Smite's Stout CDA - 205g Acropora dominant system 50x38x25"

[Husker-reef]

Well the new pieces settled in great overnight. Polyps out and the color looks pretty good too. I'll be sticking with that dip for sure.

The 14k show everything pretty well. This is with OG Pop quantapros but they don't have as much effect on the look of the spectrum with the 400w lamps.

amazing spectrum even in the pictures! where do you buy all of your MH lighting stuff from, ballasts, reflectors, etc?

 

[Smite]

amazing spectrum even in the pictures! where do you buy all of your MH lighting stuff from, ballasts, reflectors, etc?

Thank you! the metal halide spectrum is much easier to shoot under. The camera just registers everything better.

It's tough to find much for MH these days, let alone something new. Reefbrite is really the only readily available pendants that are available right now but luckily they are great quality. Same goes for their ballasts.
You can find some selectable 250w icecaps ect around at some online vendors like premium aquatics. Once you go up to 400w they are hard to come by. When I get a little free cash I'm ordering a backup set of 400w ballasts to have on hand where ever I can find them. Right now my ballasts are all used with unknown usage. I'm using 1 lumatek selectable and 1 galaxy selectable watt on this rig.

For bulbs I go direct from Hamilton Tech. If they run out, then I've been hearing good things about these ebay lamps that are drop shipped from China. Very cheap per lamp. A buddy of mine is going to test a set soon. If he likes what he sees I may get some of those as well.

 

[Kodski]

Beautiful tank! Everything is looking really healthy!

I have a few questions for you if you don't mind. I'm in the process of setting up my first build that is tailored to SPS. A 7ft, 210 gallon tank.

Of course the whole, Sand vs bare bottom argument comes up. I see you started with sand and then removed it. Did you regret doing this in the long run? I'm leaning towards bare bottom, especially since I plan on having a large refugium. This way I'm hopefully not missing the surface area for beneficial bacteria.

I also plan on using T5's (one 4ft fixture and one 3ft fixture, both 6 bulb) with two A360x's to supplement and add shimmer. I know early on in the thread you said you're a true MH fan. Is that why you switched to MH after trying the T5's and Kessils? Or was there another reason for the switch?

 

[Kodski]

Thanks man! I really enjoy taking pictures of the tank. A full blown hobby inside a hobby Well this hobby and my boa constrictors. Great way for a fiddler to sit still and enjoy something haha

I mostly view my tanks top down since you get to see all the detail that way. It's the same reason most my shots are top down too, so much more going on from that view point!

Also, beautiful Boa! I have a few snakes as well, but no boas yet. Waiting to find the right one with the IMG gene. Gotta love a jet black snake.
This is my reticulated python Loki.

 

[Smite]

Beautiful tank! Everything is looking really healthy!

I have a few questions for you if you don't mind. I'm in the process of setting up my first build that is tailored to SPS. A 7ft, 210 gallon tank.

Of course the whole, Sand vs bare bottom argument comes up. I see you started with sand and then removed it. Did you regret doing this in the long run? I'm leaning towards bare bottom, especially since I plan on having a large refugium. This way I'm hopefully not missing the surface area for beneficial bacteria.

I also plan on using T5's (one 4ft fixture and one 3ft fixture, both 6 bulb) with two A360x's to supplement and add shimmer. I know early on in the thread you said you're a true MH fan. Is that why you switched to MH after trying the T5's and Kessils? Or was there another reason for the switch?

Thank you!

So my reason for adding sand to this tank early on was my plan to keep sand dwelling wrasse and aesthetically it looks more natural. Ultimately I chose flow and ease of upkeep over the sand bed and sand dwelling wrasse. I don't regret the decision at all. It just fits my style of reef keeping better. I like to keep as high as flow as possible. Sand is great if it's kept clean looking but I just don't stay on top of it. I do keep a 5-6" DSB in the fuge section of my triton 44 sump. I like the life it holds down there.

The t5 and kessil combo is great. I personally love the shimmer the kessils give off. Short answer yes, I just had to get back to halide. Once I found a setup that would work I made the jump over. Not much more power usage to get the look I want, heat is comparable and relamp costs me 1/2 as much so I went for it. I wouldn't hesitate to run it again though! My only gripe was kessils in all blue, I felt like they just lack a bit of pop but that's probably personal preference.

 

[Smite]

Loki is poppin with color! Beautiful. An IMG would for sure contrast that well, you'll have the best of both worlds.

I really wanted to get an IMG but I'm maxed on my e-bill I'm hooked on pastelism in boa constrictors. There are so many cool morphs out there it's tough to choose. Which is why I have quite a few boas now. VPI, kahl and pastels mostly.

Here one of my VPI Poss Jungle girls, Jewel

Harlequin Motley VPI boy, Ink

 

[Kodski]

Thank you!

So my reason for adding sand to this tank early on was my plan to keep sand dwelling wrasse and aesthetically it looks more natural. Ultimately I chose flow and ease of upkeep over the sand bed and sand dwelling wrasse. I don't regret the decision at all. It just fits my style of reef keeping better. I like to keep as high as flow as possible. Sand is great if it's kept clean looking but I just don't stay on top of it. I do keep a 5-6" DSB in the fuge section of my triton 44 sump. I like the life it holds down there.

The t5 and kessil combo is great. I personally love the shimmer the kessils give off. Short answer yes, I just had to get back to halide. Once I found a setup that would work I made the jump over. Not much more power usage to get the look I want, heat is comparable and relamp costs me 1/2 as much so I went for it. I wouldn't hesitate to run it again though! My only gripe was kessils in all blue, I felt like they just lack a bit of pop but that's probably personal preference.

I'm planning on having another smaller tank for just LPS and softies with sand. So I'll be able to satisfy my need for sand dwelling species with that tank. So besides for fish, I think it just makes sense to go bare bottom for the maximum amount of flow. I am glad to hear that you don't regret it though!

If I recall correctly, you had the older versions of the Kessil 360's. I don't believe those have UV diodes. The A360x's do, and they really do make corals pop well. I started with LED's and switched to T5's and I get why those who've been in this hobby for a long time swear by older tech. There is just something about a wide spectrum of light. For that reason I really do want to try MH out at some point. I just feel like they are so difficult to find now a days. At least find enough fixtures that would cover a larger tank that is.

Loki is poppin with color! Beautiful. An IMG would for sure contrast that well, you'll have the best of both worlds.

I really wanted to get an IMG but I'm maxed on my e-bill I'm hooked on pastelism in boa constrictors. There are so many cool morphs out there it's tough to choose. Which is why I have quite a few boas now. VPI, kahl and pastels mostly.

Here one of my VPI Poss Jungle girls, Jewel

Harlequin Motley VPI boy, Ink

WOW those are gorgeous boas! There is a reptile expo in my town tomorrow, its going to by mighty difficult to not end up bringing something like those home with me!

 

[Smite]

I'm planning on having another smaller tank for just LPS and softies with sand. So I'll be able to satisfy my need for sand dwelling species with that tank. So besides for fish, I think it just makes sense to go bare bottom for the maximum amount of flow. I am glad to hear that you don't regret it though!

If I recall correctly, you had the older versions of the Kessil 360's. I don't believe those have UV diodes. The A360x's do, and they really do make corals pop well. I started with LED's and switched to T5's and I get why those who've been in this hobby for a long time swear by older tech. There is just something about a wide spectrum of light. For that reason I really do want to try MH out at some point. I just feel like they are so difficult to find now a days. At least find enough fixtures that would cover a larger tank that is.




WOW those are gorgeous boas! There is a reptile expo in my town tomorrow, its going to by mighty difficult to not end up bringing something like those home with me!

That probably is the case, I was running the WE and they were more of a flat ice blue if that make sense.

I agree, there is something about it. MH are going away so I'm going to do my best and stock up and buy myself a few years using them. Then maybe I'll go solar tubes, ha!

Those reptile expos are tough to walk away from empty handed haha. I at least leave with a bunch of F/T rats.

 

[Smite]

Always fun to flick the blues on a few hours after lights out. Gotta love that late night PE

 

[JCOLE]

Those pieces look great man!! I got to get a piece of that Ice Fire!! A trade down the road perhaps?

Potassium Chloride has worked great for me. Knock on wood but I haven't lost a single piece yet since using it. It is really easy on acro's.

 

[Smite]

Those pieces look great man!! I got to get a piece of that Ice Fire!! A trade down the road perhaps?

Potassium Chloride has worked great for me. Knock on wood but I haven't lost a single piece yet since using it. It is really easy on acro's.

Thanks! 100% down for that. My plan is to let it grow a bit then I want to cut some frags and see them grow a bit, then spread it around for more to enjoy. It's outstanding in person, specially under a whiter spectrum, so hopefully I can get it to that point.

That potassium chloride worked great. That last mariculture piece rebounded very quick with polyps out the next day. It'll be my go to from here on out.

 

[Longatto]

just finished reading thru your build! great build!
saw you removed sand somewhere between April and August. Any issues with this?

What happened to all the wrasses? did you keep them or rehome them?

 

[Smite]

just finished reading thru your build! great build!
saw you removed sand somewhere between April and August. Any issues with this?

What happened to all the wrasses? did you keep them or rehome them?

Thanks for reading through!
No issues removing sand for me. I went pretty slow and I was dosing a good amount of beneficial bacteria during that time. PNS probio and Biodigest’s prodibo. Eventually I swapped sumps to one with a large fuge and keep a dsb in there.
The ornate and leopard were sold to a local reefer.
I brought in an orange back that outgrew a buddy’s tank. He was a monster in size and I suspect he took out several of my other fairies before I could catch him. The teeth gaps of my overflow are wider than normal and I found a few smaller ones in my sock compartments. A few others suddenly had issues swimming which I assume was a jump met by eurobrace.

I want to say I was down to just a carpenter after rehoming the orange back. 2 of my lyretails transitioned to sub male and I believe he got caught up in the mix. Or hid until starvation.

I’ve been tempted to add another group but probably won’t. My last addition really triggered a full on tang war that lasted a good week.

 

[steveschuerger]

Just finished going thru the thread. All I can say is wow! My hope is to have a something that gorgeous (and big) in the future. Wil continue to follow .

 

[Smite]

Just finished going thru the thread. All I can say is wow! My hope is to have a something that gorgeous (and big) in the future. Wil continue to follow .

Thanks for the kind words Steve and for tagging along. It's starting to settle in so hopefully this next year will have some good results!

 

[Kodski]

Those photos are absolutely stunning! A tank to be very proud of! And one I’m extremely jealous of!!

PS. Thought I’d share what we purchased over the weekend.

Hypo Kubsch Pastel IMG

 

[shandoee]

Wow I just stumbled across this build. Of course, I went from page 1 to the last right away lol. But nice tank! I for sure have to read to see the progress from page 1

 

[Smite]

Those photos are absolutely stunning! A tank to be very proud of! And one I’m extremely jealous of!!

PS. Thought I’d share what we purchased over the weekend.

Hypo Kubsch Pastel IMG

That's quite the pickup! My favorite IMG I've seen was hypo IMG. I love how they battle it out. I can only imagine how contrasting that'll be with the kubsch pastel in there as well. I really like how they change over time.

Here is my pastel line up. All are still all pretty young, '21 and '22. Still in racks but I'm gearing up to order some AP enclosures for everyone soon.

RC pastel x Gray Rushin. I can't wait to see how she matures.

RC Pastel Jungle Het Kahl. This was end of last year, I need to get a new picture of him.

RC Pastel Kahl female

RC pastel Hypo poss jungle poss het kahl

RC x Gray sibling to jungle posted earlier

 

[Smite]

Wow I just stumbled across this build. Of course, I went from page 1 to the last right away lol. But nice tank! I for sure have to read to see the progress from page 1

Yup, we all do it! It's been a struggle but I'm on the other side of the earlier issues now. Thanks!

 

[Troylee]

Killer sticks!! I need my frags to grow lol… I’ll be happy once my tank is starting to fill in like yours..