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Braeden's 22 Gallon SPS Dominated Cube
Hi Everyone,
Now that I have some time on my hands, I am going to be showing my build to everyone. This is my first saltwater tank but I have done a lot of research and felt completely comfortable with setting this thing up. Currently my tank is about 2 months old but I am going to take you back to the beginning. Please comment and tell me if you see anything wrong and give me suggestions. Frame of the stand http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/IMG_3868.jpg Plywood for the sides and top of the stand http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/IMG_3885.jpg Painting The Stand http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6003.jpg Finished Stand http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6026.jpg Siliconing baffles in 20 Gallon Sump http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6040.jpg Finished Sump http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6100.jpg Koralia 750 (Circulation) http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/IMG_3889.jpg Test Kits, got calcium after I took this picture http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6017.jpg Maxi Jet 900 (Circulation) http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6022.jpg Eheim 1000 (Return Pump) http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6023.jpg Bulk Reef Supply 4 Stage RO/DI Unit http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6011.jpg Aluminum Bar for my 250W PFO Metal Halide. This was painted black and another piece was added to it for better mounting http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6079.jpg Ready for placement in my living room http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6066.jpg Sitting in it's permanent spot, looking pretty nice. I know It is by a window but the tank itself won't get any direct sunlight. Also I will be keeping the blinds closed most of the time. http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6085.jpg This is up to about February 10th. Hopefully I did everything properly. I will post some more pics of the tank up and running from the last month later tonight or tomorrow. Please comment and tell me if I should change anything. Thanks |
Very nice stand you built ! You would be very proud of yourself if you see how I built my ugly stand :redface:
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Filling up with fresh RO/DI water. Very exciting!!! Also got 3/4's of the rock in. Not my final aquascape.
http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6112.jpg Adding Reef Crystals Salt http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6114.jpg Made a stand for my skimmer so that it would be sitting in the proper water level in my sump. All I did was cut a square of egg crate out to the right size, then the PVC legs, then cut and drilled some holes in them so that detritus wouldn't build up in there, then I zap strapped the PVC legs to the egg crate. http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6118.jpg Added the live sand http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6025.jpg http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6127.jpg Under the stand http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6129.jpg Water clearing up a little bit http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6134.jpg I will post some more pics later. Enjoy! |
Here is where the fun part began for me. Watching the tank grow into a small piece of the ocean.
New aquascape. This I believe is my permanent scape. A new powerhead for the time being since the Koralia 750 was blowing my sand around a little. I will be putting a Koralia 550 in here along with this Maxi Jet 900. In the future I will hopefully get 1 MP10 which would be ideal since the 2 power heads that are in there now don't look the nicest. View from my chair http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6176.jpg View from the front. On the front right rock there will be a neon green torch coral. I will also have 2 True Percula Clowns that will hopefully host the torch. http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6179.jpg A couple of close-ups of my rock work http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6183.jpg http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6184.jpg http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6185.jpg The Koralia 550 is now in and I also got a fan to blow over the water surface. http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6187.jpg Also bought a Reef Keeper Light to control my metal halide, Koralia, heater and fan. I absolutely love this thing!! It keeps my temperature perfect. Between 78.4 - 78.6 http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6576.jpg Will be posting some more pictures a bit later, SPS and Zoas!! Stay tuned. |
Looks great so far. How do plan to cycle?
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There was an instant cycle from adding the 40lbs. of live sand. The Nitrates looked like this for the first 5 days
Day 1: 3ppm Day 2: 2ppm Day 3: 2ppm Day 4: 1ppm Day 5: 0ppm Correct me if I'm wrong but I think this is a full cycle, right? |
I would still wait, dont be surprised if you see an ammonia or nitrate spike.. wait your not usin any live rock? technically you have no real biological filtration, I would add a chunk or 2 of live rock even just in the sump to add the filtration, that will also ensure a cycle happens.
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Yes don't count on live sand to cycle your tank. If you are not interested in damsels or clowns to cycle then a bit of rotting uncooked shrimp will get things going along with a seeded rock.
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Agreed ask anyone here take it slow, i didnt and crashed my tank. Mind you in my case there were other factors involved but still. Our motto is "go slow, let it grow" :) I would get someone to hold the livestock for you temporarily and toss a shrimp in to rot and cycle the tank as well as a peice of live rock, rather be safe then sorry
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http://www.rusticgirls.com/animals/n...cle-fish-tank/
http://d29s07588lfq8p.cloudfront.net...ogen-cycle.gif Right now your tank is around day 1-5 on this graph. Once the Nitrites start to build up your sps and possibly your CUC will perish and well you will certainly have a nice ammonia source to finish the cylce at the cost of your tankmates. Give your tankmates to a buddy or back to the store until your tank is properly cycled. Oh and turn off your skimmer as it will slow down your cycle. |
Oh, I think you guys are misunderstanding me. My tank has been running for about 2 months now. I was just going back in time and explaining my build. I waited over a month to add any livestock. Haha
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I'm not trying to be mean or bully you but genuinely want to ensure you succeed, that build looks amazing. |
Ok, sorry for the confusion, I didn't mean for this to be confusing. I will give you a full break down of what I did from day 1. I know you are trying to help. I really appreciate it.
Day 1: Added RO/DI Water Day 2: Added Salt Mix and Dry Rock Day 3: Added Live Sand (Says on the bag there is an Instant Cycle (Probably not true so that is why I waited a month to add a few snails and crabs. Also says on the bags of live sand that it uses ammonia cycling.) Day 10: Added a few handfuls of mature sand from a local's tank. Very good quality. Also added some chaeto Day 31: Added a couple hermits and Nassarius snails Day 45: Added Green Pocillopora Frag and some Zoas. Doing great by the way. Day 55: Added 5 other frags of SPS Day 58: Today This is pretty much it. |
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LOL no worries were just trying to make sure you don't suffer the same fate as some. Any live rock? It can take months or even years for dry rock to become truly live
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Just a question for you. Maybe i missed something in the write up, but i noticed that the water level in the sump is almost at the top. Have you checked to see what happens when there is a power outage and your pump syphons water from display to sump. Just a thought, i have my water level only half way up my sump so that it will not overflow incase of power outage and just incase my floats malfunction.
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I have checked that and everything is fine. Only 1 inch of water from my main display drains into the SUMP when the return pump is off and the SUMP holds that amount of water. Thanks though
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Its cycled, but i would guess that the capacity of your bacteria is still a little low .If it where me i would add fish one at a time and wait a decent time between fish .Oh and nice tank by the way , love the dimensions .
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Ok, Do you think that adding 2 small true percula clowns (1 inch) next week would be fine? My uncle is bringing them up from Vancouver so should I tell him not to bring them? Also thank you for them kind words. I also love the dimensions.
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Im sure the 2 clowns will be fine , your bacteria population will catch up quick , you just dont want to add 6 fish at once because it wont catch up that quick.Corals look great for just a 10k bulb , thinking of adding any blue suplements?
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Update:
Here are some recent pictures of the corals. Zoanthids Day 1 in my tank http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6199.jpg Day 14 - Looking more plump and healthy http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6501.jpg Green Pocillopora Day 1 http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6221.jpg Day 14 - Looking a lot lighter coloured, is this good? http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6507.jpg Green Millipora - Mounted now, lots of polyp extension http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6548.jpg http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6552.jpg Pink Millipora - great polyp extension as well http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6550.jpg http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6554.jpg http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6569.jpg Blue Acropora - Polyps coming out a little bit http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6566.jpg Purple Pocillopora http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6549.jpg Birdsnest - Nothing new http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6558.jpg Full Tank Shot - March 28, 2012 http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6560.jpg These are up to date pictures. Enjoy and Comment. |
Man, I have to get a macro lens soon, Nice pics.
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Glad to hear your frags are doing well. tanks looks great so far. that birdsnet will grow like crazy once its settled.
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Update:
New Addition: Clown Goby http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6602.jpg http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6592.jpg |
Update:
Clown Goby found his new home inside my Purple Millipora. He doesn't leave this thing. http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6632.jpg http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6638.jpg http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6642.jpg Blue Acro Progression Day 1 http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6537.jpg Day 12 http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6652.jpg Purple/Pink Pocillopora. Is this colour change a good thing?? Day 1 http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6514.jpg Day 9 http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6648.jpg Here's what my water parameters are: Calcium: 485 (It is steadily going down. I want it at 430) Alkalinity: 9.9 (Should I try and keep it here? Or is 9 better?) Magnesium: ? (I'm getting the Salifert test kit and some supplements next week. I'm going to keep it at 1350) Nitrate: 0 Phosphate: 0 pH: 8.0 Enjoy! |
Update:
New additions: 2 True Percula Clown Fish http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6743.jpg http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6736.jpg Unknown Acropora http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6747.jpg http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6749.jpg Blue Staghorn Acropora http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6757.jpg Green Torch (Hopefully my Clowns will host this thing one day) http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6741.jpg Green Birdsnest (Didn't get a picture of this yet) FTS April 16 2012 http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSCF6763.jpg |
I really like your stand and tank. Your entire setup looks very sharp!
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Update:
Got rid of my Yellow Clown Goby the other day. It was eating my Pink Millepora polyps and was making it mad |
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