My box o'water

[chops29]

So i was in the middle of writing an awesome chronicle of my reefing journey. When boom the comp shuts down and i lose all of it. :verymad:

Not really wanted to type it all word for word again here's the short version. I'm a noob to reefs though I have tryed my hand at a FO tank and Have had FW fish as long as i can remember. Here's a list of my equipt.


120gal. All Glass 48X24x25
55 gal. sump
Oct. DNW-200
2 Coral vue 250w electronic ballasts
2 Lumen bright reflectors
2 250w 12k reeflux SE bulbs
Coral vue 2xT5 retro kit with moonlights
Reefkeeper Lite controller
return pump Oceanrunner 3500
DIY stand
and let us not forget our friends Eggcrate and PVC
Two key but often understated reef keeping gear.

and remember NO glove NO love

 

[chops29]

My stand is based off a design I saw on RC DIY forum. It's guts a re 2x4 2x6 construction. The skin is panels made from 1x4's and 1/2 plywood. In my exausting research I have come across some wonderful stands. But for me, I like a clean look not to fancy but still attractive to the eye.The side panels I made removable in the event I must remove my sump. I'm not a big fan of bending over to see my tank so the stand is taller then most at 42". Which worked out well due to my skimmer being so tall. For stain i used redwood deck stain and 4 coats of poly eurathane(spl.) white on the inside plus caulk for all joints and seams inside. A big thank you to my father, it's nice haveing a carpenter for a dad.

 

[chops29]

Now for the fun part. Well, it's all fun but you know what i mean. For salt I using Tropic Marine. Alittle expensive but has good rep. A reefer in my local club was down sizing his 125 gal. and gave me a unbevieble deal on his live rock. 100 Ibs of it, so I ran to Wally word grabbed some rubbermaids. Procedded to his house. He even gave a some that had Mushrooms on it. To my suprise when igot home he had given ALOT of mushrroms. So I had to set up of temperary lodges for my newly aquired corals in the gargage. Nothing fancy but it did the job. I ended up having to move them inside though due to it gtter to hot out there for them. They've been in there for 2 months now. While I 've been building this tank. They couldn't be happer even got some new ones already. I did have a few Apastasia that ihad to deal with so iset up a QT to combat them. Knock on wood i got Them all.

 

[chops29]

So that's been the past couple of mothes in a nut shell. The tank is going into it's second week of cycle and already ihave seen the ammonia raise then drop over the past couple of days. My water parameters are.

Temp: 77
PH:8.0
Ammonia <.25 (salifert)
Nitrites 0.0
Nitrates: 10

 

[jgking21]

Good Job on the Nice Tank! Keep the pictures coming!

 

[chops29]

Thank you Juice I'm digging that rock work in your 54. I should've knocked on that wood harder just found to baby Apt in my DT. time to go hunting!!

 

[chops29]

I decided to add my mushrooms today What do You think?