good to see it is up and running again. keep up the good work .

I have been slowly adding more live stock:

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0279.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0280.jpg

Bulbs need a cleaning...
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0297.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0289.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0288.jpg

Two weeks of skimmate, bleh!
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...DSC_0298-1.jpg

The tank is coming back together now, MHs are now running again regularly, Ca Reactor is online, and the Kalk. reactor is clean and ready to put to work. I'm just working on getting everything dialed in again and things should be returning to normal again.

Im happy things are looking up for you guys with your tank. The new clams are incredible.:wink:

A few more things are coming along right now with the 180g.

I've added in two fish today, another Doctor tang, and a bristletooth tang, I believe its a Ctenochaetus cyanocheilus. I'm hoping my other fish and clams can come home soon. We're having scheduling difficulties right now.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0338.jpg

Our plumbing came in from Bulk Reef Supply. This means we can take the Ca Reactor off a feed pump. It also means we can make a few more changes with the return. We'll (we being the royal we here) be changing the return from one point to three. Kevin has a few other changes in mind that he would like to implement.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...DSC_0342-1.jpg

I finally picked up more cheato to add into the refugium. I put most of the dead skeletons from the second crash in as one giant pod pile.

This is how Matia "helps". She is ALWAYS in the way.
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...DSC_0351-1.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0353.jpg

Calgary received its first real snowfall today. Its heavy and wet snow, so we are expecting power outtages in the near future. The first thing we did when we got up this morning was to adjust how the UPS would be running the tank in the event of an outtage. I really wish I had the extra cash right now for a generator. Common contract renewal!

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0334.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0336.jpg

Our little Beagle also likes to help (get in the way). That's a pretty good dump of snow you got. I guess my grandaughter is out playing in it. (She is a newly transplanted Calgarian). We out here on the coast have not even had frost yet.:mrgreen:

Yeah if you didn't know any better you'd think it was the May long weekend.

Like I said tang wh**e :)

And proud of it! :lol:

Would make an interesting license plate :)

Most people would think you did favors for orange drink crystals.:razz:

Hah!:wink:

Well most of my remaining fish are home, along with all my clams. I now have a total of 12 clams in my tank. We left the two chromis with Delphinius, Tony, because they are too fast to bother catching at this time. Thanks again Tony for watching everything!

Recently someone has asked me to assemble and share all my clam propagation resources I've been slowly amassing. Voila, here are some of the online publications with links.

Hey,

I was asked to post up more of my research sources. I'll post again once I've sorted through some more of my sources.

Papers:

Center for Tropical and Subtropical Aquaculture (CTSA)
http://www.ctsa.org/PublicationList.aspx

CTSA #143. Ellis, S. 2000. Nursery and Growout Techniques for Giant Clams (Bivalvia: Tridacnidae). 99 pp.
(http://www.ctsa.org/publicationDetail.aspx?pID=1018)

CTSA #139. Ellis, S. 1999. Lagoon Farming of Giant Clams (Bivalvia: Tridacnidae). 6 pp.
(http://www.ctsa.org/publicationDetail.aspx?pID=1022)

CTSA #130. Ellis, S. 1998. Spawning and Early Larval Rearing of Giant Clams. 52 pp. (with companion video while supplies last).
(http://www.ctsa.org/publicationDetail.aspx?pID=1031)

CTSA #114. Leung, P.S., Y.C. Shang, K. Wanitprapha and X. Tian. 1993. Production Economics of Giant Clam Tridacna species Culture Systems in the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands. 30 & A-14 pp.
(http://www.ctsa.org/upload/publicati...0866637652.pdf)

FAO:
Hatchery operation: culture of larvae basic methodology, feeding and nutrition, factors influencing growth and survival, and settlement and metamorphosis.
(ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/007/y5720e/y5720e04.pdf)

Artificial propagation of bivalves: Techniques and methods
UNDP/FAO REGIONAL SEAFARMING DEVELOPMENT AND
DEMONSTRATION PROJECT (RAS/90/002)
(http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/...739E00.htm#TOC)

Books:
- Giant Clams (1996) Daniel Knop
- Coral Propagation (2007?) Anthony Calfo

I repeat..... clam godess.:biggrin:

HEY! Leave some clams for the rest of us! :lol:

I would have more then her, but BUT BUT YOU evil Clam person... :lol:
I don't like you any more Cathrine

It was nice being temporarily TheOneWithTheMostestClams(tm), even if the numbers were artificially inflated. :lol: What was it .. I think it was 18? So now I'm down to 11 or so. CRAP! I better go get some more!! (Don't worry I know I can't steal the title.. :p It is yours.)

What can I say I'm an addict! I'm hoping in 2009 to have over 20 clams. Although that only works if places keep bringing in beauties, or if other hobbiests re-home theirs.

It's good to have goals. :lol:

These are the coolest looking nassarius snails I have EVER seen. Mind if I ask what kind they are and where a guy might get em?

I can answer that. They are sometime called fancy or decorated nassarius. And Red Coral has them in.

Glad to here you got all of your friends back. How is the tank doing after the gang got back from their vacation?

They came from Red Coral, and thats about all I know. They are pretty awesome though. The moment I put in nori they pop out of the sand and make a beeline for the food. They move really fast!

I definitely won't be heading outside today. Our road is all ice with a nice heavy layer of snow on top. We also have the perk of being in a semi cul-de-sac, so once and awhile someone takes the corner too fast and drives up on our lawn.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0373.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0376.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0378.jpg

Some updated photos of the tank, which needs cleaning:

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0392.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0362.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0386.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0390.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0389.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0387.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0388.jpg

The tank doesn't quite seem as clear as it used to. I think its because we no longer run the ozonizer. I think I want to replace the one we lost in the flood. I never realized how much of a difference it made. I never saw much of a clarity difference from before to putting it online, but obviously it must have been doing something!

The algae growth is diminishing slowly. The tangs are taking care of a lot of the extra stuff on the rocks. I'm really happy they are back because I put all my tank livestock to work.

I love having SPS again, although I am seeing pretty much zero polyp extension, and that bothers me significantly. It doesn't seem to be related to water quality, or at least the tests I'm doing.

My lighting shift will be complete today. I've been adjusting my lighting from this:

T5s: On for 12 hours, 8am to 10pm
MHs: On for 9 hours total; 10am to 7pm
refugium: 24/7

T5s: On for 12 hours, 8am to 10pm
MHs: On for 5.5 hours; 2pm to 7:30pm
refugium: On and off whenever I remember. I need to find a timer.

I want to reduce the T5 photo period to maybe noon to 10pm. I need new refugium lighting as well, and I'm thinking of a two bulb T5 set-up. Its also almost time to swap the MH bulbs, one bulb has been running since Jan. 30th, 2008, and the other since June 21, 2008. Knowing me though it will probably have to wait until the beginning of January though for replacements.

By my calculations, your T5's are running 14hours.. not 12.. :lol:

Tank is starting to come around though eh.. What do you have back in there for fish?

Yeah...so...um....math is not my strong suit...

Fish:
scopas tang
purple tang
sailfin tang
doctorfish aka doctor tang
bristletooth tang
yellow damsel
various clean up crew members

I'm trying to get them all back on the nori stick diet as I've been using a piece of PVC in the tank up until now. Kevin stole and butchered my old stick to replumb the tank.

Kevin has been busy over the last couple of weeks building his own aquarium controller. I suggested that he take photos of programming the development board, but he never got around to it. So I snapped a shot yesterday of it. He finished assembling it early this week and is now onto the programming stage of things:

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0418.jpg

He is programming to be a controller for the big tank.

Is that a powerhead held in place by suction cups on the far right side? That's a problem waiting to happen.

Its not actually on. Its been off since the sea hare went in the tank. It just hasn't been removed. Kevin wants to keep it in the tank for water movement behind the rocks. I hate powerheads in the tank, and would prefer it comes out permanently.

Okay Kevin's controller is pretty cool. Where did he buy the parts and is ethernet capable. In other words I want to build one too. PM me I would like to talk to him on the phone

The kit came from ECROS, www.ecrostech.com, and it can be ethernet capable if you want it to be. Apparently everything is modular about it. Per Kevin, "its just a development tool, you can add anything you want, you just have to make it. E.g. for pH, or ORP you just need to make high impedence amplifiers.

I'll send you a PM as well.

Maybe Kevin is going to have to start making more controllers to sell. Food from you, controllers from Kevin, it will soon be a one stop shop.

What happened to your RKE?

Nothing, its running the 180g. Kevin is making his own because that was the deal, I got the RKE, and he gets to build one to try out on the big tank.

I'm looking for an electronic float switch, maybe two, to look at a continuous feeding model for the 180g for clams and SPS>

I was also browsing the forums on RC today and came across this, Kuramura's solution to adding more lighting to his system without adding more wattage.
I think its really ingenious, and innovative. Its making me revisit my ideas on light movers for the big system.

So we taped out some options today for the big tank.

Option 1: 13ft (156") Long x 3.5ft (42") Deep x 2ft (24") Tall = 680.7g
This tank would be 3ft above the ground for optimal viewing when standing or seated.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0420.jpg

Some buckets for perspective
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0422.jpg

Pros:
- 13ft is a lovely length
- 3ft or 3.5ft of depth is easy for me to reach

Cons:
- Giving up the only window in the basement
- Loose approximately 6ft from the current room for the tank and a walkway behind

Option 2: 10ft (120") to 15ft (180") Long x 4ft (48") Deep x 2ft (24") Tall = 598.4g to 897.7g

Pros:
- In-wall design, means we only loose about 1ft of space from the entire room
- Length can be expanded up to 15ft
- Get to keep the window
- More spare for a moveable light rack
- Sump could be under the display and accessible from both sides

This shows a 10ft length
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0424.jpg

Where the back of the tank would go
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0426.jpg

Under the stairs where the tank some of the tank would be.
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0427.jpg

I'm leaning towards option 2. It just has so many more pros then the original design. It would also allow us the added benefit of more space for entertaining in our basement.

And a lovely little winter suprise....you know your cold air intake is really bringing in cold air when:
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0429.jpg

***jealous!****

and I thought my 8X3X2 tank was big

I like option 2 much better. You didn't even list any "cons" for option 2.

I'd say option 2 @ the 15ft length... :mrgreen: That would be an amazing tank.. That 12footer on Nano-Reef is truly amazing.. I could only imagine a longer, fatter, deeper version.. (did that sound dirrrrty?!?)

Option 2 sounds like the way to go. Option 1 leaves little room for anything other than tank watching. Option 2 allows you some freedom for decorating, furniture, etc.

I can't really think of cons for option 2 since its a newer option....

Oh wait! Option No.2 cons:
- More demo required to get it set up properly into place, the wall will need to be completely replaced.
- More lighting required for longer tank, if we do over 13ft, thus higher costs.
- Will have a smaller work area (lower ceiling) behind a part of the tank due to the stairs, furnace, and hot water tank.
- The stupid telepost will still have to stay where it is. I have no love for this thing. It will still be skinned in whatever goes with the rest of the decor.

I will have to think on this for a couple of weeks. Go sit with the outline and decide if its really what I want, and make sure that its really what Kevin wants too. There are also new logistics that need to be worked out with this design; access to the fish room, maintenance access, costs for running the tank, set-up costs on the different dimensions, etc.

Things I definitely do know though regardless of which option we go with;
- tank will be over 500g
- will have a fish room, completely closed off from the rest of the house
- my lighting will try and be as power-bill friendly as possible, how yet, I don't know.
- I am going to eliminate the need to schlep buckets for anything, water changes, or adding top-off water to the top-off container.

I vote option 2 as well! Very cool dimensions. How big is that room? I think it looks really small and to make it smaller with the tank IN the room would be a shame. You need room with a big tank to look at it from a good distance and take it all in.

I usually feel jealous of the big tanks (around 300G) but not this one :mrgreen: I just cringe at the cost of lighting and maintaining it! Actually even more when I think of the time it will take to maintain it...Your brave :biggrin:

Going to be amazing though to watch someone else take this on. I would never want a tank this big but I love seeing them :razz:

So your not building this one yourself though right?