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a Wisconsin Reef... my experiences in aquaculture


Alpha Aquaculture

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Sounds like a plan! Just send that WW over to Wisconsin ;) Its from Wyoming prob would feel more at home in ice cube Wisconsin anyway

:lol:

I always knew you were crazy.

 

and Just a hint

You can paint 2 sides of those tanks at a time while they sit on those racks.

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US Marine Coral

Very nice set up! Love the stands. What type of paint is that you are using for the tanks? What size tanks are they and what are you going to put in them? Can't wait to see it filled up :happy:

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Damn, Kris! This set up looks amazing! I need to come and take a look at this set up and pick up some corals! (check out my new thread when you get the chance)

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Alpha Aquaculture
Funny, I was just getting ready to PM you and ask how they were doing. Set up a little bare spot in the aquarium for them to feed, I would soak some hikari and/or PE mysis in Selcon and/or ViatChem then place it on the bottom for them to find twice a day...morning and evening (about two hours before lights out. Are you keeping them on a steady light schedule? The reason you turn off airstones and pumps is to collect their eggs!

 

I've been feeding hikari mysis but I need to start soaking it I keep forgetting. I also have been feeding once generally but occasionally twice per day I need to up that. I'm curious about light schedule because I have the warehouse flouros on higher up that turn on off and different times but the tank light is on a timer. How often did you clean the mandarin bare spot where you feed?

 

looking good kris! man yall have luck drilling those tanks, i cant get one tank under 29gallons drilled around here , especially the bottom.. oh well ill stick to acrylic for now, anyways yeah awsome job and can't wait to see them filled with nice clowns!!

 

I got them drilled from glasscages.com. I have no experience drilling glass I just cracked one of mine recently moving it around lol Its gonna be nice having a lot more tanks ready

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Alpha Aquaculture
:lol:

I always knew you were crazy.

 

and Just a hint

You can paint 2 sides of those tanks at a time while they sit on those racks.

 

I've been drinking coffee lately ;) and eating lots of sugar too lol

 

We tried to paint more than one side at a time but the epoxy drips, especially when its first mixed. Toward the end of the day it drips less once the can that is mixed sets a bit. Painting one side at a time and letting them dry like in those pics really helps to make it look awesome. They only need a few hours to dry, its the moving tanks all day that gets tiring.

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US Marine Coral

What type of paint is that you are using for the tanks?

What size tanks are they and what are you going to put in them?

Can't wait to see it filled up

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Wow this setup is awesome Kris! You know if you have any blasto's when you start sellin corals I'm gonna buy every color morph you have...lol

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:D

Those are some big numbers you said earlier...

Please join The Acan Club

I might start saving up now for some frags, Chalice and Acan galore!!!

 

Good luck, I think everyone on Nano Reef is cheering for you!

:P

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Alpha Aquaculture
Very nice set up! Love the stands. What type of paint is that you are using for the tanks? What size tanks are they and what are you going to put in them? Can't wait to see it filled up :happy:

 

 

What type of paint is that you are using for the tanks?

What size tanks are they and what are you going to put in them?

Can't wait to see it filled up

 

Hey! Sorry to take so long to answer your questions. About a month lol. I got burned out on the internet for a while there and had to cut back. Now I'm back at it!!! Anyway, I really appreciate the compliments. Thank you very much! The real reason why I never responded right away is that I wanted to take a photo of the epoxy I'm using on the tanks so you could see exactly what I'm using. Finally got it done today.

 

2-21-2012-IMG_7665.jpg

 

I'm using the two part epoxy on my 80 twenty gallon tanks that I will be using to raise babies from some saltwater fish. I decided to go with black because I like black a lot lol. Its gonna look awesome when its all done.

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Dang,

I need to get some roll on paint. I just googled that and that's mad expensive. lol

 

Hey! Sorry to take so long to answer your questions. About a month lol. I got burned out on the internet for a while there and had to cut back. Now I'm back at it!!! Anyway, I really appreciate the compliments. Thank you very much! The real reason why I never responded right away is that I wanted to take a photo of the epoxy I'm using on the tanks so you could see exactly what I'm using. Finally got it done today.

 

2-21-2012-IMG_7665.jpg

 

I'm using the two part epoxy on my 80 twenty gallon tanks that I will be using to raise babies from some saltwater fish. I decided to go with black because I like black a lot lol. Its gonna look awesome when its all done.

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Alpha Aquaculture
Wow this setup is awesome Kris! You know if you have any blasto's when you start sellin corals I'm gonna buy every color morph you have...lol

 

Thanks! Blasto nut huh!?! lol Don't have any blastos in my tanks right now unfortunately. Sweet species for sure!

 

 

:D

Those are some big numbers you said earlier...

Please join The Acan Club

I might start saving up now for some frags, Chalice and Acan galore!!!

 

Good luck, I think everyone on Nano Reef is cheering for you!

:P

 

I always set goals that are so high lol. I really hope I can achieve those numbers but its a lot more work then just some numbers show. I just keep plugging away. I'll check out the Acan Club. I appreciate the heads up and your interest. I'm happy that I am a member of such a great community like Nano-Reef and that I have the communities support. Thank you!

 

 

Wow really feeling what ya got going on in wisconsin, definitely living the dream! Just read all 17 pages keep up the good work!

 

Hahahahaha thanks! Always cool to hear that someone has read the entire thread. I try and make sure there are plenty of pictures and not just all words lol. I've got to get some more pics up soon so I can show the transformation. The warehouse is getting close to being finished. I'm at about 70% completed. After the final systems are plumbed and tweaked the retail shelving and products will come in. Then its gonna get fun!

 

 

VERY NICE...i bet you dropped some serious dough setting it up

 

Thank you very much! Yea your right I'm going to be living in a cardboard box if this doesn't work. Seriously, I moved out of my apartment and into my moms place last month to save money. Its not my cup of tea seeing as how I've been living on my own since I was 16 and now I'm back at my moms at 29 lol. I'm just doing anything and everything I can to make this business work. I've learned to not care about having a life or going out recently. I'm selling my 2005 Silverado and already own a beater car with 300,000 miles to have more money for rent and electricity. Anything and everything. I've been talking with friends about giving up a percentage of the profits in exchange for a defined hourly commitment of free work. I'm gonna start hitting banks if all of this stuff doesn't work ;)

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Alpha Aquaculture
Dang Kris,

 

Can't wait till you start putting up the acans and chalices. You have an ETA?

 

I'm trying not to just buy wild pieces and chop and shop them. So I've gotta wait for these frags to grow out and then frag again. Realistically, its gonna be 6 months before I'll have some serious numbers of frags ready. Corals grow soooo slow, especially lps.

 

 

Just came across this thread.

 

Look's awesome so far. :o

 

Thanks! I'll get some more pics up soon! Actually, I've got a few to share right now :)

 

 

Where are you located in WI ? I am in Central WI ! Do you offer discounted shipping for in-state purchases ?

 

I'm in Madison, WI I think Madison counts as central WI also?? If your that close why don't you just stop by and pick up? Otherwise shoot me a pm and I'll try and get you some discounted shipping. Maybe a two day or something similar that will arrive in one day because your so close.

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Alpha Aquaculture
Dang,

I need to get some roll on paint. I just googled that and that's mad expensive. lol

 

This epoxy is the way the professionals do it. I think a lot of those other types of paint will eventually crack and peel. In the past I used aquarium tint but that was impossible to source on a wholesale price point and it took longer to apply and was actually more expensive. I've even used some plastic sheet and wedged it in between tanks. I've heard of people using cardboard also, anything so the fish can't see each other. Its def a quality vs cost issue. If it will need to be refinished 3 times in the length of time the epoxy will last is it worth it?

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Alpha Aquaculture
nice banner

 

Thanks! I got it made at FedEx Office for $150 bucks. 6'x2' My friend made the design using all of my photos. I really like how he has the fish mostly all in top down shots. :)

 

oh and I forgot to mention that it was made same day out of some awesome material that could go outside no problem.

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Alpha Aquaculture

Here's a few shots from when I hung up the first set of rails to hang the coral lights from. You can see how I used two empty tanks as a stand for a bit in the first pic. Still gotta get the rest of them up lol. These pics are from a few weeks ago.

 

12-29-2011-IMG_6573.jpg

 

12-29-2011-IMG_6574.jpg

 

12-29-2011-IMG_6576_copy.jpg

 

12-29-2011-IMG_6577.jpg

 

12-29-2011-IMG_6578.jpg

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Kris your setup is looking so awesome! And yea I got a thing for blastos just haven't found a good collection I can buy all together vs one here one there ect with 30 in shipping each frag you know

 

Your clowns are still doing awesome and they're colors are getting more prominent every day. I'm in the process of setting up a Clown anemone biotope for them since the female seems to have a taste for my firfish's tail haha. Thanks again for the amazing clowns Kris! Hopefully I can get them to host a nem with the old post a picture on the side of your tank trick ;)

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Awesome setup. Very inspirational, I am sure, to us all. Love the raceways and how effective they have been for you. I had a friend a few years ago who had a very similar setup and it worked out very well for him too.

 

Look forward to more updates..

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Alpha Aquaculture
Kris your setup is looking so awesome! And yea I got a thing for blastos just haven't found a good collection I can buy all together vs one here one there ect with 30 in shipping each frag you know

 

Your clowns are still doing awesome and they're colors are getting more prominent every day. I'm in the process of setting up a Clown anemone biotope for them since the female seems to have a taste for my firfish's tail haha. Thanks again for the amazing clowns Kris! Hopefully I can get them to host a nem with the old post a picture on the side of your tank trick ;)

 

Blastos have a bunch of relatively common morphs and you don't regularly see the other morphs but every once in a while you'll see something super crazy. I know a guy with one that looks like a bleeding apple scoly! Glad to hear the clowns are doing good and always a cool experience seeing the colors mature. I still get surprised seeing colors mature. I've got this one Fancy White that started red and now is getting so dark almost black. I love it! As far as the aggressive clownfish, its better to have your clowns by themselves if they are killing other fish for sure. Clownfish anemone biotopes are sweet anyway! Def use the trick!

 

I really appreciate your kind words! Thank you!!!

 

 

Awesome setup. Very inspirational, I am sure, to us all. Love the raceways and how effective they have been for you. I had a friend a few years ago who had a very similar setup and it worked out very well for him too.

 

Look forward to more updates..

 

Thank you so much!!! I really dove head in for the dream! I have no idea what I'm doing I just have the help of a lot of really awesome people! Thanks everyone!

 

I have some really cool ideas for the raceways I plan on pursuing very soon. The big raceway systems in the pics below are around 350 gallons. They are running with only one 3600gph pump. Got any pics of your friends setup? I'm very curious about what it looked like.

 

2-17-2012-IMG_7645.jpg

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