Neal's SPS & ZOA/PALY SYSTEM Coral & Livestock pics thread...

[pallobi]

and jus to give an idea of the number of rastas and red hornets, the following is a close up of them both closed up, respectively... mind you, those rastas started as 5 in May, and now i count over 70... so much for being a slow grower

 

[pallobi]

my sunset monti re-mounted on a larger, flat tile... this should make for a nice colony when it grow out...

and 3 more random crappy pics...

my ORA joe the coral...

ORA orange digi...

and my ATL limeade... again, sorry for the crappy pics tonite...

 

[The Ng Thing]

almost 7000 views ::

 

[pallobi]

almost 7000 views ::

I jus like to share my work

 

[pallobi]

I am actually down grading this coming week, or the week after depending when i can get the new tank drilled... i am picking up a rimless 65g breeder from a fellow local reefer on monday... the footprint is the same as the current 75g i have, however it is 4" shorter, so i will have greater light penetration and greater par at the lower levels of the display... there will be no overflow, as i will drill (2) 1" drain standpipes, one in each upper corner of the back wall, with a 3/4" return centered at the top of the back wall... im actually really excited given the sale does not fall through, which i am not expecting it to do... i will shorten the columns i use and lower each coral a bit... i will still be utilizing the pair of mp40's ES W's...

I am no longer planning on using the 180g i have, and it is being sold and picked up tomorrow...

I also plan on adding a Scopas tang to the display with the Purple tang once i change over... the scopas is coming with the 65g breeder... which i finally found, and a rimless custom at that

 

[littlefish09]

I look forward to seeing whatever crazy ideas you come up with this one. When i first saw the way you had the columns i found it kinda strange but liked it alot after reading more about the way you had everything set up. Cant wait to see the new tank up and running.

 

[pallobi]

Thanks bud last week i also modified the large tiles i now have the zoas mounted to... the are now lifted a bit on the under backside so they are tilted more to the viewing side of the tank... i havent been able to really take any pics lately, but ill see if i can post the pics of the modification idea itself i took when i thought of it... its very simple, but very pleasing to the eye for viewing the zoas now... you get more of a better look at the top side of them amd the colors/patterns...

 

[pallobi]

here is a few pics to give you an idea of the zoa tile viewability mods... basic, very simple, but looks and works great... i also did the same for a peice of sunset monti, and i am now looking for a peice of rainbow monti to do the same

 

[pallobi]

another thing i plan on doing... i am keeping the square tube steel stand i have for the 180, and i will be setting that up as well in place of my current setup... the steel makes for a much less bulky look, and much less space used and its much more open... it will serve as stand with my display in one back corner, a second small nano style display in the other back corner, and a work/hobby bench for my system... my display(s) will be much easier to get into now, as the overall height to the top of the display will be nearly 1' shorter, so that will be a big help...

I am also considering placing the 2 vortechs on the back wall and tuning them down a bit, so i can keep the sides panels as viewable and able to keep them clean like the frong panel of the 75g i now use... i think that i would really like that, but we will have to see how much room i have along with how much i shorten the columns... the only reason i am doing this changeover to shorter tank is for light penetration, so the access the corals have to light, in this case the ones in the back row, will be my first and foremost concern...

 

[Turbosnail]

I think you should start a build thread I think it would be cool.

 

[LunaReef]

+1 on the build thread! This tank is cool, very different. I love the millies in the first few shots. Some day down the road maybe I'll get the guts up to try a millie frag, heh. The new tank sounds awesome. I'd have gone with a shallow and rimless tank also if I didn't already have the 58g I'm using now.

 

[pallobi]

thanks peeps... as always, i appreciate any interest anyone takes in my obsession... I will absolutely be posting a some pics... however, though it would be cool to have one designated thread for it, i am gonna keep the progression and evolution of my system all here, in one thread... its one of the reasons i didnt put a tank/system size in the title, as i knew i would be changing it up along the way... getting a new skimmer tomorrow, and the tank tomorrow... gonna see if Krystal Clear or another place will drill it for me... also getting another 40g breeder if it doesnt fall through, and im gonna make a new custom sump... and ill be utilizing the large oversized tube steel stand i had fromt the 180g, which was sold this past friday, as a hobby bench sorta speak... it will give me lots of room, and open space underneath... and ill be able to do some nice things with it and perhaps add a frag tank, and QT etc... we will see what suits my fancy, lol

anyhow, ill be doing all this over the next few weeks, really jus depends on where and when i can get it some holes drilled, and by whom... i can and have done these myself, but im gonna leave this to someone more experienced than I, this time around...

also, i had to order a new ballast for my teklight, as one blew this past week from a power surge... so since this past wednesday, i have only been running 4 bulbs instead of 8, but i should have the new one in a few days... other than that, all is well!

thanks again for the interest and support as always everyone!!!

cheers!

 

[pallobi]

A little bit of a change in plans... after more considersations, i have decided to use the rimless 60g i have as a sump for the time being... i am picking up a shallow Deep Blue 80g RR, this coming wednesday... this will be my display, its dimensions measure 48" x 24" x 17" in height... i decided on this so i would not have to do any drilling on any tank, of any kind, as well as it will give be 33% more real estate and room for my corals to grow out... i will still be using tye large custom tube steel, and as i mentioned, the 60g rimless will be my sump... i know have a new, and smaller skimmer, a Super Reef Ocotpus 1000, utilizing a single bubble blaster pump... considering the smaller size compared to the Reef Octopus 300 dual pump Extreme i was using, I will be adding a second Super Reef Octopus 1000 to the one I recently acquired... I will also be ordering (2) Vortech mp10 ES W's, to go with the pair of MP 40's i know have... all 4 Vortechs will be utilized in my 80g display... the flow is gonna be incredible... I will also be plumbing in a 20g frag tank when the money permits... I will also have the room within the stand for another small tank/display of some kind in which i am not sure it will consist of, perhaps a seahorse tank, who knows...

Thanks for reading and following along! Will update very soon

 

[inverted]

4 vortechs on an 80 :: Hey, go big or go home I guess The 80 is a great foot print. The 60g frag tank I just set up is a DBP tank. Same footprint, just not as tall. I don't know if they do an 80 rimless, you may want to ask if you like the rimless idea. For the 60, it was actually only something like $50 more for the rimless version. BTW tanks looking great!

 

[pallobi]

4 vortechs on an 80 :: Hey, go big or go home I guess The 80 is a great foot print. The 60g frag tank I just set up is a DBP tank. Same footprint, just not as tall. I don't know if they do an 80 rimless, you may want to ask if you like the rimless idea. For the 60, it was actually only something like $50 more for the rimless version. BTW tanks looking great!

lol exactly... i am a bit OCD about my flow through my entire system, but i stand by my convictions and approach... and i loved the 60g, but that is more of a frag tank size, which a frag tank is NOT what i have... so i needed the extra 4 to 5" in height to keep the look and approach i have been going for, where it needs to be... I will still get much better light penetration with this 80g over the 75g standard i have now, and i will have more real estate as i mentioned... i have gone back and forth on so many ideas, but i am happy with what i have decided on and got going so far... and i dont believe there is a 80g rimless by Deep Blue, but i could be wrong... besides, im more concerened with the dimensions than the rimless look... and like i said, now i dont have to drill a thing... lol

anyhow, thank you for the ending compliment... i have removed the green stylo as well from my system, and have changed things a little bit... my whole change over to the new display, stand and sump will hopefully take place before thanksgiving, but i have been working 6 nights a week lately with a couple days mixed in, so its been hard to get things goin, plus im still waiting on a couple things... but I'll have it all on my thread as i go, promise

 

[mordibv]

The 80 does not come in a rimless flavor. I talked to my lfs last week and he could not stop stressing no custom work with Deep Blues. Hey Neal did ur's come with the black silicone ? Bud back home just picked up one with a manu date of Oct 2011. It does have black silicone.
I still have not pulled the trigger on the tank but keep picking up this new toy and that for the new build.
I look forward to more pics. Hope u don't rip the polyps out of those pretty sps.
P

Sent from my Moto Atrix using Tapatalk

 

[pallobi]

The 80 does not come in a rimless flavor. I talked to my lfs last week and he could not stop stressing no custom work with Deep Blues. Hey Neal did ur's come with the black silicone ? Bud back home just picked up one with a manu date of Oct 2011. It does have black silicone.
I still have not pulled the trigger on the tank but keep picking up this new toy and that for the new build.
I look forward to more pics. Hope u don't rip the polyps out of those pretty sps.
P

Sent from my Moto Atrix using Tapatalk

yes sir, black silicone... its a gorgeous "breeder style" tank... its gonna look great when i get it all done up... and the light penetration will be great as well... i am very much looking forward to it...

and my flow idea, which many will snub i understand, is not so much to keep it all at full blast, but to get better flow along the bottom of the tank from the lower back wall as well, so that underside and the back sides of the corals get better flow and in turn, will grow better and be more healthy... believe me, i would not do anything that would damage the coral... i am well aware of what too much direct flow will do to my sps

 

[pallobi]

System Upgrade & Overhaul Officially Begins...

Well, here we go... I have gone back and forth on a bunch of ideas, and have decided on the following...

**********

80 gallon Reef Ready, Deep Blue "breeder style" display tank, 48 x 24 x 16 tall
60g rimless/braceless Glasscages sump tank, 48 x 18 x 16 tall
Custom Built oversized & welded tubesteel stand, 73 x 29 x 36 tall

**********

Over the next two weeks, I will be doing a good amount of work when I have the free time... here are some pics of my 3 main components thus far... the stand is my first project...

I sanded the rust spots off tonite, and put two coats of some decent outdoor quality black spray paint... I am off to Lowe's in the morning to get some more plywood for the top, and a large panel to be fastened to the back wall of the under area of the stand to attach whatever i feel the need... these surfaces will be painted black as well, and then finished with polyurethane to protect the wood...

I will also be filling the 60g sump to be with fresh water tomorrow, and adding a few gallons of white vinegar to dissolve the coralline and give it a good cleaning... i will allow it to sit for one full day, then thoroughly rinse it the next day...

I am really excited about my stand and all the space I am gonna have...

**********

all three of my main 3 components of my upgrade/overhaul... all pics taken before any work has been done...

the stand... which again, i am in love with...

the new display... and yes, it came from a LFS... lmao

and the, to be cleaned thoroughly, sump...

 

[pallobi]

vinegar bath time... for my sump to be

 

[firstimer]

such a shame a nice tank like that for a sump!!!