cutsupremetrib
In Memoriam
cool thread how much was shipping on your frag pack??
Monkey's Reef - A photo journal [img heavy]
- Thread starter King-Kong
- Start date
King-Kong
New member
www.reefermadness.us has FREE shipping if your order was over $150. I think it's still running.
So if you wouldn't go with the faux sand bed what would you do, BB on its own? I am at a stage where I need to make this decision and I am thinnking of putting in starbard and then a layer of crushed coral that is 1" in the front of the tank and decreases to nothing about 3/4 deep into the tank. If I place the rock on some small pvc pedestals that hold it above the bottom it will allow me to get at the crushed coral for cleaning/replacement and will allow flow across the bottom of the rocks.
Just in the planning stages so any help would be great.
Jer
King-Kong
New member
What I meant to say was that the faux bottom kicks butt.
The problems I am experiencing were due to me not understanding the theory of going to BB (cook your rock, insane amounts of flow directed at the bottom, insane protein skimming).
In turn, my lack of knowledge made my beautiful fauxbottom get covered in nuissance algae. Since learning more, and performing lots of manual labor, things have greatly improved. Also, since purchasing my robust clean up crew, my bottom has reached levels of cleanliness I never expected to regain.
Go fauxbottom, and dont bother with that crushed coral business. You may even consider going fauxbottom and making racks to raise your rock barely off the bottom.
Yes. time for a picture update!
We want growth pics!
We want growth pics!
Gooli
New member
Hey Kong...nice setup you got there.
I have a similar setup myself and an identical sump design (just shorter tank), anyways...
Can you share some details on how you plumbed the drain to sump? what is the flexible tube you're using? How is the tube attached to the bulkhead?
I am asking because the clear vinyl tubing im using is not very flexible and i'm looking for an alternative.
thanks
I have a similar setup myself and an identical sump design (just shorter tank), anyways...
Can you share some details on how you plumbed the drain to sump? what is the flexible tube you're using? How is the tube attached to the bulkhead?
I am asking because the clear vinyl tubing im using is not very flexible and i'm looking for an alternative.
thanks
xtrstangx
Premium Member
Those dimensions are stock. They have about 3/4" added on each size. You want that extra gap otherwise it is tough to get it in. I learned that the hard way with my G-1X.
All you need is 1/2" clearance to get the lid off. You know you want to!
Edit- The ACTUAL height is 23 1/2". You need about 1/2" to get the top off.
All you need is 1/2" clearance to get the lid off. You know you want to!
Edit- The ACTUAL height is 23 1/2". You need about 1/2" to get the top off.
King-Kong
New member
woooo! where has the time gone?!
Well, I am back with some photos. Things havent changed much.. but earlier this week I traded some slow/not growing frags for some nice ORA sniplets.
Since my last substantial update with photos, I found myself running out of time to take care of the tank. In the past few weeks, however, the major time sap has dissapeared, and I can now devote more time (and I have been!).
I'm glad to say my algae problems are receeding, my bubble and bryopsis are becoming under control (the bryopsis is actually
"curing" itself, fading away).
I lost hermes, the trigger. He wasnt a good choice for this tank, and while he appeared healthy, he died about a month ago. I got a purple tang to replace him, and I think that was a better decision. It's been a week, and the tang constantly has a full belly, and is ripping up my red turf algae like mad! Thanks tang!
Sadly, my bicolor blenny, Brutus, is MIA. He dissapeared a week ago, and I have found no remains. I have checked high and low, inside and out, and I cannot find him. Current running theory is that he jumped out, and either the cat or the dog ate him. I knwo it sounds abdsurd, but when you've checked just about everywhere, and blown the tank about with seios for 10 minutes trying to push everything and anything.. well.. it's the best theory we have.
Now, onto the photos.
First, the new frags (recieved and in tank on Tuesday, I think):
Green Stag
ORA Chips
ORA freebie (CAN SOMEONE HELP ID? Has redbugs, will be nuking tank with interceptor soon)
Now, onto some growth shots. I must first explain, that from the last pics (december) through about february, the tank was moving slow but steady, then my time-drain showed up, and I grew tired of fighting the bryopsis and nuissance algaes without seeing much result from the corals. With that said, the past couple weeks has shown a resurgance in coral behavior due to me now using Tropic Marin Pro salt (versus standard IO) and getting back into the habit of siphoning/pulling out algae.
Here is the birdsnest, who after almost 6 months (and nearly dying from the original delayed shipment)is finally kicking it into overdrive. The nubs you see are about 2 weeks old! Went from none, to tons! I cant wait to see it in a couple of months:
old
Notice the polyp extension versus the old:
old
Pink Milli (Almost lost it after I lost a reefermadness frag to RTN aftern a 20% water change. I think the reefermadness frag RTN hurt the tank, almost causing others to go, but they held off. Only reefermadness frag to die)
old
Poor shot of purple fuzz, but good growth and nice green tips showing up.
old
And now for the oddity. As it stands, about my fastest growing coral right now is my ORA Blue Tort. Someone please let me know why (not the best picture.. gorgonian is in the way stopping me from taking a duplicate angle of the "old" shot)
old
side view of my SPS region:
and then finally, the full tank shot. Compare to the old tank shot, you'll notice my faux sandbed is clean as a whistle! I guess those BB guys were right about gettin some snails
Well, I am back with some photos. Things havent changed much.. but earlier this week I traded some slow/not growing frags for some nice ORA sniplets.
Since my last substantial update with photos, I found myself running out of time to take care of the tank. In the past few weeks, however, the major time sap has dissapeared, and I can now devote more time (and I have been!).
I'm glad to say my algae problems are receeding, my bubble and bryopsis are becoming under control (the bryopsis is actually
"curing" itself, fading away).
I lost hermes, the trigger. He wasnt a good choice for this tank, and while he appeared healthy, he died about a month ago. I got a purple tang to replace him, and I think that was a better decision. It's been a week, and the tang constantly has a full belly, and is ripping up my red turf algae like mad! Thanks tang!
Sadly, my bicolor blenny, Brutus, is MIA. He dissapeared a week ago, and I have found no remains. I have checked high and low, inside and out, and I cannot find him. Current running theory is that he jumped out, and either the cat or the dog ate him. I knwo it sounds abdsurd, but when you've checked just about everywhere, and blown the tank about with seios for 10 minutes trying to push everything and anything.. well.. it's the best theory we have.
Now, onto the photos.
First, the new frags (recieved and in tank on Tuesday, I think):
Green Stag
ORA Chips
ORA freebie (CAN SOMEONE HELP ID? Has redbugs, will be nuking tank with interceptor soon)
Now, onto some growth shots. I must first explain, that from the last pics (december) through about february, the tank was moving slow but steady, then my time-drain showed up, and I grew tired of fighting the bryopsis and nuissance algaes without seeing much result from the corals. With that said, the past couple weeks has shown a resurgance in coral behavior due to me now using Tropic Marin Pro salt (versus standard IO) and getting back into the habit of siphoning/pulling out algae.
Here is the birdsnest, who after almost 6 months (and nearly dying from the original delayed shipment)is finally kicking it into overdrive. The nubs you see are about 2 weeks old! Went from none, to tons! I cant wait to see it in a couple of months:
old
Notice the polyp extension versus the old:
old
Pink Milli (Almost lost it after I lost a reefermadness frag to RTN aftern a 20% water change. I think the reefermadness frag RTN hurt the tank, almost causing others to go, but they held off. Only reefermadness frag to die)
old
Poor shot of purple fuzz, but good growth and nice green tips showing up.
old
And now for the oddity. As it stands, about my fastest growing coral right now is my ORA Blue Tort. Someone please let me know why (not the best picture.. gorgonian is in the way stopping me from taking a duplicate angle of the "old" shot)
old
side view of my SPS region:
and then finally, the full tank shot. Compare to the old tank shot, you'll notice my faux sandbed is clean as a whistle! I guess those BB guys were right about gettin some snails
King-Kong
New member
...found my first Asterina star in the tank this morning. It's incredible how new things can pop-up after never seeing any for so long.
I have never had these stars in my tanks, and this was a big guy. He must have been in here for over 6 months!
Not to take a risk, however, I did remove him. I realize only about "5%" of the population we find is a risk, but I have enough algae grazers as is, I can deal with 1 less (though im sure there are more inside of the tank).
I have never had these stars in my tanks, and this was a big guy. He must have been in here for over 6 months!
Not to take a risk, however, I did remove him. I realize only about "5%" of the population we find is a risk, but I have enough algae grazers as is, I can deal with 1 less (though im sure there are more inside of the tank).
Ken-21
New member
I like your design and the tank should be awesome but I think you're going to have a problem with your fake sand. In my tank anything solid gets covered in coralline algae so your bottom may discolor plus the coral, food and fish waste might also get caught in the bottom.
I like your spray bar, did you think of a tee in the return line so you could add a second bottom spray bar? I have a top return AND a bottom spray bar return and it works great. The bottom spray bar moves the crap forward so I can remove it during water changes plus it's a great way to get bottom tank water movement.
I like your spray bar, did you think of a tee in the return line so you could add a second bottom spray bar? I have a top return AND a bottom spray bar return and it works great. The bottom spray bar moves the crap forward so I can remove it during water changes plus it's a great way to get bottom tank water movement.
King-Kong
New member
The barebottom's been going great for over 9 months so far. Surprisingly, the corraline is much more interested with covering the back walls than it is the bottom. As you can see in the latest full-tank shot, the bottom still looks white. In fact, it looks better than similiar tanks only using cutting board. I have a feeling the epoxy sand combo may not be the favorite substrate of corraline.
As for the detritus, there are areas where it settles, and I try to address those with siphoning directly.
I do wish I had a bottom spray bar. I could easily adapt my current spray bar to do just that, since none of it is glued together, but for now I'll just keep with the status quo. Maybe one day ill dump all the powerheads and go with a CL, and adapt the spray bar at that point.
Thank you for the comments and ideas.
As for the detritus, there are areas where it settles, and I try to address those with siphoning directly.
I do wish I had a bottom spray bar. I could easily adapt my current spray bar to do just that, since none of it is glued together, but for now I'll just keep with the status quo. Maybe one day ill dump all the powerheads and go with a CL, and adapt the spray bar at that point.
Thank you for the comments and ideas.
