**Rob's 155g SPS Reef**
- Thread starter phenom5
- Start date
hogfanreefer
Active member
Great job Rob! I love the aquascape. I have the same tank and yours makes me want to take my rock out and start over.
phenom5
Member
Hey thanks Kalen.
Thanks guys. I actually changed the scape just a touch. The shelf on the center island was just a bit awkward...so I had this idea of moving it lower, and I knew exactly where it was going to fit...except it didn't, which is usually what happens when I try to change things around with LR. Fortunately I quickly found the perfect spot for it. Fits like a glove and it didn't turn into a 3 hour re-aquascaping marathon (been there, done that...more than once
).
I have my squareback trio in and settled. Hopefully I can pick up some clowns and a wrasse next week and get them into QT.
I am itching to get loaded up with some frags...we'll see what Santa brings down the chimney. Hopefully $$$, and I don't have some frag packs sitting under the tree right now!
phenom5
Member
Honestly, the Tunze and Vortechs that I've had don't compare. The flow it creates is fantastic, really wide and really strong. It creates a little more noise than I was hoping for, especially in pulse mode, and I am still trying to find the sweet spot in terms of placement & setting, but overall I really like it.
In less exciting news...I am fairly certain one of the anthias died...deep within the rock somewhere. As of a few days ago all three were happy, and seemed healthy. Then one disappeared. I saw her very briefly yesterday, and not at all today. She was separated from the other two. Not going to lie, I have no intention of tearing apart my rock to find the fish.
My bigger concern is what will happen to the pair that are still alive? Am I destine to only have a single anthias? Debating if I should see if they still have any of the squarebacks left down and the shop.
In less exciting news...I am fairly certain one of the anthias died...deep within the rock somewhere. As of a few days ago all three were happy, and seemed healthy. Then one disappeared. I saw her very briefly yesterday, and not at all today. She was separated from the other two. Not going to lie, I have no intention of tearing apart my rock to find the fish.
My bigger concern is what will happen to the pair that are still alive? Am I destine to only have a single anthias? Debating if I should see if they still have any of the squarebacks left down and the shop.
moondoggy4
Team RC
Sorry for your loss.
Where are the DSA tanks made? not sure if we can get them in Ca but there is always a road trip.
Where are the DSA tanks made? not sure if we can get them in Ca but there is always a road trip.
phenom5
Member
All females
Texas I believe. If you check their website, you can find retailers based on zip codes, there are a good number of CA retailers.
phenom5
Member
Update:
As of yesterday afternoon, I am no longer running the Maxspect XF150...But Brett (aquaph8) is.
The bottom line, as far as in display flow goes, the Maxspect pump is the best thing on the market IME. So why get rid of it? The noise. It's on par with an MP-40, noise-wise. Brett can chime in since he has the Maxspect pump and an MP-40 running on his tank. Making the tank as quiet as possible was one of my goals when I set out on setting up, and the Maxspect didn't deliver in terms of noise.
Didn't hesitate to sell it to Brett, and would hesitate to recommend it to any other reefer. Solid pump, with great flow in the display...just not the right answer for me.
I also lost a second anthias. Sucks, but the one that is left looks really healthy, so I am going to go forward with a single squareback, and hope like hell I can convince her that she wants to eat pellets.
Now that we've survived the holidays, it's time to start stocking this tank up.
As of yesterday afternoon, I am no longer running the Maxspect XF150...But Brett (aquaph8) is.
The bottom line, as far as in display flow goes, the Maxspect pump is the best thing on the market IME. So why get rid of it? The noise. It's on par with an MP-40, noise-wise. Brett can chime in since he has the Maxspect pump and an MP-40 running on his tank. Making the tank as quiet as possible was one of my goals when I set out on setting up, and the Maxspect didn't deliver in terms of noise.
Didn't hesitate to sell it to Brett, and would hesitate to recommend it to any other reefer. Solid pump, with great flow in the display...just not the right answer for me.
I also lost a second anthias. Sucks, but the one that is left looks really healthy, so I am going to go forward with a single squareback, and hope like hell I can convince her that she wants to eat pellets.
Now that we've survived the holidays, it's time to start stocking this tank up.
phenom5
Member
How about a loooong overdue update? Life's been busy, and so has the tank.
Equipment Changes-
I removed the Maxspect pump. I may live to regret that decision. I now have more pumps in tank, it's only marginally quieter, and the flow isn't as good overall. :sad: I went with an RW-15 & and RW-8 to go along with an old Tunze nano stream I had. Overall the flow is fine, the look is less pleasing, and I may regret the choice in the replacement pump. I'll be looking to move back to a full Tunze setup in the future, but right now, I couldn't stomach the cost of a pair of 6255s.
I also swapped out my Hydra52's for an ATI Sunpower. I thought the Hydra52's produced a good look to the tank, but I was not looking forward to the time and effort of getting them dialed in...AND I was concerned about the mixed feedback on SPS under LED's.
Otherwise, the tank is doing good. I am dialed in for dosing, and my numbers are looking good.
Here's the tank as of today. I shot some quick pics this morning. The tank was a little cloudy from me monkeying around, and I shot it under straight Blue+...AND I was lazy about the white balance.
And some shots of some of the frags I've been adding
SunnyDs
Lord
SPS!!!
Couple of millis that don't look great color-wise ATM...
Blue Tenius?
Equipment Changes-
I removed the Maxspect pump. I may live to regret that decision. I now have more pumps in tank, it's only marginally quieter, and the flow isn't as good overall. :sad: I went with an RW-15 & and RW-8 to go along with an old Tunze nano stream I had. Overall the flow is fine, the look is less pleasing, and I may regret the choice in the replacement pump. I'll be looking to move back to a full Tunze setup in the future, but right now, I couldn't stomach the cost of a pair of 6255s.
I also swapped out my Hydra52's for an ATI Sunpower. I thought the Hydra52's produced a good look to the tank, but I was not looking forward to the time and effort of getting them dialed in...AND I was concerned about the mixed feedback on SPS under LED's.
Otherwise, the tank is doing good. I am dialed in for dosing, and my numbers are looking good.
Here's the tank as of today. I shot some quick pics this morning. The tank was a little cloudy from me monkeying around, and I shot it under straight Blue+...AND I was lazy about the white balance.
And some shots of some of the frags I've been adding
SunnyDs
Lord
SPS!!!
Couple of millis that don't look great color-wise ATM...
Blue Tenius?
phenom5
Member
Wow, I can't believe it's going on 6 mos since I last updated this. Work's been crazy busy. I need to get the camera out, and get everything set so I can take some decent pictures of the tank.
Tank is good. I've added more frags. Growth seems to have stalled a bit, I am looking into my dosing to see if I jumped the gun on thinking it was dialed in.
I am completely underwhelmed with the cheap knockoff pumps I got. Looking at making the switch to a pair of MP40 QDs ASAP.
Got a bit of an aiptasia problem. Nothing out of control, but I got some stubborn suckers. I need to get some boots on the ground (peppermints).
I will try and snap some pics this weekend.
Tank is good. I've added more frags. Growth seems to have stalled a bit, I am looking into my dosing to see if I jumped the gun on thinking it was dialed in.
I am completely underwhelmed with the cheap knockoff pumps I got. Looking at making the switch to a pair of MP40 QDs ASAP.
Got a bit of an aiptasia problem. Nothing out of control, but I got some stubborn suckers. I need to get some boots on the ground (peppermints).
I will try and snap some pics this weekend.
phenom5
Member
Alright, how bout a real update...
Damn I forgot how much of a challenge it can be to take decent shot of a reef tank!
So I was right, my Ca/ Alk balance was a little off. My last tank was so dialed in after being up for several years, I have to remember it is going to take some time to get back to that point with a brand new tank. Bumped up my Ca, and will see how things go.
My current stocking list looks like this:
Fish
2x Yellow Tang
Blue Hippo Tang
2x False Perc Clowns
Sixline Wrasse
Royal Gamma
Blue Green Cromis
Corals
Zoas:
Sunny D
Pink Kiss
Fire and Ice
Something from Vivid that I can't remember the name of
LPS
Hammer coral
Acan Lord
Vivid Favia
Blue Blasto
SPS
BBGum milli
Acid Trip milli
Palmers mili
ORA Red Planet
ORA Cali Tort
ORA Bellina
BC Forrest Fire Digi
BC Leprechaun Purgatory
BC Blue Magic
YR Raspberry Delight Milli
YR Fruit Loops Milli
Bali Green Slimer
Grape Juice
Green Digi
Ultra Blue Tenius
Pink Prostrada
A few misc acro that I don't know exactly what they are...
How about some pics?
Damn I forgot how much of a challenge it can be to take decent shot of a reef tank!
So I was right, my Ca/ Alk balance was a little off. My last tank was so dialed in after being up for several years, I have to remember it is going to take some time to get back to that point with a brand new tank. Bumped up my Ca, and will see how things go.
My current stocking list looks like this:
Fish
2x Yellow Tang
Blue Hippo Tang
2x False Perc Clowns
Sixline Wrasse
Royal Gamma
Blue Green Cromis
Corals
Zoas:
Sunny D
Pink Kiss
Fire and Ice
Something from Vivid that I can't remember the name of
LPS
Hammer coral
Acan Lord
Vivid Favia
Blue Blasto
SPS
BBGum milli
Acid Trip milli
Palmers mili
ORA Red Planet
ORA Cali Tort
ORA Bellina
BC Forrest Fire Digi
BC Leprechaun Purgatory
BC Blue Magic
YR Raspberry Delight Milli
YR Fruit Loops Milli
Bali Green Slimer
Grape Juice
Green Digi
Ultra Blue Tenius
Pink Prostrada
A few misc acro that I don't know exactly what they are...
How about some pics?
