burtbollinger Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Finnex 30...running an aqua c remora nano, a chaeto fuge, an MP10, and a BRS GFO reactor.. Thanks for all the assistance and advice....especially Phixion, Ken at Oceanreeflections...and thanks to BigByrd for his amazing tank, which inspired the rockwork and idea for a 30g finnex. EDIT: Tank has been taken down...Starting a super slow build, LPS-centric Reefer 170 w/ Nanobox Duo M in early 2017. Lessons learned from this tank: Have the entire tank in your mind at the start. You can't just buy coral after coral and plop them in without planning. To me, this tank aesthetically was off...too many of the same round shapes...not enough depth, no balancing of colors.... Other lessons: very careful with flow...a 2 second blast of too much flow can tear euphillia and start a cascading, slow motion disaster tank wide... Buy a refractometer. again...Low to medium flow. Really watch and lock down alkalinity. Not appreciating alkalinity swings bit me in the rear. I watched Alk, but was content to let it swing...didn't understand how that could impact LPS. No coraline algae on back walls. Be very paranoid about scratching your glass. no scolys, no open brain corals...others have luck, I don't. No ugly plain palys that overgrow everything. Know when to stop adding corals. Dip all corals. Too repeat...much flow with LPS is bad. If at all possible, have a sump vs an AIO. Remove sick LPS sooner rather than later...take the loss and move on. 4 Quote Link to comment
jimi thing Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 I love the aquascaping. Very cool looking tank. I'm setting up a 30 finnex as well. I'm gonna guess that you're running a 20k MH? Quote Link to comment
SeeDemTails Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Looks great, zoas look happy. Quote Link to comment
Phixion Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Never fear, I'm here! lol, j/k Tank is looking awesome, Burt! I agree with SDT, the zoas all look great! I'm planning to rescape my tank as well. First I gotta get my water in order though, which I got back results on from Aquarium Water Testing where you send them a sample of your tank water. Quote Link to comment
burtbollinger Posted April 15, 2008 Author Share Posted April 15, 2008 (edited) thanks....yeah, I had been doing intensive care on them, and I did a few furan-2 dips on them based on advice SeeDem gave me....aslo been dosing @ 1/4 tsp of buffered sodium ascorbate (Vitamin C)....always wanted to do an almost zoa-only tank with shimmering halides... the light is a 14000k phoenix....trust me, its not that blue in real life. SDT, I know you have black and white clowns....were yours orangish around the mouth area at first? I'm hoping that goes away and they darken up.... (EDIT 10/2010....they are both still alive and all the orange disappeared) Hard to say if I got ripped off or not....LFS gave me the pair for 90, claiming they were true percs...I'm not so sure....regardless, they're cool fish...fattening up already off of rods food... Edited October 26, 2010 by burtbollinger Quote Link to comment
SeeDemTails Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Well it certainly looks like you have your zoa issues under control now!....Well done!!!!! Yes, they will blacken up, mine were about 2 years old when they went jet black. Even though the male will be smaller, he may not grow bigger but will still darken up. Mine are JET black now, I love them, some of the coolest fish out! Quote Link to comment
YeahitsK Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 I love those finnex tanks. Yours already looks great. Did you go with the 150W lighting? Quote Link to comment
burtbollinger Posted April 15, 2008 Author Share Posted April 15, 2008 thanks Yeah, I got the 150w MH....twas backoreded for about a month...Its really nice....but then again I have nothing to compare it too....I've always had PC lighting until now. I highly recommend the finnex tank just as far as looks and build quality...that said, I am not a fan of the skimmer or stand though...not using either one. Quote Link to comment
SeeDemTails Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 (edited) Where di you get your 150 MH? I need another one, and illuming.com is down! Edited April 15, 2008 by SeeDemTails Quote Link to comment
burtbollinger Posted April 15, 2008 Author Share Posted April 15, 2008 Where di you get your 150 MH? I need another one, and illuming.com is down! I went with the finnex brand fixture....that came with the tank....got it through Ken at OceanReeflections....sorry if that isnt the answer you wanted Quote Link to comment
SeeDemTails Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 I'm looking for a good retro kit! Thanks anyway, you got the right bulb though! Quote Link to comment
fishybadmike Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 Those are some very nice zoa frags. They look very happy in your tank. Quote Link to comment
burtbollinger Posted April 18, 2008 Author Share Posted April 18, 2008 (edited) Temps have been creeping up to 83.8 after @ 6 hours of MH....then dropping back to @ 82....purchased a jebo multi-fan, haphazardly pointed it at the first chamber/skimmer output ramp...which knocks the temp back to 82.5....also was getting a diatom bloom, so I added @ 20 cerith smails last night....seem to be doing a good job keeping the sand sifted/not brown... I'm still not to the relaxing stage with this tank yet LFS guy tried his best to sell me a bluespot jawfish last night...was even offering free ricordias if I bought him....twas the most tempting near purchase I've ever faced....if not for these forums, he'd be mine...I thought I had read he needed a DSB...turns out, he did....and is also a notorious jumper. For real, though....maybe the coolest fish I've ever seen....he reminded me of a muppet or something.... EDIT: Jebo multi-fans suck. Get a large floor fan or something built large and sturdy. Edited September 22, 2009 by burtbollinger Quote Link to comment
SeeDemTails Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 he reminded me of a muppet or something.... Lol, walka walka walka. I love jawfish and will be putting one in my 60 acrylic hex, as it has a built in top. I lost my jawfish to a jump I guess. I miss him, he was an awesome fish. First fish I have lost in many years too! Quote Link to comment
Phixion Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 Burt, put the fan over the return chamber, that's where I put mine. That way it'll work a little more efficiently and quickly. SDT, I agree about jawfish. They certainly are awesome fish. I just last week got a blue-spot (finally!) for my tank, and he's the most personable one I have yet to date between him, the dusky and the moustache I've all had in the past. I definitely put eggcrate of the top of my tank with him in there, don't need a $120 (I got mine for $50 actually from an LFS) laying dead on the carpet. Quote Link to comment
burtbollinger Posted May 12, 2008 Author Share Posted May 12, 2008 I have stopped dosing vitamin c as of last night...it raised my alk to 15 and i had to do an emergency water change... Quote Link to comment
Toomin Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 well done. even the coralline has covered up your walls already Quote Link to comment
SeeDemTails Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Tank looks great Burt! Quote Link to comment
Phixion Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 It's looking strong and healthy Burt, keep up the good work! Quote Link to comment
pprwngs Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 sweet looking tank. and the rock work is stellar. I just picked up a solana and the nova extreme pro and i want to do the same zoas and rics at the bottom and then some sps towards the top. anyways keep up the good work. Quote Link to comment
Avon Barksdale Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 Nice tank Burt!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment
Avon Barksdale Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 What up on the pics?????????? Quote Link to comment
burtbollinger Posted February 8, 2009 Author Share Posted February 8, 2009 (edited) tank at 11 months...had a few dieoffs of zoas, and a tiny bit of zoa trouble, but things are good. temp rock soild at 78, alk 10, ca 420....no new additions in months....been broke....when $, I'm going to stock the rest with montipora digitata, and other super easy sps. water changes every 5 to 7 days...5g of torpic marin pro...with buffered up Alk. dosing 10ml a day bulk reef supply alk and ca. stocked with 2 clowns, carpenters flasher, and a bicolor blenny. could be better, could be a lot worse IMO. Edited February 8, 2009 by burtbollinger Quote Link to comment
Avon Barksdale Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Looks good!!!! I like those clams give me one.... Quote Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.