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So here is my DIY sump holding water! http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...e/DSCN0219.jpg http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...e/DSCN0218.jpg http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...e/DSCN0217.jpg 24.5 X 18.5 X 15 are the dimensions. the baffles adjust the water level to about 10.5". As i said before i am a little bit nervous about using this due to the fact that i didnt really have the right tools for the job. all cuts were made with a dremel, sanding the edges smooth was also done with a dremel. really smoothed them out with some fine grit sand paper. taped it up and used weld on #4 and #16 to seal it up. right now it have placed it over some cardboard and filled it with water to check for leaks. so far so good. this would be a lot easier then using the biocube as i have thought on previously, I am just not sure i trust the build quality:lol: |
Awesome to hear you're picking up one of El Guappos tanks... That will be a sweet setup.... You'll have quite the collection for a uni student on a budget! :mrgreen:
How thick did you go with the acrylic? |
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Well if i use this home made sump i will be keeping the Biocube empty and probably end up selling it so going to stick with just having 1 tank. As for the budget comment... what else are you going to use student loans for? :biggrin: |
Nice bi-color. was going to say they are nutorious for nipping. i have wanted one for a while but don't know if its worth the risk. but if it eats zoa's, i all game for one
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So i the frag tank i was planning on doing is being put on hold for a bit until i can get the new cube in from calgary. I had decided this after a got a few things for it. Mainly a t5 lighting fixture. Being a bit curious i replaced my sunpod with the t5. Damn! i forgot how awesome corals look under actinic lighting! and way less temp swings. With the halide i was starting the day with a temp of 77 and bumping it up to 81-82. halides remained a constant 78 all day. plus with less fan noise i can finally get some studying done!.
It was also spring break from us Uni kids so i made my way out to vic and on the way back decided to check out JL. Picked up a few goodies. Pics will be up tomorrow! |
I forgot to add that the fixture is an aquaticlife 4 X 24w with the stock bulbs. The bulbs aren't bad but will definitely be switching them out for some other ones next time i can find some of the KZ or similar. again don't know too much about t-5's so i am looking for some suggestions (all you running them, please pipe up). I like the blue tint but am interested in the fiji purple bulbs and what people have been saying about them.
I was blown away by how the colours pop and thats with the not so great stock bulbs. I think i may have accidentally converted myself to t5's. I found it hard to find a MH bulb that was blue enough for my liking (tried a japanese 20k from oceancity, giessman) besides the one that came stock with it. adding a t5 or two would have been tricky with a sunpod fixture overtop. another plus of this fixture is it has a built in timer and only one plug in compared to the three on the sunpod (if you want to use all of the leds) Forgot to add in my earlier post. while on my week away from the tank i lost two zoa frags. One had been struggling for a few months on a rock finally dislodged itself. I tried to put it on a plug and let it grow a bit, it was doing good for a while. more open polyps then i had seen in a while, came home to a nice frag with a gorgeous superglue frag. The other zoa was this one http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...e/DSCN0204.jpg it was the first zoa i have paid more then $20 for from Interior reef (i really miss red coral). I usually dip them in melafix before going in the tank. seem to have skipped it on this one so maybe thats why. either way pretty ****ed about that. I had kept water in that sump i built while i was away and i did hold the water with no leaks. Being in a rental place i really do not want to risk it, I think i will have to rethink my plan when i finally get the other tank up and running. I also need to rethink my plan of action for that bi-colour angel, love him, but i am really noticing a difference in my coral since he went in. Polyps on my sps used to be puking all of the time. now they are retracted until lights out. I notice it the most on the Purple monti. Before he went in it looked very plump and now fairly skinny. I hate these types of decisions. On a positive note i am loving the MP20. finally getting over how empty the corners of the tank looks without the two koralias in there, and everything (besides the firefish) is loving the flow. Now for the pics. will get a FTS soon. Didn't want to take one today because I need to move some things around to make some space for the new additions And now some fun with actinic's! Metal halide 14k giessman bulb. http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...e/DSCN0200.jpg aquaticlife t5 http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...e/DSCN0235.jpg 14k (green zoas) http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...e/DSCN0172.jpg t5 http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...e/DSCN0244.jpg 14k http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...e/DSCN0169.jpg t5 http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...e/DSCN0245.jpg and last but not least the goodies from JL. (paid for by the gov't alberta's gst cheques!) New colonies! Pink Birdsnest http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...e/DSCN0237.jpg ID? Pocci? (arrived in JL the day before so it needs to colour up after shipping. really excited to see how it turns out) http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...e/DSCN0238.jpg And a blue tipped acro (will try and get a better pic) http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...e/DSCN0240.jpg I am using a Nikon Coolpix s620. if anyone knows how to get some better shots with this camera it would be greatly appreciated. forgot how hard it was to get the colours to show through all of the blue. |
Your tank is looking great!! I'm looking forward to seeing how you set up the other tank.
I was tempted to make a DIY sump myself for my nano cube, but ended up getting it made by Interior Plastics and Paints (ouch NOT CHEAP) but really well done. I run both MH and T5HO over my nano in a DIY canopy. Together they really make things POP. I would recommend a Fiji Purple in the mix if you can as it adds a new dimension to the looks in the tank. |
Lookin good mang....Second ones a stylo Jon.....and we miss you too:lol:
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I found a new home for the angel so my sps should begin their healing process. Although in that whole process i had to remove every single rock in the tank in order to catch it. Re-scaped with a neat cave, everything looks ****ed, but im sure it will settle out my tomorrow. and i figure i can not add anything else to this without some major work or some different rocks. making what i did was near impossible with the pieces that are in there. also i feel its getting that fruit stand look which i wanted to avoid. oh well, in time.
got a few mangroves (thanks Bkelly) so those are living in my frag rack until the next tank set up when i have a sump again. will get some pics tomorrow when the dust settles... literally |
Updated tank shot.
mixed feelings about it still. too many big rocks of front. seems really cluttered to me. and excuse the tupperware. the dang crabs steal the krill from the elegance coral. http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...e/DSCN0254.jpg |
Updates!
switched around the lighting. got a fiji purple and 2 KZ coral light II' to replace the stock 10k's and one actinic. the pink took a bit to get used to but i like it.
Also added a bit of volume on the tank with this sucker http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...e/DSCN0296.jpg corals are looking fantastic to before. polyps out during the day again, and the newer additions are colouring up nicely. Although i found two acro crabs on the pink birds nest a got a while ago. one was good. the other was bad. you can see the damage in the one picture. And i have decided to just let things grow. I have had my hands in the tank a lot lately so i will be taking an extended break from fragging and such. http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...e/DSCN0295.jpg green polyp birdsnest. Thanks Oceanic Corals! http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...e/DSCN0283.jpg http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...e/DSCN0284.jpg White-ish/yellow zoa/paly http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...e/DSCN0288.jpg ZOA POX!!!! dipped them for the second day of treatment today. Furan-2 was hard to find in kelowna http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...e/DSCN0289.jpg http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...e/DSCN0290.jpg And the FTS http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...e/DSCN0294.jpg |
Very shiny Jon!.....did you manage to get a nitrate/phosphate reading before you started the lentils?
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couple days after adding the pellets water was crystal clear. I normally would wait to try something like this, especially since my tank is pretty tiny, but you know. i was passing though so i decided to get some.:lol: Although, i was looking for a hang on reactor and when that wasn't available i just picked whatever was next. Hence the vertex. but like i said, i got anout a 1/8 volume increase. |
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looks great! I love all the rock. The tank has really come along. Keep up the great work!!!!!!
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Looks good Jon, how are you doing with the zoas?? I was reading you had pox?? Yikes thats not good, where did you get them from??
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So when can I come by with fragging tools and glue? :mrgreen::mrgreen:
Maybe once they get bigger :razz: |
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ugh. well im shutting down the tank and getting out of / taking an extended break from fish keeping. My Fiance and I have split and the tank was our thing together. i can barely look at it. Everything will be up for sale in a couple of days
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So sorry to hear this, I hope it sells quickly.
Leah |
Oh geez that's terrible news. Hope everything works our for ya.
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so have you done any big lighting conversions or anything?
i want to do some nice corals like you but only have the stock lights. i have the 50/50s let me know thanks |
Jon!...........wtf?......dude dont get out now!:cry:.....I too hope things work out for you bud......and you decide to keep the tank.....that kinda sounded familiar didnt it:wink:(Im so glad I decided to keep my tank man!)
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I do not doubt it my mind that one day i will keep a tank. but right now, I just can't do it. and with the uncertainty of where i will end up, it is too hard to ship and move everything. i brought everything here to calgary and basically threw everything in there in a place where they will thrive until i get get them sold. Just waiting for my camera to get pics. thanks for the words of support y'all |
Hope your life finds stability soon sorry to hear this. I love having a tank again but it really is too much when life is a little too nutty.
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Sorry to hear that Jon. that really sucks.
Hope things get better for you. |
Hope things work themselves out for you Jon...
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Jon,
If you need a babysitter for your tank, till you decide 100% what your doing, I do not mind. I can come help you take it down or whatever help you need.... just ask. :smile: Leah |
thanks for the offer Leah.
I have already moved the tank and contents to my home in calgary. it appears i have a nack for moving fishtanks with minimal losses and a perk of having a nano tank as well as an extra tank kicking around. again thank you all for the kind words. you all do not make it easy for a man to hang up his flippers:lol: Check the for sale ads. i have a few gems that i was waiting to show off before all of this happened. Cough* Red people eater zoas/ darth maul zoas from oceanic corals Cough* |
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