matt frizz Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Firstly, I want to officially introduce myself to the forum. My name is Matt Frizz and I've been taking care of and most importantly constantly learning about salt water aquariums, specifically, reef keeping, for the past 4 1/2 years. This forum has been a HUGE source of information and I am forever in debt to it. I've been striving to keep the best possible SPS reef tank with the least amount of work without sacrificing stability for the past year and a half. I've had my rough patches like we all have but I'm finally learning that a little work here and there is a lot better than a lot of work in stretched out increments. I'm 22 years old and live in Northern Virginia. I just finished my associates degree at NVCC with a focus in business and I'm set out to begin studying marketing at VCU in Richmond starting the 14th of January. I figrued it was a perfect time to perfect my current tank. I want to keep the coral I've been cultivating so why break down if I don't have to? I love this hobby! So I'm basically "downgrading" my 50 gallon breeder to a 30 gallon breeder and by downgrade I truly mean upgrade. I've switched my lighting from 250W MH and 4x39W T5H0 to a Maxspect Razor LED setup. I went with the 16,000k, I'm looking for maximum coloration. I've kept a few types of SPS throughout the years and I'm looking to really get my colonies grown out in this tank. This is going to be my third saltwater setup and they get a little more professional each time. Of course my first 29 gallon was not that stable of a tank we all make those beginners mistakes. My 50 gallon is extremely stable I managed to keep a mandarin dragonet this past year fat and happy without feeding it at all. It now eats pellets. He just started actively seeking them out as a food source in the past 3 months and I couldn't be prouder. He was not an ORA mandarin. What I most wanted to change about my last setup was that it was not a clean looking setup. This 30 breeder is going to be as neat and tidy as can be. Here are some specs of the equipment that I've aquired. Equipment: Deep Blue 30 Gallon Breeder 20 gallon sump (chose not to go with baffles this time, I don't think they are totally necessary and time is of the essence for my move, also my last sump design with baffles did not have enough flow, looking to eliminate this issue) Double tank holding stand from Drs Foster and Smith Mag-7 pump CPR Overflow box (I paid $50 for a HUGE box that normally is over $200, the store needed it gone so I scooped it up) MP-40 currently in use on my 50 breeder, I also have an MP10 that I may just use for mixing water change water. Maxspect Razor 160W 16,000k LED setup SWC Xtreme 160 skimmer (currently in use on my 50 breeder) Breeder net: for chaetomorph in the sump to keep it from interfering with equipment Black Sand (I want these led's to make everything POP!) 20 lbs Enough talk, here are some pics!! Christmas came twice this year! Except my bank account looks really sad right about now lmao. The things we do for this hobby. Sneak Peak of things to come: Lights over my current setup: So here's the updated FTS (1/31/13) and a stocking list so you have an idea of whats in this box! Fish: Mandarin Dragonet Yellow Tang Bartlett's Anthias Inverts: Trochus Snails Astrea Snails X2 Blue Leg Hermit (May take them out later, I really don't trust crabs at all) Med-Lg Brittle Starfish LPS: Hammer/Torch/Frogspawn Duncans Assorted Acan Lords Echinata Favia Grape Watermelon Chalice Hydnophora Polyp: Assorted nicely colored zoanthids Assorted Ricordea SPS: ORA Orange/Green Tipped birdsnest ORA Green Stylophora ORA Bird of Paradise Pink/Purple Birdsnest Assorted Pocillopora (green tipped/purple) Sunset Montipora Pink Montipora Capricormis Green Montipora Capricormis Montipora Digitata Bottlebrush Acropora Tri-Color Acropora Green Acropora Tyree Staghorn Unknown Staghorn 1 Link to comment
BoCoMo Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 I dig it! Putting that same fixture on the 40B I am building now. Link to comment
matt frizz Posted January 4, 2013 Author Share Posted January 4, 2013 Getting everything together. Took the skimmer out to be cleaned and tore down my ATO. Trying to imagine everything ahead of time to foresee all problems. I've fixed a few small things thus far. I should have the other set up with water tomorrow. Just picked up some adhesive velcro for keeping the electronics out of the way and I also picked up a twin size black sheet to put underneath the breeder to cover the sump and electronics. This is going to look so clean when I'm done with it. Link to comment
matt frizz Posted January 6, 2013 Author Share Posted January 6, 2013 filling her up in the new spot. 1 Link to comment
matt frizz Posted January 8, 2013 Author Share Posted January 8, 2013 Starting the breakdown of my tank tonight. Going to see if I can trade some fish and LR for a new cleanup crew at my LFS tomorrow and I'll be heading down to Richmond with all my corals/fish/rock that I'm keeping. Wish me luck with the move!! Link to comment
deathscythe617 Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Best of luck, I hope everybody makes it there safe and happy. 1 Link to comment
matt frizz Posted January 9, 2013 Author Share Posted January 9, 2013 Breakdown went great! I didn't lose anything. Brought my mystery wrasse/starry blenny and about 60 lbs of rock to the store and got a new CUC for the tank. Mine was looking sorry before. Here are the picks. Everything in boxes. transfer complete Cloudy FTS I'll take better pics after the corals are less pissed and the fish are less scared. Tank is literally FULL of coral. I couldn't fit anymore if I wanted too lol. I'll take some macro pics (iPhone macro lol) as best as I can. 1 Link to comment
matt frizz Posted January 9, 2013 Author Share Posted January 9, 2013 The rock scape turned out great first try man. I got really lucky. Halfway through though I realized how much coral I have exactly. Link to comment
Falcon_Punch Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 The coral fill the tank nicely! Also,I'm in the nova area too so if you need to load off some frags,I'm around haha Link to comment
Builder Anthony Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 Good job not breaking some of those bigger peices 1 Link to comment
matt frizz Posted January 9, 2013 Author Share Posted January 9, 2013 The coral fill the tank nicely! Also,I'm in the nova area too so if you need to load off some frags,I'm around haha Haha, I moved to Richmond unfortunately, and dumped everything I didn't want/need at the Marine Scene. When my corals get too big for the tank come down here and I'll give you some! Good job not breaking some of those bigger peices Thanks man. I found my ORA Bird of Paradise plug off the rock it was glued to but it was unscathed. I bagged everything up really nicely and drove really carefully. I do have a few new frags of pocillopora though from that softball sized colony. In a few weeks my leds should color up my corals quite a bit so I'll take some good close ups then. My tri-color acro is already starting to look great. Just need a little more time. I also cut off some of the coral in that pic and there's some behind the rocks as well. Link to comment
matt frizz Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 So I'm officially moved in as of today. I turned off the return pump while I was back at my rents house since wednesday night. I left the skimmer running to keep the water flow in the sump and the MP40 moving the top. I went to home depot to pick up a ball valve for the return and I got a rio pump and inserted the airline tubing into it in order to draw from the CPR overflow box. This worked out perfectly, I'm not foreseeing any overflow problems now. The water was reaching the rim of the tank before and now it's right where it needs to be. Night time shot. Link to comment
kzv Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Awesome tank. Really digging the corals and the aquascape. 2 thumbs up! 1 Link to comment
matt frizz Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 tthese pics look way better on my iphone... Link to comment
Falcon_Punch Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Haha, I moved to Richmond unfortunately, and dumped everything I didn't want/need at the Marine Scene. When my corals get too big for the tank come down here and I'll give you some! Dang! New shots look great BTW! Link to comment
matt frizz Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 Dang! New shots look great BTW! Thanks man! Corals are starting to perk up. Really hoping I dont lose this one acro colony i have, it's polyps are extended but there is cyano clinging to it and I don't have a baster down here. Fingers crossed it pulls through, most my corals normally do after they've been in my tank for a while. Who loves duncans as much as I do??? This colony is HUGE! Picked it up for $190 like 8 months ago and it's grown quite a bit! 2 Link to comment
matt frizz Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 fish posted up hard in the corner Link to comment
matt frizz Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 You think these guys are going to make it? Really worried about them, polyps still extended though. Seems like RTN though. The trip was rough on my acros. Really need a turkey baster.... Link to comment
chachew Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 How do you like that light? I should receive mine tomorrow Link to comment
matt frizz Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 How do you like that light? I should receive mine tomorrow Love it so far. Still figuring out how to customize the timers, can't seem to get it how I want it yet. As for coloration and what not, holy crap my corals look better every day with the exception of the acros that are super stressed from the move. I got the 16,000K and so far I am super happy with my choice. 1 Link to comment
chachew Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Love it so far. Still figuring out how to customize the timers, can't seem to get it how I want it yet. As for coloration and what not, holy crap my corals look better every day with the exception of the acros that are super stressed from the move. I got the 16,000K and so far I am super happy with my choice. Awesome, i bought the 16K as well for my 40B. Cant wait to get that thing on top of my tank. I am currently running 4 24W T5's and a 250W MH over the 40B, hopefully i wont shock the corals to much with the LED's Link to comment
matt frizz Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 Awesome, i bought the 16K as well for my 40B. Cant wait to get that thing on top of my tank. I am currently running 4 24W T5's and a 250W MH over the 40B, hopefully i wont shock the corals to much with the LED's I ran the same setup over my old 50 breeder but with 4x39W T5HO. The corals look much better with the LEDs and don't seem to be shocked at all and I run them 100% most of the day over the 30 breeder. Link to comment
chachew Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 I ran the same setup over my old 50 breeder but with 4x39W T5HO. The corals look much better with the LEDs and don't seem to be shocked at all and I run them 100% most of the day over the 30 breeder. Sweet so there was no acclimation period for you from the swap? Now thats what im talking about!! 1 Link to comment
matt frizz Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 yeah they were already used to high lighting. All my LPS look WAY better now. The bulbs might have been going though lol. 1 Link to comment
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