320g build/journey/experiment :-)

[Mitchell0605]

How much 'real' rock are you gonna buy?

[thincat]

He may not need any LR. Just get some live sand from his LFS or a friend would do the trip.

[Greenmaster]

I'll probably buy 1 rock.. or get a friend to let me scrape some coralline algae off his rocks to seed my tank with. As for the LS I may get a scoop from my friend or just buy some kits online.

[Mitchell0605]

I'd get the live sand from a friend. That way you know it's good stuff.

[Greenmaster]

ya I might do both... has anyone had any luck with any site in particular?

[Greenmaster]

I put my DIY rocks in the ocean on the 20th and will be pulling them out July 11th. Tank arriving on the 14th I should have pics of the tank and rock posted on the 15th or 18th. I don't think I will have much else happening between now and the 11th. Still not sure what site I am going to use to buy the "creatures" for the sand bed and water column. Anyone know of a good one?

[Bige]

Can u image the critters you will have.

[thincat]

What creatures are you talking about. I don't know if the LR would be in the ocean long enough for the ocean creatures and bacteria to colonize the rock, but if it is that would be enough and you won't need anyother.

[Greenmaster]

My rock is in a temperate ocean not a tropical one... so any critters that get on the rock will die when I put them in the warm water. For critters I mean the stuff that you would get on live rock/live sand... worms, amphipods, cocepods, mysis shrimp, brittle stars, plankton (phyto and zoo), and maybe some stuff not mentioned.

[thincat]

does anyone sell LR in your area? that would be a good start...and OH get yourself a chiller and do a temperate tank...That would be cool...No pun intended..

[Greenmaster]

I realize that LR is a start but I'm not buying enough to get everything I need... (biodiversity is what makes a reef thrive). I can't have clowfish (nemos) in a temperate tank... my daughter does not approve of your idea.

[Crepe]

You need some red algaes various corals I think exist in temperate zones although they are normally pale-ish to tan in color. Limpets, mussels, and other molluscs. I bet you could go fishing in BC with barbless hooks and catch some fish for your tank XD.

[Greenmaster]

I'm not doing a temperate tank... if I was the anemones here are to die for... as well as lots of cool looking crabs... but I like the pom-pom crab and that's what I'm getting.

[thincat]

Originally Posted by Greenmaster

I realize that LR is a start but I'm not buying enough to get everything I need... (biodiversity is what makes a reef thrive). I can't have clowfish (nemos) in a temperate tank... my daughter does not approve of your idea.

Get her a picture of "Nemo". Hahaha
You can't do it all at once. Every time I go to a new LSF or location I bring a little bit of sand home with me and add to my diversity.

[Greenmaster]

... okay... all I have found so far is : : : : Indo-Pacific Sea Farms : : : : they look pretty good.

[thincat]

They are out of hawaii. Expensive at the least...

[Greenmaster]

Ya... I know... but I can't find anything else.

[Greenmaster]

This is my custom tank. The long awaited arrival... now I have a lot of work ahead of me! I put my kids and wife in the tank to give more of an example on dimensions.

Top View


Side View


Front View

[Crepe]

Bloody **** that looks amazing!!! I can't wait to see it filled with fauna. Heck, just water and sand would be awesome.

[Greenmaster]

... water is going to have to wait till mid-end of august... unless things come together fast... we will see what silicone I can do in the next couple of days... I'm going to wait 2 weeks after silicone before adding water... and I have a lot of silicone to do still... I don't even have all the plumbing I need yet.