25 gallon lagoon

Dine

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After a long hiatus I have finally started another build. I actually have 2 builds going but this one will see water much sooner then my other project. It’s been a while so I’m a little rusty. Looking forward to meeting everyone! Please don’t be shy with the feedback.


-Current equipment-
Innovative marine 25g lagoon (~24x20x12)
Mp10
Radion XR15
Tunze ATO
IM ghost skimmer (prob won’t even plug in)
2 INTank media baskets (2x floss, marine pure bio balls)

-Undecided-
Gfo/carbon reactor
Refugium/cheato chamber
Another mp10 if needed (I’m thinking not)
 
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Dine

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here is a shot of my aquascape in progress. honest feedback would be great. Does this look like enough sand? its roughly 1-1.5in.

aquascape1.JPG aquascape2.JPG
 

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Hey! Nice thank What’s your goal with it? 1.5”-2” is a deep sand bed for such a system are you sure you need that much?
 
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Dine

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Hey! Nice thank What’s your goal with it? 1.5”-2” is a deep sand bed for such a system are you sure you need that much?
No I was not shooting for a DSB. It’s currently about an inch deep. I was more looking for reassurance that was enough to house snails and such in my clean up crew.

Plans are prob a zoa garden. Still working on the fish list. Prob a clam or 2 further down the line.
 

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No I was not shooting for a DSB. It’s currently about an inch deep. I was more looking for reassurance that was enough to house snails and such in my clean up crew.

Plans are prob a zoa garden. Still working on the fish list. Prob a clam or 2 further down the line.
You should be fine with an inch of SB! Congrats by the way the tank is really nice.
 
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Dine

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Added water tonight. Everything went pretty well. I did have to trouble shoot the xr15 and the mp10 as both were giving me problems but I think I finally have them sorted out. This is my first tank with LEDs, the customization is a little intimidating!

To do list:
-organize the cabinet and unpack my fish supplies
-trip to my LFS for some marine pure
-set up my water mixing station
-get my RODI mounted in a way that I won’t come home to it being in the trash.
 
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Dine

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Set up a QT today. Cycling both tanks with aquavitro seed. Also made a run to Home Depot to gather supplies for my water changing station. Hoping I have time tomorrow to set it up!
 

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That is something I need to do still! A water change station would be so nice, I am setting up my fish room now and can't wait to get to that point! Nice looking tank, and good luck with your 2 Builds!
 
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Dine

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I didn't get as far as i would have liked on the mixing station. Wife had me out all day. I decided to use a bunch of cinder blocks i had laying around to build the base. This was just a quick layout so i could see if it all fit like i hoped. i will go back and level as well as sturdy up the platforms. The holes in the cinder blocks should allow me to run the various plumbing through. I have a general idea of how i want to plumb it but just dont have time today to start that project. fresh water will be on top (fed from my rodi on the other side of this wall) and salt will be on bottom (gravity fed) with an external pump to recirculate/pump water to the tanks with a flexable hose. i will also have a ball valve on the front of each container so that i could fill a 5g bucket directly if i had to. I am going to widen the blocks a little bit further so that i can fit both a 5g bucket and my return pump under the whole setup. any advice is welcome!

Qt i set up yesterday is still cycling. just a 10g with a HOB filter. currently just set it up in a spare bathroom but ultimately need to find a better home to house a few of these on going.

mixingstation1.jpg qtsetup1.jpg
 
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Dine

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I got a little more work done on the mixing station tonight. It’s only dry fitted right now. Wanted to see if anyone saw a flaw or a way to improve it. I also need to find an external pump to handle the mixing, circulation, and filling.

B5B8DECE-3992-4608-A478-2F115D49665D.jpeg
 
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Dine

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So quick update. I’ll post pictures when I’m done. I ended up really disliking the mixing station. Not enough room to work, those barrels were infuriating to get the lids on/off and I had enough leaks in a cramped space that I got frustrated. Long story short I trashed the whole thing. Went with new barrels (larger and designed for water) and simpler plumbing. Waiting on a few parts in the mail and then I can finish.

tanks still cycling. Well technically it’s done but letting it go a while longer. I added 6k copepods and have been feeding with oceanmagik. Once the mixing stations in place and I’m able to easily perform maintenance I’ll make a final decision on our first inhabitant.
 
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Dine

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Here’s the finished mixing station. Filling today for a leak test. Fingers crossed. Not sure why the pics sideways. I’ll try to fix from a pc later on.

DB64414B-8233-4B08-9C60-78BD38E55F54.jpeg
 
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Dine

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Looks good but Quick question how are you going to fill the tank on the left?
Fill with RODI? If you look closely there’s a line on the back/top attached to a float switch inside. It kind of looks like a shadow or dirt on the wall in this pic.
First pic is left barrel. Second pic is the right (salt) barrel.

B1D2E236-F453-4086-984E-494639AE2DBC.jpeg 95444C65-3E48-4F00-9BD9-F94C2914ACCB.jpeg
 
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Dine

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today I added our first inhabitants. A yellow watchmen goby and a candy pistol shrimp. The shrimp is doing great. The goby seems a little stressed but he seems to be coming around. He spent the first couple hours attacking his reflection and swimming up and down the glass. He appears to have found the shrimp finally and paired. They’ve picked a corner of the tank (no rock there?) and dug in. Goby is guarding it and the shrimp is under/behind him. Kind of a weird spot but I’ll take it if it means the goby will settle down.

Here they are in their weird “cave”
B7ADD687-2052-4185-ACB4-334BA1DD4A71.jpeg
 
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Dine

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Well unfortunately the last additions did not make it. Absolutely no idea why. Parameters were all normal. No swings. I had a thread on it so I won’t go over All the details again but I was stumped. After testing my water every day since and seeing no problems i decided to try again. Added a pair of Yasha gobies yesterday. These are actually the gobies I had my heart set on originally but the wife liked the watchman so we compromised and got a watchman. These guys seem to be doing MUCH better. They are eating, no signs of trouble so far. Feeling much better about them at this point (was really hesitant to add anything not knowing what the problem was). They are staying well hidden for now but that was to be expected. Here’s a brief glimpse. Sorry, need to learn how to take better pics.

C743930B-3998-4D58-962F-A54480362670.jpeg
 
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Dine

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I’ve also dipped my toes into raising some brine shrimp. Originally I did this to entice the watchman goby to eat but he passed before I could get them hatched. I’ve decided to press on and keep a grow out of brine shrimp as well as phyto and pods in my fish room. This may seem like overkill for a little 25 but remember I have 2 projects going at once here so everything is being planned with that in mind. Here’s some pics. Have not relocated everything to the fish room yet. That’s tomorrow’s project and I’ll update when that’s done.

29829CA5-355E-4019-A94C-3E4B7F8D5750.jpeg AC751B25-56C3-417B-88FC-50C47AC87DCB.jpeg
 
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Dine

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So the yashas are doing great. One is very bold the other is very shy. The bold one has found a buddy (candy pistol shrimp) and the three of them have begun making a home for themselves. Very difficult to get all 3 at once, I’ll keep trying!

also added our first coral today. Sat all day in a holding tank while I was at work. Dipped with Bayer, inspected, then in it went. Started opening up pretty fast, about 30min. Jason Fox mango cooler. Pic is fairly close to the color.

2B3AC1DE-D165-48D7-AC12-13F1429DB31A.jpeg A69DCE6D-F431-420A-8D73-B4556FD45A44.jpeg
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 64 36.8%
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