update before I fall asleep. Pictures are on hold again because the person with the camera had it in their room when they fell asleep at 9pm, so that kinda screwed me. I will get pics tomorrow, the water is finally clear enough to take good ones anyways.
The sump is operational, however I cant get the flow bell as quiet as I want it, so I need to read through the instructions again and fiddle with that some more tomorrow afternoon. But, its running. All plumbing is done, there was a problem because the mag 9.5 pushes more water than the overflow pulls, which I didnt think about when I did all of this, but the installation of a T and then a separate line with a ball valve solved that pretty quickly, so all is better.
Aquascape is where I want it now, I moved a few things and added a few things and took some stuff out, we all know how that goes. I am still looking for a way to make the rock work solid, there are a few pieces that need to be held down in my opinion, but the best way to do that escapes me. I tried using the aqua-stick stuff and it didnt hold, and zip ties werent working really well either, so I need to figure something else out. Ideas?
I have been slowly working on the livestock list for this tank, and I think sometime in the next few days I am going to be setting up a 20 long and a 10 gallon tank as QT tanks so I can start buying now, that way by the time it cycles they will be ok'd. Havent really come to any final decisions. Here is what I currently have..
Purple Tang
Lawnmower Blenny (Maybe being replaced)
6 line wrasse
(2)
Ocellaris clowns (maybe being replaced)
Red Scooter Blenny (being replaced)
I would like to add these...
Blue (Regal) Tang (Maybe yellow bellied?)
Mandarin Goby(s) (in place of the Scooter Blenny)
Black and White Ocellaris Clowns (in place of the current)
Royal Gramma
Regal Angel (still considering it, current list may be too aggressive for it)
Flame Angel (if not regal than this)
Pink Spotted Watchman Goby
Cleaner Wrasse (Scott and a few others have had good luck with them, once system is established I wouldnt mind giving one a try)
Clean Up Crew Options...
(2-3)
Blood Red Fire Shrimp
(2) Serpant Stars
Sand Sifting Star
Long Spine Urchin (maybe, have not decided on that one yet)
Nassarius, Turbo, and Astrae Snails, havent come up with exact amounts yet
There will be no hermits in this tank, or will there be any Mythrax crabs, heard enough bad stories about them, dont want to add another one.
Carpet Anemone(Probably not until after the move. Everyone has BTA's and I would like to go a different route, plus Carpets are awesome creatures. BTA's are still an option, but would rather get the carpet.)
Debelius' Reef Lobster (Also been considering this for a few days now, but still need to do a lot of research on it, dont know much other than its my two favorite colors and isnt seen very often in the hobby, probably for a reason, but I dont know that reason yet)
This is just a working list so that I dont miss anything I was currently thinking about. I am also looking into a few different anthias, pseudochromis, and a variation of the pink spotted goby called the
Sleeper Blue Dot Goby.. Note that NOT ALL OF THIS WILL BE ADDED, just getting ideas together.
The new lighting that I am sending payment for tomorrow should be good for almost any coral, and there are too many possabilities to list here, but know that im not limiting myself anymore, I would like to try a little of everything, maybe even a clam. It will be 4 overdriven 54watt T5 bulbs on an IceCap 660 ballast with individual reflectors, for am equivalent total of somewhere around 340 watts of light just on the T5's, and then I will be running the supplemental morning and night period lights using the old PC equipment I have, for another 130 watts of actinic light. I am going to read up on parabolic reflectors and try to make some crappy reflectors for the PC's using the big reflector out of the Old Current USA PC fixture I have.
I have also been thinking about filtration needs and wants on my part, and with the skimmer, sand, rock, and fuge (chaeto, 4 inch sand bed, and mangroves) I am still going to want a little more I think. I would like to make a DIY phosban reactor out of this...
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc284/Jeremy0322/CIMG6017.jpg
Can that be done, or is that much more work than its work. Its the same shape, but the inlet and return pumps are in the wrong areas, but with my immense knowledge of these things that doesnt mean its possible, I dont know whats going on.
Alright, I think thats it for now
Also, should the PC's be used at actinic light of daylight, and if so what would be the recommended K? Just realized no one here really knows what im talking about, here is the deal i picked up...
