500G (84X48X30)- NOW REAL !
- Thread starter Sanjay
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LNell
New member
Here's the link to the strainers he has.
http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/8566/cid/2098
http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/8566/cid/2098
masharp1126
New member
Whew, just finished reading the entire thread. GREAT! Can't wait to see it with the sand in it.
I'm getting ready to start a 450g plywood tank and you've given me sooo many good ideas.
Congrats again on the award, well deserved.
I'm getting ready to start a 450g plywood tank and you've given me sooo many good ideas.
Congrats again on the award, well deserved.
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
With concern for the rock formations...
I see many of them that have a shape that is rather narrow on the way up, then spreading out into a large mesa at the top... like a table with a single large leg underneath. I would think that this would kill alot of coral placement options and area. With a large 'table top' you are casting a shadow on everything below. Your only usable space is at the table on top, and that means only one light level for everything you put there. You cant place corals on the pillars on the way up (I suppose some low light stuff that likes indirect light only), but it just seems limiting to me. What about making something with a wide base, and narrowing towards the top... like a pine tree or something?
I see many of them that have a shape that is rather narrow on the way up, then spreading out into a large mesa at the top... like a table with a single large leg underneath. I would think that this would kill alot of coral placement options and area. With a large 'table top' you are casting a shadow on everything below. Your only usable space is at the table on top, and that means only one light level for everything you put there. You cant place corals on the pillars on the way up (I suppose some low light stuff that likes indirect light only), but it just seems limiting to me. What about making something with a wide base, and narrowing towards the top... like a pine tree or something?
Sanjay
Premium Member
good point.. but not one that I did not think through.
I purposely have some peices that are wider at the top than the bottom for several reasons. I wanted to raise the rocks, while leaving enough room underneath for water flow, and for fish to swim through. This time around I want more fish than I have typically kept in reefs. Also, wanted the look of overhangs. keeping this in mind, and to still allow for coral placement, one of hte things I did was to stagger the rocks on the pillars so there were parts jutting out for coral placement, and I will make sure that what Iand where I put on top will allow light to get to the corals lower down. I also wanted to go with a mixed tank, not just SPS so I also wanted areas with varying amounts of light.
The way I see this tank grow out, is that I will eventually end up with about 20 large corals. I like corals to get big and into each other.
My plan is to stock with about 50-60 different frags and let whoever is happy in my system to continue to flourish. Every tank that i have dealt with over the years has a decline in the diversity and I typically don't fight my systems.
Even with the pine tree approach to stacking the pillars, it can lead to shading of corals.
I am willing to experiment with a different style this time. Envisioning how things will grow will dictate the coral placement.
And if I don't like it I can always change it
This is completely dissassemblabe structure. Only the rods are glued to the base the rocks are merely stacked.
sanjay.
I purposely have some peices that are wider at the top than the bottom for several reasons. I wanted to raise the rocks, while leaving enough room underneath for water flow, and for fish to swim through. This time around I want more fish than I have typically kept in reefs. Also, wanted the look of overhangs. keeping this in mind, and to still allow for coral placement, one of hte things I did was to stagger the rocks on the pillars so there were parts jutting out for coral placement, and I will make sure that what Iand where I put on top will allow light to get to the corals lower down. I also wanted to go with a mixed tank, not just SPS so I also wanted areas with varying amounts of light.
The way I see this tank grow out, is that I will eventually end up with about 20 large corals. I like corals to get big and into each other.
My plan is to stock with about 50-60 different frags and let whoever is happy in my system to continue to flourish. Every tank that i have dealt with over the years has a decline in the diversity and I typically don't fight my systems.
Even with the pine tree approach to stacking the pillars, it can lead to shading of corals.
I am willing to experiment with a different style this time. Envisioning how things will grow will dictate the coral placement.
And if I don't like it I can always change it
This is completely dissassemblabe structure. Only the rods are glued to the base the rocks are merely stacked.sanjay.
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8388269#post8388269 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sanjay
Paul,
Yes, they are drilled and I used fiber glass rod (1/2"). Used your design
Its very rigid and the strutures are not easy to move. The rods are cemented into the base and that makes for quite a rigid structure. The few that I have with acrylic rod were swaying a little but still not much. I will most likely cable tie those adjacent rocks if I have to, but I do nto see them toppling over at all.
sanjay.
Looks good!! How is the center of gravity on these. The rock is probably less dense than the base (stand) paver but what will happen whena large table coral starts growing out horizontally. Glad to see things are progressing well.
By the way when are planning the "hurricane" day. Give me a few days warning. I want to be there.
Sanjay
Premium Member
The tank now has sand. I used the Caribsea Aragalive sand this time, the Bahamas Oolite variety. Last time I used dead sand and it clumped up into rocks, hence the use of the Caribsea "live" sand.
It cleared up in a day and a half, the only thing is that it has covered all my rock with white dusting.
sanjay.
It cleared up in a day and a half, the only thing is that it has covered all my rock with white dusting.
sanjay.
scarletknight06
New member
Still planning to DIY a skimmer?
Goldleaf Reef
New member
Love it... It's finally getting there.
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
Oolitic Sand? Good luck Sanjay. I used to use that 'sugar size arag' oolitic... now it sits dry in a 30g rubbermade in my basement. By far the worst sand I have ever used. I would rather use southdown...
Maybe you got a coarser grade than the 'sugar-fine' stuff I hope.
Maybe you got a coarser grade than the 'sugar-fine' stuff I hope.
Sanjay
Premium Member
What exactly makes it so much worse than Southdown ? My worst experience has been with Southdown. Where the whole sand bed turned to rock. You should have seen the rock peices when we tore down the tank.. there was very little sand left.
I have used the Caribsea Aragalive in several tanks and never had any problems with it. I am not a big fan of deep sand beds and do not like the look of bare bottom tanks. I have always maintained a 1-2" sand bed in tanks that I have set up or helped set up. I also do not like the larger substrates, except in a few places where the sand gets blown away.
With the setup right now, running with 2 closed loop Dart (returning through 3 sea swirls) , 1 Dart for circulation, 1 Iwaki 70 through the chiller and returned to the tank, and 2 vortech pumps, there is a lot of water movement and yet its not blowing the sand like I thought it might. I have used wide outlets for the water returns to help control the velocity, and it has definately helped.
sanjay.
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