After a year

[dlux4life]

Hey Guys-
I am just about at my one year mark with my tank. Excited for the years to come. Some pictures of progress.
The date on the camera is way off. Pictures aren't the best. Taken with a cell phone.
Then:

Now:

Newest Addition. Pods are stocked monthly.

I recently removed my Coralife Super Skimmer (loud piece of junk IMO) and built an ATS. Results have been pretty good so far. I basically turned my old sump into a giant refugium. I took the tray off the top of the sump and turned it on its side and built the turf scrubber into that. The water enters the refugium through holes i drilled in the bottom of the sump tray.

 

[dlux4life]

A couple more pics..

 

[fangelillo01]

Looks really good I love the dragonets but i dont have a refugium yet so its outta the question. Nice toadstool too what are the specs on the tank as far as equipment and such

 

[meowzer]

BIG change..lol...looks good...I love the carpenter wrasse.....I had one...it jumped

I also love the mandarin......

 

[dlux4life]

Its a standard 48" long 55. I use a Fluival 305 Canister Filter with Carbon. I have the Turft Scrubber and a refugium stocked with Caulerpa and Cheato. Two Heaters, and a Vortech MP-20. For lighting I have a 4X 65 watt Power Compact set up through Aquatic Life (made the mistake of not buying T-5's or MH's).
Stock List:
Two black and white clowns (hoasted the toadstool in the Mandarin pic)
Flame Angel
Flasher Wrasse
Mandarin
Looking to get a long nose hawkfish and a red gorgonian next..

 

[mell]

I can't wait to get my refugium going so I can get a pair of mandarins!!!

 

[handbanana]

Very nice!
Love the before/after pics!

 

[flower]

A year and so much has changed. Your little piece of the ocean looks quite happy…congratulations.
Also I wanted to ask is there any one critter (coral or fish) that has survived from the very beginning? I had a lettuce coral that I had for ages, I killed it with a broken heater after so many years.

 

[dlux4life]

Alot of my stuff has survived, very luckily. My two black and white clowns are what cycled my tank. They made it through a nasty case of ich when i added a Kole Tang. i had to set up a quick QT (forced me to do a good thing anyways) and was able to save the clowns, wrasse, and flame angel. I lost the tang though.
It has been a fun year and am certainly looking forward to how things continue to grow in. It certainly is an addicition!

 

[mony97]

Tank looks great man, lots of color!! So have to ask did it get easier as you went? I am stressing about my tank right now and am wondering if things get better as time goes? Tank finally stables out, algae goes away, etc?

 

[dlux4life]

It does and doesn't.
I set up a strict maintence schedule right from the get go. Weekly water changes. Cleaning filters once every two weeks as a minimum. If you get in the habit of keeping up with maintence (while at the same time thinking of ways to make your work easier) it goes pretty well.
I had alot of algea problems from the start. Lots of hair algea and lots of red slime algea. As the tank stabilized, it got easier to combat these problems. Part of what i would suggest is to always experiment with adding new things. Try adding a refugium if you haven't. It is amazing the difference they can make.
I wouldn't say that problems will solve themselves. Things doe get slightly easier. It is more important to be dilligent and never satisified. The results will certainly payoff with the right mindset.

 

[handbanana]

Originally Posted by dlux4life
http:///forum/post/3272961
It does and doesn't.
I set up a strict maintence schedule right from the get go. Weekly water changes. Cleaning filters once every two weeks as a minimum. If you get in the habit of keeping up with maintence (while at the same time thinking of ways to make your work easier) it goes pretty well.
I had alot of algea problems from the start. Lots of hair algea and lots of red slime algea. As the tank stabilized, it got easier to combat these problems. Part of what i would suggest is to always experiment with adding new things. Try adding a refugium if you haven't. It is amazing the difference they can make.
I wouldn't say that problems will solve themselves. Things doe get slightly easier. It is more important to be dilligent and never satisified. The results will certainly payoff with the right mindset.

Is there a point when you stop worring if your doing things right?