Jump to content
Pod Your Reef

MedRed's 60 Gal Solana XL: The End of an Era


MedRed

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 2.2k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Yes sir animal master. I'm kind of scared to do it just yet. I don't want to get a piece with any sort of algae, hydroid, aiptasia, etc. pests. I also need to get a scoop of sand from someone with clean sand. :nervous:

Link to comment
NirvanaandTool

Woohooo! Its finally filled!

 

Glad to see it with some water in it. Looks great with the inTank overflow pieces too. Love the inTank clown haha

Link to comment

It's been a busy day...

 

So I decided to cover the back of the tank to hide the vortech wires and make the overflow less conspicuous. I was in Wal-Mart looking at the self tint. Most of it was the water and squeegee type. I actually picked some up, but went back to change the opaqueness. That's when I found some static cling Black Magic Insta-Cling that seemed like it would make life easier. I bought 5% tint.

nl902h.jpg

 

Unlike most of the tints that were there. it's 26" long instead of 24" so I had to use a razor to cut the excess. I applied it and noticed a ton of air pockets! I ended up spraying the glass with water and then using a squeegee anyway to get the air pockets out. It works great! I can see through the tank from outside in to align the wet and dry parts of the vortech, but I can not see through the back from the inside of the tank.

 

I also rotated the scape a little bit. I think it looks much better!

 

2n1cllu.jpg

 

16h0ntk.jpg

 

Shrimp anyone?

2vwv8m8.jpg

33l2ejl.jpg

 

I'm using 3 pieces of shrimp (overkill) but I need to keep things going for 2 months. I'm adding Microbacter7 for now and will add Bio Spira when I add the first fish.

 

I also added my seed piece of Liverock.

30n9d81.jpg

 

It's right between the three pieces of LR. I used a CoralRX to dip it. HOLY COW... 2 large copepods, 3 stomatella, and 1 bristleworm ran off in agony. I dipped it for a lot longer than necessary.

 

Oh yeah... thanks Nirvana.

Link to comment
Very good rock work..!!!! where is the shrimp??

 

Thank you! and as Mitch stated, the shrimp are dead shrimp that I need to rot and start my cycle. I'm using more than I need in an effort to keep the cycle going long enough since the tank will be fallow for awhile. I also would like to seed my bioreactor fairly quickly. I may remove the shrimp after a week and just start using fish food.

 

On a side note, I'm thinking about seeding my tank with live mysis ahead of fish stocking.

Link to comment
Never heard of that being done. Might be pretty cool.

 

I think it'd be cool too. I wouldn't expect the population to keep up... but if some survive, that'd be awesome. I actually had mysis living in my little 5.5 pico. I just looked one day and there they were. I thought that was awesome.

 

Also, when I hit my diatom bloom, I'm going to seed the tank with tigger pods. It'd be nice to have a diversified pod culture as well. It makes me wonder if there are any other foods I can seed... hmmm! lol

Link to comment

......

 

 

 

my eyes is about to close but when i saw your new update. i can't believe this tank is that sexy! Good work Med! You really gave me a bone chill. lol

Link to comment
I think it'd be cool too. I wouldn't expect the population to keep up... but if some survive, that'd be awesome. I actually had mysis living in my little 5.5 pico. I just looked one day and there they were. I thought that was awesome.

 

Also, when I hit my diatom bloom, I'm going to seed the tank with tigger pods. It'd be nice to have a diversified pod culture as well. It makes me wonder if there are any other foods I can seed... hmmm! lol

I may have to order some pods. I don't think there are ANY in my pico at the moment. -_-

Link to comment
......

 

 

 

my eyes is about to close but when i saw your new update. i can't believe this tank is that sexy! Good work Med! You really gave me a bone chill. lol

 

Ha ha... Thanks D!

 

I may have to order some pods. I don't think there are ANY in my pico at the moment. -_-

 

really? How long has your pico been going? I don't want to introduce foreign pods until the natural population builds up. I don't want the tigger pods out competing the regular guys.

Link to comment
animalmaster6
I don't want to introduce foreign pods until the natural population builds up. I don't want the tigger pods out competing the regular guys.

This is exactly what I think too.

Link to comment
More cute clown...

4tt2rb.jpg

 

StevieT did an excellent job. I'm going to let the silicone cure for the evening and fill'er up tomorrow. Thanks again StevieT!!!!!!!!

 

Looks nice.

 

The clown, which is the dot of the "i" for inTank is actually my clown fish. I took a picture, digitized it and now it is all marketing. I didn't have a small enough inTank sticker so you got the clown :happy:

 

##### bites me all the time, watch out she's mean.

Link to comment
Captain Billy

Looks good and kudos to being cautious, but don't keep all that good life out of your tank. You may be a little to sterile, don't worry so much. Look for pests and be careful with what you put in your tank. You have way more to worry about with corals and fish than rock and sand.

Link to comment
This is exactly what I think too.

 

Have you done any pod seeding before?

 

Looks nice.

 

The clown, which is the dot of the "i" for inTank is actually my clown fish. I took a picture, digitized it and now it is all marketing. I didn't have a small enough inTank sticker so you got the clown :happy:

 

##### bites me all the time, watch out she's mean.

 

Lol... it looks great. It got covered up in sand, but I'll uncover it the next time my hands are in the tank.

 

Awesome tank!! Love the update

 

Thanks ajmckay!

 

Looks good and kudos to being cautious, but don't keep all that good life out of your tank. You may be a little to sterile, don't worry so much. Look for pests and be careful with what you put in your tank. You have way more to worry about with corals and fish than rock and sand.

 

I hear you. I did have some hydroids and bad algae on the rock I introduced in my solana build. Everything was manageable, but I'm trying to avoid the issue entirely. I hope that I end up with a nice, low pest tank.

Link to comment

Does that shrimp still stinking up your tank? i have never seen a frozen shrimp in a tank before until i saw yours.. is this to boost up the progress of cycling?

Link to comment
Does that shrimp still stinking up your tank? i have never seen a frozen shrimp in a tank before until i saw yours.. is this to boost up the progress of cycling?

 

Yes it smells! I have 3 in the tank. They are the source of my ammonia to cycle my tank without fish in it. I actually used fresh shrimp from the seafood section of the butcher.

Link to comment

I love it. in one night it skimmed out almost all of my fine sand debris. I have it skimming super dry right now. I'm surprised at how few microbubbles it's making. (it made a lot the first night, but I think that was due to epoxy issues).

Link to comment
I love it. in one night it skimmed out almost all of my fine sand debris. I have it skimming super dry right now. I'm surprised at how few microbubbles it's making. (it made a lot the first night, but I think that was due to epoxy issues).

awesome, i just need to look at it a second time at my lfs.....soo many tiny uniform bubbles moving upward in perfect lines omgomgomg

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recommended Discussions


×
×
  • Create New...