LarryD Posted July 23, 2017 Share Posted July 23, 2017 After my move to Yuma a little over a year ago I have finally found the time to setup a new aquarium. I started with an Innovative Marine 20 Gal Peninsula and 20 pounds of pukani (only used about 15), after a 2 month cure on the pukani I set to putting the aquascape together. I wanted to get something the would look good from both sides but also would not just be a solid wall of stone so out came the chisels to carve some caves into the rock which can be seen in the photo. With the rocks in I added 10 pounds of special grade live sand and added some water. Since I live in Yuma and it is entirely to hot here I decided to replace the stock return pump with a sicce syncra silent 1.5, which I then in an attempt to reduce the amount of heat put into the tank I plumbed in a very convoluted way outside of the tank by running it up and over the rim of the tank. It is not perfect and I will probably end up redoing it at some point but it works. The tee at the top of the return is so that I can prime the pump since it is not able to start a suction by itself. For lighting I am running my AI Prime which is looking like I will be able to put whatever I wanted lighting wise. I waited 3 weeks wile running the red sea reef mature kit to cycle it before I made a trip to the phoenix area because there are no aquarium stores in Yuma, while there after visiting with a friend from college I stopped by a store in scottsdale and picked up a pair of ORA black snowflake clowns, and a couple margarita snails. Black snowflake clowns.mp4 For the ato I got a Smart ATO micro which is super nice since the tank has a tiny sump, the ato is really important because since it is so dry here the tank has to get 3ish gallons of top off in a little under a week. Moving forward I want to get an anemone for my clowns and once that has stopped wondering I will start putting in some coral, I also want to swap out my protein skimmer with a external and to get an aquarium controller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted July 24, 2017 Author Share Posted July 24, 2017 Just realized I can not spell nor find the edit button can I get someone with powers greater than mine to change that m at the end of return in the title to the n it is supposed to be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isaac Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 if you click edit on the first post, it allows you to edit the title Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted July 24, 2017 Author Share Posted July 24, 2017 4 minutes ago, Isaac said: if you click edit on the first post, it allows you to edit the title Edit button on the reply but not the initial post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isaac Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 title and post spellchecked Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesL Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 Nice looking tank! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted July 24, 2017 Author Share Posted July 24, 2017 2 hours ago, Isaac said: title and post spellchecked Thank you. 1 hour ago, JamesL said: Nice looking tank! Thanks it is getting there I need to pick up something to clean my sand bed bad because the tank is so narrow that I can not get my gravel vac past most of the rockwork. What part of SoCal are you in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mFrame Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 11 hours ago, LarryD said: Just realized I can not spell nor find the edit button can I get someone with powers greater than mine to change that m at the end of return in the title to the n it is supposed to be? One feature in the new software that isn't intuitive. To edit the title just mouse-click and hold on it, it will change to edit mode. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted July 24, 2017 Author Share Posted July 24, 2017 1 minute ago, mFrame said: One feature in the new software that isn't intuitive. To edit the title just mouse-click and hold on it, it will change to edit mode. Good to know, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted July 25, 2017 Author Share Posted July 25, 2017 going to try and put up a video of my clowns hopefully this works as it is my first attempt at doing this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesL Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 21 hours ago, LarryD said: What part of SoCal are you in? I am south of LA (Mission Viejo exactly). Moved out here 2.5 years ago from Austin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted July 25, 2017 Author Share Posted July 25, 2017 4 minutes ago, JamesL said: I am south of LA (Mission Viejo exactly). Moved out here 2.5 years ago from Austin. I know some people in the LA area, I was hoping you would be in San Diego so I could hit you up for some fish store recommendations. San Diego and Phoenix are roughly equal distance from yuma so it is the other option for going to get livestock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Jimbo662 Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 Very cool little set up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted July 25, 2017 Author Share Posted July 25, 2017 8 minutes ago, Jimbo662 said: Very cool little set up Thanks, I do kind of wish I had listened to my gut and gotten something like a 25 or 30 long and built the sump because while I do really like this tank the sump olis microscopic and finding properly sized equipment is difficult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted July 29, 2017 Author Share Posted July 29, 2017 What are people's experience with the red sea nitrate test? Mine always seems to have more blueish/purpleish tint than the wheel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolt Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 Sorry, I've not used that kit. Surprised no one has spoken up though ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted July 30, 2017 Author Share Posted July 30, 2017 Looking to place an order for a reef octopus classic 90 protein skimmer and some new carbon blocks. I am planning a trip to phoenix area for fish store adventures next week and was contemplating picking up a tester zoa or something plus something to clean up my sand bed (open to suggestions) and maybe a decorative shrimp. Since I am contemplating corals I was wonderingif I should also order some coral dip while I was at it from brs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted July 30, 2017 Author Share Posted July 30, 2017 Results of todays testing, still having trouble with nitrates and phosphates are still a bit high. Alk 8.5 PO4 .16 NO3 12-16 ppm Sal 1.022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolt Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 My own opinion is you should always dip corals. It's way too easy to get pests! @FarmerTy has a dipping video somewhere up here on ARC ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted July 30, 2017 Author Share Posted July 30, 2017 1 hour ago, jolt said: My own opinion is you should always dip corals. It's way too easy to get pests! @FarmerTy has a dipping video somewhere up here on ARC ... What do you usually use for dips? I know alot of people here tend to use bayer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolt Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 I do use bayer, and interceptor, and flatworm exit. But my regimen is very toxic. I think you should research and decide for yourself. I have used CoralRx in the past, but it let some acro redbugs slip past so I decided to go extreme. Ty's video has good information for you to consider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted July 31, 2017 Author Share Posted July 31, 2017 2 hours ago, jolt said: I do use bayer, and interceptor, and flatworm exit. But my regimen is very toxic. I think you should research and decide for yourself. I have used CoralRx in the past, but it let some acro redbugs slip past so I decided to go extreme. Ty's video has good information for you to consider. I have heard of a lot of people using the bayer and interceptor for sps but does it work well for softies and lps? I do not know if I am going to put any sps in the tank since it is so small. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolt Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 I've never kept any softies so can't say. I did use CoralRx on various acans, cyphastrea, and eupyhlia with no problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted August 1, 2017 Author Share Posted August 1, 2017 Looking around looks like bayer works on at least zoas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted August 4, 2017 Author Share Posted August 4, 2017 New toy, I picked a reef octopus classic 90. I will be the first to say that it is overkill for my tank but it keeps options open for future upgrades. The cup on it has almost the same volume as the entirety of the old skimmer. I was limited in selection by the tiny sump in the pennisula and my wish to keep the pump outside the tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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