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The Bow


Mickle

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Where to begin?

 

Here will do.

 

I had a pico finished and ready to be made wet... then I was offered an Aqua 40 (27 litre) for a great price (it leaked). So the plan was changed, 12 litres to 27. The stand was also a good fit for a tank I had spare... Sump? Ok.

 

With caution I preceded to drill a couple of holes in my new tank. This went... Surprisingly well actually! Slow and steady wins this race. Following the hole making I went about re sealing and adding a weir, some silicone covered digits later and all was well.

 

Sorry for the lack of pictures up to this point but we can start now!

 

For overflow I decided on dual stand pipes... sort of...

 

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Not a great Picture, the level is normally a bit lower but you get the idea...

 

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The sump...

 

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... Hey it's not the size, it's what you do with it! :o

 

So live rock went in and the cycle began.

 

Time passed.

 

I enjoyed the life in my salty box but decided a trip to the LFS to see some old friends and what stock was available wouldn't hurt!

 

So perusing the stock I notice a beautiful miss-barred clown fish.

She was in the corner of the tank, seemingly shy. Our eyes met across the tank...

 

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It was love at first sight. :wub:

 

 

... but I was going away for 3 weeks to America in 2 days time.

 

:annoyed:

 

I called upon my marine zen.

'Patience young reefer! Fish another come along will, kill this one, do not!'

 

3 Weeks pass.

 

A few days after my return I go to see my mate working at the LFS...

 

...

 

Of course she was still there! :D

 

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Right side...

 

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Left side...

 

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Nearly symmetrical :)

 

FTS from around that time... I think.

 

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System shot!

 

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Everything was going well, we got along well apart from the odd nip!

 

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Although I got the feeling that she was getting a bit frustrated about being on her own.

The algae magnet in particular seemed to perk her interests!

 

 

So after some research I decided to get her a pal.

 

I've heard of issues with adding clowns separately, I probably will get her a conspecific mate as she gets older but right now I did not want to take the risk.

I needed something that could hold it's own but also give a nice flash of colour.

 

Enter, Eric.

 

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He is an Orchid Dottyback, Pseudochromis Fridmani.

This has been one of the best decisions I've made in fish keeping!

 

They are really cute together and were from the start.

When frightened they huddle together.

 

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At night Layla follows Eric around like an obedient puppy!

 

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So all was well in my little tank.

 

Layla happy.

 

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Eric happy.

 

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Some various tank shots...

 

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Here endeth part I... Phew!

 

Part II - Return of the plonker

 

One day I spotted an Aqua 60 (60 litre) return at the LFS.

 

I tentatively enquired about it..

 

The tank was brand new but the lid was used, the light wasn't working... Ohhhhh :D

 

A HEFTY discount later and it is mine!

 

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After a slight bit of dremmel work...

 

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Plus the drilling of the two drain holes, same technique as before. Slow and steady, let the drill do the work.

 

Let the transfer begin! :w00t:

I was hesitant but all went well.

 

This is the 'I'm gunna need more water stage.'

 

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And full.

 

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I did loose the brown trumpet coral which was looking ropey from the moment it went in the tank but more concerning, the green hairy mushroom. More concerning because I have only just noticed after looking through the pictures! :(

Think I may have buried the poor thing, sorry shroom!

 

Tank as it is now...

 

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Awful pictures, done in a hurry this afternoon but you get the gist!

 

I'll leave you with the fan worms that seem to like the back of the tank, pretty critters :)

 

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Long may the saga continue!

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Few decent pics today...

 

Layla and Eric have spotted the cookie monster, have you?

 

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...

 

 

 

 

There he is!

 

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FTS

 

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Left side (view from desk)

 

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Right side (view from bed)

 

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Angle view

 

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King of the hill!

 

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Any clues on an ID for this thing?

 

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New tiny zoas, so bright green, so tiny!

 

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Slightly concerned about this one, had a couple of tumbles in the past week, does not look as healthy as I would like. I've tried to target feed but it hasn't taken anything yet...

 

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Layla and the tubes

 

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Speaking of tubes, plumbing shots...

 

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One last tube... youtube!

 

 

G'night Eric!

 

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I've noticed there is one thing missing from this thread... an extensive list!

 

Equipment

  • 60 litre Super Fish Aqua 60 aquarium, drilled with 2 x 25mm holes (should of gone bigger)
  • Aqua One Aqua 65 stand... sort of fits with a couple of bits of wood on the back :o
  • 12"x10"x8" Sump divided unequally in to two compartments with a bubble trap
  • 600lph ehiem compact return pump
  • 1600lph Hydor Koralia Nano power head (just about man enough for the moment, we'll see...)
  • Tunze 9002 Nano Skimmer
  • Tunze 5017 Optical auto top up
  • 150W heater
  • ATC 300 Temperature controller
  • Glass thermometer in the sump just to be sure!
  • Arcadia 11W pod lamp with white spectrum bulb
  • Moonlight LED flexi strip
  • TMC 1000HD reef white tile
  • TMC power controller (with STORM function!... ?)
  • Bottom half of a Fluval Mini filter, full of floss, acting as my filter sock
  • Live Rock... maybe 5kgs (never weighed it, very very porous)

 

Live Stock

  • Clean up crew consists of 4 red legged hermits, 3 in the tank, 1 in the sump (not a fan of snails)
     
  • Various mushrooms couple of LPS and a few zoas... oh and two swimmy things.

 

I'm using D&D reef salt, seems pretty good.

 

..I think that just about covers everything...

 

Oh and roughly 80 billion plug sockets... how does that happen??

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Welcome to the next instalment! - Layla + Eric

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Lets take a tour of some new bits and some old...

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Eric is concerned for the blasto, still keeping an eye on this - worried about light damage, may move it into an even lower light spot.

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Following a power cut (10 hours!) I thought I'd lost most of my tube worms...

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But it seems that they are making a valiant come back :)

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Spot the new stuff!

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Purple plating monti

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Lovely little hammer

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With added crazy long clownfish poop in the background!

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That's enough pics of poo. Have a look at what else she's been up too...

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Black spots, usually a sign that a clown is attempting to host something, appeared before the hammer went in so not entirely sure what she's nuzzling up to!

 

Sorry for the poor photo but I love this tiny mushroom, not sure on species but it seems green with an orange outer ring and mouth, possibly a baby ric, we'll see :)

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To finish up, some various tank shots.

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Cheers!

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