"OverKill" Reef - My Project
- Thread starter Jcohen9999
- Start date
Just read the whole thing and it looks great! I can only imagine what visitors say about "What a pretty tank" when they see your bathroom, but then they see the basement. Most people don't realize how much go into all this - and the disproportion of your sump/fuge area to the DT make this plainly obvious.
What happened to your Hippo and other fish in the DT? Did he finally get moved after almost 8 years?
What happened to your Hippo and other fish in the DT? Did he finally get moved after almost 8 years?
Jcohen9999
Overkill Reefer
It's funny. Most people dont know about the basement and I only show those that would appreciate it.
As for the fish, there were really only 5 main inhabitants over the years. One Hippo Tang, two clowns and blennie and a six-line. While I tried to introduce an occasional new comer they usually got their fins kicked by either the clowns or the six-line. The one exception to this was a series of dwarf clowns that I would introduce at about 1" and then pull out at around 2.5" until the last one went tile surfing and I wasn't in replace fish mode (however, I dried him out fully outside and he sits on my desk today...so technically I still have him
). However, at some point about 4 months ago, after living apparently very fat and healthy lives for over 7 years in my tank, both the six-line and the hippo, went downhill at the same time and very rapidly. i suspect this had something to do with my chemical attack on the flatworm invasion i couldnt combat through natural means. i can only say suspect because the clowns showed no ill effect at all and the impact to the hippo and six-line only came about two weeks after the treatment had ended. in the end the hippo tang was only about 3.5-4" in total but was very active in the tank. how long do they last in captivity anyway? Ive always wondered that.thanks for reading my thread.
I can't remember specifically, but I remember someone on here having a Hippo that was like 16 years old? Perhaps 19? The number escapes me, but I remember thinking it was almost as old as my little brother - he's 20.
It'd be interesting to see the average lifespan of a fish in the home aquaria. I'd imagine most die within 60 days of introduction into the tank, but I'd also imagine a fair number make it well beyond the 5, 10, and perhaps even 20 year marks. I wonder if there's a statistics sheet floating around here anywhere...
It'd be interesting to see the average lifespan of a fish in the home aquaria. I'd imagine most die within 60 days of introduction into the tank, but I'd also imagine a fair number make it well beyond the 5, 10, and perhaps even 20 year marks. I wonder if there's a statistics sheet floating around here anywhere...
Jcohen9999
Overkill Reefer
Thanks, Bax.
I know I can always count on you for encouragement :fish1:
I'm still working on some new aquascaping to, hopefully, be able to free up more bottom area while maintaining the amount of locations to place frags and small colonies. Yes, I want to eat my cake and have it too. My thinking is that with acrylic rods I can build a more vertical structure that use less bottom space.
My first test was pretty successful but I'm pretty sure I can better. I'll post a pic tonight.
Jeff
sjnovakovich
New member
The thing that I find just as amazing as the system is the fact that this thread has been alive for 7 years! That speaks volume about JCohen, the system that he built, and most of all, the fufillment that this hobby brings to people. I'm in the process of gathering the equipment that I need to start up my JBJ 28. Mine will be nothing compared to JCohen's system, but he is an inspiration, I think, to any newbie who reads this thread.
Jcohen9999
Overkill Reefer
@CRC...7 years is nothing in this hobby.
@sknovakovich...very humbling thoughts. Thank you and good luck with your build. Please start your own build thread so that others can learn from your experiences as I did on the backs of those that came before me.
@sknovakovich...very humbling thoughts. Thank you and good luck with your build. Please start your own build thread so that others can learn from your experiences as I did on the backs of those that came before me.
Jcohen9999
Overkill Reefer
Aquascaping is hard...
Aquascaping is hard...
So after hours of trying to aquascape my tank with my existing 150lbs of LR from my sump I ended up picking up some tonga branch from the LFS (thanks, again, Les) and using it to support a rather large (for my tank at least) almost flat rock in a way that makes it kinda float. I dont think it's what I originally wanted but it's grown on me now that I added some corals to it in order to judge it.
I'm going to stick with this for now:
and see how it goes as I bring up corals from the basement.
Jeff
Aquascaping is hard...
So after hours of trying to aquascape my tank with my existing 150lbs of LR from my sump I ended up picking up some tonga branch from the LFS (thanks, again, Les) and using it to support a rather large (for my tank at least) almost flat rock in a way that makes it kinda float. I dont think it's what I originally wanted but it's grown on me now that I added some corals to it in order to judge it.
I'm going to stick with this for now:
and see how it goes as I bring up corals from the basement.
Jeff
Jcohen9999
Overkill Reefer
Starting to add corals now:
Many came from my friend's tank so they will need time to color up.
Sorry about the picture quality but it's tough to get a good shot through a bow front tank.
Jeff
Many came from my friend's tank so they will need time to color up.
Sorry about the picture quality but it's tough to get a good shot through a bow front tank.
Jeff
Jcohen9999
Overkill Reefer
A quick update in the form of some quick snaps:
Just added soda lime filters to my becketts and the sum total increase of .3-.4 points of PH (avg of 7.9 to 8.3)
Some recent frag purchases waiting to be relocated to the DT:
Just added soda lime filters to my becketts and the sum total increase of .3-.4 points of PH (avg of 7.9 to 8.3)
Some recent frag purchases waiting to be relocated to the DT:
rogermccray
Active member
I like the look of the new aquascape and love the basement area. I have a question about the wooden stand that you put the upper tub on.
Did you prime them or coat them to stop any rot from all the water evaporating from the tub below? It would be horrible for you to have those boards rot away and your upper tub to fall into your lower sump.
Did you prime them or coat them to stop any rot from all the water evaporating from the tub below? It would be horrible for you to have those boards rot away and your upper tub to fall into your lower sump.
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Jcohen9999
Overkill Reefer
Thanks, Roger.
But I think you are the first person (in almost 8 years) to mention that about the stand. Yikes! (are you trying to give me a kenahora?) I never even thought about it until now. But of course you are right. I should have primed the wood.
However, I just checked and the four 'corners' of the tub are supported by vertical 4x4 braces and the horizontal beams (although a little salty) seem to be in fine condition. So even if the beams fail the tub will be supported.
Thanks for the heads up. I think I will be adding in a protective barrier of sorts asap and then be noodling through a way to lift the upper tub, slide out the stand and paint it (or rebuild and paint).
Jeff
Jcohen9999
Overkill Reefer
Thanks.
It's been a million years but I believe they were the 3-LED "Round Led Utility and Accent Lights" in the middle of this page: http://autolumination.com/fixtures.htm but with the changes in technology I would look at some of the newer LED offerings. Although I have to say these lights did exactly what I wanted them to.
Oh and I realized that after I posted this:
"Anyway, the true reason for my post is that I want to report that after 6 plus years of constant operation (no timer) one of my 'moonlights' from autolumination.com has finally stopped working (and I'll bet it's corrosion not a dead led). Not bad for a $5 purchase."
That the issue was corrosion at one of the connectors (not the lights at all) and I was able to fix it easily so the lights are still going strong.
HTH
Jeff
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rogermccray
Active member
I am just happy to bring it to your attention to avert a possible disaster. I am surprised no one else had noticed, it was the first thing i thought of when I saw your initial posts (well second after the "holy sh*t that's a lot of water for a 28 gallon tank").
Jcohen9999
Overkill Reefer
Well...I'm over the anemone thing but I still like the clowns and apparently they like the ducans:
and so far the ducans dont seem to mind
and so far the ducans dont seem to mind
