Barely made the club but time for my 180 upgrade (Warning: Progress may be slow)

[SPotter]

Very nice!!!! And thank you for the clarification on the panty hose

[Nwest]

wow...great build! I am a little late but jumping on the train and following this all the way.

[SaltwaterAdict]

Man you put a lot of time into this build..looks nice, but when do we get to see fish and corals?

[BowieReefer84]

I am sooooo bored waiting for livestock lol. You should help cycle the tank with some MB7 or Prodibio Digest. Will go much faster...

Looking good.

[nightOwl]

Originally Posted by SPotter

Very nice!!!! And thank you for the clarification on the panty hose

SPotter -Man when I was previewing the draft of my first version looked and read it I immediately decided I needed to clarify .

Originally Posted by Nwest

wow...great build! I am a little late but jumping on the train and following this all the way.

Nwest - Welcome to the upgrade party…You are joining at the right time salt is in the tank!

Originally Posted by SaltwaterAdict

Man you put a lot of time into this build...looks nice, but when do we get to see fish and corals?

SaltwaterAdict – Welcome to the party. Thanks for the compliments. It has been a considerable amount of time, but I probably could have done it sooner if I really buckled down. Fish and corals will be coming. I am going to start my list of the corals I must have this weekend .

Originally Posted by BowieReefer84

I am sooooo bored waiting for livestock lol. You should help cycle the tank with some MB7 or Prodibio Digest. Will go much faster...Looking good.

BowieReefer84 – I am right there with you! I have been spending the last few days just coming down the stairs and looking at the tank and envisioning how it is going to look once grown in.

General Updates – Skimmer

I just wanted to show a few pictures from Friday. Everything has been off since late Friday night since the pump sounds like death is knocking at its door. You will notice the blue cup in the picture. Even though the ball valves are off they are leaking a little. Not a lot but I may change them out for a better quality ball valve. Until them the cup will do . I put the skimmer in to start breaking it in and it is looking good. No shrimp had been added when the picture was taken.

Skimmer Breaking In


Skimmer Breaking In – Up Close


Skimmate - From only running the skimmer and return a total of 6-8 hours. No adjustments were made just out the box into the sump and plugged in. I am really liking the potential of this skimmer.


So I decided to skip the whole pantyhose thing! I was looking through my items and found a bag I had for some phosphate removal media. It has a velcro top to seal the shrimp in.


I made a trip to the grocery store on Friday and picked up a half a pound of shrimp. They have been in the tank since Friday. The only pumps on in the tank are the two Tunze pumps. Tomorrow I will turn the return and skimmer back on for a few hours.

General – Reeflo Snapper

I will order a new pump this week or next week so progress will be slower for the next two weeks or so then pick back up.

[nightOwl]

Below is a list of the current Corals in my tank give or take a few. Some of these will no longer be in my main display or will moved to my frag tank. There are few more I could not remember but I am too lazy to go downstairs and look in the tank.

• Miyagi Tort
• Baby Blue Snowflake Polyp
• Green Slimmer
• Ly Seng Cap
• Orange Cap
• Idaho Grape Cap
• Tyree Baby Blue Polyp Cap
• Neon Green Cap
• Superman Monti
• Sunset Monti
• Rainbow Monti
• Laker Monti
• Purple Monti with green Polyps Monti
• Crayola Plana
• ATL Purple Bonsai
• Garf Bonsai
• Teal Tipped Acro
• Neon Green Birds Nest
• Green Pocillopora
• Pink Cats Paw or Pocillopora
• Miami Orchard
• Watermelon Milli
• Tri Color Acro
• Blue Acro
• Blue tipped Acro
• Ice Blue Tipped Acro
• Candle Light Acro
• German Blue Digi
• Pink Digi
• Nuclear Greens
• Purple Deaths

Now its off to think of the list of corals I want.

[BowieReefer84]

Must haves -

1. Jedi Mindtrick Monti
2. Monti Setosa
3. The shaggy green milli from Graham

[nightOwl]

Originally Posted by BowieReefer84

Must haves -

1. Jedi Mindtrick Monti
2. Monti Setosa
3. The shaggy green milli from Graham

BowieReefer84,
Do you know where I can find a good picture of the Jedi Mind Trick? I have searched but all I come up with is frag pics. The Setosa is a currently number 8 on my list . Is that shaggy green milli the neon green one or the regular green one?

[BowieReefer84]

Originally Posted by nightOwl

BowieReefer84,
Do you know where I can find a good picture of the Jedi Mind Trick? I have searched but all I come up with is frag pics. The Setosa is a currently number 8 on my list . Is that shaggy green milli the neon green one or the regular green one?

Uhhh... well here is my frag under very natural lighting ->



As it has grown the rim is larger with color. Not sure what you are looking for, but hope this helps.

As far as the milli, it is neon green and shaggy. Very nice piece.

EDIT - Not sure how to downsize image. Here is another more recent


and the milli

[nightOwl]

BowieReefer84,
Thanks for the picture of the Jedi Mind Trick I am looking for a pretty good sized colony to see how the color is distributed as it get bigger. Is the "glowing" edge only on the growth edge? What is the base and polyp color for yours? The picture was a little blurry for me.

I think my milli was something like that one. For some reason milli's do not like my tank. The picture below is the one I had back in 2008. I tried to see if I had it in 2004 when I first started off with my 55.

[nightOwl]

I am really loving this skimmer. Today I came home and turned everything on and within 30 minutes of being on the skimmer was getting some good skimmate.


Three hours later it was even better.


I am going to let it run over night and see how much skimmate I have in the morning. The bag the shrimp are in has some type of fungus growth on it. Looks like a sponge of some sort but it moves with the flow of the pumps. I will try to snap a picture tomorrow.

[SaltwaterAdict]

Originally Posted by nightOwl

Below is a list of the current Corals in my tank give or take a few. Some of these will no longer be in my main display or will moved to my frag tank. There are few more I could not remember but I am too lazy to go downstairs and look in the tank.

• Miyagi Tort
• Baby Blue Snowflake Polyp
• Green Slimmer
• Ly Seng Cap
• Orange Cap
• Idaho Grape Cap
• Tyree Baby Blue Polyp Cap
• Neon Green Cap
• Superman Monti
• Sunset Monti
• Rainbow Monti
• Laker Monti
• Purple Monti with green Polyps Monti
• Crayola Plana
• ATL Purple Bonsai
• Garf Bonsai
• Teal Tipped Acro
• Neon Green Birds Nest
• Green Pocillopora
• Pink Cats Paw or Pocillopora
• Miami Orchard
• Watermelon Milli
• Tri Color Acro
• Blue Acro
• Blue tipped Acro
• Ice Blue Tipped Acro
• Candle Light Acro
• German Blue Digi
• Pink Digi
• Nuclear Greens
• Purple Deaths

Now its off to think of the list of corals I want.

Wow, sounds like an awesome list! What tank are these corals currently residing in?

[SaltwaterAdict]

Originally Posted by nightOwl

SaltwaterAdict – Welcome to the party. Thanks for the compliments. It has been a considerable amount of time, but I probably could have done it sooner if I really buckled down. Fish and corals will be coming. I am going to start my list of the corals I must have this weekend .

Sound like a plan, can't wait.

[nightOwl]

SaltwaterAdict,
The corals are in my neglected 90 gallon with the 20 gallon attached tank.

General Updates - Coral Wish List
I have come up with my first stab at corals I think will eventually go in the tank. I choose the corals below for a few reasons: growth pattern, color intensity, coralite pattern, photo potential, and finally because they look pretty . In no particular order here is the list I have so far. I have seen a few that I did not have a name per say but were very nice none the less. I may try my hand at some millis again. I love the way they sway with water movement in the tank.

• Pink Lemonade
• Oregon Tort or Cali Tort
• Raspberry Limeade
• Fire and Ice
• Orange Crush
• Setosa Monti
• Purple Plasma

[BowieReefer84]

Originally Posted by nightOwl

SaltwaterAdict,
The corals are in my neglected 90 gallon with the 20 gallon attached tank.

General Updates - Coral Wish List
I have come up with my first stab at corals I think will eventually go in the tank. I choose the corals below for a few reasons: growth pattern, color intensity, coralite pattern, photo potential, and finally because they look pretty . In no particular order here is the list I have so far. I have seen a few that I did not have a name per say but were very nice none the less. I may try my hand at some millis again. I love the way they sway with water movement in the tank.

• Pink Lemonade
• Oregon Tort or Cali Tort
• Raspberry Limeade
• Fire and Ice
• Orange Crush
• Setosa Monti
• Purple Plasma

Orange Crush, as in Acan Enchinata Orange Crush, or an sps?

[nightOwl]

BowieReefer84,
It is a SPS. It looks like a milli to me but not sure. It is like a lime greenish with orange growth tips. Pretty sick looking in a good way.

[SPotter]

how about some full tank shots??????

[gioNVA]

Henry, I got you on the pink lemonade, cali tort, and monti setosa. Just let me know when the tank is ready.

[nightOwl]

Originally Posted by Spotter

how about some full tank shots??????

Spotter,
I will try to get a full tank shot tonight. The glass is a little dirty so I will make an effort to clean that off. I really wish the video would upload without the noise. I want to share that panning shot I sent you. I know I will not be able to catch the shimmer in the photo, but the ripples in the water make for some lovely shimmer lines.

Originally Posted by gioNVA

Henry, I got you on the pink lemonade, cali tort, and monti setosa. Just let me know when the tank is ready.

Francis,
I need a new icon for my excitement. This one is just not cutting it! Thanks in advance! It's been so long since I started a tank from scratch I forgot how long this whole process takes. I will start the weekly testing of the levels to see where things are. The shrimp is has been in there a few days so it should be generating some ammonia by now.

General Updates - ReeFlo Pump

I ordered a new Reeflo Snapper Hybrid . So in the next week or so my new quiet pump will be here. The switch should go fairly smoothly the way I did the plumbing. Sitting here thinking I may modify the stand my current pump sits on. I will see if the new model has the same drain plug as my current version. If it does I will add a small hole where I can drain the pump into a tray sorta like when you go get your oil change done.

General Updates - Left over pieces of acrylic

Filer Sock Holders - Completed
I still have some acrylic pieces from my sump construction laying around and wanted to use them up. The two drains into the sump are creating a lot of splashing so I needed a way to alleviate the problem. Rather than spend $18 dollars or more I decided to create my own. They are not pretty but get the job done. I probably could have done a better job if I had planned it out more. I took a 6-1/2" piece of acrylic and drilled 3" hold in it and added some support arms for it to hang. I then slide the filter sock into that hole and walla filter sock holder complete. I will post pictures tonight.

VHO Stand-offs - Not Started
The next project with the left over pieces will be mounting stand-offs for my VHO's. Little rectangles with 3 holes in them . Then I do not have to spend $6 for them.

Tray for draining pump - Not Started
This will tie in with my pump "oil change station" I may be able to just buy a Tupperware container depending on how big I make the hole in the pump stand.

[SaltwaterAdict]

Love the coral list, some beauties you got there.

[nightOwl]

Originally Posted by SaltwaterAdict

Love the coral list, some beauties you got there.

SaltwaterAdict,
Thanks! I am looking to add a few more that I have seen locally as well.

[nightOwl]

I have been away on vacation, but now I am back to make a few updates.

General Updates - ReeFlo Pump

My new Hybrid pump is scheduled to arrive on Wednesday so I am looking forward to having a near silent pump operating in the back room. I have been running the current pump the last few days and things are looking alright.

Filter Sock Holders - Pictures

Upside Down 1


Upside Down 2


Right Side Up


In Action

VHO Stand-offs - Completed

I finished the stand offs tonight so I can start to tinker with my VHO lights. I have four bulbs to install.

General Updates - Critter Added

I wanted to get an idea of how much ammonia I have in the tank so I added one of my mini brittle starfish Sunday. So far it is doing well. I am going to get the ammonia levels tested later this week when my test kit arrives.

Mini Brittle Starfish

General Updates - Top Off Reservoir Plumbed

I decided to plumb the top off reservoir tonight as well. I am using a Maxi-jet 900 as my pump. I have things temporarily in place right now. I will do the final gluing once I have everything where I want them. The JBJ ATO unit will control the pump. It only has one sensor but came with the tank when I purchased it.

Top Off Reservoir - Front


Top Off Reservoir - Top


Top Off Reservoir - Plumbing


JBJ ATO Unit

[nightOwl]

General Updates - Tank Shots

I took a few shots of the tank tonight things look like they are coming along nicely. I am starting to see some fuzz on the rocks. I added 20 lbs of live sand last Saturday before leaving town and may add some more this week.

Full Tank


Left


Center


Right


Close Up - Right




Close Up - Left

[SaltwaterAdict]

Great looking tank! I love the minimal aquascape helps open things up.

Check out my build thread if you get a chance.

[nightOwl]

Originally Posted by SaltwaterAdict

Great looking tank! I love the minimal aquascape helps open things up.

Check out my build thread if you get a chance.

SaltwaterAdict,
Thanks for the complements on the aquascaping. I tried to go with a less is more approach this time around. My last few tanks have been packed with rock and it left no room for the corals to grow or the fish to swim. In my current set up the rock does not touch any of the sides so that the fish have lots of swimming room and I can hide equipment in the tank if need be. I already have started thinking about how the different corals will grow and where I will have my caps located so they do not shade my corals. Hopefully as things start to grow in I can hide the Tunze pumps better. The one on the right side of the tank is hardly visible when viewing the tank straight on. The one on the left I need some corals to grow once things are safe...lol.

I checked out your thread and I see you are coming along nicely. Your pictures of Hawaii were amazing. Makes me want another trip to the Caribbean before the end of the year.