Yup, I should really update that...

Anyways, got bored again last night and snapped some photos.

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/IMG_0732.jpg


Got this frag recently from a local reefer. Can't remember what it is called, but is really interesting!

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...IMG_0774-1.jpg

Another great frag from another local reefer. She has a few "mediocre" frags :wink:

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...IMG_0712-1.jpg

Gotta love clowns!

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/IMG_0805.jpg

Nice pictures :biggrin:

Some sweet frags there Dan, really makes me wish we had a LFS that stocks corals around here.

Beautiful coloring

looks like an "Ultimate Cyphastrea"

that is gorgeous!! nice score! :biggrin:

Thanks! I'm playing with my partners new camera. It's fun!

Well, you should make a trip out to the coast then! We have a few good stores now which is awesome!

Thanks Rick, I thought it was something like that. Those frags I scored from you are already some of my favorite pieces! Thanks again!

Thanks! I have a couple more I got from Rick that I wasn't able to get good photos that are equally as nice and interesting.

Update time? How are you liking the reefkeeper? Are the frags doing okay with the led light in fuge?

I suppose it is time for an update!

The reefkeeper is awesome, I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants a cheap controller. I have it controlling my lights, one koralia and my heater. I may one day expand it to put a dosing pump, or some other such gizmo.

I have taken my bio pellets offline a month or so ago. I didn't do it for any reason, I just found it wasn't getting enough flow and took it off to clean and haven't put it back on since. I haven't noticed any difference in the appearance of my corals since, however I am having to clean the glass more and am getting a slight amount of cyano.

While rimless tanks do look sweet, I am finding they have their cons. Cleaning the glass with a mag-float is a delicate art, as it is easy to splash the side of the tank which is annoying. That and the obvious fact that it limits me to certain fish (those that are less notorious for jumping), and I lost my mandarin to jumping.

I'm starting to like the LED spotlight under my sump more and more, and I am starting to see growth out of a few birdsnest frags (not as much as my T5's but meh) and certainly my LPS frags, that and cheato is growing a lot faster (could be more from taking the pellets offline though).


Anyways, I will accompany a photo update when I get home from work as they are a lot more fun!

As promised, I took a bunch of photos.

Cool LPS

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/IMG_3318.jpg

Chalice

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/IMG_3286.jpg

Birdsnest today:

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/IMG_3331.jpg

And when I got it:

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/IMG_5415.jpg

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...IMG_3282-1.jpg

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/IMG_3336.jpg

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/IMG_3289.jpg

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/IMG_3275.jpg

My newest addition, he is a huge wuss.

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/IMG_2874.jpg

I really need to do something about all the blue cloves. I hate blue cloves, with a passion.

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/IMG_3313.jpg

Nice colors... you got some really nice corals. My blue throat took about a week to warmup to me... but definately my fav. fish. You forgot some full tank shot and full room shots.:biggrin:

I am with you on that one. I had some growing around some zoa's and they were suffocating them. I was lucky and was able to take the rock out so i could scrub it and bath the clove polyps in vinegar with a syringe

Yeah, I have had mine for about 2 weeks or so and he hides right away when I come near the tank. Silly boy, but he will warm up.

Here are some more photos I took last night, including some FTS.

My killer coral, I have lost at least 2 and 1/2 nice frags because I will have not secured a coral properly and they fall into this acan. It certainly doesn't play nice.

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/IMG_3380.jpg

This was one of my first corals, that I got with two heads on it. I am constantly pruning it as it grows like crazy.

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/IMG_3358.jpg

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/IMG_3376.jpg

I like T5 shots reflecting off of the water. I had a big internal debate before purchasing this fixture, it was certainly cheaper than many halide fixtures and higher end 5 fixtures and the cost was the deciding factor before purchasing it. I was warned that I would have to keep my sps right at the top if I wanted to get good colour, and that I would probably regret only getting the 6 bulbs as opposed to 8. I am pretty happy with my decision, as I was able to save my pennies and put them towards other things such as the vortec and skimmer.

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/IMG_3394.jpg

And some FTS's:

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/IMG_3432.jpg

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/IMG_3415.jpg

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/IMG_3407.jpg

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/IMG_3400.jpg

Looks great!! I love the black sand. That won't be the last things that orange acan kills. I find the orange acans to be the most aggressive. i've lost many corals, lps, zoas, sps, ricordea to mine. It now lives off on its own at one end of the tank, where it can't hurt anything.

Yeah, it is probably time to move it. I put it right at the far side of my tank next to the overflow with the idea that it would be isolated from most corals. Unfortunately, it is also right bellow a pillar/overhang where pieces like to fall.

Love your tank, the black sand really makes the colours pop!

Thanks, yeah it definitely does. I am surprised it is not more common.

Looks great ! What brand /type of black sand is it?

I think I used this stuff:
http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...arium-sand.jpg

I'm not going to lie, it was a bit of a pain getting the sand for a few different reasons.

Well, I unfortunately disassembled the tank today. My partner and I have gone separate ways, and I just can't look after the tank right at the moment. I owe a huge thanks to Spencer at Blue World Victoria, as all of my livestock is currently residing in one of his systems. This is a major stress relief, and now I can focus on other things rather than worrying if my fish tank will be ok.

The move was fast and furious, and I hope everything makes it ok. The fish looked like they were fine, whereas some of the sps looked less than pleased to have been moved.

On the bright side, I will get to set up the tank again fresh and I have some ideas to make things different. Plus, I get to aquascape again......

Oh no man......I'm sorry to hear about that, hopefully you'll be able to get it back up and running soon.

Sorry to hear you had to tear down but I can see the bright side too. A new aquascape!!!

That's too bad. Your tank was coming along nicely.

Sorry to hear that. I look forward to seeing it again when you start back up

Sucky. I'll be interested to see what you do with the next one though :biggrin:

Thanks everyone! It is nice to hear the support, reefers sure have a great little community.

I have an interview in 30 minutes, so if I get this job, hopefully it will be no time at all until I am back on my feet and have the tank running again! Fingers crossed!

My "helper" regularly helps herself to my RODI water... Apparently her bottled water isn't good enough! She's great around the tanks though, their like walls that she avoids!

Sorry to hear about your tank, should have waited Until I got to the end before commenting. Good luck with the next one!

Well, I'm back!

I moved into a new apartment, and I have a space waiting for the tank to be moved in. Basically, I just need to stop procrastinating and move the darn thing from where it is in storage and set it up again! New things in which I am going to work on:

Fish:

The only thing I have left from my old tank, is a flame angel and two clowns. I'm considering doing something a little different, if anyone has some suggestions I'm all ears. I was considering a fuzzy dwarf lion, or maybe even abandoning the fish all together and going for some dwarf cuttlefish. Hmmmmm

Corals

I am going to try mostly SPS in this tank, whereas my last tank was more LPS

Lighting

I'm thinking of putting three DIY LED "pendants" Details will follow, and I will chronicle their progression.

Maintenance

I would like this tank to be as low maintenance as I can afford. It may mean getting a doser, and an ATO. I spend 8 hours a day cleaning, feeding and just doing general fish related things. While this is awesome, coming home to more fish work is not exactly what I want to do.

I think I will accomplish this primarily through keeping a small fish bioload. I feel that this will keep my nutrient levels in check, and just keep most of the headaches at bay. Though, it will be hard to resist the urge to add "just one more fish" every time I visit the LFS.

This.

Welcome back mang!..... Now get that thing moved!:razz:

Welcome back there Dan :biggrin:

Hey Dan. Good to see you back. :biggrin:Now get some water in that thing!

WOW do I know how to procrastinate or what?!

So, I have been busy the last couple weeks and it is time to share with you fine folks. I haven't really been active in terms of posting much for the last six months, but that isn't to say I haven't been quietly lurking in the back.


Anywho here she is as of last week!

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/_1010388.jpg

which is a poor cry from how she was before:

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/IMG_3432.jpg


Alas, life has its interesting little turn of events. Since I have been gone I somehow managed to get the coolest little job as an Aquarist at the Shaw Ocean Discovery Center (if you drop by feel free to ask for Dan, and I would be honored to show a fellow canreefer around. That is, if I am not busy of course). While that job is an absolute dream, there is one problem: the water is too cold!!

I'm ready to get my hands wet at home again, in some nice, warm tropical water!


What I have done so far:

Plumbing : Check

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/_1010396.jpg

Ok, I don't have some good photos of the whole plumbing yet. But, I can always take some! (It is pretty straight forward, but what the heck. It's a good to journal all these things)

The real fun part has to do with the lighting. Firstly, I decided 6 T5 were great, but I just want to try something different.

So, I took apart my TEK light:

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/_1010404.jpg

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/_1010408.jpg

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/_1010406.jpg

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/_1010412.jpg

The plan was to do a T5 LED combo. I figured, might as well recycle. So I saved four of the reflectors and one of the ballasts to be incorporated into a LED set up.

So the LED building begins. I see a lot of people talking about LEDs and what have you. I want to point it out that I am certainly no expert on this matter. Really, I am just kind of hoping it works.

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/IMG_0029.jpg

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/IMG_0033.jpg

I hope you can see this photo, because after looking at this light I can barely see anything:

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/IMG_0035.jpg

Note the water! Man, RODI takes forever to fill a tank I tell ya.

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/IMG_0044.jpg

Hmm, I wonder which apartment has a reef tank.

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...IMG_0041-1.jpg

I've decided to wait until I fire up the T5's and see how I like LEDs by themselves. I have made it so I can quickly set up the combination at a later date.

Looks like those LED's pack a serious punch.....that shot from out side is hilarious......almost looks like your growing something other then corals in there :wink:

welcome back Dan, I'll start cutting some frags for ya.:biggrin:

Haha yeah, my roommate and I are taking bets on how long it takes for someone to make in inquiry.

Rick, this is music to my ears!! Can't wait to get some coral again!

Goodness me, I can't believe I didn't mention this in my earlier post. Jake (Windcoast Reef) has been instrumental in helping me with my LED build. This guy is alright. He took the photos, made the awesome box, plus showed me to ropes on electricity and what have you.

Basically he deserves a lot of credit for this whole thing! Needless to say, I will give him first dibs on frags whenever he so desires.

Holy long time since update batman!

I haven't really updated, because honestly - this tank has sat pretty dormant the last year or so. I work a lot with fish, and the last thing I have wanted to do was spend more time working on my fish tank. But, for whatever reason I have gotten the bug again and I'm loving it! This bug has also greatly increased the amount of time I spend on canreef, so I guess hello once again.

I took a few photos to kickstart this thread again, and I will post more to let you know what I'm doing and where I'm going.

Just got this guy, and I'm going to fatten him up for a few months before he goes to bigger and better tanks.

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps012850ca.jpg

Urchins are jerks, but are cool. They poop from the top, tee hee

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...psbb33e8d0.jpg

Cyphastrea are probably my favorite coral right now

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...psf2ab6ed8.jpg

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...pse28f139a.jpg

Froggy

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps688ebea3.jpg

Great looking pictures, love the froggy!

Look who's back:mrgreen: