Geoff Southworth Posted January 23, 2012 Author Share Posted January 23, 2012 OK, so after what has seemed like forever i have finally bought the light to go over the Solana. It isn't exactly what i wanted but i believe it will fit my needs. I originally wanted to purchase the Ecotech Radion led fixture for a few reasons. Most of you know them already, things like saving money with low power usage and my favorite, low heat. Well after thinking it over and doing hours of research i then thought i would want to purchase the dimmable ATI six bulb T5 set up. I was pretty set on this decision but i thought i would give MH one last look just to be sure. Well i was about to purchase the Hamilton Tech 150 watt MH for a decent price, but then i had to check out my lfs one more time. I came across the Current USA 150 watt MH with PC actenics. I know its not the the best brand or the most current fixture, but it was way cheaper than the Hamilton Tech MH and it came with blue actenics as well as LED moon lighting. The only beef i have with this unit is that it is a 14" fixture meaning it overhangs the tank about 2" left and right. Fortunately the light splash isn't too unbearable and my wife is happy that i didn't spend $800 on a light. For now i am pleased with the decision and in the future i may look closer at LED lighting. Next step is to continue to watch my tank cycle and fix up the chiller. Quote Link to comment
Geoff Southworth Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 (edited) So its been awhile since my last update, i thought i would let everyone know whats going on. I just got a small handful of cheato and placed it in the second chamber with the JBJ fuge light. For now I will have to manually turn the fuge light on and off at night and morning, but not for much longer! I finally got to order my Neptune Apex controller! Should be here by friday as long as they don't screw up the order. As soon as i set it up i will go over all of my tank parameters and lighting schedule. I also placed a few mushrooms from my old tank into the new. So far they are doing ok, still not opening up like they used to, but i think its because its still acclimating to the MH. Tank is stable but obviously not yet mature. If anyone has any ideas other than the light please let me know what you think! cuc so far is 20 hermits, 20 snails Edited February 21, 2012 by .5150. Quote Link to comment
Geoff Southworth Posted March 18, 2012 Author Share Posted March 18, 2012 (edited) Apex is up and running! Actually it has been for awhile but i have been preoccupied with my new baby! Anyways, seeing as how we are somewhat adjusted to our new life i figured i would update my thread. Tank parameters: - Temp: 77.3-78.0 degrees - pH: I have started dosing my two part calcium and alkalinity to help raise my pH, but it maintains around 7.74 at night to 7.97 right before the lights turn off. I would like it have a mean of 80.0 in the near future. - Salinity: 1.024 - Calcium: 430 ppm - Alkalinity: 10dkh - Magnesium:1350 ppm - Metal Halide: On from 1130 to 1630 increasing 30 min a week until on for 6-7 hours - Power Compacts: On from 1100 to 1700 increasing 30 min a week until on for 7-8 hours - Moonlights: On from1700 to 2400 will be getting the led dimmer module from neptune systems in the future. This will allow me to control the moon intensity that matches up with the moon throughout the months. Having the Apex Controller has been one of the best/coolest things I could have purchased for my tank. Its so nice having a continuous digital read out of certain levels in the tank. The graphing section has played a huge roll in helping me understand my tank. Future plans: I still need to purchase my mp10, as well as three dosing pumps from brs.com. But first I will grab an energy bar 4 for the apex to control. The energy bar 4 has four mechanical relays on it which will be better able to control the dosing pumps and one of my small fans that will remain in the tank with the mp10. Because of the small amp draw from the 400gph fans i have, the controller seems to not know when its on or off. I haven't been able to figure this one out so any suggestions are appreciated. Good thing is that this will not be a problem with the EB4 module. Along with the EB4 i will buy the salinity module and probe. I finally moved all of my corals over from my 24g nano-cube as well as added a new sps and a few lps. I also moved all my fish into the tank as well. - 1 clown - 1 yellow tail damsel - 1 unknown damsel - 1 wrasse - 1 gobie (who i found after the first night loves to surf...) Fish to come: another gobie or bi-color blenny, possibly both Enough talk, picture time! Edited March 18, 2012 by .5150. Quote Link to comment
Paigee Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Congrats on the new baby first of all! I like the tank, you need to get some more pics Of course I understand that baby comes first, but whenever you have time Would love to see the fish! Quote Link to comment
Geoff Southworth Posted March 18, 2012 Author Share Posted March 18, 2012 (edited) . Congrats on the new baby first of all! I like the tank, you need to get some more pics Of course I understand that baby comes first, but whenever you have time Would love to see the fish! Thank you! Its definitely been an adjustment! I'm working on pictures slowly but surely. Its hard to get good ones with the halide on because my camera wigs out a bit. I'll try to get good pics of the fish tomorrow with lights on, that is if the baby will allow it. FTS tomorrow too! Edited March 18, 2012 by .5150. Quote Link to comment
Geoff Southworth Posted March 18, 2012 Author Share Posted March 18, 2012 Trying to work out the kinks in my camera, let me know how im doing. Quote Link to comment
stg2roush Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I like the loaner light better Quote Link to comment
Criley7 Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Nice scape! Pretty similar to mine! Tank is going to be awesome. Quote Link to comment
kevantheman35 Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Your gonna want more flow. I had the same set up on my solana (small koralia/return pump) And you will eventually have lots of cyano and will not be able to keep the sand clean. I switched out the koralia for a tunze 6045 and my tank is much happier Quote Link to comment
Geoff Southworth Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share Posted March 21, 2012 (edited) Your gonna want more flow. I had the same set up on my solana (small koralia/return pump) And you will eventually have lots of cyano and will not be able to keep the sand clean. I switched out the koralia for a tunze 6045 and my tank is much happier Thanks for the heads up! I am working on getting at least one MP10 in the tank and hopefully it will be in the next 2 weeks. Ive got 3 more decent size purchases before my tank is where i want it to be and the MP10 is top of that list. Is your solana still up and running? either way any pics? Edited March 27, 2012 by .5150. Quote Link to comment
Tbone675 Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 i have a mp10 and a k nano 425gph in my solana and will probably get a second mp10. Quote Link to comment
Geoff Southworth Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share Posted March 21, 2012 Thanks Criley. I like your tank as well. Jealous of your radion! I almost got one but i decided to go with a mh instead. Hows your coral growth with the radion? any bleaching? i have a mp10 and a k nano 425gph in my solana and will probably get a second mp10. Are you trying to create a wave or are you looking just to increase flow? Quote Link to comment
Tbone675 Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 more random flow. one mp 10 can make a small wave. any bigger and it will splash out. i want flow from both sides. Quote Link to comment
FlCandy Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Tank looks awesome! I love those rimless cubes, so sleek and sexy! Quote Link to comment
Geoff Southworth Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 Tank looks awesome! I love those rimless cubes, so sleek and sexy! Thank you! I am very happy with this tank, the only draw back is i have to clean more carefully than im used to due to spillage. Even so i think i want all future tanks to be rimless as well. Quote Link to comment
Geoff Southworth Posted March 27, 2012 Author Share Posted March 27, 2012 (edited) Thought I would try some moonlight pictures. Let me know what you think, as well as how i can improve. Not a night picture but i like it. Just wish it was more crisp. Well, i wish they were all more crisp... Edited March 27, 2012 by .5150. Quote Link to comment
Geoff Southworth Posted April 8, 2012 Author Share Posted April 8, 2012 Made up my own cooling fan! Doesn't look the greatest but so far its doing the job. When its on my heater can hardly keep up with it. As soon as i can i will be plugging it in to my apex and programming it appropriately. I also want to try to place it on the back wall of the tank, so far its not sturdy enough when off of the glass. Quote Link to comment
Geoff Southworth Posted May 4, 2012 Author Share Posted May 4, 2012 So i think i definitely need a bigger stand... and or tank. I just set up my two dosing pumps for alkalinity and calcium which are ran by my new Apex Energy Bar 4. With all of the crazy gadgets i already have into my tank, there was no way around not buying the EB4. Now I am able to run both dosing pumps, my chiller fans as well as one of my small koralias with it. I didn't get a third dosing pump for my magnesium because thus far I i have yet to see the level move much at all. I don't know if this is good or bad but I don't want to mess with it. Ive been trying to clean up all the wires bit its pretty hard to do in such a small space. Anyways, my tank is looking pretty good. most of my corals have acclimated to the mh well and im noticing pretty good growth, especially from my war corals. Cant wait for this tank to be all grown out! Quote Link to comment
Geoff Southworth Posted January 29, 2018 Author Share Posted January 29, 2018 So I was talking to my brother in law and a friend about when I originally started this build. It’s sbeen almost 7 years since I started this tank and I am happy to say I still have it! With some major upgrades I might add. I will be posting some cool update photos of fish and gear so you can see what I’ve been up to in the tanking world. My tank has been better than ever and I look forward to bringing this back to life! 1 Quote Link to comment
Geoff Southworth Posted January 30, 2018 Author Share Posted January 30, 2018 Here are some pictures of my corals. The brain is the same one when I started the thread. The mushrooms have also survived and multiplied. The chalice was double the size in the picture shown however due to a recent tank move I lost the other half. I also have a really nice war coral that began to suffer however it looks like I will be able to save it. Tank equipment and more fish pictures to come soon! 1 Quote Link to comment
gsechen Posted January 30, 2018 Share Posted January 30, 2018 nice to see it up and running, when I see Solana tanks it does take me back a good number of years when these tanks first came out 1 1 Quote Link to comment
Geoff Southworth Posted January 31, 2018 Author Share Posted January 31, 2018 Here is the war coral I was talking about. I got a surprise visit by “striper”, my daughters named it. Quote Link to comment
Geoff Southworth Posted January 31, 2018 Author Share Posted January 31, 2018 My wife and I decided to replace the flooring in my house and I had to move the tank twice. The chalice was much more impressive and I had two more rocks full of the war coral. Unfortunately there were some sacrifices that had to be made and half of the war coral has died off. It used to fill the entire right corner of the tank with the chalice taking up the middle. Any ideas for a frag or two? I feel like it’s missing something now. Quote Link to comment
Geoff Southworth Posted January 31, 2018 Author Share Posted January 31, 2018 6 hours ago, gsechen said: nice to see it up and running, when I see Solana tanks it does take me back a good number of years when these tanks first came out The one I have is the only one I have ever seen in a store. It has been a great tank and I would definitely buy it again! I used to follow a guy who had I think a 60 gallon solana. His turned out pretty good too. Quote Link to comment
burtbollinger Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 i just remember the big solana MH globe fixtures 1 Quote Link to comment
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