d2mini's "Essential Focus" Mixed Reef Build
- Thread starter d2mini
- Start date
SchnitzelReef
Active member
Was looking into the live rock you are using. How do you deal with bad hitchhikers. Like aptasia, bubble algae, flat worms etc. that is the main reason I started with dry Rock. BUT I now feel like my tank is missing something. Maybe a lack in bio diversity. Would be nice to have more sponges, sea fans, etc. I'm gunna see about getting a small order from him just to add some extra life to my existing rocks
Search on TBS on the forum. There are some bad hitchhikers but those are typically Gorilla crabs or the crabs with the very sharp and pointy pincers / claws. Not unique to TBS since I had some back on some rock I ordered from Fiji back when we could. Reason why I said search wasn't to be rude or lazy but you won't find any with bubble algae or aptasia. You do get the urchins, maybe a fish or mantis shrimp, snails, etc. More or less good stuff with the slight chance of the crabs I noted. Those can be caught with a trap easy enough. Point is, with the TBS rock you get more good than bad.
My first tank I wanted to go slow and learn because I didn't trust my level with saltwater aquaria. So it setting up hardware, then add water, sand, and start the cycle using a piece of shrimp. Nothing else. Reading a book, seeing how far along I should be, test, etc. Once that was stable I ordered some live rock from Fiji. It was shipped in a box with wet news paper
A lot different than what TBS does. Never the less, in it goes and the cycle resumes. All in all I'd say it was about 6 months before I added my first fish or coral. Having said that, it was a great experience, I learned a lot, and saw stuff evolve over the course of each cycle. I still have that rock today and some of the sand...With the new tank the plan is to go with TBS has I merge my 40 breeder into a 240 gallon tank. More or less doing what D2Mini is doing. Once the dust settles and it looks clear, take out what I see is not wanted (crabs) then move the corals and fish from 40 into new home and be done. Instead of a 6 month process it will be cut down to nothing and I see a different side of it with a more natural, ready, and diverse biotype brought to me from Sunny Florida
ReefCowboy
New member
Dennis,
Im in the process of a new build, and am torn between a 60"x24x24" rimless and a 36x36x24" rimless cube(like the one you had).
How would you rate your current tank compared to the old cube in regards to aquascaping?
I have lighting, and all other factors under control, just really undecided between the two way different set ups...
BTW we need more pics! More sump ones also...come on!!
Im in the process of a new build, and am torn between a 60"x24x24" rimless and a 36x36x24" rimless cube(like the one you had).
How would you rate your current tank compared to the old cube in regards to aquascaping?
I have lighting, and all other factors under control, just really undecided between the two way different set ups...
BTW we need more pics! More sump ones also...come on!!
d2mini
Premium Member
I have one mounted on the back panel towards the left side of the tank.
I have a few things I want to try and want to maximize real estate for mounting coral.
Not sure how much more I'll actually use but want to play around.
Man....your tank is looking great. Love the rockscape. I wouldn't change a thing, other filling it with corals
Mark
p.s. hints on fish?
Not sure on fish. But someone is holding a pair of Wyoming Whites for me so they will be first in the tank.
Everything saf1 said earlier.
I always like a deeper dimension when possible.Dennis,
Im in the process of a new build, and am torn between a 60"x24x24" rimless and a 36x36x24" rimless cube(like the one you had).
How would you rate your current tank compared to the old cube in regards to aquascaping?
I have lighting, and all other factors under control, just really undecided between the two way different set ups...
BTW we need more pics! More sump ones also...come on!!
24" front to back is my absolute limit. I much prefer deeper than that.
The cube was kinda hard to scape because I wanted to separate islands. Not much room for that in 36x36 but i managed. If I did a cube again, i'd want to do 48x48.
That's why I like the dims of this tank because they are over 47 wide by 31 front to back. Almost the same depth as the cube but wider.
liverock
RC Sponsor
Killer pics...
Killer pics...
Amazing pics....I look at this rock everyday...but your pics put a whole new perspective..on what I see.....real live rock is a wonderful thing!:bounce3:
Richard TBS
www.tbsaltwater.com
Killer pics...
Amazing pics....I look at this rock everyday...but your pics put a whole new perspective..on what I see.....real live rock is a wonderful thing!:bounce3:
Richard TBS
www.tbsaltwater.com
h3dgehog
Member
Dennis - Considering that the use of LEDs over your tank wasn't the original plan, have you ever considered going with the Mitras instead of the Radion? I understand that Ecotech made you a sweat deal on the Radions, but if GHL offered to give you the same deal, which would you have gone with and why?
d2mini
Premium Member
Thanks! The deeper dimension opens up more possibilities.
Oh man, i dunno. I'd be curious about the Mitras just because I haven't used them.
Then again, they seem a little long in the tooth by now.
Ecotech should have a Radion upgrade later this year.
Here's one more pic... the other decorator crab. Can you see him? haha
ClownsRCoo
New member
Looking good!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
dtum
New member
Hi Don,
I've shutdown the tank and have setup a new tank. The 180g was starting to be very expensive to maintain - all that SPS growth was making me go through 3-4 gallons of ESV solution per month.
I'm now running a much smaller tank - 55 gallon which houses all of my best SPS from the big system. And for lighting I've picked LEDs again, this time I'm giving AI Hydra 52 HD a try (same company as Radions). The tank has been running for almost two month now and I am very happy with LED lighting and will continue using it. But it took me 4 years to really understand what to look for when running LEDs over SPS and I must say that it is tricky. I'm sure we will all benefit from Dennis' thread and his experience running Radions.
dtum
New member
Anything to declare when crossing the border?
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