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Slowtwitch Build #2


Slowtwitch

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After seeing My Little POTO my business partner decided that he wanted to have a tank set up in our office. He wants to learn about caring for a saltwater system in preparation for putting one in his home eventually. That was all the encouragement I needed. Craigslist shopping started that night. I was able to find a pretty sweet set up for reasonable price and jumped on it and we are off to the races. The tank had never had livestock in it. It was leak tested and then broken down after the guys freshwater tank sprung a leak and destroyed a good portion of his living room.

 

Tank dimensions are 36x18x12 rimless.

Lighting- Aquatic life T5 programmable with LED moonlights

15 gallon sump with PC light for fuge

Tunze 9004

526 GPH return pump

25ish pounds of dry rock

Koralia wavemaker

1.5" sand bed

 

Need to get new plumbing lines as my stand is taller than where the tank was originally set up. Will be doing that tomorrow and testing the pump.

 

Initial dry fit or rock

2015-03-25%2011.06.44_zps4dx1swya.jpg

 

Right side close-up

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Left side close-up

2015-03-25%2011.07.17_zpsigankl7k.jpg

 

Rocks are currently being epoxied together and the back of the tank is getting a coat of black paint tonight.

Making water to get it wet tomorrow!

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And we're wet!

Plumbing completed today and tested the tank for leaks. Saltwater mixed and rock is cooking with the WaveMaker providing circulation. Will add a piece of live rock from my other tank as well as a piece of shrimp to get the cycle roaring tomorrow. Need to mix more water for the sump/fuge and get that flowing.

Anxious to get some corals ordered; so many good sales going on....

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So I've just increase my display area from 10 to 70 gallons in two tanks. Suggestions for new corals? Leaning towards mixed LPS/easy SPS. Really like favias, acans, monti caps. Considering birdsnest, lepastrea, cyphastrea, chalices. Anybody got any "must haves"?

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Ammonia is on the decline and nitrates building. Ordered some new uncured live rock to beef up the bacteria count and variety plus round out the scape a bit. We'll let that cook a couple of more weeks and then begin adding corals. Can't wait!

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Not much change, but I thought I'd add a new picture. The Koralia was too low in this picture started moving the sand around after I took this. Moved it back up to where it should be.

20150403_0923111_zpsaeon62bj.jpg

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I love the rock lay out!

Thanks. It looks great from above as well. I'll see about getting a shot that way tomorrow. Lots for open sand and plenty of room for fish if I ever decide to get any.

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Markburns43

And your coral choices are great cant go wrong with anyt of them, for sps i like the ponape birdsnest couple different varities , ah jeez there all cool to me.

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Really like the scape. Nice open rock too! Sps tank? ?

We'll probably have a few of the easier SPS. Mostly LPS though. Acans, favia, chalices, lepastrea etc. For sure a couple monti caps. Probably a birds nest or three.
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Ammonia hit zero today. Got confirmation that the uncured live rock is on its way. Stock list is growing. Got a few frags in the mail today that are chilling in the frag rack in my other tank. Things are progressing nicely now.

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Live rock in. A couple of cool hitchhikers including two smallish rose corals. YAY! One possible Majano that will bear close watching. Pictures soon.

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Very cool looking. I was just looking around my office and saw a spot that I might be able to put a bigger tank...

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FTS 4-27-15

2015-04-27%2014.13.30_zpsfw5toelg.jpg

CUC has been added and are busy clearing a minor GHA outbreak

 

Suicidal Nerite snail.

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First frags in the tank

2015-04-27%2014.15.37_zpsyfxjln1z.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...
Slowtwitch

Picked up a new rock flower for the tank. Green and white skirt with pink face. My LFS has finally started getting a few of these beauties in and they are nice. There is supposed to be a shipment of "ultras" coming in in the next week or two, so there may be a few more that arrive on this page. :D

This is immediately after acclimation. I'll post a better pic once she is settled and the lights are better.

2015-05-07%2009.37.41_zpsbtkqlgit.jpg

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Slowtwitch

Gah! Tank is all cloudy again. Can't seem to keep the water clear. I'm sure it's just another bacterial bloom, but how can I keep this from happening all the time? Params are all good. Nitrates at 2, ammonia 0, phosphate 0. Temp 79F. Salinity 1.025. Alk 8.0, Cal 440. Running carbon and phosguard.

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Have you tried Coral Snow? I'm using it at the moment and it really helps the skimmer rip everything organic from the water column.

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