Update: 36 Gallon Bow Front Reef Tank Project

I gotta tell you, you did a freakin awsome job on everything you did, great looking tank and build over all.

 

Week 5 Update!

So far all is very good with my tank! I have had my metal halide (along with actinics) going for 2 weeks now, and no algae out break of any kind (that my turbo snails cant handle), water parameters have stayed very consistent, and I have started to slowly stock that tank.

I have added 5 different coral frags. I get all of my live stock from the Seahorse in Portland, OR. In my opinion they have been very generous with the size of frags they have given me! All have cost between $5 & $10!!! They also have a website, hasn't been updated in a while, but a lot of useful info (at least for me)!

SeaHorse Aquarium Supply

Branching Hammer Head (about 3" in diameter when fully open):


Diskcom (spelling?) Mushroom:

(I have been moving him around a lot trying to find a low flow spot in the tank he likes, he only opens up about 3/4 way).

Xenia: It has nearly doubled in size since I got it (2 weeks ago). It has split into 2 different stalks, and getting ready to split into 4. It blows my mind!




(Notice how the stalks have FULLY attached them selves to the rock they are on! All I did was wedge the first stalk I bought into a crack in the rock, then it quickly attached it self to the rock and split!)

Zoathids:
Does anyone know the names of these ones?

(It also has started to open yelow w/green center heads on the back side of the rock they are growing on. When full open I counted 54 heads between the red/blue & yellow/green heads! Not bad for $10!!!)

Lunar Eclipse:

(7 total heads when fully open)

Star Polyp:

(Also notice the neon green sponge growing below the star polyp where the 2 rocks meet, the star polyp is also spreading nicely onto both rocks)

I put my first 2 fish in last night, a pair of True Percula Clowns! I have had them in quarantine for 3 weeks now, and no signs of ick or any other parasites! They seem very healthy and active, and eat like piranhas when I feed them (every other day).









If you look VERY closely at some of my rocks (specifically the center one that the mushroom is on) you can see bunches of tiny purple dots forming!!!! These rocks had absolutely zero visible coraline on them when I got them.

 

wwooaah just saw this looks really nice!

 

Thanks, Nemo! :2thumbsup

My birthday is on Tuesday (24th), Im thinking about buying a birthday coral! Any recommendations? I have red and green now, I would like to get something in a different color..

 

Update: I started skimming 2 days ago with my modded AcuaC Remora. I basically modded the standard Remora into an Urchin so I can run it insump. It is a temporary skimmer, I plan on upgrading to a Octopus soon.

Installed in sump:


Foam column:


First cup full:


What its spitting out now:


Does this look about right for an AcuaC? I was hopping for a bit darker/dryer gunk. Right now I am getting 2 cup fulls of the above every 24 hours.

For fun, I might design/build a new collection cup with a much wider and tall tube, then over pump the skimmer with a Rio1400. (for fun prior to getting the octopus!)

 

you did a great job on the tank, did you get any birthday coral

 

Yes, I got a medium sized toadstool, medium sized green acro, & a matting form of Xenia (forget what its called).

So far everything is doing good. Im not too sure if I like the looks of the toadstool though. Its kind of bland to me, not a lot of color.

I will post pics shortly.

 

Awesome looking tank....

 

Sweet build job. Kudos.. Any new pics?