My new Solana 34

[txbonds]

Thats looking killer! The lights really nice!

 

Thank you.

[rck]

What's a ballpark $$ on your light?

[northstar1357]

Dang! more pictures, your gobbie looks changed color completely! haha

[zemuss]

Following.. Nice setup

[d'Espresso]

Looking good bond! What kind of goby is that? What does he eat?

[txbonds]

What's a ballpark $$ on your light?

 

 

The aqua illumination units are around $540 and the controller is around $75 or something like that.

[txbonds]

Looking good bond! What kind of goby is that? What does he eat?

 

It's a Randall's goby, he is just pretty good size. Maybe 3 inches in length. He is being funny because he is digging a hole in the front left corner. I've been watching him picking up rocks and moving them out. It's a pretty darn big hole. However, it's out in the open and isn't under a rock ledge. I setup numerous spots he could have burrowed under, but he chose the front corner.

 

He eats mysis shrimp just like the clowns. I try to feed them some every other day. The tail spot blenny doesn't seem to eat anything I put in the tank, but does seem to constantly be picking at the rocks, so I'm not sure if he is eating pods or algae of some sort.

 

Sort of wish the goby would just continue to work around the entire tank to sift the sand. I've not really found anything to sift this Indio Pacific Black sand. My fighting conch seems to have issues with the sand. He never really burrows through it the way he did in the biocube which had fine reef sand (just a little coarser than oolite). I also picked up a tiger tail cuccumber but he burrowed under one of the large live rock stacks and hasn't come out since. He moves around under it a little but never really comes out. He basically made a burrow under the rock and only hangs out there. What else would sift this sand? I've been contemplating switching back to something like fiji pink live sand, but don't want to mess with it honestly.

 

Dang! more pictures, your gobbie looks changed color completely! haha

 

Hehe, those last pictures had the camera flash on them so he looks less luminescent than in the previous pics.

[Chimpo]

Awesome Setup Bond! The light looks sick. Does your MP10 stir up the sand on the opposite side of the tank? Mine did...

 

I would also recommend though making a change to the 2nd chamber. In mine, I currently use the standard rack system that it has and run a fluval sponge on top shelf and chaeto in the large middle chamber. I run Chemi-pure and Carbon in there as well (the chaeto actually rests on top of the bags). I will be making a custom egg crate rack but haven't gotten around to it yet.

[txbonds]

Awesome Setup Bond! The light looks sick. Does your MP10 stir up the sand on the opposite side of the tank? Mine did...

 

I would also recommend though making a change to the 2nd chamber. In mine, I currently use the standard rack system that it has and run a fluval sponge on top shelf and chaeto in the large middle chamber. I run Chemi-pure and Carbon in there as well (the chaeto actually rests on top of the bags). I will be making a custom egg crate rack but haven't gotten around to it yet.

 

I made a custom holder for a filter sock for that chamber. I'm not running any chemipure or carbon, but am going to add some cheato below the filter sock soon. Just have to get my refuge light setup first, so probably another week or two before I start that one.

 

That said, I might switch away from the filter sock as well so that pods can more freely move through the refuge area to the tank, and in that case I would switch back to floss and make an eggcrate rack like you.

[jae4571]

That light is awesome! Your tank is looking great.

[txbonds]

That light is awesome! Your tank is looking great.

 

 

Thanks.

 

I just ordered a neptune apex controller to add to the mix as well. Can't wait until I can get everything going and talking together so that I can peek in on it while away from home as well.

[rck]

Hell yea looking great and wow on that light! I really wanna go LED but the $$ is a little steep for me at the moment and I really wanna see some long term effects before I switch off MH.

 

so does the filter sock cut down on all the blowing particles... and micro bubbles?

[txbonds]

Hell yea looking great and wow on that light! I really wanna go LED but the $$ is a little steep for me at the moment and I really wanna see some long term effects before I switch off MH.

 

so does the filter sock cut down on all the blowing particles... and micro bubbles?

 

 

The sock does so for me. My goby has been stiring up sand lately though as he is digging a big hole, but otherwise the sock works great. I think it catches more than the filter floss I've used. Only once did I buy some fluval brand polishing pads that worked as well but they were extremely dense white pads that really caught a bunch of stuff.

 

The socks seem to do a great job, but they probably don't let pods move from the back to the main tank without getting stuck in the sock. Don't know that for sure but I think it's a 200 micron sock.

 

 

I'm also using a slower return pump as I downgraded to a 250gph extra biocube 29 pump. I will be changing that eventually but the solana pump was pretty warn and crusted with stuff which prompted me to use this one. Dont know if the slower pump helps prevent bubbles or what not but maybe it has an impact.

[txbonds]

Added a big ball of chaeto to the bottom of the middle chamber. Took the filter sock that i have in there and shortened it to only about 4 inches, which left plenty of room for the chaeto to sit below it on top of the original lower level.

 

Found a clamp on LED light at target on clearance that has about 10+ leds on it. It's pretty bright and puts out a yellow light. No clue on the color, but should be fine as long as it is enough overall light. I clamped and bent the neck to position the led's just outside the glass from the chaeto ball.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New FTS

[txbonds]

Changed the aquascape today, as well as replaced the sand. Never was happy with the indio pacific black caribsea stuff as the chunks of rock mixed in were so large nothing would stir it. Moved back to a medium sized arag-alive from natures ocean (0.5 - 1.7mm) so it wouldn't blow around but was more sifter friendly.

 

Here is the new aquascape, what do you think?

 

My zoa garden

 

Green birdsnest & red cap montipora

 

Frogspawn

[nova65ss]

Looks good! I like the new sand better and really like how the Zoos are growing up the long rock!

[jae4571]

I agree the new sand makes your tank look a lot cleaner. The tonga branch with the zoas growing on it is sick!

[txbonds]

Thanks. Went home at lunch today and was thinking the same thing about the sand. Really brightens up the tank as well. Was also amazed to see my temp sitting at only 76.5 degrees. Man I love having the LED's as it really helps keep the temps in check. This temp is with a closed glass lid as well.

 

Also picked out 4 more of those asertina starfish. I guess the rock and sand movement made them start showing up again.

[txbonds]

Picture updates 09/28/10

 

 

Tailspot Blenny hanging out

 

Tiger Tail Cuke

 

Fighting Conch taking a peek

 

Randalls Goby in his tunnel cave

 

Clowns

[txbonds]

09/28/10 Pic Update continued

 

Zoa Garden

 

Red w/ Blue Spot mushroom

 

Frogspawn

 

Mushrooms

 

Lobo

 

Green Birdnest

[billgil1]

A much better look in my opinion. Really like the aquascape also. Great looking tank!

[txbonds]

09/28/10 pic update continued

 

Acan

 

Red Monitpora Cap

 

Rust red mushroom & star polyps

 

Another mushroom

 

Echinata

 

Emerald Crab in hiding

 

Green mushroom free floated and took up residence on sand

 

Latest FTS

 

A much better look in my opinion. Really like the aquascape also. Great looking tank!

 

Thanks.

 

I like this layout better as well.

[txbonds]

Few updates on the aquascaping as I changed some things around, so I snagged some more pictures. Hopefully you guys enjoy them as much as us.

 

New FTS 09/30/10

 

Picked up my first Duncan yesterday

 

Store where i bought the Duncan gave me some free polyps, which i glued to a rock (ones on the left) along with another free floater from my tank that I have no clue what it is yet (on right)

 

Not sure what this guy is, but he was growing on an empty snail shell, so i glued a couple of shells to a rock to see what develops

 

The Acan from a few days ago opening up more fully

 

Some color

 

New orange ricordia (not sure where to put this guy yet, so I tucked him into the front of a rock for the moment)

 

Lots of green

 

 

Few more pictures 09/30/10

 

Feather duster

 

Color Splash

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moved the frogspawn up and beside the return, but haven't decided if it might be too much current blowing directly onto one of the heads.

 

 

Lastly, the air adjustment for my modded Tunze 9002 skimmer

[txbonds]

Couple more for today 09/30/10

 

 

FTS looking down

 

Left side

 

Less impressive Right Side

 

Randalls Goby in Zoa garden keeping an eye on me

[jgpico]

thats it......i just made up my mind.....im getting a solana. this tank is awesome. i love the scape. the zoa columns set this tank off. i have really never seen another tank with something like that. i love it. awesome work. keep it up. im envious