Atomic's 800g In-Wall with fish room.
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this is awesome, following along!
MimicOcto8
Valuable Member
impressive build. i'm curious how the fish are doing. I'm also curious how you cycled your tank? did you use a raw shrimp or nitrifying bacteria and or ammonia?
also, how are the corals?
Thanks
also, how are the corals?
Thanks
OP
OP
atomic081
Active Member
Thanks so much!
Hope you enjoy it!
I hope to update a little more often!
Ive not had the best of luck with fish. I feel like i lose more fish in QT than I ever have in the display tank. Im gonna get ahold of a few experts and make sure my QT is up to par.
I cycled with bacteria and frozen fish food i had left over from my last tank
Corals generally are doing great. Lost a few SPS but i probably should have waited to add them once the tank matures a little.
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atomic081
Active Member
Updates.
I still have a small leak, although its VERY small. Im gonna drain the tank half way and silicon the hole. I know exactly where it is.
My Lobster is gonna go. He keeps eating all the ends of my SPS. killed 3 of them already. I have a new home for him in my 60 gal refugium. He did Molt today, kinda cool.
finally mounted all my Zoanthid frags last weekend (15 total frags). Had to use a mask to get the front few, but overall it was easier than i expected. My kids liked seeing me in the tank though!!
Finally i got a RBTA
I still have a decent to do list:
Blue lights for display tank
Lighting for frag tank
New light for refugium
I still have a small leak, although its VERY small. Im gonna drain the tank half way and silicon the hole. I know exactly where it is.
My Lobster is gonna go. He keeps eating all the ends of my SPS. killed 3 of them already. I have a new home for him in my 60 gal refugium. He did Molt today, kinda cool.
finally mounted all my Zoanthid frags last weekend (15 total frags). Had to use a mask to get the front few, but overall it was easier than i expected. My kids liked seeing me in the tank though!!
Finally i got a RBTA
I still have a decent to do list:
Blue lights for display tank
Lighting for frag tank
New light for refugium
OP
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atomic081
Active Member
From a Local glass company. The owner is a buddy of mine.
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atomic081
Active Member
Not great pictures, but I finally got some decent size coral for the tank. A fellow reefer had the biggest green slimer i had ever seen. It had to be 30" across and 24" tall. We had to break it into 3 pieces and i only could fit 2 into the Rubbermaid tub that i brought. So he gave me a few frags for my loss.
overall i got
2 HUGE slimers
big forest fire digi
Big Cali Tort
3 heads of orange hammer
Hollywood stunner chalice
green Birdsnest
Pink Birdsnest
overall i got
2 HUGE slimers
big forest fire digi
Big Cali Tort
3 heads of orange hammer
Hollywood stunner chalice
green Birdsnest
Pink Birdsnest
puffdragon
Community Member
Looking good Ross, how are the frags you got at the swap doing?
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atomic081
Active Member
Most are doing well. I had a few SPS that died after the swap, but generally im pretty happy. I had a filefish that did a number on my zoanthids though. I think my lobster took care of him, as ive not seen him in a few weeks and most of the zoanthids are coming back. Ill probably be taking the lobster out soon and putting him in my frag tank thats empty.
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atomic081
Active Member
In other news.
Ive been doing research on actinic lighting for the display tank (and frag tank later on). I really gotta stay budget friendly on these or it will add up to over a grand really fast. I looked at the reefbrite XHO, T5, and VHO super actinic. Ive decided to go with the VHO super actinic. They give a good spread and pop, while not breaking the bank. I might need to buy a case or 2 of these for the future, cause who knows when they will stop making the bulbs.
Im also doing research on a new light for the refugium. I have a old Mars aqua on it now, but the white LEDs are out. So i need to find a alternative. Im thinking about one of the VIPARSPECTRA boxes on amazon. has anyone had any experience with one of these? Im leaning toward one of the ones used for indoor plant growth, rather than the reef light.
Lastly, im going to try and get the INDMAS par meter soon and see how the 250w MHs are doing. I feel like the spread isnt what I was hoping for, So i raised the light rack about 3 inches today. I have the option of switching the ballasts over to the 400w MHs if the 250s are not cutting it higher off the water. Anyone recommend good 400w MHs?
Ive been doing research on actinic lighting for the display tank (and frag tank later on). I really gotta stay budget friendly on these or it will add up to over a grand really fast. I looked at the reefbrite XHO, T5, and VHO super actinic. Ive decided to go with the VHO super actinic. They give a good spread and pop, while not breaking the bank. I might need to buy a case or 2 of these for the future, cause who knows when they will stop making the bulbs.
Im also doing research on a new light for the refugium. I have a old Mars aqua on it now, but the white LEDs are out. So i need to find a alternative. Im thinking about one of the VIPARSPECTRA boxes on amazon. has anyone had any experience with one of these? Im leaning toward one of the ones used for indoor plant growth, rather than the reef light.
Lastly, im going to try and get the INDMAS par meter soon and see how the 250w MHs are doing. I feel like the spread isnt what I was hoping for, So i raised the light rack about 3 inches today. I have the option of switching the ballasts over to the 400w MHs if the 250s are not cutting it higher off the water. Anyone recommend good 400w MHs?
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atomic081
Active Member
I had to take out the lobster this evening. I found him eating one of my new sps corals. I had seen the ends of a few corals broke off before, but didnt know if he was the culprit. So he is in the refugium now.
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atomic081
Active Member
Thank you so much, ive put alot of hard work into the tank and i still have a TON left that i want to accomplish.
The Calcium Reactor is one of the things i havent tackled yet. I have a Geo 612 (i think that the number) That i bought for my 220. I bought it 4 years ago and never set it up and unfortunately the ph monitor got wet. I might set this up to start and see how much of a pain it is to keep refilling the media. Ive always been a little scared to set one up also. Its one of the only things that can really screw up a tank if i mess it up!!!
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atomic081
Active Member
Big Week for my tank.
1. My VHO actinic lights should be in this week. I had to order the bulbs and ballasts/endcaps from different websites, so Im not sure what day the bulbs will be in. Im super excited about this as i feel it will add the pop that my corals need.
2. The new refugium lights should be delivered monday. I have cheato algae in the refugium now, but its really struggling with inadequate light. Hopefully it will start up again. I need to get a few other macro algaes and maybe a few mangroves also. I want a huge population of pods in here also.
3. Lastly I got my QT up and running earlier this week in anticipation for a big order from Live Aquaria.
I placed my order today and it should be in Tuesday.
4 Yellow tangs
1 Yellow belly Hippo
2 Regular Hippos
1 Powder blue tang
1 naso tang
Im not sure if ill add the powder blue right away, or if i will keep it in the 6' frag tank.
This should be my last big order of fish for a while. Im preparing to add a Moorish idol, Achilles and maybe a unicorn tang sometime in the future.
Everything after that will be smaller fish that ill let my kids pick out.
Pictures will be coming often this week!!!!!!
1. My VHO actinic lights should be in this week. I had to order the bulbs and ballasts/endcaps from different websites, so Im not sure what day the bulbs will be in. Im super excited about this as i feel it will add the pop that my corals need.
2. The new refugium lights should be delivered monday. I have cheato algae in the refugium now, but its really struggling with inadequate light. Hopefully it will start up again. I need to get a few other macro algaes and maybe a few mangroves also. I want a huge population of pods in here also.
3. Lastly I got my QT up and running earlier this week in anticipation for a big order from Live Aquaria.
I placed my order today and it should be in Tuesday.
4 Yellow tangs
1 Yellow belly Hippo
2 Regular Hippos
1 Powder blue tang
1 naso tang
Im not sure if ill add the powder blue right away, or if i will keep it in the 6' frag tank.
This should be my last big order of fish for a while. Im preparing to add a Moorish idol, Achilles and maybe a unicorn tang sometime in the future.
Everything after that will be smaller fish that ill let my kids pick out.
Pictures will be coming often this week!!!!!!
ca1ore
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Nice! Big fan of the MTC skimmers .... have had (or still have) most of the bigger models. Yours is an oldie but a goodie.
joseserrano
2500 Club Member
Very cool. And more pics of the filtration/engine?
McPuff
Valuable Member
It's a lot easier to mess up your tank with a dosing pump! Once you get the CA reactor up and running it's quite easy. Minor tweaks here and there and that's about it. I was also very nervous to start using one but I'm really glad I did. Would never go back to dosing. You'll want something much bigger than a GEO 612 for your tank but it could get you started for a while I'm sure.
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atomic081
Active Member
I'm looking for a used CA reactor but can use this one soon. For now I really don't have much coral and have about 1200 gallons total water volume. I also do 100g water changes every month so doubt I'll start needing it for another few months.
My refugium light should be in today and my fish should also be delivered.
The actinic light have not shipped yet and in ordered them last Thursday.
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