Poppies Tank Journal

[poppie]

Well my 6x2x2 is nomore

Whilst we were overseas in Singapore visiting our son and family a leak developed in the seal of a down pipe. Results- loss of MH ballasts, tunze control gear, some pumps, fish but worst at least 60% of my SPS corals.
After a few tears and good stiff wiskey slugs or 2 or 3 (lost count) the salvage began.

Any fish and corals that survived were put into a spare bathroom bathtub with pumps, skimmer and heater. There they stayed for eight weeks.

Discussions with the the Boss Lady (wife, she who must be obeyed) resulted in consistent answers of NO to a new tank unless it was going to be smaller and where she designated etc.

Finally after the building repairs were completed she relented to me having a tank but in a disused corner of the familyroom where a fire hearth once existed.

Exile Corner

New Tank Plans

New Stand Arrived

Tank Under Construction

Tank Arrived and Stand prepared for cabinet encasing

Tank Filled and Scaped

View through central pane

View via right hand pane

View via left hand pane

Still a bit of work to go as far as restocking lost SPS's and fish but from disaster to action again eight long weeks .

Poppie (Chris)

 

[krisfal]

Looking good! I like how the tank fits into the space.

I travel on business quite a bit (next week to Dryden, Ontario Canada) and your reality is one of my nightmares, that something will go drastically wrong with one of my tanks while I am not there! I am happy to see you are making a recovery.

 

[Snowboarda42]

Normally I'm not a fan of any tank thats square or rectangular, but that thing is awesome! I like how it fits right in that corner space too!

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Very funny story, but the tank is absolutely amazing!
(put that heater in the sump)

 

[roscoe]

Wow That Is An Absolute Beauty.

 

[Scooterman]

Man you cheated, posted all this up in one day
Nice work, did you do the glass tank yourself?

 

[Krish]

Very nice stuff man!!!! Very unique!

 

[poppie]

Thanks everyone. The tank was built by a LFS that specializes in marine only.

My biggest problem was the supply of the Starfire glass as it had to be delivered from the eastern seaboard virtually the same distance as NY to LA.

The heater was only there to bring the temprature up to the desired 25C and has since been moved.

My next step is to complete the cabinetwork and source new frags and colonies to replace the ones I lost, but that will happen in due time.

Since posting the journal I have added 3 T5 units for lighting.

Equipment is now
Return pump
1 x Aqua Medic Oceanrunner 3500

Circulation pumps
2 x Tunze 12000 lt
2 x Koral 1500 lt

Skimmer Turbo flotter 1000
Calcium reactor Koralin plus second chamber (this comfortably kept the 6x2x2 with large SPS collection at 450 plus)
Phosphate reactor powered by 1000l lt pump
Carbon reactor 1.5 lt capacity powered by 500 lt pump

Lighting
2 x 250Watt MH with 14000K radium SE globes
3 x 24 inch T5's with twin tubes

Refug
250 lt tub sectioned for algea, bucket sandbed (as discussed on your forum by Kevin Pockell) and coral rubble section to increaseoverall filtration and growth of various pods.

Chris

 

[trido]

Beautiful aquascaping.

 

[morgan]

hey welcome to rg good to see some more west aussies on this bored i dont have many rare sps but i am farming red discs atm surely can trade with u anything that i can frag but i manily keep lps and softys
where do u buy most of your stuff as u say marine only store that would have to be ocean reefs which is a good place but the parking is crap
if your looking for fish i would check out city farmers in joondalup as they have crazy prices i got an awsome red sea sailfin tang for 60 bucks not 120 like ocean reefs vebas is good to they have really cheap mh bulbs if ur looking for them
perth aquarium display center has let me down charging 161 dollars for a flame hawke those guys must be dreaming

 

[poppie]

Morgan
Ocean Reefs built my tank as nobody else that I had confidence in wanted to take on the project due to the angles and my specifications.

I've sourced stock all over the place including frags from other hobbyists including interstate. There are a few people I got to know who do not belong to any society who have awesome tanks that were willing to either swap frags or sell them at very reasonable prices. As to Ocean Reefs they are a specialist LFS and lets be real they could compete with anyone as to volume and variety of stock that includes a very large number of the better LFS overseas. I mean no other shop in Australia can constently have over 200 various SPS corals in stock at any time both as colonies and frags all good quality (pricy but good quality).

Perth Display has let me down too often after a couple of the knowlegable guys left and they charge like a wounded bulls for crap.

I'll pay a visit to the Joondelup store over weekend as its only up the road some 5km from Ballajura where I live.

Nice to meet another WA reefer on an international site.

Chris

 

[morgan]

u wernt selling a 4x2x2 for 300 hundred bucks were ya?
i dont know where the local club is or how to join it me and a friend are very intrested in swaping frags and join a club

 

[poppie]

Quick Update

Cabinet work is now finished.

Got some nice frags over weekend including two elegance one pink tip and one purple, once I get the gist of the new camera I will post shots of the various corals, now numbering 30.

Poppie (Chris)

 

[poppie]

Wrong Pictures

Cabinet work is now finished

Got some nice frags over the weekend including two Elegance, one pink tip and one purple tip. Total colonies and frags now number 30. I will post pics during the week.

Enjoy
Poppie (Chris)

 

[Scooterman]

Boy talk about your instant reef tank
Nice!

 

[poppie]

Few Survivor Pics

Here are a few survivor pics of frags that made it from the old tank.

The colour is more intense red than the pics indicate and the tips are light blue.

Will keep you updated as things develop.

Poppie (Chris)

 

[Snappy]

Very cool looking tank. I love the aquascaping. Well done.

 

[poppie]

Time for an Update

Well might as well shame myself as the photo skills are not improving but here goes.

Hope you enjoy

Chris (Poppie)

 

[kevinpo]

Very nice! Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,
Kevin

 

[poppie]

Thanks Kevin

Regards
Chris (Poppie)