Sniperhank's UPGRADED 55 gal Build

[Sniperhank]

Yeah, it is a monster. It has 4 large branches too it. I really like it even if it isn't as yellow as it was at the store. The green off of it is amazing.

[Sniperhank]

I continue to do a poor job of keeping things updated. Hoping to be closing on my new home here this week. That opens up the door to an upgraded build. Since I was down in Pittsburgh, I was able to stop into Elmer's and check things out. They had a couple functioning Red Sea systems, which was great since that is what I was talking to my wife about. I think she's convinced...if it mattered that I was going to buy it anyway...when I walked her through their whole setup and how gorgeous it looks compared to the current 'redneck reefing' setup.
Only concern now would be how I'm going to get all that water to where I want the tank to go. A 10% water change would be almost 20 gallons a week and up a flight of stairs from the basement to the living room.
Either way, I picked up 2 pieces while at elmers. A green 'joker's brain' which is what I know them as. Actual name is escaping me currently...and my very first scoly. Always wanted one and they had 2, green and an orange, if my ID skills are right that is.

[Autumnsky]

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

I continue to do a poor job of keeping things updated. Hoping to be closing on my new home here this week. That opens up the door to an upgraded build. Since I was down in Pittsburgh, I was able to stop into Elmer's and check things out. They had a couple functioning Red Sea systems, which was great since that is what I was talking to my wife about. I think she's convinced...if it mattered that I was going to buy it anyway...when I walked her through their whole setup and how gorgeous it looks compared to the current 'redneck reefing' setup.
Only concern now would be how I'm going to get all that water to where I want the tank to go. A 10% water change would be almost 20 gallons a week and up a flight of stairs from the basement to the living room.
Either way, I picked up 2 pieces while at elmers. A green 'joker's brain' which is what I know them as. Actual name is escaping me currently...and my very first scoly. Always wanted one and they had 2, green and an orange, if my ID skills are right that is.
Attachment 297702

Wow, new digs!!! New Red Sea possibly on the horizon. WOW again, lol!

Just plumb an in and out line to the room. Make a cabinet to set the water storage tank in. I guess, if at all a possible answer. Fingers crossed.

Remember you were supposed to buy the house based on tank placement, not what was affordable or had the best kitchen, location or school district!!!

Congrats on the soon to be upgrades in your life! Nice new coral acquisitions too.

New tank build - can't wait!

[Sniperhank]

Well, everything SHOULD be great...the water movement is difficult bit I'm not sure how to solve currently. I'll figure it out.
Currently I'm trying to figure out why my skimmer went nuts. Had to tune it back. These things will be the death of me. I thought that I solved the cyano situation when I got back from my week long training on the other side of the state, but it showed up on the rocks instead of the sandbed. Doing continued water changes with my ro/di water. The ATS is being a champ. One light bit the dust while I was gone. I came back to it growing better than ever off of one light. A prime example on how too much light can be a bad thing.
So, hopefully the ATS and the skimmer getting tuned back to where it wasn't overflowing will work the problem out. If not, I have another water change ready since I make another batch up as soon as I finish doing one. We'll see, but cyano simply won't do...as this issue is probably the reason my gold hammer isn't extending well.

[Autumnsky]

Lately I have had all kinds of tank woes, so I understand.

Cyano laying in wait for the right moment to jump out. I think a lot of things in aquarium keeping are like that.

[Sniperhank]

They are. But, here is a sea apple that they had at elmers.

[Autumnsky]

I love that, only I would need a very big tank!!! Did you get it???

[Sniperhank]

No, nothing that can poison the tank for me.

[Autumnsky]

Our lfs guy had just received a shipment of stuff which was around 5 or 6 of the most huge sea cucumbers I had ever seen!!! I never knew how big some can get.

[Sniperhank]

[Autumnsky]

Noticing the eggcrate. Good for holding stone. Is it ever a problem? Holding in muck and anaerobic sand. Not allowing sand dwellers enough room, or do you just pile the sand deeper for them in certain areas? Have been wondering about that. It sure seems it would be safer for accidental falling, scraping rocks.

[Sniperhank]

I put the eggcrate in first, stone, and then the sand around it. I have sand dwellers with nassarius snails...I think only 1 or two are still around after all these years. I know at least one comes out every time I feed that I see. It was simply a preventative against rocks falling as the sand settled and was pushed around, which is the only reason you can see the egg crate there. That is the only spot where sand simply won't stay and is blown around. I have much better flow in the front of the tank than the back with how I originally set up the aquascape. This is something I want to address next time around by putting the powerheads on the back of the tank rather than the sides.

[Autumnsky]

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

I put the eggcrate in first, stone, and then the sand around it. I have sand dwellers with nassarius snails...I think only 1 or two are still around after all these years. I know at least one comes out every time I feed that I see. It was simply a preventative against rocks falling as the sand settled and was pushed around, which is the only reason you can see the egg crate there. That is the only spot where sand simply won't stay and is blown around. I have much better flow in the front of the tank than the back with how I originally set up the aquascape. This is something I want to address next time around by putting the powerheads on the back of the tank rather than the sides.

Thanks, Yes, for things like the Nassarius, Pistol shrimp. Had been wondering about it and forget about it, then saw yours and it reminded me again. I will want to add something at the bottom of the next tank I set up.

[Sniperhank]

I'm not sure if I'll do the egg crate again. It was a pain to trim as I only had a pair of wire snips. A dremel might do a better job...but those wire snips threw pieces of plastic all over my living room and took forever to find them all. Lots of planning a head I guess...it'd be one deep sandbed with egg crate and deep enough for a jawfish.

[Brookster123]

Flush cut saw or buzzer blade as i call them, only good way to cut that type of brittle plastic imo. Still a pain. Congrats on the new digs. We need to stream line your wc system. 20 gal up stairs will make you hate that tank:p

[Sniperhank]

Full tank shot.

[DutchMuch]

looks really good!!!

[Sniperhank]

Thanks. I wish that it was as good as it looks. Though many things are doing great, my red BTA that has been in the system for ages is MIA. Tie that in with the two carpet anemone in the system bleaching and my blue symphodium melting away to nothing I'm suspecting an alk drop. Skimmer is going nuts as well, so I don't have the highest hopes for it coming back...though it has before.
Either way, a water change is already prepped for tomorrow. I'll be making ro/di water til I'm blue in the face until the resin from the last canister on the system is spent. Should fill up my remaining top off jugs and enough for another 10% water change. I have 4 more and the other replacement cartridges coming my way. This should hopefully be good enough prep for the future-pacing of the new system as I'm closing on the house this afternoon.
Other than that, things look really great. I'm pleased about the 'joker's' brain and scoly current conditions. Scoly is inflated and the brain is bright green. Elhmer's runs their radions at 70% where mine peek at 65%. Decided not to put them into acclimation mode due to this.

[DutchMuch]

I am a freshwater dutch aquascaper, and I have no clue what half of the words you said mean LOL! I have never ventured into SW because I always thought it was super expensive, is it? I have over 1500$'s in my 65G dutch, could it get worse than that

[Sniperhank]

My radions cost 800 a piece so,...