A very large aquarium in a very small condo!

[captngreg]

Cycling the Tank Finished !!!!!

The tank was cycled in the dark to prevent an algae growth until the NO3 was under control.
We add Prodibio BIO DIGEST & Prodibio BIOPTIM once a week, during the cycling period.
Starting on Nov 12th once the NO3 started to diminish we started adding coral food, and kept increasing the amount as the NO# levels dropped.
The coral food was added for two purposes, one to add food for the bacteria and other to feed the growing population of copepods.
We never had a spike in NO2 because of the DSB mangrove refugium & the fact that I added half & half old Miracle Mud from the old tank & 30lb of new EcoSystem Miracle Mud to the two refugiums under the main display tank.
23-Oct-12, Salt 1.024, KH 8.1 ,PH 8 ,PO4 0 ,NO3100+ ,NO20.1
29-Oct-12, Salt 1.021 ,KH 8.5 PH 7.9 ,PO4 0.45 ,NO3100+ 0
6-Nov-12, Salt 1.023 ,KH 8.6 ,PH 8 ,PO4 0 ,NO3100 ,NO20
12-Nov-12, Salt 1.024 ,KH 11.6 ,PH 8.2 ,PO4 0.04 ,NO375,NO2 0
17-Nov-12, Salt 1.024 ,KH 8.3 ,PH 8.2 ,PO4 0 ,NO340 ,NO20
28-Nov-12, Salt 1.023 ,KH 8.9 ,PH 8 ,PO4 0 ,NO30 ,NO20, ORP311

 

[gtaylor67]

WOW, just read from the beginning and can tell you did your homework. I guess I will never realize how lucky it is to have a Fish shop 10 minutes away, home depot 5 min. away ... and overnight shipping... You have managed to get it done with everything being so far away.. Great job... Keep the updates coming....

 

[Ninong]

Congrats!

 

[.Marshall]

I've been following along for quite some time now and figured I would comment on this! At first I was unsure about how well this project would turn it but It turned out much better than I had anticipated! MUCH cleaner as well! I would like to say that the molding flowing from the kitchen island to the tank cabinets/molding is wonderful! It really looks great and I am very happy how this has turned out for you! Congrats!

 

[orangegoby]

A neighbor came by with his pet penguin the other day. We decided he would not make a good addition to the reef aquarium. Plus his penguin really doesn't like saltwater! He was accidentally caught in a fisherman's net when he was a baby. He was hurt and near death. My neighbor took care, feed and nursed him back to health. When he was healthy enough they brought him to the sea to be released. The only problem was the penguin doesn't like saltwater! At his home he had a freshwater pool and now that's what he favors. He is a lot like a dog, he follows his owner around and he will swim in the ocean for a short time but he prefers his freshwater pool.

what a great little story!:thumbsup:

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

The sound of the words tank is cycled is music to a reefers ear.

 

[captngreg]

gtaylor67

WOW, just read from the beginning and can tell you did your homework. I guess I will never realize how lucky it is to have a Fish shop 10 minutes away, home depot 5 min. away ... and overnight shipping... You have managed to get it done with everything being so far away.. Great job... Keep the updates coming....

I'm glad you found the thread interesting enough to read the whole thing. & yes everyone in the US and Europe are so lucky they can just stroll down to their local fish shop and see what's new or call a 1800# and have a need piece of equipment delivered the next day, I'm so envious. I had to weight almost two week because the invoice that was sent with some urgently need pluming supplies had the word "œOrder #" instead of the word "œInvoice" written on it !!!:deadhorse:

 

[captngreg]

Marshall

I've been following along for quite some time now and figured I would comment on this! At first I was unsure about how well this project would turn it but It turned out much better than I had anticipated! MUCH cleaner as well! I would like to say that the molding flowing from the kitchen island to the tank cabinets/molding is wonderful! It really looks great and I am very happy how this has turned out for you! Congrats!

:bounce1:ME TO !:bounce1: Believe me when I say, I often worried this whole thing would not come together in any visually pleasing way, but I’m pretty happy the way things turned out. I’m even starting to think that once the rock work gets some coral on it. That it might start to look really nice as well! The woodwork is finial done just waiting on a photo to post.

 

[captngreg]

orangegoby

Quote:
Originally Posted by captngreg View Post
A neighbor came by with his pet penguin the other day. We decided he would not make a good addition to the reef aquarium. Plus his penguin really doesn't like saltwater! He was accidentally caught in a fisherman's net when he was a baby. He was hurt and near death. My neighbor took care, feed and nursed him back to health. When he was healthy enough they brought him to the sea to be released. The only problem was the penguin doesn't like saltwater! At his home he had a freshwater pool and now that's what he favors. He is a lot like a dog, he follows his owner around and he will swim in the ocean for a short time but he prefers his freshwater pool.
what a great little story!

It could only happen in Peru :lolspin:

 

[captngreg]

Newbie Aquarist

The sound of the words tank is cycled is music to a reefers ear.

One hurtle down, many more to go. The tank is cycled but we are having some trouble with the programming of the lights. Abraham is working on the Apex programming. He has the light working fine from sunrise to sun set all dimming in the right sequence but, the lights will not turn off completely. They dim down to between 10 & 20 % but that’s it. I’m sure he’ll get it figured out soon. I know you’ve wanted to see the lights in action. I’ll have some pics or video soon.

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

I am patient. As for your lights, dont you need a dimming module from Orphek in order to work on the Apex? Almost every other one has one or is the module universal?

 

[janey]

The penguin Ahhhh So Cute.
Tell your Neighbor Thank You for Taking care of him..


Janey

 

[JonnyD91]

Bumpdate??

 

[mikmac]

no place is to small.

 

[captngreg]

JonnyD91

Bumpdate??

There will be a lot of updates in the next week.
Just got off the ship on Tuesday few to The US picked up $5000.00 dollars' worth of new coral & fish.
Had the airline refuse to take all the coral & fish.
Had to leave most of the coral & fish in the US,
Now I'm in Atlanta airport with just one bag of coral & fish I could get past the TSA & the airline.
I will be taking photo this weekend & will try for an update on the first or second.
Thanks for the interest, things are changing,

 

[captngreg]

mikmac

no place is to small.

With all respect;
WHEN YOUR TANK TAKES Up 25% OF YOUR LIVINGROOM YOUR "place is to small"

 

[Geraud]

Sorry for the problems at the airport Captain, I am sure having to choose what to leave behind was heartbreaking.

And good to know we will see pictures! I really like your setup, because despite the "25% of the aquarium is the tank" you have made it look just the good size, and that is quite a feat!

 

[Oldude]

Sorry for the problems at the airport Captain, I am sure having to choose what to leave behind was heartbreaking.

And good to know we will see pictures! I really like your setup, because despite the "25% of the aquarium is the tank" you have made it look just the good size, and that is quite a feat!

I am also sorry to hear about the loss of livestock, heartbreaking for sure. Good luck this is an interesting project.

 

[captngreg]

Tank is up and Running :beer:

So how did I do?

Here is my concept drawing.

The finish tank & stand

Some before & after pics

before & after pics

 

[jc333]

subscribed!!!!

i cant decide which i'd rather have more --- your tank, or a pet penguin :rollface: i know what my wife would pick :hmm2:


incredible build though. not many reefers would have the balls and the patience to stop. think. tear down. and rebuild a tank -- kudos to you !!!!


*** i will say you had me worried with the first few pics, it looked like you were blocking the ocean view with the tank. i was like "oh no!!!!!!! i love tanks too, but i would never block the ocean with a tank" hahahahaha glad to see it was me who was looking at it wrong !!!