Maroun 150g Build Thread

[melev]

I noticed that website hasn't been updated in a while. We need to email that guy to see if he's going to keep it up.

I just entered "x10 220v european plug" in Google and found this for you:
http://www.quixmultimedia.com/english/x10modules.html

 

[maroun.c]

Thanks For the help Marc.
I'm hoping the updated manual of the profilux will be easier to setu pwhich I doubt. looks like it won't be very easy to to setup still the fact that it comes as a full 220V capable unit is a plus.
checked those controllers and still did not find the ones I need specifically but will email them and I guess they should have them. the bad part looking at some of those controllers is the size and considering that I need one for each item then I don't see an improvement in the volume of my electrical setup. got an LFS in Ohio trying to get me a full quote Aquacontroller III with the added controllers and all additional items I have to order as well as the profilux with all additional probes and power bars I ahve to order hopefully one will have a big price difference over the other which should make my choice easier.

 

[maroun.c]

Time to revive this thread.
been on some threads discussing Vortechs and ended up promising to post some videos showing how a single Mp40 works on a 6 ft long 150 G and that's only on 60-70 % of it's power.
thought Id post them here instead of posting them on all threads...
so here goes.
An overview of the tank showing how far corals are from the vortech:


selected pulse frequency
Always struggle to get it set at this rate which gives a better wave and pulse motion allover the tank at 60-70 % of pump power. Can never achieve this at full power for some reason.


Upper surface motion


closer


from the back



Surface motion and resulting effect in overflow:


Turning vortech on and immediate effect:
back



Front with effect on corals on lower opposite side of the tank



sound with camera right on motor, it's much less noticeable in real life and decreases a lot with a little distance.

 

[maroun.c]

Effect on some corals:

Carpet on LT lower side of the tank


Euphilia to the Rt of the carpet



Hairy mushrooms
Low mid tank


Galaxea
Lt upper side



Pagoda

upper mid tank on back glass


Xenia 1
close to mid tank sand level



Xenia 2
Below Vortech on sand bed



Last one
Millepora around 2 feet away from vortech


all above taken with CL off and only vortech and return (675 gph) on, After a feeding which caused some of the particles in the water as well as a mini spawn event. Disregard all wiring and dirty glass as tank is still in a temporary move and I quicky cleaned the glass before taking some videos after a 3 week travel...

 

[SunnyX]

Great looking setup and videos once again! :thumbsup:

You make us proud.

 

[maroun.c]

Thanks Sonny.
still planning to visit Lebanon this summer?

 

[melev]

The videos really helped. The color of your tank is much better than I remembered from your pictures in the past, which tend to lean toward yellow quite often. Thanks for sharing.

 

[maroun.c]

Thanks Marc.
Colors are improving in the tank. was working on classifiying my tank pics on a flight yesterday and I do notice improvement in coloration and growth that I wouldn't have noticed if not comparing old to new pics... next 2 projects for me would be a monthly comparison shot of each coral and maybe if I have some time a comparative pic of each coral since getting it till now....

 

[maroun.c]

On a very sade note,It seems this tank will not make the move with us to our new appartment when it's finished.
The long expected has finally happened, my wife ended up complaining severly about the tank, which I always expected and looks like this tank will be taken out.
Wife complained severly about tank size and said it's too




































narrow and a bit short to fit in the spot we reserved for it in our new appartment Looks like I have "no other choice if I intend to keep it but to upgrade the dimensions" for them to "better visually fit the new placement" we reserved for it. I LOVE MY WIFE.
So tank "will have to be upgraded if I ever want to keep it" when we move. new dimentsion are not final yet but I'm considering going from 70x22x24 to most probably 80x30x28.
Still not sure about those dimensions as tank will loose its long shallow look that I like however I guess with the new dimensions it would be easier to scape.... Still trying to sketch the dimensions to see how the shape will look any suggestions are very welcome. I can still stretch the lentgh to 120 and the width to 42 inches however I'm trying to keep the tank at a size which will not be very costy to maintain (lighting heating and waterchanges) as well as keeping it possible for my wife and even me to reach in to replace a coral that fell or to clean the bottom back glass.... I do have some time ahead but I have to decide on the dimensions soon to be able to incorporate the tubing to the fishroom inside the walls as their built.....
Need help with the standard 260-280-300 Gallon tanks dimensions so I can better decide as we don't get ready made tanks this big around here and tank will have to be custom made...

 

[melev]

Ooooh - an upgrade! Sweet!!!

Now you'll have lots of room for your sumps and propagation tanks.

 

[maroun.c]

Exactly.
Still part of the sump and propagation will be in a separate fishroom in an attick or under the house if I mange to get the storage room below our appartment and close to the tank room....
Can you please share the dimensions of your 260 Marc and tell what you like/dislike about it dimensions wise?

 

[Aquafred]

Looking great.
Those videos are just great. Why not post on Vortechs forum?
Does your wife have a sister?

 

[maroun.c]

Thanks Aquafred.
Posted a link in the Echotech Forum.
And unfortunately no sisters for the wife.

 

[Joeee]

Awesome.
This is a first a reefers wife asking him to upgrade.
Great videos thanks for sharing. As Melev said your tank is looking better.
why not go for a 300G plus tank? Do you think it will be much more expensive to run a 320 or even 400 Gallon tank compared to a 280? I Say make the best use of the offer to upgrade and go for the biggest tank that fits.

 

[maroun.c]

Thanks Joeee.
Yes I do think that a 400 G is much more expensive to maintain. It will for sure need an important upgrade on my lighting, much more expenses in waterchanges, heating and cooling... as well as much more time to get it to become full of corals. Despite wanting a very big aquarium it is very important for me not to cross certain limitations:
- can't support more than 3 halides due to frequent power failures and that I can't run 4 250 halides on building generator for example.
- increased heat
-increased humidity
-the struggle to reach into a deeper tank as I would think if I exceed 80 inches in length then I would need to make the tank even higher than 28 inches?
Currently I'm running my tank with
1 250 W halide in the middle
2 150 halides on the sides
2 54 W Actinic T5
1 115 W T5 14 K
and a couple of Actinic T8
My plan would be to stay on the same number of halides and add some T5s if the 150 W halides on the sides would still be fine. if not maybe just upgrade to 3 250 W halides and either keep the same T5s or add a couple at max.
Guess the deciding scenario will go like this:
-How long can the tank be with only 3 halides (max 250 W) in adidition to 3-4 115 W T5s then I would check the regular proportions of tanks that long as I don't want thhe tank to endup unproportionate...

 

[sue711]

I love this thread, Maroun you have done an incredible job documenting your tank build for us to learn from! Thank you so much for sharing your pictures, your hardships, and your good fortune! I can't wait to see your new tank now.

 

[maroun.c]

Thanks Sue.
Can't wait for the new tank to be setup however it's will take a few months. The good thing is I can plan tings a bit better this time. should be finalizing some important choices about the tank in the coming days and hopefully will start documenting things soon.

 

[maroun.c]

posted a thread on the new tank considerations as I have to finalize things with the constructor of the building on how to fit things in the walls.... would appreciate any suggestions

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1655594

 

[maroun.c]

Again time to catch up on this thread, as due to being on travel for most of last 6-7 weeks have kept me away from the tank. Still I'm am flying back 1-2 days evcery week to make important changes in teh tank and add few new additions:
Starting with fish:
Added 2 yellow cories wrasses:

however one of them didn't make it as it jumped out to the pumps partition 3 times and then I didn't find him. still my initial cories wrass wasn't agressive towrds it or towards the one that made it.
also added these 2:

and this bicolor blenny

Great personality on this fisha nd great expressions:

Still got to find some time to take some decent pics witha cleaner glass. One thing that worries me though is that just before I traveled last week I saw it take a bite at one of my clams which immediately closed. He didn't do it again for around 2 hours that I watched the tank so don't really know if it was a single occurance or not. Anyone had problems with those and corals or clams?
Also he took a bite at my hand when I was fixing some corals, not complaining though as it is nothing compared to my maroon clown bites.
one last pic of him sleeping in a mussle shell. notice the color change while sleeping

 

[maroun.c]

Following week added the followings:

a new firefish to replace the one that didn't make it. Saw this one hiding and swimming next to the one I had, hopefully they'll pair up as I like how they swim next to each other with the same motions...

Also LFS got a huge shipment of yellow tangs (we dont get them frequently here) so picked this one along to a PBT

I thought introducing both together would split any aggression from my tangs. Also My dream collection was to have a PBT, Hyppo , and yellow together and this is the first time I have all 3 in my tank at the same time since around 12 years. Still I there wasn't a single agression sign between all my tangs upon introduction.

And a pic of how busy my tank looks now:

Not sure if I'm exceeding my fish stocking limit or if I can still add a few? heres the complete list:

Maroon clown pair
maroon female(in frag tank)
Bangai cardinal 1 (planning to add 2-3 more?)
Anthia (1 planning to add 2-3 more?)
yellow cories wrass 2
Coral beauty
1 kole tang
2 hyppo tangs
1 yellow tang
1 powder blue tang

Would love to add an achiles but was instructed to wait till after the upgrade. so the fish I'm planning to add in the coming period are 2-3 bangai cardinals, 2-3 anthias, a pair of mandarins and 1 sixline wrass. do you think this would be too much for my 150G?
I'm currently running 2 skimmers (turbofloater multiSL 1000 and Hurricone Cat 1, in addition to running Carbon and Phosphate reomver in reactors. + a refugium with a very modest caulerpa growth. no alga outbreaks and very little alga growth on glass last months but still some nitrates whoeing lately up to 30 but that might be due to lack of water changes... thanks for suggestions on fish list as well as on info on bicolor blenny.