Maroon Lagoon V3.0

OP
OP
gig 'em

gig 'em

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 13, 2016
Messages
1,188
Reaction score
2,766
Location
Austin, TX
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I shut down the old tank today, dipped all the corals in Amoxicillin, then iodine, then witch hazel to eliminate any potential bacterial pathogens that could have been causing my coral issues.
78F31765-6D2A-4B8F-8791-078AD768825F.jpeg


After dipping the corals, I threw all the rock into muriatic acid baths and then hit them with a power washer. It’s pretty crazy how a little acid and a power washer can make rock look brand new!

49F18887-C461-457A-BAB9-204916C23098.jpeg

D3EAFA77-7674-47DB-AD7F-F50F8E1A74F0.jpeg

Then I rinsed all the sand until the water was running clear and spread it out the dry. Later I’ll sift through and pick out all the shells and dead branches.
9A9AE133-F28F-4C0F-B774-2D21CFC0D280.jpeg


I’m going to let the rock sit in fresh water for a little while and then throw them in the new display. All the fish are now in the frag tanks now, hopefully they can be patient until the DT is ready.
 
OP
OP
gig 'em

gig 'em

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 13, 2016
Messages
1,188
Reaction score
2,766
Location
Austin, TX
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Dedicated fish room mini split system has been ordered and is on its way. I decided since I don't know how hot it will get in there during the summer with the garage ambient temperature likely reaching the 90s F, it's probably better to over prepare than under prepare for temperature control. For that reason I decided to order the 12,000 BTU mini split unit from Pioneer instead of the 9,000 BTU unit, which was enough for the size of room I have. My biggest challenge now is the condensate from this unit. Since the actual compressor will be on the other side of the garage, I can't run the condensate directly down through the wall, but up into the attic, and then down through the exterior wall. I know they have condensate pumps, but I will need to figure out how to install one in this particular unit, or figure out a different way to safely drain the condensate out of the garage without going up through the attic.
1579625100004.png
 

dbraun15

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
706
Reaction score
723
Location
Youngsville, LA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Nice...how many cardinals do you have? Is this the first that has made it this far? Blue Gig looks awesome!
 
OP
OP
gig 'em

gig 'em

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 13, 2016
Messages
1,188
Reaction score
2,766
Location
Austin, TX
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Worked on the aquascape today. Thoughts? Suggestions? Criticism? I’ve found it difficult to lay out a 7’ tank and not have it look like a fruit stand or too symmetrical. I’m thinking large anemone species on the left island and all acros on the right two. I might bridge the two islands so it’s not so symmetrical looking.
24A4CF77-4ACA-48FF-A436-0F7B8668EFD7.jpeg


I also settled on a location for the new AC unit, closer to the center of the room.
93A9F7B3-7AB1-4D40-9C85-B11861C52D1C.jpeg
 
OP
OP
gig 'em

gig 'em

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 13, 2016
Messages
1,188
Reaction score
2,766
Location
Austin, TX
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Nice build! Do you have a dedicated return pump for the frag and nem tank? What’s your total water volume now?
It’s all one return manifold. Surprisingly enough pressure to supply all 3 tanks sufficiently. Total volume is about 400 gallons now.

Nice...how many cardinals do you have? Is this the first that has made it this far? Blue Gig looks awesome!

It’s the first time any babies have survived. I found one in the sump as well, unfortunately the filter socks did their job too well
 

dbraun15

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
706
Reaction score
723
Location
Youngsville, LA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I agree that it looks too symmetrical...maybe limit it to 2 islands(1 much larger than the other) and maybe a more open channel between the 2 islands...with the larger island not the typical “pile of rocks”. Hope that helps, but liking what you’ve done so far!
 
OP
OP
gig 'em

gig 'em

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 13, 2016
Messages
1,188
Reaction score
2,766
Location
Austin, TX
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I agree that it looks too symmetrical...maybe limit it to 2 islands(1 much larger than the other) and maybe a more open channel between the 2 islands...with the larger island not the typical “pile of rocks”. Hope that helps, but liking what you’ve done so far!
Thanks!
 

UWC

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 24, 2016
Messages
1,547
Reaction score
2,377
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I really think it looks great as is. Just have to picture it loaded with corals where you can barely see the rocks :)
 

JumboShrimp

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 12, 2018
Messages
5,806
Reaction score
8,224
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
First let me say that because you got an 84x30x25 on a steel stand— my dream— I will never speak to you! (But I WILL look at every tank-picture you post!!)

LOL... congratulations! :p
 

Daniel@R2R

Living the Reef Life
View Badges
Joined
Nov 18, 2012
Messages
37,364
Reaction score
63,260
Location
Fontana, California
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
Awesome! Following!
 

dbraun15

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
706
Reaction score
723
Location
Youngsville, LA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Nice...I like that scape much better! Are you going to add the other gigs to the display?
 
OP
OP
gig 'em

gig 'em

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 13, 2016
Messages
1,188
Reaction score
2,766
Location
Austin, TX
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Nice...I like that scape much better! Are you going to add the other gigs to the display?
Yes! In fact I decided to move one of the blues over last night. Did not go as smoothly as I had hoped. This thing was so sticky, it would rather lose it's own tentacles rather than let go of me. Even with a straight blade trying to delicately scrape the anemone tentacles off my fingers, it would just get stuck on a different part of my hand. I felt terrible for all the tentacles that were left over by the end of it, but it attached to the rock next to the green gig last night and was still there this morning, looking a little beat up.
IMG_3095.JPG
IMG_3097.JPG
IMG_3098.JPG
 

count krunk

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 17, 2017
Messages
2,316
Reaction score
4,243
Location
ATL, GA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
That's wild! I love the mini split units. It should work very well for you.
Couldn't you drain the condensate down the same waste as the RO/di unit?
 
OP
OP
gig 'em

gig 'em

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 13, 2016
Messages
1,188
Reaction score
2,766
Location
Austin, TX
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
That's wild! I love the mini split units. It should work very well for you.
Couldn't you drain the condensate down the same waste as the RO/di unit?
The idea had occurred to me, but the hole I have through the studs is large enough for 1/4” lines, and I think constant drainage of condensate through that small of a line would clog fairly quickly. I would rather have 3/4” pvc pipe as a drain, and I don’t want to see that coming out my garage. It was $150 for a condensate pump, and if that doesn’t work long term, then I may just drain it out the front of the garage and hide it as best as I can.
 
Back
Top