High Tide Aquatics

The Little 29g That Could!

bmhair03

bmhair03

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Where to start? Ok, When I was 16(now 35) my Dad came home with a Beautiful 90gal Reef tank and Cherry wood stand.State of the art PC's :D
The works.Wet dry sump, spinning sprayer, Huge 2' skimmer.Brought everything you could.And said, "Now make it work, and don't kill anything , their expensive!But Beautiful!!"
Well, I tried my best testing this reading that everyday.Trying to learn on the go,all the while he keeps buying corals etc..
I finally left home to explore the world after a couple of years.Turned the keys over to a tank maintenance person for my dad and embarked.
Fast forward 5 or so years and a friend living in Redwood Shores is getting rid of a 29gal,to set up a custom 40gal. What about the 90g you might have be thinking?The courts ordered it separated!! :D 2yrs after I left.I jumped on the chance and the journey began.I was living in Santa Barbara,So I drained out all the water put the rocks in buckets and Bombed down the Highway.In the Morning I went to UCSB for the free Seawater from their system.Awesome !I tend to like corals that have some movement mostly LPS,THe colors Of Zoanthids,chalice, always sucker me in .I'm just a reef geek!
My tank setups tend to be simple due to limited funds in the beginning.I did drill out this tank on one of my many attempts at beautiful tank.I always try to do research on a coral before getting .I hate watching a perfect coral die because of not knowing.(I've killed a fare share :( ) I 've probably moved this tank 5 times in 8 yrs.Thank God its a Truvue.It looks like a cat fight took place in side but oh'well.Maybe on the next move tank upgrade!!Sorry about the spelling,etc but,I didn't pay attention in school i just played. Now I' m paying the price by sounding and writing like an Dummy !Bear with me.Enough about me.
The current tank setup is:
29gal Display
15gal sump
250w pc's(I know) 2x65Actinic, 2x65w 50/50 , 1 moonlight
Mag 9 return pump
1x Koralia 2 2x Koralia 3 in tank circ.
Skimmer is currently a Cpr Bak Pak . I somehow ended up with my dads old skimmer ;) Its a Top Fathom TF110 I never could get it to skim right on this tank.
I want to set up a Refugio in the sump but its empty right now.
After a light up grade I would love more SPS.I'm limited to the very,top of course and I only have 2 currently.
I recently added a BC14 to the collection.(It was for my son ;) )
Heres some pics of the tank.
$%^& after all that I cant find where my wife moved my pics I have 1 very bad picture now I will add more tomorrow



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29gal Tank Inhabitants are:

2 True Percula (pair 2003-) Green Frogspawn(2009-)
2 Bang ii cardinal (pair2005-) Green Hammer Coral(2003-)
1 Yellow Watchman Goby (200:cool: Assorted Mushrooms- Red/Peppermint/Orange
1 Fire shrimp(2008- Green Yuma(2005-)
1 Chromis-blue(2005- Neon Green Candy Cane(DBTC Screebo 2010-
Assorted Zoa's- Blues,Greens,Yellows,Pinks(DBTC Screebo),Orange
GSP
1 SPS Ora Screamin' Green Birds nest(DBTC Screebo 2010-
1 SPS Neon Green with Coco Montipora Spongodes(DBTC Screebo 2010
1 RBTA
Numerous crabs and snails to clean up.

BC14:


2 Gold Stripe Maroon clowns (pair 2008-
2 RBTA
Bubble coral
Yuma
Green Zoa's
1 Blue Crocea Clam (2005-2008 29gal 2008-
I cloned my 29gal to set up the 14 Very little cycle had to add a little new rock.
I do weekly 20% water changes and use a Ro/Di top off.
I wasn't testing all that must anymore I could tell by certain corals when something gone off.
Now with 2 SPS Im being more proactive.
I'm waiting on" newhobby" 's controller it will be my first .
I want to thank all the people on this site that have helped me .Thanks :)
 
sid700 Yes,Ive had this clam since 2005 .My move dates are wrong. It was getting late for me .I bought in L.A .for like $15 when I was there on buisness.It was 2".Now it like 5 1/2"but like 3" wide.It usually is in my 29gal but I moved it to the nano after a Derasa that I got at the same time up'd die 1 month ago.That thing was huge 7-8 ".
Don't know what happened there but all perimeters where good and it just closed one day never to reopen.The hermits and worms confirmed it.(like vulcures)!I think people put too much on "Optimal Lighting".I've had thing die that shouldn't.And things that should don't.
My problems always stem from having to move the tank so much due to being a renter with a growing family.When I move and dont mess with anything Iits ok.But thats hard with upgrades always calling!They seem to aways throw thing off more.
I've seen wild coral structures where not all the coral was receiving "Optmal Light"and was just as healthy,as the parts that where.
But then there is..... color , :D Blows that out of the water :D
Color will drive me to a light upgrade!! :) Soon!
Thanks for taking notice.
 
Trying a pic upload
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This was taken before I took it down when I moved back to the bay area from SB.
 
Found some more pictures. In some of the older pictures you can see Some of the older corals I have . About a year or so after I got them.
I traded frags and corals with a neighbor back and forth.He ended up moving and I most of his.
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Thanks John.
Its starting to come along.The funny thing is I am moving .........again! :( Not far.
So the cycle will begin again.!
Trying not to think about it.I figure if I learn to use my camera.And take lots of Pictures.I can alway look back! :(
Trying to save for a tank up grade But with that comes many other changes . $)
Will keep on keeping on! :)
 
Just scored a Arcitica DBA150 chiller for $150.
I've also added a Reef Angel tank controller I purchased from Roberto Imai .
Im looking forward to a larger tank in the next year ,and hope to go up to 100gal with this chiller ?
Im done with frozen bottles for good I hope!
Thanks
 
Update.
I switched over to a 150w with T5 's .What a difference! I know I know .
That was in about March of 2010.
Fast forward to now and I decided that I was going to make a hood . While figuring out size I realized that I didn't what the added height for the 150w so....LEDS ! So I'm currently doing the finishing touches on a 36 "diode" fixture . I'll post some pictures when I have everything together. Hood need final coat and I don't have a garage.
Weather needs to co-operate .
I want to thank you all for all the help. By posting your experiences , pictures here its helped me a lot.
I know I don't post a lot ,but I'm always reading. The brutality of the honestly here is freakin hilarious . :)
Keep up the good work .
 
So I finally finished up my DYI LED fixture.Also was able to strain the hood I built. The hood is going to need to be sanded down again ,but that can wait for awhile. The Led fixture I built came out "ok" wasn't too impressed at first . I had a lot of banding of colors ,shadows and the loss of some colors. Intensity looked awesome ,nice shimmer etc. Changed to a different LED color ratio and that helped some . Next I plan on clustering the LEDs in a hope of lessening the color banding. I also was able to persuade my wife into letting me clear out the closet behind my tank . I live in an Apartment so space is valuable. I turned it into a Nano-Fish Room :) . I was able to set-up a QT full time and just get everything in one place . Its so much easier to do things now and its only 3x3 . Could only imagine what a full size room would be like.
Since I had a new place I figured what better a time to upgrade all my tests and testers.
Bought some Hanna Testers a new salinity Refractometer ,and a few new Salifert test kits .I don't test all that often but got tired of my old stuff .The Hanna Tester are so easy and have been darn close to the Salifert when I compare.
One of the other projects I finished was a water mixing station. I was able to built that with a mag pump I had and some spare plumbing parts. I can now mix,and fill my tank without me having to physically lift or move any water .A good thing since I recently injured my back at work.
Well here are some pictures. Once again Thanks for all the info provided it always helps.

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Here's my BC14 ( 5 RBTA 1 GBTA) + misc frags
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Thanks John .
Yeah the chiller has been off ever since the change. Now the heater is on all the time to keep it above 77.
The chiller was more of a just in case thing , and I got a good deal. My apt does get pretty hot on those summer days, so I set my RA to turn it on at 82. if needed.
The birdsnest I got from you is loving the LED's.
Next up is a bigger tank !
I just cant stop staring at the ones at Neptunes !
I think the 57 Rimless will fit where this ones at.
 
I really like the way you did the top of your cabinet, how the top flips up like that, and
you have good access without moving the LEDs at all.

Clustering should help a lot with the banding issues. But all that drilling/re-tapping. Ugh.
 
Thanks Mark.
I actually saw the design on Nano-Reef and liked it for the access also. Sorry lost the link. I like to be able to reach in and touch the bottom if I have to ,without removing the hood. Heat sink just slides back if I need more room. Of course, Mario gave me some tips on materials that helped .
 
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