265 Gal Build/Update 5/6/11

Hurry up and post the pics Audra!!!

 

Long story short the store ordered the wrong plug and Joey had to make a long side trip to get the right plug. So we got our lights much later than expected. They are amazing!! I have quite a few pictures that I will post tomorrow when I have time. We spent quite a long time putting our corals into place and are still not finished. I took a quick video of the tank so everyone could see the new lights! It's not high quality because I shot it with my phone. Enjoy!

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00PO_xl_djg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

Do you think the lobster needs a buddy? I wouldn't mind having two. He is probably one of the new additions that i am most excited about. He isn't shy at all... I love watching explore the aquascape. He is a blue spiny lobster - very similar in appearance to the lobsters that we have here off the coast of California except for the awesome blue and white colors.

 

Here are some photos showing the framework of the canopy and how I mounted the Lumen Brights. I read that they should be hung pretty high... After the corals adjust, I might move them down a few inches before I do the finish work on the canopy. The frag rack is now gone.

 

So final lighting setup:
3x 250w Phoenix 14k's housed in Lumen Bright mini DE pendants and powered by Galaxy ballasts. Thanks to Dingo for giving me some suggestions when I was trying to figure out my lighting scheme.

 

The tank looks wonderful. Yeaaaa Jack Johnson, nice music choice. I like the scape.

No I think one lobster is a better way to go, but I have no clue how they do with other lobsters, though.

 

Thanks Corailline! What do you recommend as far as dosing goes? I would love for my corals to look and grow like yours.

 

I am a fan of Parts A/B (basically 2 parts) and addition of magnesium when appropriate. I tend to keep my magnesium a little higher around 1450-1500, just because I see less algae growth at the upper ends.

With that size of tank I think you want to looks at Bulk Supply for the products and a dosing pump, if not perhaps consider a Calcium reactor.

That lighting systems is going to go along way in assisting the corals. It sure is nice, and Phoenix bulbs are the bomb IMO.

 

Here are the pics! I'm going to try and use photo bucket so I can post them all at once. All of the acro's, clam's, and montipora are ORA. Very excited to see these grow!



















The puddy we're using to hold our frag's in place.

 

I'll take another fts later once we get everything in it's place.