One more tank for Jackie 22g long

[jstuver]

Hopefully this will be the last tank I change to in a long while lol. I have't been too happy with the tank I downsized to in November Jackie's Nuvo 16g so I debated on just getting out all the way and decided there was no point as I would just want to set up another tank at some point. So that is where we are. My inspirations for this build came from these two tanks: Brad's Natural Reef  and WaWaWang's 40G of Shallownessnessgoon I have always loved these tanks and hope to achieve something similar to them but unique all my own. 

I went with the Mr. Aqua 22 gallon long low iron tank and I have to say they are made very nicely and I am very pleased with my purchase. I plan to use the live rock and macro algae as my main filtration but I did go ahead and order a Toms nano canister filter from Amazon just to help keep it clear and to add any other filtration I decide to use. Lighting for the time being will be a 250 w metal halide with a 14k phoenix bulb and I plan to use my nanobox duo as well for the extra blue pop. In the future I am hoping to go with a 4 bulb ATi fixture.

I plan to keep my pair of spoticinctus clownfish and cleaner shrimp I have currently and would like to add maybe some neon gobies or some other small fish along with a few other inverts.

As for other things I will have several species of macro algae along with bubbletip anemones and some zoas. I am trying to decide if I want the anemones on the larger island right side with all the macros or on the small island to the left that will have zoas and eventually a clam or two. I am also trying to decide if I want to get a trachy/welso to go on that small island as I really miss the one I had. Any input would be appreciated!

 

Equipment:

Tank- Mr. Aqua 22 gallon long low-iron

Filtration- Tom's Nano Canister filter along with live rock and macro algaes

Lighting- 250W metal halide with nanobox duo as an extra pop for color

Jebao RW-4 

Jebao Doser

ATO

 

Inhabitants:

Pair of spoticinctus clownfish

Cleaner Shrimp

 

Coral/Macros:

I will update later

 

 

A few pics:

 

Starting to build the structure

 

We added acrylic pieces to the ramp and other box section section where the RW-4 will go so that the sand doesn't go through 

 

Views of the egg crate

 

Sand (Fiji Pink)

 

More to come soon hopefully...

[RIP Sebastian]

Neat!

[jstuver]

On 3/6/2017 at 4:17 AM, RIP Sebastian said:

Neat!

Thanks! I'm pretty excited. I am just waiting for my mud and mangroves to get here(should be tomorrow) and then hopefully I can start moving things over!

[yungKitten]

@jstuver Could you explain what the purpose of the egg crate structure is?

[jstuver]

51 minutes ago, yungKitten said:

@jstuver Could you explain what the purpose of the egg crate structure is?

If you check out the link I posted to Brads tank above you will see he created a structure similar to it to have the sand rise up and to hide equipment and what not

[jstuver]

I'm so mad at my self. With everything that was going on with my Dad I never pulled the tank fully out of the cardboard, if you look in the pic the cardboard is still on the bottom. Well last night we were finally getting around to working on getting this set up, pulled the bottom cardboard off and there is a nasty chip/crack in the bottom corner:( I contacted bulk reef supply but seems it's my own stupid fault I doubt they will do anything:(

[Weetabix7]

Oh NO. 

I really, really hope this gets resolved in your favor. 

[jstuver]

I have to say how awesome bulk reef supply customer service is! They are sending me a new tank! 

[Weetabix7]

Just now, jstuver said:

I have to say how awesome bulk reef supply customer service is! They are sending me a new tank! 

 

WONDERFUL news, I'm so glad to hear it!!!!!!!

[jstuver]

New tank arrived on Thursday so we have been busy figuring everything out. Hopefully I can get some pics soon. 

I went with a metal halide for the time being but I know I will need an LED for that extra pop. What are some cheaper LED's that I could use? I loved my reef bride I had on my other tank but man they are expensive.

[Weetabix7]

I actually love that you are going with Metal Halide!! I miss it a bit at times. 

What bulb are you using?

Depending on the bulb, you may not need extra pop from led. 

I think MH with Phoenis 14k would work fine on it's own, honestly. 

[jstuver]

On 3/19/2017 at 6:09 AM, Weetabix7 said:

I actually love that you are going with Metal Halide!! I miss it a bit at times. 

What bulb are you using?

Depending on the bulb, you may not need extra pop from led. 

I think MH with Phoenis 14k would work fine on it's own, honestly. 

Thanks and yes its a phoenix 14k everything looks pretty good under it other than zoas and they just all look bland so I will still want that pop.

 

Here is a quick picture this morning after getting it all set up and everything moved over last night. We will be building something to cover the canister filter there at the bottom left. Big thank you to my hubby for running the wires of the light into the wall so I didn't have to see wires and ruin the look. I am loving how it's turning out. I still need to fill in a few places that I can see the egg crate but it will get there:)

 

[jstuver]

Couple pics with the good camera, as I said I still need to build something to hide the canister filter and a few more pieces to hide the egg crate

 

 

[Weetabix7]

That is just beautiful. 

From my own experience with Phoenix 14k MH and Zoas, I don't think the issue is not enough pop from the light. 

Where are the Zoas at in the tank?

What kind of light were they under when you got them?

Your husband did a great job.

[jstuver]

1 hour ago, Weetabix7 said:

That is just beautiful. 

From my own experience with Phoenix 14k MH and Zoas, I don't think the issue is not enough pop from the light. 

Where are the Zoas at in the tank?

What kind of light were they under when you got them?

Your husband did a great job.

Thank you! I have all sorts of zoas and they were under the nanobox duo but they had lost a lot of color when moved to that tank. I'm hoping they will start to get some vibrant color back but I do need the extra Led pop for my rainbow anemone as well as they look a bit blah under these lights. My rose anemone looks great though!

[Weetabix7]

Hmmm. 

I dunno then. 

Sorry I couldn't be more help!!

[jstuver]

1 hour ago, Weetabix7 said:

Hmmm. 

I dunno then. 

Sorry I couldn't be more help!!

Oh no you're totally fine! Thank you

[vlangel]

That looks amazing Jackie!  You really did capture the look of Brad's tank but with your own twist.  I think your husband did a great job on the light too.  My son uses metal halide.

[ninjamyst]

Instant totm.  Great job!

[jstuver]

18 hours ago, vlangel said:

That looks amazing Jackie!  You really did capture the look of Brad's tank but with your own twist.  I think your husband did a great job on the light too.  My son uses metal halide.

Thanks! Not sure how well the mangroves will do I may end up with air plants up there as the mangroves aren't looking so hot right now

17 hours ago, ninjamyst said:

Instant totm.  Great job!

Haha well thank you!

[jstuver]

It's national puppy day so I thought I'd share an updated pic of wick, he's growing so fast!

[vlangel]

Siberian Husky pups are so cute.  I had one named Lupus when I was a child.  She was a nice dog although we were never able to train her not to run.  She was super smart however.

[jstuver]

1 hour ago, vlangel said:

Siberian Husky pups are so cute.  I had one named Lupus when I was a child.  She was a nice dog although we were never able to train her not to run.  She was super smart however.

Haha yeah they are runners that's for sure! Our male doesn't normally run if he gets out he heads straight for the car and wants to go for a ride, however our female no matter what we do she is a runner! Now that she's over 2 she is a bit better and will come back when you yell at her but only if she feels like it lol. Hopefully we can get this little guy to train more like our male but I'm doubting it as he is just like his momma!

[jstuver]

Not much of an update here. I ordered a couple lily pipes to replace the canister filter ones. Ive had them for over a week and the hubby still hasn't wanted to install them but to give him credit we have been redoing the bathroom thats connected to my bedroom. Its been spring break for my kids and my two older boys flew out to New York to stay with a friend for the week leaving my daughter who's 12 home so we took off for a quick getaway just up to Park City for 3 days. It was nice just to leave the house but was still bitter cold up there and we are not skiers! On top of that I have caught two nasty colds in the last couple weeks, I think because I haven't been going to the gym as much as we were and its just beating me down!

Other than that tank wise my ribbon gorgonian came loose and found my powerhead winding itself completely into it. It shredded a lot of it just getting it removed but I put the pieces in a few spots and a few of them are out today.

I'll get an updated pic soon, I have managed to kill the mangroves or at least they look awful so I pulled them and they are just sitting in the soil and water on my table right now to see if they will come back. I think I will replace them with some air plants:)

[Weetabix7]

Sorry bout all the sickness and craziness, hope it improves soon. 

And the poor Gorgonian!!!

Hope at least some of it recovers. 

Still think this is one of the neatest tanks on here. 

How are the colors doing on the corals?

I seem to remember you mentioning something about wanting the Zoas to color up more.