My 55 gallon setup

[AmySC]

Just started this hobby about 9 months ago. Here are the pictures of my tank. I don't have any SPS, because I don't have a MH light setup. I know that it looks cramped and the LPS corals are very close to each other, but I plan to weed my corals down a bit. What I really need help with is my rock work....I can't seem to get mine as nice as the others on the forum.
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/2008323.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/2008324.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/2008325.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/2008326.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/2008327.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/2008328.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/2008329.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/2008330.jpg

[coralreefaquarist]

nice! hows that gorgonian doing? what kind is it?ive been wanting one bad but seems the success rate is low on some.nice tank

[Frank]

Nice tank...(clap) See some of the goodies you got at CFM looks great...:D

[reef-fisher]

Cool selection of lps. Nice diversity. Looking great:D

As for moving rocks around, Its all about trial and error. Just keep working at it till you like it. Seems to me the more random stacking works better than piling one on top of the other. You might want to try epoxy to get them to stay where you want.

Keep it up!

[downhill_biker]

looks good. i like a lot of those corals and things look healthy. as far as rock work, i agree with trial and error. i dont know what you are going for, but if you want open spaces like archways and such, you will need some epoxy and some patience trying to get things to balance. put a couple larger plain rocks on bottom and bridge with a longer rock, and do this over and over again until you like it.

[stylaster]

Looks great, nice selection of corals you got going there. Will have to bring you over to the light side and convert you to halides ;)
Roy

[AmySC]

The Gorgonian is doing great. It been so easy to take care of that I forget it's there some times. I think I might need to get some bigger pieces of rock. May take me a little while to have a masterpiece.

[dsoz]

I love the pink hammer, it is beautiful. Where did you get it?

[AmySC]

I bought the Pink Hammer and Pink Frogspawn at the same time when I was at Upscales. I Love all the LPS corals, but now I have to clear some of it out.

[AmySC]

I've been messing around with the rock work in my tank and here are the pictures of the progress. I know I still have a long way to go with my rock work skills. These pictures are about a month old:
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/10192008014.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/10192008015.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/10192008016.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/10192008018.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/10192008019.jpg

[AmySC]

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/10192008033.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/2008323.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/2008324.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/2008325.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/2008326.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/2008327.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/2008328.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/2008330.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/2008332.jpg

[AmySC]

Thanks Miles for helping me expand my zoo farm and giving me a great deal on the duncans...they're growing super fast. My pictures aren't clear because my camera sucks I'll post better ones when I get a new camera.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/2008335.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/zoo_7-17-15-1-1.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/10192008124.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/10192008048.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/10192008038.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/10192008051.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/10192008054.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/10192008060.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/10192008062.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/naichosaechao/saltwater/GreenSkirtOrangeMouthZoanthids.jpg

[kriswaters]

Oh the joy of aquascaping a 55 gal...I have been there...and am moving on! Nice tank BTW..(and I won't sic the tang police on ya)

Kris

[undrtkr_00]

Wow! You've collected a lot of corals in 9 months! Looking good. Thanks for sharing with us.

[temperhead]

nice 55, you dont need metal halide for sps! go with some t5's-less heat. my lfs has some in a 55 gal. w/ 4-54w t5s, there on the bottom of the tank with some good growth.
i am buying a 6 bulb t5 fixture soon and going to add some sps myself.

[mrgreenthumb]

nice 55, you dont need metal halide for sps! go with some t5's-less heat. my lfs has some in a 55 gal. w/ 4-54w t5s, there on the bottom of the tank with some good growth.
i am buying a 6 bulb t5 fixture soon and going to add some sps myself.

Thats a matter of opinion :). Heat really isn't that much of a difference. T5s will successfully grow corals. Halides look WAY prettier, and it seems halides bring out brighter colors in sps :) I really like how roy(stylaster) referred to t5's and metal halides come join the light side of the force young coral jedi master(laugh). cost is close to the same on initial set-up. I find myself replacing my t5's twice as much as my halides because they shift in color pretty quickly, and i'm not saying they have to be changed based on par values, just that their color shifts to a less deseriable spectrum!! Just my experience!! I tried to do a side by side comparison of metal halide to t5, but I couldn't get any t5er's to participate!! or anyone for that matter!! here is a link for your enjoyment http://www.pnwmas.org/forums/showthread.php?t=8654 hope my 2 cents helps

[stylaster]

looking great amy nice job!!! mrgreenthumb and i are still going to bring you to the light side :) haha

[Smann]

Lookin good, you have alot of corals doing very well, impressive for a young tank keep up the good work and keep the pics comming