Fazio92

Pics with the Canon -Anthony

Thanks! Lol yeah, that was the goal Thanks! Thanks! Yeah i can't wait until the upper portion of the tank is solely SPS branches I am using the $10 Plusrite 20K 400Ws

Thanks guys! LoL, maybe, still under internal debate -Anthony

FTS with cell... I'll take a real pic with the Canon tomorrow -Anthony

Finally got most of the clowns moved over from the grow-out tanks to the display, still a few more to add -Anthony Video: Pics:

That sounds like a great idea! Unfortunately, my sump isn't divided into chambers like most, but is more like a giant refugium/sump divided by live rock, etc. and everything is fed off the main pump through a manifold. So, I don't think i would be able to do exactly that. However, I do utilize the floor drains for water changes, running a hose directly into the drain, then flip a switch and refill with NSW I actually just got lucky with the sump placement as that drain is one of 2 that were already installed

Actually, the sump only rises about 2-3" leaving me ~5-6" when full. If it did somehow ever overflow there is a floor drain right in front of it (though I hope it never gets to that point)

On the fence right now... We'll see -Anthony

Been fairly busy with work the past few months, but here are some updated pics of the tank from yesterday. Just need to start repopulating with SPS and throw in the clowns -Anthony Dawn FTS: Dawn Angle: Full Day FTS: Survival Coral: Sump Room: Future Display Inhabitants:

Looks GREAT Eric!!

OMG, I am so sorry to hear that, please let us know how we can help! Best, -Anthony

LOL. Honestly, it looks exactly the same as the last pics. I haven't touched it since I set it up since I took out all the fish to be QT'd, but come July1 all the fish will go back in! I haven't even had time to add sand or even any new coral. Don't worry i'll post some pics soon

They are all Marineland 300w heaters used mainly to offset the natural cooling. Still haven't had the system spike over 81 degrees, so i'de say that's pretty good considering the ambient temp in the room is 75. I did a lot of searching and I actually found the exact type I wanted on craigslist, from someone's leftover project. Otherwise, I was going to have to purchase this particular rock through a custom stone/siding company. Thanks again to everyone for all the complements! -Anthony

Thanks! Yeah, that's the plan, but we'll see as it progresses (want to design a super magnet scraper that I can use through the wall to clean the glass or an extension arm that I can attach to my Hammerhead Magnet to reach at least 4-5ft to reach behind the tank? That would really help! ) MH all the way, Radiums specifically for pop. I thought about LEDs (for supplementation) and played around with a few different types, but for the look I'm after they weren't feasible to just throw-in right now. I may add them later using par38 as recessed lights in the ceiling. Again, my goal was to have a clean setup and adding more fixtures strays away from that goal. Plus, the radiums have never failed me Luckily, no My sump sits directly on the foundation and that seems to keep the tank at a constant temp ~78 through passive cooling. I like to run my tanks around 82-83 and am having a hard time keeping it up (running 3 x 300w heaters). My old tank only had 1 x 400w halide (~200gal system) and I had to run a chiller almost 24/7. Just shows how powerful running a tank in a basement and sump directly on the foundation can have on maintaining a constant temp (like a wine cellar). I do have a chiller just in case, but have yet to hook it up as it's not needed right now. -Anthony

Thanks everyone! It's in the basement AKA "mancave" The fish room is directly behind the display tank wall, luckily (yes, laundry/unfinished area). I originally wanted to to an in-wall, but I would have only been able to fit a 5ft tank because of the HVAC and other plumbing that I didn't want to move. Plus, I would have loss the end view panes; which I like as an additional viewing perspective. So, I'm pretty happy with my choice of a longer tank and not sticking it in the wall. -Anthony

Thanks everyone for the positive comments!! It was a ton of work and took a very long time just to get it where it's at now! Time to start re-establising my SPS population since I lost all of it during the move back in September! Thanks Tom, Yeah I got the glass guy to come back out; which was only 2 month delay for the project... -Anthony

Hey Everyone, So many of you have been asking me to post a build thread for the past 8 months, so I am finally giving in . Luckily, (planned ahead ) I took pictures throughout the build process; which are displayed below. This new system is an upgrade from my prior 92gal corner and runs roughly 470gal total (330 main, 150gal sump (100gal filled) and 40 holding tank). With my goal of making everything seamless as possible, I routed all electrical and plumbing behind the wall to a sump room; under the stand is just storage space . At the moment I am running the following: Tank

Here's a picture of my 330gal that is still in progress, just to give you another local mini (8" depth at max) bar-rail option/view point. Mine's obviously not meant for bar stools, etc... but its a nice drink rail if have a party or something. -Anthony

yeah, i was thinking about it, but having a professional do it is also a nice peace of mind. I don't want to end up creating more scratches that i can't fix. That is my last option right now, but not ruling it out.

Hey Everyone, So, I had a glass restoration guy come out and sand/polish out all the coraline etching in my 330gal that I have been trying to setup for the past few months. All the etching was removed and I test filled to ensure it still held water , but I have now been waiting for that guy to come back for the final polish now for 1.5months!! It's really not that noticeable, but "I" know its there, even when filled (e.g., swirl marks, scuffs, slight haze), due to his quick polish after the sanding. Just wanted to see if anyone around here does this kind of work so i can get it finished and fill this thing? All it needs is the cerium oxide polish over; which i would do myself, but I don't have a random orbital buffer etc... I did try a windshield kit that Tom lent me before i had the glass guy come out that used a drill and small 2-3" pad, but that took forever (2 panes of glass. 96"x25" & 33"x25"). I think it would be best accomplished with an orbital buffer and 6-7" pad to be effective. If anyone does this for a living please let me know as i can't stare at this tank any longer (without water, corals and fish at least ). Thanks in advance! -Anthony

Looks like bubble algae that isn't getting enough direct light. I had some that looked just like that and grew in the same manner within colonies. If it's hard I'de bet that's what it is.

+1, when i setup my new 320gal i just cut out the carpet where the stand sits incase there were a water problem. I could remove/pull back all the potential wet/molded carpet pieces without worry of moving the stand/tank (which would be impossible). As long as the carpet backs a wall, it will stay taught against the wall side tacking. If you were to look at my stand and carpet, you would never know carpet was missing unless you opened the stand doors. It was a matter of mold/flood pre-thought in-case something ever did happen, i wouldn't have to worry about health concerns (which i had a problem with at my other residence). If it ever did flood, then i would just pull the carpet out (not having to even think about touching the tank) and then just put in tile or something water resistant since there's a sump pump in the room anyhow. Just my 2 cents -Anthony

You risk cross contamination by doing that, fry are very sensitive to an array of things. Rinsing the rotifers is a good practice to reduce transfer of other contaminants that may have grown in the rotifer culture.

The flashlight helps 100fold bc, the rotiers pop out against the green water. Again, if they were dead they would be on the bottom. Sounds like they are alive to me, i wouldn't worry

If the "dots" are in the water column, they are alive. Dead ones sink to the bottom. No need for microscope etc... use a flashlight and hold it at an angle to the culture, if you see the specks floating you're good. -Anthony