Dave's Life Aquatic (180 build)
- Thread starter davewbush
- Start date
davewbush
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Thank you for your comments. Every thing is still going good. I'm still working on the light cycle. Now my LEDs are on for 12 hours, first 4 T5's are on for 9 hours, and the last 8 bulbs are on for 6 hours. I'm getting good growth out my corals and all of the fish seem happy. Nex Monday will be 7 weeks up and running. I will get some new pics up soon.
davewbush
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Here is a shot of the tank from a few minutes ago. Things are going good for the most part. I lost my tang today. He was doing fine and eating up till yesterday. When I feed the tank yesterday he hid in the rocks and didn't eat. When I woke up today he was half eaten by the crabs, snails, and shrimp.
I have a little bit of geee hair algae coming up on a few of my rocks. I would guess that the rocks are leacking phosphate that was built up in them back into the water. I took the calpura out of the refugium because I didn't like the way it would grow and then die off and then grow again. The cheto is growing fast and I hop it will soon starve out my gha. I also run gfo in a canister filter plumbed into the returne to the refugium.
I changed out the lights 2 weeks ago to 8 ati blue plus, 2 12000k actinic white, and 2 ge 6500k bulbd. All of my corals are doing great except for my acans which my shrimp have pestered to death, all except two of my frags.
davewbush
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The power brites comes with 2 mounting brackets that clip onto it. I used garilla glue and glued them to the t5 fixture. I held them in place with a box. I get the shimmer effect when my blue plus lights are on but it is hard to see it when all the lights are on. I might add 3 more to the back of my t5's one day.
I see, thanks.The power brites comes with 2 mounting brackets that clip onto it. I used garilla glue and glued them to the t5 fixture. I held them in place with a box. I get the shimmer effect when my blue plus lights are on but it is hard to see it when all the lights are on. I might add 3 more to the back of my t5's one day.
I am new to salt water, though I've kept fresh water fish for some time. Are tangs generally prone to sudden illnesses like that? Do you have any guesses as to why he stopped eating?davewbush said:
sps aquaria
New member
looks awesome 
davewbush
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It's been a while since I've spent time on here. Been through a lot in life and the tank has been through a lot. Hit a point 2 years ago where I said I was done with tanks except taking care of this one. Then things in life change and the way you see things changes back to how you once saw things. This build was never truly finished before so a little over a year ago I started an upgrade. I've been taking pics along the way to document but here's how it sits now.
The original 180 gallon tank can be seen to the left of the door in the cut out. The new tank which should be here soon will be in wall in the big cut out and the fish room is under way.
The original 180 gallon tank can be seen to the left of the door in the cut out. The new tank which should be here soon will be in wall in the big cut out and the fish room is under way.
CrayolaViolence
New member
I have been searching high and low for a big yellow leather like the one in your photo. Can you tell me if they are called something specific and where I can find one? Thanks
davewbush
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The yellow ones are called yellow Fiji leathers or soft corals. The one I used to have was a white mushroom leather. Grew super big. Tank started heading south and could never get it to come back. Had another leath that died way back but is coming back now. I tried to give my big white one away many times but could find anyone to take it or any shops either.
davewbush
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Mine are 6 and 4, and life dose come at you and change very quickly.
About 15 months ago I changed from t5 lighting to led lights. I'm using 2 ai hydra 52's now. Took some time to figur them out, cooked a few things and at the beginning I didn't have them up high enough. Need to make a few more minor adjustments on them now but overall happy with them. The new in wall tank build started with a vision and some tape on the floor. Then I new I just had to go to Home Depot, buy wood and screws, and get moving.
This room was always hard to decorate and the tank looked off or not the focal point of the house like I wanted. Kids did love running from the back door to the front window but they'll live. They did enjoy being able to climb the frame work of the stand and wall.
This was not to long ago on the 180.
CrayolaViolence
New member
Where did you find it?
I went back through some of my older videos of my 180 build. In it I can see my now 14 and now 2yo in there. Funny how they have changed so much.
davewbush
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Got it through dr foster and smith about 15 years ago. I believe they still have them in their soft coral section on there web page.
davewbush
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I built the new stand the same as the old. 2x4's and 2x6's. Needed to angle the tank to leave a walk way to get into the fish room. Had to also make the wall and tank fit in where it flows with the house and doesn't look like an ad on.
After the stand was assembled I started building the wall up. I've since straightened out the supports and rebuild the little stand underneath to hold a 90 gallon acrylic tank to hold extra water and live rock to support the tank.
Yesterday the new heart of the system came along with another acrylic tank to house it and make it easily accessible.
