Sean's 36g

[HiImSean]

So the time has come to upgrade, see thread here. I'm using an old 36g corner tank that I had set up as a planted freshwater tank. I will be transferring over all of my existing livestock. I'm going to try again with SPS since they didn't fair so well in my smaller tank. I'm starting over with all new rock, I've been having algae and FW issues.

Tank: 36g corner bow front
Skimmer: Bubble Magus NAC5E
Lights: AI Sol Blue
Controller: Apex Jr.
ATO: JBJ ATO w/ Tom's AquaLifter
Flow: Vortech MP10ES
Water Filtration: BRS Stage 5 Plus RODI, TLF 150 Reactor with GFO


fish

Onyx Percula Clown

Melanarus Wrasse

inverts
CUC
Green BTA
Blue Porcelain Crab
Skunk Cleaner Shrimp

corals
LPS
Pink and Green Blasto
Red Blasto
Ultra Acan
Dragon Soul Prism Favia
Purple Plate
Meteor Shower Cyphastrea
Blue Pink-Eyed Chalice
Cornbread BGM Chalice

Purple Watermelon Chalice

Red and Blue Chalice

SPS
Forest Fire Digitata
Purple Digitata
Red Planet
Tri Color Valida
Miyagi Tort
Green Pocillopora

Zoas/Polys
Eagle Eye
Whammin Watermelons
Chong bongs
Radioactive Dragon Eye
King Midas
Blue and Teals
PPE
Magicians
Blue Agave
Red Halo
Pyschic PE
Blue Tubbs
Green PE
Orange Oxide
Blue Hornet

Softies
Yellow and Green Ricordea
Purple Shrooms

Here's two rock setups I've messed with so far. I think I'm going to go with #2
#1



#2

[HiImSean]

all equipment it purchased. today i bought 3/4" conduit, spray paint, a bender for the light tree. epoxy and super glue for the rocks. material to make a new screen top. i have a bag and a half of sand, i think its special grade reef sand, that i will be using. tomorrow i'll take some pics of everything. i just need a wireless adapter for my apex system.

 

im pretty sure im going with rock work #2 with a few small changes

[BOMBreef]

Nice start I definitely like the second scape!

[HiImSean]

thanks!

 

i made a lot of progress this weekend. got a good bend in the conduit and attached it to the stand. im still debating if im going to paint it black or leave it bare metal. i filled it about half way and mixed up some salt. im planning on getting the rest of the water today. rock work maybe tomorrow then im out of town again for the rest of the week. i'm picking up some floating rocks that have a magnet to stick on the back walls. the screen top is still giving me fits though.

 

[HiImSean]

today i finished the rockwork, painted my light tree and added more water. almost done!

 

[HiImSean]

added the mag-rocks this weekend. they have some feather dusters on them and already noticed a few stars crawling around on the glass

 

[HiImSean]

salinity is spot on today. there is some cyano on my mag-rocks and im in full diatom bloom. there were a few asterina on the rocks so they're kicking it in there. going to start up the skimmer tomorrow when im back in the office to monitor it.

 

im working on getting the apex jr working so i can program the lights and monitor temps.

 

[JamesHL88]

Where did u get the magnetic rocks?

[HiImSean]

i got them from someone local but they're from aqua-mags.com

[JamesHL88]

Thsts pretty cool looks great!

[HiImSean]

thanks james!

 

here's a crappy pic update. got the apex programed for the light, i've just got to get the skimmer dialed in which has proven to be a PITA

 

[HiImSean]

Looks like its CUC time this weekend! I've got my skimmer about dialed in. i let it run since Monday (i woke in the middle of the night worried about it over flowing in my office). i was out of the office yesterday and came in to a good bit of foam, made a few adjustments and it seems like it's almost there. I've got a bit of cyano bacteria growing too. I've got my Apex working well, temps are right around 78-79 (heater on/off is set there), and my light profiles going. i can't seem to get the moonlight profile right though, no big deal. I'm about out of salt and I'm waiting for my order from a LFS to come in a few weeks so I'll have to wait for a W/C until then. got a big bucket of RSCP salt for $50 so that should last a while

 

I've also decided that I need to find a Swissguard Basslet for the tank. I'd love the pair on DD but a little too rich for my blood, hopefully I can find one locally.

[HiImSean]

WOOT, just placed an order for a CUC and pods from reefcleaners, should be here Tuesday or Wednesday. I also found a LFS who carries Swissguard Basslets. I'm thinking about buying a RODI soon.

[HiImSean]

time to get to work...

[HiImSean]

been a while without much change in the tank. today i transferred all corals but 1 ricordea to the tank. my clown, shrimp and crab are still in the 5.5g but will move soon. i have resorted to ghetto rigging up a velcro mesh lid for the tank. the odd shaped opening gave me fits so im going this route. this weekend our local club is having a coral auction so new stuff will come. RODI is coming tomorrow and im going to be ordering some new test kits soon as well. i'll get some pics later this week or next when things are happier after the move.

[HiImSean]

here's a little teaser for the time being, blues only at 35%

[HiImSean]

Got a great deal today, a BRS Stage 5 Plus RODI, about 4months old and 100g through it, for $120 :cool: I also adjusted my AI timers today.

 

whites

up 9:00-10:30 0-30%

mid-day 10:30-2:00 30%

down 2:00-3:00 0%

 

B/RB

up 9:30-10:30 2-35%

mid-day 10:30-5:00 35%

down 5:00-7:00 35-2%

moonlights 7:00-9:00am 2%

 

gives some time with just whites in the morning and blues in the afternoon. everything is looking happy since the move. i moved my blastos b/c they were getting too much flow.

 

[HiImSean]

My tank is now fish safe I was having fits using the screen frame DIY lid so I improvised.

 

BRS Clear Netting

Self Adhesive Velcro

 

=

 

 

Final Product

[HiImSean]

got some awesome scores today! got a nice entrusting Meteor Shower Cyphastrea and a 4" purple fungia.

 

in the guys tank before our auction

[HiImSean]

yay, everything is transferred to my new tank! my clown, Richard Parker, is not happy yet and staying in the top corner. my crab disappeared immediately and my shrimp is exploring. all corals are now over too. i had to chop up some rock to get some shrooms and zoas free but now i have some frags to sell lol. new corals will be coming soon too, on the way are: dragon soul prism favia, purple digitata, forest fire digitata, red planet, Tri color valida, and miyagi tort

 

[HiImSean]

noticed a little color splash in my radioactive dragon eye zoa (bottom left)

 

BGM doing better, ran into some problems in the smaller tank but looking happy again

[HiImSean]

i need some help trying to pick my next fish. i've been eying peppermint or yellow candy hogfish, or a swales or swissguard basslet. any suggestions?

[HiImSean]

picking up some corals tonight i also decided to document the recovery of these zoas. i purchased them early this year and were in my 5.5g when it was having issues. they closed up about 2-3 months ago and looked like goners. after finally getting my skimmer dialed in they have started to slowly come around. i purchased them a psychic PE and they were one of my favorites. i've also had a blue hornet and red halo PE start to do the same thing but i dont have pics of them yet.

 

before

 

2weeks ago (notice the little "balls" on the frag plug)

 

today

[HiImSean]

tonight's coral haul, plus a little something else special...

 

[HiImSean]