My 29 gallon after a year .....what do you think?

[Scuba Josh]

Marinegirl-- Looks great so far...keep up the excellent work!!!
What do you use for circulation and how are they configured?

 

[b0wenj]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9997609#post9997609 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Scuba Josh
Marinegirl-- Looks great so far...keep up the excellent work!!!
What do you use for circulation and how are they configured?

I think you are mixed up, these pictures are of my tank

For circulation I use 2 small jets that you can probably see in the pictures (one on the left and right) I also have an overflow that takes water down to a 10 gallon tank and eventually gets pumped back up to the display tank with a MAG 5 pump.

 

[b0wenj]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9997025#post9997025 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MarineGirl411
Honestly,
I don't like any aquarium stands I see. I just ordered the Sedona series from Drs Foster and Smith. It came scratched and is cheap. I'm very disappointed. It's for my freshwater tank. It says it's a full wood stand online. The canopy is partially wood, but the rest is Laminate. =( I've always heard not to get anything but aquarium stands because there's always a chance of it breaking. Honestly though, I think these stands are very cheap and they might break anyway. Someone should come out with a fashionable line of stands. =) Quality too! Sheesh!
I don't know how to mount my lights inside this new canopy either. I don't even know if I can. Are your lights retrofit? Yes, I really like the stand and canopy. I might go that route, if I upgrade my tank.

Yes I think I have heard people say not to get something that wasn't approved to hold an aquarium for fear it would break, but I have always felt I could determine a sturdy stand compared to a non sturdy stand. Like you implied the aqaurium stands these days don't really seem that high in quality either

My lights are retrofit and I mounted them myself. It really isn't that hard, you just need to make sure to glue in a piece or wood or something to mount the lights on so your screws don't come thru the top of the canopy. Most people also mount their ballast on the back of the canopy. I actually mounted mine in it then mounted plexiglass over them to protect them from the elements. I really wanted everything in my hood.

If you need some help with pictures I can try to show you pictures of my hood inside.

 

[fishkeeper00]

very nice tank! what bulb setup are you running in the t5's?

 

[b0wenj]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10001678#post10001678 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishkeeper00
very nice tank! what bulb setup are you running in the t5's?

I am using a Pure Actinic, 2 blue plus and 1 Daylight.

Thanks for the comments on the tank.

 

[mischief_ek]

I love your tank!

 

[J4Life]

Yes very nice tank if I do say so myself. It looks even better in person. I wonder who that nice fella was that gave you some of your corals to get started.....

Congrat's on making it a year too!:celeb1:

-Bill

 

[flyelephants]

Beautiful tank !

 

[b0wenj]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10135230#post10135230 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by J4Life
Yes very nice tank if I do say so myself. It looks even better in person. I wonder who that nice fella was that gave you some of your corals to get started.....

Congrat's on making it a year too!:celeb1:

-Bill

Thanks Bill could not have done it with out your help. Lots of Free stuff always helps get into a hobby.

 

[Slakker]

Looks like your corals are loving those T5's.

Great tank!

 

[J4Life]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10137884#post10137884 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by b0wenj
Thanks Bill could not have done it with out your help. Lots of Free stuff always helps get into a hobby.

Yes free stuff is nice. You have returned the favor on several occasions as well. Now I have a Xenia garden growing in my tank.:lol:

 

[J4Life]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10137884#post10137884 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by b0wenj
Thanks Bill could not have done it with out your help. Lots of Free stuff always helps get into a hobby.

Sorry for the double post. Seems to happen a lot lately when I am using my laptop.

 

[FUA]

how do you keep the SPS without a skimmer. Do you feed lightly. how much live rock do you have.

 

[b0wenj]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10139888#post10139888 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by FUA
how do you keep the SPS without a skimmer. Do you feed lightly. how much live rock do you have.

I feed about every other day.

I think you will find alot of people are keeping SPS without a skimmer. Skimmers are not mandatory for sps. I make sure my calcium, and alkalinity stay at the correct levels and it seems to work out fine.

I think in the main tank I have about 60 lbs of live rock and then in my refugium another 15-20lbs. I really think in my case this along with all the creatures in the tank help do the filtration. I also have alot of stuff in my sand stirring it up. If you notice in one of my pictures the sand on the left of the tank is up alot higher then the rest of the tank, that was not done by me in fact I have leveled it back down a few times because it got pretty high but days later it goes back because of some worm turning the sand over.

 

[b0wenj]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10138051#post10138051 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Slakker
Looks like your corals are loving those T5's.

Great tank!

Thanks, I think some of the corals maybe getting more light then they are use to. If you notice my picture of the blue tort towards the top the polyps are not extending out. I use to wonder if this was because of water flow but recently I have noticed that only when the tank actinics are on do I see the full extension all over this coral, once all lights kick in the polyps retreat. When you look at the picture you will notice the polyps that are out are the ones in the shade of itself. May have to move it.

 

[J4Life]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10140056#post10140056 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by b0wenj
Thanks, I think some of the corals maybe getting more light then they are use to. If you notice my picture of the blue tort towards the top the polyps are not extending out. I use to wonder if this was because of water flow but recently I have noticed that only when the tank actinics are on do I see the full extension all over this coral, once all lights kick in the polyps retreat. When you look at the picture you will notice the polyps that are out are the ones in the shade of itself. May have to move it.

They lights could be playing a part in the corals behavior but I wouldn't think it is getting more light than its use too. Nothing equals the Sun on our tanks. I have a small piece that you gave me and its polyps are always extended. It is place directly below a 250 watt 10K XM MH bulb too. Some of the polyps on the tips where the coral is continually growing are not always extended and that usually is normal in my opinion. I would say that your coral is reacting normally when the lights dim because a lot of corals usually feed at night. Although I am definitely no expert. Just some poor sap who got sucked into this expensive, bankrupting hobby. I guess that's why I love it.......:lol: