Sniperhank's UPGRADED 55 gal Build

[Sniperhank]

Well its neen raining constantly so mud got into my well. Just changed the house filter cuz my water pressure was dropping and noticed hodibad the ro/di was...jist only stage 5 for some reason.

And ues, tds meter is great or i wouldnt have caught it.

[Sniperhank]

So, after spending alot of money on my tank this week I have realized something. I STILL do not have moonlighting on my 55. What I ordered off ebay was total garbage, doesn't even penetrate an inch into the water. So glad that I took the time to glue them in place and I'm sure it will be a struggle to get them off, but they will be coming off.

I have also been continuing to dream of another tank. I know I want a massive tank...but I noticed today that in my 36 that the blue damsel is dying! Horay! The snails are too, owell. Either way, it is looking like the chance at redoing the project. I love the rock I have in that tank, covered with scorpid worms or whatever they are. So I was thinking that this might be my chance at a barebottom tank. I wouldn't be scared of breaking the bottom with the rock because it is an acrylic tank. I'd need to upgrade the lighting, the coralife 4 bulb t5ho is just bad. Maybe get a chance to try out the taotronic LEDs and be a cheapskate this time around! Only issue there would be the support brace down the middle of the tank...wonder how needed it really is.

But I found my new dream critter...wait for it...ELECTRIC FLAME SCALLOP. That thing actually has electricity go across its mantle...that is AWESOME. I think I could take good care of one...but should probably stop throwing money at my aquariums again. The 55 is full, literally, and the 36 is...well...it exists because I tend to ignore my boring FOWLR. I mean the damsel is dying, the clown is small and swims around, and the royal gramma has finally changed its aggressive ways and lays around all day long in the spot it has slept in since day 1. Ok, enough random thoughts for right now.

[kdpuffer]

Flame scallops are awesome, I got one for my father in law when I got him his tank. They can cause issues so beware, they move around quite a bit which can wreak havoc on corals and have a very specific food need. They only like certain things and they have to be a certain size. I forget what exactly but I did find it with a google search. They are very impressive looking.

[Sniperhank]

It wont be a now thing, or even for my 55. Thinking a coral free tank for it when that comes about.

[needmorecowbell]

I only know one person with a flame scallop, and they are super cool. The thing is they are near impossible to keep Alive. They have very hard feeding requirements. I hope you get a bigger tank, that'd be awesome!!! I'd probably wait until the 55 is completely established though, just to make it easier on you.

Edit: never refreshed, kd pretty much covered it, sorry!

[Sniperhank]

It's all good. It is one of those in a long time if ever sort of things. I've been in one of those dreaming moods lately. I keep eyeing up a Subaru WRX from the mid 90's that I want too...ugh all stupid and irresponsible behaviors. That scallop is still the most metal and brutal sea creature ever though.

I only have 3 hours left on my shift and a 40 min drive home. My birds nest and nem will be waiting for me, as my orders always are. I'm pretty excited. It is so funny that I swore I'd never have a nem in my 55...and now here I am with a carpet nem, rbta, and now a gbta. It is even odder on how less often you see the green variety of btas...or maybe this is just me being so far removed from good saltwater resources? I would have sworn that it'd be harder to get the reds...but they are really popular so seeing lots of them doesn't truely surprise me...lots of little fragged buggers!

[needmorecowbell]

I'm thinking your just too far away from the good stuff. I know of at least two lfs that have gbta's right now. The other has a metallic rbta. Im also in a dreaming mood, although I know another tank won't happen till in out of college or my parents have a change of heart.

[Sniperhank]

Well dream of getting some wheels! Your tank is great. You have just had some small hiccups like i was having. With some wheels you can pick up chicks and bring them over to see your tank! Lol. Just keep up with it and youll get there. You know your tank and the hobby well.

[Sniperhank]

Well, LA didn't let me down! I just want to say, holy crap. Great looking nem and with the bird's nest...I was expecting a small bird's nest. It's the size of a fist! There were 2 pieces of it that broke off during shipping...so I glued them to some rubble and hopefully I'll have myself lots of bird's nest!

[needmorecowbell]

Wow, that's going to be a pretty nem. What color is the birdsnest? I see a brown skeleton, so that's always pretty with cool looking polyps.

[Sniperhank]

They are BLUE! I love blue.

[Sniperhank]

Here is a good shot of it sir.

[Sniperhank]

With the new additions, I've spent lots of time looking over my tank. I realized that I'm not getting polyp extension out of my meteor shower corals. I'm going to move them out of as much light as I can. Thinking that there is just too much light in my tank for it...I mean, sps in the sandbed doing fine...medium light coral...IDK. Any input on this would rule.

[needmorecowbell]

Wow, that looks amazing. Every Lps I've ever had has had issues with exactly the same thing, too much light. It's almost like their nps..

[Sniperhank]

I didnt think anything of it because they looked likr this in the store...but pics online shows pretty noticable extension. My other lps are fine, flowerpot is on the top level and acans are doing amazing. Read some threads in other forums that have said these are less medium light and more low light. Well see.

[needmorecowbell]

Yeah, that might be it then, hope it goes well for ya!

[Sniperhank]

Quick update before work.
Bird's nest and the 2 broken pieces



My Marshall Island Latana got kinda buried in sand. I got it out of the sandbed, but it started to bleach out in a spiral the entire way up it. Glued over the bleaching in hoping of saving one of my fav corals.

My 2 meteor showers, in the sandbed but still no real polyp extension.


What is the capture ability of acan lords? This one seems to be eating one of my blue legged hermits...

AND the BTAs

[Flreefer]

Beautiful Birdsnest Hank!! Nice size too!!
I think the hermit was probably just a molt that may have gotten blown onto the Acan. Don't think they could grab a live one.

[Sniperhank]

I don't think it was alive either...either molt or I lost one. Think I should remove it or any clues as per the meteor showers?

[Flreefer]

Yeah, I would remove it from the Acan, it can't help anything.
With the Cephastreas, not really sure, I have mine in a pretty well lit area, and it's spreading nicely. I've read they are a low-med light coral, but I placed it before I knew this. And it's always looked good? Its under T5, but 780 watts of it, and it's about 10" under the surface of the water. Wish I could help more, but I don't know.
Here's a pic of mine as of today,

Attachment 107666

Original frag is the middle raised section, been in tank about 6 months.