Blenny's Tank Build (sort of)

[blennymower]

I also made a couple of changes to the lighting fixture, which I hada couple of problems with. One is that it was war too close to the water, ~ 4 inches. So I decided that I would have to lift it. Problem was that alone as it was there was a lot of light spilling over, and if you looked at the tank from a certain point the MH bulbs would blind you! Need less to say lifting it would make the problem worse.

I didn't want to buy a canopy either. So I looked at this big U.S. flag I had on the wall of my room (U.S.A.!) and I thought this would make a perfect "Canopy" and reduce the light spillage and allow me to look at my tank without getting a headache.


The flag stopped some of the light but not enough so under it I added a big heavy duty black garbage back which blocks all light from spilling into the room

I lifted the fixture with 3, 18'' 3X4's on each side.

Overall aesthetically I think this "canopy" looks just as good as any other. Plus I feel patriotic

 

[blennymower]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14977693#post14977693 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Anemonebuff
Use the fans on the sump, you will not see them, you will hear them less, and the air closer to the ground is cooler. It gets up to 90 degrees F in my house and a fan is enough to cool it to 82F.

This has worked great.

 

[blennymower]

Update

Update

I made a couple of changes. You can probably see that the Octo X-treme 200 I had was very tight in the area it was placed. I put up an add on craigslist looking for some to trade my skimmer for an external one. I was very fortunate to have a guy find me that had credits with premium aquatics offering me a new Octopus DNWB-110 recirc. for mine. Since he had credits (hence doesn't have the skimmer yet) I asked him if he could trade the 150 instead of the 110 and that I would pay the difference which wasnt that much.

So I got a very good deal. My less than a year old Octopus extreme 200 for a new Octopus DNWB-150 Recirculating skimmer.

 

[blennymower]

Here's the skimmer in place. I have raised over the return pump with some wooden blocks to save up space.

I haven't plumbed it to the drain yet.

 

[blennymower]

This is how the sump looks now.

 

[blennymower]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15287297#post15287297 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by blennymower
This is how the sump looks now.

Since the last pictures I took nothing much has changed. I added the rocks that I have, bought an Anemone, starting dosing two-part, and the water has gotten crystal clear.

Hopefully either this Thursday or Friday I will add a couple of frags, SPS and Zoanthids.

 

[thedoctor06]

I'd ditch the bioballs ASAP. Gradually, and in stages of course. If not, you can expect your nitrates to climb out of control With live rock, a sandbed, and a fuge, you'll have plenty of space to be colonizing friendly bacteria anyway

 

[blennymower]

 

[blennymower]

Here are two frags I just put in.

Orange Montipora Digitata

Some green zoanthids

 

[Zack33]

i agree with the previous comments on the bio-balls.....i also think that when you take them out you should add, more liverock to the display tank (more places for corals and fish need more hiding places).....if you want just add another couple pieces in the display tank and add the rest to the areas of the sump that you can(spots with bioballs) In general you want 1-2 pounds of porous liverock per gallon of water......The skimmer looks great, do you have any pics of it in action?


Zack

 

[blennymower]

Thanks for the suggestions. I have removed all the bioballs EXCEPT the one's in the first half of the bubble trap, it's only a handful.

Zack, as for the LR I made an order with Bulk Reef Supply last friday for 60lbs of their dry Eco rock. The rocks should arrive this Wednesday, with the ~20lbs I have right now plus the 60 that are coming I shoudl have some leftover which I'll throw in the sump.

 

[blennymower]

Some pictures and a video of the skimmer in action coming up...

 

[blennymower]

The skimmer in action:

 

[blennymower]

Added rocks!

 

[blennymower]

 

[blennymower]

 

[blennymower]

What do you think of the rock structure?

 

[ghstrider]

rocks look good...

a bit of advice: i would take the frags off those plugs and use some super glue gel to stick them onto the rocks. it will look very natural and withing weeks the bit of glue that you can see around the frag will be encrusted over.

makes it more asthetically pleasing..imo

 

[blennymower]

Thanks, I agree. The only reason I haven't done it is fear that I might harm the frag. I can see myself removing the digitata but how would I remove the zoanthids?

 

[Anemonebuff]

Tank looks great. I am glad the fans are working for you. Yes, 82 is fine. 78-82 are great temps, with 76 or 84 acceptable, but leaves less room for error if temps were to drop or spike.