Flobajob's tank thread.

[flobajob]

I always wanted to do a thread like this, so here goes...

Here's a pic of the tank without any water in - its 48"x24"x18".
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/1/123082IMGP1319.JPG

Having filled the tank up with water I then had a bit of a panic when this appeared:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1533.jpg

but fortunately the chip does not affect the strength of the tank.

Meanwhile I made some DIY rocks using cement and salt - they are currently curing outside:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1385.jpg

Equipment-wise I have a Deltec ap600 skimmer, a 32"x12"x16" sump with an eheim 1260 return pump, and I have the ballasts, reflectors and endcaps for 6 54w t5s. I have 2 150w newatt heaters running on a temperature controller. I also have done the maxi-stream mod to a mj900, and that is currently running fine in the tank.

[flobajob]

Once I had bought the skimmer (second hand), I promptly managed to break it by screwing the collection cup in too tight :( . However, I repaired it using some superglue and a few heavy books :) :

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/583/123082skimmer.JPG

The skimmer is fed by an eheim compact 1000 pump.
Here's the sump:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/sump1.jpg

I split the return into two as you can see here:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1401.jpg

I put some eggcrate down in the bottom of the tank just in case there was a rock slide (you can also see that I've painted the back of the tank black):
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1413.jpg

[flobajob]

Then for the lighting I had to be a bit creative :D :
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1648.jpg

I used garden twine and some screw in hooks to suspend six T5s (4 aquablue+, 2 actinic+).
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1649.jpg

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1650.jpg

[flobajob]

Here's the sump with chaeto in.
http://www.reefcorals.co.uk/forums/%5BIMG%5Dhttp://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1652.jpg%5B/IMG%5Dhttp://www.reefcorals.co.uk/forums/%5BIMG%5Dhttp://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1652.jpg%5B/IMG%5Dhttp://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1652.jpg
It's lit by one of these:
http://i16.ebayimg.com/05/i/08/1e/53/8c_1.JPG
(a 24w compact fluorescent 6400k daylight energy-saver bulb, which is apparently equivalent to a 150w standard bulb).

I now have had some live rock in the tank for a few weeks, and have added the beginnings of a cleanup crew (some hermits, some nassarius, some astreas and a peppermint shrimp).

Here's a full tank shot:
http://www.reefcorals.co.uk/forums/%5BIMG%5Dhttp://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1651.jpg%5B/IMG%5Dhttp://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1651.jpg
http://www.reefcorals.co.uk/forums/%5BIMG%5Dhttp://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1651.jpg%5B/IMG%5D

[Tetley]

Looks nice, like the pics very much :)

More please :)

ATB

[Artyspider]

Great job so far interesting the way you sorted you problems out too.
Excellent pics hope you post more as you progress.
Artyspider ;)

[Gillybaby]

Looking good m8. Its always satisfying to get the first life in the tank after all the hard work ;)

[callum_parsons]

looks like this is going to b a great project
i like the tank i can see tons of potential
dont forget to keep us updated with pics:) :) :)

[flobajob]

Thanks everyone. I'm getting some more LR tomorrow so I will update then. BTW, any suggestions/criticisms you have are more than welcome.

What do you think of my planned stocking list?
1. a pair of occelaris clownfish
2. a pair of firefish
3. a yellow tang (I think my tank is big enough)
4. a psychedelic mandarin dragonet
5. a lawnmower blenny
6. a pair of peppermint shrimp

[moorish]

looks great,stock should be ok but buy just a small tang.derek

[Cudders]

Great start mate :)

Nice job.

Cudders

[celtic fish]

dam clever chap you are, the lawnmower blenny be a bit careful with feeding they can be a bit funny, i had 2 a while ago and neither were willing to feed properly for some time, very funny little critters though

[Tangman]

Hi nice setup looks like you have it sussed, only one suggestion i would make is make sure you have enough good live rock in the tank for the Manderin as if its not feeding dead food it might starve. HTH. Eric

[flobajob]

I'm getting some more LR today, so hopefully I will have plenty of pods once my tank gets established to sustain a mandarin. (I won't get one until my tank has matured though)

[flobajob]

Pic of the new rock as promised:

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1656.jpg

[flobajob]

Any comments, suggestions about the aquascaping are appreciated.

(PS/ I think the front glass needs to be cleaned ;))

[Pinkfish]

Looking good mate, keep the updates coming

[Blue]

It's coming on bit by bit. Just keep plodding along. There is a lot of potential here. Great work. Thanks for the pics and keep us posted.

[callum_parsons]

looking good so far
like the coral on the top of the rock work

[flobajob]

Thanks. The coral is a hitchhiker that came on the first batch of LR. There's also a load of polyps and anemones on the rocks (I'm not sure what they are, except that they aren't aiptasias or majanos).

[Tangman]

I'm getting some more LR today, so hopefully I will have plenty of pods once my tank gets established to sustain a mandarin. (I won't get one until my tank has matured though)

Good man thats what i like to see, you have obviously done your research on them before hand.Well done. :) Eric

[flobajob]

Well... I wasn't really planning on getting one of these, but it came up for sale second hand, and I couldn't resist :D .

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1660.jpg

Having put it in the tank, I have to say that it is well worth the investment.

[Tetley]

Nice, model ?

ATB

[flobajob]

Oops! It's a 6100, but it is not being run on a controller (although I hope to change that).

[Chris]

hope it works out for you , nice to meet you today cheers chris....

[flobajob]

Thanks, it was great to meet you too.

[flobajob]

Well, I have been keeping a close eye on my params, and NH4 and NO2 have been zero for some time, and NO3 has now been zero for around a week and a half - 2 weeks, so I think I am ready to add my first fish :D .

My question is, which should I add first out of:

(2x) firefish
2x occelaris clownfish
Lawnmower blenny

My inclination is to go with the firefish (just one for now), because they are the most jumpy and so will need to establish themselves before I start adding more agressive fish, but I just wanted to check in case I am making a mistake.

Thanks,

Michael.

[Tom2006]

i'd go for the clowns everytime:)

[Gillybaby]

I'd add the firefish first. They can be pretty timid fish so it would give them a chance to stake a territory. The Clowns and the Blenny are both quite aggressive for their size.

[flobajob]

Thanks for the input. I think I will try to get the firefish first, although if my LFS doesn't have any in I may see if they have any clownfish.

[flobajob]

I now have a pair of firefish in acclimatisation. :D

I'll post pics later tonight.

[Tetley]

I now have a pair of firefish in acclimatisation. :D

I'll post pics later tonight.

Nice, pics when settled please. :)

ATB

[flobajob]

Some pics as promised (and yes, the glass needs a clean :rolleyes:)

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1677.jpg

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1678.jpg

Then released into the tank:

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1680.jpg

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1679.jpg

[lasgringo]

look a nice pair of fish,great stuff:)

[Tetley]

Hi,

As above, very nice addittion. :) :)

[Gillybaby]

What a gorgeous pair of fish. We've got a purple one in our 7g nano but it was a total toss up between him and a red one. Great wee fish :D

[TerraC]

nice pics, firefish are cool :)

[flobajob]

Just a small update:

I have installed two computer fans in the hood as I have been having some temperature issues. They seem to be working well so far in keeping the temperature down :) .

Installing them was a bit of a problem as I had to do it in-situ, and I had hardly any room to work in, plus I needed to find a way to ensure that they weren't pressed right up against the ventilation holes (as then the fan blades would hit the plastic hole-surrounds. I used those round plastic things that stop cupboard doors from slamming so hard (that's a technical term) to raise the fans off the plastic, but unfortunately there are now several of them in the bottom of my weir :eek: as they fell off when I was screwing in the fans.

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1682.jpg

Anyway, I also bought some timers for my lights, as I thought that if I reduced the number of bulbs on during the day I could keep the temperature lower.

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1681.jpg

Finally, here are two full tank shots (with the glass cleaned), one with flash and one without. The tank looks a bit bare, but hopefully that will change soon ;).

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1683.jpg

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1684.jpg

[Tetley]

Hi,

Looking nice, nice aquascaping, you have the eye thats for sure.

ATB

[wakeyblue]

nice set up love the firefish :cool:

[flobajob]

I went to Sainsbury's on Saturday morning and picked up these :):

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1687.jpg

I didn't bother acclimating them, seeing as they had been encased in ice for the last few hours, but within an hour of being in the tank all three were open.

[callum_parsons]

very nice iam still thinking about adding oysters

[flobajob]

I added an orange montipora frag today:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1694.jpg

BTW, does anyone know what the polyps will look like on this thing when they are out?

[flobajob]

Some additions :D :

Corals:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1723.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1724.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1725.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1726.jpg

Lawnmower blenny:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1715.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1722.jpg

[callum_parsons]

nice corals and pics

[lasgringo]

someones been busy,very nice pieces:)

[Pinkfish]

Looks good mate comming along nicely. I would'nt add too many fish in a short space of time. I would wait like 2 months before adding another.

You got some lovely corals

Mike

[Gillybaby]

Nice selection you've got there. Your going to have great fun with that algae blenny, they have the best characters of any fish imo ;)

[Archer]

Lovely pictures....its looking good:)

[flobajob]

Right, time for another update.

I have an urchin, a skunk cleaner shrimp, a fire shrimp and a zoa frag in acclimatisation :D . I also added a pink hystrix a week or two ago.

I'll post pics hopefully tonight.

[moorish]

firefish are very timid and can easily jump if startled,probally best to put him in first.derek

[Tom2006]

Will the oysters survive? I can't see it myself and if not, will pose a very significant risk of tank wipe out if/when they die. Just a thought, Some lovely looking additions. :D

[flobajob]

Erm, I put the firefish in a while back. One of them swam into a rock trying to hide and got all bruised, but it has recovered and both are doing well.

The oysters are still very much alive. I'm not sure quite how they would wipe out a tank if they died though. They aren't poisonous, and if they were to die then my cleanup crew and the biological filtration should prevent any major problems.

[flobajob]

Ok, pics as promised:

Cleaner shrimp
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1762.jpg

Urchin - not a great pic, and it's upside down because the urchin had decided to climb up onto the bracing and is hanging underneath it.
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1763.jpg

Frag - it's not fully opened up yet, but this gives an idea of the colour. There are 4 or 5 polyps in total.
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1764.jpg

Unfortunately I wasn't able to tempt the fire shrimp out - he's hiding in some branching rock.

[flobajob]

This is the hystrix I mentioned:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1760.jpg

and here are the polyps which were brown when they arrived, but now have bright green centres (the pic makes them look a lot duller than they are):
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1749.jpg

[flobajob]

I added two fighting conches today, along with a purple plating montipora:

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1790.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1793.jpg

Here's a pic of the fire shrimp as well, since there isn't yet one on the thread:

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1792.jpg


That's all for now, although I was wondering if anyone had any advice for getting a fish out of a weir, as one of my chromis has managed to find its way in there and I can't get it out :mad:. I tried removing the weir comb to encourage it to jump, but all that happened was that the cleaner shrimp decided to join it :rolleyes:. Since that failed I've replaced the weir comb, but I'm a bit stuck for ideas... Does anyone have any suggestions??

[Kev]

Can you not just get a small net down the weir. It may be a bit bumpy for the Cromis as you squeeze it past the fish, but it can't stay down there forever.

That shrimp is nice mate!

[Tom2006]

You could get the largest diameter hose and syphon it out?

[flobajob]

Well I tried the net thing and that didn't work, I didn't want to try the syphon trick because I did that with a freshwater gourami and he got killed in the hose :( , so I drained the entire weir until there was only 3 inches of water or so (creating a minor flood in the process).

I then tried to scare the fish into a bag, but I couldn't see what I was doing because the water was full of detritus and there was no light to illuminate things (if I did shine a light then all I got was reflection off the water's surface).

Finally I lowered a net down and then used my hand to scare the fish into it. I now have about a dozen cuts on my arm from tubeworm cases that were on the glass and the standpipes, but the chromis is in the main tank once again :D .

The whole process took about an hour and a half, and I am knackered. I HATE chromis:mad::mad::mad:!!!

[stevieh]

glad you got sorted,how about update photo's of the full tank

[flobajob]

Ok, this is especially for you Stevieh lol:

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1795.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1796.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1798.jpg

[flobajob]

The pics aren't great quality, but I didn't bother too much about focussing...

[stevieh]

looking good coming on great:)

[Gillybaby]

I love that pink hysterix ;) Glad to hear you got the wee chromis out, let's just hope he's learned his lesson :D

[callum_parsons]

looking good

what lighting you keeping your sps under?

[moorish]

i would go for the firefish because as stated they are a very nervous fish and are prone to jumping out of the tank.derek

[kissypoos]

nice tank more pics

[flobajob]

Some more pics - there's more LR now, but I'm still not quite happy with the aquascaping - I think I need even more rock. I'm waiting on some coral gravel as well, since my sand blows about too much.

With flash
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1823.jpg

Without flash
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1826.jpg

Looking through LHS:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1825.jpg

The lighting is 6x54w T5s BTW.

Please feel free to comment (good or bad).

[flobajob]

I have just added some sps frags this morning :) . I will take pics later on.

Also, the algae blenny has now been in the weir for over 24 hrs, but I have a cunning plan to get him out using a plastic 'fish bag' cut in half and some string...

The oysters have all died unfortunately, although this is my fault because I let them get buried in the sand (tunze stream + sugar sand = sandstorms). I am awaiting the delivery of some coarse coral sand to put over the top of my current sandbed, but the company that I have ordered the stuff from is messing me around :( .

Oh, I have also now got a tunze osmolator ato (the 3155 version), and it is working great. Also, I bought an RO unit from RO-man (75gpd professional) which I should have done ages ago I know, but I didn't have the funds for (not enough pocket money).

I'll add some more pics of coral growth etc later this afternoon / tonight.

[flobajob]

Ok, frags:

Green stag
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1864.jpg

Yellow stag
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1865.jpg

I think this is meant to be a yellow acro with green polyps, but it needs to colour up a bit.
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1868.jpg

Supposed to be a green montipora digitata - the polyps are green, but it needs to colour up.
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1875.jpg

Growth of Zoas:
1.
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1764.jpg
2.
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1831.jpg
3.
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1862.jpg

Growth of hystrix:
1.
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1760.jpg
2.
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1869.jpg

Growth of gsp:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1870.jpg
(you can see that it has grown across the sand and onto the piece of branch rock)

[flobajob]

Oh, and here's the auto top-up and also stream controller, seeing as I have my camera ready:

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1872.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1874.jpg

The auto top-up has the aquamedic mounting brackets, since the guy I bought it off (second hand) had replaced the tunze brackets.

[callum_parsons]

looking good mate;)
the growth of the hystrix is impressive

[flobajob]

Well, the yellow stag frag is not doing too well:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1883.jpg
I don't know if there is anything I can do to save it...

Some new additions as well - let me know what you think:

Acro:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1882.jpg

Echinopora (sp?):
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1880.jpg

Trachylaphyllia:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1881.jpg

[Tetley]

Hi,

Thats a nice Trachy. :):)

Was it from a LFS in your area?

One of sponsers recently had some stunning lime geen and metalic green one,

They are a great coral to keep, love the look of them in feeding mode. :)

ATB

[flobajob]

Thanks. It was from a non-sponsor. There were also some fluorescent green trachys, but I already have loads of green corals and I wanted something that was a different colour.

[Tetley]

Thanks. It was from a non-sponsor. There were also some fluorescent green trachys, but I already have loads of green corals and I wanted something that was a different colour.

Is the non sponser in Warrington?

PM if not please (if local to you).

Thanks

Ian

[flobajob]

Yes, they are in Warrington, and there is the name of a particular type of SPS in the name of the 'shop'.

[Tetley]

Yes, they are in Warrington, and there is the name of a particular type of SPS in the name of the 'shop'.

Yep, know it well. Thanks

[slinkyslink]

Tank looks great and the threads excellant given me plenty of ideas cheers mate

[callum_parsons]

some good additions mate the brain is stunning i need a good red coral and that would be a great choice

[flobajob]

I think my fighting conches are 'making babies' ;).

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1936.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1938.jpg

They have been like that for an hour or so, and you can see that there is some white stringy stuff coming out... I think that the stuff is eggs, but I am not sure...

If they are eggs, does anyone know if it's possible to rear them in captivity?

[mfcfan]

[QUOTE=flobajob;57700]I think my fighting conches are 'making babies' ;).



They have been like that for an hour or so, and you can see that there is some white stringy stuff coming out... I think that the stuff is eggs, but I am not sure...

If they are eggs, does anyone know if it's possible to rear them in captivity?[/QUOTE

an hour wow they must be in love :D

steve :)

[flobajob]

I think the fighting conches have been at it again:

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1967.jpg


Anyway, I also had some corals sent to me via Royal Mail, and though they were sent on a Thursday for next day delivery (before 1pm), after much phoning and hassling, and after speaking to numerous people over the course of three days, the corals arrived in half an inch of water (the packaging had 'leaked') on the Sunday morning :mad: . Unfortunately it looks like one of the corals is disintegrating (some blue zoas with orange centres), but the other three are doing alright:

Zoa 1:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1957.jpg

Zoa 2:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1955.jpg

Acan (a few heads were lost, but the rest seem to be recovering):
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1954.jpg

Disintegrating zoas:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1956.jpg

[flobajob]

I also found some damage on my purple acro, and subsequently noticed a large, hairy crab on the rock base. I hope that it was the crab that caused the damage (I had initially thought it might be AEFW).

Also, there is a teddy bear crab hiding between the plates of my purple monti, and I can't reach him. He has eaten a hole in the coral. Does anyone have any suggestions for how to get him out?

I also have found several suspected whelks in my tank, and they have been removed.

Yesterday I added 5 more chromis to the tank (one of them has already jumped in the weir :mad:) as well.


After all that writing, here are some updated pics of the tank:

Without flash:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1961.jpg

With flash:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1963.jpg

Looking through the sides (without flash):
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1966.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/flobajob/IMGP1965.jpg

Oh, you may also have noticed that I added a layer of coral sand over my existing sandbed - that was to stop the sandstorms that were being created by my tunze stream.

Let me know what you think.

Michael.

[toonfan]

i like the black rear glass, what paint was it that you used and where from ??? i painted my rear glass with just a blue emulsion, does anyone know an easy way totake this off without scratching or is there for good now ??

[flobajob]

I used japlac black gloss from B&Q. It is oil based though, and so you have to tape off the silicone seams (there seems to be some evidence that oil based paints damage the silicone joins).

I'm not sure about taking the old paint off - is the tank in use, or is it empty? If it is empty can you not simply very carefully use some paint stripper on the back glass (making absolutely cetain not to get any on the silicone or in the tank)?

[callum_parsons]

looking good mate