Not a typical doctor's waiting room... 450 gallon reef - Page 15

gkarshens · #**351** 05/04/2007, 08:29 AM

Looking good!

One question, though. What is this big fish in the cave?

cbui2 · #**352** 05/04/2007, 10:42 AM

fish is having dinner seems like it.

ok great updates and cabinets look awesome. also are you having any heating issue since ac been installed and long MH & VHO's on. those look like lumenarc III reflector and what bulb type are you using?

bwest · #**353** 05/04/2007, 01:23 PM

Looking great, I enjoyed going through all 15 pages so far. Can't wait to see it as it progresses.

Bax · #**354** 05/04/2007, 07:10 PM

Cabinets look sweet! Very nice!!!

Sarcophyton874 · #**355** 05/04/2007, 08:53 PM

Incredible and professional set up. The only mistake I saw in this thread was when you posted the pick of the rock in the "RX7" (pg.8). It's actually an Acura RSX. Sorry I couldn't let it go being the car guy that I am

.

P.S. That Deltec is ridiculous and that's probably where your gobies went

.

thedude15810 · #**356** 05/04/2007, 09:46 PM

Sarco,

Good call and that's exactly what it is. I didn't even catch my own mistake.

martinphillip03 · #**357** 07/04/2007, 12:47 PM

Two months, any chance for an update?

Marty

thedude15810 · #**358** 07/05/2007, 11:30 AM

Marty and everyone else,

There is definitely a chance for an update and I apologize for neglecting this thread for so long.

The tank is doing great and has an almost complete stocking of fish. I'd list the fish for ya'll but quite frankly, I can't remember all of them off the top of my head. I'll have to write them down when I take pictures

About a month ago we had another "incident" where the A/C unit was supposed to be turned off on the weekend for maintenance. The shutoff was supposed to occur on Sunday morning and I was to be notified if it took longer than 6 hours.

I get a call at 6 pm Saturday that the A/C was just turned back on and had been off for approximately 12 hours. I immediately feared the worst but luckily the reefkeeper's safeguards kicked in and all we lost were another 100 or so snails. Made for a nice little algae cycle but after about 200 gallons of fresh saltwater, that seems to have died down.

We've also stocked quite a few corals into the tank and are getting incredible growth with the Deltec CA Rx. One thing to mention is that if you ever put a magnesium media in your reactor (dolomite) it has a lower dissolving point than the calcium media.

Question for anyone following the thread... With a heavily fish stocked tank, do you think the addition of pappone would help the tank or introduce even more nutrients?

Thanks again for your patience and I'll get some pictures and specifics soon.

John

asnatlas · #**359** 07/05/2007, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by thedude15810
One thing to mention is that if you ever put a magnesium media in your reactor (dolomite) it has a lower dissolving point than the calcium media.

If you don't mind me asking where did you get your dolomite from ??

jnarowe · #**360** 07/05/2007, 11:56 AM

I wouldn't get into the papone until you have really worked with this tank for quite a while. papone can cause issues and if you don't know the system really well, you may not be able to react to those issues correctly.

Serioussnaps · #**361** 07/05/2007, 02:04 PM

First, let me compliment you guys on this seamless set up...I love that controller box! I mainly wanted to chime in on the pappone. Pappone, being nutrient loaded and more so than most any other frozen food can cause nutrient issues. Just reading, and no offense, I thought you already have been rushing things on adding fish, but I would seriously consider not touching pappone for a while. IMHO I would wait a year or so before even tinkering and allow this great setup some time to mature. This of course is just me, but I think it is the prudent thing to do and I dont think you will see much in the way of benefits anyways. Risk/consequence greatly outweighs the possible benefits...enough on that. Now where are the pics?

Quote:

Originally posted by thedude15810
Marty and everyone else,

There is definitely a chance for an update and I apologize for neglecting this thread for so long.

The tank is doing great and has an almost complete stocking of fish. I'd list the fish for ya'll but quite frankly, I can't remember all of them off the top of my head. I'll have to write them down when I take pictures

About a month ago we had another "incident" where the A/C unit was supposed to be turned off on the weekend for maintenance. The shutoff was supposed to occur on Sunday morning and I was to be notified if it took longer than 6 hours.

I get a call at 6 pm Saturday that the A/C was just turned back on and had been off for approximately 12 hours. I immediately feared the worst but luckily the reefkeeper's safeguards kicked in and all we lost were another 100 or so snails. Made for a nice little algae cycle but after about 200 gallons of fresh saltwater, that seems to have died down.

We've also stocked quite a few corals into the tank and are getting incredible growth with the Deltec CA Rx. One thing to mention is that if you ever put a magnesium media in your reactor (dolomite) it has a lower dissolving point than the calcium media.

Question for anyone following the thread... With a heavily fish stocked tank, do you think the addition of pappone would help the tank or introduce even more nutrients?

Thanks again for your patience and I'll get some pictures and specifics soon.

John

thedude15810 · #**362** 07/05/2007, 02:34 PM

Thanks guys for confirming what I was thinking. Eventually, I would like to dabble in some type of bacteria/coral feeding method but like ya'll, think that I have some time to wait haha

Serioussnaps,

Thanks also for honest about how fast you thought we stocked the tank because I would agree with you. With setups in commercial areas (especially commercial ares where the office is open the next day) you need to provide results fast. The fastest way to make a client happy is to introduce a great fish.

Not saying that Mike and his office are hard to please, but this tank was supposed to have a month to cycle before the office doors even opened. So far, the tank and equipment have responded great under pressure and hopefully with time, things will get even better.

Serioussnaps · #**363** 07/06/2007, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by thedude15810
Thanks guys for confirming what I was thinking. Eventually, I would like to dabble in some type of bacteria/coral feeding method but like ya'll, think that I have some time to wait haha

Serioussnaps,

Thanks also for honest about how fast you thought we stocked the tank because I would agree with you. With setups in commercial areas (especially commercial ares where the office is open the next day) you need to provide results fast. The fastest way to make a client happy is to introduce a great fish.

Not saying that Mike and his office are ard to please, but this tank was supposed to have a month to cycle before the office doors even opened. So far, the tank and equipment have responded great under pressure and hopefully with time, things will get even better.

:

I have been looking for this thread for about 15 minutes....glad I found it. I thought after I posted I may have come off harsh and if so please allow me to apologize. I should have reserved my honesty for a post that wasnt my first in this thread! Your candidness is obviously IMHO one of your strong points as well. I hear ya on the instant gratification......visitors dont want to see a box of rocks, then again neither do I. Also, I will commend you on doing so in such a well designed and equipped system....gotta look on the bright side there are people dropping that in 30 gallons the day they set it up ya know?

Ill be tagging along with your thread as that is the closest I am going to get to a monster like this for at least 3 years! Maybe when I visit my buddy in Austin in the next year or so I can drop buy and check your facility(s) out.

GMFett · #**364** 07/06/2007, 01:36 PM

UPDATE:

So, I was lucky enough to see this tank last week....and WOW! Talk about coming a long way in a hurry! The fish stock is gorgeous and the corals in there are colored up amazing. Great job guys! Can't wait to see the rimless 200!!!!

-Marcus

Dudester · #**365** 07/06/2007, 05:21 PM

Hey Marcus, thanks for your nice comments on the tank. As far as the rimless goes, the opportunity for seeing it is closer than you think ... we may be needing your help getting it into my house this weekend!

fishypets · #**366** 07/08/2007, 11:03 AM

Thanks again Mike for allowing me too see your amazing tank this weekend. The color on your sps amaze me!

fishypets · #**367** 07/08/2007, 11:03 AM

Thanks again Mike for allowing me too see your amazing tank this weekend. The color on your sps amaze me!

thedude15810 · #**368** 07/09/2007, 11:12 AM

Thanks Clint!

Here are pictures from Saturday, I'll work on some sort of stocking list up to this point this evening.

Top View:

Rhomboid Wrasse

Fish Congregation at Tank End

Door Side

thedude15810 · #**369** 07/09/2007, 11:13 AM

Looking Towards Surface:

Corner Shot

Window Side

Superman:

thedude15810 · #**370** 07/09/2007, 11:15 AM

Bluethroat Lair/ New Aussie Scolymia:

Clam Corner/ Watermelon

NOG!!!!!!!!!!

jnarowe · #**371** 07/09/2007, 11:28 AM

those clams are monsters! Love the bluethroat...any issues? Is the rhomboid begging yet? Mine is always front and center when I view my tank.

and that fan cracks me up...I see those on so many tanks I bought one for myself!

thedude15810 · #**372** 07/09/2007, 12:06 PM

Yeah something in the tank is definitelty a clam killer. We've gone through 4 gorgeous and acclimated croceas to watch them get picked off, one by one. One of those gigas (there is also a derasa in the picture) is having some kind of issue with his frontside.

No issues at all with the bluethroat. My favorite fish that isn't a wrasse for a reef tank and the sargassum and crosshatch are equally as beautiful.

And yes the rhomboid is front and center like a little dog begging for food. I cannot wait for him to take on his adult coloring!

cbui2 · #**373** 07/09/2007, 01:20 PM

very nice, i still debating adding the blue throat. your superman looks nice with the polyps already out, my friend gave me one about 4" x 5" where the colors are great. how big is the naso looks 5-6" ?

thedude15810 · #**374** 07/09/2007, 01:40 PM

We just got a sargassum trigger (X. ringens) in the store and I would go for one of those if I were you Bart. Little bit different and still a beautiful fish.

The naso is about 6" and not nearly as beautiful as the one that was killed during the first a/c outtage. Hopefully, he gets more and more beautiful with time.

The superman is gorgeous in person and has grown 1/2-3/4" around the entire coral. I epoxied it in place with the purple Deltec putty and it has entirely covered the putty base.

nss9400 · #**375** 07/09/2007, 02:33 PM

looks awsome!