Gopi's JBJ 45 rimless for seahorses!!

[Gopi]

The 90 reef can't be set up for another 2-3 weeks... in the meantime, living room floors are done and at least I can set one tank back up! Somehow my 14hex got upgraded to a 45 AIO JBJ 45 rimless biotope.

Unboxing:

I really enjoyed the "YAY" sticker once I got through that initial layer of peanuts. Also discovered that a kitchen trash bag would not suffice. Dogs were disappointed that the white cheddar cheese puffs were pretty bland.

Got inside the box inside the box, things looked good!

 

[Gopi]

These are contractor bags...I filled 2 of them totally full with packing peanuts and styrofoam. The bubble wrap went into a kitchen trash bag and made some little kids super happy. (I gave it away)

It took me TWO HOURS to get to this point!

Up on the stand!! It's since been centered better.

Yesterday, I choose which rocks I wanted from my Brute can full, washed 40 gallons of CaribSea Special Grade Reef Sand and the RODI filter has been steadily working away to fill a second 32 gallon Brute. Once that's ready, it's time to aquascape!

 

[Gopi]

Done! Got the Tunze 9004 up and running, lights are on. Waiting for cloudiness to go down a bit before moving the softies from their temp tank upstairs.

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

Woohoo!! My favorite build tank!! Your tank is off to a great start!

 

[Gopi]

Thanks, Krista! I can't wait for everything to settle in so I can get the ponies after 2 years of planning! Patience... I need more.

 

[Rob.D]

Very nice, I love the look of the JBJ rimless tanks.

 

[Gopi]

I'm loving this tank!! The skimmer is breaking in nicely...not emptying the cup every half hour now. Its producing a lot if microbubbles but that's normal for the first couple weeks. I do wish I could change the orientation of the skimmer in the back. There's a baffle close to the side glass to hang the media baskets on which makes it a little too far for the magnets to hold tightly. I heard others have rotated the 9004 so the magnets are on the back, but there is a lip on the overflow slots stopping it from sliding in. The skimmer slowly slips down the side as the cup fills. I'll probably build a little stand for it.

I moved the mushrooms, gorgonians, CUC, macroalgaes and gold stripe goby in late Sunday. That freed up one 10 gallon tank sitting on the bathroom floor! (Now... Do I keep that up and start QTing fish for the 90 or do I set up my pod culture in it...)

I was afraid the light wouldnt be enough...its a 12 inch 65watt WavePoint LED. It really lights the tank well! I put the glass lids on for now for two reasons. 1) these corals have been under a regular fluorescent bulb for the last few weeks and need to reacclimate to lighting, I'm using the glass to reduce the amount of light penetration and 2) to reduce the dust entering the system... Kitchen floor demo finally starts tomorrow! The kitchen is on a different level and will be sealed off...but still. (And then I can get the reef back up!)

 

[Gopi]

I want a few more gorgonians. Need to give the tank time to just do its thing. No ammonia reading yet...but since its all liverock that I've had for years/months it may not cycle... Patience. Patience.

 

[Gopi]

Built a quick egg crate stand for the skimmer. Its hard to do when you can't see how tall it needs to be. My first estimate was too short.

My second was too tall, though should have been perfect. I think maybe its not going all the way to the bottom. End product worked well, had to trim 4 squares off to make it shorter.

 

[Gopi]

It's only been a week? Only a week?! I think maybe I see some diatoms on a piece of tonga...maybe. Skimmer is settling in nicely. Still skimming wet, but not nearly as wet as the first couple days. I'm now getting stinky stuff. I was too tired from yesterday to run tests, so tomorrow for those. I spent a good 12 hours at our regional Science Olympiad competition...forgot that my car was full of stuff and wasn't able to get a new bucket of salt for water changes. Tomorrow will be a fishy evening.

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

Sounds like you are right on track.

 

[Steelerfan747]

I am looking at possibly getting one of these and was wondering how quiet or loud are they

 

[Gopi]

I am looking at possibly getting one of these and was wondering how quiet or loud are they

Right now, it's near silent. My water level in the back is a little high so the pump area is very still. The pumps themselves are silent. There may be more water fall noise when I get the back water levels right. The only thing making noise is the 9004- which is a very soft bubbling. I can't even hear it over the skimmer running upstairs when I'm in the same room as the 45... or even when the skimmer upstairs isn't running. Very quiet.


Tank is starting to get diatoms. Not much and just on the glass. I have the 2nd week of March off and am considering ordering the horses then so I can have lots of time at home with them.

 

[Steelerfan747]

Very nice, Al in 1 systems have always interested me and is nice to know you could install a skimmer and have seen some run a fuge as well. As long as I could hook up my ato and my dosing pumps I think I'm in. Only thing next would be convincing the wife that another tank is in our best interest. Lol

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

Sounds like everything is coming along nicely! Where do you plan on ordering the seahorses from?

 

[Gopi]

Very nice, Al in 1 systems have always interested me and is nice to know you could install a skimmer and have seen some run a fuge as well. As long as I could hook up my ato and my dosing pumps I think I'm in. Only thing next would be convincing the wife that another tank is in our best interest. Lol

I've got my ATO line running up the back of the tank to the middle section with the pumps. Works nicely.

Sounds like everything is coming along nicely! Where do you plan on ordering the seahorses from?

Thanks! I was planning on ordering 4 H. erectus from Seahorse Source, they come unsexed.

 

[revhtree]

Looking good!

 

[Gopi]

Things are looking good! The tank is fully cycled and I'm seeing pod growth. Our spring break is coming up and hopefully all these winter storms are done. I plan to order 2-4 tank bread H. erectus next Thursday for Friday arrival. I'm just a little gun shy because I've not bought a fish over $35 before.

 

[Steelerfan747]

I've got my ATO line running up the back of the tank to the middle section with the pumps. Works nicely.




Thanks! I was planning on ordering 4 H. erectus from Seahorse Source, they come unsexed.

Cool, nice to know. What kind of ato do you have

 

[Steelerfan747]

By the way do you happen to know how much space there is in the center compartment between the 2 pumps. I have a cadlights pls-100 & want to know if it will fit