Sonny's Rimless Shallow Reef.

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13926766#post13926766 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Brandan
Here's a full tank shot from last week with my 2-250MHs and 2-110VHOs. As soon as my ATI bulbs come in, I'll get some pictures of the tank with the T5s. I am looking to get rid of a decent amount of my rock and doing a aquascape similar to yours, just need to find someone that needs some rock. Anyone interested in an 8" Seabe Anemone. . . .lol That needs to go as well.

Your tank is looking good. When you pull out the rock take some time and siphon up any detritus that had been trapped.

I cant wait to see what the lights look like.

 

[Brandan]

Indeed, I will be also adding another Tunze 6045 as soon as funds allow. Do you have a link on the Tunze mod you speak of?

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13926825#post13926825 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Brandan
Indeed, I will be also adding another Tunze 6045 as soon as funds allow. Do you have a link on the Tunze mod you speak of?

Hey, be sure to check the selling boards for the Tunzes. I 5 of them and payed no more than $20-30 each for them.

Here is the Tunze mod page:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1025361

I did the simple mod where you remove every other tooth on the pump. The modded Tunze's put out an amazing amount of flow.

 

[Chrisrush]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13920554#post13920554 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SunnyX
No problem.

Running only five bulbs for most of the day will cut out around 27% of the total PAR going into the tank. Hopefully this will be enough to make the changes I am looking for.

Interesting observation Sunny. I may do something similar in my cube. I'm running 8x24w T5 lamps over a 10 hr. period but the majority of the lamps run 8 hrs. I may cut it down to 4 hrs for some of the whiter lamps. Save electricity as well.

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13927430#post13927430 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Chrisrush
Interesting observation Sunny. I may do something similar in my cube. I'm running 8x24w T5 lamps over a 10 hr. period but the majority of the lamps run 8 hrs. I may cut it down to 4 hrs for some of the whiter lamps. Save electricity as well.

Give it a shot. If you notice any adverse reactions just go back to the old schedule.

 

[stunreefer]

I had the opportunity to see this tank in person yesterday and I must say its awesome! Simple, clean, healthy system... keep up the great work Sonny! :thumbsup:

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13928452#post13928452 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stunreefer
I had the opportunity to see this tank in person yesterday and I must say its awesome! Simple, clean, healthy system... keep up the great work Sonny! :thumbsup:

Thanks!

It was nice speaking to a fellow reef nerd.

 

[snapperface]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13926738#post13926738 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SunnyX
None of the pumps are controllable. As a matter of fact, I dont think anything other then the lights are controlled. Ive never had controllable pumps in my aquariums. I really never seen the need. I try to keep it as simple as possible.

so do u run your pumps 24/7 then or do u have it on wavemaker?

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13929473#post13929473 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by snapperface
so do u run your pumps 24/7 then or do u have it on wavemaker?

24/7 365

 

[jpa0741]

Looking great Sunny! IMO you are the master for making a reef look so natural. I feel like I just throw my corals in and where ever they stick is home. I really need to make it by sometime to see it in person.

 

[Mike de Leon]

Hey Sunny , what do you do for maintenance on your ssb...

 

[SunnyX]

UPDATE

I have been dosing vodka for about two weeks now with great result. My thoughts are as follows:

Good
-My skimmer is pulling out more gunk then ever
-My water is even clearer now
-Polyp extension in corals has greatly increased
-Coral growth has exploded. Within two weeks of dosing I have counted 36 new, small coral heads coming out of my large mille.
-The sand bed is whiter.
-Glass and overflow box stay cleaner longer.
-Dino's are now gone
-Coraline algae has begun to show up on pumps and over flow.

Bad
-Some corals have lightened up even more.
-Red slime is appearing in spot it hasn't before.
-Bacteria is making my sand bed clumpy, so I have to gravel vac it twice a month.

I am happy with the dosing thus far. I have discontinued dosing of Reefbooster until my skimmer stops pulling gunk out.

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13932131#post13932131 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jpa0741
Looking great Sunny! IMO you are the master for making a reef look so natural. I feel like I just throw my corals in and where ever they stick is home. I really need to make it by sometime to see it in person.

Thanks!
Anytime you want to roll by just let me know.

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13932863#post13932863 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mike de Leon
Hey Sunny , what do you do for maintenance on your ssb...

Well, I wasnt doing much to it until I started dosing vodka. With the addition of vodka I had bacteria taking over my sand bed and clumping it.
I went out the other day and purchased a manual gravel vac. I siphoned the sand bed and pulled out 25gl of the dark, brown detritus form it. After seeing what was trapped under there I will now vacuum the sand at least once a month.

Although my skimmer is pulling out more gunk in general, due to vodka, it now is pulling out less since vacuuming the sand bed.

I really have no clean up crew other then a couple snails and serpent stars, Although I do have TONS of pods and brittle worms, so it my sand never gets the proper turn over.

I vacuumed the sand after taking those pictures, so it always appeared nice and white, but below the surface it was disgusting.

 

[Mike de Leon]

I am currently in the middle of an upgrade and will be going back to ssb. It just looks so natural! Your tanks has always been an inspiration to newbies like myself. BTW, why did you scale down.

Although your new tank looks fabulous, I loved your first one...

 

[Mike de Leon]

I am currently in the middle of an upgrade and will be going back to ssb. It just looks so natural! Your tanks has always been an inspiration to newbies like myself. BTW, why did you scale down.

Although your new tank looks fabulous, I loved your first one...

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13933780#post13933780 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mike de Leon
I am currently in the middle of an upgrade and will be going back to ssb. It just looks so natural! Your tanks has always been an inspiration to newbies like myself. BTW, why did you scale down.

Although your new tank looks fabulous, I loved your first one...

Yeah, I could never have a tank without sand.

I sold of my TOTM 6 months ago, although not in one piece. I sold I would say 90% of it. I kept only the Deltec skimmer, along with a few corals and fish.

I had alot of things going on at once, I was planning on moving out of state but that fell through. Along with that I went back to school for my teaching degree, so I had less time and money to put into the large tank. I was an investment banker/loan executive but as you can see, the market has tanked. I have always loved education and the slower pace of teaching will do me good.


I ended up using all the proceeds of the tank to start up a new, although smaller, 100g rimless tank.

I am very happy with the new setup. Just a few reasons why I love the new setup:

a. Total home electrical usage is down 64%

b. The humidity in my home is way down. I was running two dehumidifiers just to keep up with the old tank.

c. Being a smaller tank, supplements,carbon, maintenance, etc is less expensive and easier to deal with.

d. The tank is now much more environmentally friendly. This may not be a driving point for some out there, but I feel better using less energy.

e. It is always fun starting a new challenge and aquarium. I new tank is euro styled(T5, rimless, bacterial driven) and it is something I have always wanted to try.

f. It is less time consuming to operate it. I have many other things competing for my time now.


I do miss the old tank, and I will go with a larger tank in a couple years but I am happy for now with my 100g rimless.

 

[LuisC]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13933574#post13933574 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SunnyX
UPDATE

I have been dosing vodka for about two weeks now with great result. My thoughts are as follows:

Good
-My skimmer is pulling out more gunk then ever
-My water is even clearer now
-Polyp extension in corals has greatly increased
-Coral growth has exploded. Within two weeks of dosing I have counted 36 new, small coral heads coming out of my large mille.
-The sand bed is whiter.
-Glass and overflow box stay cleaner longer.
-Dino's are now gone
-Coraline algae has begun to show up on pumps and over flow.

Bad
-Some corals have lightened up even more.
-Red slime is appearing in spot it hasn't before.
-Bacteria is making my sand bed clumpy, so I have to gravel vac it twice a month.

I am happy with the dosing thus far. I have discontinued dosing of Reefbooster until my skimmer stops pulling gunk out.

What are the benfits of dosing Vodka? What kind do you dose?

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13934148#post13934148 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LuisC
What are the benfits of dosing Vodka? What kind do you dose?

This article here will explain the dosing and process of vodka.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php

Basically, the ethanol in vodka feeds bacteria in your aquarium which in turn multiply. When the bacteria multiplies it consumes N03 and P04. The bacteria, along with the nutrients it has consumed is then exported by a large protein skimmer.

 

[Oldude]

Hey Sonny, the tank filling in nicely & looking sweet.