Major changes in my reef. Which looks better?

[Aquabucket]

Some of my corals were getting way too big for my tank so I traded many of them for some smaller colonies and frags. I also wanted a bit more color and to open things up more.

Tank as it looked in June, 2007:

How it looks today:

I think once the newer stuff grows in a bit more it will look much nicer.

So what do you all think ~ did my old tank look better or do you like the newer version so far?

 

[demonsp]

I hope you didnt trade rather then just frag then trade. Many coral you have are easy to frag and week back then you still have the coral and a new one. That leather will take to a trim to many smaller frags.
You tube and google can help you learn to frag. Tank looks great BTW but i think you still needs some weeding back.

 

[Aquabucket]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12527090#post12527090 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by demonsp
I hope you didnt trade rather then just frag then trade. Many coral you have are easy to frag and week back then you still have the coral and a new one. That leather will take to a trim to many smaller frags.
You tube and google can help you learn to frag. Tank looks great BTW but i think you still needs some weeding back.

I did a little of both. I lost my prized Red lobo though after it was stung by a purple Rhodactis. Funny you mention Google. If you do a vid search I am in the 4th vid fragging a Galaxea coral

 

[demonsp]

Cool then your under control and having fun. Good to see. I didnt see many fish?

 

[Aquabucket]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12527240#post12527240 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by demonsp
Cool then your under control and having fun. Good to see. I didnt see many fish?

The little buggers went in hiding when I accidentally took some closer pics with the flash on. I guess I should have fed the tank but I didn't have much time with the camera I borrowed.

Right now I have 2 Chromis, A Damsel and a Yellow Watchmen Goby.

 

[Longchamp]

Looks kind of crowded to me

 

[Aquabucket]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12527361#post12527361 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Longchamp
Looks kind of crowded to me

Yeah it is crowded. I cut things back on a monthly basis. Also the pictures don't capture the depth of the tank all that well. I'll have to work on taking a top down shot to show the depth.

 

[nsreefer]

I like it better now..... did you change lights or something? The color looks a little better now, the tank seems brighter.

 

[Aquabucket]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12527477#post12527477 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nsreefer
I like it better now..... did you change lights or something? The color looks a little better now.

I was running 2 GE daylights back then now I am running just one with an AT aquablue special. The other 2 bulbs are a URI super actinic and an ATI blue plus.

 

[Robgixxer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12527477#post12527477 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nsreefer
I like it better now..... did you change lights or something? The color looks a little better now, the tank seems brighter.

yah i was gonna say the same thing looks like some halides up there now. i think the newer tank is much better looking.

 

[Longchamp]

can you tell me more about the ge lights and your fixture? Ive got 150w of vho (1 actinic, 1 daylight) over my 28g bowfront but id like to supplement it a bit since i just picked up some nice montiporas.

 

[Robgixxer]

Yeah my tank is still new not much in there at the moment but i built what i think will be a nice back drop for all th corals that will eventually be in here. this tank is less than 90 days old at the moment.

<a href="http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll260/Robgixxer/?action=view&current=NewTankPics001.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll260/Robgixxer/NewTankPics001.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll260/Robgixxer/?action=view&current=AquascapingThe150014.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll260/Robgixxer/AquascapingThe150014.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[sjm817]

Aquabucket, I've always liked the look of your tank. I like the new less yellow lighting combo. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[Aquabucket]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12527541#post12527541 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Longchamp
can you tell me more about the ge lights and your fixture? Ive got 150w of vho (1 actinic, 1 daylight) over my 28g bowfront but id like to supplement it a bit since i just picked up some nice montiporas.

I basically built the fixture myself. I retro fitted and modified an aluminum hood. The ballasts are external and the unit is cooled by two computer fans i8n a push pull config. The bulbs are overdriven to 64 watts each instead of the standard 39. They are held in place by Icecap water proof endcaps and stand offs. I don't have individual reflectors, I placed an emphasis on keeping the bulbs running cool instead.

 

[Aquabucket]

Robgixxer ~ Looking good my friend! I like the aquascaping and the blue background!

sjm817~ The yellow look was only temporary. An aquablue special blew out on me and I had an extra GE lying around.

 

[JustinReef]

I like the old one better myself. I think it looks more full and grown in which makes it look more natural in my opinion. I always thought your tank was impressive because it looked like you just allowed it to grow and do its thing. JMO though...

 

[widmer]

Aquabucket-

Could be fun to try an SPS in there, you've got enough light for it. I'd like to commend you for not being on the 'must-have-a-protein-skimmer' bandwagon. Kind of like when motorcyclists salute each other in passing.

 

[Aquabucket]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12527694#post12527694 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by justinpsmith
I like the old one better myself. I think it looks more full and grown in which makes it look more natural in my opinion. I always thought your tank was impressive because it looked like you just allowed it to grow and do its thing. JMO though...

I think the old one looked more natural too but some of the newer stuff I placed should grow in nicely. We'll see how things look by the end of summer.

 

[Aquabucket]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12527714#post12527714 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by widmer
Aquabucket-

Could be fun to try an SPS in there, you've got enough light for it. I'd like to commend you for not being on the 'must-have-a-protein-skimmer' bandwagon. Kind of like when motorcyclists salute each other in passing.

I added a couple of wild pocillopora's over the last month. I am getting good polyp extension and growth with them so far. Acros will likely brown out in my tank though. Nitrates are running at about 3 ppm since I added the purple gorgonian. I feed it two times a day. Its great because you can actually see it eat.

 

[Robgixxer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12527714#post12527714 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by widmer
Aquabucket-

Could be fun to try an SPS in there, you've got enough light for it. I'd like to commend you for not being on the 'must-have-a-protein-skimmer' bandwagon. Kind of like when motorcyclists salute each other in passing.

hey, hey, us motorcyclists do it as a respect thing. it has always been that way and always will be.