[zhenya]

Originally Posted by bguile

Thanks Charlie. I like for pics I post to have that finished looked with borders and the like. So that's really all the improvement it needs besides white balance.

Do you have photoshop, or some other editing software? In photoshop you can create your own frame with a simple "canvas size" options and adding different colors to the borders. Or, for a couple of bucks you can download action for photoshop called fm_frames(fred miranda frames) on fredmiranda.com: Specialized in digital cameras, photoshop actions, and digital darkroom

Anyway, tank looks fantastic. I love the bar in front of it, gives me all sorts of ideas. Mostly cocktail ideas that is....

[scubadude]

Hey Bguile,
sweet setup...I LOVE the aquascaping job! What kind of rock is that, and where did you get it, and how much was it? sorry but I looked through most of the thread and couldnt find any of the info on the LR.

[bguile]

Originally Posted by zhenya

Do you have photoshop, or some other editing software? In photoshop you can create your own frame with a simple "canvas size" options and adding different colors to the borders. Or, for a couple of bucks you can download action for photoshop called fm_frames(fred miranda frames) on fredmiranda.com: Specialized in digital cameras, photoshop actions, and digital darkroom

Anyway, tank looks fantastic. I love the bar in front of it, gives me all sorts of ideas. Mostly cocktail ideas that is....

Always glad to inspire any thoughts for the good of mankind! Thanks for the Photoshop tips. I do have it, but I think I need to reinstall it due to a system crash a few months ago.

Originally Posted by scubadude

Hey Bguile,
sweet setup...I LOVE the aquascaping job! What kind of rock is that, and where did you get it, and how much was it? sorry but I looked through most of the thread and couldnt find any of the info on the LR.

Thanks. That rock is called Marco Rocks. It's simply Fiji base rock. They carry an awesome selection of pieces. You can have them cherry pick pieces for you if you have specific design ideas, or you can get their standard packages. I got two of their 50lb shipments which worked out really well as you can see. I like the porosity of the rock which provides a lot more surface area for bacteria and makes it light. So it costs less and requires less poundage per gallon. I think it was around $2/lb or so.

[bguile]

BTW, about 80% of the rock is all Marco Rock. I also have some Fiji LR to help seed the rest.

[charlie]

How are your eductors working for you?

[bguile]

I think it's working out pretty awesome. Just from the one, I'm getting enough push to clear out the substrate on the opposite side of the tank. I'm trying to get a hold of a second one, but I'm having trouble finding the same type. I purchased it while in Pittsburgh but only bought one to test it out. It is 3/4" and has a loc-line connector on it. The package plain white and was labeled Sunday Eductor with a stock number of SUN3/4 4445 55. So if anyone comes across it, please let me know.

Seeing that this tank will be FOWLR to start, I think the eductors (with crossing streams) will be enough flow inside the tank. I'll add more PH's as necessary as the stock grows. I've been following some threads regarding the Koralia 4's and will give them a shot.

[charlie]

What pump are you using? I am gonna have an Iwaki 70 on one of my CL, thatwould be good for at least 2 eductors, maybe 3.

[bguile]

I'm using a Velocity/Poseidon T3 at a 6' head. The Iwaki 70 should run 2 or 3 on a CL with no problem. Maybe even 4 if the outlets are 3/4 at the eductors with no head.

[charlie]

That is exactly what it is gonna be. Hardly any head loss if things work out right. I might have to look into them. Lorie wants me to have a sand bed, but I am still not convinced. We will see what happens!!

[bguile]

Thats gonna be tough with that sized pump on a CL without the eductors nevermind with. Sand all over the place.

[charlie]

Yeah, there might be a sand storm!!!!! I do think that it will calm down after a certain period of time tho. My first plan was to take the 3 returns from this pump, and "Y" them with locline and point them to either the back of the aquascaping or at the top of the tank for air exchange. What do you think?

[bguile]

Sure it will calm down, right after all the sand is piled against the back wall of the tank! Remember, with proper pressure behind the eductor, it should create about 4x it's flow.

I've been thinking about the 3 split returns. If the chart I looked at is right your pump should be pushing about 1500 gph. If all outlets are same height, length, etc (all things being equal), that should push about 250gph per outlet. I don't think I remember you mentioning what size tank you are setting up (I'm assuming not the 400), but that shouldn't be too bad. Of course that's without eductors.

[TimH07]

ive been following this thread but never posted so..

love what you've done and i look foward to doing a project like this in my future

[bguile]

Thanks. Glad to inspire others just as I've been and continue to be on this board.

[charlie]

Originally Posted by bguile

Sure it will calm down, right after all the sand is piled against the back wall of the tank! Remember, with proper pressure behind the eductor, it should create about 4x it's flow.

I've been thinking about the 3 split returns. If the chart I looked at is right your pump should be pushing about 1500 gph. If all outlets are same height, length, etc (all things being equal), that should push about 250gph per outlet. I don't think I remember you mentioning what size tank you are setting up (I'm assuming not the 400), but that shouldn't be too bad. Of course that's without eductors.

Yep, it's the 300. I am gonna have a sand bed, < 2", I amagine I will be picking sand out from between my ears. But hey, this is your thread, isn't it???

[bguile]

Originally Posted by charlie

Yep, it's the 300. I am gonna have a sand bed, < 2", I amagine I will be picking sand out from between my ears. But hey, this is your thread, isn't it???

Yeah, I guess but I don't mind. It helps to pass the time away while waiting for cycles, quarantines, treatments, etc. Gives me something else to do other than hit the LFS and purchase every pretty coral and fish I see and throw it all in the tank at one time.

[bguile]

Happy New Year!!!

The new year brings updates of the tanks progress. I added fish about 3 weeks after adding the last bunch of snails. That was about 2 weeks ago now and all are doing well. I'm currently in the process of battling the normal first algae wave, but that should be taken care of with my next purchase of snails. I'll be making that order on next week and after a 2-3 week quarantine, they'll be added to the main display tank. My current list of occupants are:

2 Ocellaris Clowns
1 Threadfin Butterfly
1 Lawnmower Blenny
2 Green Chromis
1 Bangaii Cardinal
1 Blue Hippo Tang

2 Fire Shrimp
2 Peppermint Shrimp

The next fish to be added will be 5 Royal Grammas that I have in quarantine finishing up their second week of Cupramine treatment. All doing well.

[rededteck]

Do you intend to add a host for those clowns?

Nice documentary so far.. looking forward to some fish pictures!

[Garrett]

bguile,

How is this tank coming along? It's been a while....

[bguile]

Originally Posted by Garrett

bguile,

How is this tank coming along? It's been a while....

Wow....it has been a long time.

Well, to update...things were going quite well for a while. I had won the phosphate and algae battles and everything was settling down. The fish I had in QT's were finally ready to be moved to the display so I moved them in slowly and all was good. I was taking my time, adding one fish at a time (except those that I didn't want to get territorial, ie 5 Royal Grammas), but even that went pretty smoothly. I was getting a lot of my fish from a reputable online dealer that quarantines their fish, which I still in turn QT'd and observed and once all signs were good, it got added to the display. So I was adding one or a pair of fish every 6-8 weeks and everyone was getting along. Then it happened......

Being happy with my Ich and parasite free tank, I one day found a small Flame Angel at an LFS that I hadn't frequented in a while because I had moved. I bought him. Just like the others, I placed him in a QT for 6 weeks to observe. I found no evidence of any parasites. I added him to the tank and everything was good.

Two weeks later, my Hippo is COVERED with white spot and I've got fish flashing all over the place!! Of course this always happens at the worst time and trying to get all those fish out (15) wasn't going to be easy.

Long story short, I lost 12. I lost 5 even after I had removed them. They were infected at such an advanced stage that there was nothing more I could've done. So now, I have a Hippo and two green chromis in a QT. The tank is fallow and will be this way for a while. I think I'm going to start again with inverts and a few corals then start back adding fish 8 weeks after the last invert.

All in all, this was quite a bit costly experience. Next time, I think I'm going to Cupramine all new additions that were not quarantined by licensed veteranarians !! I know its not recommended, but the ich got in there somehow. It might not have been with the last fish, but unfortunately he'll get the blame because he was the last to go in before the disaster.

I'll post pics of the good times once I get some time to edit and post.