Covey's 150G Photo Journal

[Covey]

Thats over here
The Maxi-Jet Prop mod

[gkw]

Hey Covey, how are the rocks doing? ready yet?

Nice light! I got the 20K too, love it!

[Brandon1023]

Yea I got 20K MHs (175w) also and they are whiter then the pics I take of them make them look. It definitely makes my sand GLOW white which I love. My tank looks amazingly natural. I had a BBQ this weekend and everyone simply adored my tank. Some went so far as to say it was the best fish tank they have ever seen! LoL, so I "forgot" to mention some of your guys' tanks! But yea to anyone starting a tank and wondering what lights to go with, for the most natural looking it is MH hands down.

[Covey]

Originally Posted by gkw

Hey Covey, how are the rocks doing? ready yet?

I am being a good reefkeeper and not changing to much at once. I ran out of salt and I am waiting on another bucket of salt coming in from premium aquatics. Should be here friday. Some of the smaller rocks are ready but i have some that are 15# plus. They still need some tub time.

One more pic

Got a photo tip. Crappy camera+magnifying glass=Macro shot on the cheep.

The green slimer from earily

[gkw]

Nice, btw I gave up my rocks. It took too much time and water...plus I waited so long that I almost finish buying my rocks. I wish I can use my RO/DI unit's waste line on my rocks, but I don't have a way to get it outside...o well. I now have about 100 lbs now in the tank and about 20 lbs curing in the tub.

[Covey]

I just ordered some more toys
I got the LAST ARO 400W Pro Series ballast Hello Lights is going to sell. It turns out there switch over to all electronic ballast and the discontinued the magnetic series. I order 2 out of the 3 I needed for cash issues I decided to wait a month and they discontinued the series

Thought I was screwed. I wanted the ballast to match not only match on the rack but I was concerned that the bulbs(all 20K XM's) would look different on different types of ballast. Called up Hellolights and they hooked me up with a returned ballast. They said the first customer said it wouldn't come on and returned it. It turns out the power cord wasn't attached to the the on/off switch so they soldered on. There honoring the original 3 year warranty. There also hooking me up with the original deal I got with the first 2 retros so I am getting a XM bulb for $29.

I am really impressed with Hellolights and would suggest them to anyone.

I just ordered a new RO/DI too from The Filter Guys
a 5-stage 75GPD RO/DI to replace my POS GE 10 GPD RO from Lowe's with add-on DI. The GE was 10 GPD new and is now passing 2.5GPD with 30-35TDS!

Add to that my DIY rock is now done curing and I am about to finish the rock work and FINALLY finish dressing up the stand.

I am almost done buying equipment

Stay tuned many pics to come.

[Covey]

Busy, busy busy.

I finished the stand and canopy. Got my third retro and set up the new RO/DI.

Here is some pics.

Here is how it looks with the third light in place. This shows off the rack. I built it like this so the lights are free standing. I can remove the canopy and it doesn't disturb the lighting.


The canopy sits free standing from the lighting. Here is how it looks with everything together. The semi open top lets the heat out. I got 3x400MH in there with no chiller and the temp only bounces a degree.


So after months of himming and hawing here is the completed stand and canopy!


I just got one last thing to do. Make a rack to hold up and curtain and hide all this stuff. I never posted it but my old 55G breeder rack got turned on its side and turn into a equipment rack. So here is the behind the scenes.


SO what do you guys think. Next month I really start buying coral

[Monacle]

Dang Covey, great thread. Looks fantastic. Is that the basement? How many tanks do you have now? You haven't bought your house yet right? Is that going to happen soon and what size tank were you thinking of going when you get your house?

[Covey]

I live in a Downtown loft apartment. A former macaroni factory built in 1907 turned into modern lofts 3 years ago. Part of the reason the tank is setup like this, sitting out from the wall, is that the apartment has a bedroom and a bathroom but everything else is just one gaint room. It was too big across to watch TV and all in one so I made my own fishroom behind it. Another reason the stand, tank, and canopy is 6' 8" tall is to separate the room.

Nope still renting waiting to see where they will send me when they promote me. When I own a house the dream tank is 8'x4' by 30" deep with a 3 side viewable island equipment hidden in a real fishroom. Expensive dream, maybe two promotions from now!

[Monacle]

Covey... I truely hope whatever it takes for you to get that happens. That would be some tank. When you build yours, build me one too ok? lol Take care Covey