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Tinpanva's Reef Part Deux - 60 Cube Upgrade (Picture Heavy)


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(edited)

I'm a little late in getting this thread up and posted, just been a busy month or so. I've finally outgrown my little 29 Biocube, you can only stuff (80+) so many corals into a small tank for so long before you outgrow it. I have hit that point. So the time has come, to move everything from this;

 

FTS-25-Month-2-S_zps5ffbda49.jpg

 

to this;

 

IMG_7012_zpskv01p1sz.jpg

 

Yeah, thats a beer in my reef tank, that's just how we do it down here with the Richmond Reefers, first FTS has to contain a lucky beverage.

 

I'll be moving most of the SPS over, most of the LPS will be sold off to help cover the cost of the upgrade. The equipment (specs) list for the 60 is as follows;

 

60 gallon Marineland Reef Ready Rimless Cube
Marineland Stock Stand
Vertex Omega 150 Skimmer
Sicce Silent 3.5 Return Pump
Nextreef NRS-24 Sump
AI Hydra 52 LEDs (w/Director)
JBJ NanoGlow LEDs for the Sump
ReefKeeper Lite
Tunze Osmolater ATO
(3) Ecotech MP-10 Wireless Pumps
Finnex 200w Titanium Heater
60lbs BRS Reef Saver Dry Rock
60lbs Tropic of Eden Reef Flakes

MarinePure Ceramic Biomedia

 

The only real modification I did was to have the rear panel drilled for my return, I opted to use both existing pipes in the overflow for a full siphon drain. I cut the smaller 1" pipe about 6" lower than the (larger) overflow pipe and tune it with a gate valve in the rear of the tank. With the exception of a small trickle, it's dead silent.

 

The sump fit so well, I tried to talk my wife into positioning the stand so that the sump was always visable just so I could stare at it all the time, we compromised, so the answer was NO.

 

2015-04-26%2016.37.36_zps48qjdupw.jpg

 

The next thing I started working on was the scape, set up a mock tank in the man cave and started putting the BRS Reefsaver rock together, 1.5 tubes of aquamend later I get something I'm excited about,

 

IMG_7884_zpszdmvp6qh.jpg

 

IMG_7886_zps0w09ytcc.jpg

 

May 03 2015, tank went wet.

 

2015-05-03%2021.19.19_zpss8gahpdq.jpg

 

Under the hood - It looks so much different now with all the equipment mounted, I'll need an updated Pic.

 

2015-05-03%2021.18.45_zps0qslqcgf.jpg

 

With everything being white, it's hard to see exactly how it looks, but you'll have to trust me, it's prety neet looking. Very open with so many coral mounting options.

 

I did an old school cycle, which is to say, a very slow cycle. Brand new sand, brand new rock, brand new water. One thumb sized chunk of raw shrimp, one cup of existing sand from the BC. Almost exactly 30 days later a complete cycle. I was going to do a slow transition over to the 60, but in the end, I did it all in one day. I've only suffered one partail casuality, my ORA Borealis. It's about 80% peeled, but still hanging on. Keeping fingers crossed.

 

Now here we are, at (just over) the 2 month mark. Had a moderate GHA outbreak, mostly on the back wall. Nothing unusual with a new tank. Just for shnits-n-giggles I put my lawnmower blenny in there to see if he would munch on any of it. Didn't have high expectations as I thought he preferred macro or film algae. Let me tell you, he dug into that stuff like an all you can eat buffet. Back wall is clean and top of tank (where he stays) about 80% clean. Bottom half still has some, so I figure a few turbos should finish it off nicely.

 

Corals have colored back up realy nice, a couple still have a way to go, but all in all I'm very pleased.

 

Corals and tank as of last weekend;

 

First up SPS

 

IMG_9376_zpsec5mncop.jpg

 

IMG_9373_zpsuvhznrkv.jpg

 

IMG_9370_zpssyohk6cz.jpg

 

IMG_9340_zpsmci35oma.jpg

 

IMG_9328_zpsecty0hwo.jpg

 

IMG_9319_zps8s1bwifr.jpg

Edited by Tinpanva
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Until I run out of space again, (or money).

 

I don't plan to expand on the zoas, so from here on out it's just SPS. No real plan, just going to watch the tank and follow its lead.

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Everything is looking good, as always.

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I was a little suprised myself, didn't really get a diatoms bloom either, which really suprised me. I was figuring on a 6 to 8 week cycle using only shrimp. I was also worried about an amonia spike when I added everything at once, had a bottle of bacteria on hand along with a 25% water ready for a emergency WC. Didn't need either. Based on how nasty that shrimp had gotten, I would assume a very healthy bacteria population was established. I truely almost gaged when I caught a wiff of that thing.

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(edited)

drool. :wub:

Edit: Obv not for the shrimp... but those corals!  Beautiful job on both!

Edited by SunWyrm
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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Nice looking corals. Nice looking zoas. Nice skimmate (how often do you hear that?!)

 

Hows about a FTS?

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Wow, I think that is the quickest turn around on a FTS I've ever gotten!

 

Looks great! You going crazy looking at all the space you have to fill?

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Crazy is an understatement. Now that I've got vacation and whatnot behind me I'll state moving on frags a little faster now. I'm sure I'll pick up a few things at macna.

 

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

I figured it was time for a small update. New tank is at the 6 month mark. I really  haven't done much with it, just letting it run on auto-pilot. Despite an OCD'ish approach to preventing anything get into the new tank, the dreaded bryopsis I've been battling for years in the 29 managed to make it into the new tank. Took it 5 months to show up. It's not bad, but truly pisses me off. I guess it gives me something to fuss over.

New FTS - just ignore the sun reflection, I got sloppy.

20151114ReefTankIMG_4091_zpsgzfo6gzh.jpg

Here's a before/after shot of the blueberry fantasy (3 months growth) Never lost it's colors, and doing great.

MACNA%202015%2013%20of%204_zpsi9gudvnb.j

20151114ReefTankIMG_4114_zpsmw5xg5b9.jpg

Here's the unknown milli, it did loose its color, but growing well and very slowly getting colors back. (2 months growth)

MACNA%202015%2010%20of%204_zps9s8g2sxj.j

20151114ReefTankIMG_4173_zpsarsle6rf.jpg

and another

20151114ReefTankIMG_4118_zpsc0nh2e2l.jpg

Now just a few random shots

Forest Fire
20151114ReefTankIMG_4176_zpspnaupyyr.jpg

Shades of Fall (colors way off)
20151114ReefTankIMG_4145_zpsp7lprkgx.jpg

I have a few rescued frags of ORA Borealis
20151114ReefTankIMG_4165_zpsygicqr3u.jpg

I have a big colony of this Miyagi, but this is a small tip that brokeoff and has grown big and healthy
20151114ReefTankIMG_4155_zps2bbllmqu.jpg

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