Strickland_673's 25g Reef Build
 

Ok so it's been 2 years since I've had a SW tank, and since my freshwater just crashed, I now have a 25g (31X11X16) empty and screaming to be filled.

So the last time I had SW it was strictly FOWLR this time, once I upgrade my lighting I want to dip into the reef side of things.

So let's start with what i've done over the past month and a half:

So first I took the nuked and dried base rock that I had from my 55g Blow out and started to lay out some aquascaping. I know a lot of you wont like it due to it's symetrical shape.

http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/a...nsorted056.jpg
http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/a...d/IMGP0542.jpg

So then I broke out some KRYLON FUSION satin black spray paint and went a little crazy.

Back of tank.
http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/a...d/IMGP0533.jpg

Intake tubes and collection cup for my POS skimmer (seaclone)
http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/a...d/IMGP0534.jpg

and probably the craziest was the canister of my Rena XP4
http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/a...d/IMGP0538.jpg

Then I super glued my canopy back together, since i hacked it apart from my FW when I had to fit the Hagen Glo in there, and gave it a nice clean coat of spray paint as well
http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/a...d/IMGP0537.jpg

After all that dried and cured for a day or two I then filled the tank with saltwater and let the salinity settle out, then I put my live rock in first and then the sand(20LB of live sand) instead of having the rock on top of the sand(which caused my last blow out). Sorry first pics are with my old FW light bulbs

Sorry no REAL cloudy pic.
http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/a...nsorted059.jpg
One day in, running filter floss!
http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/a...nsorted058.jpg
2 days in:
http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/a...nsorted060.jpg

2 weeks in with new Geissemen Actinic + and Aquablue:
http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/a...nsorted062.jpg
http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/a...nsorted063.jpg

I had started the cycle by letting a couple of frozen shrimp rot in the tank, So then i added the first of my CUC. Some blue legged hermits.
http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/a...nsorted066.jpg
http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/a...nsorted065.jpg

Hope you guys and gals enjoy. More updates to follow.

Future upgrades:

Rapid LED lighting ~ 14-20 LEDS unsure of number i want yet.

Replace that POS seaclone!!!!!!!!!

Should be picking up my seeding live rock tonight!!!

Here's my Eco Live Rock!!!!!
 

http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/a...nkBuild003.jpg

http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/a...nkBuild002.jpg

http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/a...nkBuild004.jpg

I got this rock from ecoliverock.org. very happy with the piece!!!
I'd recommend them to anyone! and 100% of the money goes to reef conservation!!!

One thing to beware of is that white rock like that is very susceptible to growing pest algae. Once the coraline covers it, you should have less problems but white rock like that seems to act like a magnet for hair algae and other nuisance species if your nutrient levels are allowed to rise.

So I went out a week ago and picked up a mated pair of clowns and a coral beauty. sorry for the crappy pic quality and the fact that the beauty is camera shy doesn't help! haha

http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/a...nsorted067.jpg
http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/a...nsorted079.jpg
http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/a...nsorted087.jpg


Hope you enjoy.