240g build 4 year learning curve

[druzzelle]

Hey all... I had been freshwater pretty much my whole life and a few years ago I decided to give saltwater a try... Hopefully the pics load and show well.. sorry for not going step by step from build to now, it probably would've helped me during all of my trials, failures and efforts!

 

[druzzelle]

sorry about the attachments instead of the images being visible.. havent quite figured out how to post them so they can be viewed easier.. anyone know what i'm doing wrong?

 

[dave.m]

Set up an account on a web image service like Photobucket, Flickr, etc. Upload your images there. The image server will give you a Direct URL for each image. Copy the Direct URL (Ctrl+v)

Come back here to RC and in the Editor you will see a yellow mountain icon. Click on the icon and an input box for the Direct URL comes up. Paste your URL there. (Ctrl+v)

You can post a line of descriptive text above or below each image in the RC Editor. Leave a line space between multiple images. It makes it easier to view them that way.

Using an outside image server has a couple of advantages: firstly it serves up images faster than RC does, and secondly, your images will be viewable to anyone whether they are logged in or not, whereas images hosted by RC are only viewable to those who are logged in.

Dave.M

 

[druzzelle]

thanks dave! i have them on photobucket already do I have to post the URL from each individual image or is there a way to post multiple at the same time?

 

[dave.m]

You have to post each image by its URL, but you can post up to ten URLs per thread post on RC.

Dave.M

 

[druzzelle]

240g 96x24x24 room divider

started building my DIY stand

never really built anything like this before.. learning that I can be pretty handy

took quite a few people to lift it up onto the stand

75g DIY refugium with Mag18 return

Old Trigger Systems skimmer

view from the end

skimmer I changed the pump to a mag5

overflow plumbing, this was my first time doing everything myself so I kept the plumbing as simple as possible

ended up increasing the length of the drain pipe to make it easier to reach

 

[druzzelle]

single drain and single return.. drain pipe goes straight into the skimmer chamber into the water (was trying to keep it quiet)

dual Hydor Magnum 8 powerheads

first attempt at macro

started to wrap the frame which I never did complete but plans are in the works again... I originally didnt know much about live rock so I started out with far too little

some of my earlier inhabitants after cycling

snowflake

originally ran pc retrofit lights but changed recently to LED on the display and T5 HO on the fuge

better shot of how the corners of the wrap havent been finished

added more live rock a couple years ago appx 320lbs in the display now

 

[druzzelle]

somewhat decent rock work tried to create caves and pass thrus while keeping flow moving throughout

floating new inhabitants

mated pair of engineer gobies

over the past few years i've had bouts with a few algae blooms (my own fault) and some nitrate spikes so a couple months ago I decided to make some equipment changes.. added a dual stage reactor GFO and Carbon and decided to run Seachem denitrator instead of carbon GREAT RESULTS!

also added a Coralife 12X 36w UV sterilizer

biggest equipment change, got rid of the old trigger systems skimmer because it was just too small for my water volume and bio load, went with a reef octopus SSS5000INT decided on it because I do have plans on upgrading to a much larger tank at some point

media inserted

install time

skimmer in sump, I was worried about it not fitting in the chamber but it worked out ok.. used egg crate to raise the skimmer

 

[druzzelle]

skimmer after 24 hours .. I wasnt getting this kind of result with weeks of my old skimmer!

XL Naso

sally lightfoot crabs, also had a lot of hair algae before the equipment changes added a cleanup crew and the equipment and within a week NO MORE HAIR ALGAE!

sea hare on the job!

i've struggled with keeping macro growing so i've decided to try some black mangroves, been floating for about 2 weeks now, not sure how its going yet, hoping to find some Chaeto soon, seems to be pretty scarce in DFW

sorry about the glare i'm learning that engineer gobies and rock work are going to be a constant job

 

[druzzelle]

 

[druzzelle]

over the few years i've had this tank ive gone thru trials, crashes, and a load of experiences as i'm sure we all have at some point... I still feel like a newbie, just one thats learned quite a bit from my own mistakes .. i've kind of trolled RC for years and I have to say even without personal interaction i've learned a ton from a lot of you!!! planning on upgrading more equipment that will also work in the new tank once I decide to order it....