AUSTRLALIAN r0cksteady's attempted 8ft (500G'ish) Angelfish compatible REEF display

[r0cksteady]

Thanks, all the other fish are doing great. Will be moving them all slowly back in the next 1-2 weeks.

Yeah it will be interesting to see how sucessful my reef goes with angels. Im setting up the frag tank with the primary goal of being able quickly rescue and corals being nipped.

I will be putting in a lot of effort into feeding my fish small amounts of food frequently also offering a wide of foods frozen, live and dry. Im hoping this will greatly assist in the angels resisting the need for corals in their diet.

 

[Ian]

Any updates on this tank?

 

[r0cksteady]

Hi Everyone,
Sorry for the major delays in updates. The reason for this is I've had some major disasters in the process.

My first issue was that essentially style 'Euro Brace' and especially 'Laser Cut Euro Brace' is essentially unheard of here in Australia and as such the person who marketed himself as a leading edge tank builder had no idea what he was doing and jumped in head first essentially building me a tank which instantly crack, split and bowed as soon as it was filled for its fresh water test.

This caused major problems and long story short I got my money back, found a more reputable builder who actually got engineer reports on the design including paying insurance to cover the laser cutting etc if it broke (which it did...twice). But at the end of the day I now have my new tank setup and ready to go. Just finishing the plumbing and a few tweaks in preparation for a fresh water test.

The only thing left with the display tank is a final clean up of the silicone and he is also going to drill a small hole in the back top of my bracing and glue some acrylic tubes onto the bottom of my bracing so that I can cut the leads to all my power heads etc and thread them through essentially hiding all of the leads giving it a more professional\polished look.

Because of my pelmet that sits on top of the tank hiding the water line, this will actually hide the cables running along the top including the acrylic tubing.
I have sound proofed my equipment cupboard and covered all the plumbing pipes in foam sleeves to assist with temperature stability and primarily noise\vibration diffusion.

I have purchased a few new fish in keeping my eye out for special \ harder to source guys and now have the following additions:

1 x Yellow Bellied Regal Angel who eats like a pig and is the boss of the Angelfish (Flame & Blue Ring) which is surprising as I took her for a placid\shy fish compared to my last one

1 x Seaweed Blenny - I actually find the Seaweed Blenny to be a much more placid guy than the devils I have had previously (lawnmower & ember blenny) who attacked each other and killed my long horn cow fish.

1 x Midas Blenny great characters as to be expected from this family of fish.

1 x Arabian Dottyback - Most actively swimming fish I have to date.

2 x Orchid Dottyback's

1 x Flame Angel

1 x Blue Ring Angel

Ok finally some pictures. I should have some better ones next week once the sump replacement arrives and I can push the stand back against the wall. STAY TUNED!

<a href="http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/My%208ft%20Marine%20Aquarium/?action=view&current=P1000648.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/My%208ft%20Marine%20Aquarium/P1000648.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/My%208ft%20Marine%20Aquarium/?action=view&current=P1000644.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/My%208ft%20Marine%20Aquarium/P1000644.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/My%208ft%20Marine%20Aquarium/?action=view&current=P1000652.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/My%208ft%20Marine%20Aquarium/P1000652.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/My%208ft%20Marine%20Aquarium/?action=view&current=P1000707.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/My%208ft%20Marine%20Aquarium/P1000707.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/My%208ft%20Marine%20Aquarium/?action=view&current=P1000708.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/My%208ft%20Marine%20Aquarium/P1000708.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

The equipment cupboard. Not finished yet and missing half the gadgets but getting there. Just finished off the sound proofing.

<a href="http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/My%208ft%20Marine%20Aquarium/?action=view&current=P1000703.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/My%208ft%20Marine%20Aquarium/P1000703.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/My%208ft%20Marine%20Aquarium/?action=view&current=P1000749.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/My%208ft%20Marine%20Aquarium/P1000749.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Heres just a few updated live stock photos from my current 6ft. Both my Anemone's have doubled in size.

<a href="http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/My%208ft%20Marine%20Aquarium/?action=view&current=P1000710.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/My%208ft%20Marine%20Aquarium/P1000710.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/My%208ft%20Marine%20Aquarium/?action=view&current=P1000714.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/My%208ft%20Marine%20Aquarium/P1000714.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/My%208ft%20Marine%20Aquarium/?action=view&current=P1000721.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/My%208ft%20Marine%20Aquarium/P1000721.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[r0cksteady]

<a href="http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/My%208ft%20Marine%20Aquarium/?action=view&current=P1000725.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/My%208ft%20Marine%20Aquarium/P1000725.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/My%208ft%20Marine%20Aquarium/?action=view&current=P1000741.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/My%208ft%20Marine%20Aquarium/P1000741.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/My%208ft%20Marine%20Aquarium/?action=view&current=P1000742.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/My%208ft%20Marine%20Aquarium/P1000742.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[gtaylor67]

This set up Rocks... You have lots of room to house these fish . All I can say is Envy... Best of luck with those angels..

 

[dahenley]

I was browsing, and was wondering what the big deal about laser cut euro brace is? (im curious) i know that i most certainly looks better then a bunch of flat straight pieces of glass silicon-ed together.

also, what was causing the bracing to break? to thin of glass, too thing of a center brace?

and lastly, how much room is in between the top of the tank and the overflow box? it looks close to me, but appearances can be deceiving.

 

[nikon187]

Nice anemone. Just so you know it isn't a haddoni, its a gigantea. The tenticles are too long to be haddoni

 

[Bob60070]

You have an awesume set-up.
How do your clowns get along. I am uprgading from a 75 and two 30s to a 225 6 foot tank. I have a mated pair of GSMs and a pair of Occelaris I want to try to put in the new tank.

 

[r0cksteady]

Thanks everyone for the replies..

The main benefits of the euro-brace for me personally was:
1. Flat bracing enabling me to have maximize water levels, where in comparison to my current 6ft I was loosing literally a full 55mm compared with now only 20mm.
2. Appearances, now because of the flat single piece you no longer see my water line at all (the pelmet covers it) and it gives it that little bit more of a 'picture frame' look.
3. Because the euro brace has been put through the structural engineers computer to crunch the numbers (cost $500 just to have the design insured\backed by the engineer) it confirmed that this specific design (with the extra bracing in the middle and to certain thickness\width etc) gave it maximum structural integrity whilst reducing stress points around the bracing.
4. Its also made out of starfire to improve light penetration even if just slightly.

You need to remember that though my tank setup does have a lot of what we aussies call 'wank features', this is my ultimate tank setup and not one I plan on repeating so I would rather spend a few extra thousands at the end of it and have exactly what I always wanted than looking at it going 'I wish I had waited a bit longer and got the next model up etc'.

The previous tank broke due to a mix of reasons:

1. Glass was only 10mm where this new one is 16mm
2. Eurobracing was not laser cut and instead four pieces siliconed together but in a eurobrace style with no cross brace in the middle
3. The guy rush built it due to already excessive delays in the glass arriving and so siliconed the tank on a saturday and delivered it on a sunday with a little foot heater inside to speed up the drying process rather than allowing it to cure naturally at room temp for 10 days.
4. Because the tank hadnt cured properly in the transport one of the end panels had slightly (2-3mm) twisted inwards so that it was still held together but it was obvious it had been moved too early.

Ultimately though it was because the bracing and the front panels needed to be thicker.

Hi Nikon187 - Yeah I did know it was a Gigantica but failed to realise my mistake until after I had pressed submit. But 10 points for picking up on it.

As far as the spacing goes between the wier\combs and the top of the bracing there is absolutely minimal unfortunately. The only real design\build flaw that wasnt realised by the tank builder until he had put it all together. Thankfully he was able to set the combs down lower so that if needed the actual combs can be removed but even still theres no chance of getting my hand in there....mind you theres also no chance of a fish or even normal sized snail going in their either. The 90 degree elbows are only hand tightened but still loose enough so that if there was to be an issue I can rotate them upwards.
I cant really see how this could go wrong as I haven't had to touch my 6ft horizontal wier in the last year or so but I have had multiple snails and fish go down my durso causing blocks which had to be back flushed. Mind you as always in this hobby it has a special way of making all things variable.

Hi Bob60070 - The clowns get along fine as long as they dont see eachother Essentially the Tomato Clowns would easily take the Occ out and are much more defensive attacking other similarly shaped fish that swim past where as the occ even when they are laying eggs seem pretty easy going the whole time. I have both clowns at each end and have never had any issues. I even had them at one stage within visual range of eachother and there still wasnt any issues but they did still have their own territories and it wasnt a risk I was willing to toy with for too long especially if their hosts decided to shuffle closer to eachother. The key other than territories is to make sure they have their own host each so that they dont try to kick eachother out.

 

[elias123]

wow mad set up and planing! do u mind if i ask were ur geting ur tunze from because i want some for my tank, and live in melbourne....thanks

 

[stunreefer]

Tank looks great, very glad to see you're moving along! :thumbsup:

 

[r0cksteady]

Thanks everyone for the positive feedback.

Elias123 - I purchase the majority of my gear from www.thereefshop.com.au or ausfrags.com.au thanks.

 

[J.P.Silva]

Hi Rocksteady

Your Tank build is coming along nicely.Something I would like you to know is When it comes to Acros from your side of the world, in Canada there rated #1. When LFS in my area get aussie shipments, everyone here goes nuts. I find sps to be the nicest corals out there.
Do you get full access to any type of corals from your LFS, or do you help yourself to them? The price range for aussie acros in Canada start from $120.00 and up, because of the high shipping cost and labor. Any way, Keep up the amazing work with you build.

 

[r0cksteady]

Hi JP,
Im not sure what you mean mate. Its illegal for people to grab stuff off the reef without a collectors permit which are in limited supply. We get access to everything off our own reef but its illegal to import all inverts like anemones, crabs, snails etc and even corals are illegal to bring in. Our problem is you guys pay premium prices for corals and because of this you get priority on all the good stuff and we have to beg collectors for the occasional special shipment. For a standard acro stag your looking at $40 - $80 depending on size and colour if that helps put it into perspective.

Hope this helps

 

[d-man]

great set up, i'm glad the moorish has done so well. That blue carpet is really nice as well.

 

[r0cksteady]

Thanks D-Man.

Yeah had the Moorish Idol for over two years now and he's actually quite a hardy specimen. He will eat anything I feed him from pellets, flake food, diy frozen food mix to nori on a clip. He's also live through multiple tank moves and two crashes where ammonia spiked to 0.5, so I feel very privileged to have him equally as much as my Pinnate Batfish.

 

[Elliott]

how long have you had your pinnate batfish? that's a very difficult species to keep, whats the secret? great job!

 

[Hollywood1]

great setup!

Melbourne is the best city in the WORLD!!!!! beats Sydney! hah JK

Just moved back to the US a couple months ago
Great tank!

 

[outcastjra]

I really like how this project is coming together! I find it interesting that you cant get the best of the best corals there for cheap... I would start diving and rescue some corals for my tank! But thats me....lol... Great build, keep up the good work!

 

[r0cksteady]

Thanks everyone.

Hi Elliot,

I have had the Pinnate for over 2 years now and he is my favourite out of the bunch. He is a gentle giant and quite the character. He loves very meaty foods and though isnt as fast as other fish is happy to rip the food out of other fishes mouths or my anemones if he gets close enough.

He is notorious for getting fin nipped by any territorial fish or even my tomato clowns when they have just laid eggs.

The 'trick' I guess is more just based on 'luck' for me on having a species who was eating in the shop when I purchased him and then placing him into a tank with very very placid tank mates. I have learnt many tricks to getting them to eat from helping others, strategies like using ordinary garden worms cut in half (the wriggling in the water as they are dying entices their interest enough to have a taste) to using extra fresh smelly sea food which they find hard not to at least consider (i have had the most success in helping others with recommending baby octopus). Ultimately though from what ive seen it comes down to their age (the older they are the easier they seem to acclimatise to tank life) and their handling in being shipped to the shop. If they are looking white as a ghost they are distressed. I wouldn't buy another one unless I could witness it eating either pellets or frozen solid foods (brine shrimp don't count!).