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DEKAND's 34g Solana Diary/Build-up


dekand

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thanks guys, will have some new SPS frags (from here :)) so pics of those soon...

 

so I'm getting ready to pick up a new tank and this is the one I'm looking at. how loud is it my aquapod's are open top and are fairly quiet. I had a large tank that sounded like Niagara and don't want to spend all that money to get back into that situation

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so I'm getting ready to pick up a new tank and this is the one I'm looking at. how loud is it my aquapod's are open top and are fairly quiet. I had a large tank that sounded like Niagara and don't want to spend all that money to get back into that situation

 

well the stock skimmer is quite loud, a constant buzzing sound that i absolutely hate... thats why i only run it during the day, it's off with the main light at night. There are upgrades for the skimmer that are much better at least noise wise apparently.

 

If you don't keep the water level topped off at the proper height you will have the splashing/dripping noise, i've put an ATO on mine so that takes care of that.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Updates!!!! UPDATES !!!! UPDATESSSSSS!!!!

 

ok nothing crazy... just felt like e-yelling... Finally got ALL of my xenia out (phew) well, there seems to be some growing in the back chambers, but i'm ok with that i guess for now.

 

I replaced the liverock with xenia on it with some new pieces, also got a Superman Monti and Chalice to ... um "babysit" for a few months, so hopefully they grow out enough so i can keep some :)

 

I am waiting on the vortech mp10 to come out so i can get some more flow in the tank, i never wanted much flow while i had the xenia because it made it just look crappy. But now i am more focus on hard stuff (aside from my huge frogspawn) so i want some mo-flow!

 

anyways pics:

 

 

IMG_7544.jpg

 

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IMG_7580.jpg

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Dekand, looking great. My light needs a new bulb soon, and Im considering upgrading to the same 150W fixture you have. Do you ever use the leds on yours?

 

I too have the solana, set up about a month after yours (I was following your setup thread at the time), and really want something with Actinic bulbs but so far I havent found anything that will fit the tank.

 

Also, which ATO did you go with?

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Thanks guys, yeah I am loving the new 20k bulb, much more blue, the corals pop a lot more now. I am curious as far as growth rate with it though, but that's something i wont find out for a little while...

 

jawalsh: I use the blue LEDS at night for moonlighting but thats it. I went with the JBJ ATO and it's been working perfectly. I can't believe how long i went without one!

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  • 2 weeks later...
frankinswine

I too have a solana tank, I am going to upgrade my lighting to the Sunpod 150W. Do you ever have over-heating problems using only the mounting arms? I was thinking of suspending the light, but if there were no real heat issues why not go the easy route and just mount it on the tank. Everything looks great I have followed your build for a while.

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  • 4 months later...

WOW! by far one of the nicest solana's Ive seen, so tired of seeing all the SPS ones, I see very few that are a mixed reef, let along one as pretty as this!

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True amazing to see your tank is looking awesome! im thinking about adding sand back to my tank. what substrate do you have?

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Wow very nice tank. I am a NC 28G HQI owner myself. This solana tank looks real nice to me. Pity they are not available in the UK. Your 29K halide sure does make the coral colours POP. Real nice.

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  • 11 months later...

IM STILL ALIVE!

 

Now that that's cleared up, so is my Solana, i've just been too busy to post anything about it. Well also not inspired to because ever since the move into the house (from apartment where it started) it has been a battle with this tank, one algae bloom or problem after another, coupled with a new baby, and no time to keep up with it, it has come very close to being taken down a few times.

 

BUT I love it and could not bring myself to strip it down. My most recent battle has been with Bryopsis, or the green devil as i've come to call it. It has taken a few months, multiple rounds of magnesium suppliments, multiple attempts to take rock out and scrub off the stuff, and FINALLY! (Knocks on wood for a while) it seems to have worked. I have been bryopsis free for only a week, but trust me any other time it would grow back almost instantly.

 

So i'm now again excited about my tank, and i've taken a few new FTS for you guys.

 

As far as livestock updates, well my big black clown chased the little black clown out of the tank. Which was a real bummer. Replaced it with an plain jane orange clown. Also there is a Yellow Assessor who I quite like, just wish he would swim upside-down a little more often :)

 

Other than that just the usual snails and hermits, just added two peppermint shrimp today to hopefully get rid of some aptasia, we'll see.

 

Oh I did add a Rose Bubble Anemone, my dad was breaking down his tank and I promptly took it from him and sent the other half of it to our store to be put in the 850 gallon reef. I have always wanted one, and it's picked the perfect spot to settle down, and surprisingly both the clowns took to it pretty quickly.

 

Dialed in my MP40 to make some waves finally, it's pretty easy to do you just have to be patient and make incredibly minute adjustments, wait, adjust, wait, etc. Video is on youtube.

 

Enough chatter:

 

FTS:

IMG_8543.jpg

 

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Wave Video (MP40):

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  • 1 year later...

Well unfortunately a bitter/sweet event has occurred with this tank, as of Jan. 24th 2011 my Solana sprung a pretty significant leak leaving me with the delima of replace the glass/stand and continue on with my 34g that's been running for over 4 years, OR upgrade. [bitter]

 

Fortunately it was a slow leak, but still managed to ruin the carpet by the time we noticed, so it became a pretty big DIY renovation project... ouch.

 

I decided to spend a little more and finally move on to a bigger tank. [sweet]

 

I ended up getting a 65 Gallon Rimless (36x21.5x20), I had the Solana in a corner of my new house and this setup actually fit quite well in the same spot while more than doubling my effective "space". Needless to say I'm pretty excited about the new setup, just need more money as well all know with a bigger tank, you need bigger money :)

 

Anyhow I will start another thread for the new tank, this will serve as the goodnight and goodbye to my first reef tank, it was a good run.

 

The last photo I took of the Solana (night mode) before it busted.

post-34027-1328594919_thumb.jpg

 

The new 65g a few days after the transfer + 40lbs more liverock.

post-34027-1328594930_thumb.jpg

 

More details to come!

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