Kaplanm Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 I finally am doing it! I've got my 60 gal bow front ready to rock and roll. Here's what I've got equipment-wise. 60Gal DSA Bowfront and Stand Eschopps 75 Sump 2x Hydra 26's Lights Reef Octopus NWB110 Skimmer EHEIM COMPACT+ PUMP 3000 Return Pump VORTECH MP40W ES Power Head I've got 43lbs of Base Rock in there at the moment, I'll be adding about 40lbs of live rock to that in a few days. 60lbs of Bimini Pink from Caribsea live sand. This'll be going in at the same time as the live rock. So far I've had a few issues with plumbing, which thanks to you guys have been resolved. It doesn't bother me, simply because I'm sick of wrestling with plumbing, but yes I know that the 2 returns are of unequal height. I'll be supplementing the Loc-Line on the tall one so that both of them wind up at the same height in the tank. I spun up the skimmer last night, works beautifully. Tonight I'm going to epoxy some of the rock underneath that big plate on the left so as to make sure the whole thing doesn't implode when we put water in. On the right, I'm planning on getting some more live rock to jack that plate up higher. Then the for ground will get some nice caves. I'm planning on putting some Acropora on the plate on the right. I've not tried doing any of the SPS yet, and with the hardware I've got I should finally be able to give it a whirl. I also want to get some LPS corals perhaps in the forground where they won't have to fight against the current so much. Otherwise I'll stick an Anemone there. For livestock it's still up in the air. I like Inverts of all sorts so I know I want to factor those in. I think I want a Yellow Diamond Goby, and I'd love to get a Flame Angel, but I know they can be about a 50/50 in terms of reef safety. To me the corals are much more important. What do people think? Anything I've missed, any amazing recommendations? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolt Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Looks like a great start. I like your equipment list. The only thing I am not 100% sure about are the lights, no experience with those particular ones. I agree you should be able to give SPS a whirl. I recommend to get the Hanna alkalinity checker and monitor very closely. You'll have to decide how you are gonna maintain your alk, but its critical for SPS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaplanm Posted January 28, 2015 Author Share Posted January 28, 2015 I've got a stash of Kalkvasser I could spool up if necessary.So far for testing supplies I've got the Redsea Pro test kit for all the basics (pH, Alk, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate) Then I've got the Salifert kits for PO4, Mg, and Ca. I'm equipped with a Refractometer for keeping track of salinity. At some point I want a full blown reef controller, but an APEX system kinda fell out of my budget at this point. I may build a custom rolled one built off an android platform. I'm a software engineer so the software should be the easy part. It's the hardware interfaces that'll be trickier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolt Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 You may like the reef angel if you are a software engineer. I have one and I like hacking the C code. Good to see another engineer join the fray! (prepare for the onslaught!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Oh no! Another engineer! [emoji12] I know I might be jumping the gun a bit but when you're ready for SPS and if you have any desire for it, I am part of the mentor program on the club and would be happy to take you on as an SPS mentee if you have any desire for it. It's a very rewarding tank focus for me and I've screwed up enough times keeping them that just not doing what I did might set you up just right! [emoji30] Anyways, just thought I'd throw that out there since my ears perked when you mentioned SPS. Just send me a PM if you have any desire to be a part of the mentor program and if you don't mind taking advice from a former scientist. I know... tough pill to swallow for you engineers! [emoji33] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madsalt Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 I am pretty sure Ty wasn't even reading this forum, someone typed SPS and his radar went off. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolt Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 See ? Told ya .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 I am pretty sure Ty wasn't even reading this forum, someone typed SPS and his radar went off. lolI literally have a red siren in my house for these occasions! [emoji57] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaplanm Posted January 28, 2015 Author Share Posted January 28, 2015 I bet they'd stop harassing us if we rolled our own, affordable, ARC reef controller. If we could hijack the APEX hardware interface they could keep using all their old equipment. Dev would probably take what, a year of spare time work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 I bet they'd stop harassing us if we rolled our own, affordable, ARC reef controller. If we could hijack the APEX hardware interface they could keep using all their old equipment. Dev would probably take what, a year of spare time work?Stop harassing? Heck, I'd buy you a beer and name my first son after you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 I have a reef angel and am not an engineer or know C code. The wizard will pretty much walk you though it. Next time I'm over Ty i'll congratulate your wife on having a baby Kaplanm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolt Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 I bet they'd stop harassing us if we rolled our own, affordable, ARC reef controller. If we could hijack the APEX hardware interface they could keep using all their old equipment. Dev would probably take what, a year of spare time work? We could have Ty beta test it ! But you would absolutely have to make sure he could hook up a couple of solid state relays to the gizmo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madsalt Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Back to your stocking the diamond goby is cool, I have one. The only thing is that they can stir things up and make the water cloudy. I love Flame Angels and have not had any problem with nipping at corals, not that they wont. I have also had a coral beauty, rust and bicolor, all with no problems. I currently have a bicolor and hope to add a few more. I have had them nip at corals but not to the extent that they caused any damage. I have had my tangs nip at the corals. I would imagine that any type of fish may or may not nip at corals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 As for an anemone in the foreground good luck. They decide where they want to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaplanm Posted January 28, 2015 Author Share Posted January 28, 2015 I thought I'd read if you keep the anemone on a piece of live rock surrounded by sand they'll stay put? I should have enough of a sand gap in the foreground to keep it anchored. Or do they just release at that point and go for a ride on the current? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 I've seen them release before but more than likely that'll keep them where you want them. Noooo... SSRs! I guess that'll put the two I have to work instead of just propping up my webcam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madsalt Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 My anemone just moves from the front of the rock wall to the back in the same spot. I guess when it gets tired of the flow it moves and when it wants more it moves back. It really pisses off my maroon clown, as if they aren't angry enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaplanm Posted January 28, 2015 Author Share Posted January 28, 2015 Noooo... SSRs! I guess that'll put the two I have to work instead of just propping up my webcam. I'm not familiar with SSR as an abbreviation. Care to clue me in? Any chance we're fortunate to have an electrical engineer on the forum? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madsalt Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Noooo... SSRs! I guess that'll put the two I have to work instead of just propping up my webcam. I'm not familiar with SSR as an abbreviation. Care to clue me in? Any chance we're fortunate to have an electrical engineer on the forum? Solid State Relays Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolt Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 As far as stocking goes, three favorites in my tank are (all very reef safe): Pink Streaked Wrasse Hector's Goby Orchid Dottyback But I do have a smaller tank than you so the wrasse may be too small for yours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaplanm Posted January 28, 2015 Author Share Posted January 28, 2015 I'm hoping to find a way to dodge hermits. I've had a couple in my 5 gallon nano and they just stomp over *everything* I figured for a substrate crew the Diamond Goby would work, and perhaps a serpent star? Is there a piece of livestock that in particular is good for keeping rock work clean? I'd love a mandarin, but I really want a captive bred one. This tank is too small and without a real 'fuge' so I'm afraid that a wild one (besides the ethics of wild collection) will starve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madsalt Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 As far as a fish that works the rocks, you are limited. You might look at doing something a green emerald crab or two and perhaps an urchin. The urchin will certainly clean the rocks including coralline so if you are fan of that you might want to be careful. As far as fish cleaning the rocks, there aren't really that will clean them. Wrasses will pick at thing as well as angels and tangs but at 60 gallons tangs may not be an option. I wouldn't look at these fish as your primary source of rock cleaning though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Agreed, I'm very fond of urchins as a rock cleaner. They will remove your coralline algae as stated but if you're running lights bright enough to keep SPS happy, you'll most likely not have much coralline either as they don't do well under super bright lighting anyways. I get some on the fringes of my lighting but not much at all. I actually prefer no coralline, they end up competing with my corals for my alk and Ca. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaplanm Posted January 28, 2015 Author Share Posted January 28, 2015 That urchin idea sounds cool. I've always thought they looked cool.On the topic of aquascaping, How do people secure their rock? I want to create one of those kinda neat hole-y layouts, but that all seem to defy gravity just a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 I would use hydraulic cement for the larger structures that can cure outside of the tank. for smaller structures and in water curing, I would use two part epoxy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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