The Eagle Has Landed

[andy]

It's been a long road, almost a year since I started putting things together, but I'm finally rolling! Many thanks to Ahbrit, who sold me about 70 pounds of some of the most beautiful live rock you have ever seen.. and then went ahead and gave me sweetheart deals on livestock, too.

The tank is a 60gal. I'm running 2x175W MH supplemented with 1x46.5" VHO Actinic. I've wired LED moonlights in on their own timer, and red LEDs for late-night spying too. My skimmer is a Red Sea Berlin driven by a Gen-X needlewheel pump (on the list for replacement). I'm using a 20gal long aquarium as a sump, and have an Eheim 1250 as a return (a bit underpowered I think, am planning on upgrading). I've got one modded MJ600 for circulation -- will be adding another in a few days.

Here's how things look right now:
http://reef.eldersign.org/images/tank.jpg

Here's a closer look at the left hand side:
http://reef.eldersign.org/images/tank-left.jpg

...and the right:
http://reef.eldersign.org/images/tank-right.jpg

The coolest, most mellow Blennie you could ever imagine. He started exploring the minute he was done acclimating :-)
http://reef.eldersign.org/images/scooter.jpg

This Torch is settling in just fine. Scooter the camera hog in the background.
http://reef.eldersign.org/images/torch.jpg

The Pincusion Urchin is already cruising the live rock looking for dinner.
http://reef.eldersign.org/images/urchin.jpg

Zoas:
http://reef.eldersign.org/images/zoas.jpg

Scooter the Blennie and his coral pal.
http://reef.eldersign.org/images/pair.jpg

And my first hitchhiker on the glass. It looks like a starfish... a good guy?
http://reef.eldersign.org/images/hitcher.jpg

Unfortunately, my good camera ran out of batteries before I could get shots of the Xenia and Acro. The Xenia didn't like the spot I picked out for it, so while my back was turned it wriggled free and relocated in a lower-flow area. The Acro (who was attached to a piece of the live lock) really got hammered while travelling. It's pretty banged up, but I think it'll pull through.

I'm really pleased with how the tank is shaping up. I may be buggin you for a bit more rock in week or so, Keith (daz)

:cool:

[Michael7979]

Asternia (sp) starfish they are OK, denitrus eater.

LOOKS GOOD OFF TO A NICE START.

[impur]

Looks great! Get us some equipment shots too :D

Yah thats an asterina star. They eat the coralline off the glass in my tank.

[Reefin']

they also eat zoos and multiply faster than rabbits by fission

[impur]

Mine have never gone after the zoos, i haven't heard that before.

[Ahbrit]

I recommend more circulation

[Michael7979]

Mine have never gone after the zoos, i haven't heard that before.


Same here.........

[rmhuntley]

oddly enough, I caught one attached to my zoas today(grumble)

[nu2reef-n]

Looks great

[andy]

Looks great! Get us some equipment shots too :D


Ask and ye shall receive.

Here's the full tank:
http://reef.eldersign.org/images/curiosity.jpg

This is my DIY lighting. There's 2x 175 10k MH, 1x 46.5" VHO Actinic, 2x blue LED moonlights, 2x red LED observation lights and 2x 12v fans in there. The MH, VHO and moonlights are all on timers. The observation lights are controlled by a toggle switch on the back of the hood:
http://reef.eldersign.org/images/lighting.jpg

The ballasts for the lighting. 2 magnetic (MH #1 and VHO) and 1 electronic (MH#2):
http://reef.eldersign.org/images/ballast.jpg

My sump, two chamber -- skimmer section and return. Skimmer is a Red Sea Berlin with Gen-X 3400 needlewheel. Currently using an Eheim 1250 as my return pump, but my Eheim 1260 should arrive from DrF&S today. Return section has live rock fragments since I don't have room under there for a Refugium:
http://reef.eldersign.org/images/guts.jpg

My overflow is a DIY in-tank acrylic box and durso-style standpipe:
http://reef.eldersign.org/images/standpipe.jpg

I'm also running a single modded Maxi-jet 600 for circulation. I'm adding a second one this weekend.

I had planned on a Refugium in or beside the sump but I don't have the room. Fortunately, I'm clear with the wife (love that woman :)) to add a full external decorative/functional refugium with Mangrove, live rock, etc. Gotta start researching those...

[impur]

Nice, thats one sweet setup you got there.

[GroYurOwn]

looks good, cant wait to start on my 90!

[andy]

Still coming along nicely. I've added a bit more rock and another modded MJ for flow. I had a little bit of cyano, but I think that was as much from the lack of flow on the left hand side of the tank as anything... just vacuumed it up.
http://reef.eldersign.org/images/06-12-06_tank.jpg

Have spotted a few new inhabitants...

Mushrooms:
http://reef.eldersign.org/images/mushroom.jpg

Montipora?
http://reef.eldersign.org/images/monti.jpg

any ideas what this guy is?
http://reef.eldersign.org/images/softy.jpg

Also, picked up this little fellow from Lise at SWF:
http://reef.eldersign.org/images/firefish.jpg

I had to evict the Hydnophora, it attacked two encrusting (what I think are) Montiporas after firing a salvo into my tank wall. It is in isolation right now and not looking too good *at all*. If you have a home for it, let me know ASAP

The NH3/NO2/NO3 cycle is stable. Evaporation is a royal pain in the assets, I top up almost 2 gallons of RO/DI a day. I'm starting to see foam in my skimmer cup. My Electric Blue-legged Hermit is MIA. Aside from that, things are going well.

Good times!

[reefgeek84]

My overflow is a DIY in-tank acrylic box and durso-style standpipe:
http://reef.eldersign.org/images/standpipe.jpg

I'm also running a single modded Maxi-jet 600 for circulation. I'm adding a second one this weekend.

I had planned on a Refugium in or beside the sump but I don't have the room. Fortunately, I'm clear with the wife (love that woman :)) to add a full external decorative/functional refugium with Mangrove, live rock, etc. Gotta start researching those...

Hey with this overflow box how much water will drain into your sump in the even of a power outage? also did you make it yourself?

[andy]

Hey with this overflow box how much water will drain into your sump in the even of a power outage? also did you make it yourself?

About 3 gallons of water will make it back to the sump if the power fails. Yes, I made it myself. I made it a little bit too small, if I had it to do over again I'd have made it a little wider and deeper.

[reefgeek84]

I am sorry if I missed it, but how big is your tank?

[andy]

I am sorry if I missed it, but how big is your tank?

60 gallons. The teeth are .75" deep, so it should never drain more than (.75" x 15" x 48" / 231) gallons.

[impur]

Looking good. What size MJs are you using BTW?

That unknown looks like a hydnophora.

[andy]

The MJs are 600s. LOL about the unknown. My wife said she thought it was a bit of the Hydnophora, but I waved that off since I thought it was a softie :D She'll love hearing that...

[impur]

LOL thats funny. It could be a frilly mushroom. Does it have a mouth? Touch it, if it receeds and has a hard skeleton its hydno.

[spayne]

Sweet brown zoas! Could those be the "Ultra Rare Plain Jane Hershey Kiss Brown Zoas" that ironically enough I don't have many more of because Mr. Varigated Rabbitfish has taken a liking to the taste of chocolate. (laugh)

Your tank is looking great! Can't wait to see how it progresses in the months down the road.

Stacy

[Ahbrit]

Andy inherited them. He swiped them when i wasnt looking

[spayne]

Andy inherited them. He swiped them when i wasnt looking
I am sure they'll make for very nice weeds for him. And if they get out of control, he can borrow our rabbitfish! ;)

Stacy

[andy]

Yeah, those Zoas are fan-tastic. It took them a couple of days to get used to my lighting, but now they are used to it they're really looking great. Good thing Ahbrit isn't very observant, eh? ;)

[spayne]

Yeah, those Zoas are fan-tastic. It took them a couple of days to get used to my lighting, but now they are used to it they're really looking great. Good thing Ahbrit isn't very observant, eh? ;) Keith is a zoa hater. When he first asked me for a frag of them, I honestly thought he was kidding! But maybe someday, he will realize the wonder that is zoanthids and have a tank full of them. Because he will be back... oh, yes! He will be back! He has saltwater running through his veins!

They are really neat zoas. Not the most eye-catching, but they have their own charm. I like them. I actually have a few of them in my nano that Mr. Rabbitses can't get to. So I'm sure I'll have another clump of "Plain Jane Hershey Kiss" zoas in the future. And if not... I know who has them! (laugh)

Stacy

[Reefin']

And my first hitchhiker on the glass. It looks like a starfish... a good guy?
http://reef.eldersign.org/images/hitcher.jpg




Asternia (sp) starfish they are OK, denitrus eater.

LOOKS GOOD OFF TO A NICE START.


they also eat zoos and multiply faster than rabbits by fission



Mine have never gone after the zoos, i haven't heard that before.


just cruzin around at RC and ran it to this thread....further proof that you cant trust a astrinia starfish

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=857437

[Barelycuda]

Nice tank andy. You have a great looking start. I think I have some of those ultra rare brown zoa's also.

Cuda