Tank Journal Archive

[chris B]

System Objectives: Marine Tank with Corals & Marine Fish

System Type:

Display System:

Strike up Date: Not yet, slow and steady wins the race.

Display Tank: 6ft x 2ft x 2ft .

Display Lighting:Aqua One Metal Halids Lights MG1500 - with 3 x 150w 20,000k Globes. + 4 X 24 W globes Pl Blue + 2 x 18 W Globes PL Blue

Stand:Wooden stand

Hood: Open hood.

Sump:Dalbar weir brand new 500 litres to 900 litres

Refugium:

Deep Sand Bed: 50 Kgs Coral Sand 2mm thick


Refugium Lighting: To be decided

Chiller: To be decided

System Water:Natural Nsw Salt water

Display Water circulation:Aquael Reef Circilation 2600 x 1

Return Pump: To be decided

Refugium Pump:Aqua One 100

Skimmer: Reef Octopus Cone Skimmer NW150-6530B

Evaporation Top Up: To be decided

Chemical Support:Red Sea Products

Calcium Addition: To be decided.

Alkilinity Addition: To be decided.

Other Chemical Maintenance: To be decided

Current Water Chemistry:


Nitrates:
Phosphates:
Alkalinity:
Calcium:
Salinity / Specific Gravity:
Magnesuim:

 

[chris B]

This is a picture when we recieved the tank. in a very algae state.

PICTURES OF COMPLETED TANK

 

[chris B]

This is what the tank looks like , when i have cleaned the tank and removed all the algae from the tank

 

[chris B]

The Mini Reef before setup

 

[chris B]

50 Kgs of Coral Sand 2mm

Test Result of the tank as of 13th December 2011

Ph:8.2
Nitrite:0
Nitrate:0
Ammonia:0.50
Calcuim:460
Salinty:1.022
Phosphate:0.36

 

[MagicJ]

Hi chris B :welcome. What are you using to cycle the tank?

 

[chris B]

i am using the weir is located in the corner of the tank and it flows down to the mini reef and then pushed back up to the outlet pipe at the top of the tank, i will try to get pictures today of this in more detail.

 

[MagicJ]

I was actually asking about your water parameters ;) Do you have any live rock in the tank now? I noticed that you are getting an ammonia reading and was just wondering where this had come from?

 

[NiCd]

Nice looking tank, may i suggest the haliea chillers, pretty well priced for the larger ones

For the fuge light, a bunnings clip on with a 6500k cool daylight bulb works a treat

 

[MTG]

:welcome +1 for haliea chillers cheap and good quality

 

[chris B]

Put in Redsea NO3:PO4-X about 36 hrs ago, This morning the tank has cleared and then tested the tank parmeters this morning and they were the following.Also after adding 2 caps of prime, this has helped as well.

Using the API Test Kits This morning. But havent tested the salinty , will do tonight when i get home.

Ph:7.8
Nitrite:0
Nitrate:0
Ammonia:0.00
Calcuim:460
Phosphate:0.00

 

[chris B]

I will be using the following products for the up keep of the marine tank & Maintance & Feeding of the tank

Rea sea 3 test kits which will cover all the tank paremters

Chemicals
1. Reef Foundation ABC+:
2. Red Sea NO3:PO4-X
3. Reef Energy A
4. Reef Energy B
5.Coral Color A
6.Coral Color B
7.Coral Color C
8. Coral Color A

Salts
1. Red Sea Salt Coral Pro

Water Treatment
1. Seachem Prime
2. Seachem Stabailty

 

[chris B]

Live rock aquascaping will be started today, When i get home there is about 50 kgs or more of rock to be added to the tank.

 

[chris B]

The Live Stock List for new 6ft tank
FISH
1. Yellow Tang
2. Pair of Clown Fish
3. Lawn mower Blenny
4. Bird Nose Wrasse
5. Yellow Peel Angel

Invertbrates
1. Red Star Fish
2. Black Long Spine Urchin
3. Spine Urchine

 

[MagicJ]

Moving along nicely - look forward to some pictures of the scape.

 

[chris B]

yes they will be taken setup by setup and wait for the corals i will be adding to the tank, These will give the vibrance of the tank and the colour.

 

[NiCd]

sounds like your on the right track with everything.

may want to do a bit of reading on the bird nose wrasse, from my experence they will eat every snail and crustacean in the tank. even if they and 20 times too big to fit them in their mouth they use that break to grab and smash them into bits. by most accounts they are not considered reef safe. they are also jumpers and generally need an enclosed hood.

 

[chris B]

i have sails & also star fish , he has never touched them ever in the tank, this has been in a smaller 2 ft tank as well.

 

[NiCd]

No worries, sounds like you have a good one, it can be the same with angels and butterfly's some eat coral others dont.

They are one of my favorite fish and the differences between the males and females has always impressed me as well. always a great one to have as a pair but ive gambled and lost too many times

 

[chris B]

i have taken some pictures of the tank cycled, before this was aquascaped , this is a before shot