steely185 Posted June 29, 2012 Author Share Posted June 29, 2012 I ordered 20 pounds of shelf rock yesterday. I plan placing it top of a mix of pukani and tonga rock. The tonga rock I will use like table legs and branches. The pukani will just add some different structure to the rock. It should provide plenty of caves for the fish while allowing plenty of flow around corals. Here is kind of what I would like to model some of my rock like. Link to comment
revaltion131 Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 Nice pieces. I'll definitely be watching to see what you do. Link to comment
teamschreiba Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 Great looking scape, can't wait to see how it looks once you add all your colonies. Link to comment
steely185 Posted June 29, 2012 Author Share Posted June 29, 2012 Just want to be clear that this isn't my scape. I don't want to take credit for someone elses work. I'm planning doing something close if I can pull it off. Link to comment
steely185 Posted June 30, 2012 Author Share Posted June 30, 2012 I ordered a pair of new radium bulbs last night. I'm 15 months into the current set and I believe they are the root of my problem causing die off. I look forward to the new set just for the added insurance. I do love what I've been seeing with the new AI Vega Color that is going to be released. I also liked reading that they will have a form of software control along with apps for your phone to control the lights. At $500 a piece they may win my heart in a few months. Does anyone know if two would be sufficient for my tank. I just don't want to lose any SPS due to not enough light spread. Link to comment
animalmaster6 Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 Really looking forward to the new scape. That rock you posted reminds me of the 37.4. Link to comment
steely185 Posted June 30, 2012 Author Share Posted June 30, 2012 Thanks. I'm anxious to open it up some, give some over hangs for the fish, and get rid of majanos. The rock should arrive sometime this week but not sure how much I will get done. I'm closing on the house Monday and painting/moving the entire week. Yeah I think so. I really want to see if I can pull it off. Link to comment
revaltion131 Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 No rush, take your time to get the scape just right before you move everything. I'm doing something similar when I do my move next summer. Going to set up the new tank and use the nice dry base pieces I want to do a dry mock-up before I finalize everything. Edit, found the thread I was looking for. Great ideas on scapes and procedures. I wish I could do what some of these people can: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthre...ght=aquascaping Link to comment
Arkayology Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 Good luck with the move and the tank Steely. Link to comment
steely185 Posted July 10, 2012 Author Share Posted July 10, 2012 The tank has been moved. I didn't really get to siphon the sand like I wanted and I didn't replace it. The tank is a mess right now. It was a major point of contention with the wife during the move. I didn't get to get the sump back up and running until about 24 hours later. I had water in the sump keeping the rocks wet but with no flow or heat. I now have a bit of tank odor. I've added plenty of MB7 and something else to lock up any ammonia/nitrate production in case of any mini cycle. I only kept a few rocks in the tank. I've got my fingers crossed that I don't see a crash on the tank resulting from anything kicked up in the move or death on the rocks. All the fish made it just fine and the tang is surprisingly doing well with no signs of stress. The tank looks pretty crappy at the moment, still cloudy, and isn't running on a controller. I will try and plug some things back up late tonight. I also plan on work with my new rock. I may try and just keep my old rock in the sump for now while cycling the new rock in the tank. It's about 25lbs of shelf rock with plenty to pick out and work around. I won't use it all. Any thoughts on if I should be concerned adding the new rock directly to the tank or not. I will still have previously cycled rock in the sump to take care of the major bioload. Link to comment
revaltion131 Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 If it started out as dry rock, I don't see a problem. Your tank move sounds like it's gone better than mine did. Nothing's dead yet, so I couldn't complain! Link to comment
animalmaster6 Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Best of luck on finishing the move. It can sure be a pain. I'm trying to move at the moment as well. I know how hectic it is. Link to comment
steely185 Posted July 10, 2012 Author Share Posted July 10, 2012 Thanks. The moving part is done. We are unpacked, painted, decorated and such. Still have a little painting and hanging pictures left to do and then tank work. I plan on working on the aquascape some after the wife heads to bed during the week. I want to make it something special. Link to comment
steely185 Posted July 11, 2012 Author Share Posted July 11, 2012 Well the tank move isn't going so hot. My tank definitely has an odor to it similar to the odor I had when I tried moving up to the 150 DD. I haven't lost any fish but the shrimp are MIA and presumed dead (they were alive Sunday and fine when moved back to the tank). I've lost almost every montipora except my pink cap. The last month has been a killer on my tank. I was losing some before the move but expect to lose more now. Really wishing I just ditched the sand when moving. Some of the rock sat submerged in the sump overnight before I could get the sump plumbed to the tank. Maybe that's part of it or maybe the detritus kicked up was part of it. Here's what it used to look like and here is what has died (in red) the last month and what may be in the process of dying (in blue). A few things I haven't had the chance to look at like my sunset montipora. It's frustrating but not as frustrating as the crash I had with my 150. Hopefully it bounces back. The skimmer has been going, I've added all the MB7 I had left and I did a water change with what water I had mixed. Crossing my fingers that my losses are done. Link to comment
Rehype Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 Sorry to hear about the coral losses dan. Were you using the GFO in a reactor or passively in your sump and how much were you using? Link to comment
steely185 Posted July 11, 2012 Author Share Posted July 11, 2012 I was using my GFO in a reactor. I took GFO offline about three weeks ago though and biopellets offline about 2 weeks ago. Parameters check out. Link to comment
fewskillz Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 I hope your losses are done too. I've moved my big tank 3 times now, and have a 4th on the horizon. I can't imagine moving a primarily SPS reef. Hopefully it starts to settle in for you. Link to comment
steely185 Posted July 11, 2012 Author Share Posted July 11, 2012 Thanks. It's always a pain. Any losses will give rise to new opportunities with the tank. I will fix it up, make it better than it was before, and I will be able choose some different corals. Link to comment
animalmaster6 Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 Really bummed to see these troubles. Best of luck man. Link to comment
steely185 Posted July 12, 2012 Author Share Posted July 12, 2012 Thanks. Looks like my 10" tricolor colony may be gone soon. I have a second tricolor colony so this is not a big problem but still bugs me. The green slimer colony is likely to die as well. I also think I may only be left with one montipora other than a cap when all is said and done. My gorgonia looks like it may be toast as well. I plan on doing another sizable water change this evening and add some more bacterial additive. Link to comment
d'Espresso Posted July 12, 2012 Share Posted July 12, 2012 steely sorry to hear about your loss but i know you can get them or most of them recover. About the scape! i dare you to do it man, it would be so awesome to pull something off like that! Take your time and use Glue gel, Zip-tie, acrylic rods, and putty. Play around with it because once it is set in water inside the DT then it is very complicated to set the way you wanted. Took me a whole 2 weeks to mess and play around with the scape. I also had to add more rocks to makeup for the bottom island. Keep it up and get your tank back on track! best regard Link to comment
steely185 Posted July 12, 2012 Author Share Posted July 12, 2012 Thanks. I definitely will even if I have to replace all the coral. I've got the rock but just haven't had the time to mess with it. I've been too busy with all the moving, painting, and home improvements. I should get some time soon to mess with it. I have some of the marco rocks cement to use on the rock. I'm sure it will take a bit of time to get it like I want but I plan on setting everything where I don't have to make adjustments later and make the rock strong. http://www.marcorocks.com/e-marco-40010lbkit.aspx Link to comment
Asureef Posted July 12, 2012 Share Posted July 12, 2012 Ouch.. sorry to hear about the lost Steely. You had some very nice pieces. I'm sure the re-build will come out better. Looking forward to seeing the new scape. Link to comment
steely185 Posted July 13, 2012 Author Share Posted July 13, 2012 All montiporas are gone, tricolor colony is gone, slimer is gone, pearlberry is going, green birdsnest looks like it may be going, red planet is showing signs of death, and both tenuis pieces are likely to be gone by end of the weekend. I may be lucky to come away with 3 or 4 SPS pieces by the time everything is done. I did a large water change last night, added a large bag of carbon and plenty Prime (seachem bacterial additive). Looking like I may be starting from the ground up again. Link to comment
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