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I am in Texas this week pictures coming over the weekend when I get home.
Mehaffy's 1100+ gallon Plywood display in North Alabama
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I promised updated pictures so here they are. These are not the best they are kinda Blue. I will get out my good camera this week and get better pics. I am soon going to start getting some corals in this tank.
The coral in the third pic down came in on Rock from Gulf Live Rock. It s really cool because it is completely encrusting a clam that is alive. There is a split down the center and when the clam opens and closes it moves just a little.
The coral in the third pic down came in on Rock from Gulf Live Rock. It s really cool because it is completely encrusting a clam that is alive. There is a split down the center and when the clam opens and closes it moves just a little.
AlexG
Valuable Member
Tanks really coming along nicely. I would recommend if you get some time to do some nighttime viewing as there is a chance you have some bioluminescent organisms fro. That live rock in your system.I promised updated pictures so here they are. These are not the best they are kinda Blue. I will get out my good camera this week and get better pics. I am soon going to start getting some corals in this tank.
The coral in the third pic down came in on Rock from Gulf Live Rock. It s really cool because it is completely encrusting a clam that is alive. There is a split down the center and when the clam opens and closes it moves just a little.
OP
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I'll check that out. That would be really cool. Thanks for the tip.
OP
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Just wanted to give an update of what I thought was impossible. I thought that there was no way this Orange shoulder tang could survive he was so thi I could see through him and he had ick. Well below is a pic of his fat body today. He is starting to transition to adult color and is very fat and healthy. If you go back to post 824 in this thread you can see how sickly thin he was. its hard to believe its the same fish but I promise you it is.There’s always ups and downs and for those who have followed this build you know I’ve had some downs. But today I’m super happy about a real positive. Early on in my dealing with Ich just about 6 weeks ago I had a Orange Shoulder tang that had Ich and was so thin I thought fore sure he was a goner. His upper body was so thin you could clearly see his bones. First pick is from then.
this next picture is what this same fish looks like now. He is getting fat and really looks like a good healthy fish
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OP
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I thought I should give a little update on stocking list so far. The below list is what fish I have in the display.
Orange Shoulder Tang
Yellow Belly Blue Hippo Tang
Sailfin Tang
Chocolate Tang
Clown Tang
Scopas Tang
Naso Tang
Powder Brown Tang
Clown Fish Pair
Dianmond watchman Goby Pair
Blue streak cleaner Wrasse 2
Leopard Wrasse
Pajama Cardinal 3ea.
Blue Green Chromis 5ea.
One Spot Foxface
Bicolor Foxface
Thinking I may add another wrasse or two and maybe some Anthias.
Right now things are going good no problems with aggression and they are all eating well and growing.
Soon I need to start adding some corals.
Any suggestions on LPS or SPS that are easy. I want to just get a few to start and make sure they do ok before I start spending too much money.
Thinking of adding some Anthias
Orange Shoulder Tang
Yellow Belly Blue Hippo Tang
Sailfin Tang
Chocolate Tang
Clown Tang
Scopas Tang
Naso Tang
Powder Brown Tang
Clown Fish Pair
Dianmond watchman Goby Pair
Blue streak cleaner Wrasse 2
Leopard Wrasse
Pajama Cardinal 3ea.
Blue Green Chromis 5ea.
One Spot Foxface
Bicolor Foxface
Thinking I may add another wrasse or two and maybe some Anthias.
Right now things are going good no problems with aggression and they are all eating well and growing.
Soon I need to start adding some corals.
Any suggestions on LPS or SPS that are easy. I want to just get a few to start and make sure they do ok before I start spending too much money.
Thinking of adding some Anthias
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The orange shoulder looks great! I'm glad that you were able to bring them back from the edge.
How are your nutrients doing? I think some of the easier calcifying corals to keep are: pocillopora, stylophora, montipora (encrusting, plating, branching), acropora (green slimer), porites, lobophyllia, caulastrea, turbinaria, pavona
How are your nutrients doing? I think some of the easier calcifying corals to keep are: pocillopora, stylophora, montipora (encrusting, plating, branching), acropora (green slimer), porites, lobophyllia, caulastrea, turbinaria, pavona
OP
OP
Nutrients are still higher than they should be but slowly coming down. I am continuing to run the Refugium light 20 hours a day. But I also now have over 20 fish that as you can see get feed well.
I have some Green Paly's that are doing great and I just added A single head of Trumpet coral to do some testing. Also GSP are doing good but they of course are like weeds anyway. The Paly's I've had a couple years and they completely turned brown and shrunk down through all of the moves but now are growing and bright green.
Before I go too crazy on SPS I think I will need to address lighting. Not sure what to do because I sure don't have 10K to spend but I need more light.
My orange shoulder is an algae eating machine. Nobody besides the one spot foxface can compare. Awesome utility fish.Just wanted to give an update of what I thought was impossible. I thought that there was no way this Orange shoulder tang could survive he was so thi I could see through him and he had ick. Well below is a pic of his fat body today. He is starting to transition to adult color and is very fat and healthy. If you go back to post 824 in this thread you can see how sickly thin he was. its hard to believe its the same fish but I promise you it is.
That's good to hear, I'm glad things are still coming down (even if slower than you'd like). I think keeping the fuge on the same cycle time is a good idea.
I can't remember, have you done any PAR tests or do you have access to a meter to look at what that looks like for you? I think you could likely get some LEDs that can be strategically hung over the rockwork to keep costs down and bump PAR where it's needed for any of the high light corals you want to keep.
Another option, albeit maybe not the best at this point would be to put some solar tubes through the garage roof. That Alabama sun should keep the corals happy with supplemental lighting where it's needed .
OP
OP
I have not tested Par yet. There is a local reefer that has a meter so I will be reaching out to him. I think that by what I see I will be disappointed in the numbers as I expect them to be a little low.
I bought 5 Kessil 360X for that purpose and after less than 2 years only 2 are still working. I loved the lights but I am very disappointed in the quality. I may send them in and see what they will charge me to fix them.
I'm glad you've got access to a PAR meter, it'll be interesting to see what different parts of your rock structures have for PAR.
Yikes, that's a huge bummer, hopefully they can help you out. If not I'd look at the Neptune sky or Orphek to help you pack a good punch. They'll be spendy but I've seen them on multiple tanks and they have a nice spread and power for the tank.
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McPuff
Valuable Member
You might consider Orphek Amazonas for your tank. You may be able to get away with 4-6 fixtures that provide MUCH better coverage and par as compared to Kessil. I doubt you'd need anything else to provide supplemental light at that point. Worth reading up on them anyway.
OP
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I currently have 4ea 250 Watt DE halides. BUt I really think that the lighting is not adequate. I am going to do some PAR tests and see what I have.
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Just a quick update.
Coraline is starting to grow again. I lost it all during Hypo
I bought a single head of Trumpet coral and it is looking great really filling up nice.
So I have GSP growing good, Paly's growing and now the Trumpet. I a going to add a few more basic corals and see how they do.
Coraline is starting to grow again. I lost it all during Hypo
I bought a single head of Trumpet coral and it is looking great really filling up nice.
So I have GSP growing good, Paly's growing and now the Trumpet. I a going to add a few more basic corals and see how they do.
That's so Awesome!I have decided to go ahead and start a build thread for a massive undertaking that originally started a couple years ago and is now really getting going with the exciting part. First let me say like others I am not a carpenter by trade but I think I have some really good building skills. Otherwise I would not be considering this.
I have been keeping fish for over 35 years started with freshwater and then went to saltwater and Reef about 13 years ago.
My wife and I moved from Missouri to Alabama in 2012 and at that time I moved my 225 gal Reef tank which was actually a success but a ton of work and planning. But my wife does not like my tanks in the house so the first thing I had to do at the new house was build a building for my tank. YES build a building. Below are the pictures of this project. Is is 20'x30' and I did every bit of the work myself framing, electric, plumbing, roof, everything. Except for the gutters because I did not have a roll former and wanted seamless gutters. From the beginning I called this a Pool House so that I could get my wife's full support. It includes a 1/2 bath, Tanning bed and Sauna along with outdoor shower.
End of Phase 1
OP
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Thank You
OP
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Ok so I have really been trying to decide what to do about lighting and tonight I am moving forward with a plan to completely change the lighting on this tank.
I am purchasing 18ea noopsyche K7 V3 lights.
I have looked at a lot of options and taking all aspects into consideration I think this is my best option.
It will be interesting to see how they perform and to give some long term updates over the next year or 2.
I am purchasing 18ea noopsyche K7 V3 lights.
I have looked at a lot of options and taking all aspects into consideration I think this is my best option.
It will be interesting to see how they perform and to give some long term updates over the next year or 2.
OP
OP
So I went ahead and bought 18 of the Noopsyche K7 V3 lights. They were delivered today. I will be posting some more detail on the lights after I get them hanging. But I like what I see so far.
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