Update: 36 Gallon Bow Front Reef Tank Project

(New pics on page 3)



I started with 45 lbs of curred live rock, 30 lbs of #1 Aragonite, and 10 lbs of live sand from the cure tanks at my local reef supply store.

So far it has gone very smooth! It was cloudy for about 6 hours, but is now crystal clear with lots of life from the live rock!

So far I have seen:
-a dozen or so serpent starts ranging in size from a dime to a silver dollar. Some are solid white, some are a reddish/brown color with white stripes.

-A Nassarius Snail (about an inch long)

-Many many feather dusters (mostly white and brown, a few red)

-lots of tiny anemones, Im sure they are just a nuisance anemone of some sort, but for now I think they are cool!

-A hand full of larger anemones (quarter size) of some sort that are brownish with withe stripes.

-Tiny little bluish starfish (Im sure they are nuisances as well)

-tiny little "sea lice" like critters.

So far I am VERY happy! I am going to wait a month of so before I put anything else in the tank. Just want to let it all settle down and see what shows up out of the live rock!

I post pics later tonight when my GF gets home with the camera.

 

Here is my first post:
Building the stand:http://www.3reef.com/forums/i-made/my-attempt-36-gal-bow-front-stand-canopy-47953.html

 

thats very nice

I want to get a 36 bow front

 

Looks good, was this brand new or a fixer upper? Luna

 

Brand new. The way the stain on the stand turned out, it looks kind of old and rustic. That picture makes the color look kind of weird, but in person it looks very nice!

Run down of my setup:
-36 gallon glass tank
-20 gallon glass DIY sump
-both sump and tank are drilled with 1" bulkhead for overflow, and 3/4" for return.
-Rio 2500 return pump
-AqualC Remora Skimmer modified by me into a Urchin
-3 Maxi-jets on a natural wave timer
-4 24" Actinic 75 watt T12 VHO lights with 2 Workhorse 7 ballasts
-Wired w/mogul & reflector for 250w Metal Halide. Just waiting for bulb and Icecap ballast.
-RO/DI filter setup
-Crystal Sea Salt

This is my first saltwater/reef setup. I decided from the beginning that I was going to do this the right way. So far I am very happy with the setup!

 

Great job.

Congrats.

I am just as excited as you are about seeing things swimming in it.

Keep us posted.

Enjoy.

 

Pics of the sump construction:

 

Awesome!!!!

 

Lighting setup:

 

Up and running!!!

Lights Off








Actinics On