Maroun 150g Build Thread

[maroun.c]

No critical updates recently, due to a hectic flight schedule...
Concenring the chiller can't really tell at this stage as, as mentioned before the chiller came with a missing tubing connector. Had to order one. Luckily this was dealt with by the LFS owner, who also realized that another connector I had wasn't perfectly round and could have leaked... so they ordered a complet set of all PVC connectors and seals, in addition to another complete set as backup...These arrived last week just before I headed to the airport, came back yesterday and flying again today so no time to connect it. Guess I should be taking care of that by the end of this week when I come back for around a 1week as it's getting really hot. Will update on how efficient it is once I run it for sure.

 

[maroun.c]

Ok some 2 week old updates that I didn't have the time to post.
Had some free time and decided to rearrange some of the corals to better position some that were falling non stop and improve things a bit as I hated how the right side of my tank looked.
the anticipated 2 hours took around 4 to finsih and the best I came up was this:

Lt side: Was always happy with this side

Rt Side:

Can't say I'm really happy with the scaping of that side however colourwise and corals positions seem great. Which I guess states that I'm fond of that tank full of rock look.Also still have to add that blue poster I used to have on the back as I can't stand seeing chairs and tables while looking through the tank....

couple of FTS:

 

[SunnyX]

Your system is looking great! :thumbsup:

Yeah, my friends are in Beirut right now and they tell me it is unbearably hot! Glad I didn't go with them. If all goes well I plan on coming down there in Late December to ring in the new year.

 

[maroun.c]

Funny you just posted on my thread and I posted on yours at the same time.
Luckily I 've been on travel for most of last two weeks which indeed were very hot. I did still travel to Dubai Saudi arabia and am now in Bahrain and all three make Beirut a Chill.
Last week it was 51 degrees celsius (around 123 Fahrenheit) with a very high humidity to make it worse...
Looking forward to meet you in December then...

 

[maroun.c]

One last pic of the center of the tank where most SPS are. Can't wait for these to grow and fill it up.

 

[maroun.c]

had broke my Q tank during the last move so most of my fish went in the tank after a quarantine in the LFS. all of them made it so far however shouldn't have risked it with a PBT which started to show few spots few days after addition. so got this chinese acrilic 20G tank with an internal filter which I filled with bioballs.

Unfortunately by the time I had it setup my PBT had deteriorated and I could scoop it without it trying to swim out of the net, only made it for a couple of hours in the Q tank efore it died. that was really unlucky as it was getting along fine with all other tangs:
2 hyppo
1 yellow
1 kole

 

[Aquafred]

Sorry for your Powder blue tang. wouldn't risk one of those without propper quarantine.
On the other hand your tank now looks the best it ever did, the corals just pop and look very healthy, way more than previous. Did you change anything in your maintenance or additives, feeding? Love the new disposition of your corals and that Rt side you complain off is very nice now and looks even more colorfull than the rock filled with SPS.
what is the Orange coral on the right of that clam?
Definitely TOTM worth.

 

[André Silvestre]

Maroun, looks great.
Really like the center of the tank.
The cave in the rock and the way you placed the sps is really going to give a beautiful natural effect once these grow out.

Keep us posted.


Regards,
André

 

[maroun.c]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15390170#post15390170 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Aquafred
Sorry for your Powder blue tang. wouldn't risk one of those without propper quarantine.
On the other hand your tank now looks the best it ever did, the corals just pop and look very healthy, way more than previous. Did you change anything in your maintenance or additives, feeding? Love the new disposition of your corals and that Rt side you complain off is very nice now and looks even more colorfull than the rock filled with SPS.
what is the Orange coral on the right of that clam?
Definitely TOTM worth.

Thanks.
No radical changes lately however the whole tank colour seems to be improving a lot lately for some reason. the rockas are also getting fully covered in Coraline so maybe that is also contributing in creating a nice contrasting purple colour.
As for TOTM you know they asked me to email pics of my setup however I asked them to delay that till after the move next year as the setup I'm planning should be much better if it works out as planned...................................................Joke for sure.
Honnestly thuogh I know I'm farfrom a TOTM as system has a lot more maturing and growth before it gets close to TOTM. Also the whole setup needs to be more organized and impropved before it's even worth shoeing off so currently I just take it as a temporary holding tank for my corals till our appartment is finished and the upgrade and move takes place....Even then a TOTM will not be the aim, not that I would say No if the new tank gets nominated for TOTM.

 

[Tswifty]

Hey Maroun... been a while since I checked on the thread. Everything looks great! Especially that SPS corner.

Have you posted a recent fish roster?

 

[maroun.c]

Thanks Andre,
That cave was supposed to be covered by some low light corals (zoos, mushrooms, xenia and some chalices...) however as it'st he hideout of my maroon clown pairs it provedimpossible to add any coral after the female inspected it the first time. any changes I make close to it get "restored to normal" really quick.
Actually when I rearranged the corals at some time the female maroon clown got so angry that she went out of hte cave and started flipping corals and pushing rocks all over the tank... had to feed the tank and dim the lights to get her to relax.
as for the SPS on it I'm sure they would look much different and change the whole look of the tank once they grow out but that's taking too much time...

 

[maroun.c]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15394861#post15394861 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tswifty
Hey Maroun... been a while since I checked on the thread. Everything looks great! Especially that SPS corner.

Have you posted a recent fish roster?

Thanks TJ. You know where most of those SPS came From!!!
Not sure what fish roster means?

 

[Aquafred]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15394840#post15394840 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by maroun.c
Thanks.
No radical changes lately however the whole tank colour seems to be improving a lot lately for some reason. the rockas are also getting fully covered in Coraline so maybe that is also contributing in creating a nice contrasting purple colour.
As for TOTM you know they asked me to email pics of my setup however I asked them to delay that till after the move next year as the setup I'm planning should be much better if it works out as planned...................................................Joke for sure.
Honnestly thuogh I know I'm farfrom a TOTM as system has a lot more maturing and growth before it gets close to TOTM. Also the whole setup needs to be more organized and impropved before it's even worth shoeing off so currently I just take it as a temporary holding tank for my corals till our appartment is finished and the upgrade and move takes place....Even then a TOTM will not be the aim, not that I would say No if the new tank gets nominated for TOTM.

For a moment I tought this was going to make TOTM!!!
Still despite your modesty tank looks great and IMO much better than a temporary holding tank for corals... Can you please post a close up of that orange coral on the right or ID it?

 

[Aquafred]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15395300#post15395300 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by maroun.c
Thanks TJ. You know where most of those SPS came From!!!
Not sure what fish roster means?

That would be a fish list

 

[maroun.c]

Thanks Aquafred.
ddin't really mean a coral holding tank as this was the DT in my appartment for 1 yr+ and it is the best any of my tank has been for the last 11 years that I have been in the hobby.
However just the fat tha thte location of the tank in my parents house now is just in a corner and not really being hte cetnre piece have had it's effect of me considering it as just a holding tank. I could always move to the new appartment next year and not be able to upgrade and that tank will for sure be the center piece of it...
That orange coral is a sponge will post pic of it and other corals shortly...

 

[maroun.c]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15395428#post15395428 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Aquafred
That would be a fish list

Double thanks
just for the record english is a 3rd language to me.

 

[maroun.c]

Fish list:

2 Hyppo tangs
1 Yellow tang
1 Kole tang
2 Maroon clowns
1 Anthia
2 Yellow cories wrass
3 Bangai cardinals
1 Sixline wrass
2 firefish that I haven't seen lately

1 maroon clown in the frag tank which was rejected by my female

Recent losses:
1 PBT
1 Bicolor blenny that just disappeared.


Still planning to add:
1 PBT
3 more anthias
4 green chromis
1 lawnmower blenny
1 Goby
2 mandarin
most of the new additions will take place after the upgrade though as this will be too much for a 150.
Also Im not sure I will add the mandarins before having an additional refugium to maintain them and my other wrasses.

will also add a couple of yellow cories wrassese and maybe 1 sixline to the frag tank for pest control

 

[maroun.c]

some pics i recently took but never had the time to post:

Orange sponge: as I was told by lfs owner no signs of growth for months but seems healthy

phosphorescent green elegance coral I'm keeping for a friend

Chalice: was more red when i get it and getting that nice dark green shade

 

[maroun.c]

Red mushrooms: moved these to a more central position as tey look really nice and I wouldn't mind if they would spread a bit

Special purple Accro

RTNd and these are the remaining parts which didn't look good before I traveled last week.

My latest 3 addition still waiting on correct ID:

this one is getting a very nice orange tint

 

[maroun.c]

Green accro, has groown a bit since I got it

ORA red planet, encrusted the rocks next the plug and now I can't move it. which will be a problem on the tank move as it's on a big rock.
Seems to be a fat grower, with growth tips on all it's branches. weirdly one branch of it seems to be on steroids as it's already grown more than the whole frag and lools very weird. Love the coloration on this coral.

Looke like this upon introduction

ORA green birdnest,
suposably a fast grower but haven't seen that yet in my tank. looks to be loosing some colour lately not sure if I should move it in lower light as it's in medium strong light medium strong flow

Looked like this when I got it:

Superman Montipora.
Placed it on this cement holder to avoid it encrusting the rock and ended up encrusting the cement and looking really ugly waiting for it to cver the whole cement plug and wll move it to a final position:

Looked a but darker when I got it so i'm wondering if its' too much light for it and for hte Green birdnest however both came from a frag tank with 400 W 20 K lights and they were closer tot he surface than they are now. any info on those will be appreciated.