PicO 15" cube revamp

[Ross]

I have decided to revamp my 3 year old 15in cube to gear it towards more sps/clams. For the past few years that tank has been very stable mixed reef with 2 clowns and 1 royal gramma. I recently got some motivation and have made a few upgrades.

Custom built stand with ATO inside.
AI sol super blue with hanging kit
Vortech mp10
A few various frags and clams.

I also ordered some new rock from reef rocks and spent a good bit of time making a new aquascape to give me a more custom look and have more room for new frags. I dremeled over 20 holes for frag plugs in the rock.

The rock is now in a cooler cycling with some smaller pieces from my tank to seed it. I am currently in the process of removing my entire sand bed to go BB. I have about 60% of the sand removed. I made a piece of cutting board into my 'starboard' bottom. Here are a few current pics.

New rock

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g61/Rossthehoss/null.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/Rossthehoss/media/null.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g61/Rossthehoss/null-13.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/Rossthehoss/media/null-13.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g61/Rossthehoss/null-24.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/Rossthehoss/media/null-24.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g61/Rossthehoss/null-25.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/Rossthehoss/media/null-25.jpg.html)

Current FTS

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g61/Rossthehoss/aqiarium/FTS0510.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/Rossthehoss/media/aqiarium/FTS0510.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g61/Rossthehoss/aqiarium/dragoneyezoos.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/Rossthehoss/media/aqiarium/dragoneyezoos.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g61/Rossthehoss/aqiarium/topdown.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/Rossthehoss/media/aqiarium/topdown.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g61/Rossthehoss/aqiarium/gramma.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/Rossthehoss/media/aqiarium/gramma.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g61/Rossthehoss/aqiarium/tricoloracro0510.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/Rossthehoss/media/aqiarium/tricoloracro0510.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g61/Rossthehoss/aqiarium/blueacro0513.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/Rossthehoss/media/aqiarium/blueacro0513.jpg.html)

[Ross]

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g61/Rossthehoss/aqiarium/sunsetmonti0510.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/Rossthehoss/media/aqiarium/sunsetmonti0510.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g61/Rossthehoss/aqiarium/zoosx3.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/Rossthehoss/media/aqiarium/zoosx3.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g61/Rossthehoss/aqiarium/blackmaxima.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/Rossthehoss/media/aqiarium/blackmaxima.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g61/Rossthehoss/aqiarium/acans.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/Rossthehoss/media/aqiarium/acans.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g61/Rossthehoss/aqiarium/greenpalys0510.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/Rossthehoss/media/aqiarium/greenpalys0510.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g61/Rossthehoss/aqiarium/zoos.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/Rossthehoss/media/aqiarium/zoos.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g61/Rossthehoss/aqiarium/Tankfloor.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/Rossthehoss/media/aqiarium/Tankfloor.jpg.html)

[Triggerman]

nice pics! the clams look great!

what does the custom stand look like?

[Ross]

Thanks! The clams are awesome, I got the 2 maximas from pacific east aquaculture.

The stand isn't anything really fancy, just a nice clean look of oak with mesquite trim.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g61/Rossthehoss/null-1.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/Rossthehoss/media/null-1.jpg.html)

[Ross]

I re did the tank yesterday, got all my old rock out and new rock in, as well as removing all of the sand. Everything made it just fine. A few pics, not the best but you get the idea.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g61/Rossthehoss/aqiarium/_MG_4438_Fotor.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/Rossthehoss/media/aqiarium/_MG_4438_Fotor.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g61/Rossthehoss/aqiarium/tankbottom0522.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/Rossthehoss/media/aqiarium/tankbottom0522.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g61/Rossthehoss/aqiarium/bottomtank0522.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/Rossthehoss/media/aqiarium/bottomtank0522.jpg.html)

[aquasport24]

Really your tank. Can you tell us more about the setup and how you maintaning it. Any supplement?

[Ross]

Thanks aquasport. I have been keeping this tank really really simple, and it has worked out great for me. I do regular water changes of about 3 gallons a week. Right now with my corals, this keeps my Ca and Alk at high levels, and I don't need to dose anything. I feed the fish about once a day, sometimes skipping a day. The clams I ocassionally feed phytoplankton (and there is a lot of debate if this is even beneficial). Recently I started dosing amino acids after the owner of zooanthids.com recommended it. I have noticed a slight increase in growth of my zoos. When I get more sps going in the tank, I will probaly keep a better eye on my Ca and Alk, and may manually dose when needed.