Sharing my Lastest Project 120g(BareBottom)

[onehundred20]

Dont really show to much of my tank cause there isnt much to show but after a few month break from reefing I finally got my tank ready to go again, I worked on the following for about a month about once a week or so.

My corals have been at the LFS for at least 2 or 3 months and have grown alot. Sold everything except my acros. Should be ready for the coral in a few weeks im guessing.

Basically the plan was to replumb my tank to the closet behind it(because the lack of space 120's have under the tank.) Also I was debating between doing a SSB again or Barebottom but after not having sand in for a week I decided barebottom was the way to go since im doing mainly sps and maitnance seems alot easier than a SSB.

specs:
55 gallon sump
15 or more gallon fuge In-Wall(Girlfriend had the idea since I had to cut to fit the tank in anyway)
2 400watt SE Metal Halides 20k XM switching to 14 or 10k
2 96watt actinic
Flow is just seios atm with a few MJ's, thinking about a wavebox or streams.
Skimmer: ASM G-3

Tank is foggy, just got done putting 100lbs of fresh fiji rock in..]

Picture Of Inwall still needs a little work.

Closet with sump

 

[onehundred20]

well i have confirmed drying your rocks does not kill apstasia, I used a few rocks from before that I dried to support the new rock they dried in the sun for at least a week, my tank was also drained to make sure there were none and dried for 2 days. I just walked by the tank and noticed one hanging out on one of the rocks that was outside for a week or more!!!!!!!! I had problems with them before and this is really frustrating im not gonna deal with them again.

 

[Me No Nemo]

Three or more peppermints should do the trick. They hunt in packs and although one or two sometimes work, a group of them is the way to go. They completely cleared up my 90 gallon. Good luck. Marcye

 

[onehundred20]

ill have to give that a shot thx, hopefully thats the only one that somehow surevived

 

[onehundred20]

Some more photos trying to get some brighter ones.

 

[elephen]

Looks nice, will this be SPS only tank?

 

[onehundred20]

yup, im looking to do mainly sps, I sold most of my lps etc...but im sure I will have a few lps in there etc. Working on getting my nitrates down till I go pick up my acros from my lfs, they have doubled in size since I put them there.

My nitrates were at almost 100 when the store checked it, whats the best way to get those down quick, I know I can do water changes and am going to get some cheato for my fuge, anything else I can do? does nitrate sponge work well?

 

[brandon0350]

i took my rock out and cooked the aptasia with a lighter because the peppermint shrimp didnt work for me... i havent seen an aptasia since then...

 

[polypman]

IME a refugium is counter productive to a true BB system which is based on the concept of maintaining low nutrients through rapid waste removal (high flow, wet skimming, etc.) in contrast to in tank waste processing (refugium, DSB, SSB, etc.)

 

[elephen]

Although a fuge is "counter productive" if you have a perfect BB system, no nutrients = no macro. Although most people who setup BB systems don't have the text book perfect BB system, thus need a way to remove the nutrients out of the water, this is where a fuge can come into play. It is a easy way for nutrient removal until you get your system down and working good. Once the macro dies off you know you've done something right.

 

[onehundred20]

when I say barebottom I mean theres no sand on the bottom of my tank, nothing real technical.

 

[Feerlaroc]

Nice looking tank, my only suggestion would be to cook dem rocks while it is still relatively empty & easy. It will get your nitrates down, but it won't be fast... Use that fuge for a frag/prop tank once all the chaeto dies off !

 

[marine_freak]

A good copperband butterfly will eat all those aptasia... but so will the peppermints....

 

[onehundred20]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7401859#post7401859 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Feerlaroc
Nice looking tank, my only suggestion would be to cook dem rocks while it is still relatively empty & easy. It will get your nitrates down, but it won't be fast... Use that fuge for a frag/prop tank once all the chaeto dies off !

the rock is all new the only old rock was some dried hatian rock i used as a base for the new rock, I cooked it for about 3-4 weeks after I ordered it. although it still seems to be shedding some.

I like the frag/prop idea

 

[onehundred20]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7402302#post7402302 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by marine_freak
A good copperband butterfly will eat all those aptasia... but so will the peppermints....

So far I only saw that one and I have no idea where it came from but I broke the peice of rock off where it was since it was the base rock.

 

[elephen]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7403329#post7403329 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by onehundred20
the rock is all new the only old rock was some dried hatian rock i used as a base for the new rock, I cooked it for about 3-4 weeks after I ordered it. although it still seems to be shedding some.

I like the frag/prop idea

Doesn't matter how old or new or dead your rock is. Read SeanT's rock cooking thread. In old, dead and new rock there is stored phosphors, eventully in your tank it'll break down, start shedding due to being in low-nutrient environment and you'll see your nitrates and phosphates rising. Trust me, its worth your time to read it.

 

[Feerlaroc]

What elphen said.

 

[onehundred20]

Posting a couple updates...

I decided to make a rock rack to raise the rocks up some which would make keeping the detritus up of the bottom alot easier, currently there is just a mag 5 under it to keep it clean till I get some more flow.

Im also looking to get my clean up crew now, not sure what I should go with, what would you guys suggest for a 120. Im thinking about adding a couple turbos for right now cause ive had 1 that is at least 1 year old and he cleans up as much as about 10 astreas.

anyway here are some pics, I finally picked up what I had left at the lfs.

The frag is something they left sitting under a rock and browned out

Not very good a getting good pictures, green formosa with glowing green polyps