dallasprstn Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Sexy Shrimp Paradise! so guys, the contest is up and running, so i thought i'd post my build thread, because i see i'm already kind of behind lol. I picked up the Aqueon Evolve 2 kit at my Petco yesterday brought it home and threw it on my desk. Honestly, this thing looks pretty slick, and with a few mods, i think i'll have myself a pretty good pico for around $130 bucks. Here's a little sketch up of what I'd like it to look like. Livestock Plan: Inverts: - 3 Sexy Shrimp - 1 Bumblebee Shrimp - 2 Rock/Flower Anemones Coral: -Misc. Zoas and Paly's CUC: - 1 Nassarius Snail - 2-3 Dwarf Ceriths - 1 Small Nerite Snail Equipment: Aqueon Evolve 2 Gallon Tank 6" WavePoint High Output LED Clamp Light 10W Aqueon Heater Stock Return Pump here's a hip photo from my iphone. Link to comment
11GTCS Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Looks sick! Sexy shrimp FTW. Time to cycle the beast! Link to comment
jnam Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 what the lighting plan? Sticking with stock? I like the arm look and I was thinking of gutting it and putting a bigger heatsink and some crees to keep the stock look? Link to comment
dallasprstn Posted March 9, 2012 Author Share Posted March 9, 2012 thanks guys! and lighting is a secret, but I'm upgrading it. I'll post the update tonight with the new lights. Link to comment
dallasprstn Posted March 9, 2012 Author Share Posted March 9, 2012 alright, so here comes another big update! i got a new lighting fixture. it is the WavePoint High Output LED Clamp Light! its got 8 LEDs that are apparently "high output", but we'll see about that. this will be the first time i've ever put LED's on a system as the main lights, not just moonlights. here it is in the box! after opening the little thing up, i gotta say, it's a pretty slick looking fixture, well polished and takes my tanks swank to a whole new level. it just looks classy. i forget to mention, but i also picked up a three LED TrueLumen strip at the LFS as well, and used the transformer from the stock light to power it, which saved me about $15! This is my updated FTS with the new fixture, and it looks really sick now, and there is a huge difference from the stock and the WavePoint. I'm liking this thing already. I then realized i needed to attach the moonlights to the fixture, so after about 15 minutes and clever use of velcro and zipties, this is my final product! I think it looks pretty clean, and it definitely hides the wires a whole lot better than when i initially put the lamp on! after that, i ziptied all of the wires together behind the tank and routed them to the outlet and put labels on each plug, so i will be as organized as humanly possible. it was definitely worth it. this is what it looks like from the back. well, thats pretty much it for now, i just need to get two timers to program my lighting schedule, but i think i'm off to a pretty good start. i can't wait to get this tank cycling. dallas. Link to comment
MetaTank Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Man, so crazy, we're gonna see so many different tanks, I'm loving this competition already, and we don't even see livestock for like 3 more weeks! Link to comment
dallasprstn Posted March 9, 2012 Author Share Posted March 9, 2012 Nice man it looks clean! thanks! Man, so crazy, we're gonna see so many different tanks, I'm loving this competition already, and we don't even see livestock for like 3 more weeks! lol i know right?! i'm loving the diversity of everything. we've got cubes, shallows, AIO's, customs, and even a hexagon tank! and that will be a big day once everyone can add livestock haha. Link to comment
16bio Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 I cant wait to add livestock lol, I am thinking a nice powder brown tang...lol Actually I am thinking a couple of different thing but we will see... Link to comment
Markushka Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 i like the yellow submarine poster in the background, my roommate has the same one. Link to comment
Jacob042426 Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 I saw that light at my lfs and it dosnt look like it can support anything but softies. Link to comment
dallasprstn Posted March 10, 2012 Author Share Posted March 10, 2012 I cant wait to add livestock lol, I am thinking a nice powder brown tang...lolActually I am thinking a couple of different thing but we will see... i'm gonna add a naso tang! i like the yellow submarine poster in the background, my roommate has the same one. lol thanks, i thought it'd make a great backdrop for the tank haha. I saw that light at my lfs and it dosnt look like it can support anything but softies. ehh i think i'm gonna put some trust into it, especially because of the distance from the surface. i'll pretty much be blasting whatever is in there, and i think i'm gonna try a one or two head acan frag, but if that doesn't work out i'll just move it to my big tank. i mostly plan on keeping only zoas and ricordea anyways so it's not that big of a deal to me if it doesn't work out. Link to comment
dallasprstn Posted March 10, 2012 Author Share Posted March 10, 2012 so everyone, i'll be headed to mexico tomorrow morning and may not have access to the internets so i thought i'd show you what i managed to do today! i used a hole saw to cut a section out of the first chamber of the AIO wall and then used a dremel to smooth it out. now i can put carbon/chemipure/purigen(still debating on what i'm gonna go with.) in the back and know that water will actually be pulled through the media bag. then after doing that, the tank was filled with little pieces of plastic so i decided I'd fill it up with freshwater and use the filter cartridge to get as much of it out as i could while i'm gone so i don't have to spend anytime doing that once i get back! I moved the tank to my bedside table because after filling it, even the slightest bump on the table made waves in the tank and i was not amused. also, if you guys haven't figured out by now, i'm a pretty big beatles fan. here's the tank with the daylights on and all filled up. I'm digging this blue coloration of the fixture and stunner strip running together. then, i got a bunch of zipties and some velcro and went to town. i ziptied all of the wires together until the got behind my bed so they aren't cluttered looking, and then i put velcro in two spots to hold all the wires in place and give it the cleanest look i could get. you can kind of tell from the FTS, but this is what the ziptying action looks like up close. i guess thats it for now, but when i get back on thursday i'm gonna right into the aquascape and try and get my inspiration from something i see diving this week. i'll see you guys thursday. Link to comment
.Newman. Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 i wouldnt choose bumblebee shrimp for this. The main reasons why it would work here however are these: 1. anemones will eat the shrimp. sexy shrimp are immune but bumblebees are still prey items. 2. bumblebee shrimp are very aggressive. if there were no anemones to protect the sexy shrimp, the bumblebee would be ripping off legs and claws each time it encounters a sexy shrimp. with anemones though, the bumblebee will just get eaten before it can harm the sexies. For this tank I'd just get a bunch of sexy shrimp. maybe about 4 of them? or maybe 3 sexies and one porcelain anemone crab which can also use an anemone. or you can try 3 sexy shrimp and one other anemone shrimp (venus, pedersons, etc.) Link to comment
dallasprstn Posted March 10, 2012 Author Share Posted March 10, 2012 oh thanks for letting me know, they have a few sexies and bumblebee shrimp in a kritter keeper at my lfs, but i'll look into something else stocking wise. also, because they pedersen's shrimp and porcelain crabs both host anemones as well, wouldn't there be territorial issues between the sexy shrimp and the other inhabitant? Link to comment
dallasprstn Posted March 20, 2012 Author Share Posted March 20, 2012 So guys.....THIS TANK HAS SALTWATER IN IT! check it out.... I think i'm gonna add a little bit more rock to beef up the scape a little bit for more coral placement, but i'd say i'm pretty pleased with it so far! Also...I have a little bit of the leftover rock from the scape action in the back of the tank. for some more bio-filtration or whatever you wanna call it.. I have about 3 pounds of rock in the tank, about 1.5 in the display and the other half is in the chamber in the back. And you guys wanna know the best part? I picked up all the rock in the tank for a whopping $3.83! I asked the lady at the lfs if i could get some rubble because it was on sale for $.79 a pound, and she let me pick out all the broken pieces in the cured rock tank. I think it's the best purchase I've ever made. That's it for now, but I'm now in cycle-mode and have got my test kits ready. Next update will been when the diatoms bloom! Link to comment
jbb Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 Cool, didnt notice you started your tank already Link to comment
dallasprstn Posted March 20, 2012 Author Share Posted March 20, 2012 Cool, didnt notice you started your tank already thanks man! Link to comment
.Newman. Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 i think your tank can work with this type of scape instead of two pillars. except stemming from the center more than from the sides. but its all up to you. all ways look nice. http://www.kinetickolour.com/picoReef/tankFS_2lights.jpg Link to comment
dallasprstn Posted March 20, 2012 Author Share Posted March 20, 2012 i think your tank can work with this type of scape instead of two pillars. except stemming from the center more than from the sides. but its all up to you. all ways look nice. http://www.kinetickolour.com/picoReef/tankFS_2lights.jpg i do like that scape, but i'm going to try and set this tank up using the golden ratio and the color wheel theory..we'll see how that works out. thanks anyways though! also, i asked it above, but do you not think that a pedersons or porcelain crab would have territorial issues with sexy shrimp? Link to comment
Micro-Reefs Aquariums Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 Again another nice set of live rocks, like your choice in LR... Link to comment
MetaTank Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 Looking good! Looks like everyone is trying to get their tanks wet so they'll be pretty much ready to start stocking by April 1st... Keep up the good work! Link to comment
Kazooie Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I've been eyeing that tank at my petco. Next time I have some money I think I'll pick one up. Link to comment
dallasprstn Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share Posted March 21, 2012 thanks guys, and yes I'm gonna add a Zoa at 12:01 AM on the 1st lol. and you should get it, the pump is actually pretty decent, the tank looks good, the AIO has lots of space for rubble and carbon and such, and it's just an overall nice cheap pico. Link to comment
.Newman. Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 as long as you provide a maxi mini anemone or something for each group of inverts, they should be ok with eachother. the crab/anemone shrimp should claim one anemone and the sexies will claim another anemone. Link to comment
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