YHSublime

Also, does anybody know what that clear thing is next to the mushroom in that picture above? I found it yesterday, and it looks like a clear anemone, very weird. I'll put it on my list of things that I don't know how it got in my tank, like the urchin.

My tank doesn't look very blue, unless I have the blues on at night. The pictures don't give a very acurate portrayal, per LED photos accross the board. I love rockwork as well. I really really do. However, there is something tranquil about the simplicity and letting the tank really speak for itself. It also causes me to really consider what I'm keeping, and where I'll be keeping it. It's like trying to provide order and constants, but everything is unknown! When my work is done, you will be able to sit back and say "ahhhhh, that's what that crackpot was talking about!" I really think you made the right choice on the dc 120000, the 6000 is a perfectly good pump, for a 75-100 gallon, IMO, especially if you plan on running anything else off it down the road.

Oh, no doubt about it, I asked for his help to keep it that way, I always enjoy looking at his and Peirces tank. My next step is going to be trying to keep the sand as clean. I just need to figure out how to work my camera a little better. Sit tight, Jenn. It was more so just the new picture that threw me, I'm a creature of habit. Yeah, it doesn't seem like much right now, but I can assure you that once everything gets in and starts growing out, you'll find that it was planned really well. The monticap rock is placed on another rock to raise it up a bit, and consists of: A huge red cap, a huge golden torch, a huge branch of fragspawn, a big gsp patch growing under the bottom, as well as a RBTA. The open brain I have will take the place of that rock in the center of the horseshoe. The surrounding rocks I plan on coating with different favias I have in the tank. This will take some time, but the end result will be beautiful. The supporting ledge at the bottom of the arch on the left will have all my zoas. The top diagnoal of the arch will hold all my SPS, closest to the light, with a nice amount of flow. That's the gist of it, but I think it will give the rock a really full look once all those corals start growing out. It will also help focus attention on some of the fish I plan to feature Also, without doing a wall of rock along the back, the 150 is a harder space to aquascape. This is also the first time I have ever planned for the way I want things to look, so will see. At the end of the day, if I feel the need to add more rock, I know I can pull it out of the sump.

Your new avitar threw me for a loop! So the way the display is set up at the moment may seem strange, or not, but I have a plan for every piece of coral in my 57 to transfer over to the 150. I'm going to keep it as minimal as possible, and my instinct is to shove as much rock as I can into whatever tank I'm working on. Working with my new rock allowed me to keep it simple, and really keep both tanks running at the same time, allowing me the luxury of a slow transfer. The rock that's left in the 57 will be moved into the 150 almost exactly as is. I also had some caulerpa that was growing on one piece of rock in particular, and wanted to constrain all that into the sump. I will probably add a couple bottles of the Tisbee Pods over the next couple weeks.

Sponge? And....?

Thanks, Tom. I can probably find it, completely forgot about this, and will check tonight. See below for next steps in furthering cycle process. Got a little ansy last night and was looking to make some progress. I ended up taking all the corals of the rock with a hammer and flat head screwdriver. I took half the rock out of the 57 and put it in the sump, with a few smaller pieces in the display as well. There is almost as much live rock in the tank now as there was cured rock, I have not tested anything but salinity, I expect a teeny cycle. The lighting in the room and the reflection pose a serious problem to my ability to take pictures, this was a quick shot that I was able to capture this morning on the way out the door. The right side of the tank will house the huge red monticap against the overflow, and the live rock in the DT (the darker pieces) will be put into the sump once I start making the transitions. Next step, getting the fricking light up. Figuring out the sump. Water level is a bit high with all the rock I just threw in:

Put me down for a mated pair

x1000

I guess what I've seen was people using these for cutting thin pieces around the rock (ie, monti cap) and having them stuck on rubble rock. It would probably dull them quicker, but the edges of reef rock seem like they would be brittle enough? I may just get a shower curtain and wait for a nice evening to quickly do it outside. Last time I did it without a cover or drop on the pavement my first strike and crack sent pods flying all over the cement, and hey, I like those guys!

Here you go man, glwts, this tank is beautiful. BUILD

Hawt.

Hahaha! Good one! But seriously. if you're looking for any kind of serious flow, I only have one return, granted, a few 90 degrees in there, and I'm getting enough to move water into my sump and back at top speed, but not a lot of pressure. Two nozzles off my 1 return. If you're planning on 4 returns, Kim, I would wait for the 12000. I don't want folks to be dissapointed with the 6000, but it just cuts it for a 150. My offer stands to anybody who wants to see it in action.

Show me a 6000 now!

I would, I'm on 2 and I think it JUST cuts it.

So I'm getting ready to start taking my frags off the rocks, and a lot of them are encrusted onto the live rock. I've seen folks use these to trim the actual rock, is that a way to go? The next best step is taking the rock out of the tank, and a screw driver and a hammer. I would like to keep the rock as live as possible, and spend the least amount of time out of the water, so would prefer to trim inside. Are those scissors something that can be pulled from a home depot? Also, does anybody know where I can buy some heavy duty magnets like the frag racks have? Thanks in advance!

Haha, believe it or not, you're spot on. I actually painted that when I was in college, it was a self portrait out of a series I did with me wearing ridiculous hats. That was before I even was into aquariums, but I had/have somewhere,this awesome octopus hat from Bush Gardens.

I heavily suggest going with the 6000 or stronger, instead of the x2 3000. JMO. What Evan said about the 3000 for a manifold or reactor would be more appropriate, IMO again. If you're ever in the area you're more than welcome to stop by and see the 6000 at work on a 150, I feel like it's just enough.

You don't love it?!

I ran a little lower than you did with all my SPS and LPS when I made the switch, and I'm just now running on 50% for each channel about 2 months later. Granted, I left mine on 100% the other day, and everything did fine. Keep an eye on it, just in case, you can always start lower, and move up, but the other way around is harder to gauge. Looks awesome, btw, colors really show.

Once through the drywall it is probably about 1" above.

EGADS, it's too late for that! The restroom is close! However, everything is close in these units. Anybody have any recommendations on my original question, I'd be happy to skip the toggles and play the same game.

I've had 3 in my 57 since I put my CUC in.

and if it's not wood...

Wish I knew. Oh, and about the patching up thing, 9/10 renters prefer Crest. I've already filled 4 holes back up, can't have this place looking like a dump

No, doesn't sound like it is touching metal. Wood beam is probably the logical guess. 2" away, eh?