Dave's 90 gallon reef story

[mogurnda]

I finally got my act together and uploaded some photos of the tank as it has come together.

It started as a free 90 gallon AGA tank, with stand and canopy, won in the raffle at the WAMAS Reef Symposium.

After a lot of money and time, it's now a tank full of ammonia, nitrite and sand.

http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/10/new_tank_2512.jpg

Note the stand has already been painted brown to match our earth-tony room.

My wife picked a nice shade of blue for the back:

http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/10/tank_back_2509.jpg

The freshwater test run went fine:

http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/10/FW_fill__2561.jpg

So I put in ASW, playsand and some dead live rock ("reef bones"), and ran a powerhead and quickfilter:

http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/10/sand_cloud_2565.jpg

Now it's sitting with some rotting bits of crab, innoculated with live sand from the 20 gallon.

http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/10/tank_clear_2583.jpg

The current specs are:
90 gallon reef-ready tank with AGAs version of a durso
20 long sump, now in its second redesign
mag 9.5 return pump, going to 3/4" SeaSwirl
[there's also a Euroreef CS 6-2 skimmer that will get added after the cycle]

Next series: modding the canopy for the halides.

[wastememphis]

Looking good dave! Do you have a close up on your sump? Congradulations.

[mogurnda]

Thanks! I have a few close up shots, but may wait until the "mark III" is done this weekend.

[mogurnda]

Here's a diagram of the mark III. The top is a front view, the bottom is a top view, with the front at the bottom. The idea was to use baffles to direct the flow behind the return pump, to allow bubbles to get to the surface. So far it seems to work, and I'll post a pic of it in action in the next few days.

http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/20/sump_markIII.jpg

Meantime, the canopy has been modified, and just needs another coat of paint and some wiring. Stay tuned.

[OrionGirl]

Looks good! Will you keep the 20 up and running? Any decisions yet for stocking?

[mogurnda]

When the 90 is ready, I am going to move everything over from the 20. Then I'll use the 20 for a qt tank for a while. I have found it hard to pay as much attention as I would like to two SW tanks at the same time.

The plan for the moment is to do a mixed soft/stony tank, but to segregate the two on separate islands of rock. In addition to what I have, I'd like to add a few acropora species, and maybe a crocea clam in the rockwork.

As far as fish, I'm going to try to get as much tank-raised as I can. One of the reefers here is growing out some banggais, and I have dibs on a pair when they come up. I have recently seen some CB fangblennies, which look really cool as well. Plus a few more gobies. When all has settled down, a kole tang would probably be the final fish.

Overall though, I want to take the stocking slow and easy, so I can be picky and enjoy the process.

PS. Welcome back!

[mogurnda]

During the big AC outage, I also got the lighting installed and running. The thing is almost cycled, and I'll be putting in an order with TBS very soon.

Here's how I modded the AGA canopy for the halides and T5s:

First, I extended the height with 1X8s. The corners aren't beautiful but they are adequate. Also installed a couple of 4" fans and cross members for the T5 actinics:

http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/20/canopy_pine_2620.jpg

Here's a shot before painting to give an idea of how much it's extended:

http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/20/canopy_mod_2616.jpg

And then painted monkey[censored] brown:

http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/20/painted_canopy_off_2621.jpg

The interior got painted black (because much of it started that way), and the halides and T5s got installed. The equipment is 2X250 watt Iwasaki lamps, with one Icecap and one Blueline ballast. The T5s are 54 watt actinic and 60/40, because I want it a bit less blue when the halides are off:

http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/20/canopy_wiring_2635.jpg

Actinics on:

http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/20/actinic_on_2639.jpg

Halides on. Since the halides are so much more intense, it's hard to find a good exposure for comparison:

http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/20/acthalide_2663.jpg

Well, that's where I'm at so far. The sump still needs a bit of tweaking, but it's pretty quiet now.

[Cearbhaill]

Looking good- I can't wait to see how you lay it out.
I went with the "two piles" design as well- and a fair mix of corals.
I must admit though that I am heavily favoring stoneys even though I vowed initially not to get "sucked into the SPS hype".

There's just something about them...

[mogurnda]

I vowed initially not to get "sucked into the SPS hype". Most of the reefers around here are SPS snobs, but I really want to have some large softies even if it means I get sneered at. Partly because I have a strong attachment to my sarcophyton, but I also like the look of softies moving in the current. Of course, I also want a huge staghorn acropora as a centerpiece, so we'll see how the tank looks in the end.

[Cearbhaill]

I have only a yellow Figi leather, a Lobophytum, and an un-named "lime green leather" from IPSF that could possibly cause me problems, so am keeping a really close eye on my SPS. I just added the Sarco and Lobo last week, so the jury is still out.
If I see problems I'l crank on some carbon and if that doesn't fix it I'll rethink things.

But I agree- I especially love my clear yellow mushroom.
Softies can be stunningly colorful and really pack a visual punch.

I think we may end up with very similar tanks!
It's the whole "great minds think alike" thing :D

[mogurnda]

It's the whole "great minds think alike" thing :laugh: :laugh: I hope my tank ends up as nice as yours :D

After crowding several species of montipora and porites into the 20 with a bunch of softies, I know that some SPS don't give a hoot about softies unless they are in direct contact (although I do use carbon). When a xenia melted down in a heat wave last month, it killed a nearby capnella, and the other softies got rather pouty for a few days, but the SPS looked as nice as ever.

I do worry that I won't be able to get away with this with more sensitive SPS like Acropora and Pocilliopora.

[Cearbhaill]

What a nice thing to say!

I find that I am reefing much like I garden-
I have limited space, and things have to give me "bang for my buck". While I am not opposed to creating a niche environment for something special there is a limit to how much I will fuss over anything and if it just ain't gonna make it I will dump it and replace it with something equally beautiful but a bit more thankful for my loving care.

And while my eight month old tank is by no means old enough to judge any type of success- I haven't lost anything yet. Well- one acro fell down lord knows where so it is literally lost, but everything is extending polyps, growing, and holding color.
I am forced financially to buy small colonies and even smaller frags (again just like I garden some of my exotics) but in the long run I think things adapt better this way. Get 'em young and grow 'em your way!

[mogurnda]

The tank is cycled, the sump/fuge is finished and lit, so I guess it's time for live rock. The first TBS shipment is coming in to BWI tonight, so let the fun begin.

At least this time I have a sump for urchins, hairy crabs and (hopefully not) mantises.

Photos tomorrow, if there's time to upload them.

[OrionGirl]

Looking forward to pics--I guess I should get in gear and take some of the 120's, eh?

Heck, just keep the 20 setup for any mantis you get! :)

[mogurnda]

I keep thinking I should set up a mantis nano in my office, but people here are so uptight.

[OrionGirl]

:) I can imagine. I remember someone had problems setting up a reef tank in their dorm room because their RA had heard that live rock could have dangerous hitch hikers. Think they imagined a mantis shrimp prowling down the halls beating up freshmen. :D

If I had the room, I would have a 15 high SW setup at work--but I would have to find a new place for some of my office reference manuals, and somehow that request never goes over very well. :)

[mogurnda]

Looking forward to pics--I guess I should get in gear and take some of the 120's, eh? Mmmm-hmmmm. It has been a while, hasn't it. :rolleyes:

[OrionGirl]

:p :p :p

10 days vacation, 2 4 day trips for work, 2 weekends spent putting in forms and pouring a concrete sidewalk in the back yard, dealing with a pissed off cat that has 'forgotten' his box training, working 10 hour days...Ummm...A few days being bedridden with allergies...

I'm sure I can think of more excuses! Promise, by the end of September! :laugh:

[mygreengoldfish]

Keep up the pictures on your tank mogurnda! I am interested to see how your tank will turn out. Good Luck! :)

[mogurnda]

The rock and sand went in last night. I haven't bothered aquascaping much, and no close ups of the rock. The usual sponges, a few red mithrax crabs, cup corals. Nice stuff but nothing spectacular.

http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/10/tank_tbs_2778_r1_crop.jpg

I also got a new little friend, who can be seen in this thread:http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33657

Joe's timing was perfect. The mantis is in an obvious hidey hole so it should be possible to get it out.

Oh, and for Wastememphis, here's a shot of the sump Mark III. It's a bit overfull right now, because I am still waiting on parts for the auto topoff. Another angle may show the baffles better.

http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/20/sump_2761.jpg

[mygreengoldfish]

So far it looks nice. What kind of corals and/or fish are you going to put in it? I also would like to know how you set up the top off system and some pictures. I have a problem with alot of water evaporating, around 1 to 2 gallons a day.

[mogurnda]

What I'm aiming for is a setup with two tall islands of live rock, one with softies and one with SPS and maybe a few LPS, and a crocea clam in the rockwork. Hopefully there will be enough space on the floor for a couple of large clams (derasa and squamosa), and for a large, isolated rock with a large sea finger gorgonian. I am going to start with what I have in the 20, add some frags, and let stuff grow.

For fish, the clowns will go in, plus a pair of banggais, some more gobies and a kole tang.

The topoff will be pretty simple. A 16 gallon polyethylene tank, connected to a float valve with flexible tubing. It's easy to post the specs if you want them.

[wastememphis]

i'm such a fan of sumps... too bad i dont have one :-\ looking good!

[AW2EOD]

The topoff will be pretty simple. A 16 gallon polyethylene tank, connected to a float valve with flexible tubing. It's easy to post the specs if you want them.

Please post the specs. I have a 150gal. and am having such a hard time with my sump. I need to figure something out for this thing.

Thanks!

[mogurnda]

Well, the negotiations for drilling the wall into the bathroom behind went through, so the topoff system is in place. Just need to upload some pix.

[mygreengoldfish]

I would like to see some pics of how you did your top off system. How much did it cost you?

[mogurnda]

Well, here's the system. Very simple: a 16 gallon tank (US Plastics (http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=USPlastic&category%5Fname=20721&product%5Fid=2105)) connected to a float valve by 1/4" ID tubing. I used a $50 tank, rather than a cheaper rubbermaid tub, after reading posts about rubbermaid tubs failing from the stress of repeated filling and draining. The tank is installed in a bathroom closet, and the tubing is fed through the wall to the valve in the sump.

http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/20/topoff_all_2800.jpg

Here are the pieces: float valve (from Marine Depot, $15 (http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=KM1675)), adaptors to connect the 1/4" thread of the valve to the tubing (from US Plastics (http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/default.asp)), plus another barbed adaptor to connect to the 3/4" bulkhead on the tank. There is also a pinch valve and quick disconnect fitting if I need to dismatle the system for maintenance or repairs.

http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/20/topoff_bits_2796.jpg

Here it is in action in the sump. I drilled the baffle and have it running through the fuge, rather than drilling the tank. Remember to put it in the section where the depth varies.

http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/20/topoff_sump_2802.jpg

Simple to build, less than 100 bucks, and frees me up from topping off for at least a week at a time.

[mygreengoldfish]

Thanks. I think I might try to set something up like this, probably a little small so I can fit it under my tank on top of my sump. Can't wait to see your tank up and running. Good Luck!

[mogurnda]

So, here it is, with the second shipment of rock. Now it's time to sit back, let the rock cure for a while, and then start to shift the stuff over from the 20.

http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/12/tank083104_2804.jpg

[OrionGirl]

How many pounds of rock are in there?

[mogurnda]

There's 90 lbs that you can see, plus about 40 underneath holding it up. Once it's ready, I'll move 40 more lbs in from the 20. Should make a couple of good piles, plus some room for a couple of clams.

[wastememphis]

I have a few more questions about your sump dave, since i hve a 20gallon to place under my tank... do you have the AGA megaflow acessory kit going into your sump, then you just did your own pvc work? And did you split the water going down into the sump to go to the left with the skimmer and right with the refugium... so they meet in the middle and go back up into the tank?? Also how did you get the second divider from the right in with the lips on the 20gallon tank to be the width of the tank? what are teh dimensions of your fuge???

[mogurnda]

NIce to see this thread still has some life in it. I didn't post on your thread because I thought you might want other input.


do you have the AGA megaflow acessory kit going into your sump, then you just did your own pvc work? I used the durso-like standpipe that All-Glass makes for inside the megaflow.

And did you split the water going down into the sump to go to the left with the skimmer and right with the refugium... I used 1" PVC from the bottom of the standpipe, with a tee to split flow to the sump and fuge. The pipe to the sump/skimmer is 1", that to the fuge is 3/4", because I want a lot more flow to the sump. Each branch has a ball valve so I can control flow to each side.

so they meet in the middle and go back up into the tank?? Yep.
Also how did you get the second divider from the right in with the lips on the 20gallon tank to be the width of the tank? I'm not sure I understand this one. Can you rephrase it?

what are teh dimensions of your fuge??? The fuge is 11LX12WX10H. The first baffle is 11" high across most of its length, but about 1/3 of it is at 10" to provide a controlled overflow.

One other note. I have about 1" between the two left baffles, but I would extend that to about 2", and have the overflow of the first baffle at the front rather than the rear, so the water will have to travel to the back and then to the front before it hits the return pump. I am still getting too many bubbles.

[wastememphis]

I meant, by how your diagram looks... you have the baffle going across the entire width of the tank (12") how did you fit that in there, to get it over the edges on the top of the tank, or is it smaller than the width(not going all the way across)??

[mogurnda]

I think I may be being a little dense, so I may not answer the question you're asking. All of the baffles go across the width of the tank, and are siliconed in place. I just turned them on their way in, put them in place and siliconed them.

[wastememphis]

no, thats the question. I just can't visiualize how you can fit something the exact width of the tank in the tank! because of how their is an overhang on the trim for the tank, where the top would fit, I haven't tried it but I thought there would be a problem and that you'd have to cut the baffles like 11inches or something then use alot more siliacone. I might use some of your idea though, do you have a ballvalve on the return line too??

[mogurnda]

I think you're making it harder than it needs to be. Remember that you don't need to move things straight up and down on the way in, so they can be cut exactly to fit.

There is also a ball valve on the return. I also made liberal use of union connectors to be able to take things apart as needed. The ball valve on the return allows for throttling down as needed.

[wastememphis]

so... hows the tank going?! (p.s. this thread will keep comming back)

[mogurnda]

The tank is doing pretty well, thanks. It doesn't look a whole lot different from the pic in my specs at this point. Between travel and an algae bloom (miscalculated the herbivores needed), I haven't added many corals in the past few months.

What's new:
Urchin (traded for one of the mantises)
Kole tang and foxface added (local guy was moving)
1 cute little fuzzy gorgonian (traded for montipora frags)
Last mantis removed, happy in nano

The plan is to focus on gorgonians, mostly photosynthetic. I'd like to have a little forest, with some of the existing SPS, a few brains, and some cool zoos on the rockwork. People have offered acropora frags, but they spend all their time worrying about bleaching and red bugs. This is supposed to be relaxing.

[wastememphis]

Alright, I'm building my sump now. I have a 20gallon long, I'm going to have the 1" tube come down from the tank and hit a 90 degree elbow then go through a ball valve then come down on to the right side of the 20gallon. That is where the skimmer will sit. I was going to have a baffel on the top of the tank so the water would have to go under that and then have another one 1" awa for the water to flow over, this next section will be my fuge'. Then I would have it come over one more baffel and it would hit my return pump. I just dont know the heights to make the baffels, I just dont want to have bubbles in the tank thats why I'm having it come into the skimmer, then fuge then return... so hopefully there won't be any bubbles. Any imput??? I think I'm going to do the same set up you did with the top off aswell. :dance

[mogurnda]

Will this thread never die :D :D

I agree with you about the bubbles. I get some that make it back to the main tank. The problem with having the sump and fuge in line is that is puts a lot of flow through the fuge. If I did it over again, I would add another baffle after the skimmer, and make the fuge a little smaller. JMO.

[wastememphis]

so you would have three baffles between the skimmer and the next compartment? I haven't made anything permanent but with the euro reef skimmer on one end and the mag pump on the other it doesn't look like alot of room for a fuge. Do you have enough room in yours to put a heater???


why would you want this post to die, its great!

[wastememphis]

also... did you install the auto top off at the same time as the sump? could i do it after i have water in it? FINIALLY do you have any matting under your sump. Is the return pump sitting on anything, is that loud?

[FL Knifemaker]

Lookin Good Dave!!!

I was thinking of replacing my 36 gal bowfront with a 125. I'm now thinking a 90 will be plenty big enough. I'd love to get one custom made in starphire glass. HHHHHHHHHmmmmmmmmm :)

[mogurnda]

so you would have three baffles between the skimmer and the next compartment? Yeah, I'd do 3 notched baffles, separated by 1", pushing the flow from the back to the front, then back again. I'd only do 2 on the fuge side, since the flow is low.

Do you have enough room in yours to put a heater??? Actually, no, it's in the overflow.

also... did you install the auto top off at the same time as the sump? could i do it after i have water in it? I have drilled baffles in a full sump, but I wouldn't recommend it. What I did the last time was to drill the hole, and then silicone a piece of acrylic over it until I was ready to install the float.

FINIALLY do you have any matting under your sump. Is the return pump sitting on anything, is that loud? Nothing under the sump, but I have a piece of neoprene (part of an old wetsuit) under the return. Cuts the noise a little.

I was thinking of replacing my 36 gal bowfront with a 125. I'm now thinking a 90 will be plenty big enough. I'd love to get one custom made in starphire glass. If I could do it over again, I'd go for a 120. 18" is awfully narrow, both for aquascaping and for installing a sump. Starphire (or the generic equivalent) on the other hand, is a great idea :D

[wastememphis]

Thanks for your help. Do you have only one heater in your tank? 120gallons is the perfect size. I think I'll ignore that fact and give my little 65gallon some attention, hey I've doubbled from a 29, maybe next step is a 120! yes.... hahaha I'll take pics once I finish my plumbing, but I'm sure i'll stumble into some questions before I'm done. I'll start my own post, or use my old one for updates. thanks for your helpa again.

[mogurnda]

I usually only have one heater. In the winter, I put a second one in the display because the room temp often goes below 50 and one heater can't keep up.

[mogurnda]

The planets have converged so that I have time to shoot a few photos and the camera was actually in town last week.

Just short of a year ago, the tank looked like this:
http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/12/tank083104_2804.jpg

Earlier this year, during a long algae bloom, and before a modest meltdown during a trip, it looked like this:
http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/12/tank_3840.jpg

The algae bloom has subsided, a few more corals have been added, and the tank is no longer an embarrassment:
http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/12/whole081005_4534.jpg

Left side:
http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/12/left081005_4538.jpg

Center:
http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/12/center081005_4574.jpg

From right end:
http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/12/rt_end081005_4566.jpg

One more overview, center-left:
http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/12/left_center081005_4577.jpg

A lot of the frags and colonies are growing rapidly (pics to follow), but there's obviously lots of room for more.

[Boohoo]

That looks awesome! :dance: I would love to have a salt water set up but I'm not brave enough to take on that responsability yet. :(

[Dangerdoll]

WOWEE Mo!! Things certainly have progressed nicely for you over the year. Congrats on a work well done!


That looks awesome! :dance: I would love to have a salt water set up but I'm not brave enough to take on that responsability yet. :(
Boohoo, it's really not as much as you would think in regards to responsibility. It's just a different type as compared to freshwater. I say study up on the start of it and give it a whirl. You will not be disappointed. And after you do, you can be sitting here telling someone else the same as you proudly look at your accomplishment. ;)

[Swimfins]

Wow super nice. Ya mean mine won't look like a bunch of moon rocks forever?
The spaghetti leather is cool. I gotta have one.
Never mind I want it all....

[mogurnda]

Wow super nice. Ya mean mine won't look like a bunch of moon rocks forever?
The spaghetti leather is cool. I gotta have one.
Never mind I want it all....
Yours will start looking like a piece of ocean before you know it!

That sinularia was a polyp-less blob of yellow tissue left over from a frag workshop a few years ago. Unlike a lot of the other softies, it has grown a bit slowly. Seems to like where it is now.

http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/15/yel_sin081005_4601.jpg

[mogurnda]

Here's the greenbanded goby. I tried to get a few more to keep it company, but it's hard to find them captive-reared these days.
http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/14/goby081005_4550.jpg

[RothChyld]

Mog, are you adding any supplements to get the corralline to grow?

[mogurnda]

Mog, are you adding any supplements to get the corralline to grow?
I'm running a Ca reactor. I got tired of daily dosing, or mixing up kalk every week, so I just built a reactor.

[RothChyld]

So all you do is top off with fresh?

[mogurnda]

So all you do is top off with fresh?
Just feed and make sure the topoff reservoir is filled.

[wastememphis]

Any updated pics of your tank?

[mogurnda]

Any updated pics of your tank?
Your wish is my command. Have a look at this thread (http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55479). I decided to start a new one, rather than have people wade through all the old photos.

[wastememphis]

It looks nice! I love the gorgorians (sp? never had to spell it).

[NanoMan]

WTG!!! looks good Dave. mine is coming along so slowly. I have most everything but i am moving so i didnt set it up. once i get moved into the new apartment i will set it up. i lack the plumbing and sump only but an easy addition. BTW that goby is pretty nice. gotta love the gobies.

[jessie]

green banded gobies rule!!!!!

[mogurnda]

WTG!!! looks good Dave. mine is coming along so slowly. I have most everything but i am moving so i didnt set it up. once i get moved into the new apartment i will set it up. i lack the plumbing and sump only but an easy addition. BTW that goby is pretty nice. gotta love the gobies. Greenbanded gobies do indeed rule. I would love to get a shot when it nestles in the urchin's spines.

Now that the acropora is doing well, I'll try to get some shots of their growth, and the little derasa clam I won at MACNA.

I decided to merge the setup and current threads, to give an idea of its development.

[NanoMan]

yes plz give us some shots of the goby. man your always winning something
cool :)

[mogurnda]

yes plz give us some shots of the goby. man your always winning something
cool :)I won't tell you how much I spent on raffle tickets.

What I really wanted was the trip to Fiji.

[NanoMan]

lol

[colesy]

Hey Dave, I was wondering. Did your tank and stand come with its sump system? It looks like it was already built in.

Also what type of paint did you use to paint your tank? I never really thought about painting mine, but it turned out nice.. Is it just a cosmetic thing? or does it help with anything else?

[mogurnda]

Hey Dave, I was wondering. Did your tank and stand come with its sump system? It looks like it was already built in.

Also what type of paint did you use to paint your tank? I never really thought about painting mine, but it turned out nice.. Is it just a cosmetic thing? or does it help with anything else?
The sump is a 20 long glass tank. It took a few tries to get the baffles set up to fit the skimmer, fuge and topoff system, and also get rid of the bubbles going to the return pump. One reason I would not get a 90 again is that the stand is so narrow, so building a workable sump was a bit of a challenge.

I put the sump in before the tank went on the stand. It will not come out, unless I knock out the middle brace of the stand. Made things really interesting when the sump cracked last winter.

I just used latex paint. I wanted something that would hide all the pipes and wires, and am very happy with it. It's nice that the urchin keeps scraping the coralline off back there, I like the blue.

[Swimfins]

It does look gr8. Kudos. I'd luv a 90 but am too poor at the moment, but who knows. ;) where there's a will there's a way!! Please keep inspiring us.

[mogurnda]

Thanks! It did cost a good bit, even though the tank was "free." I'm glad I had the money to do it the way I wanted.

Speaking of free, here's the new little clam.
http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/16/derasa_4742.jpg

[colesy]

What exactly did you use at your base? Dry sand for the initial base. Then in a later pic it looks like crushsed coral on top..

[mogurnda]

What exactly did you use at your base? Dry sand for the initial base. Then in a later pic it looks like crushsed coral on top..Oops, just saw this.

I used playsand as the base. Then added about 45 lbs florida live sand, which is fairly coarse. I love the fresh live sand, it has so many worms and stars and things.

Now there's a layer of broken coral branches and other rubble on top of all of it. It's not really intentional, I just keep smacking into the corals.

[mogurnda]

Had a little time to shoot photos tonight, so I thought I'd do a little updating.

After I got the huge, cheap gorgonian from Florida Pets, I had to shift things around. Also did a little pruning to show some of the corals, like the orange cap and the brain, better.
http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/thumbnails/12/whole_5039.jpg (http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/12/whole_5039.jpg)

Here's a closer shot of the platygyra brain. It has been hidden by the gorgonians for months, so I moved one and pruned another.
http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/thumbnails/15/brain_4990.jpg (http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/15/brain_4990.jpg)

Here's the new gorgonian, an angular sea blade.
http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/thumbnails/15/gorg_5045.jpg (http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/15/gorg_5045.jpg)

Details of the polyps:
http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/thumbnails/15/gorg_detail_5049.jpg (http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/15/gorg_detail_5049.jpg)

Here are some zoos I got last year from Dr Mac. Nice color, but didn't photograph well.
http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/thumbnails/15/zoos_5022.jpg (http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/15/zoos_5022.jpg)

[mogurnda]

This is always fun. Growth sequence of an acropora frag I got earlier in the year. Whatever species it is, it has been so hardy, people around here call it the "weed staghorn."

Early August, it's just a little green nub:
http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/thumbnails/15/acroweed1_4613.jpg (http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/15/acroweed1_4613.jpg)

Late September, it's coloring up and getting branchy:
http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/thumbnails/15/acroweed1_4747.jpg (http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/15/acroweed1_4747.jpg)

Tonight (mid-November), looking like a small colony:
http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/thumbnails/15/acroweed1_4965.jpg (http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/15/acroweed1_4965.jpg)

[Sregnar35]

Wow, tank looks amazing Dave. Always loved your leather coral. It's actually the reason why I got one. Keep up the good work.

[richtpe]

Looks great! That's incredible growth out of the acropora frag in only 3 months. So that's the kind of results you get with metal halide...hmmmm... :rolleyes: ...upgrade..upgrade...

[mogurnda]

Wow, tank looks amazing Dave. Always loved your leather coral. It's actually the reason why I got one. Keep up the good work.Yeah, it was my first real coral. Always wonder how big it would be if I never fragged it. I almost lost it a few months ago, when it started rotting on the inside. Turns out I had mounted it temporarily on a wooden toothpick a few years ago, and forgot to remove it. Rotting wood isn't good for corals. Doh!


So that's the kind of results you get with metal halide...hmmmm... ...upgrade..upgrade...
It's been interesting to see what a difference upgrading the lights can make. You think your corals are growing fast, but....

[senos]

Dave, I love the float valve you have designed and installed in your sump. I was looking at the one thats $15 from Marine Depot, and I think I may order it. Ever since solving my overheating problem by removing the glass tops of the aquarium, ive noticed a huge amount of evaporation and im finding that I need to top up a little bit of fresh RO+DI water every few days. This is getting very annoying. I dont mind tank maintenance, but to top up every couple days is frustrating. I was thinking of running a waterline from my 4 gallon RO resevoir tank right to the float valve. Think it would work ok? I believe the pressure is about 40 psi when the tank is full. I dont mind drilling the side of my sump, and by the looks of that float valve, it should fit okay in my return pump chamber. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Dave.

PS- your tank is beautiful

-Dave

[mogurnda]

I'm glad you like the tank :D

Your plan sounds good, but I can't tell you how dependable the valves are under pressure. Mine has been completely dependable for over a year, but it is under very low pressure from the reservoir, so I don't know how it would deal with 40 psi.

Drilling the sump, rather than a baffle, will probably be a good idea. I would have preferred to drill the side of the sump, but didn't feel like dealing with drilling glass.

[senos]

Something just occured to me.... Im not sure that I could ever sleep at night knowing that if the float valve was to get stuck open, I would have a never-ending amount of water flowing into my sump and overflowing (since the RO resevoir tank is constantly being kept full since its connected to the tap). Even worse, when i go away on business or holidays, i could return home to a real huge problem... my home could be floating down the street! Maybe I will look into one of those electronic sensors which activate an auxilary pump to pump water into the sump. I could then set up a 20 gallon resevoir like yours in the basement full of RO water. Then the worst case scenario would be a 20 gallon mess, rather than a never-ending mess.

[mogurnda]

Yeah, I agree. You might have a look at www.floatswitches.net.

[NanoMan]

I wanna see some up close shots of the sump.

[mogurnda]

I wanna see some up close shots of the sump.So you're a fan of calcium deposits, algae and salt creep?
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

I'll try to take a few. It's not easy with the brace in the middle.

[Dangerdoll]

I have nightmares of salt creep but I also have a HOB skimmer and filter. Reading here, with these threads..... I'm thinking of making some changes. I'm not happy with the SW tank and the SC is driving me up a wall. So, I've printed up some of these threads for home reading (don't like to be on the PC too much at home) and will be doing a lot of homework.

[mogurnda]

With all the fun of the new seahorse tank, the reef's been neglected. Here are a few from tonight.

The whole tank looks a bit different. The SPS have been growing and taking over, and the gorgonians are getting pushed out. The big sea blade, and the sea plume, are now in the seahorse tank. I keep hearing that gorgonians produce toxins that irritate other corals, but the fact is they keep losing fights, even with "meek" SPS like montipora. I got a beatiful hammer "frag" (more like a colony) in trade last month, and it was temporarily in the front of the tank. The sinularias on the left are mad because I fragged them for the meeting on Saturday.

Sorry about the focus.

http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/thumbnails/12/whole_5506.jpg (http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/12/whole_5506.jpg)

the November shot for comparison

http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/thumbnails/12/whole_5039.jpg (http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/12/whole_5039.jpg)

A couple of acros I got at MACNA.

In November
http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/thumbnails/15/MACNAacros_4999.jpg (http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/15/MACNAacros_4999.jpg)

Tonight
http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/thumbnails/15/MACNAacros_5514.jpg (http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/15/MACNAacros_5514.jpg)

More to follow.

[mogurnda]

Tonight I tried to get some pics of the fish. They are a lot harder. They move faster than corals.

Mrs Friedman, the female orchid dottyback. It seems nearly impossible for the camera to focus on the dottybacks, as if it doesn't see them. She is so much more gorgeous in person.

http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/thumbnails/14/mrsfriedman_5546.jpg (http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/14/mrsfriedman_5546.jpg)

The foxface. They really are fantastic SW fish. Always out, pretty to look at, easy to feed. I just hope this one doesn't develop a taste for corals.

http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/thumbnails/14/foxface_5528.jpg (http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/14/foxface_5528.jpg)

The clowns and their toadstool. They do a timeshare between this coral and some zoanthids down below. I don't know if it's true, but it seems like the toadstool has extended its polyps a lot farther since these guys have taken up residence.

http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/thumbnails/14/clownleather_5553.jpg (http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/14/clownleather_5553.jpg)

Red, the female clown. I got this fish as a pup a little over 5 years ago.
http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/thumbnails/14/redleather_5554.jpg (http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/14/redleather_5554.jpg)

The kole tang. For some reason, it likes to sniff around in this monti.
http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/thumbnails/14/tang_5545.jpg (http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/14/tang_5545.jpg)

And last, a shot of the new hammer, with my old frogspawn.
http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/thumbnails/15/euphyllia_5575.jpg (http://www.aquaticphotos.com/data/media/15/euphyllia_5575.jpg)