JacquesB's 2 meter reef tank

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jacquesb

jacquesb

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Hi all - just like to share my newly aqua-scaped tank pictures....

I know - still suffering from SOME hair-algae.... but this seems like it is busy dying off.....

Full tank:
IMG_7102sml2.jpg



First pic from right h/s:
IMG_7071sml2.jpg


2nd pic from right hand side:
IMG_7072sml2.jpg


Centre (slightly to rleft of tank) pic - see my manderin at the bottom of pic:
IMG_7076sml2.jpg



Left hand side of tank:
IMG_7077sml2.jpg
 
Thanks Tridan....
Yeah - the rock-work is definitely looking MUCH better - I had everything in a "line" running left to right in my tank, in the centre (with space behind it and in front of it)...

Now I have A LOT more space to corals, and my fish just LOVE the new cavern system to investigate and play in :)
 
Thanks Mekaeel - My corals are not all fully extended - they are still recovering from the shock of my taking them out of the tank, and placing them in a dark black drum... :)

I will wait a week or so, and then take some more pics.... By then my corals should all be back to their formal glory.....

BTW: have you seen the polyps extension on my hydnophora?

Here's another close-up of this wonderful coral:
IMG_7108sml2.jpg
 
Hi all - my big nennie were slightly more than half the size it was when I got it about 3 to 4 months ago.... it has more than doubled in size.... so I can only presume it's happy :) (and it does not really move around - it would move within 4 to 5 cm left / right / up / down from where it is)...
 
Hi Mekaeel - Ja, that Nennie is just awesome! I think that I have it sussed - you must position your power-heads in such a position that the Nennie is in a "sweet-spot" where it gets "just enough" water-flow.... a little too much to the one side, and it gets 'blown away'.... a little too much to the other side, and the same happens :)
 
Nice Jacques, keep attacking that algae and you will have a really stunning tank :thumbup:
 
Looking very good Jacques, if i may make a suggestion. Try open your rock work a little bit to try create caves for the fish to retire into and also helps with circulation in the system.
 
Hi Alan. Many thanks for the suggestion. Regarding "caves" or small "caverns" - even though it might not look like it, my rock-work is actually (mostly) quite open. The photo does unfortunately not show this very well.

So, at least the fish does have more than enough space to place "hide and go seek". BUT, whether the flow would be enough to ensure that not TOO much muck settles, I will have to see - time will tell...

I did install a second 15000 litre per hour ReSun power-head on a wave-maker, after taking these pictures though. So, where I had +-23000 litres per hour of water movement in my tank (water volume turn-over), I now have +-37000..... (I have 2 x 2000 litre/hour power-heads - one on each side of the tank on the back panel, facing forwards, and then the 2 ReSun's - one each on the left hand panel and right hand panel, facing at an angle at the rear panel (to bounce the water flow off the rear panel), and then I have my sump return outlet, right in the centre of the tank, also facing forward (from the rear, pushing +-3000 litre per hour (from a 4000 litre per hour power-head in the sump)....

At this stage I can just hope that I have enough flow in my tank - I must say, currently it seems that detritus is being lifted off the substrate and "hanging" in the water column far more that previously.
 
Hello Henk. Ja - I know - that's why I tried to keep my water-flow so that the nennie "Stays where it is".... I think (hope more likely) that the nennie would not be able to be "sucked into" the power-heads because it should be "blown around' inside the tank away from the intakes of the power-heads, due to the design/location of my power-heads.... So, touch wood - this will hopefully not happen to me.

So far is has been good......
 
Update:
OK - all... here's a quick "progress" update on my tank
Here's a full-tank pic:
DSC00260sml.jpg

I have the following now:
- BOTH my 150 watt metal halides are back online (running BLV 150 watt DE 14000K globes)
- I have changed the "Standard" Dasz "Aquaglow" (or something like that - the pinkish globe) to Sylvania 10000K Day-light globes (currently have the following then:
in each T5 unit: 1 x Dasz 13000K T5 54 watt globe, 1x Dasz 54watt Actinic, 1 x 54watt Sylvania 10000K)
- I have the following power-heads/pumps pumping water around in my tank:
= 2 x ReSun 15000's, 1 x 1900 litre per hour AquaH2O power-head, 1 x no-name 2000 litre/hour power-head, and 6000 litre/hour returns from the following 2 pumps: 1 x Dolphin 2000 litre/hour, and 1 x 4000 litre / hour no-name power-head (this is before head-loss)....

My algae problem is clearly receding, with algae growth nearly stopping completely, and the hair algae that was there, about 45% died off already.... I will manually remove a lot of this this coming weekend again....

I also got another 4.3kg's of Premium Live Rock (thanks to Liaquat) in my tank....
(the pic is before I added the new live-rock).
So, we will see .... I am making progress at least...

I am also getting a new skimmer at the end of the month - a small recirc ReefOcto which will concurrent to my other 2 skimmers, at least until the ReefOcto has settled in, then I will most likely remove the WeiPro SA-2013 skimmer (to be used in my future FOWLR 300 litre tank)....

So, I am moving the right direction, I think.....

BABY STEPS.......... BABY STEPS....

OHHH YES - before I forget: I have already changed my feeding regime to the following (don't want to make TOO big a change all at once):
No feeding in the mornings (used to feed pellets)...
Alternating feeding pellets/flakes, and my own seafood mix concoction..... so, feeding these two in the evenings ONLY on alternating days..... AND No feeding of commercial frozen food anymore - at all.....
 
Jacques,
The makings of a lovely tank there mate, 3rd picture, top middle, little black fish with blue lines, looks like a Damsel but i can't find which one, what is it and how aggressive are they?
Mike.
 
Hi Wee-Man - it's a "Black Velvet Damsel". It is currently not TOO overtly aggresive. It does sort of try and protect it's territory, but I have not seen him physically nip at any of the other fish. He does this "fancy dance swimming move" to show off HIS territory in the tank. And he also sometimes "shows he's boss" when another fish comes close to his little lair where he sleeps..... BUT no REAL aggresiveness..... He is a beautiful little fish, though :)

And thanks for the comments - I will most likely post some more pics next week some time....
 
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