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Thread: The 55g low cost reef project

  1. #26
    Assistant Moderator Skurvey Dog's Avatar
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    Hello Mits! Glad things are moving along for you, even though you are having a few bumps in the road. It normally is expected when starting up a new system. I have a Remora C skimmer (hot) on my nano. When I first hooked it up it was a little loud in the beginning, but after a week of making a milk shake, it settled down. I'm hoping it will be the same for you. If you've got a HOT, you might also want to check and see if any of the noise isn't vibration caused by contact at the bottom of the canister on the outside of the DT. You could slide a sliver of foam in there to break and muffle that contact.

    With the salinity being too high and creatures already in the system.... go slowly reducing the salinity in small increments. Remember to only add your ro/di as "top off" for your evaporation as the salt content never decreases with the water level. Since you are using a hydrometer, I would suggest always taking 2 readings to make sure they read the same. (Make sure no water bubbles are in the vial) Just to be safe.

    I have found that it is good to also have a plain Jane mercury thermometer, as the reason being you can use them against any other devise used to measure temps. I had a digital that I received as a "free gift" in a lighting order and found it to be highly inaccurate. (That's probably why it was free! Lol) Heaters are touchy and it may take a few adjustments to dial it in. Also they have been known to go on the blitz. Some hobbiest choose to run 2 heaters in case one desides to go South. When choosing electrical equipment, keep an eye on the juice they pull as everything adds up quick. It is better to buy eye candy for your tank than give it all over to the power company. Sorry I can't advise you on the shrimp as I am limited to Ghost Shrimp only.

    You're doing a jam up job so far. You go boy!!!!!!!!!!


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  2. #27
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    So far the thermometer looks to be right on, as I also double checked with a mercury thermometer. It's just a matter of the heater getting dialed in. The skimmer isn't as loud as last night, but it's still a bit distracting. I hope it will calm down even though it's used rather than new. The sound is really just the air whooshing around in there. Everything's still alive in there as far as I can tell, but I haven't found peppermint #2 and the brittle star looks like he went deeper into the rocks, so I don't have visual proof of his condition either.

  3. #28
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    The cleanup crew has been doing great, with the exception of that one shrimp and a hermit crab. After a couple days with no real issues, I started moving everyone over. My fish trap caught tons of cleanup crew, but no fish. I moved some crabs and snails over, but don't want to take too much out of the nano just yet. I managed to get the clownfish into a huge net filled with food, and now he's in the 55 too. He looks great in there, so I will soon be moving everyone over. Now for some pictures:



    Here's the skimmer


    And here you can see across the tank is the modded Maxi Jet 900

  4. #29
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    Long overdue update

    Well, since my last update much has happened. We had a baby boy last Tuesday, and all of my time has been devoted to taking care of the (almost) 2 and 3 year olds. Here he is:


    Anyway, it looks like my last update was the clown moving over. I traded the aquapod for a canopy that I had to cut down a bit, along with a 250w Iwisaki 6500k bulb setup w/mercury vapor ballast. That type of ballast makes it burn white instead of yellow.

    Canopy:


    Full setup:




    I bought new hardware to match the stand I built, along with using nickel spraypaint on the existing hinges. I couldn't use a reflector, but the inside is painted gloss white and the front is sloped so the light reflects down really well. I'm just doing the left side right now, so everything is a bit dark on the right. I've noticed that the fish live on the left too, either because of the light or the coral.

    I also got a Mag Float for $4 on RC and a prefilter box for $28 from another user. I already had a bit of a disaster as the tubing on the skimmer pump isn't as secure as I'd like it to be, so I had a fountain coming out of the top of the tank last night. I loved the look of the tank at this point, with the glaring exception that every coral that needs actinic light was very dull. I was planning on taking my time to find a good deal on PC or VHO setups to add, but then I went to Uncle Bill's on the south side of Indy since they are remodeling and asked if they had spare parts. They were selling VHO setups used for $100 but that was far too expensive for me, but when I went back a few weeks later they had torn everything down and put it in a box. He said he'd sell me a ballast and endcaps for $25 as long as I untangle it and get it out of the box. Sold. I go back there and I find that the ballast is an Icecap 660 with full wiring harness, waterproof encaps and standoffs! That retro kit goes for over $300 with bulbs at premium aquatics! I added the 2 46" 110w VHO bulbs and it looks much better in there.

    Icecap:


    That does it for equipment for a while, with the exception of a $30 DJ power box with individual switches that I'll pick up from guitar center when I sell something or otherwise have money. I'll start a new reply for my livestock stuff.

  5. #30
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    I figured I'd use this as a record of my starting point with the tank inhabitants. So far:

    Cleanup crew:

    2 dozen or so various hermits
    15-20 Nassarius snails, most of the larger size
    4-5 Astrea Snails
    A few Cerith snails
    Peppermint Shrimp
    Brittle Star
    A few other things that hitchhiked their way in there

    Fish:
    Ocellaris Clown
    Firefish
    Wheeler's Watchman Goby (I want to pair him with a pistol shrimp but I hear that could cause several rockslides)

    Coral:
    Hammer Frag
    Frogspawn Frag
    You can also see the Goby here

    Horn Coral
    Mystery Acropora
    Millepora Frag(I've been told)

    Red Monti Cap

    Green Monti cap...maybe. Small rockslide broke it in 2 and I'm having a tough time keeping them on rock. I'm going to attempt superglue soon.
    Kenya Tree
    Green Tree Leather (I just made that up, feel free to correct anything.)

    Zoos, brown with blue ring pictured here
    Blasto frag below zoos

    Purple star polyps
    Green star polyps
    Yellow polyps
    Black sun coral (not doing well when I got it, hope to get it stronger

    Some of those SPS frags will move, as I have read that the horn coral will destroy everything in it's path as it grows. I hope to add a 2nd ocellaris clown and a rose anemone next. After that I'm really not sure as far as fish. One thing I've discovered is that I've been bitten by the SPS bug. Since getting a few frags of them I can't stop looking their way. I hope to keep my frag collecting limited to SPS, LPS, zoos, and ricordea. Not very limited, is it? Anyway, I've also noticed that my softies aren't taking to the new tank very well. They're starting to come around though. On the flip side, the SPS frags look healthier than anything I've ever seen. I'll see how they grow and hopefully add more. The trick is being able to afford some frags! Maybe some of mine can grow quickly enough to trade soon. Let me know what you think now that it's a (nearly) complete setup!

  6. #31
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    You make me want to finish the stand I started years ago for my 90. The tank and stand are currently well hidden in my garage workshop while I finish the last bits of work on my basement.
    PapaMcEuin
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  7. #32
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    Clownin'

    So I jumped the gun a bit and got a second clown before I sold the frags to pay for him. I put up a few softie frags online for $5 each to cover it, and I figured I'd use that to get a friend for my ocellaris. Today I was looking around at other things when I found some misbar percs for $15, so I grabbed one. I was hoping it would get along with the other one, but I was surprised to see that they are already hanging out together.



    Hopefully they'll stay this way and maybe host together when I get an anemone down the road.

  8. #33
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    My clown hosts very happily inside my frogspawn. You might wait to see if your two take a liking to your frogspawn before buying an anemone. Use that $40 on an SPS frag or two.

  9. #34
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    Here's the good part...I have a friend with 2 RBTA's, 1 that just split into 3. He sold 2 of them but once the remaining big one splits he's giving me the clone. I just have to hope it splits soon.

  10. #35
    Grand Master Reefer CarmieJo's Avatar
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    Congratulations on your new little one! Sounds like you will have your hands full for a little while.

    The tank is looking really nice!
    Carmie


    Only disasters happen fast!





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  11. #36
    Master Reefer bbl_nk's Avatar
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    Hey Mits, Just going over some older threads and wanted to see how the new ones are doing (both babies )?

    How are your corals liking the new digs?

  12. #37
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    They are doing very well. I've been meaning to do an update for a while now, but the constant sleepiness is making that tough. It's been through an algae bloom, the suicide of a jumping firefish, and the addition of a lawnmower blenny and sixline wrasse. I'll see if I can get a real update soon.

  13. #38
    Master Reefer bbl_nk's Avatar
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    Good deal! Hope you and your Mrs. can get some full nights sleep soon Will look forward to some updates when you can.

  14. #39
    Assistant Moderator Skurvey Dog's Avatar
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    Sounds like you're hanging in there with both. Before you know it, things will start getting a little easier and I'm sure a "full" night's rest will do wonders!


    Will your voice count?
    One new reefer, another voice united with the many against ignorance and greed. Educate, influence, good stewardship, all in one accord to work together as a whole in saving our reefs.

    "Get Reefy With It!"

  15. #40
    Grand Master Reefer CarmieJo's Avatar
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    Our son was one of those babys who never slept more than 4 hours until he was 6 months old. I about cracked up when I read in one of the parent mags that the primary effect of sleep deprivation was sleepiness! Well duh!
    Carmie


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  16. #41
    Assistant Moderator rayme07's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CarmieJo
    I about cracked up when I read in one of the parent mags that the primary effect of sleep deprivation was sleepiness! Well duh!
    LOL Thats funny its like it takes a genus to right those magazines. lol
    Raymond
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  17. #42
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    Quote Originally Posted by Skurvey Dog View Post
    Sounds like you're hanging in there with both. Before you know it, things will start getting a little easier and I'm sure a "full" night's rest will do wonders!
    Yeah, we're aware that he'll eventually get into a better sleep pattern, it's just that we haven't gotten one since his brother was born...in 2004. Our kids were born in 11/04, 08/06, and 07/08 so by the time one gets easier we just have another!

  18. #43
    Grand Master Reefer CarmieJo's Avatar
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    Boy, you guys have your hands full!
    Carmie


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  19. #44
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    Man, it's amazing how having a 3rd baby and opposite work shifts with my wife make keeping up to date on this thread impossible. I figured I'd do an update now since I just built the canopy to match my stand. In a nutshell, I've had another fish jump out of the tank since the last update, which was a watchman goby, but I've added 2 green chromis, one blue reef chromis, and one sixline wrasse along with my fighting conch. I've been lucky enough to get several frags or full corals for free or cheap, including a huge frogspawn, more zoas, a scroll coral, a neon candy cane, a ricordea, and an RBTA. There are some paint issues in the pic that you can't see in real life. You'll probably notice a cyano problem, I'm probably stuck with that while I have to buy water from the LFS.












  20. #45
    Grand Master Reefer rroselavy's Avatar
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    Pics are small, but the tank looks great!

    I wish I had the guts to get a RBTA, but I fear it would get shredded by my Vortech, or wedge itself inside my overflow grating. Yours looks like its happy on top.

    Congrats on the kiddles. We've got 2, which is already a handful...Gotta love em...My daughter just started to read, and my son is just starting to write his letters, both of which is mindblowing to me... The reef tank is a great educational tool...if there was only a way to apply for government funding for "reef home-schooling"...

  21. #46
    Assistant Moderator rayme07's Avatar
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    Hi mit The tanks looking good
    Ray or Raymond
    There is no elevator to success in marine tanks. You have to take the stairs.


    Raymond's 30 gallon tank
    Raymond's 60 gallon tank


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  22. #47
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    Thanks for the kind words. When I put these pics on photobucket I didn't realize how tiny "medium size" is. I'll have to upload them again in a larger size.

  23. #48
    Grand Master Reefer CarmieJo's Avatar
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    Hi Mits! The tank is looking great.

    When our son was small (he's 20 now) I worked as a 9-1-1 telecommunicator which meant rotating 12 hour shifts. For a while my hubby was on afternoons although eventually he moved to days. But there were lots of times when I felt like we only saw each other to pass the baby off! It didn't leave much time for hobbies. Triple the kids probably means 6 times the work so I am amazed you've gotten anything accomplished!
    Carmie


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  24. #49
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    Wow, I haven't updated this in a year! The baby is 17 months old now, and he still nurses and sleeps in our room! Too many fish/coral updates to mention, but I'll say that I had a large issue that was so gradual that I didn't notice it until I nearly hit rock bottom with the tank. My coralline slowly died off, my sps all turned brown and I couldn't figure out why. Turns out my alk and ph were low. My alk is fine now, but I have too much CO2 in my house so I may run my skimmer air feed up to the attic where it gets a constant fresh air flow. I upgraded my skimmer to an Octopus recirculating model early last year, added a reefkeeper lite a few months ago, and of course the new skimmer means that I got a sump/fuge. I battled a massive hair algae outbreak that was cured when I got my own RO/DI and completely changed my feeding habits. I'm now running 2 250w MH lights at 14k as well. I had to stay relatively cheap with everything, so anything I did was via trade/sell/gifts/saving up. I'm just getting into a place where everything is starting to color up and grow again and I can say now that my tank has never looked better. One thing you will see in there is a hippo tang, he's a yellow bellied and I got him for 25 bucks at about the size of a quarter. He's my little guarantee that I'll have to get a bigger tank one of these days Here are new pics, the white balance was way too blue so I tried correcting it:






    And for fun, here's the new baby now:

  25. #50
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    Too much CO2 in the house? Have you considered live house plants? Ivy's are often good for indoor CO2 exchange.
    PapaMcEuin
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