2Quills, 120G Re-build thread.

2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sparty059 http:///t/378912/2quills-120g-re-build-thread/840#post_3528995
Looks sharp. Let me know how you like the Hydra's. When I set up my 150 in the basement I might be looking to cut costs when it comes to the lights as well. Rather the Vega's I might look at the Hydra's as well.
May be worth while sticking with the Vega's for that tank. The main difference between the two is that the Vega uses the more powerful XM-L 10 watt whites where as the Hydra is using the latest and most efficient XT-E 5 watt whites. That extra punch that the Vega's have might come in handy for a taller tank like your 150g.
I'm expecting the two fixtures to be plenty for my tank for whatever I want to try and keep. But I probably will retrofit a couple of T5's with reflectors into the canopy as well. More or less so that I can have more options when it comes to taking pics. And back up or supplement lighting if need be.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Update: I'm starting to see some color showing up on the rocks. Everything really took off in the last 4-5 days right after getting the lights.

But not just in the tank...
I've seen a lot of color showing up on the scrubber. This would all be the results of recently adding the 30lbs of live rock to the system as well as ghost feeding 4 cubes of food to the system in the last 2 weeks. I'm going to drop the display tank lighting down low, real low for the next week or two before I start adding my first inhabitants and let this scrubber fill in. I'm debating on if I should clean it now or just let it go a few more days.


I have to say that I'm really impressed with the Skimz Kone.
First it gave me the nice yellow stuff immediately after I added salt to the system a couple of weeks ago...

So I had shut it down because I needed to build a stand for it, plus I hadn't figured there was much in the system to skim since the tank was pretty sterile to begin with. But I flipped it back on again Saturday night and within about 15 minutes it was already pulling some much darker brew from the system and has been steady doing so every since. I was honestly worried that I may have over sized the skimmer for this system. But after seeing what it can pull from the system so far in such a short time I think I may turn out to be pretty happy with it. This is with no bio load in the system yet. And I've been ghost feeding my cubes of food into the filter sock on the algae scrubber side of the sump tank (not broadcast feeding the particulate matter into the display).
 
sweatervest13

sweatervest13

Active Member
The scrubber is working very well!!! That is some nice growth (considering that you have only had some die off from the rock and 4 cubes of frozen). And that skimmer should work great if its pulling that gunk already.
The DT looks good. I am liking the rockwork. Lots of swimming room.
 
aquiman

aquiman

Member
Wow, I just came upon this post and am impressed! Great job all around. I love the GFIs/ switches and electrical work. Best of luck with your new set up.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
First additions that the wife and I picked up last weekend. Few random shots.

...Wellsophylia Brain Coral.
...looks pretty wicked under the u.v. leds.
...Pegota Cup. Seems content at the moment.

...Frog Spawn looking phenominal under the blues and u.v. Poor representation through the photo though. Scored 7 heads (about to be 9) for free from a hobbyist at my LFS. It was a happy day.

...Red Shrooms actually fluorescing red a bit under the blue & u.v. leds looks pretty cool.
...Deresa clam (aquacultured). So far so good.
...tank under u.v. leds only at 100% just for kicks.
...tank under white and red leds (both 100%) great for a warm look but not too over powering with red.
...Coco Worm.
 
al&burke

al&burke

Active Member
Corey looks fantastic, can't wait to see this puppy grow. THe tank and stand look perfect in your new home.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Thanks, guys! Al, where have you been hiding out? I hope all is well with you my friend. What's been going on with your systems?
 
al&burke

al&burke

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///t/378912/2quills-120g-re-build-thread/860#post_3530689
Thanks, guys! Al, where have you been hiding out? I hope all is well with you my friend. What's been going on with your systems?
Hey Buddy, All is pretty good, I have a real sick Dad I am trying to get better, has cancer and not a good one, if there is a good one. I still have tons of tanks, trying hard with the clownfish breeding, moved things around and my prize pair didn't like it, they are spawning again. I have about 5 pairs I would like to see start spawning but they are still young. Should have two Ocs. CF pairs going. Tore down my original two tanks because I have to redo the floors in my kitchen dinning room and LR, and I might be moving. Still have the lions and waspfish going, they are a lot of fun as well. All in all I still have 10 tanks going. Good to see things going well with you Corey, your system looks great.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Cool, glad to hear you still have the systems going my friend. Best wishes to your Dad and Family.

Actually going through a bit of the same with my step father right now as well. He's already been through one bout with stage 4 colon cancer. Now he's back with lung cancer. Waiting to find out Monday if it's in the lymphnodes which will determine the extent of treatment after the surgery. It's tough sometimes not being close for them.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Few shots cleaning the scrubber. Screen seems to be maturing. Still running a low bio load...just 1 bi-colored blenny and a handful of lps. I've got a little bit of bryopsis going on in the display but I've begun to see some die back now that the screen is starting to take off. I've been running at 20% on my lighting for a 12 hour photo period. Thinking about bumping it to 40%.





 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
acrylic51 said:
Looks good Corey....where'd you source out the holder for the led light?
Click to expand...
Looks like we've lost some of our more recent posts in our threads, Shawn. These are old ones.

But the holders for the led lights are just a couple of small articulating flat screen t.v. mounts that I found in one of the local computer supply stores.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Holy, ancient, threads Batman. It still lives.

Looks like it's been a while since my last update. That's partially because some of the last few pages of this thread were lost durring the most recent change over with the forum layout and I was pretty bummed about it.

I guess it's been about 3 years now since I first set up this system. But what some of you or what all of you probably don't know is that we got another house so I relocated the system (yet again) 1 year ago and started over.

Things were going well after the 1st year I started it up then about 1.5 years in I had started to neglect maintenance on my algae turf scrubber and ended up with a bad case of hair algae in the display. As well as some unhappy coral. work, work, work...

So at that point I decided to take the scrubber out and add macro algae to the refigium instead for easier maintenance as well as added a gfo reactor for phosphates. Things slowly but surely began looking/getting better a few months after that but ultimately had to break down the system for yet another move.

Fast forward to a little over a year later and the tank has been back up for a year. haven't had a single algae outbreak yet. I've been slowly stocking fish for the last 9 months and so far the few corals I've added over the last 3-6 months appear to be well and growing.

I will post a few pics and clue you all in on some of the changes I've made along the way. Soon as a figure out a easier way than having to upload through a 3rd party website. Ugh...
:)
 
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