The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread

[shilala]

Originally Posted by Wolfgang

Picked up a new addition today. A nice size Kole tang. One of the most peaceful from the zebramosa family. Her name is Debbie :-D

I also saw a Blue face angel at my LFS about 5" they wanted $230 for it.

Pictures after acclimation.

Hehehehehehehe. Debbie.
You ain't right, brother.

[Wolfgang]

Lol My aunt got me a gift card so i named it after her :-)

Here is a fun bit of info for you to look though Scott. Octopus Info.

[Wolfgang]

You have a zebra moray too? I just got one her name is Leela and she is about 10"

Here is a short video of her. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4ZwRQIPDyo

[shilala]

Is anyone else having trouble seeing pics?
I can't see most of the pics hosted on photobucket. Sometimes some show up, sometimes none.
I had to lift the url for each one and copy and paste it in another browser window to view them.

[fissure]

Pics are showing up Scott. Beautiful tanks everyone. Love the angels Carlos!! I'll have to get off my lazy azz and get some of mine. Used to have a 120 with all sps and lost most of them to acro eating flatworms. Broke that whole tank down and now have just a 50 breeder with a sump in the basement. All lps and softies, but am yearning to go back to sps.

[Blueface]

I almost lost my head a few minutes ago.

I mentioned to the wife that I will gladly go ahead and get her the matching range, microwave and dishwasher to match the new stainless fridge.

After I said that and she smiled with joy over it, I suggested we put a reef tank in the living room thanks to this thread and a new boost of energy for more tanks again.

I am still trying to get her foot out of my butt and darn nearly lost my head with the other shoe that flew at me.

[Blueface]

If I can find them, will post some cool shots of the installations I have done for customers.
I have done some pretty cool plumbing for the entire system, all with PVC and Spaflex.
Lets see if I can capture Mr. Eel.
Next time I feed him and he goes nuts all over the tank.

[shilala]

Originally Posted by Blueface

If I can find them, will post some cool shots of the installations I have done for customers.
I have done some pretty cool plumbing for the entire system, all with PVC and Spaflex.
Lets see if I can capture Mr. Eel.
Next time I feed him and he goes nuts all over the tank.

That'll be awesome.

[Wolfgang]

Most Definitely.

we'll im going to be making some DIY "agrocrete rocks" today for my future 120 gallon reef

[G G]

I had never heard of reef tanks til now, awesome pics.

[Starchild]

This is the inspiration I need right now. Blueface, your setup is gorgeous , and Shilala's is exactly what I want to do.

I've got a 29 gal setup that is down right now. I got behind with maintenance with the baby in the house and it crashed. I've been debating setting it back up as a fresh water just to make things easy, bu this thread has me wanting to get it back up and running as a salt.

I'll need to work on the filter setup and you guys seem to know your stuff.

Right now it's setup with crushed coral and an undergravel system with a powerhead. I've also got an over-the-side filter. I was running a dual bulb fixture with full spectrum bulbs.

I'd like to go with something like Shilala has. I have a combination of some cave rock, live rock (that's not so live anymore) and bleached coral. I'd like to have 3 or so nice fish and a low maintenance system.

Any suggestions?

Andre

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by Starchild

This is the inspiration I need right now. Blueface, your setup is gorgeous , and Shilala's is exactly what I want to do.

I've got a 29 gal setup that is down right now. I got behind with maintenance with the baby in the house and it crashed. I've been debating setting it back up as a fresh water just to make things easy, bu this thread has me wanting to get it back up and running as a salt.

I'll need to work on the filter setup and you guys seem to know your stuff.

Right now it's setup with crushed coral and an undergravel system with a powerhead. I've also got an over-the-side filter. I was running a dual bulb fixture with full spectrum bulbs.

I'd like to go with something like Shilala has. I have a combination of some cave rock, live rock (that's not so live anymore) and bleached coral. I'd like to have 3 or so nice fish and a low maintenance system.

Any suggestions?

Andre

For a reef, suggestion number 1.
Get rid of the undergravel filter.
That stuff will come back to haunt you.

Suggestion 2.
Use the crush coral as you base.
Add live sand to that.
Only do this is you can stand not to stir things around.
The crushed coral below will become a denitrator for you.
If you can't keep from stirring, go live sand all the way.

[shilala]

Originally Posted by Blueface

For a reef, suggestion number 1.
Get rid of the undergravel filter.
That stuff will come back to haunt you.

Suggestion 2.
Use the crush coral as you base.
Add live sand to that.
Only do this is you can stand not to stir things around.
The crushed coral below will become a denitrator for you.
If you can't keep from stirring, go live sand all the way.

Andre, I agree with Carlos 100% (for what that's worth, hehe).
I used an undergravel filter in my reef tank for a lot of years and could never keep my water stable. I have no idea why, but it'd just go wild and stuff would die for no apparent reason. I could never keep anything alive.
Getting rid of that undergravel filter marked a turning point and everything has just gotten better since.
I know it doesn't make sense based on what I know from keeping freshwater since I was a kid, but salt is different, obviously.

I use crushed coral, and LOTS of it. I also use tons of shells of all different sizes. It's a nice look, I like it.
All told I bet there's at least 2 pounds per gallon between crushed coral and shells. A good 3-4" in the bottom of my tank.
Those couple things Carlos mentioned have made huge difference for me along the way. Consider yourself fortunate that he brought it up, it'll save you a lot of trouble that I went through if you choose to take his suggestions.

[av8tor152d]

Beautiful tanks gentlemen. I once upon a time had a 95 gallon saltwater tank. That is also when I lived in Hawaii and could walk down to the beach for my water changes, and oh yeah caught my own fish too. I will have to look I know somewhere I have some pics.

[Wolfgang]

Sick Jason!

I knew a guy with I think a 300 gallon surge tank down in Key West. He was on a canal and a pump would fill up a 300 gallon barrel then when it was full a valve would open and the barrel would completely replace the tank water. And the tank water wouled drain back into the canal.

Think free easy water changes awesome!

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by av8tor152d

Beautiful tanks gentlemen. I once upon a time had a 95 gallon saltwater tank. That is also when I lived in Hawaii and could walk down to the beach for my water changes, and oh yeah caught my own fish too. I will have to look I know somewhere I have some pics.

Originally Posted by Wolfgang

Sick Jason!

I knew a guy with I think a 300 gallon surge tank down in Key West. He was on a canal and a pump would fill up a 300 gallon barrel then when it was full a valve would open and the barrel would completely replace the tank water. And the tank water wouled drain back into the canal.

Think free easy water changes awesome!

Guys,
While it certainly is convenient, not something I would do with my tank and the value of the fish I have.
In the business, I did it for a while. Lots of folks in Florida that specialize in delivering ocean water also.
Eventually, I set up 200 gallon per day RO units, a trailer with a 100 gallon tank and mixed my own salt.
I no longer have the trailer but have two 45 gallon containers in my garage with the same RO unit. I pump the water out of my tank and pump back in from the containers where I just throw the salt in.

The reason to refrain from sea water is it contains pathogens and parasites. Unless you treat that water in a recirculating system with heavy duty UV's, before introducing it to your tank, you are seriously risking introducing lots of junk that is free floating in the ocean, into a very confined system that can crash it. After a few fatal episodes that arose as result of sea water, never did it again.

[Wolfgang]

The fellow in Key West has a monster commercial UV sterilizer before and after the holding tank. This is something I personally would NEVER do. However When i get around to rebuilding my 24 gallon tank i will be swiping 25 lbs of sand from siesta key one of the top 10 beaches in the world. It is pure white sugar sand. Ill just have to be all Ninja like.

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by Wolfgang

The fellow in Key West has a monster commercial UV sterilizer before and after the holding tank. This is something I personally would NEVER do. However When i get around to rebuilding my 24 gallon tank i will be swiping 25 lbs of sand from siesta key one of the top 10 beaches in the world. It is pure white sugar sand. Ill just have to be all Ninja like.

Sounds like he did it right with the massive UVs.
The trick is to recirculate it often, and slowly for maximum kill.
Most folks that sell sea water collected and treated just don't treat it long enough to have maximum kill.
The place my son ran had different holding tanks to ensure the water was treated long enough. Once it met the required time, the tank was allowed to run into the system to sell.

[Wolfgang]

Also quick question about Mr. Eel. How big was he when you got him? And since then has his pattern changed? I have read that as Zebra morays age and mature their White stripes get thinner. Can you confirm or deny this?