135g

[jeremai]

Well, I'm helping a buddy set up a 135g FOWLR/pseudo-reef something or other. Here's the progress so far:

 

 

We already have all the equipment:

 

72" Sunpod (3x150w) - Not too much considering the 24" depth, but all he wants to keep are gorgonians and some LPS, so I figure it'll work well enough.

 

CSS225 - I love my CSS65 so much I had him pick up the larger version; we'll end up overstocking it, so the skimmer should pull its weight.

 

40g sump w/refugium

 

Simple plumbing - the Mag18 return pump splits into two outlets at the tank. A couple MaxiJets complete the flow; I have no idea how the flow will work in a tank that's six feet long, so we can add to it later.

 

The fish plan includes a few tangs and a heckuva lot of smaller fish - he is enamored with gobies, and wants at least two of every kind, hehe. My black perc will go in there too, along with a Centropyge spp. and perhaps a scribbled rabbitfish.]

 

Should be fun. This is a very large, very stressful project; any comments or ideas would be much appreciated.

[jeremai]

Ok, we're doing the plumbing tomorrow - any one have any random thoughts?

 

The sump will be set up like this - return in the middle, skimmer on left, refugium on right.

[seabass]

Interesting project; I’ll be following along to see how it goes. Good luck!

[ReefApprentice]

Nice Jeremai...that is one sweet project. I would get a really nice tang, like a blue or something that really stands out.

 

Good Luck

[jeremai]

He's my best friend, which is why this job is so frustrating - he wants everything he sees at the LFS as long as it's not blue, without regard to its needs. He wants corals (thankfully only things I can keep easily, like gorgonians and LPS), but also wants angels and rabbitfish. I'm trying to find a balance between talking him out of the coral nippers without stocking the tank like my dream 135.

[jeremai]

Got the rocks in; only about 100 lbs, but he wanted the wide open spaces look:

 

He made a bracket to fit on a 15H to hold the float for the ATO pump:

[adinsxq]

looks great!

 

do you have a shot of the finished wood work?

[jeremai]

Not yet - it's all pine beadboard, though. Looks flush on the front, but there are doors that pop open. We still need to finish the moulding and some other things before I take shots. Problem is, he's spending so much time staring at the friggin rock nothing's getting done!

[Cesar]

Got the rocks in; only about 100 lbs, but he wanted the wide open spaces look:

 

That's going to look really cool for a FOWLR tank. Awesome work.

[jeremai]

Thanks.

 

Almost done, just need the crown molding and the polyurethane:

 

 

[aquakevem]

your doing a good job on this build

[jeremai]

Thanks. I'm working on getting a shot with all the panels open. Kinda messy under there though.

 

Edit: as you can see...

 

 

[andrewkw]

the stand is really nice.

[fewskillz]

That's awesome!

[jeremai]

Added some livestock.

 

 

 

 

[POSSUM]

Nice setup! some day.......some day.........

[Travis]

Wow, that looks realy nice! My firend has the same sized tank. Here's a recent picture of his, although he now has the back painted black and he has replaced the two Utube overflow boxes with one CPR overflow box.

 

[jeremai]

Thanks, guys. Here's an FTS:

 

 

Edit: for comparison, this is the tank as of 01/21/2008:

 

 

Five fish in there now (black percula, firefish, dartfish, bicolor blenny, jawfish). Will probably adda scribbled rabbitfish, sixline wrasse, purple tang, and powder blue tang. I'm pushing to scrap teh tangs and get a trio of Heniochus diphreutes, but it's not my tank, after all.

[RayWhisperer]

Looks great.

 

I thought Heniochus were polyp nippers?????

[jeremai]

Depeds on the species... H. acuminatus (most often seen in stores) tends toward the random polyp grazing butterflies are known for; H. diphreutes are near-obligate algae eaters, with the occasional sponge or bryozoan thrown in for roughage.

[jeremai]

It's been a busy month. Here's a few shots to get started:

 

 

 

 

 

The tank is fully stocked as far as fish go. Final list:

 

Raul - Sailfin tang

TBA - Sohal tang

TBA - Sargassum trigger (it survived - woop!)

Fabiana - Yellow-headed jawfish

Poncho - Lawnmower blenny

Snatch - Fridmani pseudochromis

Esteban - Black percula

Caliente - Orange firefish

Pilar - Scissortail dartfish

Paco - Bicolor blenny

 

Lots of corals, etc. The refugium is coming along nicely, with mangroves and chaeto. Good times.

 

PS - what's with the horrible pixelation in those photos? I didn't do anything differently...

[RayWhisperer]

Again, IBP Image......

Get it together man, your doing something I would do!

[jeremai]

What are you talking about? Seems to be working to me...

[MFish]

Shame you didn't take the time to edit out the 'snow' in the sailfin picture

 

It's a great shot. Makes me wish my 120 was setup

[jeremai]

I was going to clone it out, but I figured it added to the whole feeding thing; these two tangs NEVER stop browsing.

 

So, funny story: Poncho and the sohal seem to be buddies, they're about the same length. The sohal will start munching away at a patch of algae, and immediately Poncho shoves him out of the way and eats the same bit. The sohal moves on, and again Poncho butts in. No aggression at all, but it's fun to watch.