Caravan's 180g in-wall

[CaravanShaka]

Custom Concepts forgot my acrylic panels in the sump (to limit light spilling from fuge and frag sections), so they are sending me the panels and a tube of silicone to install myself. That means I have to wait to get the sump running until after I get that stuff, so I doubt there will be any livestock other than clean up crew for another week or so.

 

[CaravanShaka]

I have decided to make a minor lighting change.

I have gotten GREAT coverage with the Lumia Arrays, so instead of the current 3 pairs running perpendicular to the front of the tank, I am going to switch to 2 pairs running parallel to the tank. This will give me the room to add a pair of 80w T5 Coral + bulbs and have the LED's in between them. I like the idea of trying the LED/T5 hybrid since it seems to be very successful for others and I will be growing a lot of SPS in this tank.

 

[CaravanShaka]

Quick pic update. Not completely setup, but a rock with monti, tri-color, pearlberry, and red planet wouldn't fit in the nuvo, so had to get it setup in the 180:

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[CaravanShaka]

Apex is up and running 100% now.

All livestock has been transferred and everything is doing great.

Got my t5 kit in tonight, but both bulbs were damaged during shipping so I can't do much with it yet.

Pics to hold you over (it is apparent that I need to get my wife to take real pics soon)

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[melev]

Looks very clean, Joe. Nice work.

 

[CaravanShaka]

I figured this build needed an update:

Sump is completed now, with refugium and frag section

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And some Tank Shots with all livestock transferred and new fish added (Regal Tang, Kole Tang, Yellow Tang, Flame Angel)

Office Side:

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Dining Side:

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[tonypittman]

Setup looks great. Enjoyed seeing it during the tank tour!

 

[JBsmurf]

Looks very nice bud. Great job on the build

 

[CaravanShaka]

wow, it's been almost 6 months since there was an update! I will pull some pics together tomorrow to get an visual update, but here is what is going on:

- had an ich outbreak - completely tore down the rocks and coral to catch all of the fish and moved them into QT. Lost about half of what I had, but managed to save a good chunk of them. They went through a 12 week cupramine and monitoring treatment and then were put back in the tank about thanksgiving.
- got some more fish after the initial ones went back in the tank and put them through a 6 week QT and just got them in the tank this week
- changed lighting about 28 times, and think I am excited most about what is going on the tank tomorrow when it arrives

Other than that, I have only lost a couple corals, and for the most part I've had great growth and the colors are finally coming around to where I want them now. I've fragged my pearlberry colony about 4 times now and will be cutting a couple branches tomorrow, I love that coral.

Fish list (display), named by my 4 year old daugther:
5" Regal Tang - "Dorey"
3" yellow eye Kole Tang - "Grapes"
2 captive bred clowns - "Nemo" and "Marlin"
2" six line wrasse - "Rainbow"
3" yellow corris wrasse - "Bright"
4" Flame Angel - "Scarlet"

In the QT Tank, hoping to find some more anthias or chromis tomorrow so I can start prazi-pro and cupramine:
4" Sailfin Tang - "Stripe White" (White is apparently his last name, lol)...this thing is a PIG...fat and healthy
2x 2.5" ignitus anthias - ordered 5 from Live Aquaria and 3 were DOA...hoping to save the last 2, but they don't seem to be in good shape

I think that's good enough for now, will share more tomorrow!

 

[CaravanShaka]

it's late, but here is the iphone pic update. The new lighting is

AI Hydra 52 | 250w Radium | AI Hydra | 250w Radium | AI Hydra 52

Don't mind the clutter on the sandbed, pulled the light from my frag section so they will be moved back down when I get a Halide for down there:

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[JBsmurf]

What size halide do you want for your frag system? I have a couple extra 250de fixtures in not using.

 

[CaravanShaka]

@JBsmurf wrote:

Thanks, but I ended up going with 150w DE with a 14k phoenix bulb

 

[CaravanShaka]

I changed up a few things last night, and I think it made a good impact!

When the Gyre came out, I bought one and replaced 2 MP40's with it and left 1 MP40 to create some chaotic flow. I have decided that while it was a lot of flow, I wasn't getting it in all of the right areas, so I added back another MP40 and swapped the Gyre over to the overflow side. I'm not running the gyre in the forward then reverse mode, which should still allow some of the junk to get into the overflow when it isn't on forward. I moved it there because I have no real way to get an MP40 in a good spot on that side. On the opposite side, about halfway down, I have an MP40 on either side blowing across the SPS island. This helps out the gyre when the gyre is in forward mode, and then creates nice chaotic flow when it is in reverse.

On top of that change, I also moved around a tiny bit of the scape. I decided it was too symmetrical with a set of thin tall rocks on both ends of the tank. I also had an SPS that wasn't getting quite enough flow/light on one side, so I ended up laying that tall rock on its side a bit at a 45 degree angle, which put that SPS back in good light, and also moved my candlelight colony out a bit more into the open to get some attention. It has a nice overhang to it now and gave me a bit more real estate for some more sticks. I'll try and get some pics when I am home with the halides on again.

Also, when should I worry about a Tangs appetite? In my 40b QT tank I've got a Sailfin tang and 3 dispar anthias going through prazi-pro and cupramine treatments. The tang is about 5" long, and has an appetite of a 250lb teenage boy. With Anthias in there, I am doing my best to keep up with 3-4 feedings a day, and on workdays that requires me to feed a good meal in the morning before work. The tang eats a lot on his own...about a 1/4 sheet of Nori a day if I put one in there, plus eats every time the Anthias eat. This morning, I put a full cube of Brine in there, and he at 95% of the cube before the Anthias were awake enough to realize there was food in the tank. Should I be concerned with his eating habits? When they are through treatment, should I move the Anthias, then try and slow down his eating before moving him to the main tank?

 

[CaravanShaka]

Things seem to be going pretty well overall, getting some good growth and everything is fairly stable. I did bleach a few corals with the Hydra's though (and surprisingly, the single hydra, not the 52's). I cut back the Hydra's settings to match the 52's instead of running them a bit more intense, and I am going to extend the time I have acclimation turned on. Corals still look healthy, but you can tell they are bleached on the top and look good on the sides.

Also finally got the materials to build the frame on the dining room side. Hoping to get that mounted in the next month.

Frag section in my sump got a 150w phoenix halide with a few RB LED's as well, so I've got all the frags moved back down there to start growing out. I am considering a separate frag tank though, we will see.

 

[Mitch9192]

Wow, that really looks awesome. I have ran every type of light and I have full LED's now, but there is something about halide's that really bring out the looks of a tank.

Mitch

 

[CaravanShaka]

Finally got the picture frame done on the dining room side:

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[b22]

Nicely done!

 

[CaravanShaka]

Thanks! Talking with some cabinet guys to finish off the office side so I can finally hide all the equipment!

 

[b22]

@CaravanShaka wrote:

What! And hide all that beauty? Lol

 

[CaravanShaka]

@b22 wrote:

LOL

The wife is taking over that room to be a consultation/sales area for her photography business, so I have to make it presentable. It will be making first impressions on potential customers [smilie=wink.gif]