Fritz's Home Display - Tank Build (1 Viewer)

[REEFSTOCK]

K looks like I don't need to go custom. I can fit a 20long and a 29 next to each other in the stand. The 20 will be divided in half: skimmer/sump. The 29 is going to be a.... take a guess live rock fuge.

I have some sweet rocks picked out and I can't wait to break into the rockwork! The hardest part about the rockwork is making a sweet looking structure (which will look great in a fish only) and making a structure that will make the corals look sweet. They are a far-cry from the same thing.... sigh.
The other thing is choosing between a mixed reef and an SPS only tank. All of the most attractive corals to non-reefers are softies and fluffy LPS. But I really want some angels... Tough choices.
The rocks I have picked out make some serious over-hangs... but thats waisted on an sps tank. Man, I forgot just how hard it is to make these tough choices.

Here is the current fish list... and its longer than I would like:

Regal Angel
Pair Flame Angels
Mystery wrasse or Clown Fairy or pair of Flames
Yellow or Purple tang
Kole or Tomini
Tribal Blenny
Pair of cleaner gobies

I really want a pair of mandarins... but I won't put them on the list because I don't have time to micromanage their feeding.

Not sure what crabs and shrimps I could put with the angel? Doubt I could put much with a full grown mystery.... Its hard to give up all the cool little nano crabs and shrimps.

Is a regal angel worth giving up all LPS for those shaded areas?
Is a mystery wrasse worth giving up inverts?

I am still floundering on sand as well. 75% of the bottom will be covered by one huge overhang rock... so it might be cool to have open sand under there.... but sand ... ugh what a pain... especially if the tank ends up being 100% sps, whats the point. And since I want to make the tank exciting for non-reefers too... its expected... still no one has said anything about the nano-tank at SWE (which is bare bottom). More tough choices... sigh.












This is fun

 

[REEFSTOCK]

No thoughts on the sweet fish list? Well, it might have changed again... what do you think of this?


Regal Angel
Pair Flame Angels
Mystery wrasse or some fairy wrasse
Yellow or Purple tang or longnose butterfly...
Tomini
Tribal Blenny (waiting for me in the mix & match tanks at work)
Pair of ORA cleaner gobies - DUH!
ORA Yellow Assesor


........

I have accepted Chad's (Achilles tang)bid for the stand, hood, and utility bench (under my window). It will be Mahogony and stained to match the poker table. I keep seeming to pull away from a reasonable budget... but fooling around, learning and experimenting are over. I want to do the best tank I can with what I have learned over the years. And the best I can do needs a wicked stand :biggrin: I don't know of anyone who can do stands better than Chad, period :biggthumpup:

 

[mattb]

Fritz, sorry I didn't get back to you about the regal, slipped my mind.... I don't have a regal, I have an asfur. That being said, I wouldn't get a Regal unless they are from the Red Sea, they have a better track record than those from the Indo-Pacific. Nice list, but I don't see any anthias

 

[REEFSTOCK]

Anthias are pretty... and goodness knows Mr. Lee's videos of his tank rock (he has two schools). But I just have never got that feeling for them.
Red Sea yep. :biggthumpup:

 

[REEFSTOCK]

Regal Angel
Pair Flame Angels
Yellow or Purple tang or longnose butterfly...
Pair of ORA cleaner gobies - DUH!
ORA Yellow Assesor


The regal is in and it looks like it will have to live here for a few months. I set up the QT in back.

I am really leaning on the Long nose butterfly. The yellow tang seems too bright and I am afraid it will distract from the Regal. I love purple tangs like any one else... but the long nose is so unique. I am dropping the tomini off the list for now. If I don't need a tang, I am going to skip the tang.
For now I am cutting the wrasses off the list. I don't mind adding McCoskers or Lubbock's or something small that wont effect the bioload much or eat crustations.... I don't think Longnoses are going to bother too many ornamental... right?

The stand build is going to start this month It will be made of Mahogany and match the poker table in that room. There will be a hood so my lighting options have expanded. I haven't decided, but I am looking at
250W HQI ballast running SE Radium 250
4 t-5 B+ fiji Purple supplement
Well, thats what I am thinking this minute

 

[REEFSTOCK]

WOO HOO the tank is in!

At first glance I was afraid the holes were too close to eachother, but we fit in the bulkheads with no room to spare. Stucky T. Just stopped by the store yesterday and I got to thinking about how his broke between the bulkheads... a bit worrysome, so I will be extra careful when putting in the plumbing.

The tank itself looks great. It is deeper... just a sec I got the exact dimensions in this letter to Two Son's and a Dad:
"
Window side of the house we are calling “Back”

Overflow:
Right side 9”
Back: 8.5”
Trim:
2” Tall
15/16 wide (including lip for glass or screen)
Width:
From Left to right:30.0”
From front to back:30 1/16”
Hight:
25.5”
"

So it is deeper than tanks I normally work with. actually it is exactly half of the 180ish display. I know there will be a few times I have to call my taller friends to come give me a hand The 70ish gallon is probably more fitting for me than the 93Gallon. In fact I have already had 3 customers and Li make fun of me and my short arms. Still, its going to look great!

I have to get some work done.. but I will try to get some pictures ASAP

 

[veloboy]

Yep, get some pictures up hero:biggthumpup:

 

[Screwtape]

I just happened to stop by the store and see it. Looks great, I love the dimensions and the 3 holes in the overflow. Can't wait to see it up and running.

 

[benihana]

I keep seeming to pull away from a reasonable budget... but fooling around, learning and experimenting are over. I want to do the best tank I can with what I have learned...

Exactly how I felt putting mine together....This looks like a pretty cool set up, and I like the suggestion about keeping it smallish to better relate to your customers....need more pictures!:biggthumpup:

 

[acharpenter]

In fact I have already had 3 customers and Li make fun of me and my short arms. Still, its going to look great!

I totally know how you feel - I swear a couple times I have just about fallen into the 70 just trying to reach the sand bed! :greenguy:

Pics dude, pics!!!

 

[REEFSTOCK]

 

[REEFSTOCK]

Li and I just did some Par tests with the Luminaric and I have been over at sanjay's site: http://www.manhattanreefs.com/lighting

I am just waiting on a few dimensions from Chad, but it looks like I will actually go with the mini pendant. HQI 250 ballast with the intent of running either the Radium or XM10K depending on light needs. I am hoping to get 4x24W T-5s in there so I can have different looks. The bulbs I use will be dependent on which MH bulb I decide on.

:biggthumpup:

 

[OldNemo]

Looks sweet Fritz! But I don't know if that livestock will enjoy the radiums!:beerchug:

 

[atienne]

those critters are gonna outgrow that tank. :biggrin:

 

[REEFSTOCK]

"I will upgrade in a few years. They should be fine till then, right?"

 

[atienne]

"I will upgrade in a few years. They should be fine till then, right?"

make sure you have a really good skimmer. talk about bio-load....

 

[mpedersen]

So just one 250 watt MH + the T5's to light the whole thing?

 

[Chad Vossen]

So just one 250 watt MH + the T5's to light the whole thing?

heck yeah. personally i would just have the MH.

 

[REEFSTOCK]

So just one 250 watt MH + the T5's to light the whole thing?

How many T-5's do you think are on the coral tanks at work?

I was planning on just doing MH at first. But I figure with both, I can have whatever look I want. There are advantages with both. Also, if the 250 isnt enough I just need to swap the ballast and bulb to 400. expensive swap but easy to do. The reflector will not need to change.

IMO you can not beat the look of the corals under t-5 and you can not beat the look of a tank under MH... Since I am getting a canopy, I might as well install both lighting systems.

 

[REEFSTOCK]

heck yeah. personally i would just have the MH.

with the radium, I would need the 400W on an HQI giving it that 14 k look (which is awesome, don't get me wrong). and this is how I was leaning, and still would do if I didn't have a canopy. Even with this the numbers just don't pan out to the bottom of the SPS tank... I mean it would work... but I would be under the 120PAR I want for most of the SPS (other than red planet and a few others). It doesn't matter If I use the bigger reflectors or the smaller focused ones. Li and I mapping out the Par on the top down really changed my thoughts on these things yesterday.