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An addicted reefer chic's 40B w/ GHL Mitras & 2x30g display fuges


MeanGreenEyes

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MeanGreenEyes

Pics as promised...sorry I suck at taking pics and the cell phone pics turned out better than the ones taken with the point and shoot...

 

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GORGEOUS tank! I have a 20gallon Long atm with a 40g breeder freshwater i was thinking about converting to salt with the 20 turning into a refugium/start for my coral frags. How are the montipora doing and what are you using for light? I was considering getting true superman or rainbow but i didn't know if my H.O. T-5 Coralife Aqualight would be enough or if i'd need MO's.

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MeanGreenEyes
GORGEOUS tank! I have a 20gallon Long atm with a 40g breeder freshwater i was thinking about converting to salt with the 20 turning into a refugium/start for my coral frags. How are the montipora doing and what are you using for light? I was considering getting true superman or rainbow but i didn't know if my H.O. T-5 Coralife Aqualight would be enough or if i'd need MO's.

 

 

Thank you! I converted a couple fw planted tanks to reef tanks and I'm sure that you already know that you have to be careful on the history of the fw tanks to make sure that they weren't treated with copper for ich, etc. b/c it would've leached into the silicone and will kill any inverts that you put into the tank. My Eshopps gen2 R-200 sump is 30g capacity and I still say that it is too cramped...so I would say go as large as you can on the sump. My monti's are doing amazing...they grow really fast. Over the 40B I have the Current Nova Extreme 6 bulb T5 fixture w/ 4 ATI Blue+, 1 ATI Aquablue special and a ATI purple plus. I have GU10's like TinyGiant over the 30g holding frags. I honestly don't know if your light is sufficient...I had my nova extreme over a high tech, high light 30g fw planted tank that was dosed with dry ferts and CO2...so I just changed bulbs when I converted to salt. You're best bet would be to ask that question in the lighting forum...

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WOW! You got a whole lot of purdy going on in there!

 

I am planning on MACNA in Miaimi as well, I really hope I can make it, would be great to see a bunch of NR folks there!

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MeanGreenEyes
WOW! You got a whole lot of purdy going on in there!

 

I am planning on MACNA in Miaimi as well, I really hope I can make it, would be great to see a bunch of NR folks there!

 

 

Thank you!

 

I really hope I can make it...it would be amazing to meet everybody...

 

Very nice tanks, you surly know your stuff.

 

Thank you...that means a lot! :happy:

 

Looks beautiful!!!!!!!! Very nice job!!!!!!

 

I especially love that AOG colony!!!!!!!

 

 

Thanks Gena! I love them too...but I almost want to call them pests...they grow too fast and I don't want them taking over...lol

 

Here's a few other pics of my messy system...please keep in mind it's still a work in progress...so I have a lot of cleaning/tweaking/organizing to do before it gets to where I want it to be...

 

Full system shots...sorry DT lights were off and please excuse my effed up cord mess...lol

 

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Plumbing setup between 30's and DT/sump...

 

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Drain pipes from DT and fuges...

 

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Plumbing under DT...

 

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Plumbing off the return pump...

 

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MeanGreenEyes

My daughter is a hater of my algae blenny (she tells me how ugly he is every time she sees him), but I get to fall asleep every night to this adorable lil' face staring at me... :huh:

 

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He's always watching me...lol

 

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Kermie says "I'm watching you!" lol

 

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Red Scooter takes cuteness to the next level... :happy:

 

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The whole crew came to say GN...the A.B. is hiding somewhere in the rocks...

 

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Looks fantastic, thanks for posting pics.

 

I don't think you are horrible at pics, I think your camera is horrible at taking pics. :) If you have any manual white balance control try setting it to 10K or whatever you have to see if the colors improve. Some cameras can do it, some can't ... hey, at least we can see how great the tank looks even with bad pictures.

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MeanGreenEyes
Looks fantastic, thanks for posting pics.

 

I don't think you are horrible at pics, I think your camera is horrible at taking pics. :) If you have any manual white balance control try setting it to 10K or whatever you have to see if the colors improve. Some cameras can do it, some can't ... hey, at least we can see how great the tank looks even with bad pictures.

 

Awww...thank you! I think it's me because I don't have the patience to mess with the settings. I only have an EVO 4G and a Fujifilm 10MP digital camera...I want a good camera and to learn how to use it properly in a photography class or something.

 

I can't wait...as in I'm dying...to get my display macro fuges stocked. I want a spawning pair of green mandarins and plan on culturing my own phyto, rotifers and pods as well. Debating on whether they will go into the main DT or be alone in the top 30g with just some inverts.

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MeanGreenEyes

Omg...I found the leds I want to upgrade to...I'm in love...literally!! :wub: I've really been dying to upgrade because I miss the shimmer/pop of leds, the bulb replacement is a p.i.t.a., the heat, electric usage...all of the obvious reasons. Found really, really good deals on both radions and ai's and it really bothered me that I had such a difficult time in deciding to pull the plug on one or the other. With lighting being such a large investment...I want to do it right the first time. T5's will most likely go over macro fuge or be sold.

 

It's the GHL Mitras LX 6100! :wub:B)

 

I have been researching my a$$ off and have spoken to all of my reefer friend's...they were all 50/50 between ai and radion which are both still lacking in spectrum/coral coloration.

 

 

Here's the specs on them...

 

http://www.aquariumcomputer.com/System__E_...amp_mitras.html

 

Anyone on here have them?

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MeanGreenEyes

Can't decide on color for the Mitras fixture! Help! Silver fixture which I can have in my possession in days or black fixture to match my setup which I will have to wait 4-6 weeks for???? Help!

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MeanGreenEyes
Silver instant gratification ftw!!!!

 

Thank you! :) You can't tell me that...lol...I have zero patience...lol. Still debating. A really good friend is pushing for me me to get the black fixture...since everything else is black. This really sucks because I'm all over the place deciding.

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MeanGreenEyes

My lighting upgrade is going down...already purchased the GHL Mitras lx6100 led with hyperviolets (silver fixture)...ships tomorrow...got my hands on the very last fixture available in the U.S. (from what I'm being told) The wait time for them is now 4-6 weeks b/c they're in such high demand. I would've preferred it in black since my setup is all black, but I just don't have the patience to wait up to 6 weeks for these.

 

I'm still in disbelief that I spoiled myself and my tank on this purchase, but I've been doing an insane amount of research and was unhappy with the results that people have had with AI's and Radions. I've noticed that there are always a lot of AI's for sale with people reverting back to T5's/other and same thing with the Radions. While I'm sure there are those that are still adamant about how great they each are as fixtures...I've heard too many people complain about how they're lacking in spectrum, the disco ball effect and all of the other complaints with them. I'm just not one that can "settle" putting out that amount of money for something that's not 100%. I've also looked into a few other LED options as well as D.I.Y. and decided not to chance it. So yes, I may be crazy for the initial investment but decided that as with everything in this hobby it's best to do it right the first time.

 

Feeling like a kid on Christmas eve...the anticipation is killing me...I wouldn't have made it 6 weeks...

 

I want to go SPS dominant in my 40...will be keeping a few favorite LPS and softies. Any others that I want to keep will be going into the top 30 display fuge mixed w/ softies/gorg's/NPS and the bottom 30 has some chaeto and display macro. The display fuges are still to be determined because I'm still researching keeping the gorg's/NPS. Still trying to soak in as much knowledge as possible b/c I don't like losing livestock. I'm in the planning stages of starting my own phyto/tisbe pod cultures as well to make sure I have a sustainable food source for the livestock that I want to keep. Will of course be culturing artemia for when the mandarins start spawning, but this is still a ways off. I don't want to take on too much at once until I get a routine down with phyto/pods.

 

Fish wise, yes I know...I've committed the ultimate sin with my baby yellow tang in my 40B, but he was planned as a temporary resident from the beginning. So the tang police can kiss my tang! So he will be replaced, when I find him a suitable home, with a pair of green mandarins because I'm dying to try my hand at breeding them. Green mandarin's are the entire reason that I switched from FW to salt. So they will be my "show fish" so to speak in my main DT. I've read a few articles from Wittenrich and a few others. I hate how many of these beautiful wild caught specimens die because it is so difficult to train them onto frozen/culture live foods for them. Not to mention the manner in which they're caught.

 

Anyway...will be posting pics once the new fixture arrives and will be doing monthly progression shots. (by a friend w/ photography skills obviously lol)

 

New green acro...don't have specific ID yet...

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Sounds like you have some exciting things planned!

I'm looking forward to seeing the effects of the new fixture over your tank after a few months, esp since I've noticed the same things about ppl reverting to T5's after trying LED fixtures.

You obviously know how to do your research, so maybe (hopefully) you've hit on the right fixture to make it work.

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Good luck with the set up. Glad to see you are backing up your hardware. We are all in this frame of mind since Sandy. I was SOOOO LUCKY I was untouched because I was in no way prepared at all. ALso, you speak of keeping NPS. WHen you do we should talk feeding. I have been keeping sun corals ( I have 3 now) and they are growing very well. I have also been keeping Scleronepthea soft corals and gorgonians and they are doing well. Im starting a dedicated NPS 55 gal very soon.

 

ciao!

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MeanGreenEyes
Good luck with the set up. Glad to see you are backing up your hardware. We are all in this frame of mind since Sandy. I was SOOOO LUCKY I was untouched because I was in no way prepared at all. ALso, you speak of keeping NPS. WHen you do we should talk feeding. I have been keeping sun corals ( I have 3 now) and they are growing very well. I have also been keeping Scleronepthea soft corals and gorgonians and they are doing well. Im starting a dedicated NPS 55 gal very soon.

 

ciao!

 

Just the clam addict that I wanted to see! Glad your tanks made it through! I was not at all prepared either and with 7 tanks running in my apartment and not even having a battery operated air pump was dumb. I was soooooo lucky that my lights only flickered a couple of times and that was it. Not to mention the infamous blackouts that we get to deal with during the summer months thanks to con ed. Living in NY makes one feel invincible to the type of natural disaster's that "affect everyone/everywhere but you/your area" Lesson learned BIG TIME, luckily not at the expense of my livestock. Planning to get a 2nd battery backup as well as one of those UPS "thingy's" that everyone continues to talk about.

 

Would really appreciate your help! For some reason my derasa's mantle is now curled up around the shell and keeps laying on it's side? It's showing new growth, it's mouth isn't gaping and it isn't losing color. It's always extended as it should, at it's best when it was a baby in my 5.5g. My baby maxima is great. Both were freshwater dipped and QT'd as I believe the maxima had pinched mantle when I got it at the last swap. This is a recent issue with the derasa. Maybe not enough flow? Nothing else has changed. It's not losing color. Any advice? It's not the most high end clam in the world but I don't want to lose it. It's foot was attached to a small rock in the sand, so I gently moved it toward the middle/center of the tank where there's more flow.

 

Will you be at the swap? Very interested in learning all there is to know about NPS/food culturing. One of my favorite NPS tanks is the one that Chingchai has plumbed into his 1,000g+ system.

 

Was also considering purchasing this book...worth it? Or is there another more thorough one that I should pick up?

 

http://www.amazon.com/Plankton-Culture-Man...ture+frank+hoff

 

I know you like showing off your clams but would you mind posting pics of your NPS and gorgs, please? lol Btw...did you see that insane bi-color derasa on L.A.? That was one clam I would've given my ex-hubby's head on a platter for! :naughtydance:

 

I'm trying to get rid of a ton of stuff out of my tanks on MR to make room for all of my plans to actually happen! And dying to see my new lights over this tank!

 

Yeah, mine arrived too. Zeph and I will be at the swap, look forward to meeting you.

 

Yeah I know...I put in an order right away...that storm scared the sh*t out of me! Look forward to meeting you guys as well. How's that green pocillopora doing? Everybody else made it?

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Ill post some pics here in the next day or two for you. Wait..BI COLOR Deresa? DO you mean the usual goldish color with a blue rim? If so..yea, those are nice but very very common ( I have one ;) . I hope thats what you mean or i missed it!

THats a very good book. Old as the hills, but really not much has changed. I have to admit, i just dont culture live foods anymore and my clams and nps are doing better than ever.We really do have top notch frozen and dry products that are much more user friendly. Number one being Oyster eggs. But I do plan on starting up some phyto cultures just because I like my toys. LOL. More later I have to run. Oh...im excited...I have FIVE clams arriving today. A 9 inch squamosa, a 5 inch teardrop maxima and a 3 inch pink maxima allfrom LA, and 2 - 5 inch maximas from Dr. Mac. Its like Christmas morning over here!!!!

<poof>

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MeanGreenEyes
Sounds like you have some exciting things planned!

I'm looking forward to seeing the effects of the new fixture over your tank after a few months, esp since I've noticed the same things about ppl reverting to T5's after trying LED fixtures.

You obviously know how to do your research, so maybe (hopefully) you've hit on the right fixture to make it work.

 

Thank you! :) I very much am too. I know I'm not supposed to talk about the forum everybody loves to hate, but I did a vast amount of reading in their GHL forum. A Needless to say...being a woman making this kind of investment...I had to be sure. Every single review that I've read about the Mitras, performance wise, is glowing. The only minor complaints were placement of the usb port located on the underside of the light and just a little cover that slides over it. My concern would be salt spray/creep. There was also one that was a minor software issue that could easily be updated.

 

 

Ill post some pics here in the next day or two for you. Wait..BI COLOR Deresa? DO you mean the usual goldish color with a blue rim? If so..yea, those are nice but very very common ( I have one ;) . I hope thats what you mean or i missed it!

THats a very good book. Old as the hills, but really not much has changed. I have to admit, i just dont culture live foods anymore and my clams and nps are doing better than ever.We really do have top notch frozen and dry products that are much more user friendly. Number one being Oyster eggs. But I do plan on starting up some phyto cultures just because I like my toys. LOL. More later I have to run. Oh...im excited...I have FIVE clams arriving today. A 9 inch squamosa, a 5 inch teardrop maxima and a 3 inch pink maxima allfrom LA, and 2 - 5 inch maximas from Dr. Mac. Its like Christmas morning over here!!!!

<poof>

 

It was half pink half blue and posted on their fb page for DD. Looked on DD and never saw it come up...kept refreshing and...nothing. :(

 

Gotta run...ttyl about this.

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MeanGreenEyes

Zeph,

 

Here is the clam in question...It's also moved onto it's side a little before and after the move.

 

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As it sits now...

 

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I pretty much have all of the popular foods, except oyster eggs...so I'll pick up some. Also, planning on purchasing another baby maxima at the swap...can't wait to hit up Dr. Mac.

 

check this out on tonight's DD...FI-YAAAAAAAAAAA!!

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MeanGreenEyes

@Weetabix7...I forgot to add that in my 15 years in the hobby period I've found that German made equipment (i.e. eheim) has always been insanely dependable...which was another selling point.

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