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Bears Salty Return.... The log

11K views 61 replies 10 participants last post by  willow 
#1 ·
12/1/11 the build officially began !!! this will be my log of events as i go and pix will come in time.. for now here is :

The Plan:
30 Breeder
AIO concept (overflow box with filter floss and a return pump built in and be the source of flow)
285PGH pump for return /flow

Lights are
2x 2 bulb T5 fixtures running 10k and true blue actinics (bulbs may change later)

looking at about 20-25 pound of dry rock and 5-8 pounds of live to seed tank
debating on CC or Aragonite for sand .... it will be seeded from rock....

Projected stock ideas

~10 crabs (red and blue hermits)
~10-20 snails

Zoa's
Hammer or frog spawn not sure which yet
Mushrooms

Macros of various types

still debating fish at this time considering onyx clowns...

Lights are
2x 2 bulb T5 fixtures running 10k and true blue actinics (bulbs may change later)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

as of this post the hard ware is all most all set up (just need the pump hoping this week end)
last night (actually 12/1/11) a gentleman gave me a bucket of saltwater and between 5-8 pounds of live rubble to start me off. it is now in a 5 gallon tank with a power head and heater...
got looking at everything in there and there is quite a bit of life in there already and even a coral i am not sur if the guy knew was on the rock!

since this is the case i am treating the rock tank like i would an actual tank and running my lights over it for 6-8 hours per day.

the rest of this build is pending either the sale of my 55 gallon tank (hopefully today) or a bonus i am anticipating in the next 2 weeks..
 
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#32 ·
moved the rock a bit and added a few snails after a water test that showed my numbers heading further down and almost to 0!!!! very excited .. i thought the addition of this rock would have reset the whole process but it has not at all... also added some Cheato and now things sit for a few weeks while i research and plan my next steps....

here are some updated pix as well

FTS 1/20/2012



Left side



Right side

 
#38 ·
its cyno but lets not forget while the "cycle is done the tank is not mature yet... also new additions such as high flow power head and my refugium are being added in the next few weeks.. as long as i keep up on it then all should be fine..
 
#40 ·
It crashed and everything died. Once I have the funds again I will probably try again with a better knowledge of what I am getting into(especially money wise) probably when I get settled somewhere since I don't see the point in a long term thing when I know I am going to have to move it in a year or two. And I am definitively going to use the 10 gallon AIO and move up from there when I do.
 
#41 ·
aww sorry to hear that man.. hope it goes better the next time around.. but i fullly understand the break it took me abit to get the nerve up again and i was not even looking at a move.. keep us posted on it when you do though...
 
#42 ·
Fast update - i have not taken any pix in the last few days so i will try this week end... the last of the diatoms have gone and the others pests have dies down ... the addition of Cheato and another Macro (i dont recall the name) have really helped a ton!

pods all over the glass last night and the 2 little asternia stars i started with have now turned to 6 or more all crabs are showing good growth and the snails are doing a great job keeping things clean as well...

last night i got the beginning of my fuge and will take step by step pix of it as i figure out the final details and start to build it..

testing yesterday shows a stable 0 on everything PH is 8.4 cal is a steady 450 and all is well... i think keeping things natural and simple has made a huge difference in this tank from the last one and i am super happy with it as things move forward..
 
#46 ·
so here is a really nice update....
i have the new pumps in they are 1300GPH each and create a great amount of flow...




i have built the fixture so i can move the lights easier when needed



the refugium is built




and set up , running for 2 days now






all i need to do is take it off line and paint it this week end (i wanted to run it first to be sure it worked the way i wanted it too)
Friday i am getting a pair of Clarkies for this tank and in time a few more corals ... i think i am just about done !!! so very excited
 
#50 ·
i found a thread about some one making one from a battery box and after a failed attempt at that one the wife and i got to brain storming and modified the plan to this one here.. it works great. a few small tweeks to iron out the bubble issue and we are golden.. when i take it off to paint i will add an external dorso type air inlet to the elbows to permit air to escape.. should fix it right up..
 
#52 ·
we are debating about the riser and other wood .. not sure if painting ot some other cover we have been looking at...

no skimmer for this tank... just the refugium and careful maintenance... so far so good .. just got a call from a guy i am going to meet in 45 minutes and he is hooking me up with some nice freeby corals... i am super excited!!
 
#57 ·
Very nice tank. I want to get back into salt but only if i can do my dream set up. It would be a 100 gallon softie/lps tank feeding a 50 gl refugium tank that over flows into a surge device to feed into a 100 gallon look down seahorse tank. I figure if I set my goals way too high i will never get back into that addiction again.
 
#58 ·
wow that is high... but let us be honest about this particular addiction. if the desire is high enough, then no goal is too high...

when i tore down the first tank i said never again... this time i said not any bigger LOL... we shall see ...at this time though i really love the way things are turning out and as long as i stay true to the plan it should continue to go well.. i expect some issues but that it the nature of our hobby...

glad you like the tank :)

keep watching more to come i am sure..
 
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