My BB 55

[fritz]

I recently went BB and RO/DI, best two things that I've done with this tank. Next on the list is:
1. Perhaps a better skimmer. My Remora pulls a full cup of skimate per 24 hours.
2. Right now I'm using about 120 Watts just for circulation. I'm up in the air on wether I should get a Tunze 6000 with controller or a vortech.
I currently use an Eheim 1262 (Closed Loop), MJ 1200, MJ 600, Hagen (something)
3. MH Lights. Perhaps the sunpod by current. So far so good with 220 Watts of VHO but my penetration sucks. My mushrooms are ok but my zoos don't seem to like the bottom of the tank very much. Plus it'd be nice to be able to see some growth of my digitatas in the mid tank region.
4. Drill it so I can add in a sump/fuge and an auto top off.

 

[fritz]

Full Tank Shots

Here are two Full Tank shots.

 

[romain]

Wow, I like those warm colors!

 

[fritz]

Thanks I use a URI actinic white and a URI Aquasun. I'm still messing around with the settings on my camera. The Macro mode has way more options then I understand. The last two pics I took first, I think I was using 1/40 of a second exposure with "2.8" on some setting that I don't understand. The first set of pics is 1/10 with "2.8" on the mystery setting. I still can't get the pics to do justice to how it looks in person but I think that's something we all struggle with. I should probably start by finding out what that "2.8" means.....

 

[Reef2Go]

Sweeet!

 

[fritz]

Thanks. Any input on what I should upgrade next?;

1. Bigger skimmer
2. MH lights
3. Tunze (or Vortech)

Then again right now it "ain't broke" so maybe I should leave it alone. I'd like to lower my wattage by getting a Tunze though, just not sure if a Tunze 6000 would give good random flow in a 55.

 

[coralcrazy]

u need a fuge

 

[Tonyscoots84]

I'd like to lower my wattage by getting a Tunze though, just not sure if a Tunze 6000 would give good random flow in a 55.

tunze with a controller will create a random flow...
get the biggest skimmer u can afford..
and mh lights will be great for ur corals...

 

[fritz]

I have the biggest skimmer I can afford!!!! :lol:

Yeah I'm working on a fuge. Cool thanks for the info on the Tunze I wasn't sure. I was thinking of maybe the remora pro with the mag 3.

 

[Josh]

Looks nice!

 

[DEEPWATER]

Thanks. Any input on what I should upgrade next?;

1. Bigger skimmer
2. MH lights
3. Tunze (or Vortech)

Then again right now it "ain't broke" so maybe I should leave it alone. I'd like to lower my wattage by getting a Tunze though, just not sure if a Tunze 6000 would give good random flow in a 55.

you forgot #4 :smash: :smash:

BIGGER TANK

and VORTECH

 

[fritz]

Skimmate Update!

Here's a pic of my nightly skimmate. I get this much about every 24 hours. I'm thinking that a Remora Pro might be a really good idea. I'm not ready to put a sump on and get a Super Duper skimmer yet.

Now that I'm BB any input on which skimmer to buy? I'd like something that is HOB. The rio seems to be just about the same output as the Mag 3 but with less heat?

 

[ShaunW]

u need a fuge

Ditto, get the macroalgae out of the main tank and in a sump/fuge.

Your tank looks great! Well done! :thrash:

 

[fritz]

I picked up a new Tunze 6000, single controller and the light sensing doo-dad (from an MR sponsor -Reef Exotics!!!) all for the price of a new vortech and I'm very happy. Fish and corals seem to like it as well. I pulled out my closed loop, 2 MJs and an old Aquaclear powerhead. Brought my circulation wattage from around 120 to 15 Watts!!! I love that pump. I've also noticed my heater is on often. I've never seen it turn on before. A lot less heat without the Eheim and MJs

Still using the remora with a MJ 1200 I can't afford a bigger skimmer yet so I'm going to try to make do with weekly 10% water changes, syphoning out the junk. I was told that a Rio 1400 would boost the efficeincy of the Remora but I'm worried it won't as it would diminish the contact time. Has anyone tried this? The Rio 1400 output is more then double a Mag 3. (Don't quote me I'm going from memory)

My next upgrade will be T-5s as recomended. I also researched some on the web and the par (if reflected properly) is INSANE! I'm very excited to hook those up. Still no fuge in fact I think that I'm going to wait until my next tank to do a sump. Which reminds me, has anyone run Phosban in a HOB Aquaclear? I'm thinking of using a 150 set to "low" with carbon and some type of Phos-removing stuff. Any input or experiences? I don't have the clearance to put up a HOB Phos-ban reactor and a sump isn't happening for awhile.

 

[SlamaJama]

really sweet dood...wtg!

 

[Sean]

Looks like your off to a good start

 

[House of Laughter]

Man tons of Full tank shots of nice stuff

House <--- jealous

 

[aaron23]

very nice.. a sump should be up there in your priorities

 

[fritz]

Man tons of Full tank shots of nice stuff

House <--- jealous

:bigeyes:
Wow! That means a lot, you've got some of the sickest tanks I've seen. Thanks.

 

[fritz]

I've done a few things since the last post.

1. Switched out the Tunze for two Seio 620s set at the top on opposite sides. The quality of flow is much better even though the volume is much lower. I've thought about putting two Seios on one side and the Tunze on the other side. With the controller switching between 7% and 50% every 10 seconds it should cause the streams to collide at different points in the tank rather then in the middle where it is now.
2. (Re) aquascaped the tank to provide more open water.
3. Went T5
4. Many SPS frags and a clamm (thanks MShur, StingNYC, Maxpower and Moidol)
5. Fraged a bunch of the zoa colonies and placed them at different light levels to see how it effects their color. (BOY does it!)
6. Added a Yellow Tang, Fridmani's Pseudo, Bi-color Blenny (who has been AWOL since I got him)
7. I now run carbon and phosban 24-7 in an Aquaclear 30. Carbon is changed bi-weekly.
8. Added 8 of the cyano eating snails from Ronen's GB (thanks again).
9. Started dosing B-Ionic 2 part.
10. Use only RO/DI water now.

My SPS are growing well, everything is becoming covered in coraline and my cheato is growing. My yellow Tang seems to have consumed it into a balance with the nutrients in my tank. As it grows, he trims it back for me.

Anyway my camera died so only have 1 FTS: