45 Gallon - first reef - slow and steady :D

[Gietz]

Really nice tank buddy!!! 10 out 10 lol

 

[phi delt reefer]

Really nice tank buddy!!! 10 out 10 lol

thanks Gietz!

well i have officially lost my 2nd Goby - was having my coffee this morning and found the High Fin pretty much in the same spot as the Yasha when he jump a couple months ago. I even have the BRS 1/4" netting over the ENTIRE tank and even went ahead and upgraded pumps to the vortech so their wouldnt be a gap caused by the cable. 

long story short - I am done with these f#ckers. Small a$$ fish always hiding, cost a bundle and dont look that great anyways. I think they spook way to easy - the conch kept cleaning around all the places he was trying to burrow and think he may have caught off guard and zipped up to the heavens. Well hope you're happy you little b@stard!

wont be adding any more livestock to the tank - got enough fish for a 40 gallon;

2 pyjama cardinals
twinspot hogfish
mystery wrasse
tailspot blenny
2 darwin clowns
blue-green chromis
skunk cleaner shrimp
blood shrimp
2 harlequin shrimp

I dialed in my skimmer a while back to get a darker skimmate - bio load in my tank isnt high enough to really fill the cup as regularly as i want. I am getting great foam with really small bubbles but i havent had to empty the cup in over two weeks. I did replace the pump in the skimmer two weeks ago so maybe it just needs to slime up more. Cant see myself really adding any more fish (though a reef safe banner fish would be freaking awesome but there is rumors that they get to 12+ inches) for pretty much everyone in my tank is a juvenille and should be doubling if not tripling in size over the next couple of years. I will be adding some SPS from Darryl_V next month and running biopellets soon - maybe the extra feeding that will along with SPS will make the skimmer work harder.


/rant

 

[Darryl_V]

I dialed in my skimmer a while back to get a darker skimmate - bio load in my tank isnt high enough to really fill the cup as regularly as i want. I am getting great foam with really small bubbles but i havent had to empty the cup in over two weeks. I did replace the pump in the skimmer two weeks ago so maybe it just needs to slime up more. Cant see myself really adding any more fish (though a reef safe banner fish would be freaking awesome but there is rumors that they get to 12+ inches) for pretty much everyone in my tank is a juvenille and should be doubling if not tripling in size over the next couple of years. I will be adding some SPS from Darryl_V next month and running biopellets soon - maybe the extra feeding that will along with SPS will make the skimmer work harder.


/rant

How long it takes to fill the skimmer cup is really variable and irrelevant as long as the skimmer is adequate.  It's the health of the system that is important.  Some of the algae you are experiencing is definitely because your tank is fairly new.....and if everything is up to snuff will slowly correct its self.

I think I already suggested this but I wouldn't hesitate on adding biopellets.  It's not going to be a big deal to wait a little while longer but adding them soon while the bioload is still small is a good idea IMO.

Keep up with the feeding and watch the corals closely......baste those rocks too as it will help with the algae.

Also looks like you have an area in your sump  you could move that sand too.  You wouldnt have to add much back the display if you plan on doing what I suggested.  One or two bags......I would keep it as thin as possible with out getting bare spots.

Looking good though....keep it up.  Your frags are all looking great and ready when you are.

 

[phi delt reefer]

thanks Darryl - in the process of removing my sand. I am doing it slowly just because its pulling so much water out and the tank is only 45 gallons. I have about 2/3s to go but its coming along. I already ordered/paid for the carib sea floor stuff you recommended. 40lbs should be enough for a nice ~1" layer. Not going to bother with sand in the sump - ticking timebomb if you ask me - I'm just giving it away to a local reefer - lesson learnt.

i have a reactor on order so once that's here i can get the pellets into the system. I already started soaking them in ro-di .

pretty stocked about those frags - all my other TEST SPS is doing great, good PE and nice growth/colors. Cant take pictures very well with so much blue spectrum light but you get the picture. Rock basting is happening weekly if not more. Sand just keeps getting blown all over so it doesnt look like i am doing it but its definately happening.

 

[Blob-79]

i prefer the caribsea stuff too.

 

[phi delt reefer]

new pics 9/18/2011 from my buddy's iphone 4;

 

[TORX]

Looks amazing.

 

[Darryl_V]

The colour is a little off in the those pics but it looks great.  I love the rock work.  This tank has serious potential.

Did you put the biopellets online?

What is your current fish?

 

[phi delt reefer]

i cant get the color right on my camera, wife's camera or any camera phone. I think i need to take some photography lessons cause the white balance is never right. I even use Adobe Lightroom! I correct the color as best i can so the coral colors are right but it makes the rocks sand and background look over saturated. I dunno man... i like the hobby but taking pics is impossible!  Doesnt help that i run 5 blue plus bulbs...

no biopellets as of yet - I dont have an algae or nutrient issue (or the reactor) so i havent been in a rush to start them. I would like to get them online soon but its tough to change things when its already working well as is.

fish list;
- Mystery Wrasse
- Candy (twinspot yellow) Hog Fish
- 2x Darwin Clownfish
- Tailspot Blenny
- Chromis
- 2x Pyjama Cardinals
- Royal Gramma
- Harlequin Shrimp
- Skunk Cleaner Shrimp
- Blood Shrimp

 

[Darryl_V]

I understand not wanting to change things when they are working....

The only thing I will say about biopellets is that it is easier and better to add them BEFORE a problem....than adding them BECAUSE of a problem.

And you can feed your fish more!  Think of it as a safety net to high nutrient problem.

 

[phi delt reefer]

step 1 - design the upgrade - designed a shroud to hold two quieter fans that pushed more air;

step 2 - cnc the piece - 6061 aluminum block. Notice the bevel...

.
step 3 - spice it up... my buddy milled out part of the plastic fan casing so the fan would blades would sit flush with the adapter bevel. Subtle touch but it looks awesome!

Step 4 - hack the shroud - we cut the openings bigger. Going from 60mm units to 92mm units.

old fan;

Step 5 - drill and tap holes... secure the adapter

DONE!

soooo....how quiet is it? Its not silent but thats because the back pressure from the air hitting the aluminium sub frame. Its loads quieter than it was before - anyone who says the fans in the ATI units are quiet is a liar - they need to hear my modded unit to understand what quiet is. These fans push out 2-3x more air than the old fans.


Cabinet fans are now annoying though. So those will be swaped out with a couple noctua 120mm units. After that - the only thing making noise will be the damn vortech and the air intake on my skimmer.

special thanks to my CNC Guru Blob-79 for hooking me up huge on this project.

 

[Neopimp]

Wheres the Dink?

 

[Blob-79]

kinda curious why the design doesnt match the actual adaptor?

 

[Neopimp]

I actually dont get pictures at work here so I see words

 

[phi delt reefer]

kinda curious why the design doesnt match the actual adaptor?

i didnt have your drawing on my PC so i put up my first draft...

 

[phi delt reefer]

I actually dont get pictures at work here so I see words

 

[phi delt reefer]

Got some new frags from Darryl_V - awesome to deal with.

I highly recommend seeing him whenever you want QUALITY SPS. Frags were super healthy and big (some were mini colonies)!

Got some camera pointers from Blob-79 and Darryl_V;

Here are the frags i got;

these were already in my tank;

 

[Blob-79]

Here you go

 

[teebone110]

Nice frags, and good job with the pics!

Looks awesome!

 

[MDGraves]

Nice fan shroud!!!
Made from solid mat'l, I would say the nice thick alu block is a good way to reduce noice as aposed to the sheet metel transferring all vibrations
Makes me wish I had a cnc in my garage )
Keep up the good work!