Ann Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 This tank is really coming along great! How are you managing to fix the corals to the foam backing? Best regards Ann Link to comment
melbourne Posted January 9, 2006 Author Share Posted January 9, 2006 Thanks, I'm using standard super glue gel. The SPS get a small blob and right onto the foam, I dip the gel blob first so it forms a crust then press it into where I want to mount it. The polyps / mushrooms take much longer, I need them to naturally attach first to shell frags and then I super glue them to where I want them. To get them to attach to rubble, I put them in a plastic cup cut down to about a 1/3 of the normal height filled with rubble. Let the cup sit in a low flow area in my other tanks and in a few days they usually are attached to something big enough to super glue to the foam. I use tweezers to hold the tiny bit of rubble they are attached to and use the same method a glob of glue then press the frag to the foam where I want it. The mats (GSP,etc.) I just apply a few small blobs of glue to the back of the mat and press it on the foam, the nice thing about the mats is that the form fit to the foam's surface. Link to comment
melbourne Posted January 10, 2006 Author Share Posted January 10, 2006 Tank update: Upgraded my lights since I wasn't happy with the color using the single 13w PC bulb. Last night I took apart a Satellite 18W fixture I had on my FW planted tank and retrofitted it into the hood. Added a few more frags as well. The left side shading is worse due to the bulb socket but I think the overall color is better with the single 18w 50/50 bulb than the AH 13w retrofit. FTS Jan 10th Corner Jan 10th Purple dot mushroom Green mottled mushroom - originally mounted to wall but it detached in the evening - I'm going to leave it there. Tiny Lemnalia frag Red Zoas Ric with a arrangement of different colored polyps More pics More mats Cream monti Rare brown zoas Cabbage without activated carbon bits on him Purple mushroom Yellow polyps with feather duster in background Toadstool with zoas Link to comment
Nednai Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 I don’t know what the judging criteria is but your tank looks fantastic! Good luck in the contest. Link to comment
Ryan_H Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 best 2.5 i've seen! imo, if this tank continues on the track it's on, you will win stock. Link to comment
melbourne Posted January 11, 2006 Author Share Posted January 11, 2006 Thanks, I hope I get better growth with the 18w bulb now. I really like the new bulb, it gives a much nicer blue light versus the white/yellowish light from the 13w 50/50. There are so many nice tanks in this contest its been really fun to follow - maybe I'll win in the foam background category Link to comment
shivametimbas Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 looking very good indeed! Link to comment
Tony Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 The tank is looking awesome. I really like the background. I've got to give you props on the tetratec filter, I had thought about using it and the thing is enormous. Link to comment
melbourne Posted January 13, 2006 Author Share Posted January 13, 2006 The tank is looking awesome. I really like the background. I've got to give you props on the tetratec filter, I had thought about using it and the thing is enormous. Thanks, yes the tetratec is pretty large on a 2.5 it pretty much limits me to a single bulb setup. It would work much better on a larger tank - like a 5.5g or maybe even a 10g. The corals seem to like the flow produced by it and the surge effect is pretty neat to watch. Your tank looks great also. I think we are the only 2 nano's stocking a gorgonian. Link to comment
tinyreef Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 looks amazing, mel! i concur with tony, the background's looking great. while i'm still not a fan of the foam (aesthetically speaking), your coral quality/placement/decorating more than makes up for that subjective issue imo. Link to comment
melbourne Posted January 14, 2006 Author Share Posted January 14, 2006 looks amazing, mel! i concur with tony, the background's looking great. while i'm still not a fan of the foam (aesthetically speaking), your coral quality/placement/decorating more than makes up for that subjective issue imo. Thanks, the foam is an experiment for me. I wanted to try something different in a small tank, the wall effect would have been difficult to achieve economically otherwise. Hopefully I'll have enough growth in the tank in 3 months so the back will be filled in a bit So far the SPS have maintained their color and everything is exhibiting good polyp extension. I'm pretty happy with the foam in general - I plan on building out a larger mainly SPS nano based on either foam or agrocrete over styro with live rock in the future. Link to comment
Daemonfly Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 I think it looks great. I would have covered the foam in a layer of agrocrete though. Does it look like coralline is growing on the foam yet/at all? Link to comment
Casabubu Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 Thats an amazing tank youve got there! You have so many great zoas. Also, the sps fits in nicely. How are they gowing? Link to comment
melbourne Posted January 16, 2006 Author Share Posted January 16, 2006 Thanks, Daemonfly, no coralline growth yet on the foam wall. I've seen it grow on the foam in other tanks on RC, but they are much larger so more stable water params. Casabubu, SPS are doing good - even seeing a little growth on them. I have the Current 18w retrofit pretty close to the water line, with a DIY adjustable mount. I'll probably add in more colorful SPS frags later this week. Tank update, my home lost power for about 7 hours today. We had a pretty big ice storm last night. All my tanks are on UPS's. The 2.5g ran for about 2 hours before it ran out of power. My 12g ran for even less - my larger tanks ran for about 2 hours before exhausting the batteries. Everything appears to be fine except for my 12g nano, the smaller tomato clown appears to be on its last legs. I just did a water change on the 2.5g and changed out the filter/carbon. On my other tanks I'm running the skimmers extra wet crossing my fingers that everything else looks good tomorrow. Link to comment
Ryan_H Posted January 16, 2006 Share Posted January 16, 2006 dose your tank for the coralline growth. all the corals are sucking up the calcium it needs to thrive. Link to comment
melbourne Posted January 17, 2006 Author Share Posted January 17, 2006 dose your tank for the coralline growth. all the corals are sucking up the calcium it needs to thrive. Later this week I'll take a full set of params from the 2.5g. I normally don't dose until I know my current params. I've been doing water changes using water from my larger tanks, so my calcium should be around 420 or so. Holding off on adding the new SPS until the tank fully recovers from the power outtage I had over the weekend. Here are some SPS growth pics - notice the corals are coloring up better under the 18w retro. The reflector is about 1.5" from the water line currently - I can adjust the height using a DIY rig I setup. Old shots were taken under 13w PC 50/50 with AHSupply reflector about 1/4" off the water line. New shots are taken under 18w PC 50/50 with Current USA reflector about 1.5" off water line. So there has been some growth, not crazy but its happening. Of course I'm only putting in the hardiest aquacultured montipora. But if the more colorful monti's that I plan on adding do well, I'll put in a hardy acro and see how it does - if I can find the space Old shot digi #1 New shot digi #1 Old shot digi #2 New shot digi #2 Old shot - purple monti on right - also notice the growth for center digi since its the oldest shot I have of the digi #1 New shot of purple monti Link to comment
melbourne Posted January 17, 2006 Author Share Posted January 17, 2006 Other misc pics GSP mat growth Old shot New shot - notice mat has been creeping down - sorry for blurry picture, lots of current in this part of the tank. New tiny ric frag I added used tweezers to place its so small Took down my planted FW nano's and consolidated my last freshwater tank into one planted 30g Oceanic cube. Here is a pic of the 3 tanks in a row. Link to comment
Ann Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 It's lovely to see your Pico tank nestled in with the others. The lush green colours of the freshwater tank contrast nicely with the different colours of the reefs. Your Pico is looking better and better with each new set of pictures. You must have the Midas touch! Best regards Ann Link to comment
melbourne Posted January 19, 2006 Author Share Posted January 19, 2006 Thanks Ann, I'll try and take some updated tank pics this week. We had another power outtage yesterday that lasted for 17 hours. The tanks look like they are doing fine for the most part since I broke down and bought a 5.5kW gas generator after getting a quote for $8k to install a 15 kW home Generac. I like the contrast of the planted tanks versus marine as well. Your tank is truely a work of art - post up some new pics Link to comment
melbourne Posted January 20, 2006 Author Share Posted January 20, 2006 Tank Update Mounted three more monti frags, had to peel left mat off rock to make room to mount the orange monti. Jan 20 FTS Jan 20 Corner Misc tank shot Misc tank shot #2 Orange M.Digitata Orange M.Capricornus Dark Green Monti Tiny Ric detached and now settled on sandbed Updated cabbage shot Pink Anthelia (showing some growth) started with tiny frag on purpose Polyp arrangement updated photo Link to comment
tinyreef Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 looks good! everything seems to be growing in nicely. is the free-floating ric a new baby? are those flatworms in the 3rd pic or some type of brownish algae/coralline? i can't really tell. the gsp's beginning to reach for other rocks too. great job overall! Link to comment
Pili Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 Mike, where in somers are you? Our power was only from about 9 am to 6:30 pm but we had a small generator so the tanks were ok. Link to comment
melbourne Posted January 21, 2006 Author Share Posted January 21, 2006 Tinyreef, Thanks - yup its algae I have a bad algae problem in my tank. I need to replace the membrane on my RO/DI. I am running a small sock of phosban but so far it has had little to no effect. The ric was a small frag I attached to the upper left of the tank last week - it detached from a bit of shell I had mounted it on. Pili, off of Rt 118 the Preserve at Somers. We had no power from 9 AM to 3 AM the next day. I ran my tanks and 2 refrigerators and a bunch of other stuff off a 5.5kW generator I bought at Home Depot. Link to comment
Pili Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 Oh, thats tough. Good thing you had the generator though. Tanks looks great by the way! Link to comment
melbourne Posted January 28, 2006 Author Share Posted January 28, 2006 Oh, thats tough. Good thing you had the generator though. Tanks looks great by the way! Thanks, busy week at work. Was able to snap a few shots before the lights went off. Sorry for the dirty glass. Nothing new added from last time. FTS Jan 27 FTS Corner Jan 27 Unknown Macro Algae / Duster / Yellow Polyps Kenya/Cap Various Monti's Wall Monti's (haven't photo'ed these in a long time) Green Monti's Middle of tank closeup Lem growth shot Link to comment
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