SLM's mini mixed reef

[slm222]

So I have sold my 93 rimless cube and a 120 tank I bought from another member here. I got with elegant and Louis got me a great deal on a 125. So I got it home and built the stand.

Im going to do a floating canopy with 3 hydra 52s counter sunk in. Going with a bubble magus or skimz skimmer are my two choices right now. All other equipment is being brought over from the cube.

heres a picture recap to bring it up to date.

[slm222]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/08/17/nery9eve.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/08/17/he5ahuzy.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/08/17/e9a8ugup.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/08/17/y5evury9.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/08/17/uhamydyz.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/08/17/7ureza2a.jpg

[Dean]

Nice set up! I am interested in seeing how you build your floating canopy. I need to build something over one of my tanks to keep the light from spilling into the room so bad.

[slm222]

I took some 1x1 1/8 wall square tubing and welded a L bracket. My ceiling is to high to hang cables, plus I've never been a fan of seeing cables drapped over the back of a nice clean tank set up.

[slm222]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/08/17/vu6yjaha.jpg
Filling up with water and rock that was cycling in brutes in the garage. Hopefully the bacteria didn't die off.

Also I used aragalive special grade and Fiji pink for my sand bed. I like the texture and look it gives.

[slm222]

1/2 full of rock and plumbing done.
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/08/23/b63d20271045a064930cb2f16a1117d8.jpg
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/08/23/42e0948d14c537230bf7351d702d30ae.jpg




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[slm222]

light added. 25150

[BattleAthletics]

Hmmm?

[aquasport24]

Any update?

[slm222]

Yes, things are progressing. Unfortunately the snails transported some unwanted problems from my old tank. What I believe is Dino. Either that or a case of cyano like I've never seen before. I'm hoping the bio pellets catch up to it and wipe it out, I will say my chaeto didn't survive the addition of them so I'm thinking my nitrates and phosphates are very low. SPS is growing good. The acans I have are forming new heads I'll post some pictures I took with my phone here pretty soon.

[slm222]

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/11/05/775c148c297106d757bb5784d3fa99e2.jpg
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/11/05/8650ab7404659380b9644016a0b9501e.jpg
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/11/05/71f2e277609d8cfbca9e926c7f0c0587.jpg
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/11/05/8b8f1fe035ce88c7937bbae7d13b18de.jpg
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/11/05/38dd9e3789176858cf3edb17d5646f28.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/11/05/fce63b588466f863bd89f2cbaa3a6f48.jpg


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[Dean]

Nice pictures man. The tank looks clean!
I have a couple of nice birdsnest colonies that would look awesome in there. :)

[slm222]

Appreciate it. I wish it was as clean as the pictures make it look. I'm battling some new tank algae issues, I know they will eventually subside and can't wait for that time.

On a sadder note I lost a true perc I had for 3 years. I feel bad not for the money but the loss of the fish

[cowboy572]

Yes, things are progressing. Unfortunately the snails transported some unwanted problems from my old tank. What I believe is Dino. Either that or a case of cyano like I've never seen before.

Dinos are typical for new tank set ups. Eventually they will go away. It is not transported by snails. They bloom because of an abundance of silicates in the water.

[BattleAthletics]

Have you tried nualgi

[slm222]

Thanks for the info cowboy. Battle, no I haven't have you tried it? How have you liked it if you have?

[kkiel02]

Definitely research nualgi before putting it in your tank. There are a bunch of threads out there on their product with mixed reviews. I started using it when it came out hoping to clear up some hair algae. I ended up stashing it or throwing it away. Randy Holmes Farley suggests using sodium silcate instead if you want to promote the diatom growth. From reading your posts though I dont think that is what you will want in order to hurry along this new tank syndrome.

[slm222]

Definitely not hurrying it along. Actually I haven't cared since it's only been on the sandbed not bothering the normals.

[slm222]

Got me a marine betta at my LFS Black Friday sale. Someone beat my to the solorensis wrasse. But glad to have this beauty.

[slm222]

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/11/30/dfda5c08ca12b3dddccc08b2fa48aee1.jpg

Pretending to be an eel


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[slm222]

After 3 years of running a non brand rodi system I have stepped up and bought the Air,water and ice 5 stage typhoon system. Definitely see the difference between the two systems in appearance alone. This is kicking out 0tds after doing the flush for 20 min. Great value !


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[slm222]

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/12/11/ec21b0ef21fd661fe8a6e0439cbc8f84.jpg


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[Dean]

Very nice RODI!
What is the gallons per hour rating on that bad boy?

[slm222]

It came with the 75 gpd filmtec. im thinking about ordering the upgrade to have two ro 75 gpd filmtec membranes to make 150gpd. I have it producing water right now. its twice as fast as my old outdated unit.

[Dean]

3 gph is pretty good. Nice system. :)

[slm222]

Water change station

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/11/6ebf45be4165a2345fe2094bab6f9303.jpg
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/11/172828860b981629073655f8d1e36dcb.jpg
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/11/27279bcee31f2e1cbeec9aed921855a6.jpg


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[slm222]

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/11/afa36ede5dd22cbc3a421e5ab61334da.jpg


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[slm222]

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/04/27/763209a2aabdb2b6b0d3bff8e8e188b0.jpg

Little fun with iPhone time lapse
https://vimeo.com/126187936


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[Dean]

Cool video.
I really like that open canopy. Looks great!

[Dkray944]

Looking good

[slm222]

Thanks. I forgot where I saw it but got the idea for a floating canopy with recessed led fixtues. Think it turned out well.

[slm222]

Added some T5ho supplementation in my floating canopy.

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/15/5d10bc44c5d313c854a068cfdc9768bc.jpg


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[Dkray944]

Looks nice and clean

[slm222]

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/15/405ec3a34b8a8f211efc082835150e9f.jpg
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/15/d79e14cab73d91eecfa6248911c14eb0.jpg

This is before I added the t5s but with all the rock in place. Maybe next time I'll try bonsai. Lol


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[slm222]

Thanks dkray


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[Frogman]

Looks good. And the floating canopy is really sharp!


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[Frogman]

Got me a marine betta at my LFS Black Friday sale. Someone beat my to the solorensis wrasse. But glad to have this beauty.

I love my marine betta! Such personality and I love how I can feed mine by hand.
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/10/13/729ddc2f34e6ef4663cb35a56880c67d.jpg


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[slm222]

Update. I added an advanced acrylic frag tank under the stand with a hydra 26. It measures 27x17x10 and is about 17 gallons.


http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/10/30/e7e6f9bce73b8a4ac199bf059a916cae.jpg


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[Justin]

Nice, I love having a frag tank plumbed in my system. Its very convenient to be able to take a broken frag and mount it on a plug and put it back in the same water it was in originally without having frag racks creating an eye sore in the DT.

[slm222]

I agree, I don't want to have to maintain any more than one system again. it becomes a pain doing multiple water changes. plus I enjoy the added water volume. I may get some more marine pure media and put in there as well. I already have 1 gallon of spheres which is supposed to be rated for 500 gallons of bio filtration.

[slm222]

Looks good. And the floating canopy is really sharp!
Thank you. I need to add some trim to it, but finding time and energy is hard...lol

[slm222]

swapped out the reefkeeper lite for a reefangel. so far loving it

[slm222]

Well it's been a while. Lots has happened in my life. The reef has been going. I installed an algae scrubber and biopellets. Well I guess it has worked too well. Cause as the picture shows. They are way low, that's about 6 weeks or more with no water change. The reading are via masspec at Texas state aquarium. Alk and mag have been corrected. I'm still working on getting my kalk dosing via ato to the correct window of hours from pm to am.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160413/ee80c53675c19b765c8a8f6a5b76d27e.jpg


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[alton]

The question is how are your corals doing?

[slm222]

They are pale but growing. Couldn't figure out why. Always blamed the lights. But. Turns out I was wrong. I feed semi heavily. So be ordered tlf aminos and marine snow. I've been using aquavitro fuel and Brightwell restor. But seems to not be enough.


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[alton]

I always see some wanting 0 Nitrates and 0 Phosphates, but in reality you need a little of both for corals.

[slm222]

Yes, I'm certainly not one of those. I'd rather have some. That's food for the coral. With ulns been near zero you have to dose too many supplements for coral health. Not worth it imo.


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[BBQHILLBILLY]

How's everything going with the sps?


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[slm222]

SPS... not so good. Made the swap to a 40 breeder (for tentative house move)(link below) and i had a nitrate spike which STN all my sps. I cut all i could and took over to a buddies house. but i guess that opens up space for a game plan with sps placement and going after higher end pieces.

http://www.maast.org/showthread.php?85308-SLM-s-overdone-40-breeder

[BBQHILLBILLY]

I know everybody's tank is different and methods of maintaining sps are different too. Going smaller is actually easier to have swing and take out your sps. Like an alk spike. All it takes is one failure somewhere one day and all the sps is gone. I didn't see growth results and constant growth results until I went big because even the most little mess up , the tank and the sps can handle because there is so much saltwater.


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[slm222]

I know everybody's tank is different and methods of maintaining sps are different too. Going smaller is actually easier to have swing and take out your sps. Like an alk spike. All it takes is one failure somewhere one day and all the sps is gone. I didn't see growth results and constant growth results until I went big because even the most little mess up , the tank and the sps can handle because there is so much saltwater.


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I'm with ya. I downsized for the possible move, not for maintenance reasons. I'd rather have a big tank...but don't want to move a big tank. Lol


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[alton]

I know everybody's tank is different and methods of maintaining sps are different too. Going smaller is actually easier to have swing and take out your sps. Like an alk spike. All it takes is one failure somewhere one day and all the sps is gone. I didn't see growth results and constant growth results until I went big because even the most little mess up , the tank and the sps can handle because there is so much saltwater.


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I learned this lesson first hand using "Vibrant" on my wife's 65, I was able to get away using Vibrant on my 180, it helped clear up the bubble algae. But by the time I learned about its bad side it was too late and I lost all the corals in the 65. I should of never used it on a tank that had no algae issues.