JohnOTS Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 OK, so i am starting this thread a little late, the tank is about 8 months old. I will try and go back and post pictures from day one and up to this point to give some history on the tank. I absolutely love this set up, with some small mods.... Thanks to StevieT!!! I have been having some small issues with SPS - specifically Monties - and need some advice, but we can get into that later. I wish I would have found this forum much earlier, wow would it have helped. Link to comment
JohnOTS Posted September 11, 2009 Author Share Posted September 11, 2009 Like most RSM owners I started trying all stock components and experienced the MICRO BUBBLES big time. Here are some pictures from the first 3 months, this is all that I have from the "early days". Day 1 Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Link to comment
JohnOTS Posted September 11, 2009 Author Share Posted September 11, 2009 Modifications to date include the Tunze 9002 and StevieT cup and media rack, a must for the RSM! I also had to add a chiller thanks to the warm summers of sunny california. I run the chiller in the stand - have two little girls who wouldnt leave it alone. I installed the Red Sea cabinet cooling fan to keep the stand cool, man that thing is loud... Link to comment
StevieT Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 I like your scape. Off set to the right pretty original. It will look very nice all covered in those plants I mean corals. You may want to dump that marron clown as it gets larger. They are can be very aggressive and need larger tanks. Link to comment
JohnOTS Posted September 11, 2009 Author Share Posted September 11, 2009 The Marron is gone!!!!! Man it was a nightmare getting that fish out, I ended up taking everything out of my tank to get him. The tank has changed alot from then. I am going to post many more current pictures. how do you post pictures straight in the post? Current livestock include: - Coral Beauty Angel - Target Mandarin - Leapord Wrasse Female - Fire shrimp - Bristle star fish - Arrow Crab - and ofcourse many other cuc Link to comment
StevieT Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 go to photobucket.com upload your pictures there then copy the code come here, paste and enjoy Link to comment
leveil22 Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 Like most RSM owners I started trying all stock components and experienced the MICRO BUBBLES big time. Here are some pictures from the first 3 months, this is all that I have from the "early days". Day 1 Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 have you had any trouble with micro bubbles? Link to comment
JohnOTS Posted September 12, 2009 Author Share Posted September 12, 2009 leveil22, I had the a big problem with the micro bubbles. The main culprit was the stock skimer, that thing is junk. Replace the skimmer and buy the tunze 9002 and stevieT skimmer cup and media rack. This will greatly improve your tank for the long run. Also ditch that white filter pad and buy the filter floss (blue and white) from stevieT. After I got the media rack from stevie I only run his filter floss, purigen and chemi pure, water is crystal clear. StevieT products can be found here http://shop.mediabaskets.com/ Link to comment
JohnOTS Posted September 12, 2009 Author Share Posted September 12, 2009 Here are some more pictures of the history of the tank. Tank 6 months photo taken at night Tank at 8 months Link to comment
JohnOTS Posted September 12, 2009 Author Share Posted September 12, 2009 One healthy well fed sun coral... Me hungry NOM NOM NOM Link to comment
JohnOTS Posted September 14, 2009 Author Share Posted September 14, 2009 Here is the tank to date Lobo Brain, I bought this brain close to death and it has recovered great after lots and lots of feeding... Link to comment
JohnOTS Posted September 14, 2009 Author Share Posted September 14, 2009 Latest addition, Green Tip Birdsnest Link to comment
StevieT Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 very nice, cool looking GSP Link to comment
JohnOTS Posted September 14, 2009 Author Share Posted September 14, 2009 Thanks Steve, I need to re-work my rock and probably add 5lbs more, my toadstool is growing out of control and is creating so much shadow probably need to move it off to the side and frag it back. I also need to start pruining down the purple mushrooms they are popping up everywhere. What is the best way to get the mushrooms off the rock? Cut them? Pull them? or use a blow torch? Link to comment
StevieT Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 I really don't know, it is going to be tough. you probably will have to cut them off, they are weeds so make sure you remove it all. Link to comment
JohnOTS Posted September 21, 2009 Author Share Posted September 21, 2009 I really wish the stock lighting in the RSM had better actinics... I think I am going to have to try the current USA PowerBrite LED strip with the four blue LED's. Any one have any experience with this current USA LED strip? I Probably will just mount it directly on the stock hood... I wonder if that is too close to the water??? Link to comment
badfinger Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 i think most people are adding their extra light in the front that opens up... that is where i put my led light (not the power brite).... i have heard that they are nice but create a spotlight effect. i actually just bought a led light setup at costco and had a tv repair company put blue lights in, and it only cost 10 bucks for them to put 8 in (plus the cost of the lights) Link to comment
JohnOTS Posted September 21, 2009 Author Share Posted September 21, 2009 i think most people are adding their extra light in the front that opens up... that is where i put my led light (not the power brite).... i have heard that they are nice but create a spotlight effect. i actually just bought a led light setup at costco and had a tv repair company put blue lights in, and it only cost 10 bucks for them to put 8 in (plus the cost of the lights) Badfinger, Did you cut out your front hood piece? or did you just mount it directly on it? Do you have any pictures? Link to comment
JohnOTS Posted September 25, 2009 Author Share Posted September 25, 2009 So, I decided this tank doesn’t have enough actinic's with the stock lighting. So I have explored the idea of adding some Royal Blue high power LEDs. I was going to completely DIY into the front hood door, however I got a smoking deal on two strips of the powerBrite current usa LED strips - 20 bucks for both on craigslist. I installed them right onto the hood, wow do they put out a lot of intense blue light. The only problem is the "spotlight" affect. I have tested the strips by removing the optics and it completely fixes the problem. I plan to soon cut open the hood and install the strips without the lenses. Here are some pics of the attached LEDs. My camera sucks or its just my camera skills... But here are some actinic only pics. Notice the horrible spotlight affect. Going to be gone soon after I mod the LED strips. Link to comment
JohnOTS Posted September 25, 2009 Author Share Posted September 25, 2009 I think I am starting to get a little better at taking pictures. Here are some more pictures of my new additions. Teal Green Millipora, growing quite nicely. Orange Montipora Digitata Link to comment
nanoreefnate Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 WOW. that millie has some Great PE. nice pix Link to comment
JohnOTS Posted September 25, 2009 Author Share Posted September 25, 2009 WOW. that millie has some Great PE. nice pix Yea that Milli is probably the happiest piece in my tank. It is growing really fast, and has colored up good in my tank. When I purchased it it was all brown, it has a really nice teal green color to it, my picture doesnt do any justice. Link to comment
JohnOTS Posted October 19, 2009 Author Share Posted October 19, 2009 Wow, it’s been awhile time to post some new pictures. The tank has changed again, I purchased about 20lbs more live rock and completely re-scaped my rock. I really like this look better. I have also added more coral. I think I am going to dominate the top of the tank with different millipora and digitata!!! Latest additions include: ORA Jeremy’s Green Monitipora ORA Rose Millipora Yellow Millipora Unknown pocillopora Tank at 10 months Link to comment
JohnOTS Posted October 19, 2009 Author Share Posted October 19, 2009 Time for a photo dump... Blue Acro Tenius, growing quite fast and coloring up really nice. It was kinda brown when I got it, not its turning nice and blue. ORA Jeremy's Green Montipora. Just put this in and its already showing some great PE. ORA Rose Millipora. This guy is still sitting on the frag rack, I gotta figure out how to cut these darn ORA plugs! Uknown Pocillopora, cant wait to see what this colors up to.... Yellow Millipora, I got this from a local shop and it was almost pure white. It is starting to show some cool yellowish collors. Link to comment
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