Jump to content

Mike's 115gal tank

BowieReefer84
 Share

Recommended Posts

Ryan S Oracle Reefer

Ryan S

I know right!? Move my back right pillar a little to the right, shift the left and front rocks a little to the left, and whammo, you have Mike's aquascape. This is what Apple must have felt like. :blink:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 225
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Origami Neptune Reefer

Origami

Getting back to the subject of Mike's tank.... (Chit chat elsewhere, guys.)

 

It's looking really good, Mike. Glad to see water in the tank. I like the rock work: Clean and open. Is that Marco or BRS rock you're using (or some other source)?

 

January 1 for fish? That's patience, man. You may be ready earlier - for some inverts at least. Just watch those parameters. At some point, you'll have to add bioload to grow your biological filtration further.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BowieReefer84 Oracle Reefer

BowieReefer84

  • Author

Getting back to the subject of Mike's tank.... (Chit chat elsewhere, guys.)

 

It's looking really good, Mike. Glad to see water in the tank. I like the rock work: Clean and open. Is that Marco or BRS rock you're using (or some other source)?

 

January 1 for fish? That's patience, man. You may be ready earlier - for some inverts at least. Just watch those parameters. At some point, you'll have to add bioload to grow your biological filtration further.

 

It is BRS eco saver reef rock. Not the pukani... I used 1/2" acrylic rod and epoxy (and a hammer) to build the structure.

 

 

I plan to ghost feed the tank and get some pods in there once it first cycles. I'm not in a rush, and still not sure what fish I want to add.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BowieReefer84 Oracle Reefer

BowieReefer84

  • Author

What plumbing "method" did you end up going with?

I would say a herbie with 2 backup drains. One runs full siphon and the other two are emergency.

 

what is the pipe hanging on the front of the tank?

When I was filling it with rodi I rigged that to hang it on to fill up. I need to take it off now...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BowieReefer84 Oracle Reefer

BowieReefer84

  • Author

Why did you decide to put the tank in the corner? Is the 3rd side not viewable?

 

Basement is not huge, and after much debate that is where it ended up. Looks good in person I think.

 

In other news, I pissed in the tank to kick off the cycle. Temp is 80* and salinity is 1.019

 

Will start testing in a couple days, and dosing microbacter 7

Link to comment
Share on other sites
STEVE Grandmaster Reefer

STEVE

LOL .....Gottal luv that direct communication, there is no misunderstanding on how he cycled that tank! biggrin.gif

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BowieReefer84 Oracle Reefer

BowieReefer84

  • Author
(edited) 

[flash=http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=109786]width="400" height="225" flashvars="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=217e6fcfdd&photo_id=8028254554" bgcolor="#000000" allowFullScreen="true"[/flash]

 

flash code video doesn't seem to be allowed.

 

Here's a width="400" height="225" flashvars="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=217e6fcfdd&photo_id=8028254554" bgcolor="#000000" allowFullScreen="true""]link, though, to the video.

Edited by Origami
Added link to video
Link to comment
Share on other sites
BowieReefer84 Oracle Reefer

BowieReefer84

  • Author

Ok, so ammonia is reading 1ppm. I pee'ed in tank two times over past week. At this point I am going to start with the microbacter7 dosing 5ml/25gal each day. Hoping to see ammonia go to zero and nitrites spike within 4 weeks.

 

Is ammonia at 1ppm high enough to kick off a cycle or does it need to be like 4-8?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
basser9 Reefer

basser9

(edited)

Just put a couple of mollies in the tank.

All you do is drip some saltwater in there bag for 12hours.

 

 

Mike heres that fixture on a 40 breeder about 5inches above the tank.

IF you get it 12inch above it should do a nice job on that tank.

You can easily add a strip of leds along the front that would allow

you to keep corals.

Edited by basser9
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Origami Neptune Reefer

Origami

Added link to your video. Sorry, I've found a way to embed YouTube videos but don't know how to embed flash video from Flickr.

 

The tank is looking good. There's a bit of a yellowish cast to the water, though. You might want to run some carbon for that. :biggrin:

 

1 ppm is fine to get things started. You want to keep feeding the tank, though, to keep developing the bacteria populations.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BowieReefer84 Oracle Reefer

BowieReefer84

  • Author

Just put a couple of mollies in the tank.

All you do is drip some saltwater in there bag for 12hours.

 

 

Mike heres that fixture on a 40 breeder about 5inches above the tank.

IF you get it 12inch above it should do a nice job on that tank.

You can easily add a strip of leds along the front that would allow

you to keep corals.

Yea, that's not a bad idea. I will wait till ammonia zero's out though. Nice not to have to worry about QT with the freshwater mollies either.

 

Also, I love that light. The color output is what I would call perfect. Your video makes it appear a little more blue than what my eyes show in person. If I decide to go reef tank with LED's I would definitely use your ratio and just add more.

 

Added link to your video. Sorry, I've found a way to embed YouTube videos but don't know how to embed flash video from Flickr.

 

The tank is looking good. There's a bit of a yellowish cast to the water, though. You might want to run some carbon for that. :biggrin:

 

1 ppm is fine to get things started. You want to keep feeding the tank, though, to keep developing the bacteria populations.

No worries on the video. Not really a big deal at all.

 

I can throw some carbon in the sump in a bag. I was going to wait, but since I have it why not use it. I don't have any filtration running right now (skimmer, carbon, gfo...). I was just going rock/sand to get things going for now.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Origami Neptune Reefer

Origami

I can throw some carbon in the sump in a bag. I was going to wait, but since I have it why not use it. I don't have any filtration running right now (skimmer, carbon, gfo...). I was just going rock/sand to get things going for now.

Ahem. That suggestion was offered tongue-in-cheek as an oblique reference to your method of initiating the cycle (that is, your all-natural form of dosing urea).

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BowieReefer84 Oracle Reefer

BowieReefer84

  • Author

just add some Dr Tim's and be done with it. :biggrin:

 

Love the rockwork though. Looks better than RyanS tank. :laugh:

I am using Microbacter7. I considered Dr. Tims, but for no particular reason went with MB7. And thanks on the compliments with the rocks. Can't wait to see what you have in the works. I have some 1/2" and 5/8" acrylic rod left from my build if you want it. lmk

 

Ahem. That suggestion was offered tongue-in-cheek as an oblique reference to your method of initiating the cycle (that is, your all-natural form of dosing urea).

O yea, that... That went completely over my head. (as I just got upstairs from the basement after putting some ROX.8 carbon in the sump)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Gadgets Oracle Reefer

Gadgets

I am using Microbacter7. I considered Dr. Tims, but for no particular reason went with MB7. And thanks on the compliments with the rocks. Can't wait to see what you have in the works. I have some 1/2" and 5/8" acrylic rod left from my build if you want it. lmk

 

 

Thanks for the offer, but I won't need any. My tank is up and running now with some livestock (bunch of fish and corals). Gonna be picking up more frags this week. Waiting to post pics though. :biggrin:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
BowieReefer84 Oracle Reefer

BowieReefer84

  • Author
(edited)

Last night I tested and Ammonia and Nitrites were both ZERO! Nitrate read b/t 20-40 (hard to tell on API kit). I am surprised the rock has cycled so quickly to be honest. I am not sure the MB7 played a major role, but I am happy. I am really like this eco rock from BRS.

 

I still have not hooked up lights or skimmer. I will hook up skimmer this week, and ghost feed with some flake food for now. Hoping to hang lights next weekend.

 

I am assuming once the lights go on the algae will appear. Right now there is zero algae, but the tank is in basement and unlit.

Edited by BowieReefer84
Link to comment
Share on other sites
BowieReefer84 Oracle Reefer

BowieReefer84

  • Author

That was a good idea adding the mollies. Do you plan on keeping them or will you trade them out?

 

Not sure yet. I guess it depends on what type of fish I go with, and whether or not they will be eaten. If anything I will give them away, or back to the store. I didn't realize how cheap mollies are. The dalmation ones were only a dollar each.

 

My friend has my old biocube and it is loaded with algae, despite only having a pair of clowns. May give them to him, and see if they help the problem any.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...