29 gallon mixed reef (approaching 3 years)

[lgoins]

As the title says, this tank will be three years old in june I think. It's been through one major move that went well, No losses of anything.
About 7 months ago, I changed to metal halide lighting and started focusing more on sps. I recently added a CSS 65 and am pleased with it's efficiency, although it's an eyesore in the tank.
Here are some pics:

clown with anemone

acan

derasa

FTS

 

[ArcticBlue]

Wow really beautiful. I am moving in a few months and have a 29 ready to go once we get in our new place. Yours is really inspiring. I was looking at the CSS too, whats the noise level like?

 

[Blazer88]

The noise level on my CSS65 isn't bad. I can hear some of the air being sucked into the venturi, but it's easy to deal with. I do have mine on my 10G sump in a cabinet which is probably why I don't hear it. Great looking tank BTW!

 

[wsc]

Great looking tank. What kind of lighting do you have on it?

 

[Cody Ray]

I'm gonna take a stab and say a Phoenix 14K bulb?

 

[lgoins]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7032519#post7032519 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ArcticBlue
Wow really beautiful. I am moving in a few months and have a 29 ready to go once we get in our new place. Yours is really inspiring. I was looking at the CSS too, whats the noise level like?

Thanks for the compliments, if you've never moved a tank before, you should plan it well before you try to do it. For instance, I had more trouble moving a ten gallon tank than I did my 29.

The noise level isn't bad, it sounds kinda like crickets chirping, but not loudly. If you had it in a sump you probably wouldn't hear it at all.

Yeah it's a Coralife 150w pendant with a phoenix 14k bulb. The bulb is 7 months old, and I need a new one. My anemones are losing some of their color along with some of the sps. But I love the bulb.

 

[dodo99]

Awsome tank, very nice job! I agree with the eyesore CSS65, but it's a necessity...

 

[lgoins]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7034637#post7034637 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dodo99
Awsome tank, very nice job! I agree with the eyesore CSS65, but it's a necessity...

I used to have a prizm deluxe skimmer, and although it's not the worst skimmer in the world, it needs constant adjustment. So I wanted something that I could use even on a slightly bigger tank with good performance. So far it has worked great, with no mods other than cutting the intake hose for the pump.

 

[dodo99]

I prviously used the regular version of the Prizm. It too needed constant adjustment to get any kind of skimmate production. With my CSS65 I set the lower bubble level about 1/2" higher than the red ring and get nice dark skimmate, with minimal chance of an overflow if the air intake gets clogged for whatever reason.

 

[ZoeReef]

That is an awesome tank.

 

[lgoins]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7035694#post7035694 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dodo99
I prviously used the regular version of the Prizm. It too needed constant adjustment to get any kind of skimmate production. With my CSS65 I set the lower bubble level about 1/2" higher than the red ring and get nice dark skimmate, with minimal chance of an overflow if the air intake gets clogged for whatever reason.

My skimmate is dark brown, but not black. I only have two fish that I feed about once a week and the tank is barebottom. So I keep the water level just inside the collection cup. If I had a larger bio-load that level would probably overflow the cup.

 

[lgoins]

I figure that I'll have to continue to update this thread with pictures to continue interest. So here goes, a new frag that my toadstool made.

My 4 1/2 legged star fish that was a freebie. Oddly enough the star had all five legs about two months ago and then it lost one, which is actually still alive in the tank.

And 4 days worth of skimming.

Anybody else dose kalk? And if so, how much per gallon when mixing (assuming you're doing it along with top-off.)

 

[Jim Z.]

I dose my 30 gallon with 2 liters of Kalk every evening. Teh kalkwasser helps to remove phosphate and it keeps the pH up around 8.0-8.2. By the way--nice looking tank. I can't wait for my 30 gallon to reach its first year......Jim Z.

 

[lgoins]

Jim, how much kalkwasser do you add to the water? I put between 1/3 - 1/2 teaspoon per gallon, is that enough? And I am having a problem with phosphates (algae).

 

[lgoins]

Not trying to bump the thread... but I'm curious as to how much kalk you guys add to your top off water.. 1 teaspoon/gallon..less?

Also is there anyway that I can lower my phosphates without getting a phosban reactor?

 

[outrigger]

wow

 

[lgoins]

I thought this thread was dead.
-Thanks for the compliments.

I bought a new purple millepora frag, that will hopefully color up a little in my tank.
-I also ordered another phoenix 14k bulb, so it should be here either today or tomorrow.

 

[kabal2]

wow beautiful tank
what pumps you have for circulation??

 

[lgoins]

Thanks,
I have:
1 maxi-jet 1200
2 powersweeps ~ 170 gph/each

I need about 300-400 gph more flow. I wish I had time and the tools to do the maxi-jet mod on a 400 or 600 and just take away the powersweeps.

I also rearranged the rock work a little so the css is a little more obscure in the tank.

 

[MalawianDude]

taggin, it's a beauty!