New 30g setup w lots of pics

[Bri Guy]

Just thought Id show my progress, the new setup is up and running, just waiting for the cycle to finish. First I decided to build a stand with a friend. 2x4 internal frame

Then covered it with oak vaneer

Then I stained and polyurthaned it.

Next I added water to the main tank. This was on 8-16-06

Then I got the sump up and running! (kinda scary for the first time, my first sump)

So here is what it looks like now

Its a 30g all-glass tank, with 2 10g tanks in the sump, one for equipment and one for the refug.
Coralife 36in 192w compact flouresent lighting, SeaClown 100 skimmer, Ehiem 1250 return pump, home made overflow from 2 drilled bulkheads, SCWD, Auto-topoff setup from a float valve (gravity fed) and an extra powerhead in the main tank for extra circulation.
Shouldn't be long before im asking for frags and getting in on group orders.

Thank you guys/gals for all your help and info, I couldn't have done it without you (well I could have but it would have been messy)

Extra thanks to Jason for helping with the drilling and ATO and all his knowledgable help, Also thanks to Sunfish for the chaeto awhile back. Up dates coming soon! Im sooo excited!!!

 

[kass03]

Wow very impressive.

Really looks nice and I love the cabinet.
How are you cycling it without anything in it?

kass

 

[Bri Guy]

Actually the cabinet is not done yet, I want to put some rope like trim around the edges and pillers on each side, I was just too excited to wait untill i found what I was looking for so I set it up now and will add the trim later.

I know im gonna get it for this one but Im cycling with 1 molly (sorry)

 

[jmkarcz]

Ok, what everyone dosen't know it that brian is sitting on a bunch of well cultured live rock with it's share of apistasia and that spike has a butterfly that eats it like candy... move the rock, cycle the tank, buy the fish. feed it for 1 month and re sell it in the group... bye bye apistasia.

 

[scooters reef]

Sounds like a good plan to me

Ummm, anyone have a bryopsis problem?

 

[Bri Guy]

Hey Jason, if you had a chance to upgrade to a larger tank and in the process start fresh (NO HAIR ALGAE) would you do it? I AM
In the start of your 300g would you cycle it with rock from your 75?

Ive had my 12g nano for about 6 years now, it was my into to saltwater, its been fun, I had 4 fish in that time and no real corals (but a couple of softies near the end here and aiptasia) but lots of pods,worms, snails, hermit crabs, and such (thats what I really enjoy about sw Im a podhead)
The tank did some roller coasting and Ive learned alot in those 6 yrs and now its time to start fresh and do it right the first time! This will be my first true Reef tank and Im sooooo sick of the aiptasia that im willing to take it slow and re-cycle,
Here is a pic of my old tank, Would you put that rock in a new setup?

 

[kass03]

I don't understand if you have a bunch of live rock why you would cycle the tank with a fish?
I'm just asking not trying to get on your butt about the fish lol

My thinking is if the rock is going to go in there anyway why not put it in right away? If it's cured you might not even have a cycle then.
If it is'nt cured it needs to cycle anyway so why do it seperate?

Luckily Ive never had a bad aptaisia problem and the few Ive seen I nuke with Joes juice. Not sure what to do about that cept start nuking. I know some will come back but if you keep up on it I would think you could get rid of em.
Otherwise rent the butterly lol. I did see that butterfly in action last time I was there.

Ok you posted that pict. while I was posting and answered my question lol
Still you gotta add rock sometime hehe.

Oh and I used to buy rock with hair algae on it just to feed my tangs lol. Jason which tank is that? Maybe a tang would help if the tank is big enough.

kass

 

[Bri Guy]

I did borrow (indefinatly) a cup of sand from a fully mature tank (even got some small snails in the deal) and I do plan on puting in some base rock and then buying some new live rock to have at least 30lbs of rock as filtration, I have no problem waiting.
Or
Help Brian recycle, Anybody have a cup of sand they want to give away?

 

[kass03]

Yeah but when you put the rock in it might cycle again anyway.
Everytime you add something the good bacteria has to catch up to the load.
Your better off just starting with rock in the first place.
Maybe its a cost issue or something. I'm not trying to get on your butt lol just did'nt know if you knew that.
Most people nowdays start the tank with the rock and sand.
Then add fish after it's cycled.
I started with rock and sand from my 150 in my aquapod and it never cycled at all.

In any case the tank looks great!

kass

 

[mako56]

I have a copper band butterfly that would get fat and sassy in there. He would think he died and went to heaven. :lol:

 

[yaitisme]

Wow, that looks great! Something I look forward to doing many years down the road, I am setting up my first (10 gal) right now.

What color stain did you use? Looks almost like a cherry color stain.

 

[Bri Guy]

We used Valspar Red Mahogany, we were going for a dark red, and it turned out great only 2 coats also! It was a deeper red than the cherry. I got the medium can at Fleet Farm for like $6, Since I didn't know how the colors would turn out I asked them If I could buy 3 sm cans of differant stuff, try it out and take them back, and they had no problem with that (i only stained a small 2x3 inch piece with each color)

I still have most of that can left, spare stain for my trimming when I get it and a canopy down the road to match.

ya I did the 10g thing for about 5 yrs (actually it was a 12g) and now its upgrade time. They don't lie when they say that they are hard to keep stable, mine was a rollorcoaster ride. good luck though.

 

[Limpit]

Bri,
Try to eliminate what Aptasia you can with lime paste or Joe's Juice first. Then, find yourself some Peppermint Shrimp to take out the Aiptasia that is left and pops up again.
I had a few Aptasia pop up here and there, bought some peps and their all gone now. The shrimp actually attack the Aiptasia. Its funny cause if I find one in one of my other tanks I toss it into a tank with a pep and the shrimp goes berserk! I should try to video it sometime.

 

[Bri Guy]

What you guys don't know is that Ive been battling the aitpasia for about 2 yrs now, ive tried pepperments and even bought a butterfly (i know, butterflys need something bigger than a 12g but i was willing to try anything) Ive even manually taken them out, used kalk paste to fry them.

They are persistant little buggers and Im sick of them, Im not willing to take a chance in putting even one in my new tank, Im starting FRESH!!!!!

I even have a couple of softie frags that I might just toss, cause there are aiptasia on the rock that they are on, and like I said I don't want to take a chance of having my tank look like my nano did.

Unless somebody out there nows how to frag off mushrooms and zoos, by cutting them off the rock? Ill give you half of the frags for helping me out on that. Otherwise I don't think that they are worth it. there is some old pics of them in my gallery, but like I said there are aitpasia on the rock with them now.

 

[scooters reef]

Could cook the old rock, or even just dry it out good and rinse good, and at least have some decent base rock left of it to use.

For the amount of rock you're looking at though, I wouldn't want to move an existing problem over either.

 

[scooters reef]

Wow. And that stand isn't going to move. Looks like you could put a 180 on that thing

 

[Bri Guy]

thats what Ive been slowly doing, drying out my old rock one piece at a time, and yes I built the stand so I could upgrade to a 75 down the road, I new a 30 would only tide me over for awhile

 

[kass03]

I remove shrooms and zoa's with my bonecutter. I bet I could do it and only leave a small part of the rock. I do that all the time.
Can't guarantee 1 aptaisia wont pop up though lol. Prolly wouldnt on the shrooms but might on the zoa's.
I do see one here and there in my 55 but zap them with Joes juice when I do so never had many.

kass

I could come and help you frag them sometime if you want.

 

[nellie54914]

For the shrooms if you don't want even a speck of your rock you can just slice them off with a razor. The part you cut off will re-grow normal, and the part left on the rock will grow another shroom. I've never tried to get zoas off ithout any rock though, not sure how that works.

 

[Bri Guy]

Hey Kass, Id take you up on that offer, Id even drive to Kauk if you wanted, we'll have to set a time that works for you and I

I work every day now untill Friday, 2 pm to 10:30 pm, before work any day or after work any day, or next friday. Pm me let me know, or just post here whatever. Thankx for the offer by the way! You can have half the frags for your help, if you want them that is.

Maybe we could frag some apitasia and sell them on e-bay!! :rollface:
I say hmmmm $5 a head and $20 shipping, we'll get rich :fun4: