Dawn On The Reef

[BigC]

Hi Guys,
After a long wait for my cabinet and tank to return from the Joiners shop....It's finally arrived

I have been busy painting the background (black by popular demand from members) and installing my diy water movement device.
http/www.fishforums.net/Water-Movement-t200554.html
Managed to find some black piping to cover up the ugly eheim green.
I have also installed a kind of reef rack to keep the live rock off the substrate and therefore get more water movement around it

Not sure about this yet though, what are the members views on the reef rack idea...keep it or ditch it.
Anyway this is the beginning of a long journey and I will update this thread as and when.
Regards
BigC

 

[Maximus]

I'm no expert but it looks like theres a load of direct sunlight on that tank,
Which carn't be too good, can it?

Just a thought


Maximus

 

[BigC]

I'm no expert but it looks like theres a load of direct sunlight on that tank,
Which carn't be too good, can it?

Posed that question in a seperate thread about wishing to paint the side panels as well as the back, the popular concensus was to leave the sides clear.
Point noted though.
Regards
BigC

P.S. Its not always sunny in Northern Ireland (always raining) thats the reason we have 40 shades of green.

 

[Maximus]

I'm no expert but it looks like theres a load of direct sunlight on that tank,
Which carn't be too good, can it?

Posed that question in a seperate thread about wishing to paint the side panels as well as the back, the popular concensus was to leave the sides clear.
Point noted though.
Regards
BigC

Ah, well, you shut me up then

Where abouts is the tank then? Outside?

Or in a porchway type thing?



Maximus

 

[BigC]

Where abouts is the tank then? Outside?

Constructive criticism is always accepted I value everyones opinion then I form my own.
The tank is in the hallway just inside the front door. The light is emminating from glass side panels either side of the door itself.
It would be outside if er indoors had her way!

 

[Maximus]

Where abouts is the tank then? Outside?

Constructive criticism is always accepted I value everyones opinion then I form my own.
The tank is in the hallway just inside the front door. The light is emminating from glass side panels either side of the door itself.
It would be outside if er indoors had her way!

Oh, I see the door mat now

Good luck with the tank, I'll be watching the thred



Maximus

 

[KhaosInc]

looks like fun.. I'll be watching.. been toying with one of these for myself as well..

 

[steelhealr]

Hey BigC....I'm not sure what you are intending to do with the reef rack. What they are good for is, at some point, propagating corals. What was your plan for it? SH

 

[kkyyllee]

if you plan to have liverock on there, it doesnt look like you could fit much since its only half the tank depth, what are the dimensions on that tnak?

 

[BigC]

Hey BigC....I'm not sure what you are intending to do with the reef rack. What they are good for is, at some point, propagating corals. What was your plan for it? SH

I was intending to keep the liverock off the gravel substrate whereby utilising its whole surface area and not have half of it burried. I will be hiding it (reef rack) as much as possible with smaller pieces of LR. If you say its neither here or there, then it will be ditched and just aquascape as normal. Please relay your views. SH.

if you plan to have liverock on there, it doesnt look like you could fit much since its only half the tank depth, what are the dimensions on that tnak?

It is my intention of buying 20kgs LR to start with then seeing if I need to add some more (or lessen) I will be keeping soft corals such as, Leathers, Zoas, Mushrooms, Rics and star polyps.
The tank is a standard 24"x12"x18" glass...85litres approx.
The rack is in two tiers, one long tier 2" above gravel and 2 smaller corner tiers at each side. I wish to make a reef whereby the rock is built up to create two pillar like structures at the back corners of the tank, with a lower mid section. (if it works out).
regards
BigC

 

[steelhealr]

Big C...I'm not sure if it will help much. Sometimes people put eggcrate in the sandbed but I feel it creates dead areas. I don't think that having part of the LR in the substrate will make much difference with regards to affecting filtration. What I did...and I dont' know if it made much difference was to put the LR directly on the base of the tank and build the substrate around it. SH

 

[BigC]

No problemo SH, I'll ditch it. Wasn't quite sure about it myself hence the question. Many thanks for your input SH
I'm installing the lighting next...pics to follow.
Regards
BigC

 

[BigC]

I have just finished the lighting installation in the aquarium canopy.

It consists of 3 homemade reflectors and 3 tubes.
The two larger tubes are Interpet 55 watt T5 power compacts (Triphosphor)
The smaller tube is an Interpet 36 watt T5 power compact (Blue Moon Actinic)
I have gone for T5's rather than MH because of the cabinet and I had the convertagear starter units already, leftover from my freshies.

The lighting will be coupled to timers and the photoperiod (12hours) will be as follows
Centre tube 36w Actinic (on at 10am)
Top tube 55w Triphosphor (on at 11am)
Bottom tube 55w Triphosphor (on at 12 noon)
Top tube 55w Triphosphor (off at 8pm)
Bottom tube 55w Triphosphor (off at 9pm)
Centre tube 36w Actinic (off at 10pm)

I expect a lot of heat to be generated by the T5's so the canopy needs to have small PC fans coupled to transformers for heat dispersal.
Q. Should I install one fan or two?
Regards
BigC

 

[steelhealr]

Absolutely put in 2 and make sure you can install good ones. I have two fans with 72W's and it runs warm, but, the heat is probably from my pumps. SH

 

[Musho3210]

would be better off you called them PC rather than T5, gets people mixed up with linears and compacts. They are different....