The_Bandit
New member
Introduction: Bandit's re-entry into the aquatic world
Hi everyone,
Well the planning is on, and loads more yet to do. It has been the best part of 5 years since I have last had a marine aquarium, but I have sorted out my life now, so it is time to get back into this addiction! Fair to say a lot has changed in that time, and a lot of this original post will develop over time! You will see a lot of options below as I have yet to decide on a couple of things... but better to put it down so I don't forget (and you guys can critique me as well!)
Remember I am from Australia so a lot of things are different over here, especially in the world of hardware
System Objectives:
From a stock perspective, mixed reef with a focus on SPS. I have been relatively successful in the past but I want to give the stonies a real nudge. It won't be a ULNS, but I hope my tank maintenance regime will stand up to the test. :reading:
From a life perspective, I want something that other people will take enjoyment in viewing, especially my two kids (now 10 and 8). I want them to share the joy that keeping a marine aquarium gives me.
I also want something to come home and relax to at the end of a busy and stressful day at work.
System Type: Mixed reef
Display System:
Strike up Date: Estimated strike up date of April 2013
Display Tank: To be decided, but either my existing 2x2x2, or a new 3x2x2 or 3x3x2... the last one looking very unlikely, but still there for now. Considering starfire glass but costs will be considered. shallow 1" sand bed (I need to figure out how to keep this in place with high flow... maybe go higher grain size or do what Michael did and stick it down!
Display Lighting: GHL Mitras LED lighting
Cabinet: Will be steel framed with high gloss white cabinetry to match the new house. I want the cabinet work to look sleek and modern. The cabinet will be oversized by 6 inches all around so I have a shelf to rest stuff on (like a bourbon and coke), but also to allow me to hold a few more tools of the trade underneath. It will also have cooling fans inbuilt and electrical points/powerbars etc housed separately form the wet area :idea:
Hood: would love to go topless but Vicky is freaking out about holes in the roof and wires :worried: I may still convince her but lets wait and see. If I do have a hood it will have the front and side panels either completely removable, or to be able to be held open without manual intervention!
Sump: will probably use existing sump which is a 2x14x18. All equipment such as skimmers, FBF etc will remain dry and be plumbed in with ball valves and unions, only thing actually in the sump will be the heater(s), the small powerhead through the "˜fuge section and the float switches for the top off.
Refugium: will have a refugium partioned in the sump, not for the pod population but as a grow out area so I can harvest macro
Refugium Lighting: Nothing fancy, probably a couple of compact flourescents
Support systems:
System Water: Natural salt water
Display Water circulation: A lot up in the air here. Items I am currently considering are (more than one will be implemented, I might even go with all 3):
The biggest challenge I have in this department is getting the right type of flow. Will need to pick the brains of a few of my trusted RC colleagues on this before I get too far
Return Pump:Sump return pump, have a few options sitting around, a Laguna 7000, an Iwaki MX70 or and Eheim 1060
Skimmer: Reef Octopus Hurricane 500, fed by a small 1200lph Eheim
Evaporation Top Up: Tunze osmolator
Aquarium control and monitoring ok here is where I will be spending a fair bit of my budget.
Profilux setup that covers off the following:
I will be using Hanna Checkers (great bit of kit!) to test for Calcium, Alkalinity, Phosphate
Chemical Support:
Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium Addition: Will dose Randy Holmes-Farley's 3 part recipe initially dosed via the dosing pump
Other Chemical Maintenance: May consider the ZEOvit or Red Sea Additives to get the corals to colour up, but loads more research to be done on this front.
Current Water Chemistry: Tank still in my imagination
Nitrates:
Phosphates:
Alkalinity:
Calcium:
Salinity / Specific Gravity:
Magnesium:
Intended Fish Stocklist:
I love different fish, and I especially love the coral gobies"¦ given I want to have lots of staghorn corals"¦ only seems right to have them as well.
On face value 14 fish"¦ but most of them only around 3-4cm long"¦ so I think bioload should be ok"¦
Intended Coral Stocklist:
I am going to go fairly hard with the small polyped stony corals"¦ with a couple of very selective lps and even a softie thrown in there as well!
I am going to be extremely picky with my corals"¦ I don't just want a tank full of filler, so it may take a while to get it all together, through frags or selected wild colonies.
Intended Invert Stocklist:
The other thing I love along with coral gobies are my shrimp, these and other inverts will be present
And probably the most volatile of this list"¦ a Rose Bubble Tip Anemone Entacmaea quadricolor.. I am aware of the challenge of this little guy in terms of roaming, but will see how I go.
Images:
To come so for now you will have to put up with the dancing chorus line
:dance: :dance: :dance: :dance:
Hi everyone,
Well the planning is on, and loads more yet to do. It has been the best part of 5 years since I have last had a marine aquarium, but I have sorted out my life now, so it is time to get back into this addiction! Fair to say a lot has changed in that time, and a lot of this original post will develop over time! You will see a lot of options below as I have yet to decide on a couple of things... but better to put it down so I don't forget (and you guys can critique me as well!)
Remember I am from Australia so a lot of things are different over here, especially in the world of hardware
System Objectives:
From a stock perspective, mixed reef with a focus on SPS. I have been relatively successful in the past but I want to give the stonies a real nudge. It won't be a ULNS, but I hope my tank maintenance regime will stand up to the test. :reading:
From a life perspective, I want something that other people will take enjoyment in viewing, especially my two kids (now 10 and 8). I want them to share the joy that keeping a marine aquarium gives me.
I also want something to come home and relax to at the end of a busy and stressful day at work.
System Type: Mixed reef
Display System:
Strike up Date: Estimated strike up date of April 2013
Display Tank: To be decided, but either my existing 2x2x2, or a new 3x2x2 or 3x3x2... the last one looking very unlikely, but still there for now. Considering starfire glass but costs will be considered. shallow 1" sand bed (I need to figure out how to keep this in place with high flow... maybe go higher grain size or do what Michael did and stick it down!
Display Lighting: GHL Mitras LED lighting
Cabinet: Will be steel framed with high gloss white cabinetry to match the new house. I want the cabinet work to look sleek and modern. The cabinet will be oversized by 6 inches all around so I have a shelf to rest stuff on (like a bourbon and coke), but also to allow me to hold a few more tools of the trade underneath. It will also have cooling fans inbuilt and electrical points/powerbars etc housed separately form the wet area :idea:
Hood: would love to go topless but Vicky is freaking out about holes in the roof and wires :worried: I may still convince her but lets wait and see. If I do have a hood it will have the front and side panels either completely removable, or to be able to be held open without manual intervention!
Sump: will probably use existing sump which is a 2x14x18. All equipment such as skimmers, FBF etc will remain dry and be plumbed in with ball valves and unions, only thing actually in the sump will be the heater(s), the small powerhead through the "˜fuge section and the float switches for the top off.
Refugium: will have a refugium partioned in the sump, not for the pod population but as a grow out area so I can harvest macro
Refugium Lighting: Nothing fancy, probably a couple of compact flourescents
Support systems:
System Water: Natural salt water
Display Water circulation: A lot up in the air here. Items I am currently considering are (more than one will be implemented, I might even go with all 3):
- Return manifold into display tank with locline outlets
- Closed loop with penductors, probably powered by a Laguna 7000
- Good old fashioned wave devices like the VorTech MP series or Tunze Turbelle's
The biggest challenge I have in this department is getting the right type of flow. Will need to pick the brains of a few of my trusted RC colleagues on this before I get too far
Return Pump:Sump return pump, have a few options sitting around, a Laguna 7000, an Iwaki MX70 or and Eheim 1060
Skimmer: Reef Octopus Hurricane 500, fed by a small 1200lph Eheim
Evaporation Top Up: Tunze osmolator
Aquarium control and monitoring ok here is where I will be spending a fair bit of my budget.
Profilux setup that covers off the following:
- Controller with webserver
- Display unit
- Vortech control (if I go this way)
- Mitras control
- 4 way dosing pump
- SMS capability
- Temperature
- Ph
- Conductivity
- ORP
I will be using Hanna Checkers (great bit of kit!) to test for Calcium, Alkalinity, Phosphate
Chemical Support:
Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium Addition: Will dose Randy Holmes-Farley's 3 part recipe initially dosed via the dosing pump
Other Chemical Maintenance: May consider the ZEOvit or Red Sea Additives to get the corals to colour up, but loads more research to be done on this front.
Current Water Chemistry: Tank still in my imagination
Nitrates:
Phosphates:
Alkalinity:
Calcium:
Salinity / Specific Gravity:
Magnesium:
Intended Fish Stocklist:
I love different fish, and I especially love the coral gobies"¦ given I want to have lots of staghorn corals"¦ only seems right to have them as well.
On face value 14 fish"¦ but most of them only around 3-4cm long"¦ so I think bioload should be ok"¦
- Pair of yellow coral gobies Gobiodon okinawae
- Pair of painted coral gobies Gobiodon histrio
- Pair of needlespine coral gobies Gobiodon acicularis
- Pair of rippled coral gobies Gobiodon rivulatus
- Six line wrasse Pseudocheilinus hexataenia "“ purely for bug warfare
- Potters angelfish Centropyge potteri
- Pair of Black Cap Grammas Gramma melacara
- Pair of Onyx clownfish Amphiprion oscellaris
Intended Coral Stocklist:
I am going to go fairly hard with the small polyped stony corals"¦ with a couple of very selective lps and even a softie thrown in there as well!
I am going to be extremely picky with my corals"¦ I don't just want a tank full of filler, so it may take a while to get it all together, through frags or selected wild colonies.
- Various Acropora spp.
- Various Montipora spp.
- Various Pocillopora spp.
- Various Stylophora spp.
- Various Merulina spp.
- Various Seriatopora spp.
I'm sure I have missed a few SPS family members there, but for now that will do :lmao:
Sand dwellers (well in my tank) - Heliofungia actiniformis
- Various Fungia spp.
- Various Scolymia spp.
- Various Acanthastrea spp.
Intended Invert Stocklist:
The other thing I love along with coral gobies are my shrimp, these and other inverts will be present
- Pair of red line cleaner shrimp Lysmata amboiensis
- Pair of blood shrimp Lysmata debelius
- Various snails Astrea spp., Turbo spp., Trochus spp. , Cerith sp. snails
- a couple of marine hermit crabs
- Tigertail cucumber Holothuria hilla
And probably the most volatile of this list"¦ a Rose Bubble Tip Anemone Entacmaea quadricolor.. I am aware of the challenge of this little guy in terms of roaming, but will see how I go.
Images:
To come so for now you will have to put up with the dancing chorus line
:dance: :dance: :dance: :dance:
