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Donatello's Solana Expedition


Donatello

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Hi,

 

I've been a member of Nano-Reef for awhile I used to have a 12AP, but due to college I wasn\'t able to take care of it and ended up breaking it down. So recently I got the reefing bug again and decided to start another tank.

 

I've always liked the clean sharp look of the Solana\'s tanks and I was able to find a used Solana from MedRed. Speaking of MedRed, I saw his new 60xl tank, and all I can say is it\'s going to be one epic tank once he gets it running. The aquascape was pretty sick.

 

I\'m currently cycling my tank with my old live rock I had cooking in a bucket for a year some sand from my old tank.

 

Tank has 20lbs live rock/25lbs live sand.

 

Equipments:

150W MH Phoenix 14k

Vortech MP10

100 W Heater

Artica 1/15hp Chiller

Stock Skimmer

Stock Return Pump

Digital Reef Keeper Lite W/ ATO System

Fuge in Second Chamber W/DIY Light

Livestock:

1 Maroon Clownfish

1 McCosker's Flasher Wrasse

1 Bi-Color Blenny

1 Six-Line Wrasse

2 Colonies of Zoas

3 Frags of SPS

1 Neon Green Birds Nest

1 Green Fungia Plate

5 Orange Ricordia

1 Candy Cane

4 head Frogspawn

3 Chalice Frags

3 Bubble Tip Anemone

1 Orange Monti Cap

2 MaxiMini

 

 

Wet Test Run

DSC_0217.jpg

 

Current FTS

Funeral360.jpg

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Probably gonna go for a mixed reef tank. Sps, Lps, softies.

@MedRed: Yea, I'll rock this tank out for sure. Haha, gonna take it nice and slow though.

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Probably gonna go for a mixed reef tank. Sps, Lps, softies.

@MedRed: Yea, I'll rock this tank out for sure. Haha, gonna take it nice and slow though.

 

You're supposed to build your reef, not make love to it! lol

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  • 2 weeks later...

Finally had time to set up all the fancy settings and the ATO system for the RKL. It was a lot of work, but I think this will definately make the ride much more smooth in the future.

 

Heres a pic of the controller w/ the MP10:

Picture006.jpg

 

Quick Pick of the Ecotech Pump. This Pump was definitely worth the investment.

Picture007.jpg

 

Rear chamber shot. The DA ATO system sticks out like crazy. I'll see if there is another way to mount it.

Picture009.jpg

 

Unfortunately it was insanely hot this week. I had to bust out this bad boy to cool down my tank. I was going to save it for summer, but with the temp. running 90f this week I wanted to gave it a test run.

Picture011.jpg

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very nice! I like your scape! look at all the cool toys you have! chillers and controllers and all. what are you planning on stocking? Did you join a club yet?

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Let us see a pic of your fuge! I was thinking about adding one to mine once I add livestock. I was thinking of an in-tank fuge. the cpr mini seems pretty cool.

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Let us see a pic of your fuge! I was thinking about adding one to mine once I add livestock. I was thinking of an in-tank fuge. the cpr mini seems pretty cool.

 

I'll try to take a pic if I can. It's kind of hard to stick my dslr in the back to take a clear picture. The fuge is nothing fancy, I just modded the 2nd chamber and threw in some chaeto I had. Lol that thing is tough, I had it circulating in a small tank for a year with really no light and it still green. Anyways, my fuge is sitting below some floss and for lighting I just made a light box out of foamcore and stuck a light bulb in there. Nothing fancy imo compared to LED lights, but it works fine.

Yea, I'm not really digging the in tank fuge though. I like to have my tank look clean and spacious, but if you do go with CPR I think it'll work just great for any macro algae you want to have.

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very nice! I like your scape! look at all the cool toys you have! chillers and controllers and all. what are you planning on stocking? Did you join a club yet?

 

Probably going to stock zoas first, soft, hard, rics, and when my tank is more established I'm going to try my hands at sps.

 

I haven't join a local reef club yet. You mentioned you were apart of some local reef club right? How often do you guys meet?

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  • 3 weeks later...

Alright, Time for a little update. So, I have my tank running for a month now. Everything is running smooth so far, except the fact that I have algae and diatom all over my tank. I'm ordering a CUC soon to clean up the mess.

 

Besides that I've added some lifestock to my tank and they've been doing pretty good.

 

Maroon Clownfish (Aka Butch)

Picture005.jpg

McCosker's Flasher Wrasse

Picture028.jpg

 

Zoas

Picture019.jpg

Picture020.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

New Addition

 

Got this guy at the LFS for 30percent off on BlackFriday.

 

Picture032.jpg

 

Finally been able to take a picture of my starfish and hermit crab. I got the Starfish awhile back, and he's been doing pretty good. I think he actually got a little bigger.

 

Picture035.jpg

 

Oh and here are a few pics of the Stock Skimmer. I think it works alright. Skimming wet though. I have it skimming dryer now, and the skimmate is much darker. I'll take a pic as soon as it fills up.

 

Picture037.jpg

 

Picture038.jpg

 

Hmm...looks perfect if you mixed it with a little tequila. Maybe next time.

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wow man that scape is amazing.. Im jealous. Im not sure what that first SPS is, but the second one looks like a Garf Bonsai and the third one looks like a Pink Millipora. Im not 100% sure though.

 

Anways, sweet tank, cant wait to see it stocked

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Finally had time to set up all the fancy settings and the ATO system for the RKL. It was a lot of work, but I think this will definately make the ride much more smooth in the future.

 

Heres a pic of the controller w/ the MP10:

Picture006.jpg

 

Quick Pick of the Ecotech Pump. This Pump was definitely worth the investment.

Picture007.jpg

 

Rear chamber shot. The DA ATO system sticks out like crazy. I'll see if there is another way to mount it.

Picture009.jpg

 

Unfortunately it was insanely hot this week. I had to bust out this bad boy to cool down my tank. I was going to save it for summer, but with the temp. running 90f this week I wanted to gave it a test run.

Picture011.jpg

Can you please share your RKL settings for the ATO? I just ordered one with the double float switch kit, which looks like you are doing. I would love some help.

 

Thanks,

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Can you please share your RKL settings for the ATO? I just ordered one with the double float switch kit, which looks like you are doing. I would love some help.

 

Thanks,

 

Sure, Have you updated your RKL? If you do that it'll make a huge difference terms of ease of access. Do you have SK1? You need that in order to get the on and off switch working on the ATO unit. Make sure when you update your RKL make sure you update everything also. The PC4, SK1, and RKL.

 

What I did was I had my pump connected to the PC4 and I went under Module and set it up as a Switch. Then you set it to turn on when close/open (Depends on whether u want to turn the pump to turn on or off when the switch is close or open). The safety feature for the second switch would be set up under the Alarm feature, which would turn off the pump if it overfills pass ur second fail point.

 

Haha I know it sounds complicated, but if you play around with it. It's more simple than it sounds. I would check the DA forums if your still not clear. There's some info on how to set it up.

 

If you need more help let me know.

 

wow man that scape is amazing.. Im jealous. Im not sure what that first SPS is, but the second one looks like a Garf Bonsai and the third one looks like a Pink Millipora. Im not 100% sure though.

 

Anways, sweet tank, cant wait to see it stocked

 

 

Thanks Man for the ID. Yea, those frags are doing pretty good in my tank. Now I just gotta wait for them to grow in.

 

Cleaner Crew from ReefCleaners

 

Thanks John!!! :D

 

Here are some pics:

 

Picture039.jpg

 

Picture040.jpg

 

Snail Orgy :P

Picture041.jpg

 

Fugia Plate trying to eat the snail.

Picture043.jpg

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  • 1 month later...

Hey guys,

 

I haven't been osting for awhile. I've been super busy at work the last month and I didn't had the time to update. So little update so far, I've been gathering a few new frags from local reefers around my area and also made a new addition to my tank.

 

I bought a Bali Green Slimer, Ora Green Birdsnest, Ricordias, Orange Monti, and a frogspawn. Oh yea also bought another fish, Bi Color Blenny. Super shy, but he has a great personality.

 

Candy Cane

Picture1027.jpg

 

Frogspawn and my mutated snail/clam

Picture1030.jpg

 

ORA Green Birdsnest

Picture1029.jpg

 

Orange Rics

Picture1025.jpg

 

Current FTS

Picture1024.jpg

 

Side shot of one of the Island

Picture1018.jpg

 

Plan View

Picture1039.jpg

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