My Tank Evolution Thread - The End

[Europhyllia]

Couldn't post it in my growth thread since you actually can't see the individual growth in the FTS (yet?)

Here are the beginnings. I started this tank in May 09 with a few Live rock pieces from my old 30g and a boat load of Marco Dry Rock (love the rock-very lightweight)
http://dominopads.com/tankfinal.jpg

Can you find the tiny clowns? They were actually already a few years old and from my 30g. Once they moved to the 125g they seemed to blossom overnight into big fat clowns.

In the beginning I had a generic 4 x80w T5 fixture -and a lot of algae. Must have been around the time Mr Cob came to visit as he still seems to vividly remember it! LOL
http://dominopads.com/tanklight.JPG

I then fell in love with clams and upgraded the light to a nice ATI Sunpower. Just two more bulbs but what a difference!
http://dominopads.com/ati.jpg

A few new additions and time make the tank appear a little fuller by December:
http://dominopads.com/tank122409.jpg

Then another new addition: a media reactor (at the urging of another algaephobe Paul28) and the upgrade to Vortechs make the tank actually seem emptier:
less algae and less hardware
http://dominopads.com/tankjan10.jpg

So here we are today. I am just going to add FTS periodically. It's more fun to view the FTS now that the tank has moved past the dark ages. lol

Update: Jan 16, 2010
http://www.dominopads.com/tank011610.jpg

Found better spots for the gorgonians... Jan 26, 2010
http://www.dominopads.com/tank012610.jpg

had to get rid of some big rocks to eliminate grape caulerpa Feb 17, 2010
http://www.dominopads.com/tank021710.jpg

and in return lost a bunch of biological filtration resulting in a horrid diatom bloom:
Feb 28, 2010
http://www.dominopads.com/tank022810.jpg

almost recovered and a few new corals:
March 11, 2010

http://www.dominopads.com/tank031110.jpg

March 27, 2010
http://dominopads.com/tank032710.jpg

And here we are near the end. I have given up on the caulerpa. Most of the rocks have been removed (gradually this time) and are drying out. Other than some algae spikes I am not experiencing anything drastic.
Corals seem to do well on frag racks.
Hopefully in another 3 months or so the new tank will be up...
May 5 2010
http://www.dominopads.com/tank050510.jpg

[FireWater]

I like how you can see changes for the better with the upgrades. Very nice FTS. Any closer shots to show detail - different corals and rockwork? I see what appear to be lots of highways and caves.

[Europhyllia]

Yes I got lots of caves and tunnels. :) My tank is all about little fish and NPS
I have a lot of coral close ups here: http://maast.org/forums/showthread.php?t=55888

[verynewatthis]

FTS?...im not sure what that is. Your tank has come a long way telling from the pics. Great Job!!.

Rich

[Europhyllia]

Full
Tank
Shot

(I think. I had to guess at it too the first time I saw somebody use the abbreviation)
Thanks!

[Bill S]

FTS = Full Tank Shot.

Wow, looks GREAT Karin!

[Troutmasters02]

Very nice tank.

[Mr Cob]

Karin! It looks great...I love seeing progression FTS shots. Yes, I saw the tank when it was "Tang Heaven". It has come along nicely and you have made all the right moves as seen in your progression track record.

I love the colors and caves.

[ErikH]

Looks great Karin!

[txav8r]

Awesome, Karin!!!
Great thread!!

[Europhyllia]

Thanks guys!
I'm happy I took the FTS - can't wait to post the 1 year anniversary one in May :)

[diego]

Very nice!!!!!!!

[CoryDude]

Very nice placement on the corals. Can't wait to see the tank as they grow over time.

[jpond83]

nice. what size tank is that?

[Europhyllia]

nice. what size tank is that?
It's a standard 125g
(72" long x 24" high)

[Kristy]

It's exciting to see a tank mature. Even watching someone else's mature is exciting! I have no comprehension of these impulsive guys who tear down their tanks every six months with a whole new system? So much money and you miss the good part...

Looks great Karin!

[lrg]

It looks inspiring!

I'm mid transition between 55G FOWLR to 75G Full Reef!

[Europhyllia]

Thanks. :) I think it's really important to show different stages so people know stuff happens (algae outbreaks, etc.).
It can be a little discouraging when you're starting out and see pics of mature tanks all the time and yours doesn't look anything like it.
I wonder if that could be part of the 6-month-quitters motivation? Expecting the mature reef too soon and feeling like they might as well start over because their tank doesn't meet those expectations?

[Paul28]

Very nice Karin very very :) soon you wont have 1 bit of nusence alge but rember now your chato or your good micro alge you run in your sump is going to grow like mad :) keep it cut back and healthy and you wont have nusence alge anymore rember alge will always grow but now you made only the good alge grow :):) LOOKS GREAT !!!!

[Europhyllia]

Thanks Paul. I really do need a little bit of hair algae though to feed my snails and urchins. :)

[allan]

Karin I've been avoiding this thread here at work becuase I don't typically get pictures through the firewall. I'm glad I checked as they came through.

Really nice tank, awesome rock work and I love the series showing the ups and downs. You've just about convinced me to get a media reactor. Your tank looks so clean.

[Europhyllia]

lol. It's actually not THAT clean. It just has to be really bad to show in a FTS. :)

[allan]

Are you kidding? I've actually taken to naming my cyano patches and sometimes even offer them a bit of food if it's looking forlorn while the others eat.

[Europhyllia]

:lauging: You crack me up

You need some flow, dude. ;) How is your Tunze coming along?
I think the Vortechs did more for (or against) my cyano than the media reactor to be honest. Cyano can live on nothing it seems.

I've always felt a little ashamed of my dirty detritus/diatom sand and was so happy when I saw Ace's tank. Ace's tank is my favorite on here and it always seems so disgustingly perfect. Ace has detritus and algae just like regular mortals! :wub:
If algae and detritus is good enough for Ace, it's good enough for me! LOL

[allan]

Ace has detritus and algae just like regular mortals! :wub:


No! I don't hear you!!! Say it isn't so! I remember seeing his old tank, but the tank, instead of looking like mine, seemed wonderfully alive. He also pointed out that I was keeping my sand bed sterile with my soon to be giant dragon gobi. So I've gotten away from it and now seem to be suffering as a mortal shall with detritus and cyano. He was standing on a stepping stool/ladder with one arm in his tank fishing out something and looking over his right shoulder to point out that I was messing up and should have done my research. It was during his tank tear down. I only went to buy two sets of ricordias and learned a lot that day.

I'm wondering though, if I'm having such luck with my zoas and stuff because of the nutrients still left in the water after the macro and skimmer do their part?

I do agree that I need more flow, and have had my eyeballs searching for a relatively cheap K3 or K4 to add to the mix.

Tunze is still sitting in my closet awaiting my eventual trip to get a box to mail it into Tunze for repair.

....but.... I kind of like the room that opened up after I pulled the unit out.

[Europhyllia]

I'm wondering though, if I'm having such luck with my zoas and stuff because of the nutrients still left in the water after the macro and skimmer do their part?

I bet. The stuff has got to live off something. I have my return pump on a timer. Before I feed the little stuff I manually turn off the timer (it only has 'on' switches) and for 3 hours or so nothing even goes to the sump so every coral and filter feeder that wants something to eat has a few hours to suck it up.
I know my system is probably redundant with me dumping stuff in, leaving it in for awhile and then pulling it back out.
I am sure Ace's is more efficient with him not pulling it back out (skimmer -less) but I can't help it - I like to feel in control. :shades:

[allan]

I remember that method from an earlier post. I need to get a timer like that for my skimmer. Everytime I turn it off to clear out the cup I forget to turn it back on and sometimes days later I'll figure it out. Then it skims like crazy and I end up doing a water change by way of an errant skimmer pulling out so much water.

[hobogato]

wow, i hope i wasnt that blunt! if i was, it must have been because i was in a bad mood about the teardown....


...to point out that I was messing up and should have done my research...

[allan]

No, you didn't seem to be in a bad mood and you only stated that my sand bed wasn't alive because of the fish... I embellished for effect. :-)

I think there were three things I was doing wrong, that was one of them, the other was some snails I brought back from the coast and that I had to be careful that some were not good for the reef. I sped home and removed each to the sump that I could find. Some of the snails have somehow turned into hermits though.

[hobogato]

that is because you probably got there after i had a few beverages :)


No, you didn't seem to be in a bad mood and you only stated that my sand bed wasn't alive because of the fish... I embellished for effect. :-)...

[allan]

....and I didn't get offered a single beverage... hmpt!!!

[allan]

Of course I spent thirty dollars, both of the other buyers bought several hundred dollars worth of coral...

[Europhyllia]

added the diatom picture to show how bad it was...

[Europhyllia]

caulerpa got the best of me. I decided to tear down and start over so the last pic in the first post will probably be the last in this thread...

[CoryDude]

Got any close up pics of the caulerpa or id? Just want to know what I need to watch out for.

[hobogato]

but, you are still going to a bigger tank right?

[Europhyllia]

but, you are still going to a bigger tank right?
absolutely :D

And I learned a lot in the process. Even during the tear down. For example with the gradula rock removal the anthias seemed happier and happier. As a result I will have more open space in the new tank. Less of a rock wall.

Right now I am just maintaining the livestock I have and it will all move into a bigger tank. It's all good.
Kind of stinks to look at it while it's so ugly but it too shall pass... :)

JT I had some caulerpa racemosa but my main foe was caulerpa nummularia