J_Chicago's 65 reef log.

[j_chicago]

So the water and rocks are in so I decided to start a log.

Bought the tank from a guy who was getting ready to move, but he had it broken down for over a year.
Paid about 250 USD for the tank, stand, lights, wet/dry, 20g acrylic tank, boxes and boxes of base rock and dead coral, and even more boxes of old bulbs, media, elements, test kits, powerheads, 2 Ehiems cans, air pumps, ozonizer, etc....

All the dosing and test kits went straight to the trash, as well as the media and alot of misc. tubing and stuff. The stand also had to go.

Here's the water test on the old stand...
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/Windows-1252BSU1HMDAxMDQuanBn.jpg


And the wet/dry if any one in Chicagoland wants to buy it!
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/Windows-1252BSU1HMDAxMDguanBn.jpg


Built a new stand, my first carpentry project, and props to my brother for 1) helping with construction, 2)use of some tools and 3)the use of his garage over a 3 month span as I worked on it between 2 jobs, my wife's schedule and my toddler's schedule.

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/IMG00090.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/IMG00091.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/Windows-1252BSU1HMDAxMDcuanBn.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/Windows-1252BSU1HMDAwMDcuanBn.jpg

[j_chicago]

Then went out and bought a 20L for a DIY sump. Used Plexiglas for the baffles and siliconed them in place. Return is the center, Skimmer on one side and refug. on the other.

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/Windows-1252BSU1HMDAwMDUuanBn.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/Windows-1252BSU1HMDAwMDguanBn.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/Windows-1252BSU1HMDAwMDkuanBn.jpg

Plumbing is 90% complete. Need to adjust my return piping and hook up the Mag Drive 9.5 and buy a flex hose for the hang-on over-flow to go to the sump.
So the sump is currently just sitting there empty until next paycheck and time to finish it.

[j_chicago]

Last night I purchased the pool filter sand and filled it up half way. Then today picked up the rock that had been sitting in my friends tank since I bought it, about 5 months ago. Also bought some sand from the store. Added the sand, then the after the salinity was almost right, added the rocks and finished filling it, aquascaping the whole time. readjusted the salinity again and added a few pieces of good LR from my friends tank to seed it a little better and also added some hermits that he wanted to get rid of. Currently only have 3 powerheads and a heater, not running the sump, don't have a skimmer yet, and no filter. The bulbs also need to be replaced in the lights, again, next paycheck. As you see my son is rather fond of it.

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/Windows-1252BSU1HMDAwMzguanBn.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/Windows-1252BSU1HMDAwNDAuanBn.jpg

[c4cat]

looking good :)

[Almondsaz]

J looks good. Did you water test your sump yet? Easier to check it out before it is under the stand and you have more problems. Just a good precaution.

[Rbishop]

Looking very good!

[j_chicago]

J looks good. Did you water test your sump yet? Easier to check it out before it is under the stand and you have more problems. Just a good precaution.

The second pic was taken right after the water test. The baffles didn't leak, but the plexi did bow unless the water level was the same on both sides of the sheet. I remedied it by placing a brace, made of extra eggcrate, across the center section where the pump goes.

Thanks the comments so far.
Jason

[Catpicklesdog]

Coming on well!

[Almondsaz]

It all looks really nice and the water will clear up even more once you hook up the sump. Great setup.

[WaywardSon]

Sure looks nice ...

[cweber]

Great buy! Looks good so far.:)

[j_chicago]

Thanks for the comments

Got the plumbing and sump going, next is skimmer, then lights.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/Windows-1252BSU1HMDAxNzcuanBn.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/Windows-1252BSU1HMDAxNzguanBn.jpg

[j_chicago]

Add my first fauna last night, besides the three hermits,

Clark's Anemone and Pulsing xenia, the fish was a givin to me after a friend bought a Black Perc. and the two were going at it, and he fragged the xenia for me.

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/DSC02961.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/DSC02963.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/DSC02964.jpg

[chefjamesscott]

truly awesome love the pic of your son in front of the tank

[JSmith]

looking great!

[j_chicago]

Yes, I been fiddling with the sump now for the last week, every time I open the stand he is either looking at the refuge or slipping his hands under the light and into the water. Good thing I put a lock on it.

He also seems more entertained by the hermits over the clown so far, but then again we have always had fish, and I kept some fiddlers awhile back that he loved.

[j_chicago]

Rescaped the rocks to get away from the "Great Wall" look. Still fiddling with it, but so far I like it better.

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/DSC03001.jpg

[Mr.Firemouth]

Some tips...
Use acrylic rods and drill your rocks. You can stack the rocks safely with the rods and help prevent a future rockslide if something shifts in your tank.

CMAS is your local aquarium club. They have a big swap on the 25th....
October 25, 2008 CMAS Frag Swap & Sale!

The swap will be at VFW Post – West Chicago, IL

CMAS will host a major pre-holiday Frag Swap & Sale on October 25 from 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM. It will be held at the VFW Post on Rte 59 in West Chicago. We will have room for twenty-five sellers and 200 attendees, so reserve your table early! The frag swap and sale includes livestock and dry goods.

In order to offset the hall rental costs, there will be a nominal $10 table rental for non-CMAS members and a $25 table rental fee for commercial sellers. We will also offer shared tables if you do not have enough items for a full table.

All CMAS members and interested reefers are invited to attend this great event.
The event is free to CMAS members. For all other attendees, the event entry is only $5.00. All attendees will receive one free raffle ticket and may purchase additional raffle tickets during the frag swap and sale.

The VFW is located at 431 N. Neltnor (Rte 59) in West Chicago, IL. There will be a cash bar for this event.

Sellers, please contact Boyd Corbett to reserve your spot. Send a PM or email me at fiberlux@comcast.net (fiberlux@comcast.net).

HOPE you can join us!

The swap will be at VFW Post – West Chicago, IL
VFW is located at 431 N. Neltnor (Rte 59) in West Chicago, IL

You will be able to pick up some incredible frags at that swap.

[j_chicago]

thanks for the info on the swap. I've been thinking about joining the CMAS but still debating the paying the dues for 10 or so meetings out in the burbs, when I might be able to attend 3-6 of those due to my schedule and lack of desire to be driving to the burbs on a Sun.

So far the rocks have been pretty stable, only a few pieces of rubble being blown down from the powerheads and knocked by the hermits.



Earlier this week my wife went out to the burbs to pick up her sister and took our son to Aquarium Adventures so he can play with the dogs there. She woke me up at noon (worked at the bar the night before) holding a bag of 4 Banggai Cardinals. God I love her. And I didn't even tell her my stocking plans or desire for the fish.

[j_chicago]

Thanks on the heads up on that swap Firemouth.

Came home a little ago from it, carrying 3 colonies (2 for $15ea. and $40 for one that has some feather dusters living with-in), a star polyp frag ($15) and some caulerpa ($5) which I should take some out of the refug, think that bag was too big. So all in all spent $110.

Pics will be coming once everything opens up.

[j_chicago]

Well, have some pics I took earlier everything still had not fully extended before lights out...

$15
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/IMG_6824.jpg

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/IMG_6832.jpg

$15
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/IMG_6826.jpg

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/IMG_6831.jpg

$40
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/IMG_6827.jpg

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/IMG_6830.jpg

$15
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/IMG_6825.jpg

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/IMG_6829.jpg

Whole tank
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/IMG_6840.jpg

Banggai
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/IMG_6851.jpg

Clown
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/IMG_6852.jpg

Hermit
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/IMG_6833.jpg

[j_chicago]

Just thought I'd give an update.

As of earlier this week I'm grossly overstocked since I am babysitting my friend's fish, coral and premium LR from his 75g (with a 40g sump/fug). Luckily his tank is less then a year old and only had some small corals, young fish, and he had some PVC structures forming arches so his LR was pretty spare. He's out for 3-4 months undergoing kidney surgery and recovery.

So I have my stock:
1 Clark anemone fish
4 Bangaii Cardinal
1 Peppermint shrimp
Xenia & various star polyps and zoas.

Then I have his:
2 Blue-Green Chromis
1 hippo tang (its only about 2" now)
1 watchman goby
1 long nose tang (not sure of species: brown/blue and about 3")
1 maroon clown (being isolated in my refug, he is the reason I have my Clark, aggressive)
1 Fire shrimp
Xenia and various button polyps and zoas.

Once he gets ready to set his tank back up, I figured I would frag the polyps and trade some of mine for his, and that goby might be hard to catch....

I also upgraded my lighting to the Aquatic Life HID/T5 fixture. But that came yesterday so can't really tell how the corals are digging the light, but I like it.

[j_chicago]

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/DSC03101.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/DSC03100.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/DSC03099.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/DSC03098.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/DSC03097.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/DSC03095.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/DSC03103.jpg

[j_chicago]

And I believe this is a bleached Sabae. Anyone want to confirm my ID and any advice on bringing it back.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/morris14/DSC03096.jpg


Had it for 2 days now, and the clown is hosting with it already, fed it raw shrimp. It has also grabbed some mysis from the fish. But the fish have been picking the food from it, including the clown. So I'm not sure what it has actually consumed, and I have not seen it expel any waste yet.

[Mr.Firemouth]

That looks like a healthy Sebae to me. They are usually white with blue tips unless they are dyed with food coloring.

[saltydunc]

tanks coming along very nicely there....nice healthy looking hippo tang you got there.