My new tank (w/pics)

[havefun]

Well here goes...After seeing many awesome tanks on this forum I'm ready to post mine. It's been cycling since 3/12 if I remember correctly (raw shrimp for a few weeks then 40# of lr.com rock was added). I think (and hope) I'm very close to the end of the cycle. One week ago I purchased 1 turbo and 4 baby hermits - all still happy and healthy as far as I can tell.
What do you think of my aquascaping? Be honest because I'm new at this and am looking for tips.
Tank details:

75Gal
2 mj 1200's
Remora Pro w/mag3 skimmer
Rena Filstar XP3 canister (temporary hopefully)
1 300w heater
4" sand base
~70 base rock
40# lr

Pics:

 

[badfish]

lookin good!

 

[flame82]

NICE like the setup up of the rock and wow with some coral all over that rock it will look great. wish i had the money for the rock
just make sure its secure heard to many stories of crushed little guys because the rock fell. but it does look nice

 

[taz291819]

You're tank looks real nice, I like it! The good thing about the Rena Filstar XP3 is, if you ever need a UV sterilyzer, the Turbo Twist works great inline with the Rena XP3, it's whats pumping my Turbo Twist 3X.

 

[havefun]

Thanks for the input!
I don't have a lfs that I trust half as much as the advise I get from AA. I'm 6 weeks into my cycle and still showing ammo and trite so I took some water to the lfs for them to test. Ammo at .2 and trite at .1 and the lfs guy says "Ahh thats good enough, you can go ahead and start putting fish in now"

wish i had the money for the rock

You know from the beginning I was not going to buy any (way too much $$$). Obviously I changed my mind and am so glad I did. There is so much life on that rock I can't believe it. Every few days or so I "discover" a new ocean creature in my tank starfish, urchin, crabs, worms, feather dusters, shrimp and all kinds of little bugs that I have no clue what they are - and thats just the animal life. I would do whatever it takes to save up to purchase some lr.com rock.

just make sure its secure

I know it may not look like it but it is pretty stable. I've got a turbo snail thats been running around all over in there and hasn't knocked anything over yet.

 

[NewFishGuy]

beutiful tank.....with some good carline it will look even better.......congrats

 

[havefun]

Thanks Robert, any idea how long it will take the coraline to start growing? I think I have a spot or two on some of my base rock but not sure.

 

[bennerkla]

Just for ideas, here is my 19 month old system...

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/37052side2.jpg
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/37052tank-med.jpg

The purple on the rocks is coralline, and it is only under 120 watts of NO PC. I just upgraded to 260 watts PC, though, so I look forward to even more growth.

 

[badfish]

Hey Bennerkla, i dont know if its just me but i am getting the reefcentral logo when i click on your pick.

Havefun, are you doing a sump, if so any chance for pics, i am thinking of going towards reef in a couple of months and feel a sump will be real beneficial.

 

[GoodFish]

looks good have fun!!!!

Bad fish....go to aquacrylics.com when you shopping its where i got my sump equipment...ill try to find the one guy who showed me pics of his sump but the forum is off the first page now but ill keep looking then give you the name...he helped me a lot too...

 

[Ximat]

Rena Filstar XP3 canister (temporary hopefully)

Why temporary?

 

[lando]

Youu are off to a great start!!!

 

[havefun]

Hey Bennerkla, i dont know if its just me but i am getting the reefcentral logo when i click on your pick

Same here... Nice plug for reefcentral though

are you doing a sump

Sorry, no sump....I should have done more research in the beginning maybe.

Rena Filstar XP3 canister (temporary hopefully) ?

Why temporary?

I'm hoping to have enough lr eventually so there will be no need for it. Less maintenance, less noise (although I will say it is very quiet), less eye sores in the tank. I do like it for water movement though.

 

[Oceanicsublimat]

You've had all that LR in since the beginning? kool.. I was waiting to get my LR.com rock because I wanted the life to survive.. but if ur's is surviving maybe I can go ahead and order my last little bit of rock.. I'm only 2 weeks into my cycle..goin through the diatom bloom.. ur tank looks great!!

 

[havefun]

I started with just shrimp, then a few weeks later added the rock (mainly cause I got bored just looking at my sand blowing around). I lost a few crabs (some good, some bad) but otherwise everything seems to be ok. I still have a bunch of worms, crabs, a pistol shrimp or 2 (I can hear them but have never seen them), feather dusters, and my latest find... an urchin who is about 3/8" spine to spine (very cool), and who knows what else. The dusters have me a little concerned right now though, there were a few at first, then after a couple weeks there were a bunch more but now I back to just a few - I don't know if they went into hiding or what. They made it thru the ammo and trite spike.

I'm only 2 weeks into my cycle..goin through the diatom bloom

Thats fast! I just started my bloom a couple weeks ago and it is now in full gear (I think).

 

[badfish]

i got two real nice feather dusters, and a bunch of smaller ones, mine go into hiding all the time for different periods of time. Especially when the lights turn off or on.