The build thread: 430gal. display
- Thread starter Ummfish
- Start date
I added three peppermints to the butterfly tank, still hoping to kill aiptasia. The butterflies are, in fact, eating them but only the small ones. Immediately the butterflies were fighting over who could be most passive and get cleaned first. The peps went ahead and cleaned them. Pretty cool.
I also got a couple of conchs and some nassarius snails for the DSB.
No photos yet (there's still concrete all over the glass of the tank), but he should have that cleaned up tomorrow. Then, lots of photos.
I also got a couple of conchs and some nassarius snails for the DSB.
No photos yet (there's still concrete all over the glass of the tank), but he should have that cleaned up tomorrow. Then, lots of photos.
Wow! I just watched one of these butterflies take down a large aiptasia. It was a cool technique! It faced the polyp and used its pectoral fins (really quickly) to move the water quickly and from multiple directions around the polyp until the polyp retracted its tentacles. As soon as the tentacles were out of the way--wham--a quick strike at the base of the anemone. Way cool!
So, the rock guy finished up today. He stained the rocks--despite the fact they'll be covered in six months--and he did a lovely job. He used greens and browns, though, so they look like freshwater rocks, but still. I have to say, he did a really nice job on the concrete work and I'd use him again.
In fact, as long as I'm throwing recommendations around, Mike--the system designer and installer from Aqua Imports--did a fantastic job of taking all of my various interests and designing up a system that lets me pursue them. And then of getting the system installed and (almost) up-and-running. I'd _certainly_ use him again.
I can't say as I'd really steer anyone toward the tank builder, but we were pretty desperate after the whole Aquariums for You debacle and it does seem like the tank's going to hold water.
So, all that said, photos:
I took a bunch of flash pics, but they didn't really turn out. This is the best of the bunch:
Then I tried without flash. Here are a couple _with water!!!_
In fact, as long as I'm throwing recommendations around, Mike--the system designer and installer from Aqua Imports--did a fantastic job of taking all of my various interests and designing up a system that lets me pursue them. And then of getting the system installed and (almost) up-and-running. I'd _certainly_ use him again.
I can't say as I'd really steer anyone toward the tank builder, but we were pretty desperate after the whole Aquariums for You debacle and it does seem like the tank's going to hold water.
So, all that said, photos:
I took a bunch of flash pics, but they didn't really turn out. This is the best of the bunch:
Then I tried without flash. Here are a couple _with water!!!_
Just started the second filling!
I don't know how long before critters because it all depends on when the concrete cures enough so that the pH stays stable. The rock maker told me a week or two, but I'd bet more than that.
The stain is leaching all kinds of color into the tank. I feel like I'm doing cichlids or something. But, that'll go away. It's supposed to be non-toxic but I don't know what he used....
I don't know how long before critters because it all depends on when the concrete cures enough so that the pH stays stable. The rock maker told me a week or two, but I'd bet more than that.
The stain is leaching all kinds of color into the tank. I feel like I'm doing cichlids or something. But, that'll go away. It's supposed to be non-toxic but I don't know what he used....
You know Andy, I found this build about 2 months ago and after reading everything and catching up it's been hard to wait for new updates (I don't know how everyone else has waited patiently for a year) But I have to say, "awesome!!" I can't wait to see pictures of the final product. Keep up the good work.
Thanks! Sorry to disappoint with the lack of photos lately. Maybe this'll help:
------------------------------------------
Hmm. Being sick of watching test not change I didn't test water quality for a couple of days. Today: ammonia, 0; nitrite, 0; nitrate, 0. I have to try that again tomorrow before I believe it.
So, Mike came by today to work on some things and he actually cleaned up the fishroom for me (which was way beyond the call of duty Mike--thanks!). So, a bunch of photos:
Still with the ugly stairs. Sigh. The inspector is supposed to come by again on Tuesday.
Only one of the tanks still needs a set of bulbs. All of the bulbs that came in this week arrived broken.
DSB. The conchs are starting to get hold of the algae problem.
Obligatory skimmer shot:
And the butterflies. The one with the lip injury (that's almost healed now) is the passive one. The other spent a lot of time last evening following the injured one around behind and below, occasionally nudging the abdomen. Hmm.
Thanks!
------------------------------------------
Hmm. Being sick of watching test not change I didn't test water quality for a couple of days. Today: ammonia, 0; nitrite, 0; nitrate, 0. I have to try that again tomorrow before I believe it.
So, Mike came by today to work on some things and he actually cleaned up the fishroom for me (which was way beyond the call of duty Mike--thanks!). So, a bunch of photos:
Still with the ugly stairs. Sigh. The inspector is supposed to come by again on Tuesday.
Only one of the tanks still needs a set of bulbs. All of the bulbs that came in this week arrived broken.
DSB. The conchs are starting to get hold of the algae problem.
Obligatory skimmer shot:
And the butterflies. The one with the lip injury (that's almost healed now) is the passive one. The other spent a lot of time last evening following the injured one around behind and below, occasionally nudging the abdomen. Hmm.
Thanks!
Well, I took some fairly awful photos in the fishroom this evening but thought you all might forgive me for them. The water's pretty murky with algae and I was shooting with the horrible kit lens right before lights out. But here we go:
Here's my old papa Banggai. I bought a pair that had just come back to the fish store after a long stay in one of their maintenance tanks. They managed to give me one brood of babies before the female died in what was probably a low-O2 accident. He's not very happy with me for moving him or with being the only fish in this tank.
In one 90 I have these two offspring cardinals. I'm beginning to suspect that they are two males, so I'll have to move one soon.
In another 90, I have the two purple tangs (too shy for photos) and these two cardinals. I hope these are either a pair or two females.
I've set up the bottom 120 as a make shift frag QT tank. I do have a convict tang in here. He's pretty tiny and was all the way at the back of the tank.
Finally, a coral! A dendrophyllia that I've been giving care to for around the last six months. It'll be happy as it's been stuck in a 10 gal. tank and I haven't been able to really feed it like it needs. It has grown in my care, though. Just not enough food for new polyps yet. If you don't know about these, they have no symbiotic algae so they need lots of food and grow pretty slowly kind of like tubastrea.
Thanks!
Here's my old papa Banggai. I bought a pair that had just come back to the fish store after a long stay in one of their maintenance tanks. They managed to give me one brood of babies before the female died in what was probably a low-O2 accident. He's not very happy with me for moving him or with being the only fish in this tank.
In one 90 I have these two offspring cardinals. I'm beginning to suspect that they are two males, so I'll have to move one soon.
In another 90, I have the two purple tangs (too shy for photos) and these two cardinals. I hope these are either a pair or two females.
I've set up the bottom 120 as a make shift frag QT tank. I do have a convict tang in here. He's pretty tiny and was all the way at the back of the tank.
Finally, a coral! A dendrophyllia that I've been giving care to for around the last six months. It'll be happy as it's been stuck in a 10 gal. tank and I haven't been able to really feed it like it needs. It has grown in my care, though. Just not enough food for new polyps yet. If you don't know about these, they have no symbiotic algae so they need lots of food and grow pretty slowly kind of like tubastrea.
Thanks!
Well, certainly hard to resist the temptation. Thanks!
-----------------------------
Day 49 and time for another filefish photo update! These shots were taken before the first feeding of the day, so hopefully at the fishes' skinniest moment.
Male day 1:
Male today:
Female day 1
Female today:
Thanks!
Thanks!-----------------------------
Day 49 and time for another filefish photo update! These shots were taken before the first feeding of the day, so hopefully at the fishes' skinniest moment.
Male day 1:
Male today:
Female day 1
Female today:
Thanks!
Yep, they are definitely fatter, especially the male. He's becoming a very aggressive eater both in the water column and picking at the substrate. The female's starting to follow his lead on the food on the substrate, too. I have high hopes for them now, and I'm _really_ excited to bring them home. I have a little 40 gal. cube that I think they'd look really good in, but I have to get the plumbing issues worked out.
But, heck, I've never gotten a dragonette onto frozen. Congratulations!
But, heck, I've never gotten a dragonette onto frozen. Congratulations!
