Top Notch Tank! (1 Viewer)

[Jim E.]

Wow, I sense a calender photo. Tank looks great Jim. Is that dark green piece the Octo?

ps: Can I borrow your camera?

Hi mrbill! We have to thank Q for this series of pics. All it took was a little beer, a vegetarian pizza from Jake's, & a promise to keep my hands in my pockets. That dark green piece is indeed the octo as identified by Fritz.

You have dial-up, right? My God, you deserve a reward.

 

[mrbill]

Thats right about the dial-up, but the wait was worth it. Cant wait for the Octo frag.

PS: Just kidding about the camera, but I should buy a new one.

 

[Jim E.]

I've been following this thread hoping for some pics...From what I've seen sure looks amazing Jim2371. Super nice! :biggthumpup:

Hello veloboy! I've been following your spectacular build since your very first thread on TCMAS. (I lurk a lot.) I'm always in awe of folks who can work magic with their hands, and I think you have one of the nicest systems in Minnesota. I appreciate your comments

 

[Jim E.]

Thats right about the dial-up, but the wait was worth it. Cant wait for the Octo frag.

PS: Just kidding about the camera, but I should buy a new one.

About 11 last night, I pre-rinsed about 1/8-cup-worth of frozen mysis & commenced with my feeding ritual armed with tongs in one hand & a flashlight in the other. Eventually, Q stopped whatever it was he was doing on my computer to stare over in disbelief, and said "dude... you really do feed every polyp by hand...!" By midnight I was finished, & I said all that to say this: mrbill's Octo branch is beginning to show signs of life :beerchug:

Wal-Mart has a 30-day return policy. I like Q's D60 so much that I may take advantage of that policy & buy a real camera next payday. (Just managed to pay off my car, so I'm feeling flush.) & maybe a Macro lens a month later, who knows.

If anyone could recommend an on-line photography class I would be very grateful.

 

[Jim E.]

You're makin' me rrrrandy!

LMAO!

I hardly ever have that effect on anyone Ben. Except maybe for mrbill's dog, but I'm pretty sure that's just affection.

 

[Livestuff]

I'm making reservations:greenguy::greenguy::biggthumpup:

 

[Jim E.]

Obligatory Sump Shots. Tech stands have doors on 3 sides, so that was easy.

It's been about 36 hours since I cleaned the DelTec & replaced the filter sock. The bag of carbon on top of the collection cup treats air effluent from the O3. The Deltec treats the water-effluent with in-line carbon. I'll get a bigger skimmer after I buy an actual O3 reactor. As it is, the DelTec TS-1250 (purchased from MaxReefer) is still critical equipment until a pressured O3 reactor is installed.

There's a dual BRS Carbon/GFO reactor in the left rear. I feed heavily so I am tethered to GFO.

Front & Center. I use the center chamber for Chaeto (pods, not pH -- sump lights mirror the display's), & my rubble is in a Wal-Mart colandar.

Return Chamber & Top-Off, RHS. The upright on the R is the feed from my kalk/top-off reservoir, which has to be taller than the reservoir to avoid a siphon. The kalk/top-off is a 30-gallon RubberMaid out of sight on the other side of the wall. ATO is a Tunze Osmolator. The osmolator pump has been sitting about 2" off the bottom of the kalk reservoir for 2 years without failure, although technically it voids the warranty. I run the pump in a straight vinegar bath about once/quarter to keep it clean. You can see the BRS air dryer in the background. Beads don't stay blue for more than a couple days, tops. Electronic air dyers are pricey. I use a Tunze 6025 (on the other side of the Eheim 1262 return) for circulation. Mixing the kalk top-off with seawater prevents annoying calcareous sheets from forming on the sides & bottom.

Skimmer Chamber from the LHS

Filtration includes 1 sediment, 1 carbon, 1 75gpd membrane, & dual DIs with filters & resin from BRS. Twin dual in-line TDS meters monitor pre & post membrane, post DI #1 & post DI #2.

Kalk/Top-Off reservoir (26 usable gallons) is a 30-gallon RubberMaid in the front entry, & it is the first thing my guests see. I'll throw a quilt over it when I feel like it, but mostly I am beyond caring. I run the lines through the wall to the tank on the other side in an effort to keep visual distractions in the viewing area to a minimum.

That's it, thanks for looking.

 

[Zibba]

Hey Jim,

Just checked in! The tank is looking fantastic! What P&S did you end up going with? The pictures are turning out great....keep them coming!

I recognize a few corals in there, glad to see they're doing well.

What lighting combo are you running right now?

Take care,
- Z

 

[clownnut]

Skimmer Chamber from the LHS

i think you need to clean your skimmer:gay1:

 

[RaysReef]

i see your using velcro

 

[Jim E.]

Hey Jim,

Just checked in! The tank is looking fantastic! What P&S did you end up going with? The pictures are turning out great....keep them coming!

I recognize a few corals in there, glad to see they're doing well.

What lighting combo are you running right now?

Take care,
- Z

Eric, how cool! Distance means nothing to our extended little TCMAS family. Wes checks in frequently from SoCal. Please describe desert sunsets in your photography sometime, as I remember only shadowy variations on a grand purple theme.

I had a $200 budget on Thursday, so I needed something that would do in a pinch. Josh the 19-year-old Wal-Mart Electronics genius recommended the Fujifilm S1000 on sale for $189 with a 4MB storage card for another $14. And a $13 tripod. Let's just say I got my money's worth on that tripod. I bought the Fujifilm S1000 primarily because I liked the buttons. My research skills are sometimes described as "...extraordinary..."

I hope to graduate to a D90 very soon, although I hope to seek your advice (maybe through PM)?

Every coral you sold me continues to thrive. Too bad your beautiful pale Duncan was closed in my first FTS on page 2 of this thread. Of my 3 Duncan colonies, yours is always the first to receive favorable comment from those who see it in person. The SWE Duncan is bigger & poofier, but your color morph is more delicate.

The ATI 6x54W Powermodule you sold me now uses ATI bulbs from SWE; basically 3 blues (B+), 2 whites (AB), & a single actinic. Simple lighting themes for simple minds

You ever make it back for vacation to visit family up North? Cause if you're traveling that far, a little detour to New Ulm can be easily justified

Thanks for checking in Eric.

~Jim

 

[Jim E.]

i think you need to clean your skimmer:gay1:

You're right. Smarta$$

 

[Jim E.]

i see your using velcro

I learned all about Velcro from David Letterman. Remember when he used to wear a Velcro costume, & would have himself launched so he could stick to the wall?

The industrial strength Velcro I bought from Ace serves nicely on vertical surfaces (e.g., my 2 DC8s), but not so much on the ceiling. I tried using long strips of Velcro up there in an effort to keep wires out of the way. Fortunately all the heavy ceiling equipment (Icecap/VorTech battery back-up, air dryer, controller, etc.) was installed the right way using screws.