d'Espresso Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 WELCOME TO MY SOLANA 34 GALLON I have decided to jump into the hobby about 3 years ago and setup my first Aquapod 12 gallon tank. I had alot of up and down with the tank. I was about to give up the hobby but decided to give it another try. I am now happy that I have stayed in this hobby and I would like to share some of my experiences with others and also learn from others. My tank was set up on June 1st, 2009. I have transfer most of my livestock from my previous tank. I also have used past experiences to "Do it the right way this time” and learn new experience from others ☺. This tank setup will be my journal and will have a long journey to come. So sit back and relax, and enjoy the new beginning of my solana reef aquarium. Current FTS: October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 Solana 34g Established June 1st, 2009 Tank Specifications: -Aquarium Dimensions: 20"x20"x20" Current USA Solana 34g Solana and Espresso Solana Stand -Light: Hamilton MH 150w with 14K Phoenix bulb plus retrofit 6 x 3w Royal Blue actinic LEDs, backup light by Maxspect LED-G2-400-160w -Cooling System: Azoo Dual Fan -Circulation: 2x Ecotech MP20s and MJ900 (back 3rd chamber) -Protein Skimmer: Sapphire Aquatics Solana/Cardiff NanoSkimmer -ATO: Dual AutoTopoff with MJ900 Pump (5.5 gallon reservoir) -Heater: 200W Stealth -Controller: Reef Keeper Lite with Temp Probe and ALC to control dimming LEDs Modifications: -Custom fitted egg crate for chemi-pure -Added fuge light to grow Chaetos -Custom fitted Ice cracked shield to replace Solana stand window glass Solana Aquarium Ecology The main theme of the tank is a "Gobies Paradise" and a simple clean feeling look with a mixture of SPS, LPS, Softies reef. Most corals will be LPS. There will also be other livestocks that will be different kind of gobies, paired designer clown fish, and many more later on. Lighting Maxspect 160 G2 Schedule as follows: -Actinic: 5:00p.m.-11:00p.m. -Mixed Light: 6:00p.m.-10:00p.m. -30w Led: 8:00p.m.-9:00p.m. -Lunar L.E.D.: Always on Feeding Routine: A variety of Ocean Nutrition frozen Mysis, Brine Shrimp,and Marine One Formula Pellets twice a week. Every week 5-10 gallon water change, Dose 2 part B-Ionic 25ml weekly, Check on Magnesium and added 10ml weekly if needed, Strontium Chloride 1 ml each week Potassium Iodide 1ml each week. LiveStock: My tank is filled with the usual hitchhikers: pods, snails, worms brittle, asterina stars, and feather dusters. Here is a few list of my addition corals that I have collected through out the years. MONTIPORA:Rainbow Montiopora ZOANTHID:Kedds Red zoanthid, Blue Tubbs Zoanthid, Nuclear Green zoanthid, Orange Bam Bam zoanthid, Fire & Ice zoanthid, Pinky haze zoanthid, Tidalzone Aquas zoanthid, Hulk Greens zoanthid, Mean Greens zoanthid, Greenbay Packer zoanthid, Gorilla nipples zoanthid ACAN:Rainbow Acan, Tic Toc Acan, Crazy Acan, MC Skittle Acan, Incredible Hulk Acan, Crazy craze acan, Cloudy Day acan, Orange Acan, Rainbow Acan Echinata, Red Lord Acan LPS:Blasto Merletti, Blasto W., MC Bubble Gum Chaice, Holy Green Favia SPS:Papa Smurf, Deep blue dipper, Green Hydnophora, Forest Fire Samarensis SOFTIES:Green Ricordeas, Orange Ricordeas, Yellow Ricordeas, Teal Blue Ricordeas, Rainbow Yumas, Orange Yumas, Green Yuma, Neon Green toadstool, Green Star Polyps Invertebrates:5 Margarita snails, 5 Nass snails, 2 Emerald crabs, 1 Pom Pom crab Fishs: 1 Trimma canna - Trimma goby 2 Elacatinus puncticulatus - Red Head goby 1 Elacatinus macrodon - Tiger Goby 2 Elacatinus multifasciatum - Greenbanded Gobies 2 Amphiprion percula - Designer Percula Clownfish Comments or Concerns? PMs, Comments, and Question is welcome anytime. There also will be plenty of pictures as my progress start to grow further on. Thanks for looking! Enjoy! ☺ Words of Wisdom: Patience, Patience, Patience!!! Link to comment
davidr2340 Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 This is going to be fun to watch Dave! You are doing a awesome job so far bro!!! Keep tha pichers comin'!!! Link to comment
d'Espresso Posted June 12, 2009 Author Share Posted June 12, 2009 This is going to be fun to watch Dave! You are doing a awesome job so far bro!!! Keep tha pichers comin'!!! Thanks David for your nice comments and your help. Tomorrow is Friday and Yes i will keep it coming.. Next Step is my more detail of the back tank layout. purple hornets!!! Why do you have some pur to donate? that would be so nice for the new warm welcome tank. thanks! MP-20. It was to late for the MP-20. i wish i could have made the change but instead i ordered the MP-10. oh well i give it a shot! Very very nice THANKS! Link to comment
StevieT Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Nice work so far! I am going to watch this one Link to comment
pprwngs Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Well if you don't like the mp10, maybe I'll buy it off you so you can get that mp20! Link to comment
DAHNIC561 Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 tank placement sucks...ur goin' to be rewinding movies all the time now...lol... Link to comment
c'monreef Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 nice sunpod mod haha...hey i was wondering if you thought about tinting the bottom window instead of putting a new one on? Link to comment
bruce922 Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Your tank looks great so far. Keep us posted with pics. I'm headed to Lowe's to get a piece of that glass that you used to modify the stand door. That looks great by the way. Bruce Link to comment
d'Espresso Posted June 12, 2009 Author Share Posted June 12, 2009 Nice work so far! I am going to watch this one Wow, thank you mr.T for watching. I'm about to order the dry dock but quick question how well will the MP-10 fit inside the box? Still curious plus does it comes only in black? Do have it in clear for a clean look. I would like to purchase one. Link to comment
d'Espresso Posted June 12, 2009 Author Share Posted June 12, 2009 tank placement sucks...ur goin' to be rewinding movies all the time now...lol... Haha.. You are right! But i have already made 360' turn in the living room. The tank is still in the same place but everything has changed. My wife wanted to sit near the tank to watch the fishy. when i get everything setup. I will post some more pics later on. Thanks Link to comment
d'Espresso Posted June 12, 2009 Author Share Posted June 12, 2009 nice sunpod mod haha...hey i was wondering if you thought about tinting the bottom window instead of putting a new one on? I will go further detail when i get to the light sunpod mod. But yes i did thinking about tinting the window also but i kinda like the ice in my stand to give it balance with the rest of the setup. If i see it do not work out, i can always tint later on. Link to comment
d'Espresso Posted June 12, 2009 Author Share Posted June 12, 2009 Your tank looks great so far. Keep us posted with pics. I'm headed to Lowe's to get a piece of that glass that you used to modify the stand door. That looks great by the way.Bruce Cool, hey bruce you have a nice setup too i checked out alot of Solana thread and everyone did a great job on their. I just wanna join the Cool kids Solana Club also. Lol. Yeah def. go to lowes or hd. It cost around less then $3.00 i just trimmed, fitted, and attached behind the glass inside because the clear ice has a rough surface and the window just make it look smooth out. Try it to see if you like that better. Works good for me and stronger support for the window unit. Link to comment
StevieT Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 Wow, thank you mr.T for watching. I'm about to order the dry dock but quick question how well will the MP-10 fit inside the box? Still curious plus does it comes only in black? Do have it in clear for a clean look. I would like to purchase one. It will work the same, just adjust for the extra 3/16" for the acrylic thickness. I can make them in clear. Actually I would prefer to make them in clear since I can see my welds. But you will see more of the extra sealent that I use. After you put it in the tank whatever. I am debating on only making them in clear. I will update my website with an option on color and let the consumer choose. Once there is a clear winner I will decide on only making one. No pun intended Link to comment
d'Espresso Posted June 13, 2009 Author Share Posted June 13, 2009 It will work the same, just adjust for the extra 3/16" for the acrylic thickness. I can make them in clear. Actually I would prefer to make them in clear since I can see my welds. But you will see more of the extra sealent that I use. After you put it in the tank whatever. I am debating on only making them in clear. I will update my website with an option on color and let the consumer choose. Once there is a clear winner I will decide on only making one. No pun intended That's sound awesome! i guess i should wait then since i'm waiting on my MP-10 to come in soon! My tank is still not up yet because i am still waiting on my faux sand bed to come in from USplastic.com i order a 1/4 starboard to cover the bottom sinces im going bare bottom. (first time) BUT before get on to me about bare bottoms.. This is what i am planning to do if it work out right. First, i will trim and fitted the starboard inside the bottom of the tank. Then i will add my establish live sands from my other tank on top of the starboard then probably every 2 weeks i siphon the sand little by little to make sure it is sufficient if to remove it or not. still debating but thats what i try to plan to do. Well, yes please updated or inform us on the dry dock if you plan to make a clear one. i def. want to purchase and be the genny pig and try it out. lol Thanks Stevie T -dave Link to comment
d'Espresso Posted June 13, 2009 Author Share Posted June 13, 2009 OK i guess this is what everyone been waiting all day. I was at work and decided what to write about for the next post so here we go! First off i would like to thank everyone that had made very nice comments and checking out my thread. i am honor to share it with you all and many helps and researching on this wonderful website on Nano-reef had made my reefing experience much better. Thank you all! Okie-dokie! This is a picture of the back of the tank and how i am planning to set up in the back. This is for others that wanted to see the back how's everything will goes or curious what a Solana back tank looks. Well, also if there any concern or a better way to set this up please let me know and please excuse me if i seem to have it in a different way. Now the goods: This is my 2 5.5 gallon tank that will go under my cabinet inside the Solana. One is for holding ATO water and the under one will be my Q-tank or maybe a dosing tank some day. Also i did went to Lowes again and have them cut and fitted the 2 tanks for the top cover top. Ask them and they can cut it for you there at the store, remember to bring your tank along for good fitment. Right now i have my cure live rock sitting in the tank getting ready to be put in the Solana probably next Tuesday 16, 2009 The 2 tanks are holding my left over water change that i have been doing water change on my other tank. Wow, finally my new skimmer came in and i hope this works out good. Does anyone have any experience with this SA skimmer yet? how well does this work and is it super quiet? I dunno but i will test it out later once i get everything coming in. They sent it in good conditions and great seller too. this is great service, def will do business with them again. ARE YOU READY? this is how my layout will look. also notice i custom the egg crate to hold the chemi-pure elite in between the middle part. i was thinking if i should add anything else beside filter floss on top, chemi, and chaeto bottom and live rocks. hmm? Any help or relocation on any equipment to another area is welcome. i'm always good for any suggestion. thanks Side view: Thanks for looking! Link to comment
d'Espresso Posted June 13, 2009 Author Share Posted June 13, 2009 Also look how flush the Sapphire Skimmer sit inside. no poping out whatsoever. I am patiently waiting til monday to finish setting everything in and probably tuesday when i am off i can get this big transfer switch going. oh and another thing. i notice inside my cabinet is a little dark so i added 2 x 20 LEDs buck from Walmart with a control switch on/off to look inside so i can have a better view when all the equipment is turn on. Thanks for looking! Link to comment
Needreefunds Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 Great detailed pics Dave! The skimmer looks great, curious to see how it does for you. Looking forward to pictures of the Sunpod mod. Good luck with the transfer. Link to comment
davidr2340 Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 You sure are doing a hellva job Dave!!! Let me know how you like the SA skimmer as I'll probably be buying one down the road! Link to comment
Kraylen Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 tank placement sucks...ur goin' to be rewinding movies all the time now...lol... +1 Link to comment
d'Espresso Posted June 14, 2009 Author Share Posted June 14, 2009 +1 No worries, no worries! I have made some changes to my living room already. The tank is in the same place but everything else is move a whole 360 degree move in the living room. thanks for the concern! Link to comment
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