aznmajik

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Brooklyn NY
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This is a post that I?ve been meaning to write for a few weeks.

About me:

I have been running two nanos for quite some time now (2 years), and decided it is time for an upgrade. I?m not sure of the exact sizes of them, but I?m going to guestimate 15g and 25g. My 15g has been doing great, and I feel that it is overstocked now. I?m out of real estate, and it is time to go to a different location.

The purchase:

Thank you Angel for this tank. I saw you were breaking down your tank in the marketplace, and I decided to look no further. It was a complete set for a fair price. Along with this package was a 75g rr tank, stand, hood, skimmer, return pump, sump, and a few extras. Angel threw in some night LEDs along with the package, and probably 75+ lbs of live sand, along with a few pieces of rock. Once again, sorry for not giving you adequate time to empty your tank, as I just called and said I?m on my way.

The testing phase:

Brought it home for a leak test, and it was pretty exciting. Once I turned on the return pump, I was slightly saddened. It wasn?t the flow that was the issue, it was the noise. This tank is in my living room so there is too much noise from the overflow. It is from the air being dragged down the durso and into the sump. Not sure what I can do about it. Since then, I?ve installed a few twists, hopefully slowing the water down a bit and quieting it.
After 3 days of running the tank on tap water, I found a few drops of water around the sump. Not a good sign. I believe it was the bulkhead that was loose, probably from transit and attaching/reattaching the hose. This slowed my progress down significantly, and I had to re-leaktest.

The surprise deal:

Thank you Dimitrius (sp) for selling me the MP40w at a great deal. There was much interest, but I got lucky. It works, and should be the only pump that I?ll need for this tank.
The order:
My RODI and BRS rock came in. They were rather large(ish) pieces, but I didn?t mind. Unfortunately, the RODI came in broken with a bad elbow. BRS was very helpful and express mailed me the parts to fix it. +1 for BRS! Great customer service.

Currently:

I?ve been taking wayyyy too long to set up this tank, but I know patience is the key in this hobby. With 2 nano tank experiences, I know not to rush. So I?ve put the rocks in, and somewhat sculpted my aquascape. Looks decent?. However, I didn?t use Angel?s sand. I found it too coarse, and would like to order something finer, probably the Fiji pink sand. Also, as I have no light yet, I?m in the works with Wingo, trying to get a LED strip going for me. I?m quite impressed with his lights, and apparently they?re selling like hotcakes, cause he doesn?t even have demo lights for me to see.

Here is a crappy picture of the tank. I don?t have my camera atm, and I?m using my phone?s camera without a flash. Deal with it for now. The water is still cloudy because I don?t have the skimmer on. It?s from the rocks and the 2 cups (maybe a bit more) of sand I put in the system to start it up. As Angel?s sand is far too coarse for me, if anyone wants it, just tell me. I?m in Brooklyn, and you?ll have to pick it up. Will trade for anything.
 

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angel125

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Location
Astoria NY
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Nice going budd.. Please post more pics i`m exited to see and hear that you are taking good care of this tank... It`s going to be one sweet 75! By the way that mp40 is all you needed to complete the tank... Keep them pics coming bro!
 

aznmajik

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Location
Brooklyn NY
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Colors :)

Here's the tank with things settled down. With a shrimp on a rod for good measures :)

This is with Angel's fancy multi-color LEDS.

And, no. These will not be my main LEDS, but only for night viewing. It is my fault for not speaking with Wingo earlier to build a set for me. Work has been pretty busy for me, so I need to catch up with Wingo.
 

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NYreefNoob

Skimmer Freak
Location
poughquag, ny
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personally id go with the bigger rock structure in front of the overflow, and while there is nothing in the tank now is the time to play with rock work, acrylic rods will help in building towers ect, cant go by weight as different rock has different weight, also would put the vortech on other side of tank as flow comes across and hits then it is right at the overflow on the bounce back also pending how you end up with the rock work, best of luck and looks good so far, oh u said the drain has noise, can you get a pic of the drain tube and is the plumbing sumbmersed or above water line ?
 

aznmajik

Experienced Reefer
Location
Brooklyn NY
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Rock Update

Thanks for the suggestion. I (reluctantly) moved the rocks to cover the overflow. And now I have no more. Guess I need to purchase some more! perhaps I'm going to make a small island on the right. See what happens....

The MP40 is also now on the right side.
 

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aznmajik

Experienced Reefer
Location
Brooklyn NY
Rating - 100%
33   0   0
you know how difficult it is to "revert" right?

I'll try tomorrow.

I'm also in the market for maybe 25+ more pounds. My original plan is to have 2 islands like the original picture. Except, I'd build on the left island.
 

aznt1217

Forever Noob
Location
Bayside
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One big thing you're going to have to do. Not sure if you did it already but you have to make sure your Vortech isn't attached on the way you have it in the pictures. You have to have the cable leading to the driver box going upwards. Vortech supplies you with a double sided cable holding mount. If you cannot use it try and loop the cable around something. In the event that the magnet fails or something moves it you don't want it hanging around loose.

What return pump are you using (did you check if the impeller is seated properly?) and how is the plumbing set up (your durso) and the sump below. Take photos of it so people can more or less see if we can get the noise level down.

The amount of rock is really dependent on your maintenance and rest of the equipment you are going to be running. What else will you have? Also what kind of livestock are you trying to keep?
 

aznmajik

Experienced Reefer
Location
Brooklyn NY
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Update.
Here are some pictures from last week. I'll get new ones up soon.

So I'm fighting a battle and I don't want to loose.

I have 2 60w LEDs coming in the mail tomorrow. Actually, today but I wasn't home to pick up delivery ::sad::

From Wingo's generosity, he let me borrow his T5 temporarily to help my tank get started. Hence, only half my tank is lit. That's why you only see half of it.

As for livestock, I have 2 cleaner shrimps, 2 blood shrimps, and 3 peppermint shrimps. 3 Tonga Nassarius and 3 turbos.

I have a small colony of purple tubbs, colony of random green zoas, a birdsnest, green/brown spongode (hope the new leds will bring out its color), a full frag of orange zoas from Will, and unknown beautiful pink zoas. And a mini carpet from Ryun, and a nice sized green maze brain from Aquatic Life Direct. They have a pretty nice startup, and they had an awesome president's day sale.

Fish: Midas Blenny, 3 green chromis, and hippo tang.

Here's my battle.

I fought ich before with my nano tanks. Successfully haven't seen ich for over a year. They were quarantined and treated with copper. The hippo obviously has outgrown the 29, so I transferred it to my 75. It was extremely difficult, and required me to remove all the rocks. He acquired ich shortly after putting him in my tank. Stressed mofo. I hear some ppl say ich stays in your system and its up to your fish to fight it off.....I'm somewhat leaning to this argument.

Now you will ask, why do I have other fish? Well, I purchased them first actually, put them in my tank, and noticed dots on my tang. I will not attribute ich from the vendor that I've purchased from. In fact, the midas was in qt tank when I purchased him.

I'll update with pictures soon after I install my LEDs.

My fish, rock, and corals from my two nanos are waiting to be put in the larger one, but I'm not sure if I should, as the hippo has ich. None of the chromis or the midas is exhibiting it though.

I'm crossing my fingers and hoping a garlic + selcon diet will work.
 

aznmajik

Experienced Reefer
Location
Brooklyn NY
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As you can see, I've completely ruined the scape...And I decided that with all my large rocks, it would be very hard to scape.

Ted, reason I didn't use the holding mount yet is because I didn't decide where my vortech will be. I'm scared the mount will be difficult to remove, or even leave behind residue.
 

aznt1217

Forever Noob
Location
Bayside
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As long as the Hippo is eating it's fine. Make sure you keep that Midas fed heavily their bellies waste away quickly if their nutritional needs aren't met. Mysis seems to work best in terms of nutritional value for those little guys.

For the Vortech, see if you can loop it around something. It's better safe than sorry. Not worth the heart attack when having the dry side drop off (which I have had happen before).

Which LED's did you go with?
 

aznmajik

Experienced Reefer
Location
Brooklyn NY
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I would have to shuffle too many fish around. My 29 still has livestock. I'll see what happens with in a week or two....

I got the CREE LED 60W.

So I'm planning on mounting them onto my canopy and I realize why people go rimless and canopyless now... How the heck do you feed the fish without lifting up the hood? Makes me wish I shouldve got a rimless. If I want to feed my corals or do maintenance, then the tank would be lightless and the LEDs would be blinding me! (no, I don't know how to turn lights off)
 
Location
Nassau
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I would have to shuffle too many fish around. My 29 still has livestock. I'll see what happens with in a week or two....

I got the CREE LED 60W.

So I'm planning on mounting them onto my canopy and I realize why people go rimless and canopyless now... How the heck do you feed the fish without lifting up the hood? Makes me wish I shouldve got a rimless. If I want to feed my corals or do maintenance, then the tank would be lightless and the LEDs would be blinding me! (no, I don't know how to turn lights off)
Usually canopies have hinged panels at the front that can be raised and lowered.
 

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