Two Oceans Reef

[Lockes]

Well it is another log of setting up a marine tank. I love reading through others as it is a great learning tool and I hope many of you may be able to help me.

This all started a few years back with my 10g nano, then 4 foot and now my 1800 X 800 X 600mm tank.
I decided to partition my garage a few months ago and create a study which leads into my house and then have an in-wall tank and “zoo” as I call it on the other side housing my reef tank, 10 clown/bangaii breeding tanks and my Ball Python collection (hence the “ZOO”). The whole renovation to my home which included this mini renovation has been stressful to say the least but I am finally up and running.

A little background is in order. Firstly living in South Africa mean s we don’t have easy access to equipment, or our wishlist of corals and fish. I therefore ordered some of my equipment from Singapore which was not a huge saving but meant I had the equipment when I wanted it. It was a long wait but finally my equipment arrived:

• ATI 6 X 80W Powermodule
• Aquatronica Controller (Redox, Temp, Density, Water Leakage, Ethernet. Level Controller)
• Florida Aqua farms breeding and culturing equipment
I also have a host of existing equipment which I will be using including:
• Aquaclear running Phosphate and Purigen
• Boyu Waver
• Xwave Pump & Controller
• Tunze Return
• ATI Bubblemaster 200
• Tunze TS24 Kit with stream rocks

My tank is 1800 X 800 X 600mm with a 1400 X 500 X 500mm sump and I am running a Seachem Aragonite DSB in the sump with crushed live rock and a Seachem Aragonite SSB in the main tank with approximately 50kg mixture of Kenya & Fiji live rock.

 

[Lockes]

Aquascape

Aquascape

I am having a problem here

Do you feel I have too many rocks on the sand floor....what do you think?

 

[Lockes]

I used Seachem Stability religiously for the first two weeks to try and stabilize the tank. My rock had been in containers for the last four months and everything had died (not enough circulation, heat or open water)

My tank has been running for around 12 weeks so far and I experienced a small diatom bloom but nothing too hectic. I have just introduced fish and corals and I currently have some LPS, foxface and tangs in my system.
My problems at the moment are:
• The electrical wires everywhere
• Hiding the Tunze stream rock wiring
• The frame for the front access
• Aquacaping
• ATI powermodule shocks

I am also running a small breeding programme for Bangaii cardinals and clowns. At the moment I have setup 5 tanks with another level ready to receive the other five tanks. I have two pairs of clowns and have been using the other three tanks as quarantine without using them in the circulation through the other tanks. I only have one pair of clowns laying at this stage but hope to improve on that soon.

 

[Lockes]

few more photos

few more photos

A shot of the dividing wall - I still need to decide on a frame and front access panel

This is the mess I was left with during the renovation.......goodbye 2nd bathroom

I am still really struggling with aquascaping and whether to change it

 

[rob1991]

build up, too many on the sand, maybe go and buy a couple like 3 or 4 large 10 or 20 pound pecies. here is mine hopefully it might give you some inspiration.

\

 

[hifoo]

I preferred what you had before changing the aquascaping. It looked much more realistic, still looks good though.

 

[Grunt]

I personally like the rock setup Lockes. It looks quite naturalistic.

Cheers

 

[Jflip2002]

I like the rock set up for the most part. I would change it a little though. I think the footprint is nice where it stands. but everything is too level. Id make the stack to the left on the pics tallest, and that other stack towards the right, that could be little taller as well. but if how you have it currently pleases you, then by all means leave it. Its not by any means bad, its nice. I just think the little additions of heigh would make it that much BETTER.

 

[The Saltman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13047994#post13047994 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Grunt
I personally like the rock setup Lockes. It looks quite naturalistic.

Cheers

I agree

 

[Tater11]

looks good to me stick with it..

 

[Lockes]

Ok well I ended up re-arranging the rock and I will send some pics once things have settled in the tank

Getting some sps frags tomorrow as well so will take some pics of those.

Got some questions if anyone can help.

1. What height should I place my lights above the water if I am adding sps?
2. What do you think my lighting schedule should be?
3. Lastly I am trying to setup a seachem dosing system with seachem products. Anybody done this before?

 

[morino]

what tickness glass did you use?
i would ad some more rock

 

[Lockes]

12mm