125 Gallon Mixed Reef, just about 1 year old

[Frogman]

Greetings my MAAST friends!

I have been very slow in posting my tank, so I figured it was about time.

I bought this tank after Christmas last year, it was a freshwater tank at that time and still had its ugly wooden rim. So I took of the molding, scraped off all the silicon from the top and cleaned the tank with a vinegar solution. Once that was done I water tested it for 3 days and all was good to go. When I started this project, I really wanted to do it all myself. So I bought some aragonite, some play sand, some rock salt and a bag of Portland white cement and went to work creating all my rockwork. Once the mix was made and the formations were completed, I placed them in the tank for a month doing 100% fresh water changes every 3 days. After the 30 days, I added my first saltwater batch, put in the sand, aquascaped my tank and then raided my 56 tall sump for start to seed my tank. I took the filter media out of my canister filter (Mechanical filtration) and I used 2 dirty filter pads to begin the cycle.

After a couple weeks the case of the uglies began! My tank was one large diatom. At that time I bought my cleaning crew and let them go to work. 50 nass snails, 5 large turbo, 20 cereth snails, 25 Mexican hermits and a brittle starfish. I let them do their thing and begun placing some coral into the tank. After a month or so of water changes and the clean up crew just doing their thing… My tank started to clean up. I contacted GARF and bought some GARF Grunge, and bag o bugs, and used that to help create a criptic zone, seed the sand bed even more and then 15 pounds for the fuge. It was amazing to see the grow of worms, pods, baby brittle stars, sponges, and a surprise coral hitchhiker (non photosynthetic tubestrea I believe.

After 4-5 months I started adding corals from my other two small tanks and 1 very large coral order. Needless to say, lots of things are changing here and there, but its almost been a year and my tank is just now starting to look good. Colors are starting to really come in and my animals are very healthy!

I have a 29 gallon sump – I would like a larger one sometime. A Skimmer rated at 220 gallons, an Aquatop canister filter use to hold carbon and Phosban that feeds my chiller. I have a Rio 2400? return pump and an over the back overflow. (tank is not drilled so I have more in my tank then I want. I am also running two Koralina powerheads at 1150 gph. I would eventually like to switch to a better circulation system, close loop external pumps perhaps with a manifold and solenoid to change which port the water come out of. (wavemaker of sorts.)

I am mainly focusing on SPS and LPS so I know im not going to have the best of either, but that’s ok with me as I want a dynamic and motion style tank.

I am always looking for coral, as aren’t we all? So if you have something you think will go good in my tank, or you see something you like… Let me know, im game for trade or to pair with a couple people for a tank bank. Enjoy the pics I have, although I am still not the best with tank photography, but I am always practicing J



Enjoy and Happy Reefing!

[Frogman]

Mo
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[Frogman]

More Pics

[Frogman]

More, some SPS start to show up... I don't have many good SPS pics.

[Frogman]

More :-)

[Frogman]

http://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-frogman-commeth-or-starteth.203814/


My R2R build thread.
and some pics of my softy tank

[Dean]

Very nice, mature tank!

[Frogman]

Very nice, mature tank!

Thanks Dean! It's coming along. I hope I start seeing increased growth now. Especially for my SPS


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[Zack]

Beautiful tank and excellent photos! I can't wait to see how this tank ages in year 2!

[Frogman]

Beautiful tank and excellent photos! I can't wait to see how this tank ages in year 2!

Thanks Zack, it's been a rough first year, but the colors are really starting to come in and now I just need to play with lighting to get more growth. Maybe some consultation from all you pros out there on how to improve it. But in due time. Still lots and lots of learning to do. And lots of corals to switch out for better ones :-)


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[Francis]

Saw the tank in person and the aquascape is pretty awesome. Healthy corals and the biggest mandarin that I've ever seen.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Frogman]

Saw the tank in person and the aquascape is pretty awesome. Healthy corals and the biggest mandarin that I've ever seen.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks Francis! I wish I hadn't lost that Mandarins mate. She was a little smaller, but her coloration was incredible. Plus, I still need to catch that flame angel, then all my acans might have a chance of opening up again.


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[Frogman]

Pic updates. 2762027621276222762327624

[Frogman]

Another pic
this is the frag I got off Hemi
and the yellow one in the back is TCK Goldrush. Starting to color up nicely
2762627625
Smurf Tenuis. Some other nice frags

[Troy Valentine]

Beautiful tank! I am looking forward to seeing it in person;)

[slm222]

looking good

[Frogman]

looking good


Thanks!


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[Frogman]

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/12/17/13e1cbd48bd19f5a4e5e657e090eb815.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/12/17/0a039f60c5cd0c05712c744d0b9ccc22.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/12/17/8001a1003795a1476540b25f85703a5a.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/12/17/095ea8ada82186099c20fc1678490c49.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/12/17/2f06f8e2836318cc34d46a8d79dab235.jpg

New additions to my new forming Blastosmusa garden. To arrive after the new Year!!! Thanks Tony from RR USA!!!



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[JimH]

Love that last blasto!

[Frogman]

27654Undanta

[Frogman]

Just updating a few pics. http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160205/f8d7555448b490a582877fb49b78df8d.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160205/425c8016707c893508ff8e84b41696bb.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160205/fa77e82e74b0d81d74c965ce33fd4424.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160205/aacb8c8a603c225a908390ada91436bf.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160205/df8fe612c9c8bd369fac02727df55ce8.jpg

Starting to see great growth and colors.
(iPhone Pics)

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[Cammed_02]

Man that looks great!

[Frogman]

Man that looks great!

Thanks.

It's getting there. It's great to see colors deepening up and growth that I can see.




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[JimH]

Your colors look really good! I read through your thread but did not see what lights you are running?

[Frogman]

Look at post 6 for my R2R thread. It is the (2) 32 inch SB Reef LED. I just switched from MH and the coloration really popped! Check out that thread :-)


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[Frogman]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160206/e849619a56087fb55b64cae8af540a9d.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160206/58af2012f58dc8d2a9a59ac87a97a76f.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160206/e655b92536446a0b500c0bb0cf11e93b.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160206/891c6f384371e78eeb4a0191db9c3483.jpg


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[Frogman]

Bad Hammer! Bad!http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160206/e7b9e3087d846c086496af9210fd28c3.jpg


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[Frogman]

An update for Troy:

27753
Cali Tortusa
27754
Oregon Tortusa


Its a bad pic, but its looking good!
27755

Looking Good Bother!

[Troy Valentine]

Looks great my friend!

[Frogman]

Looks great my friend!

The one if the back was the one I was showing you. The Red.... Whatever kind of chalice that is.


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[Frogman]

So it's been a while since I posted some pics. I'm liking my current growth, hope to sustain it!! http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160603/7eaf8709d1c882d75f1b4538d4d9356c.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160603/19304ebfa769181da52281acae3d94f2.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160603/0648a746c5758a99979a4cb7e59c6c0c.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160603/c7abe6ee9d09f67b1073895306cfb2dc.jpg
Like this pic a lot!
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160603/cbe1ab6e56003485542a79c4b388467c.jpg
Someone thinks this is a tree house
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160603/bd51ef13b56ef654add27b74d6390efa.jpg
Raspberry Nasuta
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160603/7b6588a8fbfaa22404f57c92b66790d7.jpg
Unnamed acro. Starting to grow well
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160603/aa6a1b6ea3fbe275ec925011fd61dc21.jpg
Louis Bueno and I affectionately call this pachy.. The Ear coral
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160603/40755e134d1a3e503d093a20099cc8f4.jpg
Red Planet
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160603/9f3073998e27e0455014cc9397af14e2.jpg
Dragon eyes, moon coral and red digi


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[Reefnub]

I have a sps that looked like this http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160604/0a32aa1a141ca87cbfca032acc0af8a6.jpg and then in 2 or 3 years turned into this http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160604/9e64e17157f9419988e20c7535b84211.jpgwhich is now 10" side to side . You have some nice corals and tank. You take some great pictures also that capture the colors well.

[Frogman]

I have a sps that looked like this http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160604/0a32aa1a141ca87cbfca032acc0af8a6.jpg and then in 2 or 3 years turned into this http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160604/9e64e17157f9419988e20c7535b84211.jpgwhich is now 10" side to side . You have some nice corals and tank. You take some great pictures also that capture the colors well.

That's awesome! Great colony. Can't wait for my corals to grow!!!!


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[Frogman]

I have a sps that looked like this http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160604/0a32aa1a141ca87cbfca032acc0af8a6.jpg and then in 2 or 3 years turned into this http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160604/9e64e17157f9419988e20c7535b84211.jpgwhich is now 10" side to side . You have some nice corals and tank. You take some great pictures also that capture the colors well.

What's that red colony chilling in the lower left?


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[Reefnub]

That's a orange setosahttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160604/231a127d78143a92cfc3dd18f4da56a1.jpg

[Frogman]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160610/1bf2b94488704d53da83912b27619ee8.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160610/90a6b6ff179fdb5f66bc4b37774d770b.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160610/2af8a47c75ce353b105f523129d87477.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160610/3a7d5a832bbe926304781f49dc0f6b89.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160610/81158b67bd96d8510dac3f133521890b.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160610/775a947439d3c8caf12025ce13ba0b5d.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160610/703be83ff7d4573d316805ec117f1525.jpg


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[alton]

Tank and corals are looking good

[FarmerTy]

Great pics!

Is that first picture an acropora latistella? Bali shortcake?