Trigeek's 90g Reef

[Trigeek]

Installed the fuge tonight. I put a one inch bulkhead into the hole and ran a piece of spaflex I had left over from the original plumbing of the sump. I added a ball joint mainly to extend the drain line's length more than to adjust flow (flow through the fuge is controlled from a ball joint in the feed to the fuge. It's draining very qiuetly. I used an older T5 fixture for lighting for now.

I also put the lights on a drawer track tonight.
Here is a pick of how I had it before.
It was rasied to help with cooling. The problem was that when I pushed the lights back to access the tank, the pieces of wood they rested on would slide all over and the lights would dance across the top of the canopy almost liding either into or off of the tank.

This is the track:

 

[Trigeek]

Here are some other pics. Queen conch (Elizabeth) on the sand.

Tests perfromed this a.m.

nitrates 0
phosphate .03
ph 8.2
alk 9.0 dKH
Calcium 440 ppm


The flatworms are multiplying. They are not the red ones and may be benign. I want a sixline for this reef eventually, but didn't want to add any more fish for a while. I may go to the LFS and see if a sixline is available. The pod population is still out of control. I've seen various worm type things in the sand also. The clown is still eating the pods off the glass.

 

[Trigeek]

I'm seeing more of the flatworms on the glass. I noticed a small red dot in the middle of a small one and I'm hoping this is not of the red bug variety. There are more, but still not many. If I get a sixline, it should be able to keep the pop. under control. I want to get a mandarin, but now I'm concerned if a 90g can support a mandy and a sixline. The tank is going on two months since set-up and I'm using old, established roock that had lots of pods to begin with. The pods are out of control. I guess if I add the sixline, I'll wait quite a bit and see how it effects the pod population.

I spot fed the coral last night with baby brine (frozen) soaked in Zoe and Zoecon. The blenny chased the syringe around the tank, gobbling up the brine that floated off the corals. He seemd to really love this little treat! The brain opened its mouth very wide after the feeding and ended up catching a larger brine that came from a marine mix of frozen food that I threw in the tank for the fish (also soaked in zoe and zoecon).

The Tunze is still blowing the sand around if left on for a while. I've been putting the Tunze on for about 15 minutes to get the junk off the sandbed and the rocks and into the water column. I think what I've decided to do is to add a layer of larger sand ontop of the oolitic stuff, especially on the side of the tank opposite the tunze where it seems to dig the sand up the most. If that still doesn't work, then I'm selling the Tunze and installing a closed loop. The addition of a sea swirl to blow the current around a bit more should also help.

 

[Trigeek]

checked parameters last night

nitrate 0
calcium 440 mg/l (pm)
alk 9 dKH
ph 8.2
phosphates .07:mad2:

The phosphates have risen as I have cut down on the Tunze/flow due to sand blowing issues. I have a small spot of detritus build up under one of the rocks (saw a bristle room picking around it yesterday) and see soem "litter" across the bed (snail poop etc.). I need to add a layer of larger grain sized sand, hopefully today, and see how that works. For now, I turn the Tunze on for a bout 15 mions a few times per day to lift some up into the water column.

Flatworms are still around.

Fish, corals and clam all look good. The ric looks bigger.

 

[heuerfan]

Can i possibly get a full tank shot showing the cabinet and canopy? Is this the Mission version by AGA?

Thanks!

 

[stereomandan]

Looks great. Keep the pictures coming! I like your idea for the sliding light track.

Dan

 

[Trigeek]

heuerfan:
I'll get a pic posted tonight. I don't recall the name of the stand and canopy and I tried to search for it on Big Al's online (I bought at at their store), but couldn't find it. I think I have the info at home.

The stand and canopy look very nice. The difficulty lies with the function of the stand and canopy. I'd like the stand to be slightly bigger underneath (more front to back space). However, a bigger complaint I have is with the canopy. It isn't very tall, which poses a problem if you want to use MH lighting. I'm using T5 lighting fixure (6x54w Teklight). I took the top door off the canopy (attached with a hinge) and placed the light over the opening. Also, there was a center brace along the top of the canopy which I cut away. This brace will not allow you to use long flourescents mounted to the door of the canopy. It seems to serve no purpose as the canopy is no less sturdy without it. So, Imade these mods and things are fine. The wife is happy because aesthetically it works for the room and I'm happy to have 90g reeftank!!!

steromandan:
I love that purple acro frag you have pictured in your gallery!

 

[FelipeBastos]

Glad to see another triathlete involved in reefs as well.

 

[Trigeek]

Hey Felipe,
You're not in Kona this week are you? We've picked two expensive endeavors; Triathlon and reeftanks! Ofcourse, you're getting paid for racing (something I can only dream of). Nice website! I'll check out some of your journal entries later.

 

[heuerfan]

Thanks Trigeek, i'm trying to please the wife as well

I believe this is what you have?
http://www.all-glass.com/products/featured/classicmission/

 

[mg426]

Nice job, cool rockwork.

 

[Trigeek]

heuerfan

Yep, that's it!


mg426
Thanks!

 

[Trigeek]

Some pics:

Tried to get a shot of the room the tank is in, difficult to do because of where the tank is.

Full tank shot (I know, pretty boring so far):

clam

angled shot of the right side

large red legged hermit, Brutus

 

[AVALover5498]

That is a really nice tank....i love the rockwork!!!!

 

[InvaderJim]

Awesome tank, I love it. Very inspiring because I have a 90g RR sitting right behind me thats still empty. :/

 

[Goodwood]

I have the same AGA stand and canopy on my 90, looks great. How do you like you Eheim return pump? I have a mag 7 now (kind of loud) was thinking of switching to Eheim.

 

[heuerfan]

Thanks for the pics, looks great and so does your place. Best of luck with the tank!

 

[Trigeek]

Last night, I made a housing for the electrical stuff. I used the canopy top door that I removed (removed it to accomodate the lighting fixture) and a piece of left over molding from the kitchen cabinets. The molding was the baseboard for the cabinets so it is about 5 inches or so tall. I attached this to the wall so the finished side face into the housing or "cabinet" (attached with 'L' brackets and drywall anchors) and then attached the hinges from the canopy door to the board, making a hidden space for the light timers and electrical stuff that is away from the water.

I only used about a third of the space in this "cabinet," so I have room for more timers or stuff down the road. Now, I just have to put baseboards down along the wall!


I also added a layer of larger particle sand to the right side of the tank to help cut down on the Tunze blowing the sugar sized particles up into the water and onto the rocks and corals. So far it is working great. I'll add a layer to the other side tonight. I rinsed the sand with RO/DI water in my net and into a bucket. Then I put the sand into a tupperware container that had a top with a small hole in it and poured close to the bottom. I got a little clouding but not too bad. I changed the carbon. Here's a pic of the new layer.

I'm concerned that eventually the larger sand will work its way into the sandbed, exposing the smaller particles on top again. If that happens, I may have to change some of the smaller particles for the larger sand as I want the larger flow the Tunze provides. Adding the sea swirl and more random flow should help also.

 

[druce]

looks good - added you to my 90g list

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=953021

 

[Trigeek]

I have the same AGA stand and canopy on my 90, looks great. How do you like you Eheim return pump? I have a mag 7 now (kind of loud) was thinking of switching to Eheim.

The Eheim is great!! Super quiet.

looks good - added you to my 90g list

Thanks, Druce