FULL TANK SHOTS
4/2015
COMING SOON
2/24/2015
12/19/2014
So, I'm finally posting a build thread here. I keep one over at nano-reef since that's where I started in the hobby and have made friends there, so even thought I'm not "nano" anymore, I hang with them. lol
Beginnings
In 2011, I was helping my mother through her divorce and spent 3 months at home in Florida. While there, I watched that show Tanked on Animal Planet and thought to myself, "Steve [my husband, skoechle] did say he thought saltwater tanks were pretty and it would be nice to have something to watch after all this stress." So I started researching. I knew of the rumor that "saltwater is expensive" and I looked for cheaper ways to enter the hobby to make sure it was something we wanted to do. I came across Nano-Reef.com and figured, "Well, if I can spend a little money and start a small tank and have it be successful then later maybe I'll invest in a big tank."
When I got home to Phoenix, Arizona, I talked to my husband and he started researching with me. Using the very helpful community at nano-reef (if you have a little tank, check them out), we started our first saltwater tank: a 20 gallon long. We had it for a year with a very territorial clown fish pair and easy corals. We sold the inhabitants when we moved to Colorado and I set up a small 4 (really 3) gallon pico. During this time I became involved in MASC and had very generous contributions from the 2013 frag swap since we had one sad little brown zoa to contribute. This tank was up for nearly a year until a very angry chalice (poor shipper) nuked the whole thing. I did continuous water changes for 48 hours, but there was no saving it. I was pregnant at the time with our son, so we decided to temporarily leave the hobby. (I was very pleased this DBTC swap to contribute more frags than I received at my first one) If you come to meetings, you have probably seen him.
In the meantime, I researched equipment for a larger tank. Coming from the nano scene, many of us don't use skimmers on tanks in the 20 gallon range or smaller. Just daily water changes.
When my son was 9 months, I persuaded my husband to let me set our 20 up again, but then we saw a sale ad on MASC for a shallow 85 and sump. Frustrated with size restrictions on fish in a 20, we decided it was time to go big. Hence, the beginning of this build.
I'm lucky that my husband also enjoys this hobby since I'm a stay at home mom and he doesn't complain so much about what his paycheck is spent on for the tank. I'm the husbandry side of it (he just enjoys the views) and he enjoys the technology (and muscle and wallet) side of it. We make a good team.
Stand Construction
The tank is in our formal living room, now dubbed fish room. We designed the room around the tank, including coordinating the paint to complement the stand stain.
Tank with temporary 10 gallon clown tank before fish room was painted. Like our impromptu light stand for our SOL?
Our son checking out the Naso at the Aquatic Art MASC meeting in Oct 2014
stand construction
Stain on top of stand
Stand skeleton in painted fish room
getting plumbed and wired
APEX electrical board in side of stand
Finished build (and cycling) around Christmas
Right book case houses ATO reservoirs and aqualifter as well as UPS and Vortech back up battery. You can also see we have a security camera for the display.
APEX board installed with stand side off
Inside the stand, second security camera for the sump and extra power strip for devices not needing the EB8
All closed up and pretty again. The left bookcase contains and extra ATO reservoir. I think I can go a week or so without needing to refill any jugs.
CURRENT LIVESTOCK (APRIL 2015)
SPS
-Wows
-Blue Hornets
-Strawberry Lemonades
-Candy Apple Reds
-Rastas
-Red Hornet
-Miami Vice
-Eagle Eye (both green and yellow skirt varieties)
-Pink Zippers
-Wolverines
-Bam Bams
-Fire and Ice
-Pinwheels
-Dragon Eyes
-Blueberry Fields
-PHE Red Ring
-Teal Rings
-Blow Pop
-Utter Chaos
-Gold Mauls
FUTURE PLANS
We have just started a battle with ich so skoechle is actually in the process of assembling a stand for a 50 gallon to move everyone into while the display goes fallow. However, after that, we plan on adding a McCosker wrasse trio, a Flame Angel, and a Kole Tang. We had a Kole Tang previously but he suddenly died a week ago after being fine and healthy. He showed no signs of ich and I did a thorough investigation of the body. He had swim bladder issues the morning of his death, so it may be linked to that. I just really don't know. Two days later, Bones (neon goby) showed up with spots, so who knows. Anyways, that's the immediate future plan for the tank. Once the last of the fish list is added, that pretty much finishes fish stocking for this tank. I may add a tailspot blenny and another clown goby, but I haven't decided yet.
In about 5 to 6 years, for our 10th anniversary, we have tentatively discussed upgrading this tank to the 150 gallon Cadlights Artisan II (or whatever equivalent they have out at that time)
4/2015
COMING SOON
2/24/2015
12/19/2014
So, I'm finally posting a build thread here. I keep one over at nano-reef since that's where I started in the hobby and have made friends there, so even thought I'm not "nano" anymore, I hang with them. lol
Beginnings
In 2011, I was helping my mother through her divorce and spent 3 months at home in Florida. While there, I watched that show Tanked on Animal Planet and thought to myself, "Steve [my husband, skoechle] did say he thought saltwater tanks were pretty and it would be nice to have something to watch after all this stress." So I started researching. I knew of the rumor that "saltwater is expensive" and I looked for cheaper ways to enter the hobby to make sure it was something we wanted to do. I came across Nano-Reef.com and figured, "Well, if I can spend a little money and start a small tank and have it be successful then later maybe I'll invest in a big tank."
When I got home to Phoenix, Arizona, I talked to my husband and he started researching with me. Using the very helpful community at nano-reef (if you have a little tank, check them out), we started our first saltwater tank: a 20 gallon long. We had it for a year with a very territorial clown fish pair and easy corals. We sold the inhabitants when we moved to Colorado and I set up a small 4 (really 3) gallon pico. During this time I became involved in MASC and had very generous contributions from the 2013 frag swap since we had one sad little brown zoa to contribute. This tank was up for nearly a year until a very angry chalice (poor shipper) nuked the whole thing. I did continuous water changes for 48 hours, but there was no saving it. I was pregnant at the time with our son, so we decided to temporarily leave the hobby. (I was very pleased this DBTC swap to contribute more frags than I received at my first one) If you come to meetings, you have probably seen him.
In the meantime, I researched equipment for a larger tank. Coming from the nano scene, many of us don't use skimmers on tanks in the 20 gallon range or smaller. Just daily water changes.
When my son was 9 months, I persuaded my husband to let me set our 20 up again, but then we saw a sale ad on MASC for a shallow 85 and sump. Frustrated with size restrictions on fish in a 20, we decided it was time to go big. Hence, the beginning of this build.
I'm lucky that my husband also enjoys this hobby since I'm a stay at home mom and he doesn't complain so much about what his paycheck is spent on for the tank. I'm the husbandry side of it (he just enjoys the views) and he enjoys the technology (and muscle and wallet) side of it. We make a good team.
Stand Construction
The tank is in our formal living room, now dubbed fish room. We designed the room around the tank, including coordinating the paint to complement the stand stain.
Tank with temporary 10 gallon clown tank before fish room was painted. Like our impromptu light stand for our SOL?
Our son checking out the Naso at the Aquatic Art MASC meeting in Oct 2014
stand construction
Stain on top of stand
Stand skeleton in painted fish room
getting plumbed and wired
APEX electrical board in side of stand
Finished build (and cycling) around Christmas
Right book case houses ATO reservoirs and aqualifter as well as UPS and Vortech back up battery. You can also see we have a security camera for the display.
APEX board installed with stand side off
Inside the stand, second security camera for the sump and extra power strip for devices not needing the EB8
All closed up and pretty again. The left bookcase contains and extra ATO reservoir. I think I can go a week or so without needing to refill any jugs.
CURRENT LIVESTOCK (APRIL 2015)
- 2x Amphipiron occelaris (occelaris clownfish- 1 Birdshot Phantom, 1 DaVinci) [Phantom and Christine]
- 1x Siganus doliatus (scribbled rabbitfish) [Usagi]
- 1x Valenciennea puellaris(diamond goby) [Sandman]
- 1x Gobiodon okinwae (yellow clown goby) [Krieger]
- 2x Synchiropus splendidus (green mandarin) [Qinglong, male; Zhuque, female)
- 1x Elactinus oceanops (neon blue goby) [Bones]
- CUC from reefcleaners
- 1x Strombus alatus (florida fighting conch) [Maximus]
- 1x Alpheus bellulus (tiger pistol shrimp)
- 1x Entacmaea quadricolor (rainbow bubbletip anemone)
- 1x Lysmata debelius (fire shrimp) [Woodhouse]
SPS
- 1x Montipora capricornis (Red )
- 1x Montipora capricornis (Starburst)
- 1x Montipora tuberculosa (Mystic Sunset)
- 1x Acropora sp. (Green Slimer)
- 1x Acropora sp. (unknown, blue)
- 1x Pavona frondifera (mint green)
- 1x Montipora tuberculosa (Rainbow)
- 1x Psammocora sp (ORA Kelly Green)
- 1x Acropora sp (Katropora)
- 1x Acropora tortusa (Miyagi)
- 1x Acropora tortusa (Cali)
- 1x Seriatopora hystrix (Ponape)
- 1x Stylophora sp (Purple)
- 1x Euphyillia anchora (Green & Pink)
- 1x Acanthastrea lordhowensis
- 1x Leptastrea purpurea (Golden)
- 1x Favia sp (Pastel)
- 1x Ricordea florida (Orange)
- Zoanthus sp.
-Wows
-Blue Hornets
-Strawberry Lemonades
-Candy Apple Reds
-Rastas
-Red Hornet
-Miami Vice
-Eagle Eye (both green and yellow skirt varieties)
-Pink Zippers
-Wolverines
-Bam Bams
-Fire and Ice
-Pinwheels
-Dragon Eyes
-Blueberry Fields
-PHE Red Ring
-Teal Rings
-Blow Pop
-Utter Chaos
-Gold Mauls
FUTURE PLANS
We have just started a battle with ich so skoechle is actually in the process of assembling a stand for a 50 gallon to move everyone into while the display goes fallow. However, after that, we plan on adding a McCosker wrasse trio, a Flame Angel, and a Kole Tang. We had a Kole Tang previously but he suddenly died a week ago after being fine and healthy. He showed no signs of ich and I did a thorough investigation of the body. He had swim bladder issues the morning of his death, so it may be linked to that. I just really don't know. Two days later, Bones (neon goby) showed up with spots, so who knows. Anyways, that's the immediate future plan for the tank. Once the last of the fish list is added, that pretty much finishes fish stocking for this tank. I may add a tailspot blenny and another clown goby, but I haven't decided yet.
In about 5 to 6 years, for our 10th anniversary, we have tentatively discussed upgrading this tank to the 150 gallon Cadlights Artisan II (or whatever equivalent they have out at that time)
