Tigahboy Posted August 15, 2004 Share Posted August 15, 2004 Just thought I'd post some pics of my upgrade. My old tank was a Via Aqua 28 gallon (tho it seemed more like a 25g to me). Dimensions: 24"X15"X17". I only had the set-up for about 2 months but I wanted to get a longer tank to make more room for corals (particularly a frogspawn) and 2 firefish gobies. My old system... I moved my livestock into a 30 gallon show acrylic. The tank is much longer than my original. The new dimensions: 36"X12X16". And I added a 20 AGA long under my new brentwood stand to serve as a refugium/sump. I had two holes drilled into the acrylic for 1" bulkheads for gravity overflow to refugium. Also added about 40 more lb of aragonite fiji pink (gradually) and 15 lb of live rock which I started to cure two weeks before the move. I also moved my original 35-40 lb live rock from my old tank to the new system. Took about a good week of sweat and labor, but finally it is done! My new system... Link to comment
Travis Posted August 15, 2004 Share Posted August 15, 2004 verry nice, what is type of lights are you useing? Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted August 15, 2004 Author Share Posted August 15, 2004 Old tank aquascaping... New tank aquascaping... After moving some of the larger pieces of LR into my refugium, I realized my new tank now looks a bit sparse. I might have to go get more LR at a later point in time. I also realized how few corals I had and will definitely need to add more...but only after I build my funds back up (this upgrade cost me an arm and a leg!). I added the 2 firefish gobies I wanted so badly after making sure my parameters were back to normal (ammonia=0, nitrites=0, nitrates=20). I have a funny/scary story about the firefish, but I'll post more on that after I'm done with this thread. Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted August 15, 2004 Author Share Posted August 15, 2004 Thanks..didn't think anyone would be up so late...I just swapped the lights I had on my old tank (which I upgraded from the stock lights that came w/ the via aqua)...normal 130w total PC's w/ lunar light. Bought them from marinedepot.com awhile back. Link to comment
FateX9 Posted August 15, 2004 Share Posted August 15, 2004 wow from that picture that 30 looks more than only 2 gallons bigger than your 28 congrats Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted August 15, 2004 Author Share Posted August 15, 2004 Pictures of Refugium/Sump under the tank...as mentioned before, it's a 20 AGA long from Petco. Nothing fancy...didn't bother w/ baffle system...but I did suction cup one of those breeder plastic tanks into my refugium and placed the tubes from the bulkheads into the plastic tank to help baffle the crazy flow at least a little. Seems to be doing okay. Sorry for the unclear photo... The return pump in my refugium is a Dolphin Pond/Tank Master series water pump w/ 650 gph. Pretty strong, but big...I liked it, however because it produced the least amount of heat compared to the other standard brands...This pump also includes a huge compartment in front of the intake which has a big sponge...this seems to help w/ the microbubbles as well... [Revised] I took off the sponge from my return pump...I actually have no microbubbles. So I was being paranoid for nothin. Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted August 15, 2004 Author Share Posted August 15, 2004 Thanks, Fate. Yeah...that's exactly what I was thinking. All this time I thought my via Aqua was a 28g, but after setting up my 30g, something seemed fishy... Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted August 15, 2004 Author Share Posted August 15, 2004 Closer view of the Refugium...Hopefully will pick up Chaeto and pods from another nano-reefer on Monday... The refugium also houses my Remora skimmer, heater, AquaClear HOB. Pic of refugium from the back... Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted August 15, 2004 Author Share Posted August 15, 2004 I'm pretty pleased w/ the new set-up...But my only prob is I never thought about how loud the overflow would be. Sometimes it sounds like toilet flushing. Not sure how to stop this sound, granted it has reduced over the week and while it was making crazy sounds every 10 minutes, now it makes it every 2 hours or so. More miscellaneous pics... Hi Fin Banded Goby makes himself at home... Angle view... OKay...I'm tired now...I will elaborate on the firefish incident/ordeal after I get some shut eye. Link to comment
TiGs Posted August 15, 2004 Share Posted August 15, 2004 Nice. Are you going to fill the tank all the way to the top? Filling the tank to the top makes it look better IMO Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted August 15, 2004 Author Share Posted August 15, 2004 I agree...filling to the top would give it a more seamless look...but the return pump and the two 1" bulkheads equalize at the level shown in the picture. And I am wary of water splashing onto my carpet and dripping to neighbors below. Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted August 15, 2004 Author Share Posted August 15, 2004 Okay. So here is a closer pic of my firefish that fell into the garbage disposer dain. He survived and the full story is in this thread Link to comment
xcajx Posted August 15, 2004 Share Posted August 15, 2004 Tigahboy, where did you get that tank? It is beautiful. Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted August 15, 2004 Author Share Posted August 15, 2004 Hey xcajx. It's a Clear-for-Life acrylic - 30 gallon-S[how] from Jeff's Exotic Fish in Gardena, CA. I just went to the website, called the order in and went to pick it up a week later (took awhile for the stand to get in, but the tank was done in a couple of days). He also has online ordering/shipping at http://www.exoticfish.com. or go here to skip to the page w/ the rectangle acrylic aquariums (all Clear-for-Life): http://www.exoticfish.com/results.cfm?cat=...9|1709|1657&af= Got mine for $120 and $10 per hole for bulkheads. Got the corresponding stand from the same place. I think the prices are reasonable. Mine costed more b/c it is a unique dimension (so I am told by various LFS's). But it was either that or their 40g for $105 or 29g for $105. They even have 20g for $75. It's a little more (like $10-15) for the colored backs, and now I wish I went for that; too many tubes and such on the back of my tank! Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted August 15, 2004 Author Share Posted August 15, 2004 Anyone in Southern Cali know where to get cool green frogspawns? I see the brownish ones around, but have enough brown in my tank. Link to comment
TiGs Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 You could try blue or black colored sheets and tape it to the back of the tank. I like black color better because the wires and powerheads are camouflaged better Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted August 16, 2004 Author Share Posted August 16, 2004 I think that would be the best option for now (the taping sheets to the back). But, I don't think I am skilled enough to cut holes to fit around the bulkheads. hehe. I'll post pics again after I do. Link to comment
BJK2 Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 what is the 1 abalone and a few babies, and what does it look like. I'm no expert, but i don't think you've exceeded your bio-load yet. I probably did though: 20 Gal long- 1 juv. perc, 1 red headed goby, 1 cardinal, 1 clown goby. Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted August 16, 2004 Author Share Posted August 16, 2004 Thanks for the input, BJK2...My abalone is about 1-2" in length (it's basically a huge snail w/ flat shell and great for algae control). After having the abalone for a little bit, I noticed there were a few baby abalone (may have been from that one or just came w/ the water/rubble that was in the bag w/ my abalone). Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted August 16, 2004 Author Share Posted August 16, 2004 Went to pick up my 2 ziplock bags FULL of chaetomorpha, live sand, and pods from reefguy01 today. Turns out he lived only 15 minutes away from me. Thanks, reefguy01! Everything looks great and transaction went smooth like buttah! Chaeto in my refugium (there's a 4th bush that can't be seen in this pic)... Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted August 17, 2004 Author Share Posted August 17, 2004 I was bored so I took some pics under just the blue actinic. I really need a better camera and photography 101... Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted August 20, 2004 Author Share Posted August 20, 2004 My order of zoo's came in today bright and early. Ordered 3 frags from rob at Coralsandbar.com. Very pleased w/ the sizes (way more than the stated quarter size listed on the website) and packaging was very professional. Not all of them have opened up yet, so I am waiting for that before I take pictures. But I've realized that I probably need MH lights now since the colors aren't as vibrant as they should be under my normal PC's (but they do look INCREDIBLE under actinic blue only). Sigh...that means more money, which I don't have considering all the upgrades... Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted August 21, 2004 Author Share Posted August 21, 2004 Pics of my new zoo's! But they don't look as awesome under my PC's...I really want MH's now! Orange frag from coralsandbar.com and blue+green frag from aquadesignz.com. Both great sites and awesome customer service! Under actinics: Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted August 26, 2004 Author Share Posted August 26, 2004 Finally sucked it up and decided to shell out the $$$ to buy MH for my tank. Placed an order at marinedepot.com for the Aqua Medic Ocean Light HQI 150w 20,000K pendant. I called them up to confirm shipping date since it usually arrives the next day for us LA folks, but to my disappointment, they said they were out of stock! So now I gotta wait until the end of September for the back-order. Supposedly the manufacturers themselves are sold out (prolly cuz they are one of the cheaper but decent models). Oh wellz Will post pics once I get them...whenever that will be. =( Link to comment
Tigahboy Posted August 26, 2004 Author Share Posted August 26, 2004 But I guess it's worth it considering all the other sites were sold out as well and at marinedepot.com they ship for free anything over $175 and since my order was over $225 I also get a free marinedepot t-shirt. hahah....i guess the t-shirt is not such a big deal, but free stuff just makes me excited. Link to comment
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