A Low Country Reef Tank....one more final upgrade

[SPotter]

Looking very neat Steve . Do u protect the surface while Aquascaping with egg-crate to prevent scratching or just rely on your standard of care. Is RO water ready? Looking forward to seeing it filled... Good Luck this weekend

Thanks Osama. I don't use egg crate so I will place the rocks under my standard of care. There will be little to no sand in the dt so I will have to be really careful. As far as RO goes....I am a long ways off from being ready for water. Based on my schedule and travel we have coming up, I don't see water getting into the tank until late June or early July.

 

[NewMariner]

Im Jealous Steve...You got your tank on the stand! Im still waiting to get mine on the stand. I tore up the carpet where mine was going to go, and found some serious cracks in the foundation. Im awaiting a report from the structural engineer to see whats going to happen. Meanwhile my tank is still in the crate in the garage

I have taken the top off though and peered into it from the top. James does pack the tank very well!

 

[SPotter]

Im Jealous Steve...You got your tank on the stand! Im still waiting to get mine on the stand. I tore up the carpet where mine was going to go, and found some serious cracks in the foundation. Im awaiting a report from the structural engineer to see whats going to happen. Meanwhile my tank is still in the crate in the garage

I have taken the top off though and peered into it from the top. James does pack the tank very well!

Oh no Tony thats horrible!!!!! Are you on a slab foundation? I can't believe how many screws James used. I have enough to build another stand for another tank :roll face: My last tank was glass and made by some guys in Canada that are no long in business. All they did was nail two pallets together, put the tank on it, nail sheets of plywood to pallets to form the walls and then one on the top. No 2x2's or any other structural lumber for added support, no foam, no shrink wrap...no nothing.

I hope you get your foundation issue taken care of soon and get the tank on the stand!!!!

 

[NewMariner]

Yep, Im on a slab foundation. The cracks are pretty big. They aren't hairline cracks. The structural engineer believes it may be caused by a water leak. However the place I was going to place the tank is 3/4" lower in elevation then the rest of the house. So I may have somewhat of a sinkhole under the house in that area. The house is only 5 years old and is covered under the warranty thankfully. But its still a pain. I have this beauty of a tank that I want to bring in, but I don't want to if Im just going to have to move it out again, or even move. Im waiting to hear what the warranty company is going to do.

I pulled out like 14 screws just to take the lid off of my crate. I asked James if the crate was damaged was I supposed to go ahead and accept the tank or what. He told me he has never had a tank damaged during shipment. I can see why. He truly packs it very well to prevent that from happening.

 

[danfeig]

It's In!!!!!!

I am really happy for you Steve!

 

[biecacka]

Looks great steve!!

Corey

 

[SPotter]

It's In!!!!!!

I am really happy for you Steve!

Thanks Dan!

Looks great steve!!

Corey

Thanks Corey!

 

[SPotter]

A Low Country Reef Tank....one more final upgrade

Anyone feeling a little blue????

 

[Mike S]

How do you like those radiums? I honestly havent felt that they need any supplementation.

 

[SPotter]

How do you like those radiums? I honestly havent felt that they need any supplementation.

Hard to say just yet. Will know better when I see corals and rocks under them. My initial reaction was wow thats really blue but Im pretty sure I will like once the tank is filled. I will hold off on picking up any supplementation lighting until the tank is up and running.

 

[Mike S]

What ballast setting are you running them on? Maybe they just need a little time to break in.

I ended up just running my blue+ t5s just for dawn/dusk but I may at some point pick up some actinics to see how they look with the radiums.

I

 

[SPotter]

What ballast setting are you running them on? Maybe they just need a little time to break in.

I ended up just running my blue+ t5s just for dawn/dusk but I may at some point pick up some actinics to see how they look with the radiums.

I

I have the ballast on the hqi setting. Im sure the bulb needs time to break in and I will love them. Originally I was going to do VHO, then I decided I would just do the BML's super actinics but not sure now. I will wait and see how I like it. I just might do t5's.

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

I think the BML super actinics would look suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuper cool with the MH. But I might suggest going with a lower kelvin so the tank isnt over blue. Jake Adams suggested the BML actinics with a 6500K MH bulb. Says he has never seen growth on corals with that combination before.

 

[SPotter]

I think the BML super actinics would look suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuper cool with the MH. But I might suggest going with a lower kelvin so the tank isnt over blue. Jake Adams suggested the BML actinics with a 6500K MH bulb. Says he has never seen growth on corals with that combination before.

I have thought about doing something like that if I end up not liking the 20k's.

 

[Rotknee]

Thanks Rodney!!! I'm excited about the new tank and all new lighting! Where are you moving to?

Looks like we will be moving back to the Bay Area (most likely Berkeley). I just have to make sure I pack my current setup securely for the move. Fun times lol. I'll be watching your progress closely as I may go MH's when I set up again. Not sure but I have plenty of time.

 

[Adamc1303]

Congrats on the move in and the tank! Here we go again! FYI I am getting a new tank in like 2 months. It's going to be rimless similar to my old tank. If you want any of the fish back text me and we can figure it out. I will probably need them out right when you need them in. I know Dori coming back may put a smile on Carl's face. I have all the fish besides the Japanese scissor tails. I traded those.

 

[CHSUB]

looking good steve!!!

radiums are too blue for my taste also....corals look great, but overall tank doesn't look crisp. i'm using 14k hamiltons MH w/ Giesemann and ATI t5s and blue led strips...very happy!

 

[SPotter]

looking good steve!!!

radiums are too blue for my taste also....corals look great, but overall tank doesn't look crisp. i'm using 14k hamiltons MH w/ Giesemann and ATI t5s and blue led strips...very happy!

Thanks Corey! I originally thought about doing 10k or 14k with actinics but then decided on just going with the 20k's. Someone should come out with a bulb rental business so you can try out a bulb for a few days and then send it back. I have a feeling they might be too blue for my wife and that could force a change as well. Hows your tank doing?

 

[CHSUB]

Thanks Corey! I originally thought about doing 10k or 14k with actinics but then decided on just going with the 20k's. Someone should come out with a bulb rental business so you can try out a bulb for a few days and then send it back. I have a feeling they might be too blue for my wife and that could force a change as well. Hows your tank doing?

i have 4 barely used bulbs i've been trying to sell, however, it's still better than Pacific Sun...right??? tank is doing well. i added an auto-water change system about 2 months ago and it's working great. doing a 12.8 gallon water change per day.

 

[SPotter]

i have 4 barely used bulbs i've been trying to sell, however, it's still better than Pacific Sun...right??? tank is doing well. i added an auto-water change system about 2 months ago and it's working great. doing a 12.8 gallon water change per day.

Oh yeah!!!! Its interesting to see how many of the people that bought the PS lights 3 yrs ago are no longer using them. I think I saw a post recently in a water change thread where you said that you were doing it. Are you using the masterflex pump?