Kong's restored BB (90g)

King-Kong · 07-04-2007, 10:27 AM

Well, I've had a "BB" tank for 2 years now, but it's only in the past month that I actually had a real BB tank. That is because (i feel) I had too much rock, poor flow patterns, and def. not enough fish, or skimming.

Here was my tank at it's worst:http://www.d3f.org/misc/fish/90g/56-fulltank.jpg

Note the hair algae on the rocks, and the dirty faux-sand bottom. I had tons of rock, not nearly enough flow (maybe 2400gph), and a few fish. I also only had an ASM G-2 skimming.

A few revisions later, new hardware (ATI BM250 skimmer), more fish (still adding more!), and a lot less rock (I am probably at 40-50lbs max now) we have this:

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My old bare bottom was a faux-sand bare bottom that had a 2part epoxy (dried hard and clear) filled with sand. It gave the appearance of sand, but a hard bottom. The bad was: i cut it too large, so it barely fit in, allowing detritus to fit on the side cracks, and allowing detritus to get underneath it, since it rod higher up on silicon edges. I also feel the epoxy leached silicates into my water, because I battled brown diatoms for the entirity of it's use (and, according to test kits, high silicates in the water). No wonder I was able to grow beautiful sponges!

It is now replaced by a 1/2" starboard, cut 1.5" shorter on all edges, with a 45 degree bevel on the edge so flow isnt slowed down.

Flow is taken care of by my eheim 1262 return pump, and my 3 vortechs (3000gph x3) on full blast, all along the back wall. Skimming is done by the ATI BM250. Pic here: http://www.d3f.org/misc/fish/90g/a08-bm250-2.jpg

Current fish list is:
3x Bartletts Anthias (getting 4 more)
2x Chromis
2x Cinnamon clown
1x Purple Tang
1x Lineatus Wrasse (juve)
1x Laboutei's Wrasse
1x Peppermint Hogfish

I feed 2x a day, each serving being very heavy (probably 4-5 cubes total, daily); always some mysis, and then either cyclop-eeze, flake, pellets, formula frozen, etc. My fish are all quite fat and I'm proud!

Only supplement I use is kalkwasser through my ATO (Aquamedic Kalk Stirrer)

Lighting is taken care of by my 2x 48" VHO actinics, and 2x Ushio 14k 250w DE HQIs.

Thanks for looking!

lemonheadmech · 07-04-2007, 10:35 AM

Nice setup there Kong. I hope my 90 fills in half as good as yours.

You dont have any problem with too much flow in there with those vortechs? I ask because the modded 1200's I had were rediculous.

King-Kong · 07-04-2007, 10:39 AM

What do you mean when you say "too much"?

The fish do avoid being directly in front of them, and sometimes seem unnatural when they ride through it, but that aside, the fish love to ride the currents, and still spend a lot of time swimming around in the open rock work.

Also, side the vortechs are such a wide stream of current, none of my corals get direct laminar flow. It's all pretty chaotic and random. I didnt used to like them as much as I like them now, because with less rock, their wide flow can be properly utilized. With too much rock, you just have a rigid (cant aim) giant laser of flow.

edit: and thanks for the compliment

Leonardo's Reef · 07-04-2007, 12:11 PM

That's a huge improvement KingKong. The tables are really impressive! I also like the clean look of the Starboard instead of the False SB.

Anymore pics, some closeups maybe?

Leonardo

tperk9784 · 07-04-2007, 12:29 PM

Looks great Kong, I really love the less rock approach

Viv · 07-04-2007, 12:57 PM

Wow, doesn't even look like the same tank! Looks great

King-Kong · 07-04-2007, 03:34 PM

Leonardo: good idea on the close ups.. when the MHs turn on later on, I'll try to take some. Thanks for the compliments, means a lot coming from you!

tperk: thanks

.. i love it too! Though I do think i'm officially done removing rock. I only have about 4 or 5 pieces that dont have multiple encrusted colonies living on them!

Viv: thank god! That old setup was UGLY! :P

lemonheadmech · 07-04-2007, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by King-Kong

What do you mean when you say "too much"?

Um....If one of those mj's cames off the mount it would literally blow frags off of the rock on the other side of the tank, and kinda took out my cbb. The flow pinned him up against a rock and I found him still held to the side after work. Doesn't sound like you have those problems with the techs.

King-Kong · 07-04-2007, 04:33 PM

Ah yes. Even users of Tunze have commented on how wide the flow from a Vortech is. You def. dont get anything like that from these (But you'd still kill an acro if you left it directly in front of one).

hng · 07-04-2007, 11:14 PM

Wow, I really like the aquascaping. Acros look great. 3 Vortechs! I am sooo jealous

Loverotties · 07-04-2007, 11:36 PM

Very Nice!

gwaco · 07-05-2007, 12:06 PM

looks great k.k. ! i'm starting to think the less is more approach is starting to catch on ! those corals will grow out in no time .
i do believe that icecap is coming out with a controller for the vortechs , so that will give you even more versatillity with them .

King-Kong · 07-05-2007, 12:21 PM

Thanks for the love.

I am eagerly awaiting the controller for the Vortechs. Now that my flow has improved, I dont HAVE to have the vortechs at 100% 24/7. I could in fact leave them reduced for most of the time, and then have them hit 100% for a couple of minutes. That would kick up everything in every corner of the tank, and then off to the ATI BM250 it would go.

Let's hope they build a smart controller!

Leonardo's Reef · 07-06-2007, 07:04 PM

Closeups yet?

King-Kong · 07-06-2007, 09:36 PM

haha -- doh! I forgot!

Ok ok.. im turning my MH BACK on just for you! Let's see if I can get some taken.

Hey, here's a random question for others: when your MH turn on, do some of your SPS briefly hide their polyps? Some of mine (like the humilis) retract their polyps briefly (about 20 minutes) after the MH have warmed up. Then they come back out and dont do it again until the next day, when the MH turn on again.