My new setup

[Forestal]

Hello all...

I wanted to start a thread here to document my new setup...I did the previously unimaginable this time...i planned it , livestock included before water went in... I want to make this with all life inside a biotope type display... Indo-Pacific Backreef/Lagoon

Setup:
1. 120 gallon starfire cube (diy canopy and stand by previous owner)
The plan is for this tank to contain a indopacific lagoon biotope ,plan to let the DSB thrive a bit, with lots of inverts, and several types of seagrass. Due to a rescue...now there is a banded pipe in here...loving the room and pods and occasional mysis-won't eat it all the time...planned originally to wait a while more to add fish...pipes and seahorses is the plan, but pippi will have to go solo for a few more months...

(this is day one, sand settled down nicely)

currently: - need more cleanup crew to take care of hair algae starting to grow
http://forestalsfish.com/pics/Tanks/120cube/lagoon.jpg
Lighting right now is 400 w MH (6600K) and 2 x55 watt actinics

DSB ~5-6 inches deep

tank has central overflow with 2" drain to pvc/flex to 100 gallon rubbermaid sump.
http://forestalsfish.com/pics/Tanks/planning/drain.jpg

2. 100 Gallon sump - 5 inch DSB; currently 115 pounds fiji LR cured now, and chaeto/caulerpa/gracilia for macro growout/harvest. Lighting is 3 175 w MH and 2 72" VHO actinics (one MH overlaps the tank, used for some plants )...I plan to use this tank for frag growouts eventually

skimmer on sump...small finnex...awaiting new bigger one..produces quite a bit.

automatic FW topoff using a float valve and 50 gallon drum filled with RO/DIwater and powerhead hooked to float valve...

water returned from internal diy acrylic box and mag18 (1850 gph) pump with 1" pvc and gate valve to control flow back to 120 cube.

http://forestalsfish.com/pics/Tanks/120cube/planning/overflowreturn.jpg
(note pic not including final 100 g tub)

inside sump is a couple power heads..plus a manifold type thingy to spread flow coming from both tanks...

3. 150 Gallon - 5 inch DSB and 120 pounds of fiji live rock (put in 3 days ago) came in cured from premium aquatics...and looks fantastic.
http://forestalsfish.com/pics/Tanks/120cube/backreef.jpg

Plan for this tank is to house a indo-pacific backreef biotope with a BTA and colony of tomato clowns, a wrasse or two, DSB of 5", some bits of seagrass, my regal blue tang (hippo) and Kole tang...i plan to have some LR but not stuffed full, to give some better options for aquascaping...

sand bed/cleanup crew/LR/ will be only life for several months as with cube tank, to get fully estblished..

tank is located next to cube, perpendicular, so back reef and lagoon are next to each other, but allowing for different stocking options..

closed loop with mag drive pump for 2 lower back bulkheads...currently on hold...trying to fine tune the plumbing

diy overflow to sump

and will use a mag pump within the sump for return/gate valve...the hose i have draining the overflow is not large enough so have to increase it....not as much flow as return to cube...
tunze 6080 in this tank helps the internal flow...

lighting is not purchased yet, but plan one end 400 watt MH , 2 175's with actinics...currently have several pcs and a 48" corallife 2x196 watt

thanks for any input/support


__________________
Peace,

Dan

 

[Forestal]

Livestock plan for lagoon is for captive bred seahorses...probably erectus, and some more pipefish, preferably captive bred...perhaps a blennie and gobie or two

150 will have a bta and tomato clowns, a few wrass, a kole tang and blue tang and perhaps some jawfish for the sand bed...also plan for some clams eventually

 

[bigdave]

Looks nice keep us updated. Dave

 

[NaH2O]

Woohoo! I've been waiting for this thread. I have been interested since you posted about doing a biotope tank. I look forward to watching this come together. I'm glad you were happy with your live rock from Premium - the guys there are awesome....I try not to bug them too much hehehe. Keep us updated! How long have the tanks been running?

 

[Forestal]

Thanks for the enthusiasm Nikki...The cube and 100 sump have been filled since December...i used the curing of the rock as the cycle...one lesson learned...didnt need the metal halides going , hehe...however, the cyano bloom worked great as a nutrient export...i siphoned daily, and within 3 weeks, all gone...i then filled the 150 up in early january.. with 75 pounds of live rock added to the 150 and sump from my 55 reef..now broken down...

so far so good...the seagrass is starting to spread..but i want a mat of the stuff before i put any ponies or other pipes in there...i aquascaped a little today in the 150...i am no artist...nothing like your tank...but see what you think

http://forestalsfish.com/pics/Tanks/120cube/scape.jpg
Left:
http://forestalsfish.com/pics/Tanks/120cube/leftscape.jpg
Right:
http://forestalsfish.com/pics/Tanks/120cube/rightscape.jpg

 

[mojoreef]

Right on Dan. I am looking forward to seeing this tank stocked up. With the pipe fish and the way they eat are you going to keep it real low flow?? Have you looked into any other simular biotype critters beyond those two??


Mike

 

[Forestal]

thanks Mike
flow is pretty good in there, but the pipe is ok... he seems to hug the sides where he can pick off the pods..of which there are plenty...

my plan for the lagoon is seahorses, pipes, a few gobies (lawn mower/shrimp)...beyond that, i am open to suggestions...i dont' need a heavy bioload...but have been poring thru books on indo pacific guide...and in a tank with seahorses a lot of stuff may be too aggressive...

please feel free to throw out ideas...it will be several months prob. before i add more than a blenny and more snails i imagine