Let me bring you up to speed...


The plan is a mixed reef driven by LEDs... a good amount of SPS with softies and LPS mixed everywhere in between.

As for the lighting plans, a few months ago I finally decided to go the LED route, but for such a large setup I had to make a decision to keep initial costs down so I could get this system up and running as soon as possible. the plan is to fully prepare the two 22" heatsinks for 100 Cree XR-E LEDs with 40degree optics, but in the meantime I will only be running 50 LEDs with 60 degree optics and I'll add the rest later. I have all the parts now all I need to do is get started.






I've been slowly stockpiling parts and working on small parts of this build for the last six months or so. I purchased the live rock back in april and it's been sitting in the tank atop the partially completed stand since then. After an incredibly busy summer with little time to get any work done I finally gained some serious headway on this project these last few weeks...












The setup as it stands so far...

75 Perfecto 48"x18"x21"
Glass-holes.com 700GPH overflow box
DIY stand 75% complete
29 AGA sump/refugium
Maxi-Jet NJ5500 return pump
3/4" SCWD
Autotopoff.com double switch sump kit
DNW 150 external protein skimmer
100lbs live rock (cycled since 05/09)

Otherwise I have to fix the plumbing error, add the sand, finalize some sort of an aquascape, figure out how i'm going to mount the LED fixture, and eventually finish the stand and build the canopy.

Some pics of the equipment/progress?

+1

wow, it's been a while. these last few weeks have been way to busy... but at least i've had enough time to run around town and pick up some new additions.

in the last few days i finally started snapping more pictures and began to work out some camera settings. unfortunately the current lighting (a garbage strip light) is not sufficient enough to use a fast enough shutter speed so for now some of the pictures have some blurring issues until i get to work on the LED fixture... a little over two weeks ago I finally started adding fish and everything has been going awesome since. here's the time line...


9.6.09




9.13.06



this picture sucks, but just for the sake of showing off his buddy i'll post it...





on 9.17.09 i added a trio of sexy shrimp and last sunday (09.27.09) i introduced a sunburst anthias. i haven't been able to get a clean shot of either so far but i'll keep trying. the sunburst has been doing really well since i brought him home; he's been eating a few times a day since day one and in the last three days has been creeping further and further out of his cave every day.

next check comes this weekend, stay tuned...

i really have to start updating this thread more regularly... i've been incredibly busy with a few gigs and a new band i just started working with.

since the last update i've managed to rework the aquascape for more caves, swimming room, and increased surface area for better filtration... though i need a few more pieces of rock to create a better sense of texture and create more spots for coral placement. i also added a particularly peaceful, small blue hippo [gasp] that needed a home (i know, tang last... but i'll keep him in line), and 5 small chromis(see below)...



so this last week was full of incidents...

first, like an idiot [last wednesday] i had my skimmer pump off and when i turned it on i had the water level set a bit too high causing the collection cup to overflow (and since my skimmer is run externally)... i basically had a slow leak in the system that triggered ATO and lowered my SG to 1.022... it took all night to correct that stupid mistake...

then early friday morning ... (regarding my 10g full saltwater green spotted puffer tank) i went to go feed the little guy i've had for 2 years and after 5 minutes of searching i couldn't find him anywhere! i looked all around the ledge on the stand and still couldn't find him... i moved back to view the tank/stand from afar and saw a body on the floor under the stand ... i went to take a closer look and i could see that his slime coat was dried and he was dead ... after a few minutes i went to pick him up and saw what looked like a faint puff. i thought my mind was playing tricks on me so i rolled him over with the net and he tried to puff again! i picked him up and quickly put him in the water and he immediately began moving a couple of his fins! he still looked like he was in bad shape with really dry skin, a few damaged fins, really cloudy eyes, and no appetite but he was doing an ok job of swimming so bolted to the store for some stress coat with aloe and put a full dose in. after i got back from a few hours at work he was slowly progressing and even began eating! i called a very trusted LFS worker who has always given me accurate advice and i decided it would be best not to medicate for 48 hours or so to ensure he even needed any. i had to leave later that night to go out of town, but my parents kept him eating appropriate portions while i was gone and when i got back late on sunday he made an astonishing, full recovery. i still can't believe what happened...

meanwhile in the 75... surprise surprise, i found 2 chromis in the sump, and 3 of the 5 managed to COMPLETELY disappear overnight on saturday, apparently. i searched everywhere in the system and haven't come across any bodies and my cycle is intact. i suppose the return pump could have blended them up beyond recognition... ?



otherwise, all is good. the clowns are enjoying life, the yasha and the candy pistol have been hiding out, the tang found a sweet hiding spot, and the sunburst has been loving the new aquascape and it's many caves/passageways...

last of all, while i was in east lansing, MI for the weekend i made one of many trips to preuss pets and found the perfect little something i've been searching for...

pictures tomorrow afternoon...