The Volcano Tank - Konolua

[Konolua]

Some original shots after cycle...

Some original shots after cycle...

Here is what it looked like close to set up time...(this is an original post on a different site, but I left my comments in there for a little flavor). I will post some then/now shots too, as it is interesting to see the progression in 6 months.

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Quoted from October 2nd, 2009.....

This is from the left, and you can see the rock basin (the horizontal rock) a little better. Already, only after 3 weeks, it has wonderful micro algaes and the start of coraline. The waterflow through it is surpisingly strong, so I may put some polyps or something there....

Here's a close up of that part. Now, this was right at the beginning, which is why it looks different.

Here is the right side. You can see on the left part of the rock, it is all wet. The water moves fairly fast here. On the right, you will see a black hole, and the drip line is directly above that. Because I made the water drip so slow, it is hard to tell it is even an active drip...the rock always appears magically wet. As such, the crabs hang here a lot.

Here is one of the crabs....

Here is a far shot from the right.

 

[TenKreefer]

Tank is so sweet man, I saw it over on nanoreef. My next build will mimic yours

 

[Dhub]

Very nice! Very original. I love it!

 

[trmiv]

This is easily one of the coolest things I've ever seen on RC. Wow.

BTW, I love that little pool on the volcano with the zoanthids in it.

 

[ctmgardea]

cool tank!

 

[thebanker]

That's a really unique tank. I love how the volcano segregates the tank into two distinct areas. Also the waterfall idea is awesome. The HQI pendants look clean and simple. Mangroves give it a very cool intertidal / reef tank look.

Hats off to you!

 

[Eric the half-bee]

This is definitely one of the most interesting tanks I've ever seen. The crabs look big enough to be fish nabbers. It reminds me of the FW terrariums for rainforest frogs and such. Nice work.

 

[Konolua]

Then & Now

Then & Now

October 2009

March 2010

October 2009

March 2010

October 2009

March 2010

October 2009

March 2010

 

[Konolua]

This is easily one of the coolest things I've ever seen on RC. Wow.

BTW, I love that little pool on the volcano with the zoanthids in it.

Me too! Just added a capricornus too. I had a tiny frag there for a while but never glued it (like a moron) and one of the crabs eventually turned it over. It had grown too....so, I decided to put a larger frag up there and glued as I should have.

It will be fun to see what happens with it!

 

[Konolua]

That's a really unique tank. I love how the volcano segregates the tank into two distinct areas. Also the waterfall idea is awesome. The HQI pendants look clean and simple. Mangroves give it a very cool intertidal / reef tank look.

Hats off to you!

Thanks so much! I originally got a little peeved that the two sides looked so different (even the color of the lights tend to appear different!) but quickly I grew to love that there are two distinctive sides.

Thanks for the kind words!

 

[AC11337]

very original setup. get that beautiful red sea sailfin tang some nori tho! he looks a bit skinny!

 

[Konolua]

very original setup. get that beautiful red sea sailfin tang some nori tho! he looks a bit skinny!

Should have seen him before!

His colors are so much better, and he is starting to fill out. He eats a ton....and in the past two weeks has made tremendous improvements!

 

[biecacka]

sweet tank man!! show simplicity is not a bad choice!!
how are you getting the water up to the top of volcano?
corey

 

[Konolua]

sweet tank man!! show simplicity is not a bad choice!!
how are you getting the water up to the top of volcano?
corey

The return is split three ways....one to the left of the Volcano, one going behind it towards the right, and the third supplies the waterfalls. The waterfalls are then split in three ways as well.....

 

[Konolua]

A couple of people have inquired as to how the Volcano structure was formed, and it is created from 5 piece of large lace rock. I needed to service the overflow, so I thought I would take a couple of pictures with the top off. Here you go....

So, you can see the valve for the waterfalls, and the drain pipe. I had to cut egg crate to keep the crabs from venturing down. I also have a huge drain strainer on the intake as well incase they get through the egg crate (only happened once with a small guy, so I put the strainer in after that). There is a dead waterfall tube, which is the turquoise one in the middle, along with the blue one (I am not sure why I have not cut that....I just noticed it looking at the picture).

The main line is T'd on the left and feeds the upper waterfall that empties above the anemone, and the other end of the T is T'd again, to reduce water travel to another that empties on the anemone side, but above the zoanthid rock. Lastly, the one that is wrapped around and was pouring on the valve is the one that supplies the top of the volcano and then feeds the "œbasin" rock that now has the starting of a couple of zoanthids.

Of course, the elbow T right here in front is from the sump pump returning to the tank.

Hope some of this makes sense.....though it does look Mickey Mouse'd, it actually took a lot of thought. For instance, T'ing the waterfall line in a different order results in different water pressures....and I wanted the right waterfall to equal that of the left. The second waterfall on the right (that is behind the big one) is more to just keep the rock moist..which is perfect. That is where all the copepods and amphipods hang out. Ideal!

 

[agreeive?fish]

Great looking set up.. thanks for sharing

 

[maroon2]

Wow I just didn't even think that was possible. Makes my 90 build look :thumbdown

 

[abaran]

Wow I just didn't even think that was possible. Makes my 90 build look :thumbdown

mine to.

 

[RVANANO]

Incredible!!!!

 

[z3r0ko0l]

great tank! Thats thinking outside the box, err tank!