Initial planning stages for tank and fish room

[Bilk]

Just a random pic ")

Made a change to the lighting. I removed the two Ecoxotic Cannons and replaced them with two 250w Radiums. I want to see if this improves colors and growth rate vs the ECs.

The Kessils, now 4, and the BMLeds remain. Running the Radiums for 4hrs/day right now and will slowly increase their photoperiod. So far the tank has only experienced 1 degree in temp rise during the time they're running. I'll have to monitor that when they are running longer that the current 4 hours.

Oh, the above pic was prior to the change.


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[markalot]

Another all LED tank takes a pause to try an old technology.

I still don't have SPS colors as rich as I did with my Razors. If I can keep my nitrates reasonable I should be able to see what colors I can get with my T5's.

It will be fun watching how the MH work out for you. Hoping for the best.

 

[Bilk]

Another all LED tank takes a pause to try an old technology.

I still don't have SPS colors as rich as I did with my Razors. If I can keep my nitrates reasonable I should be able to see what colors I can get with my T5's.

It will be fun watching how the MH work out for you. Hoping for the best.

There's still plenty of LED over the tank. Guess the remaining LED would still be enough for things to grow even without the Radiums. I just want to see how LED and MH work together and if I can get more growth and better colors. I'm running the Kessil fixtures heavily toward the blue end of the spectrum along with the BMLed that are also in the low nm range. The MH bring in a fuller spectrum so the tank isn't so blue. I tried just the MH but missed the shimmer from the LED. I have a few other bulbs to play with too.

After the hiccup with the busted return pump, things are looking good again. I'm hoping the MH gives things some juice. The par numbers are vastly different with the MH vs all LED. I know some of that isn't usable for growth, but I guess time will tell if this is better. The all LED had a year. Things grew and some colored up, but others didn't. Maybe the combination will work out better. There was only one way to find out

 

[trueblackpercula]

Hey Bill what's the par with just the radius on?

 

[Gondore]

Do you mind telling me what product you used for organizing your cords for your Apex?

 

[Bilk]

Do you mind telling me what product you used for organizing your cords for your Apex?

It's called wired duct. Comes in many different sizes. Off hand I can't recall where I ordered it from, but I'll search thru my emails for the name of the web site and post it. It can get somewhat pricey, but they had pretty good prices for the stuff. I purchased a case of it because it was such a good deal.

 

[Bilk]

Have a pretty cool visitor today. I believe it's a peregrine falcon. It's in my rear neighbors yard. I think he plans on making bunch out of one of the resident squirrels :eek1:

It's 2 degrees outside so that sunny spot out of the wind probably feels pretty good too LOL


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[pelphrey]

Stunning!

 

[Bilk]

Stunning!

Well thanks. Not sure it's at the stunning stage just yet, but again thanks. Makes me feel better and I have to admit there's always some positive progress. But I feel my progress has been like the temperature probe chart from the tank - up, down, up, down. Lot's of bumps along the road; some avoidable and others not. Some corals are happy and others could be more happy. Some have grown rather fast only to have some issue and either receded or in some drastic cases and for undetermined reasons, die off and yet others growing unaffected by any of the issues. A pump failure caused some problems too. Lost a few corals and stressed others. I guess overall the progress has been forward.

I try to pay attention to details, but I'm really in awe of those people who are able to get their systems to appear as if they're running on autopilot, even if they're not. I know the system is only a bit over a year old now, so I hope I get to that promised land one day as well

 

[stonecold]

I try to pay attention to details, but I'm really in awe of those people who are able to get their systems to appear as if they're running on autopilot, even if they're not.

Possibly, you are paying way too much attention. IMHO, a lot of reading, researching and comparing is a wonderful thing. However, it can also play tricks with your mind. Example, that tank looks awesome so its params/lighting/equipments must be the perfect setup. Let me try to replicate that tank. Again IMHO, no 2 tanks will ever be the same. Bill, your tank looks nice!! Just keep up with your water changes, sit back and enjoy the ride.

 

[Bilk]

Possibly, you are paying way too much attention. IMHO, a lot of reading, researching and comparing is a wonderful thing. However, it can also play tricks with your mind. Example, that tank looks awesome so its params/lighting/equipments must be the perfect setup. Let me try to replicate that tank. Again IMHO, no 2 tanks will ever be the same. Bill, your tank looks nice!! Just keep up with your water changes, sit back and enjoy the ride.

Guilty as charged Nick But I also see errors I made along the way and try to correct them using examples I see in the forums. In some ways, because no two tanks are alike, in a sense, it's trial and error.

How's the new build coming? Hmmm? I'll have to hope over to the SPS forum and see

 

[rmgaspar]

Hello Bilk,

Great fish selection ... Congratulations.

In the video it show a big bow in the back brace. Is this normal?

Aren't you worried about that?

Also ... how the hell do you keep your sand so clean? is it sugar size?

And finally, sorry for the stupid question but what butterfly is that one. It's beautiful. I want one!

All the best,
Rui

 

[Bilk]

Hello Bilk,

Great fish selection ... Congratulations.

In the video it show a big bow in the back brace. Is this normal?

Aren't you worried about that?

Also ... how the hell do you keep your sand so clean? is it sugar size?

All the best,
Rui

Hello Rui. I see what you're referring to in the video. It certainly does look like a bow, but I can assure you there's no bow in the tank. That's somewhat of an optical allusion as there's a combination of things happening there. The black background panel is actually bowing out at the corners as it's not mechanically affixed to the tank. Also, the eurobrace was made from a single piece of acrylic. There are no seams around the top edge. The fabricator cut the opening into the tank with a router or jigsaw. The opening is somewhat shaped like an old CRT screen :strange:

The tank is only 24" deep but fabricated from 3/4" acrylic. If there were a bow in the tank the way it appears in the video, I can assure you the tank would be empty and at the curb for trash collection.

White sand? Isn't it supposed to be white? Actually that's one of my concerns with the way I set things up. It's oolitic sand and it blows around very easily. Algae forms on the sand bed in very few areas as the sand is constantly moving around. It's generally not blowing up in the currents of the powerheads, but instead of kind of whipping along the bottom. Every once in a while it will blow up into the water column. I'm trying to work this out. I don't like the sand blowing around in the tank.

 

[rmgaspar]

Hello Rui. I see what you're referring to in the video. It certainly does look like a bow, but I can assure you there's no bow in the tank. That's somewhat of an optical allusion as there's a combination of things happening there. The black background panel is actually bowing out at the corners as it's not mechanically affixed to the tank. Also, the eurobrace was made from a single piece of acrylic. There are no seams around the top edge. The fabricator cut the opening into the tank with a router or jigsaw. The opening is somewhat shaped like an old CRT screen :strange:

The tank is only 24" deep but fabricated from 3/4" acrylic. If there were a bow in the tank the way it appears in the video, I can assure you the tank would be empty and at the curb for trash collection.

White sand? Isn't it supposed to be white? Actually that's one of my concerns with the way I set things up. It's oolitic sand and it blows around very easily. Algae forms on the sand bed in very few areas as the sand is constantly moving around. It's generally not blowing up in the currents of the powerheads, but instead of kind of whipping along the bottom. Every once in a while it will blow up into the water column. I'm trying to work this out. I don't like the sand blowing around in the tank.

Good ...
Glad it's just optic illusion.

Well I ask for the sand as it usually it get patches of brown algae and detritus ... What cleaning crew do you maintain?

And what butterfly is that one. It's beautiful. I want one!

All the best,
Rui

 

[Bilk]

I'm glad it's not bowing too

The tank does get some brown patches of algae on the sand in areas where the flow isn't strong enough to displace sand. Wish I could get the flow I feel the corals need and not have the sand moving about. Not sure what I'm going to do about that. Odd thing is, it didn't really do that earlier on in the system's life. Now it's more pronounced, but I also have a bit more flow I think.

There are/were various crab species, various snail species, a few conchs and a few sea cucumbers. I need to replenish the clean-up crew as some of the crabs either cannibalized one another or died from a red bug treatment with Spectrum. There are only a few remaining. It's been bitter cold here and basically throughout the country so don't want to have livestock shipped during those conditions. I'll be restocking the CC once the weather permits.

That's a Muelleri Butterfly. Some feel it's not as pretty as the Copperband, but I liked it because it was different and I do think it's a pretty nice looking fish. It was easy to acclimate to prepared foods too, and it readily eats aiptasia. Though none are evident in the display, I have some growing in the overflow. From time to time I would scrape them off to try to get rid of them. Now I don't bother. I actually place some rock rubble over them in the overflow, hoping they will latch on to a rock. Once they do I toss it into the display and the butterfly picks that rock clean in a matter of seconds.

 

[dave.m]

Once they do I toss it into the display and the butterfly picks that rock clean in a matter of seconds.

Way cool! :thumbsup:

Dave.M

 

[Bilk]

Way cool! :thumbsup:

Dave.M

LOL yeah I think so too. I figure it's probably good that he gets something that's naturally in his diet. It's actually way cool to watch him do it too. I have no idea how he can pick it so clean when I've had trouble scraping them off with implements of destruction He basically sucks them right off of the rock in the blink of an eye. I'll have to get a video. It'll probably look really cool in slomo :lolspin:

He's actually a pretty neat fish. Not shy even with the Goldflake and the two tangs, he's out when the food is offered up. And, he follows me around the tank when I'm sticking my hands in, when I shouldn't be lol He was a Diver's Den offering so he was eating well the day I put him in.

The rock should be populated again soon so a video is in order. Maybe it'll be on par with one of worm's videos

 

[dave.m]

I'd very much like to see that if possible. Thx!

Dave.M

 

[Bilk]

Took the dog for a walk. Picked up some snacks and found something waiting for me on the stoop. Unboxing to commence later.

Hey, Worm can't be the only one allowed to have fun

 

[worm5406]

Ohh no... What is in the box?.... Hummm...

Just you wait.. Once I get my 265 in, but it wont be in a box, I will show you.. LOL