yoshii Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 A 55 Gallon Makeover IntroCrushed coral, a canister filter, and bits of old bleached coral skeleton - that's what my first SW aquarium came with when bought used from a neighbor. I added LR and replaced other things, but was on a strict budget and mostly tried to work with what I had. After a while I knew I needed to upgrade, but would have to take down the tank to do so (not possible for a long time). Sooo, I moved, which gives me a nice opportunity to give the system a much-needed makeover Equipment-Euro-Reef RSA135 Skimmer w/pump-48" TEK T5 HO Light-CPR CS50 Overflow & Aqualifter pump-EcoTech MP10 EcoTech MP40-Koralias -Mag 5 return pumpLivestock-2x Mocha Clowns - Mated Pair (Amphiprion ocellaris)-Chiseltooth Wrasse (Pseudodax moluccanus)-Yellow Tail Blenny (Ecsenius namiyei)-Cleaner Shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis)Sump Design Note: I didn't end up using the eggcrate stand, the skimmer works fine without it! Also, I wish I could have made the skimmer compartment larger, as in order to take out the pump, I have the take out the whole skimmer with the pump, it's quite a pain. Link to comment
yoshii Posted October 20, 2011 Author Share Posted October 20, 2011 Ready to paint! Next up, that ugly stand, here you can see the mat/rug that's going under the stand, and the hideous stain the previous owner thought looked good Caulk caulk caulk Done! (If you didn't notice, we got new hinges and handles too ) My dad did the front outside cause he didn't want me to mess it up with my "lack of painting experience" lol Mixing salt with the old canopy and lights (for a comparison pic later on) LS & Salt BOX OF AWESOME You can see a peek of the skimmer and some LR in some pics, I'm going to add some old dry rock later this week and maybe some more LR, then I'll get a pic up grrrr Euphy Link to comment
Euphyllia Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 Teehee Looks amazing! I love the stand. It looks so professional. And the tank is so biiig! omgomgomg Keep us updated! Link to comment
yoshii Posted October 20, 2011 Author Share Posted October 20, 2011 Teehee Looks amazing! I love the stand. It looks so professional. And the tank is so biiig! omgomgomg Keep us updated! I love the stand too! I really like how it came out Now...I need to figure out but bulb combo I want Link to comment
Euphyllia Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 I love the stand too! I really like how it came out Now...I need to figure out but bulb combo I want 14000k-16000k is my choice. It's blue enough to make the colors pop, but not so blue that it looks unnatural. Plus, 16000k+ tanks have a tendency to screw up your pictures and make the corals appear dark and ugly. Are you going to have more than one kind of light, like LED + halide or halide + actinics? Link to comment
yoshii Posted October 20, 2011 Author Share Posted October 20, 2011 14000k-16000k is my choice. It's blue enough to make the colors pop, but not so blue that it looks unnatural. Plus, 16000k+ tanks have a tendency to screw up your pictures and make the corals appear dark and ugly. Are you going to have more than one kind of light, like LED + halide or halide + actinics? Yes I really don't like the "super blue" look of tanks with too much actinic I know I really love the Super Actinic Bulb from UVL, so at least 2-3 or those I did some searches, but of course everyone has their own different opinion,but I have heard the Fiji Purple or something similar looks good. Just as long as it's not too purple No, I can't really fit any other light over the tank, this fixture is wider than the tank itself, and only 1" shorter Link to comment
iDream Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 IMO go for 2 whites, 3 blues, and 1 pink/purple of your choice. To balance out the blues get something like a GE6500k to warm up the colors and get more from your reds/oranges (which the UVL super actinic and KZ fiji purple will do as well) Link to comment
castiel Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 Awesome work on that stand, looks brand new and so much better than the old one! Link to comment
yoshii Posted October 20, 2011 Author Share Posted October 20, 2011 IMO go for 2 whites, 3 blues, and 1 pink/purple of your choice. To balance out the blues get something like a GE6500k to warm up the colors and get more from your reds/oranges (which the UVL super actinic and KZ fiji purple will do as well) I was thinking something like that or maybe 3 blues and 2 whites and 1 50/50? I might get 1-2 extra bulbs to paly around with, but that's extra money I'm not sure what bulb to go with for the whites tho, I had a "Aquasun 10k" but it looks extremely pink :/ Awesome work on that stand, looks brand new and so much better than the old one! Thanks! I hated the old color/stain Link to comment
iDream Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 I'm doing a combo similar to what I listed, and for whites I'm doing a GE 6500K to warm it up and an ATI aquablue special or a KZ New Gen which are a ~12000K white Link to comment
SWAG Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 thats gonna be a sweet looking tank! post more pics! Link to comment
yoshii Posted October 20, 2011 Author Share Posted October 20, 2011 I'm doing a combo similar to what I listed, and for whites I'm doing a GE 6500K to warm it up and an ATI aquablue special or a KZ New Gen which are a ~12000K white Thanks I do plan on looking through the T5 thread on here more thoroughly thats gonna be a sweet looking tank!post more pics! I will! Maybe tomorrow, but I gotta wake up in like 3 hrs, so none now Link to comment
fewskillz Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 Wow! What an improvement. I like the 2 whites (one 6500, one 10000), 3 blues, and 1 purple combo. That could look too blue for you, so I'd have an extra 10 to 12,000 white to swap with a blue, just in case. Link to comment
yoshii Posted October 20, 2011 Author Share Posted October 20, 2011 Wow! What an improvement. I like the 2 whites (one 6500, one 10000), 3 blues, and 1 purple combo. That could look too blue for you, so I'd have an extra 10 to 12,000 white to swap with a blue, just in case. Looks nice. Thanks guys I think I'll try that or something similar fewskillz, thanks I might be able to put the dry rock into today and get a pic, maybe Link to comment
yoshii Posted October 22, 2011 Author Share Posted October 22, 2011 Ok I'm picking bulbs now, so far I'm thinking 2x UVL Super Actinic 1x ATI Aquablue (may just do 3 Super Actinics instead) 1x UVL Actinic White (?)1x GE 6500k Daylight (really not sure about this one, but idk what to replace it with) Opinions? Suggestions? Link to comment
SWAG Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 Ok I'm picking bulbs now, so far I'm thinking2x UVL Super Actinic 1x ATI Aquablue (may just do 3 Super Actinics instead) 1x UVL Actinic White (?)1x GE 6500k Daylight (really not sure about this one, but idk what to replace it with) Opinions? Suggestions? What about 2 mp10w? Imo You should swap that 6500k with a 10000k. Edit:forgot to ask if your going to use live rock or base rock. Link to comment
iDream Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 All pink and whites? Is this gonna be a reef or macro set up? If reef I suggest getting at least 1-2 blues Link to comment
Euphyllia Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 Ok I'm picking bulbs now, so far I'm thinking2x UVL Super Actinic 1x ATI Aquablue (may just do 3 Super Actinics instead) 1x UVL Actinic White (?)1x GE 6500k Daylight (really not sure about this one, but idk what to replace it with) Opinions? Suggestions? Are you sure that's enough blue for you? :sarcasm: Sounds great. I would keep the 6500k because that's closer to the k-rating of the sun, supposedly providing a better spectrum for the corals to grow. I'm guessing that's why you chose 6500k... Link to comment
yoshii Posted October 22, 2011 Author Share Posted October 22, 2011 What about 2 mp10w? Imo You should swap that 6500k with a 10000k. Edit:forgot to ask if your going to use live rock or base rock. lol if you buy them for me! I want a 10k, but I hate the UVL Aquasun and I can't think of another "10k" bulb (that's a good brand) All pink and whites? Is this gonna be a reef or macro set up? If reef I suggest getting at least 1-2 blues I have 3 blues...no pinks It's going to be a reef set up Are you sure that's enough blue for you? :sarcasm: Sounds great. I would keep the 6500k because that's closer to the k-rating of the sun, supposedly providing a better spectrum for the corals to grow. I'm guessing that's why you chose 6500k... I don't want too much blue Well I would rather have a 10k bulb, Link to comment
yoshii Posted October 22, 2011 Author Share Posted October 22, 2011 Still not sure on the bulbs, but in the meantime UGLY! old dry rock. I'll use this as base rock or maybe replace it This is not the scape. I just added the old(dry) rock on top of the new (live) rock til I can get more awesome rock and scape this tank! Also, I'm looking at various overflows, pumps, and reviewing some sump designs right now Link to comment
Squared Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 fffffffffffuuuuuuuu i see your tank yosh squared likey Link to comment
Jacobnano Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 Nice stand! The tank should be pretty cool too ha! Link to comment
yoshii Posted October 22, 2011 Author Share Posted October 22, 2011 fffffffffffuuuuuuuu i see your tank yosh squared likey Haha Do you see why I hate the Aquasun! It's so pink/purple! (My old light is on the tank right now btw, 1xAquasun, 1xSuper Actinic) Nice stand! The tank should be pretty cool too ha! Thanks, I'm really proud of the stand I can't wait to get it scaped and get the new light hung! Link to comment
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