My Reef Tank - Part I

[Nelson]

After my huge freshwater sell-off I am well on the way to a pretty respectable 120 gal reef tank (IMO).  Acquired more frags yesterday as well as a very major investment in a MH/VHO/Moonlight fixture.

My most agravating experience thus far has been the overflow I'm forced to use since my tank isn't drilled.  Continually having to fiddle to balance the input/output to and from my sump.  There's got to be a better way of doing this (tearing the tank down, removing it from the wall and turning it on its side then restoring is not an option - at this point)

It will be months before it has the appearance I'm looking for, but in the meantime here's some pics of Part 1.

[gator]

My most agravating experience thus far has been the overflow I'm forced to use since my tank isn't drilled.  Continually having to fiddle to balance the input/output to and from my sump.  There's got to be a better way of doing this (tearing the tank down, removing it from the wall and turning it on its side then restoring is not an option - at this point)

Nelson, it is possible to drill a full tank, by lowering the water level past where you are going to put the bulkheads.   But it is risky: if the tank cracks you have to have a back-up plan on where to put all of your stuff.

[Julie]

Nice layout Nelson - looks good.
Where did you pick up your frags and what is the middle one - a colt?

Julie

[Nelson]

My most agravating experience thus far has been the overflow I'm forced to use since my tank isn't drilled.  Continually having to fiddle to balance the input/output to and from my sump.  There's got to be a better way of doing this (tearing the tank down, removing it from the wall and turning it on its side then restoring is not an option - at this point)

Nelson, it is possible to drill a full tank, by lowering the water level past where you are going to put the bulkheads.   But it is risky: if the tank cracks you have to have a back-up plan on where to put all of your stuff.

If I could do that I wouldn't hesitate for a minute, but I've had two guys who do this work say that it must be on its side so the water used to cool the diamond drill will be effective.  Wish you we're right.

[DARKPHREAK]

Looking good!

[328iGuy]

I am getting ITCHY!!!   :lol:

[Nelson]

Nice layout Nelson - looks good.
Where did you pick up your frags and what is the middle one - a colt?

Julie

It's some form of branch coral, but the name escapes me.  When the light is off it appears to be a hard piece of coral but when the lights comes on, it doubles in circumference with "hairy" growths. It's very interesting - I'm sure Ron (rockgarden) will see this and give us the technical name for it.

[Mettle]

Saw this in person the other night. Made the entire thing SO tempting. But like I said - I'm going to wait until I can do it right like what Nelson has.

Lookin' good!

How're the Nemos doing?

[Nelson]

Saw this in person the other night. Made the entire thing SO tempting. But like I said - I'm going to wait until I can do it right like what Nelson has.

Lookin' good!

How're the Nemos doing?

They're doing well - that was an impulsive and very premature buy, so I'm thankful they're surviving.

[93GTCANADA]

are they percs or ocellaris ? ocellaris are pretty hardy. and nice rock of greenstarpolyps where did u get it ?

[Nelson]

are they percs or ocellaris ? ocellaris are pretty hardy. and nice rock of greenstarpolyps where did u get it ?

All my frags, with the exception of one, came from Ron (rockgarden)

[artw]

I am still trying to figure out how the discus can survive in salt water.

[rockgarden]

Julie:  The branch like frag in Nelson's tank is what I call my small brown-polyped gorgonian. I don't know what it's real scientific name is. It is a nice gorgonian and easy to care for under NO lighting. It's delicate appearance would fit well in a dwarf sea horse environment. I frag it every so often so it stays within the size and design constraints of my 40 gallon reef (keep my largest at about 8 inches tall).   I feel like a banzai gardener from time to time trying to manage 50+ corals in a 40 gallon tank. Nelson has significantly more depth in his tank so I expect that I'll get to see what it will look like as a larger specimen.

As Nelson mentioned, the polyps (the fuzzy things Nelson) often retract for no apparent reason and then reappear a short while later.  I have a little forest of them in my tank and sometimes some are open while others aren't.

93GTCanada: I've already told Nelson that a year from now he might hate me for starting him off with green-star polyps but he was having trouble coping with the adjustment to the browns of a new SW reef :lol:. He's converting from his beautifully planted FW tank which was solid green.  Brown LR just doesn't compare. The GSP also look great under actinics since they are a very fluorescent green variety.

I have already warned Nelson that the brwons will make way for the arrival of the scourge of the red slime and I've predicted its first appearance on the 10th of December (I will be out of town).  I think that he doesn't believe me :twisted:. If it does arrive while I am out of town, someone else will have to console him

Before anyone asks, yes I do have more frags available from time to time.  However, I prefer to trade frags for other frags or swap for something of aquatic  interest rather than sell frags outright. It's my way to add to the variety of corals in my tanks and also let's me meet other folks and see their reef projects up close. Nelson is now collecting from a swap arrangement I made with him a while back when he was first planning his SW conversion. Aside from his Nemo impulse, he has planned every step well in advance. A small frag of pompom xenia was added yesterday - stay tuned - more to come.

Nice pictures Nelson. Keep them coming.  But ....  beware the red slime of December 10th :evil:  


Ron

[Nelson]

OK...December 10th is a Saturday... as you know I have a color camera installed on the tank so I'll be sure to monitor it carefully throughout the night.  If I see any indications of ANYTHING red growing ANYWHERE in my tank, I will be upset to say the least, but I will certainly be asking you about the possibility of future inheritances, lotto wins and whether my boss will in fact get the hemorroids I've wished upon him so many times in the past. :lol:

[93GTCANADA]

i wish i had stuff to trade but i dont hey where did my signature go  :cry: should be fixed now.

[DARKPHREAK]

Ummm I have a 5 pound piece of LR with xenia if anyones interested... please please be interested. The forest started from 1 stalk and its growing everywhere!!! Hateful stuff. And the GSP is the same, grows everwhere!!! Hateful stuff.

He doesnt know about red slime...  oh oh this will be fun! This red goo is worse then any fresh water algea... ever.

[93GTCANADA]

dark do u have anything else available i already have pom xenias and gsp lol.

[rockgarden]

Dark:  I was kind. I gave Nelson the shorter fast pulsing beige/silver variety of xenia not the tall brown variety of xenia. The shorter stuff seems to be a bit more controllable.  In my tank, at least,  I have been able to coral that xenia using solitary green polyps and it seems to work not too badly.  The green polyps want to move down the rock and the xenia wants to move up the rock and they have a bit of a stand-off about half way up - a nice contrat of light beige/silver against green.

Ron

[redbelly]

I started with one frag of xenia from fishpassions. it spread on a piece of live rock then split into 2 seperate colonies the the original frag spead onto the glass and split again. the piece that split off has slowly been moving across the glass and is now about an inch from its original position.

I like both xenia and gsp's. I am just sure to keep them in an area where they can be controlled. on the side against the glass, or on the substrate.

[gvv]

... I've already told Nelson that a year from now he might hate me for starting him off with green-star polyps but he was having trouble coping with the adjustment to the browns of a new SW reef :lol:. He's converting from his beautifully planted FW tank which was solid green...

Completly agree! As I also migrated from planted FW tank, GSP was the first thing I put into SW tank...