Jason's Tank Journey

[jason2459]

One thing I did change is the lighting. This canopy is kind of unique in how it pivots open. I wanted something that wouldn't make the canopy to heavy and that would move with it easily.

Also, I got a really good deal at about 50% off new price on the Aqua Illumination Hydra 32HDs. I got 4 of them. 3 mounted and 1 spare.

Yes, those are handles. lol. Stainless steel screen door handles marine grade infact. Had a couple and got a couple more. Worked perfectly to keep the rail mounted. I used a couple stainless steel L brackets on the ends to keep it from sliding left and right.

The spread is really nice and better then I thought it would be. They are advertised as good for a 2'x2' area mounted about 8-10" up. This canopy is their 12" roll top.

 

[jason2459]

But I do like to make sure of full complete coverage and spread. These also make it so I can have a strip on the back section of the canopy on while I open the top up if I ever needed to see into the tank.

Two 36" reef breeder Blue/UV hybrid strips.

And I have a switch in the Apex now that will turn on the back strip and turn off the open canopy section off no matter what state they are so I'm not blinded when opening the canopy.

 

[jason2459]

So, over the past 6 months I sold off all the RBTAs as after we decided to move the tank's location and get a new tank I didn't want the RBTA garden anymore. I don't exactly know what I want next so we'll see.

I moved over all but a couple really huge rocks from the 180 over to the 120. I did get new sand with 40lbs carabsea aragonite and 40lbs carabsea special grade. I like the mix of sizes and the mixed in extra stuff like little shells and pick out the occasional twig.

I'm surprised anything survived the anemone take over but lots of little green and red mushrooms made it, some zoa's, and my gorgonian that I split in two after the move.

I took this picture last night.

 

[jason2459]

I got this submarine and dragon head from my kids quite a while ago and have had them in my tank.

Sub still up front and dragon head now supporting the rock structure that makes a nice cave entrance.

 

[jason2459]

My favorite additions made it over with the rock. Two KP Aquatics common star fish. They seem to always have a waiting list for them and it's well worth it. I've had mine since I think 2014. There's two of them.

 

[jason2459]

And of course if you have a canopy then it must have decorations too.

 

[jason2459]

Still deciding what direction I want to go with corals. I do think I want to try a yellow leather again.

In the mean time. Did some cleaning of the ATS and skimmer. Nothing much to see on the ATS but brown stuff as it's restarting back up. But the skimmer is a beast and I love it

Sticky sweat goodness... ok, maybe not sweat

 

[jason2459]

I used to have a lawn mower blenny years ago. I think it died in one of my tank moves or transitions. For some reason I never got another one again. I love these fish.

I just added this starry blenny today.

Canopy doing it's job. Cat would love to go fishing.

 

[jason2459]

I'm still figuring out what I want to add back in coral wise.

But these caught my attention and added this yesterday. They look much better today though my photography skills with my phone is lacking

Orange Ricordia

Galaxea

Blasto

 

[jason2459]

I got a couple more used AI Hydra 32 HDs at a great deal so I now have 6 total and 5 mounted. I think I'm covered now. lol

 

[jason2459]

Ran across these pictures of my 180 from 2018 or 19 before the RBTAs completely took over the tank.

And this little gorgonian some how survived it all and grew like crazy.

And yes, that's a RBTA camping out on a gyre. I used mesh on them to protect the nems.

 

[Gaultier-reef]

Hello, i really like your tank !
It's narural and good !

 

[jason2459]

Thank you. It's something I enjoy. I've never desired a tank of the month.

 

[jason2459]

Here's one of my favorite fish. He eats everything.

He's trying to pretend like he's invisible. Totally camouflages in with the gorgonian

 

[jason2459]

I grabbed some par measurements across the top of the rockwork at peak lighting and it hovers around 300-330.

 

[jason2459]

I tweaked my light schedule slightly. Mobius allows me to setup multiple groups and apply the same template to each and then tweak them individually.

So, I created 3 groups. 3 in a Lunar Group, 2 in a Day only group, and 1 in a spare group.

I have a single template with the 11am to 11pm schedule maxing out at 4:30pm 30% for the blues, 5% red/green, and 25% cool white.

That template is applied to both groups. Then the Lunar group I have moon light turned to 1% from 11pm to 11am. Having all 5 on was to much and really none of it is needed. It's more for my viewing pleasure.

Then the two reefbreeders strips I removed the inline "controller" and running at 100%. I have one of them set to run from 3pm-5pm and the other staggered to run from 4pm-6pm. Overlapping to match the peak time before and after the Hydra's peak of 4:30. That controller for the reefbreeders strip is useless as it can't keep it's time on power outage and a pain to program.

 

[jason2459]

With the way the return is setup with one in each upper corner and being a shorter tank I'm not sure I'll setup another gyre.

I am pretty happy with the flow so far. I didn't set the gyre up as high as before. I do having it running at about 70% instead of 100% I had on the 6' 180. That's supposedly about 3710gph. Then the return is at about 70% on the DCT15000 and with the estimated head hight I'm looking at an estimated 900-1000gph. I do have the gyre programmed to run in reverse for a couple minutes every 6 hours to perform a self cleaning.

The upper corner returns I have those pointing towards the front glass and inward slightly. Then the gyre I don't have as high up as I did before. So, between the gyre and return I have a upper current, middle current, and lower current going on. Can see those currents with the way the gorgonians are tilted. If one was higher it would be swirling toward the middle and overflow box.

10:50pm lighting going on here too about to switch off and over to moon lighting. Phone switched into night mode to brighten this up.

 

[jason2459]

With the new build and everything looking good I guess I'm in an experimental mood again.

I ran across this Algae Scrubber by WSR. Water Stream Refugium on eBay. It doesn't look like this person has any other presence online except a few videos on YouTube? Compared to what's out there right now the prices are down right cheap and a great value. Looks like he also makes some hang on refugiums and chaeto tumblers for sumps.

For what he calls his Algae Clean Scrubbers (ACS) he has a nice line up of options and has a video for them.


I picked up the Quad. Why not. Go big or go home right? And I got it in yesterday.

It seems to be built well and I like how the spray bar sits in exactly one way. The lights also slide up and down very well. Very little light spillage.

I also go the adjustable tank mount that works really well and it sits in it perfectly. With this and with the way the side flow is setup if for some reason both pipes get clogged up it will just flow up and litte more and spill back into the sump.

 

[jason2459]

What I don't like is it came with a single power adapter with a 4 way splitter and there is no reliable dimmer. That splitter is nice to save space but it severely limits the intensity of the lights. Right now with that 4 way splitter its only running at 18w total between all 4 fixtures. The single power supply with a splitter for two fixtures is probably good for the normal ACS setup but not the quad. My Turbo Aquatics R4 L8 is running at 41w.

I just bought a couple new power supplies to amp up the juice a bit more. My goal is 36w total.

Now, what I've done is something I don't think I've ever done. I took my skimmer offline. I don't plan to ditch the @Turbo's Aquatics ATS at all. I love it. It's amazing. I highly recommend them. Build quality and engineering is perfect. When the R5 comes out I'll probably get it. I bought the R3 and R4 too.

So, I'll up my iron dosing just a tiny bit. I'll feed just as much as I have always done which is a LOT. And see how it goes.

 

[jason2459]

So, I usually pull the ATS screen to clean every couple weeks. I pulled the Turbo screen early to "seed" the new WSR screen. I pulled some front the Turbo and rubbed all over on the WSR screens.

1 week since last cleaning and close a month of a new start with it on the Turbo's ATS. More green


The WSR ACS actually had a bit of brown on it since starting last night. Probably can't see it in the picture.