What tank and equipment to use - Page 4

Yeah....I need my husband to help when I take my lights down....but then again...with the 225G I need his help with a lot of things 

Biggest mistake I made was buying the 72" Halide Fixture. Now that I've upgraded to the pendents, definitely not going back. My husband is working on LED's now. We're going to do LED's on the 180

Reading through all of this reminds me of all the reading I did when I was pregnant with my first.  Even with all the book reading, talking to other parents, joining forums, you just can't really know what it's like until you actually have that child.  I feel like it's going to be that way with the tank.  Once it's actually set up and full of fish I think a lot of what I have read will just sink in better, make more sense overall etc.

I painted the back of the tank tonight.  Apparently I should have discussed what I had in mind with what hubby had in mind.  His vision was not mine, and although it actually turned out as I had wanted it to, it was not what he expected.  So in short, don't think he likes it all that much, even if he says he does LOL.  Which is okay.  I keep telling him once it's aquascaped and the lights are in he'll see my artistic vision and realize just how wrong he was.  OK, I left out that last part, but he'll see :)  I'll let him post the picture he took.

I told him I would sketch out the design for the canopy before doing anything as he seemed to get a bit nervous about that one after I now painted the tank he he he.

That is perfect. Let me explain why. There is  thing called coraline algae that gets on literally EVERYTHING. What isn't covered with that will be green algae. It is in blotches and to be honest it looks almost like what she as painted. So it will blend in and look good for a long time. If she had painted a scene I wouldn't last. The dark you are talking about will make everything stand out really cool once the rocks, water and sand are in place. Some folks even paint the back solid black. It makes everything pop especially corals.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monsinour 

She did just say that she used the tank at one of the LFS as her inspiration and I have to say, it looks almost just like it.  I know that the crap will grow all over and over time, you wont see anything, so this kind of prepares you for it.  I am now eagerly awaiting the canopy to be done.  I think she will get it done tomorrow and I will post pics of that as well.

 

Ya know the one thing that really sucks, I ordered all my stuff over a holiday weekend.  Darnit!

If you waited it wouldn't get there any faster...LOL

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flower 

 

 

 

That is perfect. Let me explain why. There is  thing called coraline algae that gets on literally EVERYTHING. What isn't covered with that will be green algae. It is in blotches and to be honest it looks almost like what she as painted. So it will blend in and look good for a long time. If she had painted a scene I wouldn't last. The dark you are talking about will make everything stand out really cool once the rocks, water and sand are in place. Some folks even paint the back solid black. It makes everything pop especially corals.

+1 .. I Could not have explained it better.  I really like the way it turned out.

Deffinately still want to quarantine.  Typically most LFS don't quarantine their fish.  Infact alot of them actually treat their tanks with copper.  But it's always a good idea to quarantine no matter what anybody tells you...after all, it's your tank and your loss if or when it gets infected.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monsinour 

Well, we went to another LFS today and got to talk with what seems to be the most experienced/helpful LFS clerk in the area.  We will be able to get LR at $6.49 a pound for 30 pounds, another 20 pounds of base rock for $1.99 a pound, all the sand I will need for $1 a pound, Be able to reach into their refugium and grab some macro algae for $5 a handful, a scoop of their "mud" from the LR tank and all the water to keep the LR submerged for the ride home in 3 5 gallon buckets.  The nice thing about their LR, is that it has all kinds of things already growing on it.  AND i didnt see any of the bad things growing on them either.  Not sure about hitchhikers, but there wasnt any of the bad anemones on there at all.  He did seem fairly confident that with all that stuff and all the LR and the scoop of mud, I wouldn't have a cycle.  He lost me there as I do not plan to "not have a cycle" in the tank.  Maybe it wont be a long cycle process, but I am sure there will be some kind of cycle.  Atleast the LR has all kinds of stuff growing on it already so there will be something to watch as we wait.  As far as pricing on their livestock, it was all lower than the other store we have been frequinting.  The selection was a little less comparing fish, but more when comparing inverts.  The corals were about the same as well.  I just have a long ride out there and a long ride back.  My only concern is that they do not QT their fish when they get their shipment in.  I did ask if they would hold a fish for a week or 2 once they got it in to make sure that the fish is ok from shipping and all.  I would imagine that I would still have to QT anything I buy from them, yes?  I forsee the equipment coming in next week once we are back and I should have everything ready for a tank "birthdate" of September 18th.  The anticipation is grown, the feeling to hurry up and get here is growing, I canna wait.

I know what he's trying to say. It is possible to have no cycle doing it this way and I HAVE set up many tanks in this manner, however, I would NEVER recommend doing so to a new hobbyist.

Skimmer shipped out this afternoon, I just sent you a PM.

I'm excited to see what becomes of this tank.

BTW, now my husband wants a cube tank setup in the office of the new house
 

WHat size I like my 29 gallon cube

Quote:

Originally Posted by levinjac 

WHat size I like my 29 gallon cube

I already own a BioCube.

We're looking at a rimless 50G  Reef Ready Cube with an LED setup and starfire glass on the front. We'll see......

Oh but why  cube it limits what you can have but I cant complain i have a cube

Quote:

Originally Posted by levinjac 

Oh but why  cube it limits what you can have but I cant complain i have a cube

Do you realize how many tanks I have and how many more are getting set up in the new house? All and all, I'll have almost 15 tanks between breeding tanks, FOWLR's and nano's.

This would just have a few small fish, probably wrasses, a coral banded shrimp, since we can't have on in our other tanks with the other shrimp, and loads of SPS

WOW 15 tanks you are lucky

Quote:

Originally Posted by levinjac 

WOW 15 tanks you are lucky

NO I'm not, I'm married to them, especially the breeding tanks and my clam tank. I know whatever tank the Orange Spotted Filefish go in will be a high maintence tank. If the 50cube didn't already come with the LED's, we'd do non-photosynthetic, it's really the perfect style tank for it. It might still turn out to be that, but I know he wants SPS in it. We'll probably end up deciding over a game of "rock, paper, sissor"  best out of 3 LOL. it's how most decisions involving our tanks are made...

Definitely get the refractometer. Every hyrdrometer I get is off by at least .03. I had a swing arm that was off by .1, that's a BIG deal. You don't need to go and buy the crazy expensive ones either. I have the cheapy $40 one and it works just fine.