jndragon 40 breeder build thread

[jndragon]

After finally looking through this site for the longest time, I have decided to create my own build thread. Its not exactly a step by step build as I got too eager and put everything together already but at least I can share my reef with everyone and get some feedback on things.

 

Equipment:

 

Return Pump: Ehiem 1262

Skimmer: BM NAC 3.5

2 Ecotech Vortech MP10 EWS

2 Rapid LED Onyx light fixtures

Bulk reef supply GFO/ Carbon Reactor

Aquamaxx Bio pellet reactor

Auto Topoff ATO dbl switch- currently do not use as I am having some issues with the float valves

Everything is controlled with my Apex controller

Custome made acrylic sump from Elegant Reef

 

Livestock:

 

(2) Yellow Striped Cardinalfish

Hawkfish

Yellow watchman with Tiger Pistol shrimp

Forked Tail blenny

 

Eagles Eyes

Blue Zoas

Watermelon Zoas

Purple People Eater

Green Palys

Green Star Polyps

Purple Gorgonian

Orange Non-photo gorgonian

Purple chalice

blue trumpet

Green Leather

Green Frogspawn

Setosa

Duncan

Purple Cap

 

Sorry for the poor quality of the pics but I can't seem to find my battery for my SLR

[DannaM]

Looking good ! You have a lot of nice equipment running in there

 

Loving everything apart from your avatar....GO DUCKS !!!!! hehehehehhe

[jndragon]

I orignally made my own LED lighting system with RapidLED lights but for some reason that I can't figure out, the PAR dropped so low that I started bleaching corals left and right. I lost quite a bit of some nice corals and the ones shown above are what remained. Not wanting to give up, I have since upgraded to the Onyx lights and have slowly started rebuilding my coral list. This past weekend was awesome becasue I scored on some really awesome frags at my local club frag swap:

Mini rock anemone
Mellow yellow clove
Yellow torch
Green Acro
Red people eater Zoa
Sunset Stylocoenellia-Jason fox was there with the really good stuff
Fuego del terra- My favorite of the bunch
Rainbow Stylo- scored on this sweet frag on a door prize
Red branching cyphadteria ?
Bonsai Acro
Bottle brush acro
Orange digitata- This guy will hopefully replace the truyly epic colony I once had
Pink Lemonade Millipora- never had a milli so this will be my second one

 

 

http://s807.photobucket.com/user/jndragon79/media/IMG_1186_zpsbfa37a99.jpg.html'>

Loving everything apart from your avatar....GO DUCKS !!!!! hehehehehhe

 

yea my team in the past couple of years has been less than stellar. Yours however has been doing pretty good.

[DannaM]

I orignally made my own LED lighting system with RapidLED lights but for some reason that I can't figure out, the PAR dropped so low that I started bleaching corals left and right. I lost quite a bit of some nice corals and the ones shown above are what remained. Not wanting to give up, I have since upgraded to the Onyx lights and have slowly started rebuilding my coral list. This past weekend was awesome becasue I scored on some really awesome frags at my local club frag swap:

 

Mini rock anemone

Mellow yellow clove

Yellow torch

Green Acro

Red people eater Zoa

Sunset Stylocoenellia-Jason fox was there with the really good stuff

Fuego del terra- My favorite of the bunch

Rainbow Stylo- scored on this sweet frag on a door prize

Red branching cyphadteria ?

Bonsai Acro

Bottle brush acro

Orange digitata- This guy will hopefully replace the truyly epic colony I once had

Pink Lemonade Millipora- never had a milli so this will be my second one

 

 

Loving everything apart from your avatar....GO DUCKS !!!!! hehehehehhe

 

yea my team in the past couple of years has been less than stellar. Yours however has been doing pretty good.

The Trojans will pick up after the scholarships are allowed again. USC won't have any troubles there. Especially as they are now talking about working on that hurry up offense the Ducks run

 

Wow, you did get a score !!!! We don't have a club where I live so it's a long wait to go shopping or order online - which I always hate because I think if the extra coral or two I could have got for the shipping charges.

 

Anyhow ... NICE looking tank

[jndragon]

Thanks DannaM. You know for a time I was looking around for a place to score some nice frags and I saw a post that someone put on this site that club frag swaps are the best. Having attended my 3rd event, I would absolutely agree with them these things are awesome. Hopefully one will start up soon in your area.

 

Thanks again for the comment.

[jndragon]

So I've been thinking about adding my last addition to my fish stocking list and I need some help with it. Although my parameters are pretty much locked in, I still get a little bit of hair algae and some normal algae on my glass. To help with the occasional spots, I was thinking about a tail spot blenny.

 

 

 

 

I know they need to be given plenty of algae to graze on, so I would supplement with nori sheets cut down and seaweed flakes. My current list is as follows:

 

(3) Yellow striped Cardinals- I don't think they will be aggressive

(1) Fork Tail Blenny- Pretty peaceful fish

(1) Yellow Watchman- pretty much hangs out with its shrimp on the bottom

(1) Long Nose Hawkfish- This is the one guy I am a little cautious of but the tail spot will be large enough to not look like a meal.

 

What are you thoughts?

[neverrain]

Just adding to this in regards to the TSB. I absolutely loved mine and unfortunately lost it a couple days ago to ich (died suddenly, showing no noticable symptoms). I would absolutely purchase another one, if not a pair. I noticed mine grazed a lot, but don't expect it to clean the glass or anything. It also ate mysis shrimp too (or tried). Though I'm not sure if it ate it because it saw the firefish do it, or because it genuinly wanted it, since they are supposed to be herbivores. I couldn't get mine to eat flake or pellets. It seemed to be fine grazing and picking at shrimp floating in the tank. Great little fish, always happy looking, playful, and out in the tank. I would highly recommend it. Just make sure you have a few holes in rock or whatever for it to live in.

[jndragon]

Sorry to hear about your loss. I heard that these fish have tons of personality and combined with my yellow striped cardinals, hawkfish and fork tail blenny personalities, the tank will be very entertaining. Thanks for the advice.