Macro/Mixed Reef Office Tank
 

Hey guys, getting back into it after a few years. This tank is going to end up in our master control office at work. We just renovated and I managed to make it an excuse to get back into reefing :D

This is my old big macro tank, I'm going for a similar vibe:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/c0...d7v5c8=w900-no

Bought a nice 20g from Reefer78 and decided to build a nice stand to fit the space perfectly. Should have it done tonight.
No sump so I can keep it simple.
Lighting I've been going back and forth between an A160we and a PrimeHD. I think the Prime is going to be my choice, since I want a white light and the controller is integrated.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pO...NPFj43=w900-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ul...OKndvs=w900-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/oV...bN-k7X=w900-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ck...4PbFUr=w900-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/76...lpq7i5=w900-no

If any of y'all still have my macros out there I'll definitely have to hit you up!!

One step closer. Gotta find some rock!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/9j...i=w732-h976-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/cU...=w1064-h798-no

Got the rock and sand in this weekend. I have a bit more BRS rock and fiji rubble that I may end up adding for hiding spots for fish and pods.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ve...3qWDVCbEF=w900

This tank is in our Master Control that runs our local education and public access TV channels in San Diego - you can see our master screen split in the reflection. ��
These are feeds from IP and satellite decoders, as well as local cable, feeds from the studios, and some other places.* From here our ops make sure the stations stay on the air.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/XG...FHMvoR7nr=w900

If there are any mods watching, can one of you move this over to the Livestock/Macros forum?

Progress!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/2W...u9GatEobS=w900

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/lK...ls7ltRFWl=w900

Looks like Gracilaria sp. but I think it's actually Halymenia sp.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/iI...UDrMQ1IMq=w900

No idea, hope it survives:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/5y..._s8aoU3VA=w900

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Yk...vJwxGDn9h=w900

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/As...lVnd0XpkX=w900

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/W7...gf0OKldvx=w900

New tank looks great!

Thank you!

Quick update, things are growing pretty nicely already. The C. Prolifera especially has taken off.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Of...OSFUb3RGL=w900

I really need a nem, though... the clowns are hosting the Prolifera! They dive in and just waggle around in it most of the day.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/4S...3D0TxiJcz=w900

The rather crappy C. Serrulata I got has almost totally died off right off the bat. Maybe I'll get lucky and it'll regrow, doubt it. This whole side was full of it.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Sk...fD38H4UZk=w900

Added a tiny Bangaii Cardinal today. Almost went with a small Lubbock's Wrasse but figured people in my office would like the Bangaii more.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/5l...9vT1tuxuj=w900

This has been coasting along nicely, got quite a bit more pink... perhaps Rhodopeltis sp.?
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ol...zGHQHJKTO=w900

Congrats on that last one coming back. In your previous post, it looked like it wasn't going to make it. Now it looks great!

It started getting a bit of algae building up on it, but adjusting the lighting and flow a bit seems to have done the trick. :beer:

Ferts ready to go
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/X7...yfnBYGuKk=w900

Busted out one of my old ghetto temp controllers for the growout tank at home... still works!
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ze...KJNjj-7kj=w900

Red Gracilaria is pearling like crazy already. I'm gonna start supplementing pressurized CO2 using my offroad tire fillup kit and a cheap $7 needle valve, should get crazier pearling than this once that's done.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zT...-ctiMIZuI=w900

Here's the 55g growout tank. Using the CREE 150w equivalent par38s from home depot, but I think I'm gonna switch to chinese black boxes and see how it goes. These floodlights are a little too far up IMO.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/O8...p_EGPeode=w900

From right to left - chaeto and ulva growout, which will moved to make room for halymenia and portreria. The tubing is from my submerged pump, which keeps the tank flow going constant left to right in order to keep the chaeto from getting mixed in with everything else.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Zm...mvPmZHL2M=w900

Then the "good stuff" - Halymenia, Birdsnest Graciliaria, Portreria, branching coraline, G. Mammillaris, Bryothamnion, C. Prolifera, Codium, Brown Graciliaria, Rhodopeltis (?), dragon's breath, Botryocladia, etc.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ax...b1yFKEv6G=w900

top down
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/NJ...M1zJwp6ae=w900

Last off, plain red graciliaria and C. Prolifera, and the return spray bar.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/TE...Hkd1cIteN=w900

Cool grow out setup!

Thanks! I've been keeping an eye on your build as well, very nice!

Finally did something I've wanted to do forever... pressurized CO2 for the macros! Used the CO2 that I use to refill my tires when I'm offroading. All I had to buy was a cheap needle valve to dial the flow wayyyy down. I have it diffusing into the powerhead.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/1K...ZOf0Q-ukq=w900

I've also been practicing my macro shots a bit today. Pretty happy with them but I have more to go.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Be...3K8va9903=w900

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/0p...Y-oXrOiuj=w900

The Dragon's Breath has gotten suuuuper bright. I have it under pretty high light, which limits the growth a bit but gets great color.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/NB...jRYz-LXZB=w900

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/3C...30KQ-GMHh=w900

CO2 is good! Nice pics. What macro setup do you have? I was looking at a set of macro lenses for my iPhone. Or I could buy a lense for my wife's Nikon.

These last shots were with my d3200, Nikkor 18-140mm, and a Neewer orange filter. Works alright, I could do much better with some more skill and better glass, but I don't like switching lenses and the 18-200 is a great 'do everything' budget lens. If you were buying something new specifically for macro shots I'd get a prime lens in the 150-250mm range instead. But I'm no photography expert!

Good info, thanks! Are the folks at your office digging the tank?

It's definitely added a nice vibe, and it's the first thing that all of our visitors seem to notice, but I'm definitely digging it the most. :D

11 days later FTS, getting past the nasty stage! Diatom bloom is definitely over. Next is to handle the GHA. It's receding, but I might throw a small blenny in there to help out. I moved the uppermost rock so it gets a bit less light. I hate having rocks against the display glass, though, so I'll probably move it again soon.
Added Halimeda Opuntia in a couple spots, moved the Dragon's Breath down low to increase growth, added what might be Gracilaria or Eucheuma sp, and finally got some Blue Hypnea in there! Might actually be Blue Ochtodes, I need to check it against my old pictures.
C. Prolifera is doing great, finally had to prune a bit. The crappy C. Serrulata is long gone, but I'm picking more of that up (and C. Brachypus!) later today.
Nitrates/Phosphates are way low, gonna start dosing those in this tank next week.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/6I...xzJAa3bo9=w900

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/dw...1sU-tTc8h=w900

Beautiful scape! Tank looks great. I worry about those xenia. They look bigger already.

Thanks! It's not quite where I want it. Rock selection right now is rough and the 20g doesn't give a lot of flexibility.
I'm counting on the xenia being prolific, but it looks worse than it is because thr rock was actually behind another rock initially. I'd be psyched if it'd take over that quick! :lol2: