BLINDSIDES SOLANA CURRENT PICS [Archive]

blindside

Fri, 2nd Jan 2009, 02:32 PM

i have had this tank only for about a week. brand new set up. I really like the look of this tank. i have a 150 watt sunpodmh over the tank but thinking of upgrading to the 250 watt sunpod or a 250 mh with actinics. anyway there is nothing in the tank but a few hermits that i juat added, and some turbo snails for future algae problems. i dont turn on my lights at all, i feel there is no need for them to be on when the tank has nothing in it and going strong on its cycle. and i would rather avoid algae growth. After reading the bonsai tree forum from crazy4acros on reefcentral, i really loved the way he worked all of his rock together, also studying mattnanos thread on his solana, they did a really nice job. i would like to have something like this done to my rock. i tried with about half inch acrylic but it didnt turn out the way i expected due to weak and short acrylic. i have one acrylic rod that i have shaped, but i do not have the right drill bit, as this is a pretty thick rod at about an inch thick. if anyone can drill my rock with this size drill bit that would be great! i also likes medicoles arch with his acrylic work. nice job. after failing i just threw all the rock in there still on the weak acrylic rods. ita not shaped to how i want it. but i will try again once i can get my rock drilled to the right size i need. anyway, here are some pictures. enjoy!
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/2009007.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/2009008.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/2009009.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/2009010.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/2009011.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/2009012.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/2009013.jpg

cpreefguy

Fri, 2nd Jan 2009, 03:11 PM

Nice!
Fixed the pics for you too.

swjim

Fri, 2nd Jan 2009, 03:12 PM

It looks nice! What do you plan to keep in it?

blindside

Fri, 2nd Jan 2009, 03:20 PM

Ha, thanks for the pix fix. I have no idea how to work that thing. I plan on keeping sps dominant nano. A clam and some ricordia and zoas on the sand bed. Any ideas of what to keep? I need to get my aquascape right though! Its really bugging me right now. Ha

prof

Fri, 2nd Jan 2009, 05:34 PM

Lookin' good! Can't wait to see it progress.

It was nice to meet you yesterday.

blindside

Fri, 2nd Jan 2009, 06:22 PM

Anybody have any cool ideas?

DrMark

Fri, 2nd Jan 2009, 06:37 PM

Looks like you got plenty of flow:bigsmile:

blindside

Fri, 2nd Jan 2009, 07:22 PM

Ha, yeah I sure hope I do

lhoy

Fri, 2nd Jan 2009, 07:54 PM

I have a drill bit that I used for that very purpose and live in Georgetown and have a Solana, I will be back in town on January 9th. I am heading to New York City right now via Appomattox!

blindside

Fri, 2nd Jan 2009, 08:29 PM

Perfect, maybe we can get together when you return, and we can work on my aquascape? Let me know! That would be great

lhoy

Fri, 2nd Jan 2009, 08:44 PM

I would love to help out, will give you a shout when I return. If you search on "acrylic rod" you should find where I drilled my live rock to make towers back when I had the 225 gallon tank. The thread was lhoy's 225 Gallon Tank or something like that.

Lee

blindside

Fri, 2nd Jan 2009, 09:01 PM

Sounds great! Ill be waiting for your return. Thank you lee

Dee

Fri, 2nd Jan 2009, 09:24 PM

That's going to be sweet blindside!!!!

Dena

BioCube14

Fri, 2nd Jan 2009, 09:29 PM

great looking tank! cant wait to see more pics.

blindside

Fri, 2nd Jan 2009, 09:37 PM

Tank is coming out nice. My plan is to make an upward path with my rock work towards the light, as where I will keep soft and lps coral towards the sand bed and a trail of sps going up my rockwork. My easier sps will be close to the bottom of the tank, and up the path of rock my more light needing sps will go. I hope this to come out good enough to be nano tank of the month one day! Ha

blindside

Sat, 3rd Jan 2009, 12:54 AM

I have just got me a better idea, I have seen a lot of solana tanks with acrylic work done to them. I plan on still using acrylic in some way. But have decided a different set up. Stay tuned for a update within the next couple of days

aggman

Sat, 3rd Jan 2009, 01:37 AM

can't wait to see what you come up with. these solana tanks are awesome and i have seen some pretty creative rockwork lately, i hope you are up to the challenge. i expect tons of cool innovative ideas that i can steal and use in my own setup. j/k-but no really, i need ideas...good luck with your project.

~alex

blindside

Sat, 3rd Jan 2009, 11:00 AM

Ha ha thanks, I have no problem with that. Hopefully I can come up with something worth stealing. Ha :)

blindside

Sat, 3rd Jan 2009, 06:37 PM

UPDATE! TRIED DOING A ROCK WALL ON MY SOLANA TODAY, LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT WENT ON TODAY, STILL WAITING FOR IT TO DRY UP A BIT BEFORE I CAN ATTEMPT TO DRY TEST IT. ILL PUT UP SOME PICTURES AS SOON AS THEY ARE DONE UPLOADING

blindside

Sat, 3rd Jan 2009, 06:41 PM

I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO MAKE THESE SHOW. I PUT SOME PVC PIPES FOR TUNNELS, IM NOT SURE IF I WILL TRY AGAIN WITH A NEW WALL, NOT SURE IF I LIKE THIS ONE TOO MUCH...

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/ROCCCCK001.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/ROCCCCK002.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/ROCCCCK003.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/ROCCCCK004.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/ROCCCCK005.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/ROCCCCK006.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/ROCCCCK007.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/ROCCCCK008.jpg

aggman

Sat, 3rd Jan 2009, 07:50 PM

hope this helps...:bigsmile:

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/ROCCCCK001.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/ROCCCCK002.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/ROCCCCK003.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/ROCCCCK004.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/ROCCCCK005.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/ROCCCCK006.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/ROCCCCK007.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/ROCCCCK008.jpg

aggman

Sat, 3rd Jan 2009, 07:53 PM

well, its not much to look at right now. but with a little fine tuning and some more coloring it should come out very nice. plus, it always looks better under water. all the threads showing these rock walls look half done until they go underwater. are you going to add any other pieces to it, like an extending arch or cave or something?

~alex

cpreefguy

Sat, 3rd Jan 2009, 08:16 PM

for the pics, on photobucket use the bottom "IMG code"

blindside

Sat, 3rd Jan 2009, 08:47 PM

HA SORRY/ THANKS. IM GOING TO USE ACRYLIC FOR SOME ARCS LATER IN THE WEEK. FOR NOW I JUST PUT IT IN THE TANK IT LOOKS GOOD!

blindside

Sat, 3rd Jan 2009, 08:49 PM

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/ROCK001.jpg

blindside

Sat, 3rd Jan 2009, 08:50 PM

THE CUTS FOR THE POWERHEAD AND NOZZLES CAME OUT OK

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/ROCK003.jpg

blindside

Sat, 3rd Jan 2009, 08:51 PM

I THINK IT LOOKS PRETTY GOOD FOR NOW, WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK?

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/ROCK004.jpg

blindside

Sun, 4th Jan 2009, 12:12 PM

Yep. I didn't do the rock wall. Ha it was ugly. Just trying something different

BioCube14

Sun, 4th Jan 2009, 01:55 PM

cool looks similar to another solana I have seen on nanoreef or maybe it was reefcentral but I think yours looks bettercant wait to see it with corals!

blindside

Tue, 13th Jan 2009, 10:34 PM

Re did all my rock the right way on acrylic rod today! But a bit short on rock, I will post pics as soon as I can!

blindside

Wed, 14th Jan 2009, 11:12 AM

THIS MIGHT BE MY FINAL WORK ON THE AQUASCAPING. LAST THING I WILL DO IS CONNECT THE ROCK ON THE SAND BED TO THE BIGGGER STRUCTURE TO CREATE A CAVE LOOK

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/IMG00183-1.jpg

blindside

Wed, 14th Jan 2009, 11:20 AM

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/IMG00188-1.jpg

longhorn_20m

Wed, 14th Jan 2009, 11:31 AM

I like the look without it connected. It looks like a floating island. Awesome.

blindside

Wed, 14th Jan 2009, 11:47 AM

Ha, well perfect! Looks like ill leave it how it is, I don't think ill be moving it anymore, I'm tired of trying all sorts of things. Its time to let my tank go through its cycle fully

clamgal

Wed, 14th Jan 2009, 01:00 PM

I can't see the pics :(

blindside

Wed, 14th Jan 2009, 01:13 PM

What? I can see them? What do you see?

longhorn_20m

Wed, 14th Jan 2009, 01:47 PM

Is that an acrylic rod I see that holds that structure? Did you pull this idea from the reefcentral thread? Is the rock just drilled and then threaded on the rod? Post some details on the construction and any pictures if you have them. I'm interested.

blindside

Wed, 14th Jan 2009, 03:06 PM

I do not have any pictures of the how to. Yes I tried it out before. But it did not work well for me. So I tried again last night. And that's the best I can do. I bought 2 6 foot acrylic rods. Still have one left over. And acrylic sheets to be held to at the bottom of the sand bed. But that failed. There is only 1 acrylic rod holding all the rocks together, the base rock is pretty much what keeps it up. As this is not that stable, there was another acrylic rod on the small rock on the sand bed that was going to zip tied onto the bigger structure, it was the one that was going to create the cave, but it would really be there as another leg. Its not all woobaly though. Its pretty good. But don't want to risk it. We will see how it holds for now. Sorry I did not take any pictures of the how to. My acrylic rod was 1/2 inch thick. So I drilled the wholes in my rock at 1/2 inch as well so it would be nice and snug. Not much movement for the rock. You can see the acrylic rod popping out on the top. I have yet to hide or get rid of that.

longhorn_20m

Wed, 14th Jan 2009, 03:52 PM

I think the guy on RC used the expanding foam in between to completely hide the acrylic rod and close up any other gaps. It looked very cool but I'm interested in how the rod was connected to the base plate. The base must be pretty thick in order to support all the weight of the rocks.

You may be able to create an upside down Y shape to provide a "tripod" support structure.

blindside

Wed, 14th Jan 2009, 05:00 PM

That's kind of what the cave is, an upside down Y. Mattnano the guy on Rc connected the acrylic rod and used acrylic cement to hold the structure. He drilled a whole on the sheet and attached the acrylic rod. Then cemented it in the crease. That's how it is originally held. His looks really nice! And so does crazy4acros bonsai tree look. It looks amazing!

gjuarez

Thu, 15th Jan 2009, 12:14 AM

Thats exactly what I will be doing on my 75g, i am stealing the idea from crazy4acros. I love it, very unique and looks nice and clean. Great setup by the way

blindside

Sun, 18th Jan 2009, 03:25 PM

THE ROCK IS COMPLETE, I HAVE YET TO COVER THE ACRYLIC ROD WITH A COLONY OR JUST EPOXY IT. I HAVE THREE CORALS IN IT SO FAR, A YELLOW FUZZY ACROPORA A BLUE RICORDEA AND A NICE PINKISH ORANGEISH MONTI

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/jan001.jpg

blindside

Sun, 18th Jan 2009, 03:25 PM

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/jan002.jpg

clamgal

Sun, 18th Jan 2009, 05:14 PM

Wow! It looks great. Nice job :)

BioCube14

Sun, 18th Jan 2009, 05:23 PM

nice i like it I think im going to keep my solana now hehe

blindside

Sun, 18th Jan 2009, 05:57 PM

Ha ha you should keep it!

ErikH

Sun, 18th Jan 2009, 06:04 PM

Nice! How are the corals doing? Lotsa fuzzy polyps?

blindside

Sun, 18th Jan 2009, 06:50 PM

Yea but I'm hoping to see more out cause I know its not fully fuzzy!

Mr Cob

Fri, 23rd Jan 2009, 09:59 PM

Looks nice.

cbianco

Sat, 24th Jan 2009, 10:47 AM

The rockwork is awesome!

How is the balance on the rockwork? It kind of looks like it wants to tip over.

And, I may have missed it but what kind of rock were you working with? Dry or Live and the type.

Again great "leaning tower" you have there!

Christopher

blindside

Sat, 24th Jan 2009, 12:19 PM

My fuzzy acro did not make it. Everything else is fine. I added a bartletts anthias. Nice :) the rock I used was both dead and live rock. It does lean as its ment to sort of curve. The rock is being supported by half inch thick acrylic rod and really just the big base rock in the bottom. I have tested it though. I have bumped into the tank several times on purpose to see if it tipped over. It will not tip :)

cbianco

Sat, 24th Jan 2009, 12:55 PM

I have bumped into the tank several times on purpose to see if it tipped over.

Who said that reefers are not scientific in their testing, lol.

It will not tip :)

Good to hear!

I'm putting together a new tank myself. There will be some rock drilling in my immediate future.

Keep us updated!

Christopher

blindside

Wed, 28th Jan 2009, 11:46 AM

HERE ARE SOME PICTURES, THINGS ARE STARTING TO COLOR UP A BIT, SOME ARE NOT...http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/001-3.jpg
LIGHTS OFF PICTUREShttp://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/002-3.jpg
MY CLOWN GREETING EVERYONEhttp://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/003-1.jpg
TURBO SNAIL AT WORKhttp://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/005-1.jpg
LITTLE BIT OF ALGAE BLOOMhttp://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/006-1.jpg
THE ACRO THAT DID NOT MAKE IT, STILL A BIT GREEN NOT YET FULLY WHITEhttp://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/008-1.jpg
HA, SORRY! I COULDNT RESIST PUTTING THIS BARTLETTS ANTHIAS IN MY NANO, I MIGHT HAVE TO REMOVE HIM, EVEN THOUGH HE IS DOING GREAT! HE IS A VERY GOOD LOOKING FISH!http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/009-1.jpg
A SMALL FRAG OF PLUM MILLIhttp://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/010-1.jpg
MY CLOWN AND ANTHIAShttp://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/011-1.jpg
SO MANY WIRES!http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/012.jpg

LIGHTS ON!http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/013.jpg

UP TOP SHOThttp://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/014.jpg

MY PLATING MONTI AND DEAD ACRO
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/016.jpghttp://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/017.jpghttp://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/018.jpg
RIGHT SIDEhttp://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/019.jpg
LEFT SIDEhttp://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/020.jpg

BioCube14

Wed, 28th Jan 2009, 01:58 PM

why did acro die?

blindside

Wed, 28th Jan 2009, 03:27 PM

Idk, I think it was my temperatures at the time, my heater had broke in the tank, there was glass and springs in my chambers, and hadn't noticed. At night it got below 70 so I think that's what did it.

blindside

Wed, 11th Feb 2009, 01:03 AM

okay update! i ordered the new solana sappghire aquatics skimmer! but still waiting on it... think its any good? and also a nano media reactor... :) and i will be picking up my new gmann 250watt mh fixtures!!!!!!!!!

gjuarez

Wed, 11th Feb 2009, 01:09 AM

a friend of mine is running the sapphire on a 29g biocube, it's a workhorse. He was on a waiting list for over a month, but it was worth it

blindside

Wed, 11th Feb 2009, 01:13 AM

Dayam, I might have to wait :(

blindside

Wed, 11th Feb 2009, 07:25 PM

Tank crash! It all has died... :(

Iplantz

Wed, 11th Feb 2009, 07:43 PM

:cry_smile: What?

rebelprettyboy

Tue, 17th Feb 2009, 12:49 AM

Pretty slick lookin tank

blindside

Tue, 17th Feb 2009, 04:16 PM

TIME FOR AN UPDATE!!! UPGRADED MY SUNPOD TO A 250 WATT GEISEMANN PENDANT. I HAVE LOTS OF SPS FRAGS IN THIS TANK, I MIGHT HAVE TO REMOVE SOME. I HAVE A BLUE MILLI, HALLOWEEN MILLI,NORTHERN LIGHTS, YELLOW MILLI, PINK MILLI, WARP SPEED, BIRDSNEST,SANMENTOSA I BELIEVE? RED MONTI PLATE, ORANGE MONTI CAP, AND PURPLE WITH BLUE MONTI CAP. I HAVE MORE THEN ONE PIECE OF MOST. AND AOG ZOA'S. MY SEBAE AND A PAIR OF BLUE GREEN CHROMIS
A COUPLE OF FTS
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/IMG00222.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/IMG00225.jpg

TOP SHOT
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/IMG00226.jpg

MY SEBAE ALIVE AND HEALTHY

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/IMG00228.jpg

AND MY BIRDSNEST
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/birdsnest.jpg
CAMERA PHONE SHOTS...

blindside

Tue, 17th Feb 2009, 04:18 PM

FALSE ON THE TANK DIE, I WAS NOT IN TOWN AND I HAD HEARD A BAD CHRASH HAPPENED WHILE I WAS OUT, RETURN THE NEXT DAY, AND IT WAS A BIT NASTY, BUT NOW I HAVE MANAGED TO REPLACE EVERYTHING AND IT LOOKS TWICE *** GOOD, NOT MUCH DIED.

gjuarez

Tue, 17th Feb 2009, 05:18 PM

Gotta love the solanas... I see you have plenty of flow. Its looking good man i like the aquascaping

blindside

Tue, 17th Feb 2009, 05:30 PM

thnak you juarez, i have gone through many changes with this tank... as all of you who have followed from day ! have seen lol. but i am finally very pleased with this sps dominant nano :)

ErikH

Tue, 17th Feb 2009, 05:36 PM

Good job, keep posting your progress!

blindside

Tue, 17th Feb 2009, 05:39 PM

im trying :) thanks. i just cant get my rocks to turn purple... ha

domloz

Tue, 17th Feb 2009, 05:50 PM

Looks great!!

blindside

Tue, 17th Feb 2009, 05:54 PM

thank you! and welcome!

CynthiaM

Tue, 17th Feb 2009, 06:36 PM

I see that your light fixture is more stable..... looks great. If you have Magnesium and Calcium Test Kits....... Check your water, your magnesium might be low. We tend to use Seachem test kits and they do a pretty good job. Good to see you haven't given up.

By the way, we've been to RCA and still can place a face w/your name.

blindside

Tue, 17th Feb 2009, 08:00 PM

Ha, I work Thursday's, Fridays, and Saturdays if that helps. I believe my mag is low. My calcium is at 460 though. I seem to get okay growth on my sps though, but still can't tell yet, maybe in a few weeks I will be able to tell better. :) and yes, I am not using a microphone stand for my light anymore. :)

blindside

Wed, 18th Feb 2009, 08:28 PM

Alright! New fish to the addition! This one is number 3! Woo! Candy striped goby! Also very well known as the yasha hashe goby! I love this guy! When we got him in from being shipped, after putting all the other fish in all the other tanks, we thought we were done. 2 days later, another employee found the bag with the goby in the shipment boxes still! Ha. We immediately released him into a tank, I went back today on my day off, and to my surprise, the little guy was alive and swimming around :) so I brought him home to my tank. :) I been waiting for one of these guys for a while now, but they sell pretty fast when we get them in. Customers first. But I finally got my hands on one. :) ill take pictures in a few :D

blindside

Thu, 19th Feb 2009, 11:30 PM

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/IMG_0192.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/IMG_0198.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/IMG_0199.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/IMG_0200.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/IMG_0210.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/IMG_0211.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/IMG_0212.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/IMG_0213.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/IMG_0214.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/IMG_0215.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/IMG_0217.jpg

blindside

Thu, 19th Feb 2009, 11:31 PM

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/IMG_0223.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/IMG_0225.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/IMG_0227.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/IMG_0228.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/IMG_0231.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/IMG_0232.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/IMG_0233.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/IMG_0235.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/IMG_0242.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/CHAINA_/IMG_0245.jpg