A Reef Tank in the Desert - +/- 1,400 gallon system

[Newbie Aquarist]

Jeez, Wayne... I am gone for a few days and your trying to crack the floor with your head.:headwally:

I seriously hope that you are okay and aren't overdoing it!

I've been busy but hope to have some serious upgrades and updates soon!

Actually my head was checking the durability of the floor considering the sink hole situation we are having down here. But I am glad to say that the floor passed the test. Its before that I don't remember.

 

[halmus]

Dan, I'll be tagging along from here. I read through your build here and appreciate all the effort you put into documenting everything! I'm working my way through the big builds here and taking notes for a future build. You're next Wayne!

 

[danfeig]

Great news on the tangs.

I would love for you to come and visit when you are in town. I am off the 101 and Cactus in Scottsdale. Ryan (NaClH20NMYVEIN) who has a 540 Gallon with a separate house as a fish room is 5 minutes from my house and Elliot with the the 900 Gallon (who has taken tank automation to a new level ) is also within 5 minutes. I am sure they would be more than welcome to have you come over and check out their tanks.

I will PM you my contact info and address.

Thanks. It is not going to be this week, but, I am hoping that I will end up there sometime real soon. I will let you know as soon as I schedule something!

 

[danfeig]

Thanks for the update Dan! Hope you can get your corals happy again! I'm sure they will be great once you have time to get your hands wet this weekend!

Dave,

Your tank is looking awesome! I won't be surprised when they announce you as the Tank of the Month!

 

[danfeig]

Dan, I'll be tagging along from here. I read through your build here and appreciate all the effort you put into documenting everything! I'm working my way through the big builds here and taking notes for a future build. You're next Wayne!

Thanks Halmus.

Let me know if when you finish Wayne's build, he finally has a tank!

 

[Raptor72]

I have lost several branches of my trumpet corals

I know this guy who has large super green kryptonite candy canes. The same guy who took you a bag of chaeto last week.

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

Thanks Halmus.

Let me know if when you finish Wayne's build, he finally has a tank!

I almost have a tank. Remember it's not official without pics.

 

[danfeig]

I know this guy who has large super green kryptonite candy canes. The same guy who took you a bag of chaeto last week.

Thanks Cesare!

I still have 40+ candy canes. I cut out the dead ones, cleaned off a bunch of sponge - dipped them and they are now in my frag tank. They are doing well and will be back in my main display shortly!

The chaeto is doing great!

 

[laredo300c]

Definately subscribed.... It will be the reason i will check reefcentral 4 times a day

 

[danfeig]

I almost have a tank. Remember it's not official without pics.

Well then, hurry up and get a damn tank, Private!!!

 

[danfeig]

Definately subscribed.... It will be the reason i will check reefcentral 4 times a day

Thanks laredo! I have a few upgrades that I will be starting on in the next couple of weeks. Stick around, they are going to be a lot of fun!

 

[danfeig]

Seahorse Shocker!!!

Seahorse Shocker!!!

So tonight was really cool.

I was watching my Seahorses and the activity in the tank was unreal. My two Mandarin Gobies were out and about and this one small wrasse that I have been trying to catch forever was swimming in and out of the Caulerpa.

I was amazed wondering what was going on.

Then I witnessed something I have never seen! I watched the egg exchange between one of my female and male seahorses!!!!!!!

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[jjk_reef00]

Amazing! Will the babies survive or will they be picked off by other fish?

 

[o2manyfish]

Amazing Timing to catch that !!!

Now please go buy a better camera

Hannuakah is early this year, you want me to email the wifey? Costco had the Canon 70D kits in stock the other day.

The wifey can get you the camera body, the kids the flash, Bubbi and Zadie the macro lens.....

 

[danfeig]

Amazing! Will the babies survive or will they be picked off by other fish?

Hopefully they will, or at least some of them will! I have been reading a lot of articles about the breeding of Seahorses. I have a couple of weeks I believe. I am going to get one of those emergency or quarantine systems that can go inside of the tank and put the male inside in 2 weeks.

From what I read, the male Seahorse will not eat its babies. The babies will need to be separated and put into a couple of gallon tank without exposing them to air or using a net. They will need to be fed newly raised brine shrimp along with rotifers.

A sponge filter needs to be used and the tank needs to be cleaned daily...it's going to be a lot of work!

 

[humaguy]

Hopefully they will, or at least some of them will! I have been reading a lot of articles about the breeding of Seahorses. I have a couple of weeks I believe. I am going to get one of those emergency or quarantine systems that can go inside of the tank and put the male inside in 2 weeks.

From what I read, the male Seahorse will not eat its babies. The babies will need to be separated and put into a couple of gallon tank without exposing them to air or using a net. They will need to be fed newly raised brine shrimp along with rotifers.

A sponge filter needs to be used and the tank needs to be cleaned daily...it's going to be a lot of work!

Very cool to see!
Congrats!

 

[danfeig]

Amazing Timing to catch that !!!

Now please go buy a better camera

Hannuakah is early this year, you want me to email the wifey? Costco had the Canon 70D kits in stock the other day.

The wifey can get you the camera body, the kids the flash, Bubbi and Zadie the macro lens.....

I actually stopped off at a Pawn Brokers today and looked at a few cameras. I never have been in one of those stores. It was actually pretty cool. I almost left with a couple of watches too!

 

[danfeig]

Very cool to see!
Congrats!

Thanks humaguy!

I will keep everyone posted on whether or not it has babies.

 

[kmu]

Dan,

What did you use to make the rock towers besides the concrete mix? did you use a guide like a pvc pipe or the nylon thread rods?

I want to make 2 or 3 towers on my next build and not sure if I should go with the 1/2" nylon thread rods from marco-rocks or just go with 1/2' or 3/4" pvc.

On my current tank Im having great success with the marco-rocks key largo dry rock, but making the rock structure was a pain in the but, not that I want to make a couple of 24"+ tall towers I need a guide to hold it in place while the supplied mortar dries.

 

[danfeig]

Dan,

What did you use to make the rock towers besides the concrete mix? did you use a guide like a pvc pipe or the nylon thread rods?

I want to make 2 or 3 towers on my next build and not sure if I should go with the 1/2" nylon thread rods from marco-rocks or just go with 1/2' or 3/4" pvc.

On my current tank Im having great success with the marco-rocks key largo dry rock, but making the rock structure was a pain in the but, not that I want to make a couple of 24"+ tall towers I need a guide to hold it in place while the supplied mortar dries.

Hey Mario!

I hope that all is well with you. Cynthia was just asking about you and Fabiola.

For my towers, I used the dry Pukani Rock. I was able to cut, using a hacksaw and a sawzall, flat ends of the rock - so I could stack them. I did not use any rods. I found that when I drilled the rock, it would break apart. I did use some electric ties to keep the rocks stable while the cement dried in between the rocks. I cured the dry rock in a horse trough with a few hundred pounds of live rock.

If I was to use a different rock, Marco Rock for example, I might consider using a schedule 80 1/2" pvc rod. I have read in few different places that a lot of the acrylic rods have a coating on them that needs to be sanded off. Something that you might want to look into.