B's Niner-Niner...new Jan 14th 2012 pics
 

My fist real Marine build…

What started off as a 36” Marineland cube has now evolved into a Starphire 36x32x20 with an external rear overflow, One piece Euro brace and two MP40 pockets built by Concept Aquariums. It will be placed on a custom built 32” stained Oak stand.

Thus far I have:

• Custom Starphire tank 36x32x20 (99gal) w/milled 1pc euro top, black silicone, all polished edges & modified Bean animal rear external overflow. Currently sitting on the coffee table
• 2x MP40W es
• Custom Hardwood Stand 75% completed
• Skimz SM161
• Bubble Magus Calcium reactor with 5lb alum co2, reg, solenoid etc.
• Home Depot LED under stand lighting
• DA RKE+net controller
• 100lbs of eco-reefer rock
• 100lbs of eco-reefer sand
• BRS dual reactor (GFO/Carbon)
• Vertex ZF-15 w/ bio pellets (haven't decided to run yet, mixed reviews etc)
• Windows based PC for build (truly a Mac guy)

Still trying to decide on

• Lighting for DT (Vertex Illumina 260 vs. Pacific Sun Black Python 200) ???- update= going with the PS fixture.
• Sump design (basement vs. under DT) ???- update went under tank as I plan to build a new home in the next couple of years (2 or so)
• Proflux III for lights and MP40 ???

I have a couple nice MH fixtures I may use to get things up and running but really want to give LED a go.


More to follow...

Nice!

i'll be following this one...

Started the plumbing today and the stand is coming along...

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_5783.jpg

Not the greatest pictures but you get the idea....

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_5784.jpg

lookin like a pretty good start.....what are your stocking plans?

looks good there brian buddy, sand bed or no??

Haven't really gotten that far but I do have a 24" cube and most of it's occupants will be moving when things are good to go in here :wink:

Scopa
couple clowns
2 fire shrimp
scooter blennie
lawnmower
various crabs and snails
etc.

Thanx Denny, I Will be doing the sand bed thing...I think...

Well I got a few more things done today...

-Painted the inside of the stand white x 2 coats
-built the worlds ugliest 3 chamber sump
-more plumbing

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_1956.jpghttp://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_1962.jpghttp://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_1960.jpg

Looking pretty cool so far......I've never seen vortec's mounted in a separate chamber......interesting idea

Your tank looks awesome. Love the vortex idea.

Any chance of getting some pics at a higher resolution?

- Brad

AWESOME DIMENSIONS! exactly how i wanna do my tank, definitely going to be tagging along to see how it turns out!

Got tired of looking at the empty tank so I added the the rock and sand then played with the scape...not the look I'm going for but it will have to do until I pick up some rods...


Here's some progress pic's...

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0002.jpghttp://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0014.jpghttp://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0013.jpghttp://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0007.jpg

Last night I went to put my fresh water tank in the stand, although I left exactly the right amount of room for the tank I forgot to leave enough room to get the it in so I might have to pull the skin off to get it in now,...grrr..lesson learned :redface:

I've also ordered a 200w pacific sun python for the lighting and am seriously considering starting with the Prodibio from the ground up.

Just placed my Prodibio order...

1 x 30 vial kit of start up
1 x 30 vial kit of biodigest
1 x 30 vial kit of BioPtim
1 x 30 vial kit of iodi+
1 x 30 vial kit of reefbooster
1 x 30 vial kit of Stronti+


Also going to use H2Ocean to get things rolling....

Thanx Brad,...I went out yesterday and bought a new camera so hopefully I can take some better pic's :wink:

damn the cnc abs plastic looks sick, now i'm jealous lol. nice aquascape btw.

lasers make everything better...

Bought some acrylic rod the other day and started to drill rock for my scape but there was no joy to be had there...The rock I have is really nice but doesn't take well to drilling. I was trying to be very careful and take my time but several pieces cracked or crumbled...In the end I have everything somewhat the way i wanted it but minus the bulk of the rod's...I just used a bunch more epoxy than I had planned for. This morning before heading off to work I rechecked it all and it feels pretty secure...I'll post pics when I get home today...

I also started the filling process....drip...drip...drip,...takes a long time when you sit there and watch the RODI drizzle in :dizzy:

Scape is a triple arch,...kinda hard to see in the pics but lets give it a go...

Moving L-R

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0017.jpghttp://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0019.jpghttp://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0020.jpg

Filled with RODI, H2Ocean and PRODIBIO Start Up...MP40's are running...Though I'm not using the sump yet, still have some more work to do in the stand.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0027.jpghttp://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0026.jpghttp://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0024.jpg


The PRODIBIO instruction are extremely vague, I've added what I figure to be the correct dose (12 vials based on the 90gal instructions), the instruction also say that you are good to add 1/3 (?) of your fish after just 12 hrs...I think I'm going to wait longer than that but I will test things just to see...


Sunday I'll add my seed sand & rock, I also may add a couple more MP40's, one on the left side and one on the right.

look at that clean white rock.....let the games begin!:biggrin:

Looking good! :thumb: I like the arches :biggrin:

Thanx for the Props,...I've always been a big fan of Arches, reminds me of Moab.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0177.jpghttp://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0175.jpghttp://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0172.jpg

But.... but ... I want it lol :D Really like the tank man, thats a real nifty aquascape.

Thanx Beanz...


Did some more work in the sump area today and she now has water running through the plumbing, only one small leak that was easily rectified,... I'll clean up the wires and add the skimmer Monday.

She's not pretty right now but she can dance....
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0029.jpg

Also added some "reef bugs" last night, I've used this product in another smaller tank that had new sand and no rock, a week later I had all kinds of little critters crawling around that tank...

http://www.tonmo.com/forums/attachme...0&d=1149111596

I forgot to mention but when I filled with water I added two frozen silverside...The other day I also added 35lbs LR, Let's see where I am.

SG= 1.026
PH= 8.37
TEMP= 79*F

First tests.

ALK= 116 -HANNA & 125 -API
PHOS= 0.20 -HANNA & 0.0-0.25 -API
MG= 1050 -ELOS
CA= 475 -ELOS & 480 -API
NO2= 0 -API
NO3= <2 -API (darker than zero but not close to 2.5 on the colour card)

Skimz fired up...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSENqmVqWtc



:biggrin:

Still a little cloudy after mucking about with some live rock but she's wet....
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0042.jpg

...and looks good in the moonlight :biggrin:
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0062.jpg

Where did you get the Reef Bugs?

I bought the "Reef Bugs" from Aquarium Illusions in Edmonton quite some time ago.

My wife says "What do we need another one of those for...", I just quietly hush her while gently placing my finger to her lips and reply "Sometimes it's not about Need".....

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0076.jpg

Not that I don't love the Skimz SM161, It's just that I wanted to try a BK and see if they are all they are hyped up to be, so far very simple design and extremely sturdy construction...but I may get a Bubble Blaster 5000 pump to keep on stand by just in case.... Any one know where I can get one?

Will start PRODIBIO dosing today...even though I can't pronounce it "Pro-Die-Bio"?...well whatever, I'm using it...

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0080.jpg

Dosed the PRODIBIO and accidentally added the Reef Booster too early (supposed to wait 6 weeks) so this morning the DT was a little cloudy... What better time to add some more sand :lol: This afternoon I added about 50lbs of live sand and another 50lbs of live rock...All in, I've got about 150lbs of sand & 200lbs of LR in the DT and sump...

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0086.jpg

The livestock planned so far is...

• Scopas Tang,
• a pair of black clowns,
• two fire shrimp,
• two cleaner shrimp,
• one scooter and
• one lawnmower blenny.
  

All of which are patiently waiting in another tank...

I also have a nice Purple tang I'd like to add but don't know if I should or not, the two tangs were together in a 90gal system and never had an issue with each other but have been separated for a few months now...

New Life
 

Found this little guy skating around the rock tonight...Took me a while to find out what he was but I think he's a ringed cowry snail...reef safe...

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...IMG_0087-1.jpg

More pictures today...


http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0099.jpghttp://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0101.jpghttp://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0108.jpghttp://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0113.jpghttp://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0106.jpghttp://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0105.jpg

Looking good Brian, have to let us know how that PRODIBIO works in the system, im considering using some of it in my system as well. As for the bubble king, you'll like it, awesome skimmers.

Thanx Bob,


The prodibio looks like it's working, It states that you can add fish right away after adding the Startup but...I've been watching my levels and over feeding the system since day one and I still haven't seen the usual spikes...I'm going to test this afternoon again and maybe add a chromis if things still look good >crossing fingers< :wink:

The only spike I have seen so far is a salinity spike which didn't make sense to me at first but then I remembered, I added a lot of rock and sand last wkend and forgot about the displacement affecting the ATO (evaporation and no new RODI), I check yesterday and the salt was at 1.029...I removed five gallons which brought it down to 1.027ish, today I'll recheck and maybe remove a little more.

Got a delivery notice from UPS today so I thought I'd skin out of work early and beat the wife home...Took the box inside and started unpacking it and in walks the wife, home early and I'm busted....Not that she really cares but it always feels more exciting when I feel like I'm doing something I'm not supposed to be doing and getting away with it...meh..

Anyway, Here's what showed up...

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f6...969/th_ups.jpg


Ok maybe not,...but almost just as good...

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0120.jpghttp://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0122.jpg


Got some reading and tinkering to do tonight....and I think my wife mumbled something about going "shoe shopping"...:rolleyes:

Tang Buddies...

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...r/IMG_0224.jpg