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Unread 10/15/2009, 09:43 AM   #251
moze229
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Good work. These are the types of threads where people can really learn what's involved with setting up a reef tank. Thanks for sharing!

Matt


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Unread 10/15/2009, 11:18 AM   #252
salali
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I really love your tank good job hope my new 90gal looks like it after I am done


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Unread 10/15/2009, 03:07 PM   #253
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Frogmanx82 View Post
Arm and Hammer baking soda from the grocery store is 99.9% pure, I wouldn't get baking soda online.
I wan't concerned with purity for the baking soda, I've been using baked arm and hammer for raising the alkalinity for the past few months with no issue, but the sodium bicarbonate came with the others are part of a kit and seemed pretty cheap.

I did notice that when I dosed the BRS sodium bicarbonate the water didn't turn cloudy white like when I use baking soda. I'm not sure why it doesn't happen with BRS, but either way seems to get the job done.

Quote:
Originally Posted by drimo View Post
Just wanted to say you have built an absolutely stunning tank and the stand is amazing! It fits the room very well. The pillar of zoanthids is also very neat. Nice work!
Thanks, for a while it was getting pretty barren of Zoanthids when we first bought it, but it definitely started taking off once the water parameters were fixed and now it's completely covered.

Quote:
Originally Posted by moze229 View Post
Good work. These are the types of threads where people can really learn what's involved with setting up a reef tank. Thanks for sharing!

Matt
Thanks, I know I learned a lot from build threads here on RC so I thought the least I could do was return the favor.

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Originally Posted by salali View Post
I really love your tank good job hope my new 90gal looks like it after I am done
I'm glad you like it! I hope you post pictures of your 90g when you get it where you want it.


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Unread 10/15/2009, 03:16 PM   #254
salali
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Yes, I will but I have few questions for you.

Is that a Marineland with corner over flow?

Is this a starphire glass?

I wonder if your tank is expressive or not? because I might change my mind and get 120gal


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Unread 10/15/2009, 05:22 PM   #255
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Quote:
Originally Posted by salali View Post
Yes, I will but I have few questions for you.

Is that a Marineland with corner over flow?

Is this a starphire glass?

I wonder if your tank is expressive or not? because I might change my mind and get 120gal
We purchased the tank from our LFS which ordered it through Oceanic I believe. It's not a corner overflow, but actually 2 of the standard mega-flow overflow boxes just all on one side.

There's no starphire glass, it's just a standard 120g with the overflows pushed to one side. I'm not sure how expensive it was, but I think they are about $100 more than a 90g based on petco's prices. If I had to buy this aquarium again I wouldn't get the overflows installed though. I would instead install my own coast-to-coast overflow in the same position but have the bulkheads on the side of the glass, not the bottom. This way when I change bulkheads it would be much easier and less likely to leak.

If you can do a 120g instead of a 90g I think you'd really be happy with it, but you'll have to see about prices in your area. I've been really happy with the 24" width though.


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Unread 10/15/2009, 05:32 PM   #256
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Wow, you have an awesome tank. I am getting ready to purchase a 120g and this thread has already given me alot of ideas. Did you follow a plan to build the stand?


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Unread 10/15/2009, 05:40 PM   #257
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Originally Posted by sharkboy11 View Post
Wow, you have an awesome tank. I am getting ready to purchase a 120g and this thread has already given me alot of ideas. Did you follow a plan to build the stand?
Thanks for the compliments!

I followed this thread for how to build my stand:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1169964

I followed the picture exactly except that I added some bottom supports because I was planning on putting the 40g breeder in it. I can tell you that design provides more than enough support for the 120, it's easily the sturdiest thing I've ever made from wood.


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Unread 11/03/2009, 12:10 AM   #258
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Here's an update of the tank!







The SPS corals are continuing to do well! I have to regularly frag them to keep them from hitting each other.


Red lobo:


I went to Reef-a-palooza a few weeks ago and picked up a few new corals:
This favia is supposed to have bright green edges where it's growing. You can see a little on the right.


I replaced a brown acro with this blue milli. The brown acro grew very fast and was neat, but I think this blue milli is a lot cooler.


My favorite coral that I got was this wesophyllia:


And some general shots:
Foxface peeking around the coral.


Camelback shrimp, these guys are supposed to be questionable when it comes to being reef safe, but so far he's been good and never attacked any coral.



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Unread 11/03/2009, 12:14 AM   #259
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We started with about 10 polyps of these red zoos. I didn't anticipate them to grow so rapidly.


and finally the frag tank, you can see the big brown acro I replaced with the blue milli. I'm still battling some of the bryopsis in the frag tank as I don't have anything to eat it in there. I'm trying to raise my magnesium to kill it, but so far it's not doing much.


Thanks for looking!


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Unread 11/05/2009, 05:53 PM   #260
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Here's a cool picture of some of the zoos on top of one of the pillars.




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Unread 11/05/2009, 06:42 PM   #261
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Wow. Love your tank. Great scaping and amazing growth!


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Unread 11/06/2009, 09:22 PM   #262
iwishtofish
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Looking incredible, Eric!


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Unread 11/07/2009, 03:18 AM   #263
adddo
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Awsome tank!


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Unread 11/13/2009, 11:30 PM   #264
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Thanks for the comments!

Tonight I saw the maze coral's sweepers out. I moved the whisker coral a while ago so it wouldn't be so close, but I might have to do it again.



The right side of the whiskers is significantly smaller than the left, likely from being stung for so long. So far they seemed like they were far enough away, but it might not be that way for long. You can see one of the sweepers within an inch of the torch in front of the purple coraline.


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Unread 11/14/2009, 01:28 AM   #265
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The stand is so nice!!


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Unread 11/16/2009, 03:39 PM   #266
salali
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I love your anemones it is beautiful. I am scare to have one that is going to walk over the corals killing and harm because I used to own one and it did walk over the corals. I used to have camel shrimp also they looks cool I love them so much but they are not reef safe.


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Unread 11/16/2009, 04:34 PM   #267
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I'm not really pleased with the idea of an anemone walking around my tank either, which is part of why I got rid of them. So far the camel doesn't seem to have an appetite for any corals and he's been in there for quite a while. If he does start nipping at some corals he should be fairly easy to remove.


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Unread 11/29/2009, 08:13 PM   #268
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I took some short videos of some things in my tank and thought I should share them. Eventually I'll put together a video of the full tank once I get used to the new camera.






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Unread 12/05/2009, 09:15 AM   #269
iwishtofish
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Great videos, Eric - thanks for sharing. Your tank is quite an inspiration. I love the engineer gobies, but I think my wife would think they look too "snakey!"

Are those fish fry, or baby shrimp? I don't know much, obviously!

Edit: Never mind, saw the video caption...



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Unread 12/05/2009, 10:10 AM   #270
adddo
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cool videos!


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Unread 12/05/2009, 11:18 AM   #271
ludnix
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iwishtofish View Post
Great videos, Eric - thanks for sharing. Your tank is quite an inspiration. I love the engineer gobies, but I think my wife would think they look too "snakey!"

Are those fish fry, or baby shrimp? I don't know much, obviously!

Edit: Never mind, saw the video caption...
My mom and sister complain about them being too eel like as well. When it comes to moving sand I've seen no one better for the job though!
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cool videos!
Thanks!


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Unread 12/06/2009, 04:47 AM   #272
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Here's some shots of my tank from above.

Click to maker bigger!







I ordered a sun coral from my LFS. It's awaiting placement in my frag tank. I'm trying to decide where to put it where it can be easily fed but not too exposed to excessive lighting.



I recently redid the shelving eggcrate in the frag tank. The old structure didn't make the best use of space. This new system allows me to remove individuals sections of the frag tank for cleaning. I can also add addition shelves if I find the need arises.



I had been battling bryopsis in the frag tank so hopefully this new system will help. Here's a picture of how I'm trying to clean some of the frags now. I can put the frags covered in bryopsis on one of the shelves and drop it in the 120. This way the tangs can clean the plugs for me and it's easy to move back to the frag tank.



Sorry for poor picture quality, my camera was set to 1600 ISO and I didn't realize it until I had them open on the computer.


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Unread 12/06/2009, 11:46 AM   #273
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Wow. I just saw this thread yesterday, and I have to say great job. You have a beautiful tank and I love how much DIY stuff you do. The stand is incredible also!

Great job


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Unread 12/06/2009, 07:29 PM   #274
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Thanks, speaking of DIY stuff:

I wanted to reduce the moisture build up in my canopy, so I installed a 12cm fan the other day. The canopy has a lot of allowances for air to escape, for one thing, it's made of peg board so it's riddled with holes hidden by the "grass" thatch. There is also a large gap allowing air to escape just below the edges of the roof line.



I purchased the fan off www.xoxide.com, it's a standard 120mm case fan. I chose it based on the amount of air flow rated in cubic feet per minute, and the decibel rating. This was the quietest and strongest fan I could find.

The fan is connected to an external computer power supply, it's not a full on power supply for a real computer, but a small transformer with computer molex connectors on it. I was able to easily plug the fan into this power supply unit and not have to worry about the electrical aspect at all.

So far the fan seems to be working great. The air is being pushed into the canopy to blow cool dry air in. Having it blow in should increase the fan's life as well since less humid air will touch it this way. The aquarium has been stable between 80-81F, previously it was closer 82-84F. Temperature isn't that important to me though, it's more of the issue of moisture that was bothering me.


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Unread 12/06/2009, 07:41 PM   #275
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Ludnix. Your system is fabulous! You seem to have an excellent handle on diy projects as well as reef keeping. Did I read somewhere that you are only 15/16? All the more impressed if thats true! We arent too far apart geographicaly, Im just over the border in Medford. Where do you get your livestock?


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