75gal reef tank

[thegecko]

I figure its about time to share my big tank :D
Hardware:
-euro-reef 150 skimmer
-1300gph return pump
-1500gph hang on the back overflow box
-9watt UV steralizer
-6500K T8 over the refugium
-massive 2 stage Ca reactor
-Rena XP2 canister filter (pod factory)
-300watt heater
-500gph power head
-750gph power head
-4 X actinic T5HO + 2 X 250watt 20000K MH's

All of these photos are under T5's and are before christmas

25/08/10
http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l574/Shane_Westphal/250810.jpg
http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l574/Shane_Westphal/DSCF1175.jpg
http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l574/Shane_Westphal/DSCF1133.jpg
http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l574/Shane_Westphal/0402.jpg
http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l574/Shane_Westphal/IMG_0474.jpg
http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l574/Shane_Westphal/IMG_0473.jpg
http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l574/Shane_Westphal/IMG_0500.jpg
http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l574/Shane_Westphal/DSCF1300.jpg
http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l574/Shane_Westphal/DSCF1460.jpg

[Bayside Corals]

Your fish and corals look very healthy and happy!

Colby

[thegecko]

I'm really liking the color i get from my MH :D
http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l574/Shane_Westphal/June12011572.jpg

[thegecko]

The tank doesn't really look this blue, the camera is adding the color and taking away the acro colors quite a bit.

http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l574/Shane_Westphal/DSCF1557.jpg
http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l574/Shane_Westphal/DSCF1558.jpg
http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l574/Shane_Westphal/DSCF1559.jpg
http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l574/Shane_Westphal/DSCF1560.jpg
http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l574/Shane_Westphal/DSCF1561.jpg

[unclesalty]

Your tank with the rockwork and nice looking corals looks awesome!

[Cliff]

Great looking tank

[chandler]

thats looking really good :)

[thegecko]

Thanks guys!

[MrsBugmaster]

Very nice looking tank.

[poleyc]

Nice Tank :)

[Ashlerbam]

Looks nice. :appl:

[thegecko]

http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l574/Shane_Westphal/DSCN4874.jpg

http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l574/Shane_Westphal/DSCN4873.jpg

http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l574/Shane_Westphal/DSCN4872.jpg

http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l574/Shane_Westphal/DSCN4868.jpg

http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l574/Shane_Westphal/DSCN4860.jpg

[Stones]

Looking good Shane! I think I recognize a few of those frags.

[Purdygreen]

Wow! I could look at a tank like that for hours. :icon_eek: great work!

[thegecko]

Thanks guys, I stare at it for atleast an hour a day :P

[TDerow30]

Woooh Wooooh that amazing good job!

[fishkeeper]

in the 8th pic on first page what is that brown tentacle thing at the top of your tank just below the top brace

[thegecko]

Purple linkia starfish

[thegecko]

So both of my blue maxima's have been closed for 3 days now, finally got a chance to look at them and it wasnt snails on them but those stupid little starfish. Got all 7 of them off the clams, and now one of the clams tries to open up but my blue tang has decided it wants to eat it... wtf

[Myka]

The tank doesn't really look this blue, the camera is adding the color and taking away the acro colors quite a bit.

My camera does that too. I haven't figured out how to fix it. I can minimize it a bit. Frustrating...

Tank looks great! You have some really nice rock...I'm jealous! You're getting some good color on your SPS too, good job! Are any of those frags coming to the frag swap? :D

Tangs can be real jerks. They are banned from my reefs. Put a strawberry basket over the clams.

[thegecko]

A nice surprise to come downstairs and it stinks... Lost 4 clams in the past 2 days :( giant purple squamosa almost 8", small 1" blue squamosa, and two 4-5" blue maximas :( I found alot of starfish(astrinia or whatever) on the clams maybe about 20 in total, and I haven't seen any pyramid snails... Another factor I have been pondering is that my crabs are too big for the clams, they apparently like the taste of clams I guess :'(

[jorjef]

Banish the crabs..... all crabs are evil!! I had a clam go south on me a few weeks ago and it had a bunch of those piddly stars on the shell also. I don't think it was the cause, who knows. First one I had and the last, clams are too finicky for me.

[thegecko]

I'm thinking of switching from my 20K MH bulbs to 15K on one side of the tank to see the difference it makes in growth. What does everyone recommend for the change in terms of the light being on. Should i put the 15k on for just a couple hours a day for the first few weeks or just go full 8 hours?
There aren't any sps at the top on the side im changing mostly everything is either at the bottom or half way up.

Cause I know corals dont like the switch from T5 to MH very much but since its already MH would the spectrum change aggravate them at all?

[Myka]

Brand new bulbs can be much brighter than old bulbs, but shouldn't be overly dramatic. You could try 6 hours instead of 8 for a week. Watch for bleaching.

The Phoenix 14K bulbs are affordable and efficient (good output).

[thegecko]

http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l574/Shane_Westphal/DSC00771.jpg

http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l574/Shane_Westphal/DSC00769.jpg

http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l574/Shane_Westphal/DSC00775.jpg

http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l574/Shane_Westphal/DSC00773.jpg

[tcharger67]

Banish the crabs..... all crabs are evil!! I had a clam go south on me a few weeks ago and it had a bunch of those piddly stars on the shell also. I don't think it was the cause, who knows. First one I had and the last, clams are too finicky for me.
feel like a newby here but what do you use to cleanup little bits of food your fish miss?

[jorjef]

feel like a newby here but what do you use to cleanup little bits of food your fish miss?

Nothing for the most part. I feed as little as possible,many small amounts over 15 minutes or so. Makes it easier for them to eat as much as possible before it falls to the bottom. Shrimp and crabs have always caused more grief in than long run than they are worth.

[thegecko]

I actually just witnessed my hawaiin left hand crab tear a maxima apart so the crabs are to blame completely in my tank. As for my clean up crew. Blue crab, red crab, various snails of all kinds, cleaner shrimp and peppermint shrimp, 2 sea cucumber(1 yellow tiger, 1 yellow) horse shoe crab. And i consider all the aptasia and polikyte/ turnicate worms. To be my clean up crew in my sump aswell :p