Hop's 125 Gallon Nanotank(Not a build-log)

[Hop]

So you may or may not have read that due to life changes, I had to tear down my 450 gallon system until finances allow the reconstruction and overall betterment, ease of maintenance and better equipment can be obtained

So in the mean time, everything was transferred over to my in-wall 125 that was a planted tank for the last four(ish) years... This is not a build log, just a place to show some pics and ask some questions

So here are two full tank shots taken today of the tank that was put together yesterday. They are stitched together and taken under time constraints, so these are the best quality I could do for today!



So thanks to those the helped with the 450 build and I hope this tank isn't to mellow to others... The big tank will be up gain, hopefully by spring of '08...

[agarza]

Following you from the Addiction wins... thread.
Your "nano" 125 is stil 35 gallons larger than mine, tagging along

[jnarowe]

nice transition. Glad to see it up and running smoothly.

[Hop]

agarza: Thanks for the support. I'm betting that you have more water volume There is a lot of rock in there I'm guessing that there is only about 90 gallons between the tank, sump and soon to be fuge.

jnarowe: Thanks, but I still have work to do. I'm expecting trouble here where I start tucking wires and plumbing the fuge in

[yoboyjdizz]

Looks good, atleast you have something to keep you busy until your ready to give the 450 a go again!

[Hop]

Oh and quick details:
125 gallon AGA w/ lifereef overflow
20 gallon sump
4 gallon bucket for a fuge
Currently have a 48" 4X65watt Coralife fixture on it
Running 2 MJ 1200 on wave timer
1 Hagen 290 gph PH
Sedra 7000 for return, slightly throttled back

Whole thing heated, cooled and timed by an AC Jr

Soon to be upgrades for the 125...

4 VHO and 1 metal hallide
Better fuge light
MJmods kits

And that's about it

[Hop]

I forgot to add that I am currently skimmerless... I worked out a trade for a ER 8-1 or something like that. 8" body, 20" tall with a gen-x modded Sedra 5000 or something like that. I should have the trade done this weekend or next. Until then it's waterchanges and chaeto!

Otherwise I was going to punch a couple holes in the wall and run my 48" custom GEO in the garage It's just a hair too loud to run in the livingroom!

[pito]

How's the naso likeing the 125?

[Bax]

Hey Hop welcome the the 120's league!

Looks great so far!

[jnarowe]

I would just try to keep the Geo online if possible. That would really keep your water pristine and give you the capability to slowly aquire SPS so when you are ready for the big tank again, you will have some really nice livestock.

[Hop]

pito: Have not heard him complain yet I think he knows that he has to live in an apartment until his new house is done! He is actually smaller than my foxface now, I'm not sure how that happened. He is about 6" total length, so he should fit OK for a year...

Bax: Thanks! So far, nothing to complain or brag about

jnarowe: I almost think the GEO would be too much. In the event of a power outage alone, that skimmer looses over seven gallons (the 125 looses 5 and I have seven in my sump to avoid a flood ) in the sump. I think the Euro reef that I should have within the next week will be adequate. The old ER number makes it a CS8-1. I'm not sure about SPS in this tank, we'll see how Sidney works the vermetids. Ideally it would be nice to get some nice pieces growing so I have some stuff over 12" in diameter to add back to the big tank when the time come

On a side note, the blue LED moon lights pull some exciting colors out of the corals Here is one, but the green color is just not as intense in the photo...

[Hop]

Got some more stuff done on the tank today. Took the afternoon and relaxed. Wound up snapping a few pics that were not too bad. Still learning

[jnarowe]

wow, that last pic is simply stunning.

[Hop]

Thanks jnarowe! For some reason when I use my picture resizer, the pics are loosing their sharpness. Which is odd, since I'm shrinking them and not making them bigger Maybe I need to find a better way to resize my pics

Here are a couple more... The one I just thought was cool that the Naso swam behind it right when I snapped the pic

[melev]

Yep, excellent shots.

[agarza]

Nice shots, everything´s looking ok

[Hop]

Thanks guys! It's kind of fun shooting a newly set up tank. Kind of a mini-home adventure Now, time to go read up in the photography section!

Last two from yesterday:

[jnarowe]

it depends on what macro mode you are using..ask Marc about it, but I believe if you are using an electronically enhanced macro, you may lose detail even when shrinking pics.

[melev]

If you are cropping in Photoshop, it is best to crop the original in a way that it won't enlarge what is left. It should merely crop away the excess, but not distort the subject.

[jnarowe]

good point, and there may be a depth of field issue as well. Looks to me like in every shot there is some portion that is very well focused and then other parts at a different depth that are out of focus.

[Hop]

Yeah, I'm not sure. Maybe I should invest in a better program I'm just using the windows utility for resizing. The other programs that came with the canon seem to suit me fine in regards to minor adjustments

J: The DOF I'm just starting to play with. For the most part I've been using the PHD (push here dummy) settings I still have so much to learn, but figured 5000 snaps with the dummy settings would be a good start before beginning the manual setting phases

[jnarowe]

yeah well, with the purchase of a generator I am afraid I can only be jealous as I don't think it would be prudent to drop $1,500 on a real camera right now...And Nikon is having such a good promotion!

[Hop]

$1500... WOW. With the pre-Christmas deal on cameras, I didn't spend half that (I mean santa didn't)with a two lenses and all the goodies I still need to pick up a good macro lenses, but I'm in no hurry... I need to fill the tank with things worth taking pictures of first

The funny thing... Or maybe not so funny is that I got a huge raise today and wouldn't have had to take the tank down to take care of my life issues and helping family out after dad's passing But oh well, such is life. I don't feel guilty now sitting here planning out the reconstruction of the tank I've got all the ventilation and sealing issues solved and planned out and now I'm researching lights and flow Next will be the complete revamp of the wetroom (including ventilation, sealing and layout) and then filtration, Ca reactors etc I really want to put a year into the planning and implementation of the next tank.

[jnarowe]

strange the way life's turns hit us just a few days late!

As far as the camera goes, I really want to get the Nikon D80 with a top-line macro...that's why it costs so much. The reason for that is I already have an N50 with a bunch of accessories that I could use with the D80. I bought the N50 the year before DSLRs took off of course. The thing is useless now and I bet I couldn't even sell it on eBay. You got a Canon XTR right?

[jasert39]

any chance you could snap a shot of your sump and fuge...intrested in the plumbing to the 4 gallon bucket.