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7.2g Cold Water Reef Build


Tamberav

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  • 2 weeks later...

Any updates?

 

Everything is doing well, was out of town for a few days and haven't gotten around to getting pictures yet :(

 

I have some more critters coming tomorrow... :o

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Micro-Reefs Aquariums

 

Everything is doing well, was out of town for a few days and haven't gotten around to getting pictures yet :(

 

I have some more critters coming tomorrow... :o

Take you time and pic the best pictures if possible can you get a shot of the whole aquarium alongside the awesome macro pics you take?

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Take you time and pic the best pictures if possible can you get a shot of the whole aquarium alongside the awesome macro pics you take?

 

I'll get some good ones!

 

Here is a teaser pic with my crappy phone camera. My new kelpfish was perched on a snail, didn't have time to get the good camera set up before he moved. I really need to clean the acrylic :P

 

RARZp5Pm.jpg

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I'll get some good ones!

 

Here is a teaser pic with my crappy phone camera. My new kelpfish was perched on a snail, didn't have time to get the good camera set up before he moved. I really need to clean the acrylic :P

 

RARZp5Pm.jpg

I am really impressed that you are running your tank smoothly and it looks beautiufl. How is your media basket working for you? What do you place in each leavel?

 

How has the temp ranged with the introduction of the new chiller? Are getting any type of condensation? And if you are at what temps?

 

Can you snap a pcutre with your phone of the whole tank, interested in seeing the tank how it looks with the top and what type of lights you are using?

 

Hope you don"t mind all the questions but I have been out of the loop for almost a a year in fabrication with the exception of a few tanks here and there.

 

Sincerely,

 

Mike Guerrero

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I am really impressed that you are running your tank smoothly and it looks beautiufl. How is your media basket working for you? What do you place in each leavel?

 

How has the temp ranged with the introduction of the new chiller? Are getting any type of condensation? And if you are at what temps?

 

Can you snap a pcutre with your phone of the whole tank, interested in seeing the tank how it looks with the top and what type of lights you are using?

 

Hope you don"t mind all the questions but I have been out of the loop for almost a a year in fabrication with the exception of a few tanks here and there.

 

Sincerely,

 

Mike Guerrero

 

 

Media basket works great, I like how it has a slant so the water flows right in easily. I use filter floss on top with BRS rox carbon, purigen, and phosguard in the 2nd slot and a bag of seachem matrix in the 3rd slot. Chamber 2 has nothing right now, I had a skimmer in it for awhile but removed it a few months back so I could house my urchin back there. I have 2 catalina gobies and some sitka shrimp back there right now too because they are so tiny that my kelpfish or sculpin could easily eat them.

 

Tank stays 54.5-56 degrees with the new chiller. The old one kept it 55-60. I want to say at 55 degrees, condensation starts in the mid to upper 70's depending on humidity.

 

I was using a full spectrum ledtric par 38 but it finally died on me, so I have a 14k full spectrum coral compulsion par 38 over it now. I love the new coral compulsion light, it makes the colors of the critters just perfect. Not blue like the photos, that is just my wacky phone camera.

 

For maintenance, I feed heavily, enough to make it "snow" in the water and I do a 3g (90%) water change once a month. I don't get much growth on the acrylic, so I scrape that maybe once a month too.

 

Here is some more phone shots. I'll get some good ones Monday or Tuesday.

 

lpHgcVVw.jpg

 

2tz2C6Ne.jpg

 

zi5MCME8.jpg

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Micro-Reefs Aquariums

 

 

Media basket works great, I like how it has a slant so the water flows right in easily. I use filter floss on top with BRS rox carbon, purigen, and phosguard in the 2nd slot and a bag of seachem matrix in the 3rd slot. Chamber 2 has nothing right now, I had a skimmer in it for awhile but removed it a few months back so I could house my urchin back there. I have 2 catalina gobies and some sitka shrimp back there right now too because they are so tiny that my kelpfish or sculpin could easily eat them.

 

Tank stays 54.5-56 degrees with the new chiller. The old one kept it 55-60. I want to say at 55 degrees, condensation starts in the mid to upper 70's depending on humidity.

 

I was using a full spectrum ledtric par 38 but it finally died on me, so I have a 14k full spectrum coral compulsion par 38 over it now. I love the new coral compulsion light, it makes the colors of the critters just perfect. Not blue like the photos, that is just my wacky phone camera.

 

For maintenance, I feed heavily, enough to make it "snow" in the water and I do a 3g (90%) water change once a month. I don't get much growth on the acrylic, so I scrape that maybe once a month too.

 

Here is some more phone shots. I'll get some good ones Monday or Tuesday.

 

lpHgcVVw.jpg

 

2tz2C6Ne.jpg

 

zi5MCME8.jpg

She is amazing how the tank is holding up! :) I am so happy that the acrylic tank I designed and built is holding up nicely against the cold water, this area of hobby is very new and virtually uncharted! You are creating history!

 

Only in public aquariums could a person view the nature of these critters and corals. Now you have brought home this possibility to the American aquarist!

 

I SALUTE YOU, FOR HAVING THE DESIRE TO BREAK NEW GROUND IN THIS FASCINATING WORLD WE CALL OCEAN!

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:o The tank looks great Mike!!

Thanks,

Just happy to see a reefer on nano-reef making history with a Cold Water System at 7.2 gallons of Pacific Ocean, THAT TO ME SAYS; 55F degrees of COOLNESS! :)

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Thanks Mike :) Could not have done it without you and Stu though!

 

I had the good camera all ready and set up and.... it's not working! :unsure: Not sure why, it was in the case from when I put it away last time. Keeps saying "lens not attached". All the contacts look good and I cleaned them but it was a no go. I'm going to buy a small screwdriver and open the camera up just to see if anything inside came loose. If I can't get it working, I guess I know what I will ask Santa for.

 

Here are some more cell phone pics in the mean time:

 

IMG_20151107_023601146_HDR_zpsdpzud38a.j

 

These are my favorite, they are orange with metallic centers. They are nicer than what my cell phone camera can capture.

 

IMG_20151107_023624732_HDR_zpsxvqbqzj2.j

 

IMG_20151107_023654768_HDR_zpsko6k1xb8.j

 

Snails haven't figured out theres algae on this frag yet. They keep the tank pretty sparkling clean. Wish tropical snails worked half as hard.

 

IMG_20151107_023704341_HDR_zpskjd6nlss.j

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The pictures on your cellphone are still very vibrant and I can't wait til your camera comes online. I did have a question about your chiller and the tank, at 55F degrees how often does the chiller turn on and for how long? Trying to see how good the tank insulates using 1/2 inch acrylic with those tops....

 

Thanks,

 

MG

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The pictures on your cellphone are still very vibrant and I can't wait til your camera comes online. I did have a question about your chiller and the tank, at 55F degrees how often does the chiller turn on and for how long? Trying to see how good the tank insulates using 1/2 inch acrylic with those tops....

 

Thanks,

 

MG

 

It's set at 55 degres and kicks on about once and hour at about 56 degrees and runs for about 10 min until 53.9. degrees. If the pump/pipes are freshly cleaned then it runs for a shorter time. It runs on a maxijet 900. Air temp is mid 70's.

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It's set at 55 degres and kicks on about once and hour at about 56 degrees and runs for about 10 min until 53.9. degrees. If the pump/pipes are freshly cleaned then it runs for a shorter time. It runs on a maxijet 900. Air temp is mid 70's.

 

THOSE ARE IMPRESSIVE NUMBERS! CONSIDERING HOW STU WOBBE WITH HIS EXPERIMENT ON THE PETSMART/PETCO ACRYLIC TANK GOT! HIS CHILLER IF I REMEMBER WAS ON ALMOST ALL THE TIME TO KEEP HIS TANK WHERE HE WANTED IT.

 

NEXT SIZE ACRYLIC IS 3/4 INCH, I WONDER WHAT RESULTS I MIGHT GET WITH INSULATION.

 

WONDER IS STU WOULD KNOW? RULE OF THUMB IS WHEN PURCHASING A COLD WATER SYSTEM, GO WITH THE THICKEST ACRYLIC YOUR POCKET CAN HANDLE.

 

YOU ARE AT LEVEL 2 WITH 1/2 INCH.

 

LEVEL 1 = 3/8 INCH (AVERAGE)

 

LEVEL 2 = 1/2 INCH (ABOVE AVERAGE)

 

LEVEL 3 = 3/4 INCH (ADVANCED)

 

LEVEL 4 = 1 INCH (PROFESSIONAL SERIES)

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This Tank is really, really, cool. I hope I get a chance to set something like this.

Most definetly you will.... Take your time and and explore and ask questions, the cold water is amazing and much more neat than tropical waters.... :)

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I love it. Reminds me of diving off Catalina or La Jolla. Just saw this tonight so forgive me if you have answered this already. Are you collecting the livestock yourself or have you found a LFS that will get you cold water species?

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Thanks for all the kind words everyone :wub::wub::wub:

 

Wow from what I can see its GORGEOUS!!!

 

That green moonglow is beautiful :o:wub:

 

This Tank is really, really, cool. I hope I get a chance to set something like this.

 

Nice tank!

 

This little tank looks wonderful. Do you still have a 78degree reef tank somewhere? :)

 

Several!!! I am slowly trying to make it so they require less time to maintain.... my new job leaves me with less time for maintenance but I don't want to give them up.

 

I love it. Reminds me of diving off Catalina or La Jolla. Just saw this tonight so forgive me if you have answered this already. Are you collecting the livestock yourself or have you found a LFS that will get you cold water species?

 

 

I get all my livestock from Stu at http://www.coldwatermarineaquatics.com/I am landlocked in Minnesota so I have to bring the ocean to me :)

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  • Tamberav changed the title to 7.2g Cold Water Reef Build

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