210G Upgrade / Build (Lots of Pics)

[D5HP]

Looking good! Sorry to hear about going fallow...smart move though!

 

[alcoolaid]

Wow.. most unique setup on RC

 

[michael_in_nc]

Thanks everyone.

Just swapped around my Vortech's and upgraded to (2) MP60's instead of the MP40's. Kept one MP40 on the back. Hopefully I'll be working more livestock through QT soon. Will post updates once I get some more work done!

 

[michael_in_nc]

Long time since I've updated. Had Ich battles and have held off on new fish for now, but been working on the coral for now. Need to get a couple of green chromis out of the DT. That's going to be a chore, but need to get it done soon to start the clock ticking on the fallow period.

The coral fortunately seems to be doing well. I have a phyto / rotifer grow station setup and I think that is helping. I feed rotifer daily and phyto occasionally.

A few recent pictures.

 

[Dangerwill]

Great thread, very unique, I love the stand but the canopy lift steels the show! That is absolutely the most brilliant piece of equipment I have seen so far. I can't believe I haven't broken my tank (or my back) leaning in over my canopy trying to pick something off the bottom. Your rock work turned out pretty nice too. thanks for the fun read!

 

[michael_in_nc]

Thanks! Good luck with your upgrade. I had friends with the metal skills so the lift wasn't a problem but would have been tough for me to do....

 

[rcpaul]

too bad about the ich but the corals are looking great

 

[michael_in_nc]

Going through some old pictures and found this one from the start of the tank. Progress pictures are one of my favorites to look through, so this is one of my first ones. I'm trying to track the tank with pictures frequently. It's so hard to really tell how much things are changing since I look at it every day...

September 17, 2011:

And now, May 25, 2012:

 

[michael_in_nc]

Been a long time since I did an update. I tried this quick video of the tank. Quality isn't that great, I need to try again when I have more time. Right now, I have the following in the tank:

(1) Black Spot Tang
(1) Powder Blue Tang
(1) Chevron Tang (juv)
(3) Chromis
(7) Lyretail Anthias

My zoas got hit with some Nudibranches, but I think I got them and they seem to be recovering.

I will try to post a few pics, too...

https://www.youtube.com/my_videos_edit?ns=1&feature=vm&video_id=E0p9bZAgjzk

 

[lluv24]

Great tank!!!!!! I really liked your build!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

Been a long time since I did an update. I tried this quick video of the tank. Quality isn't that great, I need to try again when I have more time. Right now, I have the following in the tank:

(1) Black Spot Tang
(1) Powder Blue Tang
(1) Chevron Tang (juv)
(3) Chromis
(7) Lyretail Anthias

My zoas got hit with some Nudibranches, but I think I got them and they seem to be recovering.

I will try to post a few pics, too...

https://www.youtube.com/my_videos_edit?ns=1&feature=vm&video_id=E0p9bZAgjzk

Is it me or the link didn't work either.

 

[michael_in_nc]

Let me try again. It didn't seem to work when I clicked on it either. I just tried to view it directly from YouTube and that worked. I'll see if this fixes it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0p9bZAgjzk

 

[Lilmatty5dimes]

your tank looks great. love the idea of the canopy lift. i'm sure it was worth every penny.

 

[tr1gger]

Very impressive, I like the beginning to now comparison

 

[michael_in_nc]

Thanks. The canopy lift is great. I am really glad I did that. It would be painful without it.

I thought I had picked up Ich again. My QT process is good for the fish, but I added some coral with only a dip so that could have been the source. It went away and I'm not 100% sure on the ich, so I will wait awhile and see how things go, let the corals grow out some before adding much more livestock. I need to post some more pictures of the latest progress...

 

[reeftanknewbie]

Michael,
It has been awhile since I have checked in on your thread and everything seems to be maturing nicely. Seems like your finally past the first year settling. Rockwork is filling in nicely with good color. How is the equipment setup working out for you? Would love to see a video of the sump setup and operation as I am planning an upgrade to a 180. Would love to see some pics or video of the rotifer/phylo setup as I have always been interested in trying but feared the daily maintenance.

 

[michael_in_nc]

Hey,

The tank is doing pretty well. I seem to be constantly having ich battles and working out my QT system. In the process of the last battle with ich, some corals have receded, but the tank overall still looks pretty good. Hopefully those pieces will recover fully soon.

I can try and post some more video/pictures. It will be a few days to get those with my schedule. The phyto station is pretty simple (and the rots, too). I have been able to keep the phyto station going but maintenace goes back and forth on it. The rots I have done for a few month runs but had a crash once and maintenance issues a couple of times. I haven't re-started the rots, but probably will again at some point.

The maintenance really isn't that bad if your setup is good. The issue I have with it is that you really have to do it *every* day. You can get away with a few slips here and there but that is tough to keep up on even though each day is relatively easy. My schedule always eventually causes problems with that. Phyto is more forgiving. If you let a batch go too long, I just use it to seed a new batch. The rots are less forgiving, but I have been able to keep them up for a few months at a time pretty easily.

Watch for some more pics / videos, hopefully it will be soon...

 

[reeftanknewbie]

Sorry to here about the ich problem. Have you tried kick Ick by ruby reef? Heard some good things from some local club members who tried it. Can't wait for the videos and pics. Always feared the upkeep of phyto and rots as I sometime miss my daily maintenance as well.

 

[scuzy]

Kick ich is nothing but snake oil. Best way to fix it is take fishes out and treat them then let display go fallow.

 

[reeftanknewbie]

Kick ich is nothing but snake oil. Best way to fix it is take fishes out and treat them then let display go fallow.

Even though I know most things in this hobby seem to be snake oil...I am surprised to hear that this was as a few locals seem to swear by it....never tried it myself.

good to know.