Well, my 150 tank has been running for over a month now, and looks like this:
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What you can see:
The thing with the fuzzy algea on the back wall is the overflow. It's a corner type, cut down and with a bottom added. I figured I get better flow around it than something more blocky. To the right used to be the closed loop intake, but is now just an elbow that sticks above the water that acts as an overflow drain should the tank become too full (already saved me once). The thing on the center, down low used to be the closed loop return, but is now just an ugly plug.
You can also see a new Vortech MP40, and about 112lbs. of rock with some great macro on it (from SeaLife Inc, Florida). Lighting is provided by a pair of T-8 actinics, as well as a NovaExtreme 4 bulb T-5 light with the moonlights.
No pix of the sump, but it was a 40 gal tinted aquarium, but I had problems with the DIY baffles. Ended up with a storebought sump that I'm pretty happy with. Skimmer is a Coralife250 needlewheel, with the return being a Mag9.5.
Current residents are a Fighting Conch, 5 Scarlet Hermits, a single head of Dendro, the angry Yuma, a pair of maroon and green mushrooms, and tons of pods out all hours.
Super happy dendro:
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The pic doesn't do it justice. Since placing it in this tank, the center has gotten much deeper red-orange. It's always open, and I feed it every other day with a bit of freezedryed brine, which it grabs with gusto. It's getting ready to split, so I'm very excited. I'd love to have more. Before you say "Hey, that's from the pacific!" I'd like to note that suncorals, including "Supers" have been spreading throughout the Carribean since 1974, and can now even be found out at the "Flower Gardens" off the Texas coast. So, why not add a splash of color?
Angry Yuma, not doing well:
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I'm loving the Florida rock, it has tones of sponges and encrusting corals on it, as well as great macro. Besides the calcerous stuff and the creepers, there's also some Mermaids Fan, Shaving Brush, and Fuzzy, as well as some of the red and purple branching type. Tons of fan worms of varying types and sizes, and some large sponges, such as Chiken Liver and a small Purple Vase. I've also spotted what looks like the start of a Maze Brain Coral colony!!!!
Future additions:
Coral:
Purple Plume gorgonian
Orange Spiny gorg
Orange, pink, and green rics
Bulb tip calimorph
Brain and Elkhorn corals if I can find some (the non-protected species)
fish:
2 mated pairs of Pearly/Yellowhead Jawfish
Mated pair Neon gobies
4-5 Chaulk Bass
2-3 Royal Gramma
4-5 Cherub Angels (yep, going for a harem)
Maybe a Redlip Blenny
might sub Blue Reef Chromis for the Angels if they prove too pugnatious. I'd also really like to have an Atlantic Longsnout Butterfly, they're just cutre, as well as a Sharp Nosed Toby. Both are extremely hard to comeby. There is a mimic Filefish that is often sold as the Toby, same as the Valentini/Saddle mimic. Might also put in a small Hamlet, to keep the Angels in line.
Inverts:
Red Mythrax
Sexy Shrimp (for the Calimorph)
Peterson Shrimp (for the Gorgs)
Maybe a Skunk Cleaner, but I doubt it
I'm also thinking about maybe getting a Corkscrew anemony, as they're pretty cool looking and have several types of comensual shrimp, but I'm afraid of how aggressive it can be.
Anyways, more to come as it develops, including sump pictures.
What you can see:
The thing with the fuzzy algea on the back wall is the overflow. It's a corner type, cut down and with a bottom added. I figured I get better flow around it than something more blocky. To the right used to be the closed loop intake, but is now just an elbow that sticks above the water that acts as an overflow drain should the tank become too full (already saved me once). The thing on the center, down low used to be the closed loop return, but is now just an ugly plug.
You can also see a new Vortech MP40, and about 112lbs. of rock with some great macro on it (from SeaLife Inc, Florida). Lighting is provided by a pair of T-8 actinics, as well as a NovaExtreme 4 bulb T-5 light with the moonlights.
No pix of the sump, but it was a 40 gal tinted aquarium, but I had problems with the DIY baffles. Ended up with a storebought sump that I'm pretty happy with. Skimmer is a Coralife250 needlewheel, with the return being a Mag9.5.
Current residents are a Fighting Conch, 5 Scarlet Hermits, a single head of Dendro, the angry Yuma, a pair of maroon and green mushrooms, and tons of pods out all hours.
Super happy dendro:
The pic doesn't do it justice. Since placing it in this tank, the center has gotten much deeper red-orange. It's always open, and I feed it every other day with a bit of freezedryed brine, which it grabs with gusto. It's getting ready to split, so I'm very excited. I'd love to have more. Before you say "Hey, that's from the pacific!" I'd like to note that suncorals, including "Supers" have been spreading throughout the Carribean since 1974, and can now even be found out at the "Flower Gardens" off the Texas coast. So, why not add a splash of color?
Angry Yuma, not doing well:
I'm loving the Florida rock, it has tones of sponges and encrusting corals on it, as well as great macro. Besides the calcerous stuff and the creepers, there's also some Mermaids Fan, Shaving Brush, and Fuzzy, as well as some of the red and purple branching type. Tons of fan worms of varying types and sizes, and some large sponges, such as Chiken Liver and a small Purple Vase. I've also spotted what looks like the start of a Maze Brain Coral colony!!!!
Future additions:
Coral:
Purple Plume gorgonian
Orange Spiny gorg
Orange, pink, and green rics
Bulb tip calimorph
Brain and Elkhorn corals if I can find some (the non-protected species)
fish:
2 mated pairs of Pearly/Yellowhead Jawfish
Mated pair Neon gobies
4-5 Chaulk Bass
2-3 Royal Gramma
4-5 Cherub Angels (yep, going for a harem)
Maybe a Redlip Blenny
might sub Blue Reef Chromis for the Angels if they prove too pugnatious. I'd also really like to have an Atlantic Longsnout Butterfly, they're just cutre, as well as a Sharp Nosed Toby. Both are extremely hard to comeby. There is a mimic Filefish that is often sold as the Toby, same as the Valentini/Saddle mimic. Might also put in a small Hamlet, to keep the Angels in line.
Inverts:
Red Mythrax
Sexy Shrimp (for the Calimorph)
Peterson Shrimp (for the Gorgs)
Maybe a Skunk Cleaner, but I doubt it
I'm also thinking about maybe getting a Corkscrew anemony, as they're pretty cool looking and have several types of comensual shrimp, but I'm afraid of how aggressive it can be.
Anyways, more to come as it develops, including sump pictures.
I do have one question....why would your tank overflow. :? It sounds like you are pumping more than you are draining for some reason. Do you restrict your drain line in any way...if not the mag9 may be too powerful.
