Leonardo's Formosa Forest 2

Leonardo_

TRC
Team RC
New tank, new beginnings. I'm very exited to start this new tank and thread because I've had so many ideas the last years, and now I'm finally able to create them.
The tank will be a new, upgraded version of the Formosa Forest, this time with more room to grow, more diversity in corals and livestock, and better equipment to provide my corals the optimal conditions.

Tank1.jpg


tank2.jpg


Specifications:

Aquarium:
43″x43″x26″ Rimless Semi-Cube

Light:
Two 400 Watt Aqua-Connect 400 watt MH SE in Lumenarcs, Lumatek E-ballasts
Two 4×39 Watt ATI Sunpower T5 pendants with ATI bulbs (1/2 white 1/2 blue)

Total of 1112 watt

Flow:
Three Tunze Turbelle Stream 6100 pumps
One Tunze Turbelle Stream 6200 pump
Return: Sicce Multi 5800

Total of 15850 Gallon/hour nett. (79x turnover)

Skimmer:
BK Supermarine 250

Other:
KH-Ca-Mg supplementation by Balling using a Grotech TEC III
Grotech Kalkwasser-Reactor controlled by AM pH-controller

50 gallon Refugium lit by 70 watt 5400 K MH Spotlight.
In-sump Cryptic Refugium.

sketch2.jpg


The livestock will be the Acanthurus Triostegus, Golden Zebrasoma Scopas and the Pseudocheilinus Hexataenia from the previous tanks.
The main focus will be on the schooling fish Apogon Leptacanthus. The school of 7 will be expanded to 57. Maybe I will add more in the future, but I have 50 ordered right now.

I already collected a variety of different Staghorn corals and table forming corals and LPS to create more diverse growth forms and aquascape.
The Acropora are in a four week quarantine right now to get rid of any pests like AEFW and red bugs.

tank3.jpg


The tank and refugium will be Bare-Bottom. The underside of the tank will be painted metallic-white to reflect the light and give the bottom a white appearance.

sketch.jpg


Together with the new tank I launched a website and blog, where I'll write about interesting information and inspiration regarding to my new projects and my travels etc.
I'm not sure if I should post a link here, although it is a personal, non-commercial website I don't want to violate the RC Terms and Agreements.

I'll have more updates when the ordered equipment arrives and when I start to build the stand and light rack+canopy etc :)

Leonardo
 
This is going to be more than amazing!! I'm more excited about this tank than I am about my own!!
 
This is gonna be great! Your other tanks were inspirational and I can't wait to see the big Apogon school.
 
Good luck Leonardo. I'll be watching your progress and success very carefully :thumbsup:
 
Very nice, what color will the stand and canopy be? Can't wait to see what you are going to do with the "bee hive" cryptic fuge.
What are you (going to) Dose? And the big question, When will it get WET :D?
 
Nice! Can't wait to see how it turns out. Your first tank really inspired me to stick with this hobby.
 
Waaa !! :D

I'm subscribe for sure (and to the blog too :P) I'm sure it will be a master piece !

Are you planning to QT the 50 new Apogon Leptacanthus ? Are you planning on using any additives other than the balling ?

Congrats on the new tank !
Alex B
 
Thank you all for the kind words! :)

The stand and canopy will be white. I think it will take more then a week to get everything ready to fill the tank.
The "beehive" Cryptic Refugium is an idea I will certainly give a chance. I will make some more design plans before I'll build it. I'm sure I will have more info about it in the future.

The only dosing will be trace elements according to the Balling Method.

The Apogon will be quarantined in the LFS. They will stay for some time there, fatten up and get used to frozen and dry foods.
After that I will transport them myself, dividing them in two groups and transport them in large containers together (2x25), instead of separate them all in smaller bags. This seems to reduce stress.
Also, an ammonia binding additive will be added to the transport water, together with some GAC.

Leonardo
 
Joost, I don't dose any VSV anymore. After some time I developed a problem with dinoflagellates and the only cause I could find was the addition of a carbon source. After I stopped the VSV the problems disappeared.
Besides that the colors of the corals have become much more colorful and I'm able to increase the KH a bit (9-10) which contribute to a more stable pH and better growth. KH levels that high when dosing a carbon source can cause problems.

Lugols (PotassiumIodine) is automatically dosed because it is a part of the Balling trace elements :)

leonardo
 
I've been looking forward to the start of this tank for some time!

Best of luck Leonardo!
 
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