HybridAZN's 180 gallon build

[hybridazn]

So I'm doing it, the one thing I dislike most in this hobby I'm about to do.......










Order new fish.


That's right, it's a real love, hate relationship I have with this. The excitement of getting them delivered, acclimated and in a glass box full of water. Then with my luck the torrid downpour of emotions as they die in QT (ok, ok I'm being a tad dramatic, not all die on me. but you get the idea)

So here is a quick list of the fish I plan to order (hopefully my last fish order for many years)

It's pretty wrasse heavy

McCosker flasher wrasse (male)
Paracheilinus mccoskeri

Carpenters flasher wrasse (male)
Paracheilinus carpenteri

Leopard wrasse pair (2 females)
Macropharyngodon meleagris
For these is it best to buy 2 females the same size or one smaller than the other to get a transition?

Blue flasher wrasse (male)
Paracheilinus cyaneus

Diamond watchman goby

Any thoughts or concerns? No other wrasse in the tank currently besides a melunarus wrasse and a cleaner wrasse.

Are the leopards a good idea or should I sub those out for either another flasher male or maybe a fairy wrasse?

@evolved or anyone else have input?

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

I like the list...but I think it should be longer... You've got a 180g! Go CaRAzY!!

 

[hybridazn]

I like the list...but I think it should be longer... You've got a 180g! Go CaRAzY!!

No no no... lol

I have a decent amount of fish already I think. The glass box has:

Powder blue tang
A pretty large desjardini sailfin tang
Blue hippo tang
Yellow tang
Melunarus wrasse
Cleaner wrasse
Percula Clownfish pair
Pajama cardinal x2
Springeri dottyback
Coral beauty angelfish
Target mandarin

 

[evolved]

Those wrasse picks would be fine together. The only downside with the leopards is they will put a bit of pressure on the pod population, which could be an issue for the mandarin. If you go that route, just go with two medium sized ones. Fairy wrasses would also be fine, of course.

 

[hybridazn]

Those wrasse picks would be fine together. The only downside with the leopards is they will put a bit of pressure on the pod population, which could be an issue for the mandarin. If you go that route, just go with two medium sized ones. Fairy wrasses would also be fine, of course.

Thank you good sir, as always your expertise is always appreciated

 

[hybridazn]

So after some deliberating, I decided to make a couple changes to the list. @evolved made a good point about the leopards really putting a strain on my pod population. So I decided to ax them from the list. I also decided to cut the Carpenter's flasher wrasse as well. To be honest the colors are similar to the other 2 flashers I still want to get so I feel I can wait a bit on this one.

I am adding a fairy wrasse to the mix though, the Naoko's Fairy Wrasse, Cirrhilabrus naokoae. I've always been a big fan of this fella and I feel the time is right to get one.

I'll be placing the order soon, wish me luck!

 

[fetta]

Where do you order from?

 

[hybridazn]

Where do you order from?

Blue zoo aquatics

 

[hybridazn]

Ok update time!

Tonight I worked on the new light mounts. I wanted something clean that didn't require a canopy (didn't feel like building one) and I didn't want a fixture (baller on a budget). So I have seen the Reefbrite acrylic led mounts all over swaps lately, and every time I see them I love how clean the look is with them. I kept thinking, "I know I could get these to work with halides."

So here I am, I get 3 sets of these mounts for my 180, I briefly see that they are good on tanks up to 1" thick. I think nothing of it, then I do... Oh crap, these aren't going to fit! And sure enough they didn't. The plastic trim on top of the tank is 1 1/4", ugh more work. So I bust out the coping saw and trim off the inside lip of the brace. In all this took me an added 15 minutes to do, so not bad I guess.

My next step was the reflectors, I knew my lumenbright minis weren't going to work with these. So I acquired 2 Hamilton Bali mogul reflectors, for the 3rd I had a old Ice Cap reflector I will use until I get some extra funds to get the 3rd Hamilton. It matches close enough for the time being. So I mount the reflectors to the new mounts which was very easy, the tough part was mounting my 72" reefbrite xho strip. The way I have the reflectors mounted isn't 72" apart, so I had some macgyver'ing to do. I took the brackets from the strip and mounted them to the side of each reflector on the ends, I then had a 2nd set of brackets I mounted to the 1st set of brackets to extend its reach. I then used the screws that came with the new mounts and used some washers to make them snug up to the reflectors. Not the prettiest, but I'll clean these up tomorrow with some paint.

I still have to wire up the ballasts and install my radiums, but this should all be done tomorrow. I'm tired and just want to relax now haha. Here are a couple of cell pics I snapped quickly. I think this looks waaaay better than the old, crummy setup I had.

Right side view

Left side view

I also took a quick video of the setup and uploaded to YouTube. Sorry for the heavy blues, they are the only lights that are currently working lol



So the plan for tomorrow is wire the ballasts, install the radiums and hide the wiring the best I can.

Ahhhh I'm finally happy with my lights



Thanks for looking!

 

[fabutahoun]

Very Nice Tank Man, looking good, Can you update us on the apex WAV, and compare them to the vortechs ?

 

[hybridazn]

Very Nice Tank Man, looking good, Can you update us on the apex WAV, and compare them to the vortechs ?

Initially speaking I am digging the wavs, they are still turned down because they run in conjunction with the vortechs. Flow wise the WAV's remind me of the tunze pumps, more of a narrow, concentrated flow while the vortechs are a more fuller flow in the tank.

The WAV's are much quieter than my vortechs (ES models).

Would I ditch my vortechs for another pair of WAV's? Eh, I'm not so sure at the moment. The wire in the tank is still a huge turn off for me still. If the WAV's had more adjustability to them then I possibly would. I would just put the 2 other WAV's high up on the glass and point them downwards possibly. But the narrow flow pattern I'm observing would most likely cause a sandstorm though.

 

[hybridazn]

AHHHHHHH!

Now I'm not just saying this because I work for the post office but I really do hate FedEx. My fish order was "delayed" in Indianapolis for unknown reasons and is rescheduled for delivery tomorrow. I called and they said I can drive 25 minutes away from me to pick up the box when it arrives here. This is freaking frustrating, you have one job FedEx. Normally I wouldn't be too stressed but there is a terminal phase wysiwyg blue flasher wrasse in this order I am most excited about.

I'll keep everyone updated throughout the day on this...

 

[Preme]

AHHHHHHH!

Now I'm not just saying this because I work for the post office but I really do hate FedEx. My fish order was "delayed" in Indianapolis for unknown reasons and is rescheduled for delivery tomorrow. I called and they said I can drive 25 minutes away from me to pick up the box when it arrives here. This is freaking frustrating, you have one job FedEx. Normally I wouldn't be too stressed but there is a terminal phase wysiwyg blue flasher wrasse in this order I am most excited about.

I'll keep everyone updated throughout the day on this...

lol I know how your feeling right now

 

[hybridazn]

lol I know how your feeling right now

Ugh yea this def stinks. They should be in my QT right now grrrrrr

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Dang!! That sucks! Hopefully they're all ok.

 

[hybridazn]

Dang!! That sucks! Hopefully they're all ok.

I hope so too, I already emailed blue zoo about this as well.

 

[fabutahoun]

AHHHHHHH!

Now I'm not just saying this because I work for the post office but I really do hate FedEx. My fish order was "delayed" in Indianapolis for unknown reasons and is rescheduled for delivery tomorrow. I called and they said I can drive 25 minutes away from me to pick up the box when it arrives here. This is freaking frustrating, you have one job FedEx. Normally I wouldn't be too stressed but there is a terminal phase wysiwyg blue flasher wrasse in this order I am most excited about.

I'll keep everyone updated throughout the day on this...

Try Shipping some radions and apex modules from USA to the other side of the world and after waiting for more than month you find that it is missing 300 $ worth of equipment.

 

[hybridazn]

Try Shipping some radions and apex modules from USA to the other side of the world and after waiting for more than month you find that it is missing 300 $ worth of equipment.

Wow that's brutal. I hope it was insured

 

[fabutahoun]

Wow that's brutal. I hope it was insured

yah it was insured and i Got a refund from the shipping company, and ordered the missing stuff again thanks god it arrived. but imagne waiting for more than 2 month for them. the thing that mad me go crazy is that the radion light arrived but without the sliders to mount it. I was so close to duck tap it to the holding bar lol

 

[hybridazn]

yah it was insured and i Got a refund from the shipping company, and ordered the missing stuff again thanks god it arrived. but image waiting for more than 2 month for them. the thing that mad me go crazy is that the radion light arrived but without the sliders to mount it. I was so close to duck tap it to the holding bar lol

Haha man I would go nuts waiting that long! I most likely would have made a mount j n til the sliders showed up lol