echopiece Posted June 1, 2010 Share Posted June 1, 2010 Here is a chronological breakdown of my 5.5 gallon reef tank. I started this tank project almost a year ago and it is finally starting to reward me. I started off with a simple 50/50 corallife mini aqua light (which I hated) and a small, unappealing lump of rock. I snagged a used current dual satellite 36W fixture a few months ago, and I completely love it! Once I had the proper light, I bought some new LR and rescaped the entire tank - bringing her back to life! Here are my current specs on the tank. FTS: 05-26-11 Lighting: Current Dual Satellite 36W - Individual timers for actinic and daylight - Fishneedit 70W MH, 20K 18 blue LED moonlights (from eBay) - Individual timer for LED's on for a total of 17hrs Filtration: Filter Floss changed up to 2 times a week. 1/2 unit of chemi-pure elite 12 lbs of FL aquacultured live rock chaeto algae in return compartment 25% weekly water changes Flow/Heater: Maxi-Jet 400 - 106gph. Eheim compact 600 - 160gph, return pump Via Aqua 80 - 74gph, additional flow 1 - 25w visi-therm heater 50w Theo Heater Livestock: 1 - yellow clown goby CUC consisting of 2 astrea snails LPS corals: mushrooms, zoanthids, gsp, favia, frogspawn, ricordia, elegance, acans SPS corals: montipora cap, montipora digitata, chalice Clams: ORA ultra blue maxima, 2" I currently perform 20% water changes a week and dose C-Balance (thanks to Brandon) 1/2 capful every other day. I try and feed lightly Tuesday and then a more generous amount on Friday 1-2 hrs before I change the water. All in all I am pretty happy with it. I plan to continue stocking the tank with assorted zoa's, a small frog spawn and hopefully some acans. Well, on to the pics. Initial build, 7/19/09: LED's mounted in old light fixture: Old light and LR on the left, new on the right: 5/20/10 Link to comment
echopiece Posted June 7, 2010 Author Share Posted June 7, 2010 Scored some new frags on eBay last night. Cant wait to get them in the tank! Link to comment
echopiece Posted June 9, 2010 Author Share Posted June 9, 2010 New arrivals came in today! I took these shots only 2 hours after the corals were introduced to the tank, some havent opened up all the way yet. The coralline growth has taken off in the last two weeks! I'm starting to make progress here. And a short video... excuse the quality. And an actinic video as well... Link to comment
Gerber77 Posted June 9, 2010 Share Posted June 9, 2010 That looks absolutely excellent, Im very impressed with this tank. Where did that order come in from? Link to comment
echopiece Posted June 10, 2010 Author Share Posted June 10, 2010 Thank you very much! The order came from eBay, Steelcity Corals. I am very impressed! Link to comment
.Newman. Posted June 10, 2010 Share Posted June 10, 2010 nice stang lol the tank looks cool too. Link to comment
echopiece Posted June 10, 2010 Author Share Posted June 10, 2010 nice stang lol The wifes... Link to comment
.Newman. Posted June 10, 2010 Share Posted June 10, 2010 lol she gets to drive that xD I cant clearly see all of it but that portion looks nice xD Link to comment
Mr. Microscope Posted June 10, 2010 Share Posted June 10, 2010 Beautiful zoa colonies! The colors on those Zombie Eyes are amazing! Best ones i've ever seen. Congrats on the tank. Can't wait to see more. Link to comment
badfish816 Posted June 10, 2010 Share Posted June 10, 2010 nice pickup on the frags. like the scape too. pretty funny watching the goby play peek a boo with the camera. lol Link to comment
echopiece Posted June 10, 2010 Author Share Posted June 10, 2010 Thanks for the nice comments. I want to add some corals that show flow and movement. I love the look of pulsing xenia, but am afraid it might overcome the tank. I have my eye out for a small torch or hammer. Any other recommendations for such a small tank? Link to comment
Mr. Microscope Posted June 10, 2010 Share Posted June 10, 2010 I say go for the flowing stuff. Anything that can be attached can be removed with time and patience. Link to comment
WorrBaller Posted June 10, 2010 Share Posted June 10, 2010 I say go for the flowing stuff. Anything that can be attached can be removed with time and patience. +1 Love the look of pulsing xenia. They are really easy to pull/cut off the rock if they start to spread. Link to comment
XIII Posted June 10, 2010 Share Posted June 10, 2010 This is a great pico. As I go through my first home tank, I have been debating setting up a pico in my office (since that is where I spend most of my time). I've looked at both the JBJ Pico and the AGA 5.5 as a starting base, but yours is quite impressive and pushing me in that direction. When I eventually do this, I'll probably use some form of LED lighting, but your design for the overflow and the covers is quite good, and would be a great starting point. Would you be willing to share the dimensions/blueprints of your overflow and lids (and how you created them)? If so, please PM me. Simply stunning tank. Link to comment
echopiece Posted June 19, 2010 Author Share Posted June 19, 2010 Ok, so it appears my lunar eclipse zoa's are starting to melt away. I noticed two small astrena starfish on those polyps last week. Now, they appear to be withering away. Should I cut those two polyps off with a razor? I hope I dont lose this piece! Link to comment
.Newman. Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 maybe you got zoa pox? can we get a close up non- blurry pic of those polyps? btw Furan 2 for zoa pox i believe, its a dip. I need some for my zoas too Link to comment
echopiece Posted June 19, 2010 Author Share Posted June 19, 2010 This is the best I can do, sorry. Should I at least cut that polyp off to prevent spreading? However, it doesnt appear to have any spots on it, just melting away. Link to comment
thesmallerthebetter Posted June 20, 2010 Share Posted June 20, 2010 i dont usually check out AIO threads, but this one was a great surprise! so cleanly done, looks stock haha the tank is amazingly clean, you got my props man. awsome build and the freaking corals are hotttt tooo Link to comment
JBM Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 those mini atinic led, where did you get them. I have the same fixture (but i like it) and want more atinic. a link would be awesome btw great tank Link to comment
echopiece Posted June 21, 2010 Author Share Posted June 21, 2010 those mini atinic led, where did you get them. I have the same fixture (but i like it) and want more atinic. a link would be awesome btw great tank JBM, I bought them off of an eBay store called "measureexplorer". The fixture # is this: ME-LED-R01CB-WD Blue 9- LED Pod Wide angle. You will have to shoot him an email on there and he will send you an invoice. They are not listed under his store. Two things: 1. These LED's do not add to the actinic value when the daylights are on, you cant even notice them. However, they are very nice for night-time viewing. 2. I have had some troubles with several of these units. It seems the circuitry gets too hot and several of the LEDs fail. I currently have about 2 out the 9 LEDs in each fixture burned out. That being said, it still produces a nice night time effect. If these fail on me again, I am going to get an 8" LED bar and stick it in there. Hope that helps! Marty Link to comment
JBM Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 thats not good. (the led's burning out) was hoping for something with some good blue production. MEH, back to the drawing board Link to comment
.Newman. Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 was hoping for something with some good blue production. MEH, back to the drawing board Just about nothing beats Royal blue Cree LEDs IMO. Link to comment
echopiece Posted June 21, 2010 Author Share Posted June 21, 2010 Just about nothing beats Royal blue Cree LEDs IMO. Thats what I was going to say! I dont think you will get the look you want with any cheap blue LED. Link to comment
echopiece Posted June 22, 2010 Author Share Posted June 22, 2010 I had an ehiem compact 600 laying around (adjustable output, max 160gph) so I figured I would throw it in the tank and see how she responds. I have the gate set for half way, so I am guessing it is producing around 130-140 gph. So far, the corals are responding nicely. Also, I bought a lifegard little digital thermometer. I swear these digital thermometers are anywhere from 1-2 degrees off (on the high side). Thats measuring against a standard glass thermometer. Link to comment
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