72 Gal Bow Front Reef

DanSReef

DanSReef

Member
Hello Everyone.

I am now three weeks into the cycling of my new to me 72 Gal Bow Front Reef tank I purchased off of Craigs List. This is a first for me….purchasing something off of CL….and setting up this large of a reef tank. I have had nano tanks for many years and have a second 29 gal oceanic in place.

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I am sharing a picture taken yesterday of the tank. I have 90 lbs of base rock from the gulf … we like the formation it creates. Another 45 lbs of coralline crusted and dead coral-like live rock sourced from a couple of different stores. I also have 40 lbs of live sand and another 30 lbs or dead sand…. both a real fine sugar consistency. Water flow is enhanced by two water jets….and lighting is from a 48 T-5 HO light fixture.

There is a 20 gal fish tank in the base that the overflow goes into….through a filter bag…. Then there is a protein skimmer….and 300 watt stealth heater.

Water quality is excellent…. Brown “Cyno” bacteria bloomed….I bought a couple of large Turbos and some smaller Asteria snails. The brown has disappeared and the bright white rocks are starting already to get a small amount of pinkish coralline along with a hint of green…..which the snails are doing a great job of controlling.

My first fish were a trio of small Green Chromis….one of which got a little to close to a water jet….and met his maker. I have about a dozen small hermit crabs…and a couple of small colonies of star polyps.

I would love to get suggestions on nice ...attractive fish and coral suggestions. I particularly like Birds Nests Coral, Chalice…. “layering corals”, I have frog spawn in my other tank as well as toadstools… mushrooms….etc….

This tank is going to be my show tank. I have plans to add a refugium… a chiller…etc.

I would like to get suggestions and idea from the board.

By the way….great forum…. There is a lot of great stuff here!
 
tnwillia

tnwillia

Well-Known Member
Great start, love your aqua scape! Jeff at Lifereef has a custom design sump for a 72 bow front cabinet. Have fun!
 
sambrinar

sambrinar

Well-Known Member
Love the scape!! are you going to combine your 2 small tanks into this one, or you gonna have 3 tanks?

Hmm fish... now that depends on how many fish you want in there and what kind of coral you want. do you want an agressive tank, semi agressive or peaceful? Fish that are active, swim at the top, middle or bottom or all of the above?

Personally I think the agressive fish are more beautiful than the others, (triggers, tangs etc) BUT most of them get pretty big!! then the butterflies are also some of the most colorful beautiful fish.. but they tend to pick at coral and tank inhabitants...

Sooo moral of the story... you need to decide what kind of coral if any, and what kind of fish you want... then we can start throwing some fish ideas at ya

Reading back up.. the butterflies I believe will pick at the birdsnests and any stoney corals...
 
DanSReef

DanSReef

Member
Thank you all. New tanks are always fun to set up and get established. We particularly like the rock formations we have now. I found the base rock at a chain fish store we went into on a fluke. I was told it was dead coral base from the gulf... I like the height and the caves and ledges it creates.

This afternoon I split up a big chunk of rock I had in my 29 gal full of mushrooms. I gave a chunk to my next door neighbor and added two chunks to the new tank. I have been told a lot of folks do not like mushrooms.... I do. These are probably more of a common mushroom.....They always seem to do real well.

Slowly I will accumulate new frags. I purchased a red Montipora frag as I like the way it plates and segments. I also picked up another soft coral... but I forgot the name of it. Supposedly it is a fast grower and seems to sway nicely in the current of the tank... I will post a picture of it and ask for folks to identify it for me. I really enjoy going to the local stores and coming home with the small frags that most people ignore...
 
1

1Reefer

Active Member
Your tank looks great! I too have the 72 bow, its a good tank overall.. and I too buy the small frags a lot of people might overlook, but I do it 1-because they are cheaper lol and 2- I like the look once the coral has actually grown into MY tank.

I'm going to enjoy watching your tank progress and grow in! Thanks for sharing!
 
DanSReef

DanSReef

Member
A couple new pictures....

This is one of the Chromis....that I have.

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Then this is the soft coral that I bought yesterday... I need help identifying it...thougths?

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The acro infront of it is dead....it was given to me by a freind....he didn't think it was alive.....
 
sambrinar

sambrinar

Well-Known Member
Yep that's what I was thinking too.. Kenya Tree

Sooo you didn't answer the question about the type of fish you want LOL
 
DanSReef

DanSReef

Member
6 Week Update: 72 Gal Bow Front Reef

Well I thought I would post a six week update for my new set up.

Water parameters are all good. The tank looks great and I am adding some of the fauna from my existing 29 gal Oceanic. I am thinking that once the full transfer is complete....I may convert that one to a Seahorse tank.

Here is a full tank shot:

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I have added a good sized plate coral in the sand bed at the base of the overflow. A Star Pollyp colony at mid tank, a toadstool far left mid tank and then two groups of mushrooms that I fragged from a much larger colony. All frags are doing great....I even provided a frag to a neighbor and that too is doing great.

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Mushroom Frag


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Keny Tree is growing nicely. It has already attached itself to the base rock....and I think could be easliy split (fragged).

Finally, I have transfered my Copper Band Butterfly who is making the new tank his home. This is perhaps my favorite fish to-date. He has a lot of personality and the kids get a real kick out of him. So far, he has not bothered any of the corals I have. He did not bother any in my other tank either. As people have posted....it depends often on the fish.
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Finally, I am thinking about submitting the following picture of the CB Butterfly for this months picture of the month. I think it is a pretty cool picture.
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More to come. I have a Torch Colony yet to move as well as a flower pot.... and some more star pollyps.....and assorted other shrimp etc.... All in all....going well.
 
DanSReef

DanSReef

Member
Question about a Chiller

Hello Everyone.... Hopefully I can also get a little guidance here. I am looking to get a chiller for my system. Can you give some guidance on brand and size of chiller given that I have a 20 gal sump, HO T-5 lighting...a pump in the sump and two aux water pumps in the tank.

Thanks in advance for your help. I see JBJ has a sale and I was wondering if a 1/10 hp model would fit the bill here in Illinois where warm weather lasts hours instead of weeks and months..... :laughroll
 
1

1Reefer

Active Member
That last pic of the CBB is awesome! I would submit it if I were you... if it fits the contest anyway lol
 
DanSReef

DanSReef

Member
Thanks Reefer..... I just posted it for the contest.... We will see what happens. I am by no means a professional photographer... In fact I am still getting the hang of this camera. It is tough to get a good photo without a tripod....

:clink:
 
DanSReef

DanSReef

Member
So…it has been a while since I last posted and thought I would share some pictures I have just taken of my tank. But first some updates….

First, my CBB is doing great. Not sure what caused him to swim around for a few days as if he was blind…stoned…or both… But…he is back in perfect form. Spot, my BSJF is doing great moving from one location to another at will. He is eating great and seems to be thriving. My perculas are looking great….they seem to be “pairing” up but refuse to host anything. I have both a nice torch and a LT Nem that are thriving…

Second, I am in the process of disassembling my 29 BioCube and have moved occupants down to my bowfront. The recently moved include a “bubble bee” damsel like fish… my wife bought it when it was small (without consulting me) …. It had… nice stripes… he has since grown up without all of the great coloring. I have moved a cleaner shrimp, some coral frags and some live rock. Everything seems to be doing fine and thriving.

Third, I will be cleaning up my 29 BioCube and setting that up as a Seahorse Tank. I would be very interested in thoughts and guidance here. I am planning to take out the live rock left in it, the water and then scraping out all of the substrate. I will then use some live sand from Caribsea as a replacement, refill with old water and replace the live rock…..and of course let the tank cycle. Anything I should watch out for??? Be sure to do?? This is my weekend project….. picture to follow….

So, here at my updated pictures. Enjoy.


Full Tank Shot
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New Frags
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New (2 Weeks) Acan.... It has doubled in size and has a new head forming... nice color too..
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Some relocated LR near the overflow
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Relocated Cleaner
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M

Marlon904

New Member
Great Pics, I have also just started a 72 Gallon bow front that a found on CL. It has been up for 4 weeks. I have a question for everyone, my water is great I have added cured live rock from three different sources 2 from CL one from my LFS. My question is I have not seen a much of a cycle and I am wondering if this is normal even though this is a new tank? Thanks for the help and sorry for hijacking.
 
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