jiriki76 Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 I purchased a 120g three sided starfire tank. It's 4x2x2ft tank. Here's my plan: Livestock: -garden eels -pipefish -seahorses -gorgonias -various salt water plants -substrate? -Dry sugary sand -Add Miracle mud? -remote sump -100lbs liverock -50lbs liverock in crypt tank -HSA 200 skimmer -kalk reactor? -Flow, either: -Reeflo Snapper closed loop -Vortech MP20 - looking for lagoon type flow -Return pump - Iwaki 75-RLD - with Eductors? -Lighting, 4x T5's -2x Aquablue Plus -1x GE 7500k -1x Aquablue Special To give the garden eels a lot of sand, I plan to create a large acrylic box. Cover the surface with either rubble rock or foam/sand. Fill the acrylic box (probably 1x2x8") with sand. Hopefully the eels move into there. Water temp will be around 74 degrees. May add a chiller if I can't keep it below 76 degrees in summer. The part I'm new to are the saltwater plants and substrate. What are you guys using out there and what are some sweet saltwater plants to collect? Should I mix miracle mud/sugar fine sand to make a substrate? -Jon Link to comment
hlander Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 This sounds like a great plan! I'm also planning on making my 8G a half planted tank with C. Prolifera and Turtle Grass Link to comment
spanko Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 Sounds great. Tagging along for the build. Link to comment
jeremai Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 I like the idea of a cryptic sump. I actually just wrote a short blurb about cryptic life in my blog. a few suggestions though. since you have a fairly low fish stocking list, and the fish you did choose could benefit from planktonic life, I would recommend not having a skimmer. the plant growth in the display along with the cryptic life and live rock in the sump would be more than enough to keep low nutrient levels. also, what sort of plant life are you thinking? macroalgaes? seagrasses? mangroves? all have similar environmental needs, but each with its own specific requirements that could determine how you aquascape the tank, as well as your substrate choice. good luck, looking forward to it! Link to comment
jiriki76 Posted January 23, 2010 Author Share Posted January 23, 2010 I like the idea of a cryptic sump. I actually just wrote a short blurb about cryptic life in my blog. a few suggestions though. since you have a fairly low fish stocking list, and the fish you did choose could benefit from planktonic life, I would recommend not having a skimmer. the plant growth in the display along with the cryptic life and live rock in the sump would be more than enough to keep low nutrient levels. also, what sort of plant life are you thinking? macroalgaes? seagrasses? mangroves? all have similar environmental needs, but each with its own specific requirements that could determine how you aquascape the tank, as well as your substrate choice. good luck, looking forward to it! My cryptic tank has been online for almost 1.5 years. I know it takes a heck of a long time to establish. It is currently servicing my 29g seahorse tank. I was actually thinking for a moment not using a skimmer also. I will experiment with it and see where nitrate levels are at and turn it on/off as needed. Honestly, the only plant life I've ever purposefully kept are chaeto, grape algae, and calupera taxifolia (crazy proliferic). I've seen turtle grass, mermaids, some kind red macro, and some kind of halimeda (sp?) at the fish store. I'm a total newb at salt water plants. Not even sure if the substrate I have which is natural sand from the carribean will work. -Jon Link to comment
jeremai Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 macros don't really care much about the type of sand available. seagrasses can be a fair bit more temperamental, though. seagrasses - http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-04/sl/index.php http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_3/cav.../seagrasses.htm general planted tank info - http://www.reef-solutions.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=1 http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=103386 Link to comment
jiriki76 Posted January 23, 2010 Author Share Posted January 23, 2010 Checking out reefcleaners.org... these seem ideal for my tank? Halimeda (Money plant) Red Gracilaria I saw someone's tank have Dragon's Tongue. Looks sweet. The LFS has some kind purple macro algae. Aquacon.com: Shaving brush plant Mermaids fan Maiden's hair (aka Turtle plants) Ulva Codium Any other ideas? Link to comment
jiriki76 Posted January 23, 2010 Author Share Posted January 23, 2010 macros don't really care much about the type of sand available. seagrasses can be a fair bit more temperamental, though. seagrasses - http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-04/sl/index.php http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_3/cav.../seagrasses.htm general planted tank info - http://www.reef-solutions.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=1 http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=103386 Good reading! I got through the first article. Looks like I'm on track with the substrate idea. Mixing in some miracle mud. The only thing is I may not have enough sand! I currently have about 110 pounds of dry sugary sand. I see what you mean about not using a skimmer. That's good.. I can sell it and buy more fish. Seahorses are notoriously dirty from what I've been told. To increase bioload.. -Firefish -4x total seahorses -I'm sure I'll find more fish to add to increase bioload. I'll worry about that when bioload becomes an issue. Link to comment
violinist Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 The mermaid's fan is super easy to keep and doesn't care about the substrate at all. Half the time mine are knocked over lying flat on the sand because of the CUC and they are still growing at an insane rate. I think if I had more than two I'd actually be worried about their drag on the Ca level, that's how fast they grow. Link to comment
got2envy Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 I am excited to see this tank come to life!! garden eels are beautiful Link to comment
farkwar Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 Aquacon.com: Any other ideas? Don't buy from Aqua CON. Link to comment
oceanbreeze Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 seahorses !!! looking forward to this tank!! Link to comment
jiriki76 Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share Posted February 1, 2010 We have been busy prepping the tank and stand. We bought it used so lots of cleaning to do and we made a pleather skin for the stand. Need to scrape some coraline off the sides. Get the bulkheads installed and drill the floor to run 2x drains and 1 return. Going to plug up the closed loop hole. I think i will modify a Vortech MP20 to be seahorse friendly and use that instead. Shopping for a used Vortech now. Link to comment
jiriki76 Posted March 22, 2010 Author Share Posted March 22, 2010 I got a new job and pulling in around 80 to 100 hours a week now. So the tank hasn't made as much progress as I had hoped. The doors are on and the tank has been full of salt water with some sand and mud from premium aquatics for several weeks. I have a tempoary rubbermaid sump in place and is circulating water through a filter sock to clear up the water. It's way clear now. And the latest toy.. shiny new Vortech MP40w for the tank. It will be the source of circulation. With the power turned down, it should be sufficient. I am planning on building a box for the Vortech or cover the grates with mesh. Link to comment
Weetabix7 Posted March 22, 2010 Share Posted March 22, 2010 This tank has tons of potential, I really like where you're going with it. I hope you don't mind if I make one bulb suggestion. Instead of going with what you have listed above, consider: 2 ATI Blue+ 1 UVL Indigo Sun 1 GE 6500 The above combo gives a really nice natural appearance. The Aquablue Spezial can sometimes have a "hazy" appearance and wash things out a bit. The Indigo Sun is a slightly warmer white bulb that I think might suit your purposes better. Link to comment
jiriki76 Posted March 23, 2010 Author Share Posted March 23, 2010 UVL Indigo Sun is a new one to me. I'll check it out. The only reason I am using the combo I have now is because the light is sitting above my frag tank. It will get repurposed for this tank probably tonight. The bulbs are all old so they need to be replaced. I think the bulbs are over a year old if not 1.5 years old. I'll try out the UVL Indigo Sun if the specs look good. I will replace the frag tank light with a single 250w Mh Lumenbrite mini. Link to comment
jiriki76 Posted March 24, 2010 Author Share Posted March 24, 2010 T5 fixture installed. One of the bulbs blew out so I replaced it with an old 6.5k bulb. I thought I had a GE one in there but it was a UVL Aquasun (the one that blew). 2x ATI blue plus 1x 6.5k Unknown brand 1x I forgot already Oh... I am getting an older Icecap 660 too Those 4x bulbs will get a serious workout now. I should theoretically have more than enough light now. Link to comment
Weetabix7 Posted March 24, 2010 Share Posted March 24, 2010 If you look at the T5HO Information thread stickied at the top of the Lighting Forum, I have posted pics of what a Blue+ and an Indigo Sun look like together. The pics are on the last page or two of that thread. The bulb combo I mentioned to you is what I am currently using and may be what I stick with long-term. I'm still experimenting with bulb combos just a bit though. Link to comment
jiriki76 Posted March 25, 2010 Author Share Posted March 25, 2010 The water is cloudy again. All three filter socks are clogged and in the wash. Link to comment
jiriki76 Posted March 25, 2010 Author Share Posted March 25, 2010 If you look at the T5HO Information thread stickied at the top of the Lighting Forum, I have posted pics of what a Blue+ and an Indigo Sun look like together.The pics are on the last page or two of that thread. The bulb combo I mentioned to you is what I am currently using and may be what I stick with long-term. I'm still experimenting with bulb combos just a bit though. From the looks of your pic, it looks like it makes your red acans pop a tad more. Any idea on the par value of the bulb in comparison to the ATI blue special? Link to comment
jiriki76 Posted March 26, 2010 Author Share Posted March 26, 2010 The last few days have been hectic. Work and relatives decided to stop by.. so a mad cleaning. Ended up putting the Biocube 29 under the stand and hiding it in there. Overtime, it turned into a QT tank... though it has sand and a few chunks of live rock. I added another 50 pounds of dry sand to the tank. Majorly white cloudy I've got the acrylic shelf part way bent. Link to comment
animalmaster6 Posted March 26, 2010 Share Posted March 26, 2010 This tank is going to be Incredible!!!!!! I will definetly be following this! The garden eels will be awesome Link to comment
jiriki76 Posted March 29, 2010 Author Share Posted March 29, 2010 My 29g tank will breakdown and the following will move over: 3x sexy shrimps pom pom crab (might just sell, I never ever see her) rainfordi goby I have a yellow headed jawfish in QT. I can't decide if it will go into this tank or the 180g reef. I may drop some ricordeas, green star polyps and mushrooms in there. I have a massive finger leather. I may sell. Not sure. I have been looking online for splendid garden eels. Thatpletplace.com had some but sold out. Anyone know where to get some? Link to comment
jiriki76 Posted April 4, 2010 Author Share Posted April 4, 2010 Here's the current FTS. I was up really late last night trying to get some progress on it. I replaced the two T5 ballasts on it with an Icecapp 660. Old ballasts is a Triad and Workhorse 5. Old PAR: 420 a quarter inch below the water surface Icecapp PAR: 540 a quarter inch below the water surface! The pic is darker than it really is. Visually, I can't tell the difference between ballasts. PAR-wise, there is significant difference, about 20%. Those numbers aren't half bad at all considering how old the bulbs are. My 250w MH numbers are about 20% higher than that on the 180g. Link to comment
animalmaster6 Posted April 5, 2010 Share Posted April 5, 2010 Awesome! I can't wait till this thing gets going Link to comment
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