My 29g reef, what do you guys think? (*Not really 56k friendly*)

[CraigG]

We started this tank on Dec. 30th, 2004. We have had a couple speed bumps along the way, but it's coming out nicely.

It's a glass 29g, originally a part of the Eclipse 3 'Marine' system. I have since then torn apart the OEM lighting system and retrofitted our Coralife fixture into it to keep the clean look of the Eclispe hood.

Filtration is covered by a Remora protein skimmer w/ Maxi-Jet 1200, along with the pre-skimmer box (We literally just got the pre-skimmer so I'm not sure how great it is just yet.) I am also using an Eheim Aquaball 2208, along with a foam filter and some Eheim ceramic rings. I have a Penguin 1140 powerhead, mounted to an Azoo wavemaker head. No fuge, no sump, no money for things like that

Lighting is a Coralife Lunar Double Deluxe PC fixture, we also have a set of 3 lunar LED's for night veiwing.

Contains about 45lbs of LR, and around 30lbs of LS.

Corals:

Purple Mushrooms
Hairy Mushrooms
Red (w/ purple spots) Mushrooms
Burgundy (w/ green stripe) Mushrooms
Purple (w/ blue spots) Mushrooms

Pink Pom-Pom Xenia

Yellow Polyps

Tan (w/ green center) Zoos
Tan (w/blue center) Zoos (No photo, Mixed in w/ Mushrooms)

Cabbage

Red Lobophyllia

Metallic Green Brain

Green Star Polyp (No Photo)

 

[CraigG]

Hammer

Torch

Frogspawn

Green Montipora

Green Fungia (Whom we thought we had lost earlier this year, but it has come back and is looking good!)

We also got a frag of this from our LFS but I don't recall the name of it, can anyone Id this for me?

As far as livestock we have:

Gold Stripe Maroon Clown

Coral Beauty Angel

Royal Gamma

Cleaner Shrimp
Blue Legged Hermit Crabs
Astraea Snails
Sand Sifting Starfish

 

[CraigG]

Some pics of the progression:

12-31-04

1-9-05

1-17-05

1-28-05

1-29-05

2-14-05

2-17-05

2-22-05

3-14-05

 

[CraigG]

4-10-05

4-17-05

6-3-05

6-26-05

11-29-05

1-6-06

1-23-06

2-4-06

4-27-06

 

[CraigG]

7-9-06 (New lighting bought between April and July)

7-20-06 (Excuse the tilted Eheim lol)

7-21-06

 

[Kawaii]

You failed to mention that those lovely photos were taken by moi!

 

[lilprincess]

Looks great! Sure has come a long way. I love seeing a tanks progression like that. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Brandon's Reef]

that coral is a hydnophora sp*

 

[CraigG]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7821035#post7821035 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Brandon's Reef
that coral is a hydnophora sp*

THAT's what it was, thanks so much!

 

[ek9vboi]

Wow, your tank reminds me so much of mine when I 1st got into the saltwater tanks. Click my little red house! It reminds me of mine so much its scary!

I was such a fool listening to the LFS that the Eclipse hood and tank set up would be enough to support corals.

 

[CraigG]

Wow you aren't playing haha! I just ditched the stock 20wx2 bulbs the first chance I got. I was toying with the idea of a ~10g sump system but I am not really sure how to make it work. I saw your thread and it really makes me want to do it. I think I will take some measurements of what I can fit and search for a small tank at the frag swap on sunday.

 

[ek9vboi]

That would be best. If you need any help or some advice, LMK... it was a pain in the *** trying to design the sump/refugium and incorporate the skimmer. I didn't want it to hang on the tank (ugly and takes up space).

You should try to get a few things from the swap for cheap:
HOB overflow
10-20g tank for a sump/refugium
a water pump u can use for a return (300-500gph )
refugium light if you choose

You will love it so much to have a sump. Easier to do waterchanges, add chemicals, etc. I was iffy on doing it, but no regrets now.


Check out this section of the fourms. A lot of locals:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=235

 

[CraigG]

Update! Got a piece of live rock to fill up that gap in the top part of the tank.

This piece fit and locked in perfectly.

I am not sure what the white-ish coral is on the left side of the brain, any ideas?

Also picked up a single ricordia polyp and found a nice spot out of the way of flow to attach itself.

 

[ek9vboi]

nice piece and that rocks makes a difference. im not all into the brain corals... more of a softy and corals that move with the flow.

 

[chocolateblnt]

I really like the previous aquascaping with the huge cave/overhang in the middle and it would have looked better with a backing ... However it's still a nice tank ... by the way start fragging those xenia's and make some money back on craigslist

However my biggest problem is that you have a Blue and Purple Tang in a 29 Gallon :eek2: ... you monster! The Blue Tang is still tiny so I'll let you get away with that but the Purple!!! ... I hope you don't still have those in your new tank!

 

[Kawaii]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7828983#post7828983 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chocolateblnt
I really like the previous aquascaping with the huge cave/overhang in the middle and it would have looked better with a backing ... However it's still a nice tank ... by the way start fragging those xenia's and make some money back on craigslist

However my biggest problem is that you have a Blue and Purple Tang in a 29 Gallon :eek2: ... you monster! The Blue Tang is still tiny so I'll let you get away with that but the Purple!!! ... I hope you don't still have those in your new tank!

Yeah I do like the arch as well, however this setup works much better for placing corals and for the fish to swim through and hide. We're going to sell some of that xenia, maybe if we go to the swap on sunday. As for the fish, we did have a tiny blue hippo tang in the past but we no longer have one. We never had a purple tang though? Maybe you're looking at the coral beauty angel, they all look like blurs without flash lol.

 

[chocolateblnt]

aha ... that blur totally looks like a purple tang makin' a run from the camera ... :lol: then your only 1/2 a monster I still think you should incorporate an archway

 

[CraigG]

The layout this way allows us to fit so much more stuff, everything seems to be much happier this way, including me

We are planning on a larger setup mid summer next year, so I'll work in an archway for you then, I promise.

 

[ek9vboi]

Hey Craig, next tank you set up make sure you get tonga branching rocks. Use them for the base so water can flow under the rocks too. It kinf of eliminates dead spots where detrites can build up. Plus it supports the rocks very nicely.

 

[CraigG]

Our LFS had those also but they are always so plain compared to the aquacultured pieces. I see what you mean though. I will plan out the next tank for so long haha