90g Reef 75% Completed

[iVgOnMaD]

Ok, tank is almost finished, transfered everything from my 60g, I only need to finish the canopy for my MH lighting and re-arrange some of the rock work and it will be done. Might re-do my stand pipe but not anytime soon, I want to sit back and relax for a while and just watch the tank for a change :cool:

Front
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t189/ivgonmad/CIMG0907.jpg

Left Side
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t189/ivgonmad/CIMG0908.jpg

Right Side
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t189/ivgonmad/CIMG0906.jpg

Short Video
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t189/ivgonmad/th_CIMG0909.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/albums/t189/ivgonmad/?action=view&current=CIMG0909.flv)

LMK what you guys think/suggest. :D

[iVgOnMaD]

Can I get by with a 4x T5HO setup for a while or should I stress a little more about finishing my new canopy?

[TripleP]

that looks good

[Diver Dan]

You got those chromis schooling pretty good! Cool tank!

[iVgOnMaD]

Thanks, I had 7 but when I put the rest of the live rock in, it never came back out, im guessing he got stuck in a rock along the way :(

I also have a blue headed jaw fish that I only see when I move my tank since that is the only time he comes out.

[iVgOnMaD]

Pics of the fuge in action:

Top
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t189/ivgonmad/CIMG1184.jpg

Bottom
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t189/ivgonmad/CIMG1185.jpg

[iVgOnMaD]

Update, everything has taken very well to the new setup, Xenia nearly doubled in size, my Torch and my Clam are opening much more than ever before. Cant wait till I have my MH over it... :D

[Big Brother]

what in the hell is going on in the background of that video?

[iVgOnMaD]

Dont know, its the TV, in spanish.

[iVgOnMaD]

They were already dead at the very edge when I got it so I figured it would be ok if I buried the dead skeleton part in the sand.

I will soon have a 400w MH over the tank so no coral will go hungry for light :)

[GoTakuF1]

They were already dead at the very edge when I got it so I figured it would be ok if I buried the dead skeleton part in the sand.

Did you give it the smell test? Joke, joke. I kid, I kid. Perhaps you can frag the parts that are still alive to stop the recession. Then you can move the frags up top where light/flow is abundant. This should give those pieces higher chance of survival even after you install your halide. Hopefully the macro in your refugium will do a number on the hair algae in your main tank. I like the eductors - nice and clean look.

[iVgOnMaD]

Yeah, algae took off after the move from the 60, its getting better little by little with the help of some ferric oxide and my fuge.

It has not receded any further than it was about 3 months ago and it is growing so not worried about the fact that it is in the sand, the flow in that particular section is quite strong and the light is not too bad either. Plus they only have to hold up under the 4x T5HO for another week or so.

[GoTakuF1]

Cool beans, best of luck. So what are the specs on the halide set up?

[iVgOnMaD]

Its just a SE 400w Hamilton 10,000k on an M59 ballast. It will also be supplemented by 4x 39w T5HO Actinic bulbs with SLR reflectors powered by a Icecap 660.

You think thats enough light? :D JK

[GoTakuF1]

Wow, Hammy 10k on an M59 would bring down some serious PAR. What kind of reflector are you using?

Keep in mind that while a few corals may love this amount of PAR, quite a few may reach saturation and photoinhibition (http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2007/3/aafeature1). An excerpt from an exellent study on this subject: "...at this point, it seems that zooxanthellae/hosts requiring really intense light generated by higher wattage (250-400w) lamps are the exception instead of the rule. ‘Blasting’ corals with light could actually inhibit photosynthesis and possibly slow their growth."

[iVgOnMaD]

It not a fancy reflector, just a german aluminum batwing reflector, the kind used for hydroponics.

Thanks for the link, very interesting info.

I was thinking that the 400 was overkill too, but I had it over a 60g cube for a couple weeks and it seemed fine so I guess I will give it a shot on the 90g.

What is the best way to acclimate my corals to the MH, with a screen (I did this with the 60g), or by increasing the hours of MH light slowly like 1hr per week (never done this one)?

It would be more convenient for me to increase the hours of MH since it doesn't mean putting a screen over my tank.

[GoTakuF1]

Along the same line of thinking as that article, I would think we're trying to slowly increase light intensity to your coral during the acclimation period, right? In that case, slowly lowering your lamp to its final level would be ideal but I'm not sure how practical that can be. The screen trick would be the most practical way. I have a ton of that stuff if you need any.

[KT-150]

looks good. lmk if that macro needs some trimmin.:D

[iVgOnMaD]

Screen it is.

I was wondering what your opinions are on Tangs in a 36x24x24 tank like mine.

Don't worry I am already planning my next upgrade, I want something like this which is like ~2 of mine side by side:
http://www.sdreefs.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=13150&stc=1&d=1150094148

Meanwhile, do you guys think a Yellow Tang or a Khole Tang would be happy in my 90?
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t189/ivgonmad/CIMG0907.jpg

[iVgOnMaD]

looks good. lmk if that macro needs some trimmin.:D

Sure thing neighbor!

[GoTakuF1]

My tank has similar dimensions to yours, just 12" longer. It's 48"x26"x24" to be exact. I had two very small tangs in it at one point. They both outgrew the tank very quickly. After about 6 months, I had to give away one and 6 months later, gave away the other. Someone told me awhile back, "There's a difference between surviving and thriving." This certainly applies to tangs in shorter tanks. One can limit food supply, maximize swiming room, etc. But when you do that, the fish really aren't "happy," in my opinion. It's difficult to tell another what not to put in their tank but then again there are so many other neat fish out there :)

[iVgOnMaD]

Some new pics:

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t189/ivgonmad/Aquariums/IMG_1226.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t189/ivgonmad/Aquariums/IMG_1208.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t189/ivgonmad/Aquariums/IMG_1214.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t189/ivgonmad/Aquariums/IMG_1224.jpg

[snyder2050]

wow...that's a really nice clam.

[iVgOnMaD]

thanks, got from vets pets a while back, they always have very healthy livestock

[acbaldwin]

That's a wicked cool clam - sounds like you're watching samurai movies :D

[barometer]

I agree with minh on this one. You could easily buy a younger, smaller tang that would 'live' in that size tank, but it would in time (and I'd trust Minh's judgement here) grow large and might not truly be happy in there just waiting to outgrow it. Not that I havent' seen many a yellow tang in a 75 or 90. My $.02 :)

[iVgOnMaD]

yeah, i got a yellow already :D and he is the king of the tank at the moment. I might be purchasing kamil's 150g when he takes it down so im sure he will be ok until I upgrade