Our 450g reef, 360g predator tanks

[jnarowe]

sweet FTS! Looking really good! :thumbsup:

 

[cbui2]

great shots, how are the lights programmed?

 

[tbittner]

Thanks!

I hooked up the other overflow box and got it running. I'm running around 3,300 through my sump setup now. Everything looks great!

Except for the dang pulsing xenia. I had too strong of flow hitting it from one of the sump returns and that really ticked it off. It looks like it's thinking about opening back up now though.

 

[tbittner]

Bart, I have the lights in Solar mode for now. I might switch the lunar mode though. To tell you the truth, I haven't had a chance to sit down with the users guide yet to read about the difference.

 

[erics3000]

Looks sweet. i want to add a purple and a achiles my self. The tank looks great...

 

[Bax]

That's a great looking tank!

 

[tbittner]

Eric, the purple is a great tang. The achilles really does love to swim. Mine is just a baby though so he spends a good bit of his time avoiding others. Especially now that I moved the bigger fish, that I've had for a year in the 120, down to the 450. He seems to be pretty content with that though. He's eating everything he comes across too. I love that fish and it's always been at the top of my list but I needed a bigger tank.

Thanks Bax! It's coming along. Lots of bare spots to fill in though.

 

[cbui2]

i remember having that much flow going through the sump, trying to get flow coming from returns. now i have it dial down to about 2000gph. this would give more time for my phosban reactor and feeding skimmer through main overflow makes all the sump water crystal clear and clean before making it back into main display. glade to see all the guys eating

 

[Ratpack]

Very nice. Have one question and perhaps I just missed it in the thread. Are those siphon type overflows you're using?

 

[tbittner]

I might have to do the same thing, Bart. When I first cranked everything wide open, it stirred up the stuff laying at the bottom of the skimmer tub and I had stuff floating throughout all the water. My skimmer cup filled up, I emptied it, it filled up about half way and the water cleared up. I'm not convinced that is the end of it though.

Yes ratpack, I have LifeReef overflows and there are two doubles and a single. I've used them for over a year and never had any issues with them. The holes that were in the glass weren't suitable for any of the drains to the sump, they weren't big enough. And I'm NO where near brave enough to be drilling it. :lol:

Our predator tank will have a 2" bulkhead at the top to provide the flow to the sump but we're having it built for us.

 

[jnarowe]

The thing about crap settling in the sump is this: It's OK if you regularly remove it like during water changes, but if you don't, having it in suspension would be better for your system.

 

[tbittner]

That's what I'm thinking too. The bottom of my skimmer tub and sump are now clean. The skimmer took most everything out. It also makes less work for me.

 

[erics3000]

If it is in the bottom you can just siphon it out weekly. If you have the time.. How many tangs do you have in the 150? I have 5 now in my 300 and want to add a yellow eye kole, achiles, and a purple. I am just afraid that with 8 they may fight. I have 3 yellow and might remove one of the yellow to lighten the bioload, but I like the 3 yellow since they swim together. Like Bart I also like to buy smaller fish. Since my yellows are getting bigger I think it will help putting the agressive in now small.

How do you like your coral beauty? I have seen mine nipping at my frags. I have been thinking about removing him.

 

[cbui2]

i placed 2 maxi jet 1200 mods in my sump to keep water suspended and no detritus builds up occur so one less maintenance i needed to do. before i had to clean my sump every month due to detritus build up.

 

[jnarowe]

good idea Bart.

 

[tbittner]

Now that I actually have everything mostly done for the 450, I'll have more time to perform proper maintenance. It feels like I've been running pipes and replacing tubs every weekend for the last year! :lol:

But now it's all up and working so I'm hoping that things will calm down. Of course, now it's time to start working on the stand for the 360g predator tank, as the tank will be here June 16th.

That is a great idea, Bart. Even if I put it on a timer and only ran it like an hour a day, that would be enough to stir everything up and get it back into the water column.

My tang list in the 450 is:
6" hippo
5" purple
4" yellow
3" powder blue
3" powder brown
3" achilles

I noticed a small chunk has been taken out of the powder browns top fin. I don't know who did that though because I haven't seen any aggression from anyone. I suspect it was my big blue fin damsel though. It could have also been the 3 stripe damsel. The tangs seem to have sorted things out amongst themselves and they all seem to be getting along now. But I'm only watching them for a few hours in the evenings.

I also have a flame angel and the coral beauty in the 450. It looks like the flame stays on the right side and the coral beauty stays on the left. I haven't seen either of the picking at corals, at least not enough that it seems to damage the corals. I suspect that they are picking copepods off of the corals.

I should have a couple new frags and new clams here tomorrow and I AM worried about the clams with those angels in there. Time will tell though.

 

[cbui2]

the small damsels will not got after the powder brown. i think its from the PBT, achilles or one of the larger tangs. if you could keep feeding them at least 2 soaked garlic extreme nori clips everyday. hopefully they can be occupied from all the food. i leave the maxi jets on 24/7, also i have 3 in the first fuge keeping detritus from building up at the bottom. everytime when maintenance comes around, i tried to figure out better ways keeping husbandry work down to a min.

 

[tbittner]

That's the funny thing, I always feed a sheet of nori, soaked with selcon, zoe, and garlic, every morning. In the 120, the foxface would come up and get it and drag it to the bottom. Then purple and hippo would feed off of it.

Foxface came up this morning and picked at it but wouldn't drag it back down into the water. I'm assuming the new surroundings and the additional one foot of water depth has him a bit shy. Hopefully tomorrow he'll be back to his good ole self.

The seaweed was still in the tank this evening. Nobody touched it. It really surprised me.

But the tank and everything is still really new. Not to mention, everyone pigged out on a cube of mysis. I have Anthias and they have to eat, and we feed them 3 times a day.

I just haven't figured out the right feeding sequence with these anthias in the tank. Yet that is.

I have some Koralias sitting around doing nothing now. I'll add one of two to the skimmer tub and sump tub and see how things look with the added circulation in those. I already have a korlia #4 in the fuge tub and it looks good.

 

[VictorD]

Um, Terry?
Hate to ask, but any chance/ability to shoot a video of all those fish swimming around?
If you can, I'd like to request pink floyd playing in the background.

Please and Thank You.

 

[tbittner]

"The Wall" :lol:

I've been looking at camcorders. I'd like to get a decent HD one and I think I've made my choice but I'm waiting until the end of the week and see what goes on sale.

Our camera that does video is at my step-sons dads house.