My Little Piece of the Sea

[K1971]

Thought I would share the 120 gallon I have been working on getting up and going.

Hardware
- 120 gallon, dual overflow AGA tank.
- Lighting consists of 2 250W 10K XM Metal Halides supplemented with 2 110W Super Actnic VHOs in a DIY hood. Also going to install 2 icecap moonlights when they get here on Tuesday.
- Sump is divided into overflow - return - refugium
- Running a EuroReef CS6+2
- Return pump is a Dolphin Ampmaster 2000 returned thru dual returns
- 2 Seio 1100 superflow pumps in main tank for additional circulation
- Also will be running an Iwaki55RLT on a closed loop once I get the inital bugs out of it. Was getting tons of microbulbs so I pulled it.
- 2 300W Heaters in the Sump
- Tunze Osmalotor for auto-top off (Coming on Tuesday)
- A Reefkeeper Controller controls it all

Aquascape
60 Lbs Tonga Branch LR
50 Lbs Fiji
40 Lbs Live rock from another reefer that ws taking down his
150 lbs New Castle Sand
Coralline algea in all different colors (Purple, Pink, Red, Blue, Green). Some colors lots - some just starting to really take off on the tonga branch

Livestock - Cleaner Crew Package from Reefermadness - Two words - Awesome people
18 Turbo fluctuosa snails
18 Margarita Snails
18 Cone Trochus Snails
18 Cerith Snails
18 Astrea Snails
6 Scarlet Reef Hermit Crabs
15 Red Leg Hermit Crabs
15 Hawaiian Left Handed Hermit Crabs
3 Tonga Bumble Bee Snails
4 Mithrax Crab
3 Tonga Fighting Conch
4 Peppermint Shrimp (little Apitista issue - Got some Joe Juice coming on Tuesday)
Lettuce Nudibrach - about 1/4 of an inch - Hitchhiker
Brittle Star - Hitchhiker

Corals (Came as hitchhikers on Live rock or free)
1 acropora frag - Thanks aquabucket - still looking good
Fire and Ice Zoanthids - Freebie from Reefermadness
Yellow Zoanthid - Live rock Hitchhiker - Only 1 polpy
Toadstool Coral - Accidental freebie from live rock purchase
2 small floruscent blue somethings that came as hitchhikers that are aboout the size of a smiley icon :eek1:

Fish - None
Will start on those once I get the corals I want established

Future Plans
- Add a calcium reactor
- Get the closed loop running

Tank will be SPS corals (Acro's and Monti's) in the upper half with the lower half dedicated to Zoo's and Ricordia polpys. Plus the got to have RTBA once the tank is fully matured.

Future Fish List
- Yasha Hasa Watchman Goby paired up with cospecific shrimp
- Blackcap Basslet
- Flame Angel
- Pink Skunk or Tomato Clown
- Spotted Mandarin
- Pair of Purple fire fish

 

[Aquabucket]

I dig the caves and aquascaping! I am looking forward to seeing it develop. Your stocking choices sound nice. You should be able to get your micro bubble issue solved. You are definately off to a good start and doing things the right way!

Maybe I'll get to see it in person one day.

 

[z28cam]

That tank looks really deep width wise...Gonna look awsome when its full of corals. Nice aquascaping, love the tonga branch

 

[mrpink44]

Wow, I really like the aquascaping. Were you trying to model it after a specific part of the reef like the reef slope or did it just turn out that way? Nice work!!

 

[K1971]

I kind of had an idea when I thought what type of tank I wanted to set up. At first I want to do a two island set up with a canyon in the middle. What really kicked in the this layout was when I got the tonga brach live rock and saw the two massive pieces that I used as the support. To tell you the truth I was alittle disappoint with the Tonga when I first saw it because I knew the island idea was not going to be a possibility but after starting at it for about a half hour this layout kind of popped into my head. Then it was just a matter of taking the pieces and creating the structure. All in all I am rather happy with it.

 

[K1971]

Here are some more pictures

The Toadstool Leather that came with some of the Live Rock

My Favorite Feather Duster in the Tank

One of the 4 peppermint shrimp I got to take care of the Apitista. These and the Joe's Juice have pretty much eradicated them. Never get to really see them though since they pretty much hide most of the day.

Some more zoo's

And finally the Frag Aquabucket gave me. The camera doesn't do it justice. Where its whitish on the photo it is more green in real life. Under the Actinics it just glows neon green.

 

[K1971]

Some updated photos with the new additions to my little piece of the ocean.

Three months and gowing strong.

My new purple acro. There is a small crab living in there. Gotta git that snail out of there too.

The first of many Ricordia. Has two mouths and is starting to split.

Think I am going to frag of the yellow ones so they can grow by themselves on another rock

The biggest of the four of the same kind I got from Reefer Madness.

Some green zoos

My cleaner shrimp. I like this guy because he is always out where I can see him.

This one only comes out when he detects food in the water and then its only for as long as it takes to grab some and then its back up into the rocks.

The only other fish that is in the tank other than my firefish

Anyone want some Pulsing Zenia Frags???

 

[Aquabucket]

Nice!!!

Great fish stock so far. I hope your CB is fairing well!

I dig the A. samoensis! In fact I just added two nice sized frags to my tank as well. :thumbsup:

Mine are a more on the "baby" blue side and to my surprise are great glowers under actinics.

Looking forward to seeing what's coming next.

Good luck!

 

[jmkarcz]

I printed your pictures and put them up above my reef tank to remind me that smoeday, when my tank grows up... it can be that cool too.

jason

 

[K1971]

Been travelling the last five months. Thought I would post some updated pictures

Full Tank Shot

Through the right side

Through the left side

 

[K1971]

Here are some of the areas in close up

The Zoo Garden

My Shroom shelf

Left side Upper

Center of Tank

Right side Upper

 

[K1971]

Some Softies

Zenia Branch - I keep them from spread by periodically trimming of the lower stalks as they move down the branch

Big Zoo Rock

Ricordia

Rose Bubble Tip Anenomie

 

[K1971]

Some SPS shots

Encrusting Porites Rock - glows neon green under Acitinics

Some of the 25 some SPS frags

 

[K1971]

Fish and Shrimp

 

[K1971]

Clam

 

[K1971]

Refugium

When I set up the tank

Now

 

[K1971]

Got bored tonight so I pulled out the camera

 

[K1971]

More

 

[K1971]

 

[K1971]

Still going