50 replies to this topic

[NicholasC]

Well i have been working on this for a while now and after just filling it today i decided to share some pictures.

My tank is:

Size: 2.5 foot long

Capacity: 81 liters

Filtration: Aqua one: 300l/H hang on filter, 75G Internal Protein skimmer, Live rock (coming soon)

Lighting: (Going tomorrow or Monday to buy a 2 foot with a marine blue tube)

Substrate: 2-3 cm of lime sand

PH: currently 8.0

Salinity: 1.020

Heater: 150w
Temp: 26 degrees

Extras: 500l p/h Powerhead


Before i have filled it with water, the heater,protein skimmer and powerhead.



I have filled it, you can see the hang on filter at the other end and the protein on the side of the glass.



This is the Protein skimmer after 20min of tunning it just right in the water, the protein is carried in the bubbles and it puts the white protein in the collection cup.




**remember that before i get flamed for the above it is just filled, there is visable protein as i rushed to the camera to take a picture (its almost gone now) The tank still needs about 10 or so more liters which i am getting tomorrow. Also marine tanks are cloudy for the first week but it seems like i will be done in a few days my pump is 5x the amount needed (with live rock and protein) for my tank (as marine tanks need).

[Peckoltia]

The liquid that will build up in your collection cup should be a dark brown colour, not white.

Why are marine tanks cloudy for the first week? Only reason I see for this is unwashed substrate. In which case any aquarium will become cloudy not only marine tanks.

Good luck with your venture.

[NicholasC]

Protein is a white pure colour to begin with as there is no filth or muck to be produced yet at the LFS which i bought the water from there proteins for fish tanks where brown but the protein for there live rock was more white, your right about it been with both salt water and fresh water (the cloudiness).

I heard it will be cloudy alot longer than FW because of mixtures of protein in it?

[monobono]

That is true.

Great tank so far Nic, your making me want to set up a SW tank! lol

Good luck with the process

[NicholasC]

I am going to get 1 Dwarf Zebra Lionfish.

I know you didn't want me to craig but after seeing them today they are small enough to get lost in the tank (1 inch), i saw a near fully grown one today (7inches) and he was in a 2 foot with these red and white shrimp and a 3 tangs (quite cruel) so my tank has just that extra room plus if he is the only one it would be more than enough room for him.

[NicholasC]

That is true.

Great tank so far Nic, your making me want to set up a SW tank! lol

Good luck with the process

Not to try to lure you in but because of the time and effort it will be so rewarding to get the little one (DZ lionfish). I have even found this really exotic piece of live rock but i have to wait at least 3 days to put it into my new tank ( it better not get sold ,fingers crossed)

SW tanks are great fun the fish and plants/corals are such bright and amazing colors. But saying that give me a month and see if i like it then, i might have ripped all my hair out

[Tucunare]

hi nic
raise your skimmer up a bit, it looks too low.
the more live rock you can get in there the better,IMO berlin systems are as natural as it gets with marines and a great way to filter your tank, after all natures filters will outlast a man made one ten fold, good luck mate.
Whach for mantis shrimps in your live rock - a good reason to be pulling your hair out if you get one in there.
By the way if you want a halide light with brand new globe ive got one here for $300 that i used to have on my reef when i had it

good luck hope it goes well

[NicholasC]

so there are bad hitch hickers? How do i tell if they are on it or even what look like?

Also i have a Fish-only system but is there anything else i can have with a Dwarf Lion fish? They had these Red striped shrimp with there Dwarf lions at the LFS?

Also can i make live rock? if i buy like dried up coral can i put it in with live rock and make it?

Here is a picture i found, they look pretty cool?



Also in regards to the Protein thats the height so it doesn't let any water in but the bubbles still pop at the top of the funnel.

[alec]

i wouldn't put any shrimps with any species of lionfish

[NicholasC]

These red striped fish where bigger than the dwarfs but i am sure that lionfish was just thinking: "mabey if i ripped his legs off one by one i could eat him" hehe

[Tucunare]

I would still raise it so the cup is fully out of the water, youll be very suprised how high those bubbles climb to get in the cup. once your rock goes in there and theres protiens being stripped out youll realise at that level your cup will overflow pretty quick.
you can make live rock exactly how you said though it will take sometime to look as nice as the bits youcan buy with the coraline algae on it and sponges,corals,inverts etc.
you can keep anything with lions so long as there bigger than its mouth, there not aggresive towards anything, just really good predators. unless its a king prawn id give shrimp a miss, i think the ones your talking about are coral banded shrimp which will be easy pickings fora mid size lion.
i had a mantis in my sump and its clicking drove me mad, just have a good look before you put it in cause they can and will kill fish if they have to. as a pet on there own they can be stunning, the one i had when i found it was aqua colour with a deep purple back and orange legs

[NicholasC]

How do they kill fish? and my tank is in my room so i cannot stand clicking or irritating noises! but my hang on filter makes like a soft splash which isn't too bad.

Do you have anything left over from DBA in the lines of marine? Also if i got a big enough container or tank would making your own live rock be a good venture to help pay off my setup now? All i need is a power head, water changes and a good light right?

[Peckoltia]

Mantis will usually kill your clean up crew before they go for fish, but fish are never safe with mantis. I recently had to pull apar my whole 8x2 reef to catch out a few mantis. Traps sometimes work but not always.

[NicholasC]

there is a rumor on the net that said a mantis cracked a 1/4 inch glass with its attack? It also says they can puncture into there preys heads and body!

[NicholasC]

OK new update this is over night, the water is cloudy beacause stupid me decided to fix up the sand! hehe couldn't resist :roll:

This is the protein skimmer, sorry but i moved it while taking the photo and it pumped a little bit of water in but you get the type of stuff it collects:



This is just a middle shot of the tank showing how effective the protein trully is, there is absolutely no protein left on the side of the glass any more. You just need to come back every half hour and wipe it into the water (when SW is first added) after about 2 or 3 of that it goes. Sorry for the kinda bad shot

[NicholasC]

This is my new addition, 5 kg of live rock (just for now)



My hitchhikers i cannot get a picture of and freaked out over last night where actually a coral worm/lice. The coral is very red towards the back and i was told to scrape off the top bit as it will cling to another live rock and grow more.

I will probably buy about 3kg more later on. Although i don't want to crowd up my tank. My light is a twin Coral blue with a soft daylight and i mounted it from the ceiling as the internal protein skimmer would have got in the way.

[Tucunare]

looking good nic.
Make sure red stuff is not red algae as this stuff is a real pain in the butt.id fill the sucker with live rock to give it that berlin system effect

[NicholasC]

Craig have you noticed thats your tank i bought from you?

I can say all that has changed is the hard coral has come to life, I have tube worms and some little lice. Ill get my Digital SLR out and get some detail shots. I might buy some shrimp tomorrow and ill update then lol