Come with me on my Custom 77 Gallon setup

[Stile2]

Here are my first attempts at full tank shots. I am not completely happy with the aquascaping and I need to redo the return plumbing.

Left Side (kitchen/hallway view)

End (View from the front door)

Right Side (Living Room View)

Have a good day everyone,
Keith

 

[Stile2]

What are people using to glue rocks together? I would like a more vertical mountain near the rear of the tank, but I won't be able to do that without some permenate gluing of the rocks.

Thanks

 

[got2lb]

Looks good so far!

I've heard of people drilling holes in the rocks and then cutting up plastic coat hangers to "pin" them together.

 

[melev]

Your corals look nice and happy.

Um... there's a lamp in your tank. What's up with that? Got a fish that loves to read?

 

[Stile2]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7163649#post7163649 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Your corals look nice and happy.

Um... there's a lamp in your tank. What's up with that? Got a fish that loves to read?

LOL! :lol: If you look at the right side picture, you can see the toilet paper in my bathroom. I need to remember to shut off those lights. I'm not used to having a tank that I can see through.

Thanks keeping the corals happy is the prime concern. There are several things I want to work on, as always I think. I believe that it is part of this hobby that we are never really done with our tanks.

My list of things to do include.

redo return plumbing (so it not a big ugly white PVC)
modify my skimmer and get it running in the system. (I am changing the Ocean runner pump out in favor of a Sedra 9000)
Redo the aquascaping.

I am really trying not to go a buy a bunch of fish and new corals.

 

[Stile2]

So I have a question for you guys who have put in PhosBan Reactors. I have the reactor and some Rowa Phos. The directions with the reactor said to put the adsorber between the foam pads, while the Rowa Phos has a net bag to put it in.

Which way is recommended? Does it matter?

Thanks

 

[melev]

I put it in loose between the pads. Then I hook it up to the tank in my sump, and point the output tubing in to a nearby bucket, and plug in the pump. Once the water coming out is clear, I divert the output tubing back into the sump, and throw away the water. It will be several gallons worth. Replace that with freshly mixed saltwater and you'll have a mini-water change done as well.

According to RowaPHOS, you should test the output solution for PO4. It should read zero, and it it doesn't, close the ballvalve to slow the flow and test again. It should trickle out slowly and read 0. Once the output is over zero, the media is used up and needs to be replaced again.

 

[Stile2]

Thanks Marc

Keith

 

[Stile2]

Some good news. My Scooter Blenny ate mysis shrimp last night. It is the first time I have ever seen him ate anything that I put in the tank.



Everything in the tank seems to be adjusting well to the new environment. I am going to add my 110 w of PC lighting to the hood soon. I would like to run the following schedule of lights.

6:30 am actinics
8:00 am PC on
11:00 am MH on, PC off
7:00 PM MH off, PC on
9:00 pm PC off
10:00 pm actinics off

I may turn off the actinics during the MH photoperiod depending on how it looks.

What do you guys think?

Keith

 

[melev]

I think 12 hours worth of lighting is plenty. I use 11 hour's worth.

 

[Stile2]

Marc,

what is your lighting schedule? I would search your thread, but

Keith

 

[melev]

It is on my Aquacontroller page in the 280g section of Hidden Treasures.

 

[Stile2]

thanks

 

[Stile2]

Some pictures of my Frags and a couple of new additions.

I have a really hard time taking pictures of fish it seems. But here is my new Royal Gramma

Some new Zoas, the polyps on the top are overexposed, the lowest one is pretty representative of the color.

And some snails.

I know just snails, but I thought their shells are pretty cool.

 

[Stile2]

Some pictures of the older frags. Showing growth.

Here is the Pink Pocillopora when I got him.

And now.

My Candy Cane.

My Little Blenny.

My Urchin.

Hopefully adding the skimmer this weekend.
Keith

 

[Stile2]

I have posted a thread of pictures of the new tank. Some of you have already checked it out.

Here is a link.
link

 

[melev]

The cool snails are nerites. I love those little guys, but never buy 'em. Astreas are just so much cheaper.

Nice zoos!

 

[Stile2]

Marc,

I have a question about the Pink Pocillopora. I have been adjusting the direction of my CL and yesterday he closed all of his polyps. How much flow do those guys like?

Thanks
Keith

 

[melev]

It is hard to say. I would tend to lean toward heavy flow, because they are built rather solidly. I've had two of them over the years, and they are super slow growers, or I never have the perfect water quality they demand.

Watch it for a few days, and if it doesn't open up, move it to an area of less flow.

 

[rdmpe]

Great pictures. Are you hand dosing two part and topoff water? I've been wondering if that would make it tougher for the sps. Maybe I'm being paranoid. But I like the corals and cool snails too.