Beware the Shallows! jedimasterben's 80g shallow reef!

[jedimasterben]

I was really hoping to get the stand skinned this weekend, but I might not be able to. My wife is working night shift and will need to sleep in the day time. I'll pretty much only have Sunday to do it.

I got in my order from Marine Depot and glass-holes, so I've got most everything I need to get them all together. I still need baffles in the sump system, I need a new (bigger) return pump or a second pump, and pretty much just start mixing water and move everything over! Will probably be another few weeks, though. I'd really like to have my new lighting in place before the move, but the Chinese New Year is holding up me getting my Luxeon M chips, so it'll be at least the end of this month before I get them in.

 

[Hooked]

I was really hoping to get the stand skinned this weekend, but I might not be able to. My wife is working night shift and will need to sleep in the day time. I'll pretty much only have Sunday to do it.

I got in my order from Marine Depot and glass-holes, so I've got most everything I need to get them all together. I still need baffles in the sump system, I need a new (bigger) return pump or a second pump, and pretty much just start mixing water and move everything over! Will probably be another few weeks, though. I'd really like to have my new lighting in place before the move, but the Chinese New Year is holding up me getting my Luxeon M chips, so it'll be at least the end of this month before I get them in.

Looking forward to seeing some pictures when you get rolling.

 

[jedimasterben]

Kinda boring at this point - just two wooden frames, one with an empty tank sitting on it. lol


And since I was talking about it in another thread, here is my current stock list for fish:
2x Bartlett's anthias
3x dispar anthias
1x stocky anthias (not 100% sure)
2x lyretail anthias
4x chromis
3x mollies (plus half a dozen babies)
1x Cross' damsel
1x pearly jawfish
1x yellow watchman
2x spotted mandarins
1x barnacle blenny (maybe, dunno where he is, he gets lost in the big tank)
1x firefish

I want to get a powder brown tang, a kole tang, a pair of hybrid clowns (maroon/ocellaris), another jawfish, and another firefish and try and pair up. I love anthias, so if I see any that catch my eye, they might get added to that list. The yellow watchman is gonna go, the damsel is, and two of the chromis. I have an algae scrubber and large refugium, and a skimmer, so I don't worry about bioload, it has not affected me up to this point.

 

[Singlefin]

Well...lets see some boring pics then...

 

[Hooked]

Kinda boring at this point - just two wooden frames, one with an empty tank sitting on it. lol


And since I was talking about it in another thread, here is my current stock list for fish:
2x Bartlett's anthias
3x dispar anthias
1x stocky anthias (not 100% sure)
2x lyretail anthias
4x chromis
3x mollies (plus half a dozen babies)
1x Cross' damsel
1x pearly jawfish
1x yellow watchman
2x spotted mandarins
1x barnacle blenny (maybe, dunno where he is, he gets lost in the big tank)
1x firefish

I want to get a powder brown tang, a kole tang, a pair of hybrid clowns (maroon/ocellaris), another jawfish, and another firefish and try and pair up. I love anthias, so if I see any that catch my eye, they might get added to that list. The yellow watchman is gonna go, the damsel is, and two of the chromis. I have an algae scrubber and large refugium, and a skimmer, so I don't worry about bioload, it has not affected me up to this point.

I've been thinking I would like some anthias, but was worried about agression within a group. Are you avoiding that by mixing several types?

 

[jedimasterben]

Well...lets see some boring pics then...

lol, I will put some up tonight, then.

I've been thinking I would like some anthias, but was worried about agression within a group. Are you avoiding that by mixing several types?

Not particularly. I have not really seen any inter-species aggression. I also feed heavily several times daily, so I am thinking that helps to curb some aggression. Most of them are small juveniles, only the dispar are mature (one is male and two female) and have established dominance.

 

[jedimasterben]

Sustainable Aquatics captive-bred marine betta for $35? SOLD SOLD SOLD BAG IT UP

 

[Zoacoral]

What kind of flow do you have on the tank? I am going to get the same tank, but was wondering if 2 mp10s were enough.

 

[jedimasterben]

What kind of flow do you have on the tank? I am going to get the same tank, but was wondering if 2 mp10s were enough.

I would definitely go with three, or an MP40 and MP10. I noticed today when taking out some of the sand in the tank (getting prepped for the new sand when it gets moved) that it just isn't enough flow with two MP10s. I tossed in a Koralia 4 (I think it's 1400GPH) and it was a lot better. I remember when I had the third MP10 that I didn't seem to have any issues, either, but that was a pretty good while ago with less rock, less livestock, less feeding, etc. :/

 

[PaulKreider]

You got a marine betta for $35?!?! Gahhh! Theyre all over $80 around here, those fish are gorgeous though!

 

[jedimasterben]

Yep. Gotta love Petco (if you have one you can trust, that is!)!

 

[Reef Fever]

i love my betta, wish it would come out more. congrats!

 

[jedimasterben]

Removed the other half of the sandbed in prep for the move. I've also been battling a super-stubborn species of dinoflagellates. I've lost several SPS pieces to it, it kills whatever it touches.

I can finally get pics with my phone. That black sand was what was messing it up, not just the LEDs. All the rocks are in there like that just temporarily, didn't make sense to take all the corals off, rescape, and then glue everything back when I'm jsut gonna do it all again soon!

Left

middle

right

 

[jedimasterben]

Today I purchased a fromia starfish, a neon goby, and a Sustainable Aquatics captive-bred stippled clingfish.

I also got my canister filter today to help clear up detritus when I make a 'hurricane', so I may start adding my sand tomorrow instead of waiting for the move.

I also have a design for my sump:

Still the 40B that I have now. I realized that I want as few bulkheads and pieces outside of a tank as possible, so without doing the dual-tank sump I'm getting rid of two bulkheads.

 

[jedimasterben]

I've got three pieces of SPS left alive that are totally unaffected by the dinoflagellates, one that only has the tips gone, and another four pieces that are 90-95% dead that I'm hoping some tiny piece will survive. :/

Good news, though, dinos are gone, gone, gone. Good friggin riddance.

 

[jedimasterben]

Enter: the banded pipefish, Doryrhamphus dactylophorus.

 

[Aqua fire/medic]

I've got three pieces of SPS left alive that are totally unaffected by the dinoflagellates, one that only has the tips gone, and another four pieces that are 90-95% dead that I'm hoping some tiny piece will survive. :/

Good news, though, dinos are gone, gone, gone. Good friggin riddance.

Just curious...... What method did you use to defeat your Dino problem?

 

[jedimasterben]

Just curious...... What method did you use to defeat your Dino problem?

Dr. Tim's Eco-balance. I don't know if it was what did it 100%, but it would be one heck of a coincidence. Aquarium Probiotic Bacteria | Maintain Optimal Water Quality | DrTim's Aquatics

 

[tulipgirl]

Hello ben.

 

[jedimasterben]

Hello tulip.




Well, I finally did it.

[video=youtube;YwkR-NQJp1s]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwkR-NQJp1s[/video]