North Ridgeville Reef 72x36x24 eurobraced

[lowman31]

I have fianally got my new aquarium going. I am pretty far along already but I have some pics of the build but not too many. This is what I got:

72x36x24 custom A.G.E. eurobraced aquarium with starfire glass on three sides. Two ovewrflows, one in each corner.

Lighting consists of 3 x 400watt MH with lumenarc minin's run on icecap electronic basllasts. Actinic consists of 4x24" T5 run on an icecap 660. Moon lighting is two small LED lights.

Water movement done with 2xVortech MP 40's, 1 x MJ 1200 moded.

Return pump is a Dart.

Skimmer is a Octopus 6000 SSS.


The plan is to have minimal liverock in the tank with maximal room for coral growth....I want my stonys to go nuts. The tank will be BB.

More to come including PICs.

 

[lowman31]

Here are some PICs

More to come

 

[lowman31]

Or not. I will try again later.

 

[lowman31]

This is the best I can figure out right now.

http://picasaweb.google.com/jimcrna31/Aquarium?feat=directlink

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

Good start. Love the setup. I'm originally from Lorain.

 

[letzfly]

looks good keep it going!!!!!

 

[lowman31]

Thanks. My nitrates are coming down quickly so I think I am going to start putting fish in this weekend. I am forcing myself to go slow. I want to just transfer my whole 90gal in right away. This is tough. I did throw a small acro frag in yesterday, just to say I have something in there.

 

[lowman31]

Nitrates are down and dropping so I went to Dan's and bought 10 green chromis. They were small and they look very small in the tank. Once they come out of hiding I will get some pic's.

 

[lowman31]

Here are some PIC's of my new fish.

Here are some of the corals from my 90 that will end up in the 270.

 

[lowman31]

My tank is cyclin. I added some fish and now came the brown algae. I got some snails and they got to work. Hopefully this cycle will go quick.

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/95ysiEGuFGE_YHfcNEWCIg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Do9pzEGaHso/TJEsEOZM13I/AAAAAAAADd8/8Lqfr2pTwr0/s400/270%20cycle%20004.JPG" /></a>

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/JBcmGLuIemT277Dv0UsgsQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Do9pzEGaHso/TJEsGh3_43I/AAAAAAAADeE/dWu_6OmgxLU/s400/270%20cycle%20005.JPG" /></a>

 

[SaltwaterAdict]

Talk about an upgrade..very nice tank!! Can't wait to see it once you transfer over your livestock..

 

[lowman31]

My nitrates are down around 5ppm so I started putting corls in the tank last night. Things are looking good so far. Algae is still a problem but it is not getting worse. Where the snails have cleared is not growing back. I wish they would work faster! I will post some pics tomorrow. Now I am thinking about fish.

 

[lowman31]

I was busy doing everything but taking pictures this weekend. The 90 gal is totally down. I took as much live rock that didn't have coral on it and placed it in my sump. I also set up a refugium and placed some more live rock in there. All the fish from my 90 are in the 270. Everybody made it so far. This is my list as of now:

1 yellow tang
Pair of Clark's Clowns
13 green chromis
4 Lyretail Anthias

I plan to get two more yellow tangs, 2 or 3 more anthias, a naso tang, and possibly a small angel. I also plan on getting a couple of wrasses. My corals are doing OK. My orange moni cap is stressing a little but I don't think its getting worse any more. I will have pic's up soon.

Jim

 

[lowman31]

Tank is doing well. It looks to me that the carals are growing a little. My monti digis are bluing up a little and my monti cap is on its way back. The cap really started to brown but turned the corner two days ago. I think it was the change in light intensity. I started my halides out at 4 hours per day. I am now up to 7 hours a day with the final plan of 8 hrs per day. Algae is still everywhere but not getting worse and no sign of hair algae:thumbsup:I got a new naso tang 2 days ago and it is still pretty shy. It is not eating much besides the algae on the bottom of the tank. I added a refugium running all night when the main tank lights are off. In the refugium is chaeto and some live rock. It is lit by CF lights from HD. Working well so far. Enough talk, here are some PIC's

FTS with actinics only

Monty Cap

Acro with Bubble in the background

Mille, green acro, purple acro, and moma clown butting in

Purple monti

Long shot from the left

I really have to get better at these photo's

 

[dpg]

How is flow with the 2 vortechs on one side? I'm doing a peninsula tank as well.

 

[lowman31]

DPG: Flow is pretty good. The flow makes it to the other side with enough force to give the polyps on the acro a good wave. It is aslo enough to keep the detrius suspended. I did have two dead spots with one being on the side opposite the vortechs. I put a modded MJ 1200 to keep stuff from building up on the bottom. I run the vortechs in long pulse mode. I think that three MP 40's would be optimal and I may upgrade at some point.

 

[lowman31]

Got some new frags today:

Blue green tort I think

Blue Mille

FTS

 

[dpg]

Is that a one piece eurobrace?? Very nice.
Do you find your starfire "softer" than the regular float glass? Does it scratch easier?
How do you like bare bottom?

 

[lowman31]

DPG: The eurobrace is one piece of acrylic. I love the starfire glass and have not scratced it yet. The only time I have ever scratched my 90's glass is when I got sand caught under my mag scraper. With BB I won't have that problem. I like the BB. It is covered with algae right now but the snails and tangs are cleaning it up nicely...slowly but nicely. I transitioned my 90 to BB and like the look better.

 

[kmu]

Very nice, I love the minimalistic approach on the live rock structure, how many lbs do you have there and where did you get all the rock?

How do you like both vortechs on the same side?