Hi, I'm new and this is my tank

[Fish Dude]

Hi all, I just wanted to share pics of my, relatively new tank. It is still maturing at only 5 months old. I took my time and set a limited budget that only took up the top of a buffet table. Made my girlfriend happy.

It is still a postage stamp collection of corals but growth is coming. Mostly softies, some crocea clams, cleaner & blood shrimps shrooms (green and blue), hammer, an open brain that I am trying to save, xenia, leathers, oci clown fish, L/M Blenny, b/g damsel, caulerpa, snails, and hermits.

I set it up with a space saver on a budget attitude that wouldn't kill the electric bill. It's a 33 gallon long tank, (open top of course) double bio wheel, Coral life needle wheel hang on skimmer. I bought the tank, because I wanted a shallow reef that didn't require deep penetrating halides. Instead 3 HO T5's do the trick. 2 Actinic, 1 super day, with dawn and dusk simulation.

I dose iodine only and other than a valonia outbreak and a slight bout of ich, I have had no losses. Rowaphos works great in sucking out the phosphates. I use RO water for top off and change about 15% once a month.

Grown from a penny sized frag....great polyp extension. Xenia in the back. Started as 1 stalk.

Simple and plain but a favorite of mine...

Full Hammer with 6 branches, daisy polyps that are spreading like crazy and some green buttons that started as 4.

Can't wait till this covers the rock. I love GSP and look forward to it matting the right side of the tank.

I know the pics are not that great--not to good with a digital camera. None the less, it's my pride and joy nano 33 gallon long. I am fairly new to the board and have been in the hobby for 20 years. I am 28 and have the bug for life. My girlfriend and I are in the middle of building a house...so stay tuned, I will be doing a large scale reef in the near future.

 

[Zagz]

Welcome to AA! That is a great looking tank!

 

[neilanh]

That tank looks a lot bigger than it is. Great stuff!

Welcome to AA!

 

[pitt420dude]

WOw, fantastic corals. Welcome to AA!

 

[Devilishturtles]

Only a 33 long? Looks like a 125!

Very nice. Where in MD are you located? We are planning a trip to some local stores at the end of the month, and I may have some frags to give away by then.

 

[Fish Dude]

I'm in Cockeysville (Just North of Baltimore). Love to be a part of the tour. Please let me know when you guys plan it.

Still work'n on this Nikon CoolPix, again sorry for the lack of photographic skill.

Mark

 

[Fish Dude]

Few more pics

Kenya tree

Blue Mushrooms I know they are common, but they are so vibrant and eye catching to kids

Crocea perched on a rock. Amazing the color differece when you look down from the top as opposed to through the galss. Looks more like Emerald green.

Greenies and the camera skills are getting better...

Last pic, I promise.

Thanks for looking

Mark

 

[neilanh]

The more pics the better, we love them here!

I'm still amazed that your tank is only 33L.

 

[melosu58]

Great looking tank Mark.

 

[ccCapt]

Very nice.

 

[jbozz]

That's a nice tank and effort you've chips in. What kind of chiller do you use to keep and maintain the water temperature? are those metal halide? or t5? or jus normal marine lighting? what kind of food you feed the anemone? where is the Protein skimmer?

 

[CaptainAhab]

It does look much bigger and great to boot. You've done an outstanding job of thinking out what you wanted, what you could afford and maintain and sticking to it. I keep telling my kid that nothing bad ever comes from planning and living within your means.

Somehow I think this 30L isn't long for this world. At least not your world. Look forward to your upgrade. Anyone taking bets (poll) on how long that takes?

 

[cmor1701d]

Beautiful tank..

 

[RoLeX]

holy crap

come to my house and make my 110 gal look like a 500!

Nice work, im expecting more pics in a few months, should look awesome

 

[Fish Dude]

The Lights are two T5 ho (1 6500k/1 Act 03) and 1 T5 Normal output. I just have a coral life 65 hanging on the back. It's not the greatest but does produce skimmate. I also use Rowaphos and carbon in the biowheel over flow. The wheels are caked with Algae so I like to think they act as a "Turf Scrubber" fuge as well.

The Bicolor angel is new. The only coral she goes after is the kenya tree. A small price to pay for a difficult fish that has been eating so well. Fantastic animal. Also added some zoes recently...

And the crocea has been doing well for the last 7 months with signs of growth and color enhancement. Bonus, I have GSP growing up his shell. For some reason my clown has started nose diving into him....Kind of ticking me off.

The tank temp stays at a cool 79. T5 don't really put off substantial heat especially with an open top. Sadly, I lost my chalk bass--He jumped out. But I did add a gorgeous royal gramma. I bought him at Petco the same day he came in for $14. Great bargain and no signs of infestation.

And just to clear up, that is not an anemone it is a toadstool leather with some great poly extension!

 

[FL.keysSpearfisher]

dude your tank looks so awesome!
its looks real big for a 33 gal or what ever you said it was....

 

[Fish Dude]

Here are some updated pics. I added a golden ricordea and rearranged some things. I decided to go with the 2 Island theme. I did this because I had to rip the tank apart to get to a couple of Emerald Crabs that were tearing up some of my LPS.

I traded my Bicolor Angel and Oci clown because they were becoming repeat offenders when it came to nipping at my reef. The clown kept diving into my Crocea Clam and the Bicolor would not leave me Kenya Tree alone. So I got a Hippo and I think he is fantastic.

I know, pull the room over and step away from the tank--Tang Police. And the other side with my Royal G...

 

[Fish Dude]

Just a couple updates,

I upgraded my hardware recently and decided to get rid of the Coral Life Super Skimmer and Marine Land Bio-Wheels. I was not getting consistency from the skimmer with the rise and fall of the water level due to evaporation. That and I accidentally broke the air-in valve on the intake. If I had a sump, I would have fixed it and the skimmer would have been much more reliable.

I replaced the skimmer with a Remora. I have had it for a little over 2 weeks. Took a while to break in, but after it did, "Man can it skim!" I bought the surface skimmer attachment but decided not to use it because it took up way to much space at the top of the tank. If anyone is in need of a surface skimmer (Brand New), I will sell it, along with a liter of Hydro Carbon, cheap...just PM me.

Instead of the Marine Land, I have gone with 2 Koralia 2's to kick up the circulation quite a bit. I have both Koralia's on at night and then only 1 on in the day. My logic is that the LPS and softies that I have do not like a lot of current when they are extended, but they appreciate the extra current at night when they are retracted. This way it helps stabilize the PH in the dark and removes the slime coat and shedding of the corals, sending my skimmer into overdrive after hours.

I also lowered my lights to just 3 inches off the surface for added intensity. I bought 2 new clams-a gold tear drop maxima and another blue crocea. Both are small but beatuiful.

I changed the background from black to blue and added a Tomato Clown. Unfortunatly my Royal Gramma jumped out. Hope you enjoy my new rock formations. Instead of the 2 Island approach, I decided to utilize the length of the tank and give my Hippo some swimming room.

Here are some recent pics of my obsession.

 

[melosu58]

Very immpressive tank. I love it.

 

[Fish Dude]

Thank you.

My next upgrade is my camera. It just doesn't do the tank justice.

Dallas fan, huh? GO EAGLES! Still upset by last week's game. That fumble between Mcnabb and Westbrook cost us the game.