Dave's 150G Starphire Zeo Reef~

[Dave's Reef]

Looking good Dave, a lot of life in there.

Thanks Dan,

It's a work in progress but it's getting there!

 

[Dave's Reef]

Dave,

I run zeo also and am upgrading to a new tank. My current tank is Barebottom and I am adding substrate, only a couple inches.

What kind of substrate are you using and do you clean or stir it ? I see you have a good many crabs and snails in there, are they helping you keep it clean ?


Thanks !

Hello Henry,

I've seen your posts over on the Zeo forum too... Currently I've got a mix of Tropic Eden Mini Flakes (2mm size) and the Tropic Eden Reeflakes (3.5mm size). I really like this stuff, better than any substrate I've tried. It's "super" clean and looks great.

I've only ever cleaned it once, I siphoned it, but I don't think I'll do that again. My clean up crew is pretty thorough actually but occasionally I'll stir it up a bit before adding coral snow/bac mixture at night and that keeps it pretty clean!~

Hope this helps

 

[Henry Bowman]

Thanks for the response Dave,

I was curious....I ended up purchasing CaribSea's SeaFlor Special Grade. I was a little apprehensive but when it came it, it appears the particle size is in the 2-3.5 mm range. I intend on doing just as you have, a 1-1.5" deep bed for the Zeo biology but no deep sand bed. I will be upgrading to a 120 soon. My 90 has a DSB in the sump and I believe that it has kept me from getting to a true ULNS state within my system. I'm not having any real problems but a few valonia now and then. I know the substrate will add a new dimension to the set up and hope that it with the absence of a DSB will help.

Really nice looking tank BTW.

Thanks again and take care.

 

[glaukos]

great new addition...i just love him!

 

[Dave's Reef]

Thanks for the response Dave,

I was curious....I ended up purchasing CaribSea's SeaFlor Special Grade. I was a little apprehensive but when it came it, it appears the particle size is in the 2-3.5 mm range. I intend on doing just as you have, a 1-1.5" deep bed for the Zeo biology but no deep sand bed. I will be upgrading to a 120 soon. My 90 has a DSB in the sump and I believe that it has kept me from getting to a true ULNS state within my system. I'm not having any real problems but a few valonia now and then. I know the substrate will add a new dimension to the set up and hope that it with the absence of a DSB will help.

Really nice looking tank BTW.

Thanks again and take care.

Hi again Henry,

Thank you for the kind words! CaribSea's SeaFlor Special Grade is quite popular and is what I would have gone with if I'd not found out about the Tropic Eden 1st. I've used Carib-Sea for years in my previous tank and a lot of others do too SunnyX, 143gadgets and many others. It's good stuff, the size is perfect and it looks great but the Tropic Eden is just a notch better I think. I've never seen any other sand quite so clean right out of the bag as Tropic Eden. I barely had to rinse it, no joke! Once it's in the tank it really "pops", super duper white with little specs of pink through out. It's just great stuff!

I had a DSB in my previous tank, real deep. I was using the Jober method, which goes back quite a bit... Anyway, it was about a 6" deep sand bed with a plenum as per the Jober guildlines. Needless to say it was an organics breeding ground, I had it up and running like that for over 10 years. When I broke down the system it was really foul!

At any rate, I greatly prefer the SSB over the DSB for a couple reasons.

1.) Much more room in the display for your live rock, corals, fish etc...
2.) Much cleaner and easier to maintain

Of course, achieving a ULNS is much easier as well.

I'll look forward to seeing and hearing more about your upgrade in the future. Are you going to do a build/upgrade thread?

Thanks & let me know,

Dave

 

[Dave's Reef]

great new addition...i just love him!

Thanks! He's gonna grow fast and will be my ace in the whole when I try to talk my wife into letting my do yet another "larger" tank in a couple of years, lol!

 

[Henry Bowman]

When I get closer to doing the deed, I will start a thread with the stand build, sump etc.
It will include my plans to move from the 90 to the 120 etc. Interesting part is going to be the 120 is going where the 90 currently sits. I think I have it figured out....Only time will tell.

 

[DanW]

Dave, update? How're your corals and fish doing? Any new additions?

 

[Dave's Reef]

Dave, update? How're your corals and fish doing? Any new additions?

Hey Dan,

I actually just took a bunch of pics last night but won't be able to get them posted till later tonight.

No more fish at this point... However, I added a Blue Linkia starfish and two sand sifting starfish.

 

[Dave's Reef]

6 Month Update!

6 Month Update!

Well, my tank is officially at the 6 month mark and I thought I'd celebrate with some updated pics! I've been very busy lately so, it's been hard to keep up with my thread. Anyhow a few people had been asking so, here ya go!

Raspberry Lemonade on the rebound!

Pearl Berry

Green Milli, Baby Oregon Tort(just got this one), Sky Blue Stag, ORA Red Planet and Bi-color Acro

A random Smcooler Formosa showing some nice color!

An Ice Blue Milli

Blue tipped tenius in the foreground, Larry Jackson purple tipped acro(starting to get it's color back), Tubbs Bonsai and a random Smcooler Formosa

 

[Dave's Reef]

6 Month Update Continued....

6 Month Update Continued....

Here's a few more

Original Pink Lemonade!

Sunset Monti

ORA Hawkins with some other acro's

Gadgets Acro showing some really nice color again!

Tyree Bali Tri-color in the upper right of the pic

Tubbs Silver Bullet Bonsai

ORA Borealis

Meteor Shower Cyphestrea, ORA German Blue Polyp Acro, Rose Milli

 

[Dave's Reef]

6 Month Update Continued....

6 Month Update Continued....

And some more

Tubbs Birds Nest, some Acans, Puple digi and Reverse Poker Star Monti

Another unamed Gadgets Acro and a Seasons Greetings struggling to get it's green base back

Another angle of the Rasberry Lemonade and a really shaggy Purple tipped acro to the upper right

This piece in the center was a survivor of my mishap during transfer from my old tank. There was only like "1" polyp that was left on the plug and now it's coming back with a nice green base and purple/blue tips!

 

[Dave's Reef]

6 Month Update Continued....

6 Month Update Continued....

Some other misc. shots

Tubbs Blue Zoo's and Tyree War Coral

Blonde Naso and friends....

My Ring Tail

Vlamingi flashing

Pyramid Butterfly and friends

 

[Dave's Reef]

6 Month Update Continued....

6 Month Update Continued....

Some parting 6 month tank shots

Last one....

 

[DanW]

Wow Dave, great pictures everything looks like it's coming along nicely. SPS are coloring up nicely, another 6 months of growth and I'll have to drive out to AZ for some frags!

 

[paulthomas]

Happy 6 Month Birthday Zeo Reef! :celeb1:

Lookin' good Dave. :thumbsup: How are you liking Zeovit thus far? Is that Eheim mod still holding up?

 

[PowermanKW]

Happy 6 months. I really love your tank. I have a 90g now and want a 150g like yours. I really love the depth. You have done a very nice job with it's lay out and I am picturing doing something in the same vein.

Right now I am just waiting for the 90g to grow out, then I will move to a 150g. Everything I have now will work. You will have to tell me if you stick to the 250ws or go to the 400w you mentioned. I have 2x250 on Galaxy's and think it would be ample.

 

[Dave's Reef]

Wow Dave, great pictures everything looks like it's coming along nicely. SPS are coloring up nicely, another 6 months of growth and I'll have to drive out to AZ for some frags!

Thanks Dan, you are more than welcome anytime to drop in my way! I'm sure we could come up with some sort of trade agreement! :thumbsup:

Happy 6 Month Birthday Zeo Reef! :celeb1:

Lookin' good Dave. :thumbsup: How are you liking Zeovit thus far? Is that Eheim mod still holding up?

Thanks Paul, I'm liking the Zeovit method very well I must say. To have growth and color like this in just 6 short months to me, is very impressive.

The Eheim mod is holding up well and is one I recommend to anyone!

Happy 6 months. I really love your tank. I have a 90g now and want a 150g like yours. I really love the depth. You have done a very nice job with it's lay out and I am picturing doing something in the same vein.

Right now I am just waiting for the 90g to grow out, then I will move to a 150g. Everything I have now will work. You will have to tell me if you stick to the 250ws or go to the 400w you mentioned. I have 2x250 on Galaxy's and think it would be ample.

Thanks KW... I really wanted to do a tank with more depth this time and I have to say it makes all the difference in the world to me. There's just so much more that you can do with this foot print. The only thing I would change if anything is the length. I really wish I could have gone with a 5' or 6' length but this was the best I could do with the space available.

As far as lighting I was really torn at first between the 250's or 400's. Now that all is said and done I have to say I'm very pleased with the 250's and 4x 54w T5 combo. It seems to be more than ample!

I'll look forward to seeing what you come up with. Hope you'll do a build thread!

 

[PowermanKW]

That is pretty interesting. Honestly, I do not want a huge tank. I know, I know, everybody wants a 600g tank... I love toys and gear..... don't get me wrong, but huge tanks kind of looks like a part time job to me.

So I really like 48x30x24. All my stuff will work on a 150g. I have been torn between 4 foot and 5 foot though. My fixture is a 4 foot, but I would have my rock work in the middle so the light would be where I wanted.

180g would be tops. 4 foot...5 foot....4 foot, 5 foot

 

[Oldude]

I know I've said it before Dave but that is a sweet selection of coral & fish. I already have "coral envy" so I am looking forward with much anticipation to seeing this stuff grown in & out.