New 125 On The Block - Watch The Process! *Pictures Inside*

New Pics & Questions

New Pics & Questions

I'm surprised that nobody responded regarding my skimmer choice. If you have a comment, you still have time!

Here's a few pics of some unidentified items in the tank. The first two are of this round thing on the rock. It's about 1/4 inch in size. I have a couple of them.

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This pic shows some long, tube-like objects lying on the sand. I have them on the rocks as well. Last night, I observed a worm (not a bristleworm, a smooth type worm) come out of the LR. I was thinking that the worms push these hard-looking tubes out of the rock? Anyone? :confused:

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Andy's work at MRC is top knotch... Never heard a bad thing about any of his products... I would order the quick release cup option, it's worth it...

And keep those Beckett heads clean...!
 
Great thread guys.

Im about to set up my tank and i have learnt heaps from this thread.

Tank looks awesome.

Im hoping to sort myself out by the weekend.

Im from Sydney in Australia.
 
Todd: Thanks again! I wasn't going to order the quick release, someone else said it was a waste of money for a piece of threaded PVC.

Fishfingers: Thanks for the comments. I wish you the best of luck on your setup! :D

Looks like trites/trates are finally dropping...fast! Hopefullly I'll be able to order my cleanup crew from RM this next week! Here's to waiting (and waiting...and waiting....etc)!
 
Ahhh yes... the waiting! But good things come to those who wait. I think this is without a doubt the hardest part of owning a reef tank... the dreaded initial cycling. You sit there and watch your rock start to pop with critters and oooohh it's so tempting to throw in something.... anything! :D Maybe it's time for the handcuffs while entering the display room TJ! :p It's looking good, I can't wait to see what presents from the RM rock.

Reef on!
 
I just ordered the MR-1 with the GenX6000. For $295, I couldn't pass it up! The sound of the pump won't be an issue for me, since everything is plumbed in the basement. I'll give a full report when I get it!
 
It IS an outrageous price for a piece of threaded pipe (but then have you considered you're paying $300 for around $12's worth of acrylic...!), but wait until you start cleaning the cup every week or soââ"šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬Âthen you be thankful you can disconnect it in a flash...! One of the biggest problems with skimmer efficiency is that people don't clean their skimmer cups/necks enoughââ"šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬Âthe best of the best swear to doing it at least once a week... Many people, I am convinced, don't clean it much because it's a terrific pain in the arse to get the damned cup off...! :rollface:

BTWââ"šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬ÂI am convinced of the strongest reasons most people adore their EuroReef skimmers so much is because of this same quick disconnect cup... Andy at MRC saw this for sure and incorporated for the better of his skimmers...!
 
At last!!!

At last!!!

The tank has finally cycled!!! Patience always pays off in this hobby, and I'm glad it's over! Finally I get to turn my "rock tank" into a "reef tank".
I'm going to be transfering two corals out of my nano-reef tonight into the 125g. If they look good over the weekend, the rest of the corals/invert/fish from the nano will also be transferred. Then I'll be ordering my cleanup crew on Tues for a Weds arrival. Let the black hole for money fully open!!! :cool:
 
Transfers & Pics!

Transfers & Pics!

Well, yesterday I managed to transfer most of my stuff out of my 7g nano into the 125g. The new tank still tests out at 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and trace nitrate. After adding everybody, they quickly took to their new environment, looking better than ever!
The only issue I have is with my hermits. Seems they like to stir up the sand bed when they aren't searching the LR for food. Because of this, the water got a little cloudy overnight. So, today I'm running my micron cartridge to help clear up the tank. Because of the cloudy water, the pics don't look the best. I still have to transfer my polyp rock and my Peppermint Shrimp. Enjoy!

Here is a shot of one of the cloudy water culprits!:mad:
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Here is my Clown (Nemo of course!) playing in his best friend, a slipper coral!
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My GSP rock. Man these look great under the new lighting with the Actinics. I know I'll be trimming these things back!
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Here's my Pulsing Xenia. This was actually a hitchiker off of my Galaxy Tooth coral. It started very small and has been growing like crazy. Another one I'll be keeping my eye on (growth wise).
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Lastly, the Galaxy Tooth coral. Not a fast grower at all. I know it has a nasty sting, so it's all by itself in the middle of the tank for now. I may not keep it, since I know it can be rather agressive. But with a very bare tank, every little bit helps!
125_60.jpg
 
Here Ya Go!

Here Ya Go!

Supernip: Here's some pics of the lighting. I think it's working out great! :cool: Very intense and very hot! I'm adding a 5" exhaust fan into the side of my canopy this week to help vent the hot air. The Maristar has 2 fans on mine (6' model). I'm running 3 X 250 HQI MH with 4 X 39 VHO Actinics.

Here it is hanging inside my canopy.
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Looking inside the opened hood. Bright!!!
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Looking at the middle MH bulb and the Actinics.
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Here's the two ballasts. They are silent, but do give off some heat. One runs two MH, the other just 1 MH. Actinics are just a straight plug.
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Hope this helps!
 
Even More Stuff

Even More Stuff

First, how do you make a noisy pump silent? Suspend it with string!:thumbsup:
125_69.jpg



Now, this morning, I posted a thread about a (presumed) disaster. Basically, I woke up to find my crystal clear water an opaque milky mess.:eek2:
Things started running through my mind: bacterial bloom, sexual algae, shrimp/coral getting sucked into a powerhead...then I located the culprit: a powerhead fell off the glass and aimed down to the sand, causing one heck of a sandstorm. Fixed the powerhead, ran my micron filter, and all is well in the world.:rolleyes:

Here's what I saw this morn
125_61.jpg


Getting better :rollface:
125_62.jpg


Just about there...
125_63.jpg


Well, it's after noon now, and the tank is at about 90% clear. Few more hours and on with the show! Checked params just to see if disturbing the sand did anything, everything checks out.

Ordered my cleanup crew, lawnmower blenny, citron goby and a gold lobophytum from reefermadness. Still waiting for my myreefcreations skimmer.....:confused:
 
those two 80mm fans arent enough? I thought they were t5ho actinics as well. Im thinking of getting a 2x250 36in pendant.
 
No, those fans aren't enough. The halides throw off a ton of heat. I even drilled vent holes in the top of my canopy above the fans to help, but it needs more cool air.
As far as the actinics, my mistake, you are correct, they are T5's.
 
Hey TJ, can you really see a difference in your tank, in terms of color and coral fluoresence, when the T5's are on along with those bright and powerful BLV 10K's? Many have said that a single row of T5's can't hold up to the intense halides...?
 
Todd: There is a slight difference (and the Maristar has 2 rows of actinics) with the actinics on. You can see the difference in the upper levels of the tank the best, but some things do pop in the lower portions too. It's great when the halides go off at night, or before the come on in the morn.
 
TJ,
Nice tank!
Dou you have the Genx-6000 up and running? How loud is it? Is it pushing a lot of water?

Thanks

Herbert4
:bum: :smokin:
 
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