CA2OR Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 Dang man nice work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted June 15, 2009 Author Share Posted June 15, 2009 Here is a current full tank pic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted June 28, 2009 Author Share Posted June 28, 2009 Todays Pics Here are some pics I took today. First Up is an Indian Starfish (or Red Tile Starfish) - Fromia Indica I picked this up today from Saltwater Fantasies. I went over to get a Red Fire Shrimp and saw these so I got one of them as well. Hopefully it will last longer than the serpent I put in there a couple of weeks ago. (It only lasted a few days before it started disintegrating) Next up is a Pencil Urchin that was part of a few things another member here recently gave me. This one is a Hydnophora Coral which I traded for from Dsoz. Other than the Candy Canes this is probably the brightest coral I have now. Next we have a pic of the rock where most of the Zoa's I've been collecting are. All of the Zoa's I have were obtained either through trades or given to me. The colonies are not huge yet but they seem happy, healthy, and are growing. This one I actually took a couple of days ago. The RBTA was a hitchhiker on a Cabbage Leather Coral that was part of the items given to me earlier this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted June 28, 2009 Author Share Posted June 28, 2009 More pics from today A RadioActive Green Candy Cane that is part of a swap I made with Doran (Fish Tank People). A Teal Green Candy Cane that was part of a trade with another member here. When I picked this up I found out that both of the Candy Canes actually came from him. This pic is of a Mushroom that was part of a swap I made several weeks ago. This is the first decent picture I've been able to capture of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted June 28, 2009 Author Share Posted June 28, 2009 A couple more These 2 pics are actually from the 15.5 Nano tank I recently set up. The Clowns are a mated pair that I picked up from SWF a week or so ago. The RBTA was a bonus for helping someone move a tank last week. (The Electric Blue Hermit is actually the same one seen earlier in either this thread or the one I originally started with the 60 gallon tank, it's better than twice the size it was at that time) Here is the old pic of the Electric Blue Hermit a couple of months ago. At that time it was missing a leg and was much smaller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CA2OR Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 Sweet set up Rick, you are DQ'd from the competition now....j\k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted June 28, 2009 Author Share Posted June 28, 2009 It still has a ways to go. I doubt I stand much chance during the competition but it should be fun anyway. The 3 big items on my to do list at this point are to upgrade the lights to either 250 or 400 watts, add a carbon reactor, and set up an auto top off. The latter will probably be the first up as it will probably cost the least and will be beneficial to the stars. I just need to figure out where I can stick a top off container now that will be out of the way. (Time to pull the measuring tape out again) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CA2OR Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 lol. I hear that. Still I would love to build my own system like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted June 28, 2009 Author Share Posted June 28, 2009 So why don't you? I don't really have much into the system itself at this point. Tank, close loop pump, SEIO m1100 power head: $35 Stand: $50 Sump, sump pump: $100 Skimmer and new impellor: $70 Plumbing: $30 Lighting $150 (Includes the mh/pc fixture $110, extra ODNO fluorescent $30, and the sump/fuge light $10) Timers: $20 I think that pretty much covers it. Round it up and call it $500. Some of it came from the original system so swapping to the bigger tank was only $250-$300 and even that was spread over a 4 week time period. (I also got lucky and happened to be in the right place, right time to get a couple of the deals) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CA2OR Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 I have one word for you......WIFE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef165 Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 That looks great! The tank came allong way from the first pic! good job. What did you use to clean it up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted June 28, 2009 Author Share Posted June 28, 2009 That looks great! The tank came allong way from the first pic! good job. What did you use to clean it up? Thanks, I used white vinegar. It must not have been down for long as it was pretty easy to clean. (Took about 1/2 an hour) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted July 25, 2009 Author Share Posted July 25, 2009 Time for another update. Several small changes since the last one. The biggest one being the lighting. I sold the fixture and replaced it with a pair of 400w MH pendants with 14k bulbs and a dual PFO ballast. This is currently supplemented with one overdriven ordinary flourescent (about 73 watts) that has a 420nm actinic. This gives a nice effect for the times when the MH lights are off. Once I have the times completely adjusted (I've been slowly adjusting the length they are on) I will be running the MH 5 to 6 hours and the ODNO actinic for a couple of hours before and after. To install the pendants I cut 2 holes in the top of the hood just big enough to fit them through. Then I mounted them about 2" into the hood which puts the bulbs about 14" above the water. This keeps the vents for the pendants outside of the hood to reduce the heat inside (they each have a fan). The result is that my tank stays about 2 degrees lower through the day (I would reach 81 degrees at the end of the day and now it only reaches 79) and my evaporation has been cut in half. (1 to 2 gallons a day instead of 3 to 4 gallons) I had expected that I would need to deal with higher temps so this was a pleasant surprise. Here are a couple of pics of the lights installed and one FTS from earlier this week. (I changed the aquascape a bit since then) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted July 25, 2009 Author Share Posted July 25, 2009 You may notice the Niger Trigger in the last pic above. This was another change I made last week. I've had the trigger in a 20 gallon tank pretty much by itself for a couple of months. It seems to be questionable as to whether they are reef safe or not but apparently they are. Or at least the one I have seems to be. There was a bit of a battle for dominance the first day between it and my Purple Tang but after a day they decided they can share the tank. I was a little worried about it eating my shrimp but he goes to the Red Fire Shrimp and lets them clean him. Below are 2 new additions a week ago and then I have a really cool picture of the Black and White Clowns eating pellets out of my hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted July 25, 2009 Author Share Posted July 25, 2009 A few new pics of stuff I've had for awhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted July 25, 2009 Author Share Posted July 25, 2009 and finally some pictures of the new Candy Canes I added yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef165 Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Waw Rick, the tank is looking great!! The neww lights are looking great! Ok, Ill say it! Im jellous!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate213 Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Rick, Do you have any problems with that Niger Trigger picking on anything? I have heard mixed reviews on them being reef safe. They are a really neat fish, but I have always been worried that they would eat my corals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate213 Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Oh. Forgot to add, your tank looks great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted July 26, 2009 Author Share Posted July 26, 2009 Rick, Do you have any problems with that Niger Trigger picking on anything? I have heard mixed reviews on them being reef safe. They are a really neat fish, but I have always been worried that they would eat my corals. So far it has left them alone but I have only had it in this tank for 4 or 5 days. It was briefly in there once before for a couple of days. WHen I put it back in last week the purple tang wasn't happy about it at all and was swiping it with it's tail the first day has left it alone since then. (The trigger pretty much ignored it's attempts to intimade him) Once in awhile it will start to chase the chromis and yellowtail damsels but it doesn't pursue them. I was really relieved when it went down and started letting the red fire shrimp clean it. They were the main reason he hasn't been in there all along. (I've had it for a few months) I was told by the LFS where I purchased it that the shape of the mouth determines whether they are reef safe or not. Upturned like the niger trigger is supposed to be ok while the straight mouth is not. I do not know if this is accurate or not though. Since it became apparent I was not going to be able to get rid of him (It's one of my wife's favorites) I figured I would give it another try and see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted July 26, 2009 Author Share Posted July 26, 2009 BTW, Thanks for the compliments. I had the fortune yesterday to have 2 small children (around 5 or so) that came with their father to pick up a monitor I sold them. (My kids are either adults or close to it) It was a huge compliment when they were more interested in seeing the tank than anything. (They went straight from the door to the tank) It was priceless to see thier faces light up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted August 5, 2009 Author Share Posted August 5, 2009 The latest aquascape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grassi Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Wow Rick your tank is looking amazing!! We'll have to find an excuse to come back over and take a peak at it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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