16 gallon bow reef wall biotype - dialup beware

[masterswimmer]

Well gang, the time has finally come. I'm going to get this tank up and running and show pix to prove it. It will be a work in progress. Feel free to comment, and offer suggestions.

Here it is in its historical glory:

All cleaned up and ready to start. Starboard will be going down first:

It is a bow front so the starboard had to be cut accordingly:

Russ

 

[masterswimmer]

And in the tank:

Ready for some mechanicals. The pump on the right is my SEIO and the pump on the left is the Coralife Super Skimmer 65 pump, and left of the skimmer is the Stealth 50w heater:

Close up of my modded SEIO mounting 'bracket' ....my rare earth magnets:

Here's the skimmer, the SEIO and the Coralife MH HQI tank mount w/ 150w 20K DE bulb (I also bought the Pheonix 14K, just in case):

Russ

 

[masterswimmer]

I modded the CSS 65 also. Here's a shot of the mod at a distance and up clsoe:

Russ

 

[masterswimmer]

By now you're all probably saying what's this old man got up his sleeve. Where is he gonna fit a sheer rock wall in that tank, it's tiny!

Here's a few shots of the framework starting. First pic is just a shot of the raw material I used to begin the foundation, basic light diffuser from HD:

Here's a front shot of the light diffuser getting started, incomplete, front view:

Unfinished diffuser from the side. Notice the discharge of the SEIO is open in front (cut out grids):

Russ

 

[masterswimmer]

Here's the diffuser (framework) completed. Front view with tank lights only on:

Same angle with flash:

Side view:

So now can you see the reef wall developing? Come on, I know someone here has to have an imagination.
Russ

 

[masterswimmer]

The moment of truth. Removing all the equipment and getting ready to rock and roll:

Getting closer, lights are off, skimmer is removed, SEIO is missing in action:

Russ

 

[masterswimmer]

Getting ready. Donna (the boss) would kill me without preparation. Tarp, towels (lots of them), LR with ph & heater, dremel, cable ties and my bad back .

The puzzle pieces all laid out:

Couldn't wait till I was done, had to test it to see if it was coming along as expected. I wasn't overly pleased with what I saw:

Same unfinished, angled shot:

This is taking time mind you. My LR is sitting out for hours now. I'm not even sure if I have LR anymore or pretty base rock.

Russ

 

[masterswimmer]

The wall just about complete, but not in tank. I'm crossing my fingers and saying some prayers that this puppy will fit.

Here's the reef wall finished, with flash on (I don't like the tank pic with flash) = yuck

Reef wall with 20K MH:

Side shot of reef wall. Bow tanks take pix from the side with double images. Examine the pic and you'll see what I mean:

Starting to look a bit better to me now. It was a rough 7 - 8 hours doing it. My back wasn't cooperating and then to have the intermittent pix look the way they did, I was tempted to throw in the towel (all of them).

Russ

 

[masterswimmer]

Well here it is, finally!!!!! You wanted water:

And after 5 minutes, my Coralife Super Skimmer 65 was doing its job:

Now to wait for the minor cycle. The majority of these rocks were curing for 6 - 8 weeks. There was another 7 or 8 lbs I just got that was uncured. So I know I'll have a minor cycle. Plus what died from being out of the water for 7 or 8 hours today has to cure now too.

Hopefully there is still some life in there. I'll be testing and anxious to start loading it up.

BTW, I am planning on a shallow sand bed, only about 2" or so. Just for looks.

Well there you have it folks. A long time in coming.

Russ feeling very much like the old man tonight!

Take care all, see you about noon tomorrow, when I roll out of bed.

Thanks for reading and looking at my monstrosity.
Russ

 

[noodleman]

wow looking nice...i cant even see the cable ties

 

[drunktank]

y have starboard if u were just going to put 2inc of sand in.

IMO the rock wall isnt that great- where r the fishies gonna hide and sleep?

 

[masterswimmer]

Thanks noodleman. When I was partially done, it looked awful to me. I wanted to quit, thinking what the heck am I trying to accomplish here. This entire project actually took me close to a year of planning in my 'minds eye'. I'm a slow thinker, lol.

Thanks again,
Russ

 

[nanoreefer22]

Looks great!!! Only thing I can see that might be a problem is the space you have to place coral. The rocks look pretty flat against the back and that'll cause problems with one coral shading the other out. Just a thought. . Looks great otherwise.
-Kris

 

[noodleman]

so how did you hide the black cable ties?

 

[nanoreefer22]

y have starboard if u were just going to put 2inc of sand in.

IMO the rock wall isnt that great- where r the fishies gonna hide and sleep?

Ditto?? Why sand if you went with starboard?

 

[nanoreefer22]

so how did you hide the black cable ties?

Just busting your chops...maybe he used white ones??? :lol:

EDIT Just saw all the black ones in the photo...guess I busted my own chops.....haha

 

[masterswimmer]

y have starboard if u were just going to put 2inc of sand in.

IMO the rock wall isnt that great- where r the fishies gonna hide and sleep?

In a nano this size, there are only certain kinds of fish you can have. Many are sand dwellers. I didn't want to have either the fish or a powerhead 'unearth' the sandbed and have to look at the 'tempered glass' sticker or the ugly top of the stand. I figured looking at white starboard was a lot more eye appealing. Besides, it was cheap and quick to cut and install.

Only going to be one maybe two fish. It is going to be a heavy SPS tank, maybe a photosynthetic gorgonian or two.

Not everyone is going to like it. It is something I envisioned to be a nice biotype for my liking. I just wanted to share it with others.

Thanks for looking,
Russ

 

[nanoreefer22]

In a nano this size, there are only certain kinds of fish you can have. Many are sand dwellers. I didn't want to have either the fish or a powerhead 'unearth' the sandbed and have to look at the 'tempered glass' sticker or the ugly top of the stand. I figured looking at white starboard was a lot more eye appealing. Besides, it was cheap and quick to cut and install.

Only going to be one maybe two fish. It is going to be a heavy SPS tank, maybe a photosynthetic gorgonian or two.

Not everyone is going to like it. It is something I envisioned to be a nice biotype for my liking. I just wanted to share it with others.

Thanks for looking,
Russ

Russ,
If its going to be a heavy SPS tank, I'd rethink the rock work and get more surface area for coral to grow on. JMO.
-Kris

 

[Quang]

Masterswimmer, I think it's a neat idea. :icon16:
I like the clean look shielding the equipment...despite the potential issues of coral placement. Get some more branching rocks to resolve the coral placement issue but I'm sure you'll think of somethiing clever! Good job and keep us updated. :smokin:

 

[masterswimmer]

Looks great!!! Only thing I can see that might be a problem is the space you have to place coral. The rocks look pretty flat against the back and that'll cause problems with one coral shading the other out. Just a thought. . Looks great otherwise.
-Kris

Thanks Kris. Actually every piece of 'rubble' is hand picked by me over the course of about 3 months. There are ledges and nooks and crannies all over the place to mount coral.....sps mostly. I will be putting the more light demanding coral up high and the less light demanding corals down low where the shadows will be. Not all sps is high light.

Thanks again, all feedback is welcome. It took me almost a year because I try to think of all the scenarios that might arise. I'm sure I've missed something. When I have a problem, that's when I'll probably smack myself on the forehead and call myself some choice names.



Noodleman, I hid the cable ties behind most of the rock. That's why I used a dremel. I used a 1/8" bit and drilled a small hole in about 65% of the backside of the rock to slip the cable ties through. The rest of the rock already had many holes in them, 'cable tie ready'.

Russ