SaraB's 268 Gallon Build¦ Try #3!

[SaraB]

Hey Sara,

When are you heading to Toronto? It's been a while since we last spoke ... last year I think.

It's Paul from Toronto !!

Paul

Hey Paul! Last time we chatted was in early March I believe. I've been grounded back in the states with a new project and I don't see a trip back there unfortunately I was looking forward to seeing some of the shops finally.

 

[SaraB]

Nice Sara! I have always wanted a koi pond, but the big pond in my backyard is enough work.

I hear you on the work part! I started with a pre-formed liner pond back in 2002 and it's been an expanding hobby like my reef tanks! The week of MACNA last year my final pond expansion was completed and I went from 2,300 to 6,300 gallons. I'm just trying to finish up some new landscaping now and I'm on the Chicago pond walk August 1st for the first time.

 

[PauChi]

hey Sara,

That really sucks as I was gonna tell you about some showpiece SPS "Strawberry Shortcakes" that's readily available over here .... it is so vibrantly colorful and big :eek1:

Makes ya wanna go :frog: !!

Paul

 

[SaraB]

hey Sara,

That really sucks as I was gonna tell you about some showpiece SPS "Strawberry Shortcakes" that's readily available over here .... it is so vibrantly colorful and big :eek1:

Makes ya wanna go :frog: !!

Paul

Sure, rub it in Paul!!! There's a travel ban too, so I'd be grounded either way!

 

[PauChi]

The Aussie stuffs are slowly piling in ... maybe one day alrighty? One day Sara ... :spin3:

Paul

 

[SaraB]

So the tank is placed in a corner, so no one is really looking at the tank from the left side ... so that's why I put the shelf on the left.

I left the picture on the wall in the photo just for Mr. Poletti.

 

[DanW]

...my final pond expansion was completed and I went from 2,300 to 6,300 gallons...

:eek1: Sheesh Sara, I guess you really do believe in "go big or go home" :lmao: Nice progress on the cube.

 

[SaraB]

:eek1: Sheesh Sara, I guess you really do believe in "go big or go home" :lmao: Nice progress on the cube.

LOL - I had bigger aspirations for the pond, but the total cost kept me in the same footprint as the 2,300 gallon ... I just went down to a 6' depth to keep the Great Blue Heron's from eating my entire Koi population on an annual basis. That was the main motivator for the entire project actually ... that and the dreaded algae that overtook the pond in the summer. The project included a big equipment upgrade too for beter filtration.

Thanks, the cube project is chugging along!

 

[slojmn]

Sara, You are my hero...the coolest reefing chick I know. You have all the cool toys to, hehehehe. Keep it up!!!

I love the Koi pond, can you get a shot of the whole pond and landscaping around it. We have talked on and off about doing that but in the end we are just going for a simple water feature in the backyard. The Blue Heron's and Egrets are all over the place around here and we don't want to go super deep. They wreak havoc on Koi ponds in the area, some have even figured out how to work around the netting on some ponds.

 

[SaraB]

Sara, You are my hero...the coolest reefing chick I know. You have all the cool toys to, hehehehe. Keep it up!!!

I love the Koi pond, can you get a shot of the whole pond and landscaping around it. We have talked on and off about doing that but in the end we are just going for a simple water feature in the backyard. The Blue Heron's and Egrets are all over the place around here and we don't want to go super deep. They wreak havoc on Koi ponds in the area, some have even figured out how to work around the netting on some ponds.

LOL, that's quite an honor coming from you Alicia. Maybe we need some girl power t-shirts with "The Coolest Reefing Chicks" on it!

I'll dig up a photo from last fall after the install as currently it's still covered with a hoop-house from the winter. I'm slowly pulling off the plastic as not to shock the plants underneath it. I have a peony in full bloom that's about 2 months early! I'll update some photos once I get the ungly greenhouse cover off too.

 

[pookstreet]

The cube is coming along nicely, Sara.


Peonies??? I knew you were cool for the right reasons, reefing, koi pond, outdoor fun, and gardening. There is nothing like gardening to relax you after the stresses of tank maintenance and looking for non-existent signs of diseases on $$$$$ fish :lol2:

 

[stunreefer]

Oooh, Koi pond! My other, other obsession! Don't have one now, still renting But I desinged (and built) water feautures and ponds for three years and loved every minute of it!

The Blue Heron's and Egrets are all over the place around here and we don't want to go super deep. They wreak havoc on Koi ponds in the area, some have even figured out how to work around the netting on some ponds.

Don't know if you've ever seen them, but there's mechanisms that actually spray at birds or racoons when they approach the pond (sensors on them)... these animals figure out how to both avoid them, and we watched one racoon actually push one into a pond!!!

If they want it bad enough, they will get it

There is nothing like gardening after the stresses of tank maintenance and looking for non-existent signs of diseases on $$$$$ fish :lol2:

Story of my life... :lol:

Except I hit golfballs in the backyard rather than gardening

 

[SaraB]

The cube is coming along nicely, Sara.


Peonies??? I knew you were cool for the right reasons, reefing, koi pond, outdoor fun, and gardening. There is nothing like gardening to relax you after the stresses of tank maintenance and looking for non-existent signs of diseases on $$$$$ fish :lol2:

Thanks, I just need to get some more sand in the cube now.

Yes, I like gardening/landscaping too. I'm currently working on a Japanese Garden look for my new blank area created by the retaining wall backing the new split waterfall. I picked up some pendula shaped conifers this weekend for the new look. Still lots of work to do!

Oooh, Koi pond! My other, other obsession! Don't have one now, still renting But I desinged (and built) water feautures and ponds for three years and loved every minute of it!

Don't know if you've ever seen them, but there's mechanisms that actually spray at birds or racoons when they approach the pond (sensors on them)... these animals figure out how to both avoid them, and we watched one racoon actually push one into a pond!!!

If they want it bad enough, they will get it

Story of my life... :lol:

Except I hit golfballs in the backyard rather than gardening

The advice for ponds is do it right the first time so that you don't have to redo the mistakes and pay for it twice!

I've see those spray mechanisms too, but with dogs in the backyard it was not an option. I agree, if the Heron's want your fish, they are pretty smart and can usually get them. I went with the deeper pond and sharp drop edges so there's nothing for them to stand on in the water to fish. I actually watched a GBH circle my house twice on Sunday ... the pond is still covered by the hoop-house but this one must have had a great memory of the tasty meal he had last spring on my 4 new koi that were only in there 3 days ...

 

[slojmn]

LOL, that's quite an honor coming from you Alicia. Maybe we need some girl power t-shirts with "The Coolest Reefing Chicks" on it!

I'll dig up a photo from last fall after the install as currently it's still covered with a hoop-house from the winter. I'm slowly pulling off the plastic as not to shock the plants underneath it. I have a peony in full bloom that's about 2 months early! I'll update some photos once I get the ungly greenhouse cover off too.

Excellent, I look forward to the pictures . I like the T-shirt idea...hmmm, I may have to look into that.

 

[erics3000]

The only thing about the rock in the corner is it will block some light. Not sure if thats what you wanted to maybe a are for low light. Looks good though

 

[SaraB]

So Gary was finally able to get a picture of a cryptic fish in my system. Gary would normally not allow me to post such a picture, but it was a rare sighting and Gary did what he could to get any photo of this fish. It hung out in the back corners of my tank, so hence the photos are not the normal crisp and clean quality we are used to seeing. Thanks Gary for allowing me to share!

So I got the fish February 6th and placed it in my fuge so I could #1 keep an eye on it and #2 get some other mean fish out of my display (rhomboid & Powderblue Hybrid). I saw it a few times, maybe once a week if I was lucky, so half the time I figured it was dead. When I did see it, I fed it a ton with frozens and pellets and it ate well.

On March 13th he was out in the fuge and I was able to net him and place him in the display as I had removed the mean fish and had added 6 other fish the night prior at lights out. After that I did not see the fish until March 23rd when I saw him out swimming in the display while the VHO's were on. I was shocked to see him as I thought he was a goner and I fed him lots and watched him bury himself when the halides kicked on.

So I have not seen this wrasse for 35 days ... and guess who shows up yesterday swimming in the display when the VHO's turned on ... my red-headed wrasse again. He stayed out the entire light cycle and I was able to get him to eat.

I was not prepared for the tank to be photographed, meaning dirty acrylic front, etc., but here's a picture Gary caputured of my halichoeres rubricephalus (red-headed wrasse)

 

[DanW]

That is cool story Sara and the wrasse is beautiful. I've never seen a red headed wrasse before but based on your photo I will be on the lookout for one now. Hopefully he becomes more comfortable and spends more time out so that you can enjoy him more :thumbsup:

 

[Dave's Reef]

Gorgeous Redhead Sara!~ I really like them but you don't often see them available... Not around here anyway.

Glad he's doing well for you!~ :fun4:

 

[mpoletti]

Nice fishy Sara, now lets see the other one(s)

 

[glparr]

Here's another relative newcomer to the SaraB display:

Parachellinus attenuatus