EBR

That's "Knee Deep", Zac Brown Band, with Jimmy Buffet helping out.

Thanks for the kind words on the cabinet -- it took 6+ years to be completely done, but somehow now that it is, all of that doesn't matter :-) The best advice I was given when I joined WAMAS: Nothing good ever happens fast with an aquarium -- I guess that's true for outside the tank, too! And those anemones have me worried a bit. There's 21 at last count, all naturally split from a single one from the Flowerseller lineage. They've all sat right there on the same island for nearly 9 years -- I just feel I'm skirting disaster, waiting until they decide to go for a hike one day into a power head. I should look into selling some off, if there is any interest. @Matt: thanks for the suggestions -- the leather with the long polyps was the favorite in our house, so I've been looking at a large toadstool or similar as a replacement. The wall hammer is compelling, and I hadn't really considered gorgonians, either -- but I will now. @ Anemone: Thanks for the compliment, but you should have seen it a year ago -- what a mess. Since then, it's just been forcing myself to keep up with the water changes and questioning everything that's in it. I found myself at a point where I was leaving the clutter with the expectation/hope that it would grow into something nice. But it's really like managing a forest, where you've got to clean out the deadwood to give room for the good stuff. For the past couple of months, I've also gotten back to watching the parameters. The single-headed hammer currently in the middle of the open space (8 photos up) hasn't changed since I got it at the March WAMAS meeting (2015). Finally broke down to get a Ca/Alk test kit, and everything turned out to be low (Ca at 340-ish, and everything else equally low). So now I'm on the Seachem two part to get things back in line -- the coralline is actually starting to reappear now after all this time, so I'm happy so far. Matt Oh, and here's the leather I'm referring to:

I broke out the GoPro:

This? http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1169964

What to do when snowed in for the weekend? GoPro:

After some recent research of this forum about diatom filters and Ca/Alk supplements, I realized that I never posted the final state of the tank and stand. Sorry 'bout that. The tank itself has changed a lot from just a couple of years ago before a big sell-off. We went to Australia and New Zealand last year over the holidays, and for unanswered reasons -- perhaps time change, getting used to dropping my "R"s, or the Coriolis Effect (which actually works, you know -- my daughter has the video of the toilet bowls in both here and there to prove it), the tank did not receive the attention it deserved. As a consequence, I had a few things die off on me, including two huge digitata I raised from little frag puppies, as well as my favorite toadstool. All is well now, and the tank thriving and happy now, albeit a bit empty. More below. Anyway, the stand and canopy as it is today. The big void in the left-of-center is where the toadstool was :-( Good news is it's fun to consider what would be a good center-piece in the near future: One of the hatches for the canopy: All five doors are really hatches that capture the lower edge of the frame, and just clicks into place, making it super easy to get everything out of the way within five seconds. Maintenance mode: And some better view of the critters: Future home of something nice: The clowns have upwards of 21 RBTAs to thrive in. I need to sell just a few LOT of them. Any takers? This is all I have left of the giant hammer a few pages back on this thread that broke apart under its own weight. It's settled in nicely and is taking off. these guys are so darn cool:

(thread resurrected during a bit of related research on diatom filters... there are a lot of threads, and this one seemed as good as any to leverage...) Paul -- What a day to learn. Checking out the updates to the forums this morning, and I stumbled upon your "42 Year Old Tank" thread. I haven't gotten through all of it, but it sure is an easy and fun read, packed with all sorts of ideas. Having been born and raised on Long island only made it that much better. I, too, rarely measure anything and just go by how the tank looks and sounds. All -- Anyway, what caught my attention most was the discussion about a diatom filter Paul uses to clean house once a year. I didn't even know there was such a thing before 8:30 this morning, and I'm wondering if it may help my situation. I have a 125g/sump/skimmer system with a shallow sand bed that's been running for nine years now, and all is pretty good. I used to have about an inch of substrate, but two years ago I had an event that really scared me, where (a story told by many, I'm sure) I let the cleaning go for a bit too long, and after a deep clean with the vacuum stirred up something nasty that pissed off everything in the tank. So I pulled most of the substrate and everything has been easier to clean and keep in order ever since. But I miss the look of a substrate and don't like the bare spots of glass whenever the clowns feel like pushing it all around. I don't want a deep bed, certainly, but just enough to keep everything covered -- no more than an inch. MY POINT -- So, I am intrigued by the notion of going back to a thicker sand bed, and then adopting a regimen with a diatom filter as well, stirring up the sand bed and sucking out all the crap on a semi-annual-or-so basis. Since the event two years ago, I look at sandbeds like asbestos -- works well and won't kill you unless you disturb it. I guess I'm looking for a way to keep the thicker sand bed while mitigating any buildup of bad stuff. What do you think? Matt

Many thanks, Everyone. That makes me feel a whole lot better. Matt

125g glass tank, running 9 years, no actual trouble so far, but I am cautious. And pictures are worth, well, a lot of words. Is the amount of silicone that is missing from left-hand edge worth worrying about? The jagged portions has somewhat lifted from the glass, but appears/feels solid at the actual corner itself. Good edge on the right side: And then the bad edge on the left side: Opinions? Is this something to worry about structurally? I can't even imagine how to re-caulk it if that's what's needed. Thanks. Matt

Thanks, Everyone -- That really helps wrap my brain around it all. What would be a minimum size tank, though? Tom, I see you have a 40g, would a 20L be too small? Considering that I'd like to QT a few at a time (thinking about the Chromis or Banggais), would that be too small and stress them out even if for a couple of weeks? Thanks. Matt

Happy New Year! I've got a 9 year old 125g tank that, other than fighting a bit of algae issue right now, is pretty solid with good water parameters. It's home to a couple of clowns and damsels, and is honestly looking a bit empty, or so I was told by several folks that visited over the holidays -- OK, so I can take a hint. I haven't added any fish to this system in many years, and have long-since gotten rid of any extra equipment that could be used as a QT, and am now trying to figure out how to approach this. So, what is the current thinking on QT? Not so much whether to go through it, but HOW. I'm still combing through the many posts here on this site, but I'm having a tough time determining what is really needed to get by while also not stressing the critters out. I clearly don't rotate livestock very often, and whatever I put in place will be temporary. Any advice or good references to get me in the right direction? Thanks. Matt

Many thanks for the sanity check -- it all makes sense. And nice shot of the turtle -- now THAT would take a big tank! Happy New Year. Matt

Yeah, Koles are cool -- I had one many years ago, and he always seemed to get along. Based on what I've read, I was counting on a pair of Banggais, and a small school of Chromis -- would six be too many? It's only a 125, and knowing that I have some livestock already and am looking for a variety, I don't want to overdo it. And would the Banggais and Chromis get along? Any issues with either and LPS? Thanks, and Happy New Year! Matt

Hey Everyone -- I've got a 125g, and will admit to very marginal luck keeping fish over the years, my last attempt at a varied population being over five years ago. The fish I do have are from that last round of restocking, and include two tomato clowns, and a pair of damsels, that's it. After a big sell-off of corals last year, and some significant re-scaping, I'm finally getting ready to add some more color to the tank. And so, I'm trying to figure out compatibility, and thought ask your advice. While the system and corals are really pretty solid, I still consider myself a novice with fish. There are quite a few I've considered and have ruled out already, due to either size limits, or compatibility with like-species, that sort of thing. So, taking the fish-novice route... Current Fish: - 2 tomato clowns - 2 azure damsels - 20+ RBTAs (yeah, need to sell of just a few ;-) Current Corals: - elephant ear - candy canes - hammers/frog spawn - various soft/leathers - planning for a center-piece toadstool to replace the one that I lost early this year Fish I'm considering and would like your thoughts about. To be honest, I'm really just looking to get some more color: - bangai cardinals (cuz they're fun) - blue chromis - flame angel - either a yellow tang or a yellow angel - perhaps a kole tang? What do you think? Would these work with what I currently have? I don't think I have the capacity for all of them, but they're all under consideration. Any other suggestions that would make good tank-mates for what I have now, that won't chomp down the LPS I have, too? Thanks! Matt

So after a whole lot of fragging, selling at the last meeting, remiving most of the sand bed (what a lesson!), and general housecleaning, this is where the tank sits now. Next is to deconstruct the right side, remove the pvc pipe structure that the rock are on, and create a curve island similar to the left side. The elevate structure was a good experiment, and it sure helps to keep the detritus moving, but for me its a hug waste of vertical space. Anyway more on the later -- for now a quick look: Matt

As someone did...

Bump. As someoneRFID the same for me a few weeks ago, I'll go ahead and pay it forward here. Any update?

Oops -- forgot the last photo of the new canopy on Install-Day: BTW, is there any way to edit a previous post?

And now the doors this past summer: Start out with a pile of lumbers, cut it up. Measure twice, cut once, and all that crap: Butt joints with dowells, and a healthy dose of glue: All stacked up to dry squared out and sanded nice Edged to match the rest of the tank and canopy trim Test fitting And yes, they are still sitting beside me, waiting for a long weekend to be painted/stained/finished. Sigh.

I thought it about time to update the tank build since I let this thread go stale in 2007. The only things really worth reporting are the canopy, the doors, and the electric panel to easily switch over to an auxiliary generator. So without too much explanation, here are the photos from finishing the canopy in the summer of 2012. On page 2 of this thread you'll see the canopy mostly put together and fitting on the tank, but without paint, stain or even some of the finish trim. Sadly, it stayed in the garage like that for nearly five years. As it sat for 5 years fitting the trim molding cut on the router table Its best to have a variety Lots and lots of holes to plug up All plugged, ready for a ton of sanding. Notice how discolored the birch had gotten in the garage, compared to the fresh plugs. All that went away with the first sanding All ready for finish Paint on teh inside Stain on the out Stain without poly finish Install day Done, and on to the doors. Which had to wait until the summer of 2013!

@JR-Tanked -- The crab is on the elephant ear in the center right, just to the left of the purple encrusting monti. As for the anenomies, thanks -- I need to thin them out too, just not this time around.

Frags on Saturday: http://wamas.org/forums/topic/63223-frags-for-sale-pickup-at-meeting-available/ Come and get 'em ; - )

So here's a long-overdue update. Funny that after all this time, that today, of all days, is the day that the huge LPS decides to let gravity win. Oh, well, it's been due for a trim for a looonnngggg time anyway -- too bad it couldn't wait for me to take some new photos. Anyway: Full tank Left side: Right side: Tired LPS that has fallen over, resting on the hammer underneath, which, by the way, has zero structural integrity. It's not until these things have started to break apart under their own weight that I realized that I must have been underdosing the Kalk for years. It's almost like the stalks have been eating themselves full of holes. Might explain the trouble I've been having keeping any sort of coraline, too :-/ Full tank, lengthwise (6' 125g): Leather: Some sort of digitata, which has done really well, I think. Two picture previous is another (behind the large LPS that fell over) that started as the same size frag: From the anenomies: Candy Cane, ridiculously too close to the glass: the whole giant-LPS-resting-on-the-structurally-unsound-hammer: These guys are great The right side, or "the bone yard" -- needs a big clean-out Seriously, anybody want some of this? Matt

Thanks. As for the reply, I don't take credit -- the WAMAS email notification happened to hit while I was at my desk. frag fest: no doubt. projects: well said ;-)

(after a brief hiatus from WAMAS, I'm looking forward to re-engaging...) Wow. Funny how I was just thinking over the holidays, darn, I need to renew my membership since I let it lapse last year. Thanks for the nudge! And you don't know how close you are to the truth with choosing the word "unfinished". The tank still lives strong as ever. But once I had the tank up and running, the holidays hit that year, and I just never maintained the mojo to push through and finish the darn thing (which I will attribute to the poor upkeep of this thread). The canopy I made to match the stand sat in the garage for 4+ years unfinished while I used a temporary one I knocked together just to hold the lights. I finally finished that last summer, but, alas, still have the doors to stain and finish (although they are built). Real life just get in the way ;-) I'll find some time to post some proper pictures to finish "the story", but here's one of the tank itself. In general, once I stocked it (mostly from WAMAS frags :- ), I just let it grow out. See if you recognize any of the corals from the full tank shot above. The anemone has split 10 times, the green candy can that started as a single head is now the size of a volleyball, the hammer in the center has broken apart under its own weight several times over the past year (cool for a while, but now just a mess), the digitata that started as a single finger is now in front of the anemones, and the big LPS on top started out the size of a baseball, and is now got the circumference of a basketball. Frags, anyone? :-) Matt