Salty Noobs "Not So Nano" 29g Reef Build

[Big Tex]

**Update 11/27/13**

Well guys I lost my torch coral to some bad harassment by my skunk shrimp, got some water cloud and did maybe a 40% wc and the water cleared right up! My hammer is either really comfortable or has grown a bit which makes me really happy. My rouge zoas have settled at the bottom on the tank right below where they once were and are also doing great and are fully open, I have about 10 new heads on my zoas up top were I originally fragged and glued them, and that plus the hammer growth makes me feel like all the work I've put in is paying off plus I'm getting coraline algae! Alright guys enough talking, here's some pics and night shots, enjoy!

[Tkey3425]

The skunk may not be the reason it died. They will clean the fleshy part of corals as they die IME. As the corals skin is falling apart they will pick it off.

[paul87]

Sorry to heat about that torch. They will eat at coral that is already dying though. I got rid of my skunk cleaner because they will steal food from the corals and aggitate them a bit.

[Big Tex]

Idk timmy I've heard the same story like pauls where they just harass corals till the end, but another reason I say that is look at all my other corals are doing great, snd growing! Idk maybe I needed to dip it I'm not sure but ill definitely be picking up another torch or a frogspawn, what do you guys think??

[Tkey3425]

Originally Posted by Big Tex

Idk timmy I've heard the same story like pauls where they just harass corals till the end, but another reason I say that is look at all my other corals are doing great, snd growing! Idk maybe I needed to dip it I'm not sure but ill definitely be picking up another torch or a frogspawn, what do you guys think??

It's possible but I'd look into your lighting first. If you're still running the 25 watt fixture then you may not have the punch you need for the LPS to thrive. Torch corals need in the 200-250 PAR range and thats asking a lot from a fixture like that. Plus it could be the way the coral was fragged. I've seen skunks take food but never kill a coral doing so. I just gave mine a piece of shrimp to nibble on while i fed my corals then took what they didn't eat. That prevented a lot of food theft.

[Tkey3425]

Product Review: Hagen Fluval Sea LED Light - reefs.com
Here is a PAR rating done with the light that I think you have. It shows you get 200 PAR at 3" below the surface but by the time you're 6 inches deep it just above 100 PAR You would have to keep the corals way up in the tank and the only issue there would be exposing them to air once a week for water changes. Not trying to bust your bubble Tex just trying to look out for you and help your reef thrive.

[Big Tex]

No tim I understand and I'm very appreciative for the advice, I'm thinking of going with a single tao for this tank I just have no where to mount it :/

[melosu58]

They look real nice. Keep up the great job.

[Big Tex]

Originally Posted by melosu58

They look real nice. Keep up the great job.

Thanks mel..!

[Tkey3425]

I'd build a small open back canopy. I built mine and love it

[paul87]

I hung mine from the ceiling. Works and looks great. Just gotta put a couple holes in the ceiling.

[Big Tex]

Originally Posted by Tkey3425

I'd build a small open back canopy. I built mine and love it

I would love a canopy but the dresser its on top of is bigger than the tank by about 3-4" all around.

Originally Posted by paul87

I hung mine from the ceiling. Works and looks great. Just gotta put a couple holes in the ceiling.

With what? Dry wall anchors?

[paul87]

No. But a properly set drywall anchor would work with properly set drywall ceilings. I screwed a 1x3 peice of wood i cut down into 2 studs, with 2 galvanized screws. Cut steel cable the appropriate length and got cable ends and the hardware store. Painted it all white with ceiling. Pretty much made a permanant mount but i can simply remove and repair drywall if i needed.(never gonna happen unless i move!lol) I tend to overbuild, this this can hold alot more weight than my light weighs. But i like that. Heres some pics if mine.

[Big Tex]

Originally Posted by paul87

No. But a properly set drywall anchor would work with properly set drywall ceilings. I screwed a 1x3 peice of wood i cut down into 2 studs, with 2 galvanized screws. Cut steel cable the appropriate length and got cable ends and the hardware store. Painted it all white with ceiling. Pretty much made a permanant mount but i can simply remove and repair drywall if i needed.(never gonna happen unless i move!lol) I tend to overbuild, this this can hold alot more weight than my light weighs. But i like that. Heres some pics if mine.

That's awesome bro I can't do that because I'm renting but I might do that or use shelf mounts and paint them white. What size is your tank?

[paul87]

Originally Posted by Big Tex

That's awesome bro I can't do that because I'm renting but I might do that or use shelf mounts and paint them white. What size is your tank?

39 Gallon - 3 ft. Wide

I rent as well but im cool with the landloard. Ill end up fixing it if i move out.lol. There are stands you can make thay work great and do no damage to ceilings or walls. The shelf brackets will damage drywall on the wall.

[Big Tex]

Originally Posted by paul87

39 Gallon - 3 ft. Wide

I rent as well but im cool with the landloard. Ill end up fixing it if i move out.lol. There are stands you can make thay work great and do no damage to ceilings or walls. The shelf brackets will damage drywall on the wall.

**** my 29g is 30" wide and I hope my tao can cover 30" and I might just do that ceiling thing.

[paul87]

Originally Posted by Big Tex

**** my 29g is 30" wide and I hope my tao can cover 30" and I might just do that ceiling thing.

It should do great in 30". Mine is 36" and my 120w LED fixture does great. I have darker spots near the ends of my tank so a single tao will be great on your tank. I like the color ratio to have a bit more blue than white myself. Check out the lights on ebay! Heres one that has red and other colors for a good price. Mine is xen-lux so i cant speak for anything else, but mine does use bridgelux LED like this one. I probably would have got this one if it was available when I bought mine.

http://m.ebay.com/itm/181256767601?nav=SEARCH&sbk=1

[Big Tex]

Originally Posted by paul87

It should do great in 30". Mine is 36" and my 120w LED fixture does great. I have darker spots near the ends of my tank so a single tao will be great on your tank. I like the color ratio to have a bit more blue than white myself. Check out the lights on ebay! Heres one that has red and other colors for a good price. Mine is xen-lux so i cant speak for anything else, but mine does use bridgelux LED like this one. I probably would have got this one if it was available when I bought mine.

http://m.ebay.com/itm/181256767601?nav=SEARCH&sbk=1

I'm definitely not a full spectrum guy, and I like a little more blue in my lighting for sure, so i think ill be upgrading soon to a tao for sure now.

[Kimlafeiet]

Im using one of those LED lights over my 30 inch tank (same footprint as your 29, just taller), and it covers nicely. I got mine from Ebay as well, (different seller than posted above, but the same style with bridgelux leds) and I am really liking it. I hung mine using 2 shelf brackets from the wall. I will see if I can find the pics I took of it. The only thing I am not happy with is how bright the blues are in the evening....Too bright to be moonlights. I miss my dim moonlights that I could leave on for an hour while we sit in bed and enjoy the "nightlife" of the tank

[Big Tex]

Originally Posted by Kimlafeiet

Im using one of those LED lights over my 30 inch tank (same footprint as your 29, just taller), and it covers nicely. I got mine from Ebay as well, (different seller than posted above, but the same style with bridgelux leds) and I am really liking it. I hung mine using 2 shelf brackets from the wall. I will see if I can find the pics I took of it. The only thing I am not happy with is how bright the blues are in the evening....Too bright to be moonlights. I miss my dim moonlights that I could leave on for an hour while we sit in bed and enjoy the "nightlife" of the tank

I feel you there, and yeah post up some pics I'm actually going to order the light fixture this week!