Tank at 4 months

[NewSchool04]

Things are really starting to turn around in the new tank. It still looks bare to me, lots of little frags but things are really starting to take off and grow.

I'm still having big time problems taking pics with my hand held, I think the light is just too bright, too white. New bulbs might be in the near future, thinking of going with a more blue, maybe 12K Reeflux or Helios. We'll see.

 

[jglackin]

Looks good, but since I have seen how your tank used to look, I understand what you mean about looking bare. Mine is bare also. This hobby is a lesson in patience.

 

[PSam]

Hm, using reeflux 10K? I'm interested to see what the 12K I just ordered turns out like then. Hard to tell any bulb from pics, but you say too white? Your tank looks nice, how is growth with the reeflux in the 4 months? Looking great so far!

 

[NewSchool04]

I have to adjust the contrast on the pics PSam to get something close to real life. Without doing that, all my pics just look white. I'm not upset with the bulb, it has a very nice white light to it, just too white for my tastes. I think you'll like the 12K. The 400 12K has as much PAR as the 10K so I won't be losing a thing, just bluer if I decide to go that route.

I hear you Jim but it's tough!! How are the Tunze 6055's working for you?

 

[mbierzyc]

Pat, it looks great. A lot of your corals are bigger than mine and some of mine have been in there for far longer than four months. Did you start with a few small colonies?

I'm running T5 now, but when I used metal halide I used the Reeflux 12k. I liked them a lot.

 

[NewSchool04]

I bought one small colony, the greenish looking one in the third pic to the left. Here it is when I first got it 5/19/07 , it's the first colony that I ever bought! All the rest from frags from people who either had duplicates from my old tank or give aways.
The purple digitata made it through the crash along with the zoas and hammer coral.

 

[MrMexReefer]

nice shots Pat! Man, my purple digi never looked like that! Keep up the good work Messicano.

 

[jglackin]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10606338#post10606338 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NewSchool04
How are the Tunze 6055's working for you?

They are pretty sweet. They do move a lot of water and I really like the way that I can swivel them in virtually any direction. Being able to control them, of course, is a huge plus.

I have the Calcium Reactor to set up and a couple of other small things and then I believe I will have this about as automated as I can get it.

 

[NewSchool04]

Thanks Juan! That purple digitata is very nice, a very deep purple in both my old T5 tank and this one. I think I'm going to lower it, it might be getting a little too much light.

The controller is key, I have to say I'm jealous! You think with two on the corner, the flow could reach 6 feet from side to side?

 

[jglackin]

I have the 6055's on each end and a Koralia Hydor #4 in the center. I may end up getting one more Hydor and putting them both in the back of the tank and let them criss cross each other. I am not sure. I think I can get plenty of random flow from just two 6055's on a controller and 2 Hydors on constant flow. I like the very small size of the 6055 and I may just end up putting two more 6055's in there and control all of them. I haven't decided yet.

 

[mcliffy2]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10608107#post10608107 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jglackin
I have the 6055's on each end and a Koralia Hydor #4 in the center. I may end up getting one more Hydor and putting them both in the back of the tank and let them criss cross each other. I am not sure. I think I can get plenty of random flow from just two 6055's on a controller and 2 Hydors on constant flow. I like the very small size of the 6055 and I may just end up putting two more 6055's in there and control all of them. I haven't decided yet.

Having the 2 6055s on a controller should be enough to randomize your flow. For $110 you could get 2 6025s and mod them for 2400 gph of flow, rather than plunking down $400 on 2 more 6055s. Not that having 4 wouldn't be awesome, but I think 2 6055s and 2 6025s would be plenty too.

 

[mcliffy2]

double post, sorry.

 

[NewSchool04]

I have two modded 6025's on Sea Swirls in the middle of the tank and they do a great job for the 4' in the middle of the tank. The rotating Swirls really give me a great random flow pattern mixed with my two returns. My problems are the 2' on the left and right side.
I have a 1100 and 1500 SEIO in the corner which pushes water into the middle but they really don't do much for flow in the two corners that need it. I have an extra Sea Swirl that I think I'm going to break out this weekend and hook the 1100 to it to see how that works.

 

[pk1]

Looks great Patrick!

 

[Sullyman]

Looking good Pat. Is that a Vlamingi or Unicorn tang?
I only ask because I made the mistake of putting one in my sps tank. The fish is coral safe but grows so fast.

 

[NewSchool04]

It's a Vlamingi and I'm ashamed to say a stupid impulse purchase on my part. One of those go to the LFS to just take a look and . . .

Thanks Patrick! You looking for a new fish, possibly a Vlamingi Tang . . it's small . . . now!

 

[NewSchool04]

maybe canar wants him, word on the street his tank is rather large :lol:

 

[ataylo13]

Looking good Pat. You left out the pics of the massive (ever expanding) xenia colony. How are the new frags working out?

If you decide not to use that sea swirl... hook a brother up!!

 

[NewSchool04]

ha! That Sea Swirl is definitely going to be used, just not sure if it's going to be low budget SEIO or spend some more of the never ending reef budget for another Tunze.

I'll post a pic of those damn Xenia's tonight. I think they have already taken up the space of the ones you took and then some. Growing devils!

 

[NewSchool04]

Here's that Xenia. Anyone want any?

I got this birds nest from ataylo13 also, this coral has more than doubled in size in a couple of months. I can see this guy being a coral space hogger in about 6 months.

bottom right, you can see it on the edge: