Mr. Mic - your Pico looks great! Thanks for the comments.

V and SoCal - not sure on the integrity if I cut it, so I am also going to look at having the hole plugged. It's only 1/4 inch thick acrylic so I am a little worried about the height, but we'll see. I was actually thinking of going a completely different route with this.

Not going to spill the beans yet - because there is A LOT to do before I can get it running, but one more hint. It will be a Lower Flow tank with no Corals and no "fish", lots of macro and maybe some Gorgonians - yeehaw!



B

you should plumb that to your 20l
then you'd have a pretty solid fuge ... just a thought

not too sure. Extra volume would be nice, I just don't know if i want to take away from "simple"

I'm putting any new tanks on hold while I think about what I really want - I mean the 20 long is what I REALLY want, so anything new will just have to be amazing.

Lost my emerald a while ago and my LFS had not gotten any in a while - today they had a sally lightfoot. Got that and some hermits. I did not realize how small my clean up crew really is. 5 margarita, 4 nas, 4 hermits (now) and one sally lightfoot. Thinking about 5 more nas, 5 more margaritas, 1 more crab (emerald) and a lettuce nudi...

I hear ya. Been looking at some tank options myself. It's like once you've been through it you learn so much and start thinking about how you'd do it differently on the next one to make it 'perfect' heheh.

Awesome tank, I love how you've woven the different macros into everything. Can't get over how young it is, but how mature it looks! Keep it up!

Exactly! I want something different and unique, simple to maintain...

Actually thinking about taking a standard 10 gallon, making it rimless. Then I want about 7 inches of one side for a built in fuge. To make it interesting, thinking about splitting the "viewing" are into two the long way. That way it's viewable from both sides with different themes. One side will be mini seahorses - just not sure what to do with the other half. maybe some unique inverts?

ideal is interesting to me - just need to really think it through. The seahorse side is going to create a lot of mess so I want the other side to compensate.

Thanks OC and N - the macros are a lot of fun... Wish I had more choices locally - fortunately there are some pretty easy shipping options for macros! I will probably add a few more zoa, rics and macros - then that's going to be it for this one.

Cleaning day... Did a little extra this week - fighting some byprosis and hair algae. Cleaned the back wall and changed the scape just a bit. Everything is still REALLY MAD and a little cloudy. Let me know what you think:



And the YWG decided to race a nas snail:


Thanks,
B

Scape rocks, tank is really looking great. That goby is cool!

Thanks - I did not realize how much coralline growth I've had. The dead rock I put in is COVERED in it - took me almost 30 minutes to scrape the sides and back to get it off. I thought I wanted the entire back covered, but now that I see tha black again, I like it better.

Nice tank! How is the clam doing? Part of the reason for me getting LEDs is I want to have a big clam.

I swear is Bryopsis in season or what? It seems like alot of people are going through it, even ME! The stuff spreads like Herpes! D:<

Good luck in removal! <3

Great rock scape I love it!






How is it doing? I'd love to get one, but scared I couldn't keep it alive.

Clam is doing really well. Coloration is nice and the reaction to light is great - I bet the LED's would be even better.


We'll see how long the "removal" I did yesterday lasts - I am hesitant to try Kents but if it comes down to it...


The chili is still hanging in there. Does not open up all the time and goes through spurts of about 2 weeks of not opening at all and then opens for about a month.


Thanks for all the great comments!
B

So I was a little unhappy with the last FTS because things were still upset from the cleaning... So - here is a new one.

Looks great man.

Probably the coolest customer service I have ever had... So a while back I posted about getting some Macros from LA Reefs and was very excited about getting a blue scroll macro algae. When they arrived, within about 2 days, the blue scroll vanished - no where to be found.

Well, I got an email from Loius at LA Reefs and he tells me that he read through my thread and felt bad that the macro was gone - offered to send me a new one at no charge. Sure enough, get an email yesterday saying I had a shipment coming and today - the new macro arrives.

I will get pics of this one tomorrow during the day - this one even has some scrolls on it.

Thanks Loius!!!

That's awesome that a vendor was reading your thread to begin with, much less hook you up with a replacement. Very cool!

your tank looks great, love the scape and stocking..........i hope mine will look as good as this someday.

Thanks tundrashaul - I get the feeling with all the prep and work you are putting in yours will look great! Can't wait to see it filled up (especially with the artwork on the background!)

returning the favor




its come along way
congrats
p.s.
i love that frogspawn

Hell yeah it has. Wow!

Wow, very cool.

Nice customer service from LA Reefs.

What macro did you get from them?

Thanks guys! Sometimes I forget where it started - thanks for the reminder...

SoCal - He sent me a new blue scroll macro. I am hopeful this one will not vanish mysteriously but, who knows. It actually has some "scrolls" although only two at the moment.

Cool tank, I always did like those 20 gallons long tanks.

Thanks Bruce - admired your solano for a while (in fact your YWG was the biggest reason I went for mine) and your new pico looks like it's gonna be fun!

its my turn to demand more pics

twiddling thumbs in anticipation

love long tanks!

pics soon - need some opinions on skimmers:

CPR BakPak2
SeaClone 100
Red Sea Prizm with surface skimmer
Remora C Pro with Mag Drive - (worried this will be too tall for the tank)

Let me know what you all think!

Thanks,
B

Why the remora pro? Planning on a tank upgrade in the near future? The regular Remora w/the MK1200 fits the back of the 20L perfectly.

Think I am going with the BakPak.

Doing some hardware upgrades - new bulbs.
2 ATI Blue +
1 ATI Aquablue Special
1 Fiji Pink

Purchased an RO/DI from Spectrapure (pretty cool deal - 90 GPD Dual TDS and Pressure Gauge - $149) so no more trips lugging jugs of water.

And last but not least - finally gave in and got the MP10.

I am battling bryposis along with some hair algae so I figure I am going to attack it from all levels. Light, Flow, water quality, Kent M Tech and BakPak Skimmer with some Chemi Pure Elite.

Too much invested so far - not going to let that stuff take over.

If you guys think I am missing anything let me know!

if you can wait on the mp10 the ES and WES versions come out at the end of the month, and the es in bout 35 bucks more than original version i think.ES has a few more modes, I dont think wireless version is worth it on smaller tanks.

EDIT: just saw the craigslist part, sorry

Dude, awesome upgrades. You'll love the vortech!

Thanks V - I don't know if it's the new bulbs or the MP10 that I can't wait to get my hands on. I need a better LFS so I there is no shipping time.

Tundrashaul - Thanks for the info on the new models. I had read a bit on them on did not see anything I HAD to have. I ended up getting this one from Big Al's.

I first felt the same way, but i liked the idea of the wave in/ wave out effect in nutrient transport mode I believe. Just cant wait to start, want good flow for cycle, i went for about 5 to 4 times my display volume for fuge turnover/ so it doesnt provide much flow.

Flow is good - I am thinking that's one of the issues on mine is a couple of dead spots.

The new modes on the MP10 look OK - I just think it's funny that they call it nutrient export. The marketing says it will stir up and export nutrients. I can see the stirring up part - but the export? How does a powerhead export nutrients? Maybe it's just me, but I don't know if I want my powerhead to "stir up" stuff expecially if I am not doing a water change.

Now the wave feature - THAT IS PRETT COOL! but I don't really think I need it.

Awesome upgrades dude! It is like "pimp my reef" in here.

Ha! LOL...

Now all I need is some chrome spinners and all will be good!

Yeah the term "nutrient transport" does sound like a marketing term if anything. id like to see how you like your mp10 on your 20L when you get it,maybe i can learn by where you put yours and design my scape accordingly

I am at a loss... I lost two fish in the last week. My Blenny and my firefish. The first was when I was on a trip - my wife told me about it. When I got back, I checked everything and all was well. Then a few days later, the firefish is gone (dead) I checked again and the temp was down to 73 from 78. Further inspection - the heater was not working properly at that point (not heating) The house is at 74 all day, so I am not sure how much colder it got. Could that temp have killed both of the fish? Here's the params:

Salinity 1.25
Amonia 0
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0
Phosphate 0
pH 8
KH 8
Ca 450
Temp 78 - 79.5 (new heater)

Help - thoughts would be great.

Yeah, it certainly could have been. Some fish just can't handle it....and I don't mean certain species. Sometimes it just happens. Usually it is stress more so than anything truly physical.

I had a 10* increase one time and everything made it except an angle fish and a clown...go figure.

Thanks - I am freaking out right now... I don't know about eveyone else, but my temp swings from 78.5 to 80.5 at this point. I don't know if it's the heater or not but I got the Reno Smart heater and it ALWAYS has the red light on.

I wouldn't be the least bit concerned with a 2 degree temp swing.

fish are pretty stressed in aquaria as is
a thermal stress could have been enough
that sucks though
...


hows the new gear working

A change like that is not that big of a deal.....but when you get below the "ideal" range of 76+, then that is when even 2* differences make a difference. Just like getting over 84* is usually bad news. But do remember, stability is king, so even if you are over the ideal, as long as you stay within a degree or so, you will probably be okay. Things like growth rates and longevity are more of a result of improper temperature. Fluctuations are more of the short term headaches.

You should be good....just stay on top of it.

If you are in the market for a new heater, these bad boys are reliable.
http://www.marinedepot.com/heaters_ebo-jager-ap.html

You shall prevail!

Thanks Ryan!

Konolua - I just got the heater - so if you are saying the Jager is really good, I don't mind taking this one back and getting that one. I stopped using the Reno bacuase it was swinging much more than 2 degrees and put my old standby in there and it's keeping it fairly steady. I just don't want to only have one heater in the house (I need one for water change heating.)

Cruz - I did 4 different orders and got my first one today. new frag tools and a new testing kit. Pretty happy with that as I was not expecting to get it so quick. The real fun looks like it won't start until next week.

Sad that I lost two fish - the blenny was pretty cool, but the firefish... Well he was the second fish I bought had him for at least a year.

Yeah, losing the "first" fish or the ones that last through tragedies and etc. always sucks.

I don't want to create a stir with the heater situation, BUT, I have two active Ebo Jager heaters running right now that were purchased in 1999, and one from 2001. I have also used the new ones with great reliability. I suppose that I am saying if you are in the market for trying something else, I believe the Ebo's will be a great alternative....

I should also add, my tank varies from 77.6 to 77.3. Because of the waterfalls, my water cools VERY fast at night, and then during the day it heats up so my chiller kicks in. I do not believe that two 150w heaters that are NOT first class could monitor and maintain water temperature that quickly and effectively IN SYNC if they weren't awesome.

Know what I mean? I gotta through the caveat in though, this is in my experience...and anything can happen.

I have only had 3 heaters... Two of them marine land - one of those just falied. The other was the Reno and not impressed so I am taking suggestions...

On another note - you guys thinkk it's OK to throw this one in the tank:


We were wandering around the tide pools in Pismo and this guy starts walking by... Of course he is happily (I hope) back in the Ocean.

Sorry man Sometimes it just happens.

What you need is a scavenger..you know, big time CUC. Someone to get at all that garbage in your tank. I'll give you this guy, free of charge. Just pay shipping...