Jimiz 1.5m Aquaria

Joined
17 Jan 2013
Posts
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Location
Randburg
I haven't posted pics for a while. My last tank update was in my New Members thread, so I guess it is about time to start this thread.
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This was a single head that had broken off and was lying on the bottom at the LFS
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My phone uses a flash to focus on Macro, the clam retracts every time I try take a photo
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Mostly local Zoas, except for the orange and yellow/green ones at the back
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My tank got a bit too clean and my muchrooms took a beating. Luckily the striped ones survived but I lost a lot of reds and Rics
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This guy grew from the piece of rock that the Yellow Bali polyps came on, now about 5cm wide
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This Christmas tree rock was discarded in the Jungle Aquatics live rock tank, @bryan gave it to me for free and it is starting to kick back.
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Looking good. Definately tank of the month material. How about a fts and a little bit of your tank setup and your daily routine to keep your tank to this standard.
 
A few mushroom pics. My tank occasionally gets too clean and they die back a bit. It's a delicate balancing act trying to keep SPS,LPS,Leathers and Mushrooms all happy.
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Here is the engine room. the compartments have grids on top of the glass to keep the algae from floating into the other compartments when I switch off the return for feeding.
Left to right:
  • Compartment 1
    • DIY filter sock made from Filter floss glued into a tube with Marine silicone.
    • Aquaria skimmer
    • Orca Biocubes getting bubbles from the skimmer outlet
    • Two different brand heaters to balance failure risk
    • Reef lobster that was eating all my small fish
    • Few pieces of Live Rock
  • Compartment 2- Illuminated by 2 warm white LED down-lighter bulbs on a 20 hour reverse light cycle
    • DSB- Playsand
    • caluprae, needs very frequent pruning
    • a tiny chaeto ball
    • Red algae("Irish Moss") maybe one day I have enough to harvest for my beer brewing
    • One lonely hermit crab
  • Compartment 3
    • Ceramic rings on one half, piled up to above water level to maximise O2 and get the wet/dry effect.
    • On the other half
      • Activated carbon
      • Purigen
  • Compartment 4
    • Jebao DC6000 return
    • ATO float switch. Pump and 50l RO container live in the garage
  • Outside sump
    • Marine Magic doser with Seachem Calcium and Bicarbonate soda, third doser not used
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The LED downlighter I was using to grow algae in my sump were getting a little tired. Maybe they are not meant for such long duty cycles. So I built a new light. It has been running for a few weeks and doing really well.
Materials:
2x3w white LEDS
2x3w red LEDS
Heatsink and fan from PC CPU.
700mA Led driver
12v 1A power supply from old ADSL router
Acrylic off cuts for reflector
Reflective tape for reflector

The sum of voltage for the LEDS works out to just about 12v so these lights operate at perfect output. The fan is hardware do to run all the time and because it is in the sump cabinet, you don't hear any noise. It initially put lenses on the lights but the spread was not covering the whole compartment hence the reflector instead.
Algae growth has kicked off again nicely.

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tank looks really good love the new scaping.. and that plate coral oh my word beautiful
 
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looking great
 
you related to a paul lutz by any chance?
 
Will do but I don't see him very often, he moved to Cape Town. I think i met you once back there. I was one of the first employees of the company back in 1994. Worked there until 1999.
 
you need a little cupboard for all those extra little bottles you got in your sump area.

I got myself a chest of drawers cheap at a pawn shop. Works very well. Just put it on small blocks to prevent water damage next time you do flood your tank. That saved this cupboard a few times.
 
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