Dave's 150G Starphire Zeo Reef~

[Dave's Reef]

I like the wrasse, nice addition.

Thank you Gregg,

I've had him for several months now and really like him a lot! He was quite small when I got him and one of the reasons I could get him was due to his small size. He was much cheaper than an adult specimen.

I would estimate that he has reached adult size at this point and has become quite striking!

Great set up. Where did you get the plans for the lighting bracket and what types of metal brackets did you use. Also was curious who made your tank?
Thanks
Gregg

Thank you snowcap for the kind words! The plans were my own, although I drew much of my inspiration from this thread here: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=13477526#post13477526

And Ed Reef's canopy found here: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1639598&perpage=25&pagenumber=5

The metal I used was actually a combination of square and L shaped aluminum found at Home Depot. It was quite easy to put together once I had a mental picture of what I wanted. Then there was only to put into reality by manifesting my thought!~

In reality if you can dream it you can more than likely put it together with a little doing and some elbow grease! There are a lot of options as far as how to put it together and how to join the pieces one to another. I just kept it simple and put it all together with nuts and bolts along with some locking washers of course! But that was just me... like I said you can pretty much do whatever you want as long as you have a pretty good idea of what you want in there.

Just do a lot of research and study the two threads I gave you the links for. Ask many questions too, don't be afraid to do that! I asked a lot of questions before finally putting it all together. I was a little intimidated by it at first but once I started things pretty much went right into place and just as I had envisioned them.

Hope this helps,

Dave

 

[Dave's Reef]

Hello Dave,

Very nice acquisition.

Please post some more pics of the new guy when you get the chance and if it´s not to much to ask, a FTS is also appreciated. It´s always a pleasure to see the development of this tank. :thumbsup:

Regards,
André

Thanks very much for your kind words Andre`. I will do my best to post some new ones up soon.

I actually took quite a few pics today and am just weeding through all of them and trying to pic out the best ones. Then of course I've got to transfer them to my photobucket account and then I'll be in business.

Stay tuned....

 

[Dave's Reef]

A little change in lighting....

A little change in lighting....

Looky looky what I got!!!

Got a pair of 400w Radium's to go in place of my 250's. I'd been back and forth and up and down and all around the 250 vs 400 personal wrestling match and finally decided after almost a year of the 250's it's time to at least "try" the 400w Radium's. I'm a true blue (no pun intended) Radium die hard and they have always been my favorite bulb in any configuration!

So far I really like the extra light they're putting out for me. I tried the "turbo charged" setting for the 400watters but I like the regular setting a little better personally. In turbo mode things are so bright they're almost washed out color wise. At least that's what I thought....

 

[mpoletti]

Very nice addition Dave :thumbsup:

 

[Dejavu]

Nice pickup Dave! Keep us posted on how you like them. Do you have a par meter?

 

[Dave's Reef]

Very nice addition Dave :thumbsup:

Thanks Mark, I like the 400w Radium's a LOT better than my 250w Radiums. Really makes everything in the tank just POP!!!

Nice pickup Dave! Keep us posted on how you like them. Do you have a par meter?

Will do Brian! Unfortunately I don't have a par meter.... Anyone here in the Phoenix area got one I can borrow??? I'll give you some frags if you come over and help a brother out???

 

[Dave's Reef]

Please post some more pics of the new guy when you get the chance and if it´s not to much to ask, a FTS is also appreciated. It´s always a pleasure to see the development of this tank. :thumbsup:

Regards,
André

As per you request Andre!~

The new guy and his new family!

Another new guy I got from Tom at So Cal when I was in Cali weekend before last!

A Hawaiian Flame Wrasse I just got...

My Pyramid with a new Efflo I picked up in Cali... It's still coloring back up though.

 

[Dave's Reef]

Continued....

Continued....

Some more pics....

A Rainbow Chalice I just picked up

My ORA Blue Iris... It's recovering from some unexplained tip damage but doing well!

Green Milli that's starting to look really nice!

Random group shot

FTS for you Andre!

 

[DanW]

Very nice update Dave. I love the new ballasts, really interested in to see how you like 400s. Your Apolemichthys xanthopunctatus is sweet, any nipping yet? Your tank is growing in nicely. Now where have I seen that efflo...humm

 

[Rickyrooz1]

I like the new bulb color! Where did you purchase the ballasts from?

 

[Dave's Reef]

Very nice update Dave. I love the new ballasts, really interested in to see how you like 400s. Your Apolemichthys xanthopunctatus is sweet, any nipping yet? Your tank is growing in nicely. Now where have I seen that efflo...humm

Thanks very much Dan!

I really like the ballasts, very versatile! So far I'm VERY pleased with the 400's. I like them WAAAYYYY better than the 250's, at least for my taste anyway. I've been running my 250w Radium's on the old Galaxy 250w ballast and have been satisfied with the color the put out but the 400's are just that much brighter and seem to just make everything really POP in the tank!

I like the new bulb color! Where did you purchase the ballasts from?

Thanks Ricky, I'm still just running Radium's as I'm a die hard Radium fan, always have been from way back!~

I got the ballasts from Tom at So Cal. If you don't know him or his store you can PM me and I can get you is info. I think/thought that he's a sponsor here on RC so hopefully I don't step over any "lines" here with the mods. If so, please accept my most humble apology.

 

[Dave's Reef]

Your Apolemichthys xanthopunctatus is sweet, any nipping yet?

No nipping yet Dan.... I forgot to mention this above so I thought I'd let you know. He hasn't so much as touched one of my corals yet, ANY of them. I'm a generous feeder though!

Now where have I seen that efflo...humm

I think someone we both know may have given it to me, lol!~

 

[Dave's Reef]

Gotta little somethin, somethin....

Gotta little somethin, somethin....

Got myself a new gadget today!~

 

[DanW]

Man everyone getting new stuff, I'm jealous :mad2: I'm going to get some new stuff too. (What I'm really saying: I'm going to beg my wife to allow me to get some new stuff.) Nice pick up Dave, you baller :bum:

 

[Dave's Reef]

Man everyone getting new stuff, I'm jealous :mad2: I'm going to get some new stuff too. (What I'm really saying: I'm going to beg my wife to allow me to get some new stuff.) Nice pick up Dave, you baller :bum:

Lol.... You're funny Dan, from what I understand you've already got one of these handy dandy regulator's anyway? As far as the wife goes... well, lets just say she isn't very observant when it comes to what's under the stand or really what's in the tank except of course for fish. Those she notices pretty well so, I did well here lately but as far as the rest... well, lets just say I'm a blessed man!

Now the baller comment, I'm not sure I get that? I'm using a Ca Rx NOT balling? Forgive me for being so behind the times???

 

[mnml]

wow, that angel looks freakin cool. i don't think i've ever seen one like that.

how's the leopard wrasse doing? i've been wanting one but i heard they're hard to keep.

 

[Dave's Reef]

wow, that angel looks freakin cool. i don't think i've ever seen one like that.

how's the leopard wrasse doing? i've been wanting one but i heard they're hard to keep.

Thanks Tran,

I just read through your whole thread and I like what you've done so far!

The angel is a Gold Flake angel aka: Apolemichthys xanthopunctatus. Definitely one of my favorite angels for sure! Always wanted one and finally bit the bullet and picked one up here locally.

The Leopard I got from Tom at So Cal and it is doing great! I've tried a few through the years and this one seems the best of all of them so far! I made sure that he was eating before I left with him and he's done great. I'm very excited to have finally gotten one that looks like he's gonna be with me for awhile... Hopefully a LONG while! :spin3:

 

[reefsic]

Great looking setup. Does the Pyramid BF behave himself/herself? Have you ever seen it pick on any SPS or LPS?

 

[mpoletti]

Man everyone getting new stuff, I'm jealous :mad2: I'm going to get some new stuff too. (What I'm really saying: I'm going to beg my wife to allow me to get some new stuff.) Nice pick up Dave, you baller :bum:

Didn't you just get some new rhomboids :lol:

 

[mpoletti]

Got myself a new gadget today!~

Nice pickup Dave. I'm glad you were able to get things sorted out last night :thumbsup: