up a degree or two. This week, the temperatures in the desert have actually dropped into the high teens with a cold front that we have. I don't know if it is a drop of the barometric pressure or what, but, things didn't look right for a few days. My chemistry has been perfect. This afternoon things seem to be great again.

I will tell Sam to take a few shots, perhaps with me standing next to the tank, so you get a better idea of the sheer size of my system.

[danfeig]

Originally Posted by Made2Rock

Yes I'm still wrapping my head around a tank 48" deep but I do have a suggestion here. Get a snorkel for when you do have to put your head in the water. I'm not a big fan of them and hate to use them but in this case it is a really good fit for what you need and it'll allow you to deal with the coral without trying to do it in a single breathe. You could also add a little length of hose onto the end of it if you need to get deeper.

Joe

Joe, you crack me up. Not always sure if you are serious or joking.

I will be sure to attach a long hose to a snorkel mask and have Sam film me, the next time I need to stick my head or body into the tank. Hopefully it will be a long while though, it's starting to get a little crowded in there.

[dave.m]

If it will help, I volunteer to hold your ankles.

Dave.M