AgentSPS' 300 Gallon ***DreamReef***

[AgentSPS]

For the sand, I decided to put a base layer of live sand with a 2" layer of #3 pink sand. Figured it was necessary with all the flow from the 2 Vortechs.

Put down egg crate first to hold the live sand in place and prevent the rockwork from possibly cracking the glass below.

Now the live sand:

Hands were too wet and dirty to take the final photo of all the bottom layer of the live sand smoothed into the squares of the eggcrate but you get the idea...

 

[Bricky]

The X Aqua or the Maxspect LED?

Sorry I didn't clarify. I am running an Eheim 1260 on the XAqua and love it.

I actually just stuck the smallest Maxspect on the 40B for a temporary light and it's nice too. I would need another to actually light the whole tank though.

 

[Bricky]

Also there is some sort of oscillating/pulse mechanism inside the return which does actually work. Because of the high flow from running two Vortech MP10's, its not really noticeable though. Cool feature anyways.

No mechanism in the outlet. It's just harmonics. They've designed the unit in a way that causes the pulses without moving parts. This way there's nothing to break, clog, or seize.

 

[gofor100]

Yes had the whole ADA CO2 system.

I am going to move over my Fungia collection from the main tank as well as some acans and favias. I also picked up a true teal teardrop maxima for it. On the hunt for a blue striped/teardrop squamosa next! Have not been able to house clams in over 3 years in my main tank.

So why haven't you been able to house clams in your main tank? Certain fish nibbling? Other issues?

 

[AgentSPS]

Sorry I didn't clarify. I am running an Eheim 1260 on the XAqua and love it.

I actually just stuck the smallest Maxspect on the 40B for a temporary light and it's nice too. I would need another to actually light the whole tank though.

Yeah I used an Eheim 1250 until my Tunze arrived and it just wasn't cutting it. Tunze is perfectly sized at 640GPH.

I am really liking the Maxspect so far. It is a very crisp white and very intense on this small tank. Can't wait to put some of my fungia's in there to see the colors POP!

 

[AgentSPS]

No mechanism in the outlet. It's just harmonics. They've designed the unit in a way that causes the pulses without moving parts. This way there's nothing to break, clog, or seize.

And I like that!

 

[AgentSPS]

So why haven't you been able to house clams in your main tank? Certain fish nibbling? Other issues?

Years ago when the dreaded clam disease wiped out all my clams. Ever since then I have not been able to keep clams (used the same live rock on this system as was in my prev one). They all die in a matter of months if not sooner.

Here are a few of the prized ones I have had:

 

[AgentSPS]

Here is one I just picked up for the new LPS tank.

 

[isseym328]

That is a sweet clam Erik. I've lost quite a few of the teardrops over the yrs due to PM. Let me know if there's more of those teardrops from your source.

 

[gofor100]

It was pinched mantle that took them all? Bummer, those were some beautiful clams!

I have several clams, and the most expensive one had what looked to be pinched mantle. I freshwater dipped the first day I noticed (when it hadn't gotten as bad as I've seen in some pics out there), and it's been doing great ever since (this was a couple of months ago- but I had it several months before the PM). Hopefully it doesn't come back, but I guess we'll see.

Really sorry to hear about that though... dang.

 

[AgentSPS]

It was pinched mantle that took them all? Bummer, those were some beautiful clams!

I have several clams, and the most expensive one had what looked to be pinched mantle. I freshwater dipped the first day I noticed (when it hadn't gotten as bad as I've seen in some pics out there), and it's been doing great ever since (this was a couple of months ago- but I had it several months before the PM). Hopefully it doesn't come back, but I guess we'll see.

Really sorry to hear about that though... dang.

Yep PM is what they had. Some would last 6 months in the tank and then all of a sudden one day they were showing PM. Others would last only weeks.

Haven't followed the PM issue in years as I have not even ventured to try clams again. Anyone know if they have figured out what it is (protozoan, bacteria, virus?)? Sounds like treatment is still FW dipping which just seems to buy more time but not a cure.

 

[gofor100]

Yep PM is what they had. Some would last 6 months in the tank and then all of a sudden one day they were showing PM. Others would last only weeks.

Haven't followed the PM issue in years as I have not even ventured to try clams again. Anyone know if they have figured out what it is (protozoan, bacteria, virus?)? Sounds like treatment is still FW dipping which just seems to buy more time but not a cure.

Not sure if there has been much advancement on it... everything I read (only a couple of months ago) still say that FW dips are the way to go.

As you said, it seems that this is hit and miss, and it will sometimes need to be a repeated treatment (with at least a couple of days in between) depending on the severity of the PM.

I personally think I caught it pretty early on (or it could've just not been PM at all- which I doubt, since it looked just like some of the less severe pics I've seen), and dipped it into FW (RO of course) the same temp as my tank water for about 25 minutes. It of course closed up the second I disturbed it and remained tightly closed in the FW, but I basted the entire clam shell (focusing on where the mantle opens up) with the FW (using a turkey baster) to make sure I got the FW in every crevice possible.

Not sure if this will work long term, but so far so good (crossing my fingers).

moliken is someone I see on the clam forum consistently... I would reach out to him to see if he's heard anything recently.

Can't wait to see the LPS tank set-up... if it's anything like your other tank, it will be nothing short of amazing.

-Chad

 

[AgentSPS]

Thanks for the info! I will have to do a search and also check out Moliken's posts. Will report back if I learn anything new.
Still only plannIng on housing clams in the new LPS tank so it should be fine considering I am extremely careful not cross contaminating the two systems. I guess I can try a FW or hypo dip for the fungias, favias, and chalices when I move them over. I have experience FW dipping SPS for flatworms but never tried LPS. Figure they are probably a bit more tolerant.

Thanks also for the kind words about my setups!! Def aiming to make this little LPS tank something special.

Erik

PS: Not sure why I am calling it an LPS tank as I do plan to have a few SPS in there too

Not sure if there has been much advancement on it... everything I read (only a couple of months ago) still say that FW dips are the way to go.

As you said, it seems that this is hit and miss, and it will sometimes need to be a repeated treatment (with at least a couple of days in between) depending on the severity of the PM.

I personally think I caught it pretty early on (or it could've just not been PM at all- which I doubt, since it looked just like some of the less severe pics I've seen), and dipped it into FW (RO of course) the same temp as my tank water for about 25 minutes. It of course closed up the second I disturbed it and remained tightly closed in the FW, but I basted the entire clam shell (focusing on where the mantle opens up) with the FW (using a turkey baster) to make sure I got the FW in every crevice possible.

Not sure if this will work long term, but so far so good (crossing my fingers).

moliken is someone I see on the clam forum consistently... I would reach out to him to see if he's heard anything recently.

Can't wait to see the LPS tank set-up... if it's anything like your other tank, it will be nothing short of amazing.

-Chad

 

[gambitcobra]

Yeah I used an Eheim 1250 until my Tunze arrived and it just wasn't cutting it. Tunze is perfectly sized at 640GPH.

I am really liking the Maxspect so far. It is a very crisp white and very intense on this small tank. Can't wait to put some of my fungia's in there to see the colors POP!

If you want to make it a tad bluer, just swap some of the white leds to the cree blue. Its not as blue as the royal blue and gives everything crazy pop.

 

[AgentSPS]

If you want to make it a tad bluer, just swap some of the white leds to the cree blue. Its not as blue as the royal blue and gives everything crazy pop.

Very cool! Thanks for the tip. I would actually prefer to have it a little bluer. Did you use the Cree XP-E Blue or the Cree XP-E Royal Blue? How many did you replace? How was the swap out process?

Thanks!

 

[AgentSPS]

Forgot to post a pic of my small arms stockpile :celeb1:

Tank has been up and running for a few weeks now and coming along well. Having a bit of a hair algae bloom on the gravel though. The blue tang does not seem interested. Might try a baby foxface but they grow so quickly.

Does anyone know if tiger tail cuces will eat #3 gravel?

 

[launchnukes]

Gotta love the stockpile photos. Everything is looking good and the new setup looks so clean!

 

[AgentSPS]

Gotta love the stockpile photos. Everything is looking good and the new setup looks so clean!

LOL with the name Launchnukes, certainly you can appreciate stockpiles lol. Do I know my audience or what!!

Thanks for the compliments! Will post some current shots soon.

 

[AgentSPS]

Update Time

Update Time

Was surprised to see how strong the rock structure turned out. I was able to lift the entire thing into the tank without anything breaking apart/off.

 

[AgentSPS]

With water in. Water level is about 1/2" lower than it should be because Eheim 1250 was under powered. The new Tunze is perfect!