d2mini's "Essential Focus" Mixed Reef Build

Hey Dennis, do the purple's pick up large frags etc? I've got a couple tuxedo's in my DT and they carry shells etc around but haven't picked anything substantial up yet after a year on the job. I've seen photos of urchins walking around with Zoa's on them, have yet to experience it though my tuxedos are only 1.5-2 inches across.

Love the breakdown/discussion of each change as always man, keep it up.
 
iced98lx said:
Hey Dennis, do the purple's pick up large frags etc? I've got a couple tuxedo's in my DT and they carry shells etc around but haven't picked anything substantial up yet after a year on the job. I've seen photos of urchins walking around with Zoa's on them, have yet to experience it though my tuxedos are only 1.5-2 inches across.

Love the breakdown/discussion of each change as always man, keep it up.
Click to expand...

Yep, i've had them pick things up... purples banished to my sump for poor redecorating. ;)
Not as bad as a Tuxedo though.

And thanks!
 
d2mini said:
Yep, i've had them pick things up... purples banished to my sump for poor redecorating. ;)
Not as bad as a Tuxedo though.

And thanks!
Click to expand...

Haha thats pretty funny. Haven't had too much of an issue yet with my purple pincushion, but all my corals are currently epoxied down. Though I did rescue a cerith snail off it's back the other day.:lol:
 
Hey Dennis.. I need some advice.... Since you sectioned your fuge off, how do you think I could do that with my tub? And still make swim ways for the fish? Do you even think it's possible? I'm asking because you took that idea like right out of my head dude.. And I'd also like to possibly throw some mangroves in there? What do you think?

From note 5.. rip note 7
 
Does anyone know what size TBS Package Dennis ordered to get this tank going? Was it sized for 120 gallons?

I like how it was aquascaped. I curently have my 105 up and running for I guess about 2 years now. But I had dinos for over half that time and while their in remission now, nothing survives very long but fish, a clam, and some zoas. The tank looks like a lunar landscape. So I'm ready to tear it down and start all over. I'l never start another tank with totally dry rock. I ordered 80#'s of BRS Pukani and only used about 75% of it. I like my scape but I read some people say TBS is really dense while others say it's not. So I'm trying to determine how much I might need to order to get close to Dennis' setup. Thanks for any info.
 
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Do you know how much flow you are running through your overflow? Did you enlarge or downsize any of your return or drain plumbing? I'm trying to plan which pump and plumbing if I were to get the 120XL. Thanks.
 
DamonG said:
Hey Dennis.. I need some advice.... Since you sectioned your fuge off, how do you think I could do that with my tub? And still make swim ways for the fish? Do you even think it's possible? I'm asking because you took that idea like right out of my head dude.. And I'd also like to possibly throw some mangroves in there? What do you think?

From note 5.. rip note 7
Click to expand...
When I had my big rubber maid tubs, I had a smaller tub inside filled with sand and 50 mangroves.
Having the separate container worked well.
Not sure how you'd be able to section it off for macros and still allow fish to swim through... maybe some PVC pipe tunnels for them?

garyinco said:
Does anyone know what size TBS Package Dennis ordered to get this tank going? Was it sized for 120 gallons?

I like how it was aquascaped. I curently have my 105 up and running for I guess about 2 years now. But I had dinos for over half that time and while their in remission now, nothing survives very long but fish, a clam, and some zoas. The tank looks like a lunar landscape. So I'm ready to tear it down and start all over. I'l never start another tank with totally dry rock. I ordered 80#'s of BRS Pukani and only used about 75% of it. I like my scape but I read some people say TBS is really dense while others say it's not. So I'm trying to determine how much I might need to order to get close to Dennis' setup. Thanks for any info.
Click to expand...
I'm not really sure what I ended up with (don't remember the exact order) but I probably asked for more like 80# or so. I always get about 25% less than recommended for the tank size. But I do like having a little left over so I can pick and choose then anything I don't need can go in the sump, get broken up for mounting stuff, or sold locally.

NATCAP_Reefer said:
Looking good Bro !!!
Click to expand...
Thanks! :)

Dugless said:
Do you know how much flow you are running through your overflow? Did you enlarge or downsize any of your return or drain plumbing? I'm trying to plan which pump and plumbing if I were to get the 120XL. Thanks.
Click to expand...
I do not. All I can tell you is the Vectra L1 is running at around 80%.
I do have several elbows and barbed fittings on the return line so a decent amount of restriction.
But I can highly recommend the Vectra! :)
 
Hmmnn.. I had thought about building eggcrate tunnels, but the pvc idea is better. That way, I don't have to worry about algea growing into the tunnel.. And it's simple enough to do with pipe, just cut it, still holes close to the end and zip tie them.. That just may work.. I think I'd need maybe 3"pvc to do it nicely though ..


And I like the sand idea.. For the mangroves.. Lol, I could plunk it down in the cheato area anywhere..
From note 5.. rip note 7
 
Nice candy apple jeep! You are clearly NOT a half measures kind of guy!
Your system is looking great as always, Dennis.
I've had trouble keeping cheato happy for the past year or so..
I've heard that high magnesium will stall its growth... I've also heard that high po4 will stall it.. I'm curious to see how you manage it going forward. I'm a little baffled as to why, in a mature system, it would suddenly stop..
I guess iron could be a culprit.. I forget, are you dosing any additives?
Also, you mentioned you used to keep a forest of mangroves in a tub.. I'm adding some to a dsb I have on my system.
With that many, did you find they pulled out significant magnesium? I've heard that they can when growing well..
Any truth to the urban or aquatic legend that the roots can grow thick enough to crack a glass tank?
 
reefmutt said:
Nice candy apple jeep! You are clearly NOT a half measures kind of guy!
Your system is looking great as always, Dennis.
I've had trouble keeping cheato happy for the past year or so..
I've heard that high magnesium will stall its growth... I've also heard that high po4 will stall it.. I'm curious to see how you manage it going forward. I'm a little baffled as to why, in a mature system, it would suddenly stop..
I guess iron could be a culprit.. I forget, are you dosing any additives?
Also, you mentioned you used to keep a forest of mangroves in a tub.. I'm adding some to a dsb I have on my system.
With that many, did you find they pulled out significant magnesium? I've heard that they can when growing well..
Any truth to the urban or aquatic legend that the roots can grow thick enough to crack a glass tank?
Click to expand...

It's just a regular bright fire engine red, no metallic/pearl.
And I spent two days last week installing a 3" lift! :D

I didn't have the mangroves long enough to have root issues but I don't think you'd have to worry about cracking glass.
I never had a magnesium problem either. But again, maybe I didn't have them long enough.
 
How have your nitrate levels been with the chaeto? I remember a while ago your nitrates were close to zero. I am wanting to add chaeto to my sump but worried it will drag my nitrates down to 0.
 
Dennis, this is what I came up with below.. Not only a separated section for the cheato, but there is a swimming tube underneath the cheato area, to not waste potential swimming for the front and rear sections(the fish). I'm hoping they will all take to the tube eventually, but so far, only the damsel swims through it completely.. My plan is to add some mangroves to the front(the lagoon) in the future..

4242bad790eaa2b01f6781e396e1a28e.jpg
d0eda29da4148602671f0d7e36a2e510.jpg


From note 5.. rip note 7
 
d2mini said:
So in order to get a handle on the p04 spike and be able to grow more than cheato I made some changes today.
I completely cleaned out the sump and tossed at least 95% of the chaeto.
Kept just a small ball, and the only other macro that survived was the red Bryothamnion.

So i got some egg crate and created a divider.
Cheato in the back, other macros up front.
Will see how this works out. :)

And the p04... probably from the half inch thick floor of detritus.
Who needs Miracle Mud?! :D

i-NZF7cqp.jpg


i-T35hPRv.jpg
Click to expand...



This is why I got a Theilling Rollermat. The thing is freaking genius! I know TRITON does not recommend it but I am using it and only see the benefits. Crystal clear water, NO FILTER SOCK CLEANNING(!), and no detritus build up as clean filter is continually being pulled and the dirty one gets out automatically.


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