My E-6 Project

K

Kerrys Reef

Hi, y'all!

I'm a returning member and got out of the hobby back in '04, but, kept this little tank going...somewhat...'cause I just couldn't let go completely! Once an addict, allways and addict! :lol: I kept this eclipse set up and running with just the live rock and a maxijet for about 1 1/2 years with nothing else in the tank, including no light. About 4 months ago, I decided it was time to do something with it...get rid of it or fix it up, so, I'm fixing it up! It has been going now for 4 months with the rock and ph, plus I added a new lamp to the eclipse hood. A bi-color psuedo was added next, and, after the algae started to grow again, I added 5 snails. About a month later, I added a Rapids Mini Canaster filter with carbon, De Nitrate, and Phospure medias. Then came the two coral frags to see if they could survive under a 9watt lamp until I could upgrade. This is what it looks like right now.
 
Today I finally decided on my lighting upgrade after about a month of looking at the options. I really wanted to go with LED lighting, but, it is just too much $$ for me. Cost and heat issues were determining factors, but, I did not want to go the PC route as I've had them in the past and I'm just not a fan of PCs! This one was quite a bit more expensive than I really wanted to go, but, I think it is the best choice and allows for upgrading the tank later on. (Addicts always keep the future in mind when planning for today! :wink: I have a 20 gallon sitting in the garage but no stand....yet!) I ordered the Viper 70watt clamp-on halide light from DrsF&S today, so, I should have the new lights in about a week. Yippee! My two coral frags are gonna love it! I also ordered a 20lb bag of oolitic sand and I am going to remove the rubble (detritus trap) that is on the bottom now. It is much worse at trapping food and debris than I thought it would be and I am getting a lush growth of cyano on it. :roll:

Once the light and sand arrive, I will just remove everything into a bucket and put the sandbed into the empty tank. I have done this before, adding a new sandbed to an established tank, so, I am confidant that it will not be a big problem. I just take care to avoid letting the sand get stirred up when filling the tank. If it is not too nasty, I may rinse the old sand (aprox. 3 llbs of fine livesand mixed with the rubble) then seperate it from the rubble. Then I will spread it over the top of the new sand to seed it.
I also just purchased a wavemaker so I will get it set up then, too. I want to buy some of the micro jets I've seen listed, but, it may be awhile before I can afford any more equiptment purchases so for now it will be my old maxijet 600s (can we say, 'Sandstorm'!) On second thought, lol, I may have to forget the wavemaker until I can get those smaller PHs! Anyhoo, this is what I am playing around with! :D
 
Thanks, Paul!
These little tanks are pretty limited, but, in many ways that is good. When I had my 55, I think I changed the aquascaping a dozen times, at least in the 7yrs I had it up. :lol: Then again, this one is so much easier to get into...limited or not, I may find it hard to keep my hands out of this! :roll:
 
I added the deep sand bed, about a 3" bed of oolitic sand, and upgraded to a 70wat 14K halide. The tank has gone through a resurgence of algae blooms, diatoms, hair, cyano and seems to be settling down again, finally! I'm still getting some cyano, but, none of the thick mats I was seeing, just a dusting over the sand and a few spots on the rock where detritus settles. Here are a couple new pics. :D
 
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