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40 GALLON BREEDER w/ the new Solana 34 gallon Mantis Shrimp tank


RLC

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Quick,

I am not sure the color is not right I just put the light on the tank for about 10 minutes. I think I need to let it run for a bit and let the bulbs warm up. I will look at your suggestion and FiRsT-aNd-LaSt to see which I like the best. I kind of like that deep purple as that is the color on our daughters tank (03 true actinic) and it makes the green glow.

On the super actinic is that bulb suppose to be a dull grayish color when it is on?

 

Thank you again Quick and FiRsT-aNd-LaSt as I may have gone with a different light (MH) without your help. :D

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Super actinic should be more of a purple'ish color.. Mine is not gray...

 

Edit: Actually now that I look at it, it does seem a little gray.. I see what you are saying.. I guess that's how mine looks as well.

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Tempereefer

I still prefer MH and the shimmer, T5 tends to look like a blacklight display at Spencers at the mall, but I do love the versatility of a Multi bulb t5 setup.

 

My dream light is a Geisman or Current 2x250 with 4x54 or 8x54w actinic t5s.... best of both worlds

 

 

I like pendants and retrofit T5s with individual reflectors for now though

 

 

Next up Powerbrite LED bars to get the shimmer!

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FiRsT-aNd-LaSt

Looking at my super actinic, it's purple but I can see how it could be considered gray, looks like a bunch of bugs flying around it when i look at it lol, but trust me it don't put off gray light.

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Sick! I did not like the Fiji purple or equiv in my setup, I switched it out for reg actinic blue, much happier. I went 12k daylight, 420nm actinic, 460nm actinic, and a "red wave" which is more of a full spectrum pinkish bulb. I only have 4x39w though :-(

 

I am actually jealous of your light.

 

Worst case scenario we can dremel it in half and put 2x150hqi retros in between each bank of 4 bulbs. LOL j/k......

 

 

 

A dremel might not work, may have to use something else.

 

 

I still prefer MH and the shimmer, T5 tends to look like a blacklight display at Spencers at the mall, but I do love the versatility of a Multi bulb t5 setup.

 

My dream light is a Geisman or Current 2x250 with 4x54 or 8x54w actinic t5s.... best of both worlds

 

 

I like pendants and retrofit T5s with individual reflectors for now though

 

 

Next up Powerbrite LED bars to get the shimmer!

 

I need to borrow one of those Current LED strip to see if it is even strong enough to make a shimmer when the main light is on. This light is so good I will be able to charge people to come over and use as a tanning bed. B)

 

I looked at the combo lights but for another $400 - $600 for the really good stuff was just out of my range and with the heating of the tank water brings up a whole different issue.

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Nice tank but I'm gonna have to fail that "car"...

 

Lets take a look at the "fail" of this car and why I think it is a Epic "win" for my family.

 

I will go with a low number on how much I am saving on gas.

Nissan Frontier - 21 MPG

Nissan Cube - 34 MPG

+13 MPG "win" @ $2.50 gallon and if it was last summer when it hit $4.00 it is a EPIC WIN for me. B)

 

I feel as I have the same visibility that I had in the truck. With the large windows of the cube I do not feel I am low to the ground and unable to see my surroundings like I feel when I drive a "normal" car. "Win" ;)

 

With curtain air bags that go down to you hip and 2 more air bags 1 in the steering wheel and 1 in the passenger dash board. That is a total of 6 air bags so that is a "win" for our daughter and us. :)

 

Engine needs a tune up at 105,00 miles as it does not have fan belts and the normal garbage that needs to be inspected so the only thing we have to do is a oil change = "win" :lol:

 

The cube has been out for 10 years in Japan and this is the 3rd generation so it is not a response to the scion. This is not a thrown together design to compete with scion so I would have to say "win" on this as well. :D

 

It does look different and that can be a "fail" at first but like the scion once it grows on you it becomes popular like the scion. So in time the design becomes a "win". Since this is the first year of the cube being released in the USA I will give you the "fail". -_-

 

If my main goal was to impress crrichey I would say sadly this will be listed as a "fail" -_-

 

 

The total win / fail on the cube for my family is 5-2 in favor of the "win"

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Tempereefer

Swish! Count it! In hindsight the storm trooper helmet with murdered out windows and wheels may have been my choice. :-)

 

it definately grew on me, friggin cool little box ride!

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So I am taking my time on the 75 as I still need to get a sump for it ( fingers crossed for sometime this weekend ). The 75 has been running for about 4+ years now and a has a all glass model #2 sump on it now with a skimmer that will also be upgraded but there just not enough room for a fuge. I was looking at a 40 or 45 gal tank to drop in there [skimmer - fuge - return line]. The 75 for way to long has been a catch all for other tanks. Example would be our daughter's tank had a couple urchins in it but they kept knocking things over so we grab them and put them in the 75. So I want to stop putting up a tank for a few months get bored rip it all apart and just throw everything in the 75 and just wait for the next whim to hit. So as soon as I get rid of the fish I have it now ( this weekend ) I will be moving the 75 out to the living room. The tank will consist of only working fish ( Jawfish, Goby/Shrimp pairs and other small working fish) or at least that is the plan as of today. Not sure how the back wall will look but each fish will get its own rock to work on. Each rock will have its own unique coral as well. The best example would be one rock would have nothing but Ric's on it while another may have a Torch or Zoa's. I would like to do some arching Tonga branch glued together to connect a rock or two and maybe some flat live rock on the back wall to put some kind of encrusting coral.

 

 

Here in Arizona it is hard to get a Aquarium that rivals our LFS but here are some pics from the Wildlife Zoo that is inspiring this build.

 

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The 75 has been in on hold as I am trying to figure out what to about a sump. I have the All Glass model #2 on there now but tht is not going to cut it as I need t make fuge area. I an going out looking at tanks this weekend to see what I come up with.

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Kraylen,

Were you still living here when the zoo had the aquarium up and running? The zoo had some real neat looking stuff but all the coral tanks had this lime green tint to them. ATR, Aquatouch and Pets Inc. I saw a lot of fish tour up and just a little haggard.

 

here is shot taken with no flash

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Here is a tank just around the corner. it was kind of wierd how one tank was crazy cool and the next looked like someone poured tea in it.

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So we got and installed our new RO/DI 90 GPD unit. We really like it. :)

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I just unpacked the new skimmer as well. The 75 is almost ready for the move. B)

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I came home today to find the Mantis dead. We are so sad. We had him for a year and 2 weeks.

:mellow:

We love and miss you. RIP.

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You will be missed and we thank you for the joy and beauty you gave our family.

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FiRsT-aNd-LaSt

Sorry about the mantis, it always sucks loosing livestock, nice reef octopus I know your gunna love that, I don't have an extreme but mine pulls some dark smelly skim mate even with my low bio-load. I haven't been to the zoo but plan to soon.

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  • 2 weeks later...
:D We got married a week and a half ago (8/14) so the updates were put on the back burner. The 75 has been moved and it is up in running. I keep making it cloudy every night as i adjust the rock around. I will post pics soon. :D
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  • 3 weeks later...

So we got the 75 moved and all went well. Still working on the rock here and there. Taking it nice and slow.

In the first pic you can see rock islands up front. My idea is to have some kind of fish that will call each rock its home (Jawfish, Goby - Pistol or Blenny).

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More pics to come... :D

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  • 2 months later...

So it has been awhile since a update. So we just moved in to a new house and we did the move at night and we must not have moved fast enough and the water temp dropped. Needless to say about 75 - 85% died :o:angry: . Our little girl is so bummed. Let the rebuild begin :huh: . The lesson learned was use fish people to help you move a tank.

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So it has been awhile since a update. So we just moved in to a new house and we did the move at night and we must not have moved fast enough and the water temp dropped. Needless to say about 75 - 85% died :o:angry: . Our little girl is so bummed. Let the rebuild begin :huh: . The lesson learned was use fish people to help you move a tank.

Sorry to hear about the moving crash. That sucks man.

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