The Garden -- Rakies shallow SPS cube

[NY_Caveman]

So Rakie finally did a thing -- It's not perfect, but I like how it's situated for now and that's all that matters!

Pictures came out really small... Thanks PhotoBucket :(

Everything was also still settling, so water isn't crystal clear or anything either.

Re-uploaded larger pics

Wow! I like it. How are you feeling with it?

 

[Katrina71]

It's beautiful!

 

[Rakie]

Wow! I like it. How are you feeling with it?

It's beautiful!

Thanks!

I like it, the larger corals have not been placed, only the smaller frags. I decided on a few things -- The top will be inhabited by large corals that don't grow densely -- Staghorns and Milli's. the front of the tank is where all the newest coolest (smallest) frags are now. The larger colonies are on the right side of the structure. At least 10-12 SPS that were "voted off the island" are in the frag tank now. There's not enough flow for them in there, so I will put in another pump and try to make room properly for them.

 

[Katrina71]

I'm pretty sure they could be adopted out easily :)

 

[Rakie]

I'm pretty sure they could be adopted out easily :)

They're gonna be frag packs LOL! A few of them will make the move over just need to finalize placement. The only stuff that's in it's 'forever home' is the top rock frags, and the front of the structure. The right side will be moved around (except the fox flame... he's encrusted a lot already)

 

[Katrina71]

I'm going to be upping the flow in mine for my new sps friends.

 

[Janci]

So Rakie finally did a thing -- It's not perfect, but I like how it's situated for now and that's all that matters!

Pictures came out really small... Thanks PhotoBucket :(

Everything was also still settling, so water isn't crystal clear or anything either.

Re-uploaded larger pics

We do really like it when Rakie does a thing.
Looking great.

 

[Rakie]

Thanks @Janci -- Took awhile for me to get everything ready, then the bubble algae happened.. Nothing a wire brush couldn't handle LOL. So now the corals are on rock again.

 

[Rakie]

STUFF AND THINGS !

CaRx Stable -- Two days in a row, my alk has been stable. When first setup, my bubble rate was too generous. Had to restrict effluent to get pH in reactor to the proper range, and to make my dkh stable.

Kalkwasser -- Going to add saturated kalk to my ATO to keep pH up and encourage growth. pH should be relatively high with my higher dkh (alk around 12) but cal reactors lower pH to work, so tank is probably lower than average. Probably around 1 TSP per gallon. Gentle start.

Skimmer -- Skimming more dry now.

Corals -- Still haven't placed all the larger ones in their final positions. Frag tank is full of small colonies that may make it to the tank.

 

[Katrina71]

You audition coral to go in your tank... The struggle.

 

[Rakie]

You audition coral to go in your tank... The struggle.

I need about a 200 gallon upgrade.

 

[Katrina71]

I need about a 200 gallon upgrade.

I can help ya out...29+32...

 

[NY_Caveman]

I can help ya out...29+32...

I’ll chip in my 45 gallon
(of course it is only 35 gallons of saltwater).

So that is 106 gallons.

 

[Katrina71]

Surely somebody has a spare 94

 

[count krunk]

i have an empty 10g, 5g, and 2.5!

 

[IgnatiusRath]

Got a 120-140 double paned lobster tank you could use, a spare 90g, a 28 bow front, 20 acrylic, and some various 10, 15, and sumps you could borrow. You'd have to help me clean my shed though.

 

[FLSharkvictim]

I still think bare bottom is best. I really see no benefit to sand in a display. Fresh or marine. Most use it for aesthetic reasons I presume and that is definitely a valid reason. But sand in a box does not perform like sand in the ocean. In fact it may be a drag on the system that requires additional work and resources.

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@NY_Caveman - that's funny b/c I think that bare bottom tanks are very boring looking but you know what the say different strokes for different folks! I love the Tropic Eden Live Reeflakes and the Meso flakes!

Best Substrate in my opinion on the market! I ordered 12 bags so I can have a nice 2'' sand bed layer throughout out my system.

Tropical Eden Reef Flakes

 

[Rakie]

@FLSharkvictim -- Tropic Eden is actually what I use too. Thanks to @mdbannister for understanding my selective cheapness.

A word on Selective Cheapness -- There's something wrong with you when a $500 frag the size of a pinky nail makes perfect sense, but a $30 bag of sand is blasphemy. It's good having hoarder friends lol.

Secondly... I live in the land of reefers. I'm convinced based on nothing but pure conjecture that there's more reef keepers in southern California than any 3 states combined (including the rest of california).

It hurt a lil, but I turned down a free 48x24x20 leemar tank made of Starfire glass. That was a $2-3,000 tank. Free.

I also have a 36x18x20 tank in my closet.. The 18" depth (front to back) is just a little too small for me. Or I'd have set that up and gone through hell to do it LOL. I'll also need another light... So that's another $800 I don't want to spend.

 

[Katrina71]

Rakie, I think we've solved your real estate problem. Now who's got frequent flyer miles?

 

[NY_Caveman]

Road trip!