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Loco's 59g rimless tank build


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Thanks Roni.  I was just having a "talk" with my DH and daughter about my b/d and a macro lens.  But I don't want them to spend 800$ on a lens, so suggested they find one used.  Their reply was "find one you want mom, we're not doing the research for you"...brats, all of them!  I'll def check out those threads.

 

I would expect to spend in the low end of $300 when looking for a good used macro. JMO.

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I have a Nikon D5000 and had written down I want to find a  Tamron AF 90mm f/2.8 Di SP AF/MF 1:1 Macro Lens for less than the 800$ it was selling for back then.  Amazon has it on sale right now for just under $500.  I'm hoping they can find one used for 1/2 that.  I've had the camera over 2 years now, time I learned to use it.

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Just got the go ahead from "G" over on the Zeovit forum to add my first coral...whoohooo. Thinking a duncan from LA.

Just one?! ;)

 

Choose wisely! I like Duncan's, do you have a coral list in mind? Or whatever tickles your fancy?

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Well, I'm trying the Zeovit system, listening to what "G" over on the Zeovit forum tells me to do.  Since I used mostly dry rock with just one small piece of live rock, he wants me to "test" the system before I add more.  Normally if you use all live rock you add CUC after 14 days.  My tank has been cycling for only a month, I have had -0- ammonia the entire time, Nitrate was at 5 on 8.15, and slowly declined to -0- on 8.26.  Snails have been in for 10 days, no deaths that I can see, but really, would I see a dead cerith?  I do have the original 2 nerites and 5 turbo's, all still alive.

 

I am def nervous, this is my 4th sw system and never gone this fast.  I did have a small diatom outbreak that lasted about 2 weeks, but never got really bad.  Also had a decent green hair algae outbreak that lasted about the same, snails took care of it in less than a week.  No cyno, really surprised me, I always get cyno.  No ghost feeding, just adding ZeoBak, ZeoStart and Sponge Power. 

 

I'm going to do my first wc today, change out half the zeolith rocks and add carbon.  LA will deliver the duncan tomorrow or Thurs.  I'll wait 2 weeks, if all goes good, I'll add a fish and maybe another coral.  I'm stoked!  and reallly nervous  :)

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Just one?! ;)

 

Choose wisely! I like Duncan's, do you have a coral list in mind? Or whatever tickles your fancy?

No coral list as of yet.  My last reef was a 120g fat boy, started in 2003 and broke down in 2009, many here bought from my taking a break sale.  I used my well water (I know, I know) and was able to keep only the corals that liked "dirty" water, Ric's, Green Long Tentacle Plate Coral, Brain Coral, Spiny Cup Pectinia, TurbinariaCup Coral, Green hammer, a thousand Green Mushrooms and Pulsing Zenia.  After my experience with those Green Mushrooms, I'll never let one enter into my system again, ever.  Trying to eradicate them from the tank, one huge one squirted me in the face.  I ended up in the ER that night, dam thing shot 1000 miniscule cannon balls into my eye.  Two trips to the eye doctor to have my eye scraped.  Lots of pain, not to mention the 100 "schrum" jokes I had to endure.

 

I also had a Crocea Clam that was growing, lips open, pretty, but nothing like the clams I'm now seeing posted.  I don't think Duncan's were around back then, when I saw one a couple years ago, it became 1st on my list.

 

I will try some SPS, prob not anytime soon.  Guess I'll start with a birdsnest, I read they are the easiest. 

 

I do have a fish list:

 

2 - Snowflake clowns

1 - Green Goby

1 - Mccoskers wrasse

 

and maybe

 

1 - Kole Eye Tang

 

Since my tank is only a 36" I'm on the fence about the Tang.  Have any suggestions for fish for my sized tank?

 

 

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Duncan came today.  Opened up w/in an hour.  These pics don't do the colors justice, but until I learn how to take pics it's the best I got:

 

Yuma.jpg

 

Duncan.jpg

 

The Duncan is vibrant green on the stalk, and the tentacles are pick/maroon.  Under the actinics, the Yuma's edges look neon orange.  I'm very happy with my first purchases.  It's going to be hard to stick to the plan, one fish, one coral a month.

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Anyone ever keep Orange Line Chromis?

Yes, i started with 5 (goal was 3). After QT i was down to 4. After the DT they picked on another and I was down to 3. After I rescaped I'm at 2. I guess typical chromis behavior... They have great character and are fun to watch but they grew out of their orange lines :( now they are just two big black fish.

 

They are cool to photograph because you cant usually see them and they occupy the negative space. Would I get them again, probably not. I'd get rid of them if I thought I could find them a home.

 

One cool thing they do is i have this cave by the front of my tank and they sweep out the sand in a big sand storm. Very fun to catch.

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everything looks nice, keep up the good work!

Thanks!

 

Yes, i started with 5 (goal was 3). After QT i was down to 4. After the DT they picked on another and I was down to 3. After I rescaped I'm at 2. I guess typical chromis behavior... They have great character and are fun to watch but they grew out of their orange lines :( now they are just two big black fish.

 

They are cool to photograph because you cant usually see them and they occupy the negative space. Would I get them again, probably not. I'd get rid of them if I thought I could find them a home.

 

One cool thing they do is i have this cave by the front of my tank and they sweep out the sand in a big sand storm. Very fun to catch.

Thank you for answering.  I'm not sure I understand, what do you mean they occupy the negative space? 

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Its like those profile optical illusions where the womans profile with one white side and one black side which is also a different profile...in a lot of pictures they are just black and look like shadow until you look closer and say oh fish!! :)

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I think I will pass along my green/blue chromis once my 150 is ready. I thought it would be nice to have some "schooling fish," but they are just ok.

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How do you like the Zeovit System so far.  Thinking of taking the plunge.  Is it really time consuming? And expensive.  

Check back with me in a year for a definitive answer, right now it's too soon to tell.  I've only been dosing a little over a month, so far so good.  I'm used to daily dosing from my fw planted tanks, so I see it as "normal" not time consuming.  I have the dosing schedule taped to the inside of my supply cabinet, which sits 2 feet from my tank.  It literally takes 30 seconds to dose twice a day.  IMO, those little blue bottles are very expensive, but they do last a very long time, and have a shelf life of 2 years +.   If you haven't already, go check out the Zeovit forum, support is excellent.

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Brad908 did the Zeovit stuff on his last build, and the results are documented through his build. Personally, I would try it only if I had problems or issues, like not enough color, or growth. You can really tell how far things came along in his tank though, worth a read through.

 

How does the fish list look?

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Fish list is at a stand still.  I'll add a pair of Snowflake clowns first (next weekend maybe?), then if all goes well with the tank one fish and one coral a month (someone already wrote to me "good luck with that"  lol ):

 

Green goby

McKoskers Wrasse

Kole eye tang, maybe

 

I might add a green quad color anemone, thinking as a Christmas gift to myself, which will give my tank a little time to mature some, it will be almost 5 months old...sigh....prob not "mature" enough, it is hard to stick to a plan.

 

If anyone has any other ideas for fish, please let me know thru this thread. 

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oh you have so many possibilities...

what about a sand sifter? another type of goby...

other fun smaller fish, pj or bangaii cardinals...i think you mentioned them somewhere...

i love my midas blenny, jawfish and crazy shrimp goby...

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