ThE StArT Of My 120 BB sPs TaNk

[trueblackpercula]

here is a close up............

 

[Darkreefer]

Thanks for the answer.

Kasei

 

[GSchiemer]

The only thing missing now is the sand.

I still think a sand substrate is SOO much more attractive; not to mention functional.

Greg

 

[BreadmanMike]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7450038#post7450038 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GSchiemer
The only thing missing now is the sand.

I still think a sand substrate is SOO much more attractive; not to mention functional.

Greg

I have a sand box in my back yard if you want to play in it?
No nutrient sinks in this thread... Just beautiful starboard!

TBP, tank is looking awesome! I've been following you silently since you linked this to the cube thread.... Me likey!

 

[trueblackpercula]

lets play nice please.......... I do not want this to turn out to be a debate I will say I love dsb but do not want the added work right now, and yes they do work. Now how about soem more pictures. Take a look at the foam now what a difference,

 

[GSchiemer]

I have a sand box in my back yard if you want to play in it?
No nutrient sinks in this thread... Just beautiful starboard!

Yeah, you're right. All the best natural reefs that I've dived had "beautiful" white polyethylene at the bottom.

 

[Darkreefer]

TBP,

What pump are you using on the skimmer ?

Kasei

 

[MdM31]

you would probably get more out of your pump if you plumbed it straight into the injector, and used flex pvc. you are losing alot of pressure with all those bends.

just thought i might point that out to you, because becketts work best this way usually.

-Mike

 

[trueblackpercula]

What pump are you using on the skimmer ?

Its a blue line HD40 Pressure rate pump.

you would probably get more out of your pump if you plumbed it straight into the injector, and used flex pvc. you are losing alot of pressure with all those bends.

I know but it would not looks as nice:eek1: The problem was that i did not adjust the gate valve enough and the air valve was almost closed. Now I have the aire valve open 3/4 ways and look at the foam now.

 

[exoticaquatix]

much better! very impressed. i cant wait to see this tank at 100%!
-nick

 

[trueblackpercula]

well its been a wile since my last update so here it goes. I have added 100 blue legs hermit and 50 astrea snails. They have done an incredible job in cleaning up the rocks. I am very happy with the rock its very nice and cured very fast. The skimmer i will say took some time to learn but is work better than I thought wow this is not a toy and i would not recomend it to anyone that does not have patiance> would I do it agin the same way with what I know..............Yes yes yes. Here are some pictures of the rock I am thinking about getting a power head. I was told that the vortech is a good power head but at $400 with shipping is a little much for my needs. I think I will get a tunze 6060 just to stur up the detritus every now and then.
Here are the rocks..................................

As you can see from the pictures, I have been getting less and less detritus on the bottom of the tank. I will start adding Sps very soon................ so fare only have one in the tank and it is doing very well.
Michael

 

[Jovreefer]

Hey! just found this thread. Beautiful tank!

Didnt you say you were going to cook the rocks though?

 

[trueblackpercula]

I was talked out of it from a very good source. From what I understand the cooking of rocks is better for rocks that have loads of algea and a way to start over. My rock was newly collected and kept in the tank with actinic only for 30 days to try and preserve all the life that I paid for. If you look at the rock when it first arrived big difference to what it looks like now screaming with life. I will also say that if my nitrates do not go down in 8 to 12 months I will be going back to a DSB despite what the wife thinks and others around here. I love the way a BB tank looks like ……………….nice and clean but if there is an issue with nitrates what good is it. The only thing left to do is get a vortech power head that will aid in the removal of the detritus on the bottom. Get it into the sump and from there into the skimmer and out of the tank. I was going to get a tunze power head but I saw one in person very bulky and I was not able to control the speed and the placement of the vortech is unmatched to any other power head. Yup it cost a pretty penny though. Hey the PPE is doing very well Thank you very much. If there are any Sps in the future that I have you are more than welcome to them,
Michael

 

[CeeGee]

Looking good!

What type of live rock is that and where did you get it from?

If that has been said please forgive me as I kinda skimmed through the pages. I am married with two kids, two dogs and a reef tank. I don't have much time to spend on reef central so I have to kinda "skim wet" through the topics.

 

[ClownReef®]

I like your rockwork, very original

Ive been thinking about changing tanks and start a BIG cube rather than keeping my 125 gal. But its still a dream

 

[143gadgets]

Love the rockwork!

 

[trueblackpercula]

143gadgets
Love the rockwork!

Thanks

iReef69
I like your rockwork, very original

Thanks

CeeGeeIve been thinking about changing tanks and start a BIG cube rather than keeping my 125 gal. But its still a dream Looking good!

Yes It was a dream for me as well. Take your time and plane everything before you start. What i love about it is it has dept, hieght, like not othere tank. If you need help please Pm me or ask here.

Ok I have added some new Sps and they seem to be doing well. Got them from Eric at fragfammer hell of a nice guy and his sps arrived to my home in perfect condition.What I don't like is my bulb 13.5k megachrome I would like to go to 15k or 20 k anyone have sugestions for me?.I have been adding purple up for a week now and I see lots and lots of pink dots on the starboard Man this stuff works well. I also add b-ionic every day. The skimmer is amazing and I run it medium to wet and is doing a great job as well. I would post pictures but Iam running out of disk space( Is there a way to buy more from R/C?)
I will be adding a vortech to the system within a few days yea I know it cost $$$ but everyone tells me that they are they way to go. Here is a list of what I have.....................
Blue Hoeki
Sunset Prostrata
Bubble gum pink Prostrata
Ultimate Blue Stag! Pectinatus
and a couple of small frags
What is the best way to remove the frag pugs as I do not like the way they look. I would like to glue the corals down to the rock work in a few weeks once I know that they are good to go. Here is a bad picture of the corals from the side of the tank.

Salinity 1.025
P.H. 8.2
AMMONIA 0 PPM
NITRITE 0PPM
NITRATE 5 PPM
CALCIUM 420
ALKALINITY 9.5

Michael

 

[DitchPlains2]

lol

lol

Yeah, you're right. All the best natural reefs that I've dived had "beautiful" white polyethylene at the bottom.

LOL very true, but not many home reefs with trillions and trillions of gallons of water that flows in and out of the rock work in what do that call the motion again? oh yeah "tides." lol


TrueBlack, amazing start, lovethe rock work

David

 

[trueblackpercula]

made so adjustments to the tank waiting on my new vortech lets hope it has all that and some more to offer very expensive but sure looks like its worth it. Now all I need is 10 more beautiful more sps and ishould be set. I have ordered a Centropyge interuptius from RCT and it should be ready for shipping by fall Frank told me. It will be some time before i can add the second one as they are very expensive. here is a picutre of my tank. I am looking for a frag of pink lemonade if anyone knows were to get some.
see ya soon everyone
Salinity 1.026
P.H. 8.1
AMMONIA 0 PPM
NITRITE 0PPM
NITRATE 10 PPM
CALCIUM 440
ALKALINITY 9.5
Temp 82 and loving it full PE on all Sps thanks to my 1/4hp chiller

 

[trueblackpercula]

well I have painted the stand and addded A new vortech Power head. Man this pump is not a toy move loads and loads of water. what i like about it the most is i can move it around to stir up the detritius on the bottom. I have also mangaged to get a frag of Garf Purple bonsai small but It will grow in time. I dont know how but the nitrates are 0 and I checked it 3 times to make sure. Maybe the rocks are starting to act as a dentrator There is a lot of coraline algea growing but none on the glass only the bottom of the tank. Here is a picutre of the tankside painted.
Salinity 1.026
P.H. 8.1
AMMONIA 0 PPM
NITRITE 0PPM
NITRATE 0 PPM
CALCIUM 440
ALKALINITY 9.5
Temp 81