Progress pics of my 90g AGA bare bottom

[xenon]

It's going to be that much funnier if he was serious.

[MR PALM BEACH]

Some of the most successful reef tanks are bare bottom, dont what these clowns are getting at. Dont knock it if you havent tried it. Personally Iv had barebottom tanks and truthfully there alot easier on maintance and look better IMO.

[AzaZeL]

I'm amazed by your tank build. I am getting ready to do a 90 and will definitely be using some of your ideas/methods. Good info and beautiful tank!!

-Az

[crázy clowntang]

i agree that a bare bottom tank looks good but everywhere you read experts say that live sand and live rock a essential part of keeping bad nitrates to a minmum in a tank. Now I know xenon has a good looking tank, but i would like for him to tell us what his nitrate readings are because it seems to me that the live rock is not enough for denitrification. I have a 95 aga wave front and will start it up soon, and would like to make it bare botom but i would really like to know the secrets of making it successfull with out live sand.

[AzaZeL]

Hey, what did you use to put together your PVC? Did you use regular PVC glue?

-Az

[hulley]

Originally posted by crázy clowntang
i agree that a bare bottom tank looks good but everywhere you read experts say that live sand and live rock a essential part of keeping bad nitrates to a minmum in a tank. Now I know xenon has a good looking tank, but i would like for him to tell us what his nitrate readings are because it seems to me that the live rock is not enough for denitrification. I have a 95 aga wave front and will start it up soon, and would like to make it bare botom but i would really like to know the secrets of making it successfull with out live sand.

I've been keeping a BB tank for 1.5 yrs and have never had a nitrate issue. All you really need is rock. Sand actually is a nutrient sink and can/will eventually overload itself and crash. Thats one of the many reasons most of "us" go to the dark side, er barebottom!!! Sorry for the hijack Xenon.

[joekr]

I think one of the secrets of bare bottom is flow. Lots of flow. My old 65 was bare bottom and had about 30x the turnover and never a nitrate problem.

My new 90 has between 30-40 times the flow and only trace amounts of nitrates..I'm sure others will give their opinions.

[SABOB]

I love your tank,you really did things well.I thought both the Sun Coral and the Chili Coral did not open up under direct lights.How did you get yours to open so well under your lighting conditions?

[pjpeels]

How is your pod population holding up? Did not know if you added that Mandarin.
More of a BB question but here goes. What is your feeding schedule like? Isn't one of the great things about BB that you can feed a lot because it will either be consumed or pulled out rather quickly?
Does a lot of feeding help keep that pod pop up, or do you think that it was up because it was a new setup that had some nutrients to spare?
What do they feed on?
Will continue my posts in the pod growing forum if there is such a place.
Don't want to take away from your thread with a lengthy discussion.
Thanks for the update

[xenon]

My nitrates are usually around 5 and spike to 10 when its time for a water change. I change 20g every week.

My pod population seems stable and yes I did add a Mandarin. He has gotten fatter since I got him so all is well.

I feed 1 full cube of frozen mysis daily and my two tangs and trigger eat 1 full sheet (9" x 7") of noori. I also dose 10ml of DT's phyto 2x per week.

I skim wet and wish I would have gone with a bigger skimmer.

Live and learn

[xenon]

Here is another update.

I sold my Coralife Aqualight Pro and replaced it with the limited edition tek light by sunlight supply. It's the 48" version with 6x54w T5's.

I also added 20lb of hatian liverock to tie it all together.










Before with Coralife Aqualight Pro 2x150w, 2x96w actinics.


After with 48" Limited Edition Tek light 6x54w T5


Here is a list of the exaxt T5 bulbs from front to back.

Front
====
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Super Actinic
GE 3000K
GE 6500K
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus
====
Back

[xenon]

Here are some closeups of my new liverock.

[drummereef]

So I take it you are happy with your purchace....? I sure would be. Looks like it gives the tank a lot more coverage. Awesome.

[fish 511]

Looks really good. Thse T5s distribute the light much better! New LR looks good also. So about how much total LR do you have now??

[xenon]

Originally posted by fish 511
Looks really good. Thse T5s distribute the light much better! New LR looks good also. So about how much total LR do you have now??

Thanks, I am very happy with the light so far.

I added 20lb of LR so I am at 120lb total now.

[xenon]

Here is an off topic bonus pic. Her name is Jersey and she is a pure bread 6month old Great Dane puppy that we recently purchased from a local breeder.

[khoivo1]

very nice tank...did you glue the rock like that or some kind of special mod ,,,it s look cool...where did you get lr from?? thank

[xenon]

Originally posted by khoivo1
very nice tank...did you glue the rock like that or some kind of special mod ,,,it s look cool...where did you get lr from?? thank

Some pieces were glued with AquaStik epoxy putty. All my live rock was purchased locally and 100% of the LR is hatian.

[zma21]

Looks like that light source really brightened up your tank. I'm surprised that it's doing better than your MH.

[pjpeels]

Got to love those T5s. Clean looking fixture. I switched my actinics to a T5 Tek Retro kit with 2x54watt ATI Blue Plus bulbs. Been running that setup with 2x 250watt 6500K Iwasakis MHs for about three years and its great.
Would like to mount the T5s closer to the water in my next hood design though. I have them at the same height as the MHs right now.

[xenon]

Originally posted by zma21
Looks like that light source really brightened up your tank. I'm surprised that it's doing better than your MH.

Most people dont realise T5's can be just as good as MH.

[mrbncal]

do you notice any real difference in the way the lights affect the water temp? Was temp a factor in why you changed from MH to t-5?
If you discussed this earlier in the thread , sorry I just jumped in at page nine.

[xenon]

Originally posted by mrbncal
do you notice any real difference in the way the lights affect the water temp? Was temp a factor in why you changed from MH to t-5?
If you discussed this earlier in the thread , sorry I just jumped in at page nine.

Yes this was the #1 reason I switched to T5's. I have an inwall tank but the tank is actually in my office closet. I run an air exhanger but its not enough to keep temps down.

I removed all my fans and temps are stable.

Tomorrow should be a good test because its going to be degrees Fahrenheit outside.

[drummereef]

Beautiful puppy you got xenon! Scary how big Great Dane pups are. That doggy is going to be huge.

[xenon]

Originally posted by drummereef
Beautiful puppy you got xenon! Scary how big Great Dane pups are. That doggy is going to be huge.

Yeah, she does not look like a puppy but she is only 1/3 of her adult size.

I can't wait till she is full grown!!