Bojangles 200g reef

[Sascha D]

You sound like me on that tank redo thing. I have a terrible habit of starting on "one little water change" and ending up draining and moving the tank or some other radical thing. But hey the results speak for itself, right? Gotta have the the composition of the rocks satisfying because not only do the fish need their caves but if we are going to vitually bankrupt ourselves for this hobby then damnit the tank better at least look good!
Kate

LOL well put Electrokate!!!

You hit it right on the money! I had completely overlooked the slider bar that reduces size and quality of the pictures when you save them. Whenever I want to reduce or increase it all I have to do is "save as" and change the slider quality level.

What would I do without you!?! Alas all the smart wonderful ones are taken...

 

[Sascha D]

Ok first off I'm going to post some tank shots. Despite all my practice I havent been able to get very good pictures of the 6ft length.

What do you guys think of the rockwork? Any suggestions on where to move what or structure? I'm never satisfied with it really.

 

[Sascha D]

Also I was in the zone and decided to try some macro shots purely for your entertainment

I love this coral so much! It draws everyone's attention immediately because of the color. Just to think about a month after I got this I was ready to trade it for about anything and now its my favorite

 

[Sascha D]

Here are some pictures of the new sump design, its alittle low on water but you can see everything clearly.

This is my recovering fiji candycane coral. I epoxied him to his own rock and found a good placement. This picture says a thousand words.

Next are the green hairy mushrooms I got from the LFS. It took me about 4 months to persuade him to frag it for me and the opportunity came when they changed locations. I found a single polyp in the gravel of a random tank and offered him $5. Since then its grown about 200% and split into two equal mushrooms.

Lastly is an update of my frogspawn, which is difficult to take pictures of because its such high current. And last but not least is my trumpet coral, which I love, that had gotten relocated to the left side of the tank with his pedestal rock.

 

[Krish]

Nice rockwork man...

 

[NaH2O]

Nice rockwork man...

I agree. I think the aquascaping looks great.

 

[Sascha D]

Thanks guys! Maybe its just me thats being wierd. I'm always adding stuff and removing stuff and its always the left side that gets on my nerves heh.

I got my new pumps and my light strip in yesterday so I'll be installing those today and probably a 5g wc to remove the excess debris from the dsb removal.

 

[Sascha D]

Well I've been thinking about it for months and it turns out I'm going to try and join the AirForce. Unfortunately that means I have to sell the tank and everything: Additives, LR, lighting ect.

If anyone is interested in buying the whole set-up or most of it let me know. I'm not going to piece everything until I have a date set for deployment. Hope for the best heh.

 

[spongebob lover]

ahh dood ... you got a very nice set up.
I hope you get what you paid for it.

 

[jake65]

Aim High!

 

[Krish]

Well I've been thinking about it for months and it turns out I'm going to try and join the AirForce. Unfortunately that means I have to sell the tank and everything: Additives, LR, lighting ect.

If anyone is interested in buying the whole set-up or most of it let me know. I'm not going to piece everything until I have a date set for deployment. Hope for the best heh.

Sorry you are getting out of the hobby, but congrats on joining the air force! Hope all goes well for you...Be safe man

 

[spongebob lover]

I'm still interested in your candy cane .

 

[Sascha D]

Sorry you are getting out of the hobby, but congrats on joining the air force! Hope all goes well for you...Be safe man

I'm not in quite yet but hopefully I can. From what I understand I'll be able to keep a tank while in the armed forces but I'm worried about deployment. It might have to be a fish only or fowlr that I can take down quickly incase I get sent overseas.

ahh dood ... you got a very nice set up.
I hope you get what you paid for it.

Thanks! Actually I didn't put very much into the whole thing. I bought the tank about 9 years ago when I was 16 with my first job, so I've been paid in memories

 

[Sascha D]

Anyone know how to fix or install a ballast? I came home to 3 of my 4 bulbs being out today. I'm not sure what it is but the 1/2 of the one fixture is still working.

Called alot of stores today, both lfs and lighting stores and no one will work or can get parts for it. DOH hehe

 

[Electrokate]

Is it a DIY setup or ready made? Who made the parts?
If it was me and a DIY setup I would take the cord attached to the working bulb and attach that to the non working ballast. Same with the power cord. I would try a few different combos to see if it is the ballast, the bulb or the wiring. Could be something as simple as a wire came loose. I've been known to trip over cords and pull them loose or drop something on them that knocks them loose, that sort of thing. If it is not a DIY setup it's trickier. You can buy parts for both PC and halide setups, fortunately.
Kate

 

[Sascha D]

I dont have a canopy so I didn't do a retro. What I bought were Odyssea 2x96. Its a complete fixture lamp. All the wiring and cords are hidden so I dont think thats it. I would have to open it up and check.

I tried to remove it from the power source and connect it to another outlet. The fans turn on but the bulbs dont.

 

[Sascha D]

I also tried putting in my spare bulbs with no luck. I'm 90% sure the bulbs I put in work just fine so it has to be something else.

 

[Electrokate]

Hi,
Sorry to hear that. The Oddysea has a bad reputation. How long did you get it and did you get it from someone you can return it to? If it's Aquatraders then they won't take it back. Fortunately you can redo it and save some on the electric/bulb bill while still using the nice looking fixture. You will need new ballasts, and the existing wiring will be connected to them. You can either get electronic or magnetic, electronic ballasts cost more but supposedly use less juice, get less hot and don't wear the bulbs out as fast, that's what I have read... on the other hand I have them and they are too hot to touch. Go figure.
You might want to contact Hellolights.com as they can tell you some ballast options. They have one that will fire two of the bulbs for 50 bucks. They can also walk you through the process. I believe they also have small ballasts like the ones inside the fixture, but if the ballasts are in there baking next to the bulbs maybe that is why they don't last so long, I'd rather have the box on the floor. For 35 bucks they have a ballast that will fire both bulbs, is electronic, and is easier to wire than it looks:
http://hellolights.com/aroelpocoba.html
They have this for 50. This one is magnetic but in a black box with a light switch
http://hellolights.com/cl2x96wcoflb.html
Good luck!
Kate

 

[Sascha D]

Kate you are awesome! I'll look into that right away thanks!

and yes I got them on Ebay real cheap but I guess it cost me in the end huh...

thanks again
Sascha

 

[Sascha D]

Well this tank has been for sale for about a week incase you guys didn't know. http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18803

I just sold all the corals and it was kinda depressing seeing it all go. I still have 163lbs of rock left and some mushrooms. After these years its hard letting everything that you've raised go but I guess I'll have it all again someday. Hope everyone enjoyed the pictures.

Sascha