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Yoshii's 55g Makeover » Second Time's the Charm!


yoshii

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A 55 Gallon Makeover


Intro
Crushed coral, a canister filter, and bits of old bleached coral skeleton - that's what my first SW aquarium came with when bought used from a neighbor. I added LR and replaced other things, but was on a strict budget and mostly tried to work with what I had. After a while I knew I needed to upgrade, but would have to take down the tank to do so (not possible for a long time). Sooo, I moved, which gives me a nice opportunity to give the system a much-needed makeover :)

Equipment
-Euro-Reef RSA135 Skimmer w/pump
-48" TEK T5 HO Light
-CPR CS50 Overflow & Aqualifter pump
-EcoTech MP10 EcoTech MP40
-Koralias

-Mag 5 return pump

Livestock
-2x Mocha Clowns - Mated Pair (Amphiprion ocellaris)

-Chiseltooth Wrasse (Pseudodax moluccanus)
-Yellow Tail Blenny (Ecsenius namiyei)
-Cleaner Shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis)


Sump Design

Note: I didn't end up using the eggcrate stand, the skimmer works fine without it! Also, I wish I could have made the skimmer compartment larger, as in order to take out the pump, I have the take out the whole skimmer with the pump, it's quite a pain.
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Ready to paint!

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Next up, that ugly stand, here you can see the mat/rug that's going under the stand, and the hideous stain the previous owner thought looked good

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Caulk caulk caulk

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Done! (If you didn't notice, we got new hinges and handles too :))

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My dad did the front outside cause he didn't want me to mess it up with my "lack of painting experience" lol

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Mixing salt with the old canopy and lights (for a comparison pic later on)

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LS & Salt

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BOX OF AWESOME

 

You can see a peek of the skimmer and some LR in some pics, I'm going to add some old dry rock later this week and maybe some more LR, then I'll get a pic up :)

 

grrrr Euphy <_<

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Teehee :lol:

 

Looks amazing! I love the stand. It looks so professional. And the tank is so biiig! omgomgomg omgomgomg omgomgomg

 

Keep us updated! :)

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Teehee :lol:

 

Looks amazing! I love the stand. It looks so professional. And the tank is so biiig! omgomgomg omgomgomg omgomgomg

 

Keep us updated! :)

I love the stand too! I really like how it came out :D

 

Now...I need to figure out but bulb combo I want

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I love the stand too! I really like how it came out :D

 

Now...I need to figure out but bulb combo I want

 

14000k-16000k is my choice. It's blue enough to make the colors pop, but not so blue that it looks unnatural. Plus, 16000k+ tanks have a tendency to screw up your pictures and make the corals appear dark and ugly.

 

Are you going to have more than one kind of light, like LED + halide or halide + actinics?

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14000k-16000k is my choice. It's blue enough to make the colors pop, but not so blue that it looks unnatural. Plus, 16000k+ tanks have a tendency to screw up your pictures and make the corals appear dark and ugly.

 

Are you going to have more than one kind of light, like LED + halide or halide + actinics?

Yes I really don't like the "super blue" look of tanks with too much actinic

I know I really love the Super Actinic Bulb from UVL, so at least 2-3 or those

I did some searches, but of course everyone has their own different opinion,but I have heard the Fiji Purple or something similar looks good. Just as long as it's not too purple

 

No, I can't really fit any other light over the tank, this fixture is wider than the tank itself, and only 1" shorter

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IMO go for 2 whites, 3 blues, and 1 pink/purple of your choice.

 

To balance out the blues get something like a GE6500k to warm up the colors and get more from your reds/oranges (which the UVL super actinic and KZ fiji purple will do as well)

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IMO go for 2 whites, 3 blues, and 1 pink/purple of your choice.

 

To balance out the blues get something like a GE6500k to warm up the colors and get more from your reds/oranges (which the UVL super actinic and KZ fiji purple will do as well)

I was thinking something like that or maybe 3 blues and 2 whites and 1 50/50? I might get 1-2 extra bulbs to paly around with, but that's extra money

 

I'm not sure what bulb to go with for the whites tho, I had a "Aquasun 10k" but it looks extremely pink :/

 

 

Awesome work on that stand, looks brand new and so much better than the old one!

Thanks! :) I hated the old color/stain

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I'm doing a combo similar to what I listed, and for whites I'm doing a GE 6500K to warm it up and an ATI aquablue special or a KZ New Gen which are a ~12000K white

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I'm doing a combo similar to what I listed, and for whites I'm doing a GE 6500K to warm it up and an ATI aquablue special or a KZ New Gen which are a ~12000K white

Thanks :)

I do plan on looking through the T5 thread on here more thoroughly

 

thats gonna be a sweet looking tank!

post more pics!

I will! Maybe tomorrow, but I gotta wake up in like 3 hrs, so none now

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Wow! What an improvement. I like the 2 whites (one 6500, one 10000), 3 blues, and 1 purple combo. That could look too blue for you, so I'd have an extra 10 to 12,000 white to swap with a blue, just in case.

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Wow! What an improvement. I like the 2 whites (one 6500, one 10000), 3 blues, and 1 purple combo. That could look too blue for you, so I'd have an extra 10 to 12,000 white to swap with a blue, just in case.
Looks nice. :)

Thanks guys :)

 

I think I'll try that or something similar fewskillz, thanks :D

 

 

I might be able to put the dry rock into today and get a pic, maybe :P

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Ok I'm picking bulbs now, so far I'm thinking

2x UVL Super Actinic

1x ATI Aquablue (may just do 3 Super Actinics instead)

1x UVL Actinic White

(?)1x GE 6500k Daylight (really not sure about this one, but idk what to replace it with)

 

Opinions? Suggestions? :)

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Ok I'm picking bulbs now, so far I'm thinking

2x UVL Super Actinic

1x ATI Aquablue (may just do 3 Super Actinics instead)

1x UVL Actinic White

(?)1x GE 6500k Daylight (really not sure about this one, but idk what to replace it with)

 

Opinions? Suggestions? :)

 

:D What about 2 mp10w?

 

Imo You should swap that 6500k with a 10000k.

 

Edit:forgot to ask if your going to use live rock or base rock.

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Ok I'm picking bulbs now, so far I'm thinking

2x UVL Super Actinic

1x ATI Aquablue (may just do 3 Super Actinics instead)

1x UVL Actinic White

(?)1x GE 6500k Daylight (really not sure about this one, but idk what to replace it with)

 

Opinions? Suggestions? :)

 

Are you sure that's enough blue for you? :sarcasm:

 

Sounds great. I would keep the 6500k because that's closer to the k-rating of the sun, supposedly providing a better spectrum for the corals to grow. I'm guessing that's why you chose 6500k... :P

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:D What about 2 mp10w?

 

Imo You should swap that 6500k with a 10000k.

 

Edit:forgot to ask if your going to use live rock or base rock.

lol if you buy them for me!

 

I want a 10k, but I hate the UVL Aquasun and I can't think of another "10k" bulb (that's a good brand)

 

All pink and whites? Is this gonna be a reef or macro set up?

 

If reef I suggest getting at least 1-2 blues

I have 3 blues...no pinks

 

It's going to be a reef set up

Are you sure that's enough blue for you? :sarcasm:

 

Sounds great. I would keep the 6500k because that's closer to the k-rating of the sun, supposedly providing a better spectrum for the corals to grow. I'm guessing that's why you chose 6500k... :P

I don't want too much blue

 

Well I would rather have a 10k bulb,

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Still not sure on the bulbs, but in the meantime

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UGLY! old dry rock. I'll use this as base rock or maybe replace it

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This is not the scape. I just added the old(dry) rock on top of the new (live) rock til I can get more awesome rock and scape this tank! :D

 

Also, I'm looking at various overflows, pumps, and reviewing some sump designs right now :)

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fffffffffffuuuuuuuu i see your tank yosh :ninja:

 

squared likey :happy:

Haha :P

 

Do you see why I hate the Aquasun! It's so pink/purple! (My old light is on the tank right now btw, 1xAquasun, 1xSuper Actinic)

 

Nice stand!

 

The tank should be pretty cool too ha!

Thanks, I'm really proud of the stand :lol:

 

I can't wait to get it scaped and get the new light hung!

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