Author Topic: JD's 29 (Read 9659 times)

jd · « **on:** October 15, 2009, 20:55:44 »

Hey guys, I've been a member for 6 months so I figured I should post a tank profile.

My tank has been setup for about a year and a half, I've had a reef setup for about a year. I spent about two years doing research on RC and NR. It is a standard 29 gallon 30"x12"x18" it has a no-name utube style overflow box that feeds a 10gal sump. Lighting is a Hagon GLO t5HO 2x24W system with 1 14000K and an actinic. I've been very impressed with t5's. Even with this small of light I've had good success with my soft coral and even SPS. Skimmer is a CSS 65 which after a few mods works very well for my need, despite its reputation. I feed either Ocean Nutrition, frozen brine and cyclopeeze every other day or so. I currently use tap water (now with more 15dKh!) but am shopping around for a ro/di unit. I've had but one outbreak of hair algae that I beat by not paying attention to it. Some cyano will come and go, but I've mostly beaten it as well. Current fish are a 6" convit blenny, a PJ cardinal, a GSM and a sailfin-blenny. Corals consist of mostly softies with a focus on Zoas. LPS include a 2 headed hammer coral and a small galaxia from the ranch's rescue bin. SPS are a pink birdsnest, a green monti (I think) something from the Ranch and something else... You can tell I have a hard time remembering names, so feel free to ID them if you know what they are!

Now with the pictures!

FTS

Sump

Skimmer

Macro

Eagle Eyes, grown from one polyp

RPE

Birdsnest with recent growth now that I started to add cal

Toadstool

Convict Blenny, he always looks PISSED!

Extraneous frag storage, I'm not allowing myself to setup my frag tank until AFTER I get an RO/DI

AOG's from Reef'd Up

Watermelons, Some red zoas and an incredible hulk morph

Some of those...

With an unknow SPS in the (out of focus) foreground

Conch hard a work

The Queen of the tank, my sailfin that green monti, some GSP and some ugly brown zoas, and some cyano. That tile above the green monti HAD a GSP frag on it, but they floated away

Not looking forward to when they show up again!

A FTS from a while ago, I almost liked the tank better then, I need to get the frags out and reaquascape!

Future plans:

My reef future is dependent on my if I stay where I live now or move in the coming months with my lease is up. I (obviously) would like a bigger tank, but may stay with a nano sized system for the time being. I have a 20L I bought to up(down)grad to but I am having second thoughts. I've recently considered a 30 or 40 breeder for the extra length and width but without the depth. Dream tank would be an acrylic 12'(that is FEET)x24"x16" much like 'Calvin's' on RC. Seen here http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1517131

Thanks for taking the time, and for being a great group of people!

HUNGER · « **Reply #1 on:** October 15, 2009, 21:02:40 »

vary nice

lazylivin · « **Reply #2 on:** October 15, 2009, 21:03:09 »

Looks great. My fav are your dragon eye zoa's. Super nice morph.

Reefd Up · « **Reply #3 on:** October 15, 2009, 21:28:36 »

Very nice JD! Glad to finally see some pictures!

The unknown SPS that was out of focus is probably a pocillopora.

Aquatic Specialists · « **Reply #4 on:** October 15, 2009, 21:31:45 »

Everything looks as though it is spreading and growing nicely.

jeremyt · « **Reply #5 on:** October 15, 2009, 21:35:09 »

nice.....................when you do a bulb change try a ati blue plus and a aquablue, up the par a bit

cyberwollf · « **Reply #6 on:** October 15, 2009, 22:07:50 »

Man, those are expensive looking frag plugs! Where can I get some

jd · « **Reply #7 on:** October 15, 2009, 22:14:20 »

Thanks everyone. My tank is certainly not where I'd like it to be, but the unknown of moving is stopping me from large changes

Justin: Some of those look familiar?

Jeremyt: Thanks for the tip. I bought this light right when I got into reefing. I can't say that I'm very happy or very disappointed in it. Works well for the time being.

Wes: I got a whole bucket of them you can have

They only cost me $5 for 144 of them. Only problem is removing the glue...

jd · « **Reply #8 on:** October 16, 2009, 10:07:45 »

Also, Thanks for the ID Nikki, that's what it is!

jd · « **Reply #9 on:** October 17, 2009, 18:35:21 »

Snapped a few more picture this afternoon, nothing special. Can you tell I recently borrowed a camera?

Overall show of most of my frags

Hammer

The National Kenya Tree Forest (I have one to give away to anyone interested)

One of my favorite inhabitants

I finally got a good shot of her

I saw one of these at Phil's meeting and I had to pick one up!

I plan on doing some serious aquapscapeing this week. I really liked the single island I used to have, so I plan on going back too that. The sides and back are in serious need of scraping and my sandbed stirred.

lazylivin · « **Reply #10 on:** October 17, 2009, 23:42:42 »

Quote from: jd on October 17, 2009, 18:35:21

Can you tell I recently borrowed a camera?

Pretty amazing for a 90$ camera! Nice job

jd · « **Reply #11 on:** October 17, 2009, 23:47:49 »

Thanks Lazy!

Heh, is Nikki's camera $90?

I ended up using my parents camera for the week to post my for-sale/free stuff, and of course this thread.

Funny you should mention it, its only a $100 point and shoot.

lazylivin · « **Reply #12 on:** October 17, 2009, 23:49:20 »

Is this it? http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/pentax-optio-e60/4505-6501_7-33190867.html

jd · « **Reply #13 on:** October 17, 2009, 23:57:01 »

Clever Lazy. I see you've done.

I thought you saw that Nikki had offered to loan me her camera in my WTB thread.

Jeeze, I'm having an off night...

Wall_Tank · « **Reply #14 on:** October 18, 2009, 11:35:18 »

The camera name is saved in the Jpeg Properties, it's really not that magical.

jd · « **Reply #15 on:** October 18, 2009, 11:43:42 »

Yep, took me a second. Hehe...

I just didn't know if that shot data would transfer once it was uploaded and resized to photobucket at first.

jd · « **Reply #16 on:** October 24, 2009, 17:18:58 »

Did a full set of tests for the first time in a while.

Cal : 460ppm
Alk : 10.5dHK
No3: 30ppm, this is due to my complete disregard for water changes

Something I will work on.
PO4: 1.5ppm, I have GFO but its pricey to use and since I don't have any algae problems, I'm not using it
pH : 8.2

I picked up a 175W MH halide ballast from HUNGER at a great price and Scott and Christy gave me a socket (thanks again!)

This is my first foray into MH, are they like other HID bulbs where you cannot touch the glass?

The 55 got sold today so the arcade is going to the kitchen (much to the dismay of my girlfriend) and I want to set up a 40 breeder in the living room and setup my frag system upstairs where my tank is now.

Things I'm looking to buy:

Used 40B
36" stand
Reflector for a SE bulb
Overflow kit

stickboy_107 · « **Reply #17 on:** October 24, 2009, 17:40:43 »

Very impressed with the tank when we were there. Loved the rock in the center and the big colony of zoas near the center. Frag rack was full of beautiful frags as well.
Not sure about touching the glass, but usually Scott wears latex gloves when handling them. There have been times when he has bumped the light with his hand while it was on and nothing happened, but it burns your hand cause they do get HOT.

slandis3 · « **Reply #18 on:** October 24, 2009, 17:43:11 »

Yea I always try and wipe down the bulb down after i install them.

HUNGER · « **Reply #19 on:** October 24, 2009, 18:33:23 »

ok now lets see the tank with the mh on it

jd · « **Reply #20 on:** October 24, 2009, 19:08:25 »

Christy, thanks! I will be much happier when the frags have their own tank. That center piece I made from concrete. Its the only one I have left in the tank, I like it too much to get rid of it.

Thank you both of the info on the bulbs. The oils on your skin will explode some HID light, wasn't sure about MH however.

Dave, Working on it tonight. I need to build a wooden box to hold the bulb until I get another reflector. I also need some pipe to bend into a bracket to suspend the light.

Thanks again everyone!

HUNGER · « **Reply #21 on:** October 24, 2009, 19:11:02 »

ok will be waiting

jd · « **Reply #22 on:** October 24, 2009, 19:13:19 »

Quote from: HUNGER on October 24, 2009, 19:11:02

ok will be waiting

Me too

slandis3 · « **Reply #23 on:** October 24, 2009, 19:13:41 »

Quote from: jd on October 24, 2009, 19:08:25

Christy, thanks! I will be much happier when the frags have their own tank. That center piece I made from concrete. Its the only one I have left in the tank, I like it too much to get rid of it.

Thank you both of the info on the bulbs. The oils on your skin will explode some HID light, wasn't sure about MH however.

Dave, Working on it tonight. I need to build a wooden box to hold the bulb until I get another reflector. I also need some pipe to bend into a bracket to suspend the light.

Thanks again everyone!

I think I may have a bracket that will bolt to the back of the socket. I will look tonight

jd · « **Reply #24 on:** October 24, 2009, 22:02:11 »

Thanks Mike. I haven't thought about how too mount it yet. I assume you know what kind of reflector I have? How close should the bulb be to it?

How long does it take the bulb to reach full brightness?

Can I just make a wooden box and mount the bulb and reflector in that? and put fans on either end to pull air over the bulb?

I fired the bulb up for a few minutes, I'm excited too get it over the tank. On a side note, I glanced at the filament and its so bright I think I saw the future... Bad news, robots enslave humans...

2024 Ohio Reef Frag Swap

Author Topic: JD's 29 (Read 9659 times)

Reefd Up

slandis3

slandis3