simple 156 reef build

[Hop]

I've got the email started out... Dr. Mrs. CRVZ....... And i'm in Colorado...

I just need her email addy

[Pbrown3701]

Looks excellent Chris! Nice job

[Zestay]

read your whole thread. amazing. i love your DSLR pics.!!!

[crvz]

Originally posted by Hop
I've got the email started out... Dr. Mrs. CRVZ....... And i'm in Colorado...

I just need her email addy

mrscrvz@nicetry.com



Thanks, Pete! I'm quite pleased with the look myself. And Zestay, I'm glad you enjoye the thread!

[Hop]

[FishTruck]

Originally posted by Pbrown3701
Hey CV - so my wife really likes triggers but I've always been hesitant to add one. I've researched the niger trigger and most say they're pretty reef safe. However, i'm concerned about a large clam i have (and the various snails and hermits). Do you have a problem with yours "sampling" things? Do you have any clams?

I had a niger trigger in a predator tank back in 1985. Also, had some hermits which disappeared after a few months. So... I brought home the biggest, ugliest, meanest looking anemonae crab that I figured could handle himself. The shell on this thing was like a softball, and, it had three nastly looking anenomaes on its back, which, naturally, died and rotted. (this was the undergravel days). The trigger would pick at him during the day, but, he just got in his shell and seemed o.k. (minus an occasional antennae here and there).

The funny part was that after about two weeks of this, the crab got fed up and started going after the trigger at night. I would wake up to hear the tigger gnashing his teeth while he was tucked into a piece of rock, and, the crab was grabbing at him with his claws. At night, the trigger was unable / unwilling to come out of his roost to kick the crab's @@s. Funny, because the crab had much easier targets at night if it was just looking for food.

Finally, I gave up and sent the crab back to the pet store.

Anyway, I would add a trigger only with caution and close supervisoin.

Ryan.

[crvz]

Cripes, it's been a while since I've updated. You all deserve a full tank shot. click it for a bigger version.



Quite a few little odds and ends have taken place. I pulled the 3000K bulb and replaced it with an actinic... I didnt like the red hue it put on the tank (the above picture shows the new bulbs setup). My pH is low, or my probes need to be replaced. I think it's both, and I'll be working on that in the coming weeks (I recalibrated my pH probe for the effluent, and it was over 0.3 off). I have to recalibrate the reactor and watch my alk, as it's been dropping pretty low (was at 6.4 dkh yesterday).

I added a few frags a number of weeks back, including a good sized piece of rainbow monti and some zoas that I liked. Examples.



Other than that, the tank has been doing pretty well. I hope it continues! I'm keeping up the maintenance, so as long as I designed the system well it should do alright. Coming up I hope to build a new sump and may add a frag prop section to it, but I've got to figure out lighting before that succeeds. Anyways, let me know what you think!

[crvz]

I've got a few pictures that I liked over the past couple days, I thought I'd share. Let me know what you think!!

[melev]

I can't believe I never made the mental connection that you are in Houston. Sometimes usernames are just people I know on the internet.

[crvz]

Originally posted by melev
I can't believe I never made the mental connection that you are in Houston. Sometimes usernames are just people I know on the internet.

Yep, just right down the street! Well, a couple hundred miles, but it is just off I-45.

[crvz]

I built a new sump... this one is about a foot longer. Here is the old one as I pulled it out... and the new one as it went in. The other difference is that the water flows into the skimmer, then to the middle section (maybe for frags), and then to the return. Not everything is fired up yet, but we're almost at 100%. Still have to finish up the auto top-off and a few other things (you know, clean up the floor around the tank!).

[WinnipegDragon]

Nice looking sump. How many gallons?

[crvz]

Originally posted by WinnipegDragon
Nice looking sump. How many gallons?

Total capacity is just over 65 gallons, but in operation it runs with 36 gallons.

The main reason I rebuilt it was to put the refugium between the skimmer and return. This gives a place for detritus to settle by providing a good sized footprint that water gentle passes through.

And while I won't really use it as a refugium, I now have a 16 gallon partition of the sump with nothing in it. The footprint is about 16x18 and about 10" deep, and I'm hoping to eventually use it for frags. BUT, first I have to figure out a way to vent the stand a little (nothing drastic, I'm thinking a computer fan will do), and then I've got to get my hands on a light. I'm thinking of just running a 150W MH, but I'm a little torn as the cost seems to be the same as a 250W MH, and I'd hate to buy something that's so tailored to this application. However I think a 250W setup would just be way too much.

Thoughts?

[WinnipegDragon]

I'm not sure what the shortest length of T5 would be (24"?) but with only 10 inches of water, you really wouldn't need MH... You might even get away with CF in that shallow a depth.

[crvz]

Originally posted by WinnipegDragon
I'm not sure what the shortest length of T5 would be (24"?) but with only 10 inches of water, you really wouldn't need MH... You might even get away with CF in that shallow a depth.

You're probably right, but I want to make sure I have enough. The bulb(s) would be about 10" above the water at least. Due to the size, I was considering one of the Reef Optix 3 reflectors with an Icecap ballast, but honestly I know nothing about MH products. I'll be doing some research over the next month or two, but I'm definitely open to suggestions.

[Silverfin]

Nice tank setup! I do have a ? though.....why do would you like to get rid of your fox face?

[crvz]

Originally posted by Silverfin
Nice tank setup! I do have a ? though.....why do would you like to get rid of your fox face?

It poops a lot! But honestly, it's a great fish and I see myself keeping it around. I'm currently more inclined to get rid of the pair of triggers and replace them with a pair of blackspot angels (Genicanthus melanospilos). We'll see, I'd have to catch them first.

[crvz]

Some pictures from the last week or so.

[Pbrown3701]

beautiful pics. Got to get me one of those lenses...

[crvz]

Originally posted by Pbrown3701
beautiful pics. Got to get me one of those lenses...

Thank PB. It's quite entertaining taking pictures with the camera. Hows your tank doing?

[Pbrown3701]

Well, not so good as of late. My city water has gone from bad to worse causing me to forego RO in favor of Kati/Ani. Well, that didn't turn out so well (filter leaked and now i'm without water for 2 weeks...). Meanwhile, my recirc pump on my skimmer took a dump and the tank was without for a couple of weeks. Algae has bloomed and I'm in the process of trying to fight that. Hopefully, it's on the way down now.

[Fun $ Pit]

Just read through this thread - Spectacular work!

Bootiful pics!

[Pbrown3701]

oh, and plus, my son Jordan was born on the 22nd, so it's been hard to find the time for the tank (especially for manual water changes...)

[crvz]

Originally posted by Pbrown3701
oh, and plus, my son Jordan was born on the 22nd, so it's been hard to find the time for the tank (especially for manual water changes...)

Hey, congrats!! You'll have to email me some pictures. Good luck with the tank... I'm sure it's hitting the low spot on priorities right now.

[crvz]

Originally posted by Fun $ Pit
Just read through this thread - Spectacular work!

Bootiful pics!

And thanks, Fun $ Pit! Do you have any links to your setup? I'd like to see it!