Wills 46 gal bowfront

[WillBattle]

Hey all, just upgraded from my 38 gal that was running for about 5 months to a 46 gallon bowfront, which has now been running for a month and a half. I have a members tank thread on a2reef so I think I'm going to just move alot of my stuff from there to here as well. ( So Sir Patrick and 2pairs don't feel the need to have to post everytime I make a update lol!)

Well a bit about myself..

My names Will Battle, 23 years old, lived in Ann Arbor my whole life. I have had a fish tank my whole life, but they have always been freshwater. Had a nice 120 gal deep FW Oscar haven for quiet a few years, but that tank is back at the parents still :)

I've been reefin now for 6-7 months and it really has been a blast!

Right now I run a cpr backpack skimmer that I replaced the Rio 600 pump with a maxijet 1200 and added a wooden airstone.
Two aqua clear 50 filters ( one running Sponge + carbon, and the other used to house chaeto and lighted 24/7) on the lowest flow setting possible for both.
Sponge is cleaned every week or so and replaced every month. Carbon is changed monthly as well.

RO/DI water for every change and top off. I do a water change of 4 gals weekly.

Lights - I am running 2 SolarMax HO 36" lights, so 4 T-5 bulbs. Replaced stock lights with ATI's 2 aquablue specials and 2 actinic blues
As well as a Aquaticlife expandable 36" LED Fixture, 15 W 10,000k / 460 nm

2 Korilia wavemakers on either side of the tank one 600 GPH and one that is 400 GPH
250W heater

Tons of different foods I have collected for the fishies-
Frozen Foods-
PE- Mysis
Rods Original
Hikari- Krill
Sallys - Brine
Ocean Nutrition - Prime Reef
Refrigerated-
Arctic Pods
Non Frozen-
Instant Ocean- Cyclop-eeze
then also Ocean Nutrition Flakes and Pellets.
Live-
Baby brine once week or so
Adult brine enriched with Selcon every couple weeks.

Also ( with 2pairs help) I am starting my own culture of Copepods more for fun than anything, but also to help keep my Mandarin happy.

My goals with this tank are mostly softies. I do not think I have the equipment nor the water stability to keep most SPS. I have started my coral collection with mostly zoas and palys, and will look to be trading and buying for more exotic type zoas and palys in the future.

Note: attached thumbnail is from a few days after upgrading to this tank. Not super recent, but I will update with new pics and Live stock list later today!

[rcombs]

very nice will

[WillBattle]

Here are a few pis of after upgrading ( end of August begining of September), will add more recent photos tonight when I am free. :)

Left side

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/Fishstuffbeforeandafterupgrade049.jpg

Right side

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/Fishstuffbeforeandafterupgrade050.jpg

[larryandlaura]

Nice tank you got there. You should list your zoa and paly collection.

[SaltyDog]

Very Nice Will and welcome to this wonderful hobby...

[WillBattle]

thanks for the compliments :)

I've been pretty busy lately but did a lot of work in my tank today! I still have a few corals to place but I am pretty happy with how things are turning out

As of Oct22nd-
Fish:
Lawnmower Blenny
Male Mandarain
Pair of B&W clowns
Solar Wrasse
Red Banded Hawkfish

Not sure on a few of the corals names, but heres a few I can remember :doh:

Zoas/Palys:
Whammin Watermelons
Purple People Eaters
Green Moon Men
Zombie Eyes
Eye of Rahs
Fire and Ice
Rastas
Smurfs

Techno chalice
Tongue
Hammer Coral ( not happy was moved around a lot today.. Still trying to figure out where I should stick it.)
Green/White Favite
Various Ricordia Flordias

Nps:
Sun Coral
Dendro
Encrusting Gorgonian

Here are a few Pictures!

Full tank shot
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/DSCF0897.jpg

Left Side
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/DSCF0930.jpg

Right Side
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/DSCF0929.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/DSCF0924.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/DSCF0922.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/DSCF0911.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/10-16020.jpg

[larryandlaura]

Looking good Will! You got a nice collection.

[WillBattle]

Picked up some new stuff!

Cherry Charm- Rainbow Raptors palys
Purple and Red Hornet zoas

The zoas and palys are thanks to Evb9 for helping the collection out

Then a nice 5 mouthed Purple body/Pink mouths/Green edged chalice from Tropicorium as well

Pics to come soon!

[larryandlaura]

I can't wait to see the chalice.

[WillBattle]

I can't wait to see the chalice.

Here ya go!
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/10-26%20to%2031st%202011/10-31ish035.jpg

plus a few more pics I took recently :)

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/10-26%20to%2031st%202011/10-31ish026.jpg

The fish begging for food (yes the Algae Blenny as well lol)

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/10-26%20to%2031st%202011/10-31ish030.jpg

Frag Rack

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/10-26%20to%2031st%202011/10-31ish018.jpg

My clowns

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/10-26%20to%2031st%202011/10-31ish004-2.jpg

[MizTanks]

I'm not a clown fan but those rock! Cool to see another beautiful bow front set up :)

[WillBattle]

I'm not a clown fan but those rock! Cool to see another beautiful bow front set up :)

Ty very much! It's greatly appreciated :)

Added another Aquaticlife expandable LED fixture today! All blue for this one.

[larryandlaura]

Nice how do you like the new led fixtures?

[WillBattle]

Nice how do you like the new led fixtures?

for the price I really like them, they seem to go very well with my T5's. I will know more in a few months when I can witness some growout

[WillBattle]

Updating my z & p list! :D

Zoa-
Fire & Ice
Halloween’s
Aarc Golddust
Rastas
Smurfs
Red Hornets
Purple Hornets
Packers
Whammin watermelons
Blowpops
Zombie Eyes

Paly-
Green Moon Men
PPE’s
OPE’s
Cherry Charms
Raptor Rainbows
Candy Apple Reds
Purple Death
Green Raptors

Unnamed zoas/palys-
Tan mouth /Green disk /Green skirt Zoas
Pink mouth/ Brown disk / Pink skirt fast growing paly
Pink mouth/dark brown disk/pinkish red skirt zoa
Blue mouth/brown disk unnamed zoa


Also going to be grabbing these few sometime this week as well..
-Captain Americas
-WOW/Webgongs
-Tubs Blue

<3 my z's and p's! Might be time for me to start looking for a frag tank soon.. :)

[hardcz]

Pics or they don't exist

[WillBattle]

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0065.jpg

some new PE's to add to the collection :D

[WillBattle]

Its been awhile since I updated, so I thought I would share some photos, a lot has went on in my tank lately, got rid of my HOB refug and found a used acrylic sump to fit into my bow front stand ( pretty hard to find haha, 34 inches long, but only 11 inches wide inside >.<) found a nice used mag 7 / overflow box at FD ypsi, stopped at Home Depot for some PVC, and I got myself set up for under 100 bucks!

Also picked up a very nice LED fixture from my buddy Matt over at Reeftechpro. Good guy, a local reefer that can make some professional looking light systems. Top of the line!


I rearranged the rocks a little bit a few weeks back, and feel I need 10-20 lbs or so more. So hopefully getting that in the next few months so I have a place to set some of my SPS frags that are looking for a permanent home.
My girlfriend bought me a nice overhead coral viewer today, so I was messing around taking photos through that :)

These photos are taking with my android phone and 100 % LEDs, so.. sorry for the contrast and colors lol, I am still struggling hard on trying to take photos with these lights.
Left side
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0176.jpg
Right side
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0177.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0180.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0179.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0152.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0170-1-1.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0163-1.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0164-1.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0156-1.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0155-1-1-1.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0160-1.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0162-1.jpg

---------- Post added at 07:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:41 PM ----------

Also on another note.. When do bristle worms become a problem? Do I have too many? This is only on this side of the tank. But at least 2 dozen or more that I can see when I feed the Tube nem at nights. I am thinking of using the pantyhose trick to catch a few of the (hopefully larger) ones out.

VIDEO0010-0.mp4 video by Wbattle88 - Photobucket@@AMEPARAM@@http://vid302.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/VIDEO0010-0.mp4@@AMEPARAM@@vid302@@AMEPARAM@@302@@AMEPARAM@@ nn88/Wbattle88/VIDEO0010-0@@AMEPARAM@@mp4 (http://s302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/?action=view&current=VIDEO0010-0.mp4)

[MizTanks]

LMAO! Someone's got more bristle worms then me? Maybe! I've got many many in my tank and have never had any issues at all with them. To be honest at one time I was totally freaked out about having so many. Have had them for 2+years now and I consider them the better part of my clean up crew. I'll take them over hermit crabs any day :) You can pretty much control their populations by the amount you feed your tank.

On another note...Your tank looks awesome Will. Beautiful corals :highfive3:

[WillBattle]

LMAO! Someone's got more bristle worms then me? Maybe! I've got many many in my tank and have never had any issues at all with them. To be honest at one time I was totally freaked out about having so many. Have had them for 2+years now and I consider them the better part of my clean up crew. I'll take them over hermit crabs any day :) You can pretty much control their populations by the amount you feed your tank.

On another note...Your tank looks awesome Will. Beautiful corals :highfive3:

Thanks miz! The first coral in my tank was the 5th picture down, ( green palys) and they have taken over the left side! I think soon might be time to trim them back, so I can place other corals on that side of the tank haha
As for the bristle worms, I'll let em do there thing then. They are not stupid ill tell you that, they really only seem to live by my nps! I think there recent outburst in numbers is a hint that I am getting a bit messy with target feeding lol

Sent from my PH44100 using Tapatalk

[ReefTech]

tank looks great will...glad to see that everythings doing good under the new led's

[WillBattle]

Well, I was getting decent growth out of the leds after things got accustomed to them, but for now the led fixture is mounted and set up for my girlfriends biocube, and i went over to a 6 bulb t5 fixture for now.

Copperbanded has now found a new home in my friends 120 gal. He was and still is doing fine, just felt he was a little cramped in my tank, and he was kinda bothering my exquisite.

Decided to go with a new fish ( well three, but the other two will not be knd the tank untill later this week) I had decent success in the past with more difficult species to keep, so I'm going to keep trying for now. Here's a pic of the little guy http://img.tapatalk.com/443e10a5-ae8b-6ae3.jpg

He burried himself shortly after accumulating and being released into the dt. Let's hope i see him in the next week or two :)

Also picked up a arrow crab that has been going to town on some of my bristleworm population

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[MizTanks]

I'm sorry Will but could you please tell me what I'm looking at here?

[WillBattle]

A baby leopard wrasse under my candycanes :) sorry for the bad pic, it was all I had a chance for before he went into hiding

Sent from my PH44100 using Tapatalk

[Tropical Buff]

Very nice Will

[MizTanks]

Ok I see it a little better now...that I'm on my laptop and not da phone :) Congrats on a beautiful fish!!!

[Sir Patrick]

Nice new fish man!

[WillBattle]

Well, just went to check on the tank and feed, and the leopard wrasse is out :) :) :) ate some pe mysis to boot!
http://img.tapatalk.com/4257585f-3f81-9427.jpg
Sent from my PH44100 using Tapatalk

[MizTanks]

Happy happy Joy joy!!! With a big sigh of relief awwwww :)

[WillBattle]

Hey all, have not updated in a while, Not much new with the tank coral wise in some time now. Just letting things grow out a bit :)

I have been working on my fish list pretty hard lately however! After the addition of the leopard I added a second one, and they enjoy each others company, after a bit of chasing for a few weeks they have became good friends!

I also added a Potters Angel 6 weeks back, and he has just recently made the adjustment to SA pellets!! ( not any other pellets, plus he will not even touch any frozen besides frozen brine. So after the last 5 weeks of visting FD 3x a week for live brine/blackworms and a whole bunch of selcon this is GREAT news for me haha!)

Love my potters a whole lot, however, he has sadly taken out my Favite :( and once a week or so Ill see a few bites out of my digis / caps. But the digis and caps seem to recover faster than he is nipping.

I brought back my copperbanded from my friends tank, and he will be staying in here for good now. I think my fish list is now right where i want it :)

2 leopard wrasses - eating assorted pellets/assorted frozen foods
Copperbanded - eating frozen mysis
Mandarin ( this fish is just reachign the year mark in my tank :D) - eating frozen mysis
Potters angel - livebrine/blackworms - and now Sustainable Aquatic pellets - frozen brine

Here's a quick video of the tank - Hope you enjoy!
VIDEO0014.mp4 video by MsLiffer - Photobucket@@AMEPARAM@@http://vid1150.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid1150.photobucket.com/albums/o615/MsLiffer/VIDEO0014.mp4@@AMEPARAM@@vid1150@@AMEPARAM@@1150@@ AMEPARAM@@o615/MsLiffer/VIDEO0014@@AMEPARAM@@mp4

[MizTanks]

Hi Will! Was wondering where you was :) Tank is looking awesome!! Love the way you have your Candy Canes/Trumpets placed. Fish all look happy an healthy. Way da go!!
Does your Mandarin eat the black worms?

[WillBattle]

Hi Jamie! Thanks the the kind words! The Mandarin has been known to hit at the black worms from time to time, but more just chasing them down and staring at them really. lol His favorite snack is some yummy live brine ( he will even hit these out of the water column with the other fishies!) But the only nutritious thing he really seems to enjoy is the Smaller Mysis (like Hikaris)

[WillBattle]

Update time, here is a viedo of the Potters / and leopards eating some pellets! The CBB is in a friends tank yet again, going to work on a aptasia infestation. I have gotten the Mandarin to start eating pellets over the last month or two as well, but he likes then best in his mason jar :)

VIDEO0033-0.mp4 video by Wbattle88 - Photobucket (http://s302.beta.photobucket.com/user/Wbattle88/media/VIDEO0033-0.mp4.html)


:fish2:

and a few misc pictures from the last month or so..
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0375.jpg
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0385.jpg
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0311_zps84eedf57.jpg
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0312_zps9b3bb526.jpg
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0309_zps993b5dc6.jpg
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0307_zps55dd44ed.jpg
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0319_zpsbca6f258.jpg

[MizTanks]

Holy crap batman!! That Mandarin is freaking huge!! LOL I had no idea they got that big. Will your tank is looking simply wonderful! Great video! Corals look awesome too! You should be very proud, you've done a wonderful job with your tank.:love3:

[WillBattle]

Thanks Jamie! I've been working pretty hard on it, the potters Angel loves all my LPS expect trumpets- frogspawn-hammer and blastos, so I have been trying to get my tank acceptable for a few sps. I am working hard to get it there, but it still has a ways to go, IMO. I have been doing 5-10 gallon WC's every week and a half for the last few months, my mag is also a bit low so I am slowly raising that as well.

Started using my MP-10 on Nutrient transport mode due to reading it was a better mode for sps and have moved them all fairly close to its side of the tank.

The few sps frags I have had have been growing pretty well, fragged a few in half to trade for the Pink BTA i have just picked up, and most have decent color. One of the ones that is hardest for me to color out at all is Vivids rainbow acro. I hear its really hard anyways though. So if anyone is interested in it, has some boss lights and has incredibly low phos/nitrates, I picked it up from Jason Fox himself and its sure to color out amazingly! ( damn swap impulse buy! lol)

Anyways here are some pics of those, that I just took today.

and Please! Correct me if I am wrong with any of these names, I know most I think, but not 100% if I am remembering all of them correctly, and SPS is my weak spot with ID'ing.:doh:

Blue Millie-
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0404.jpg

Hydnophora - grows real fast, but so efing agressive!
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0397.jpg

Left to right- Unknown green base purple tips - Vivids rainbow - unknown(started all green, turning reddish in areas)
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0396.jpg

Garf Bonsai - Orange setosa
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0399.jpg

Unknown Green SPS from Sir Patrick - Unknown green colony from FD ( was completely brown, but I got it for super cheap, letting to color out)
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0398.jpg

and a few other random pics-
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0400.jpg
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0401.jpg
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/Wbattle88/IMAG0402.jpg

[Rabidgoose]

Looking good! How about an FTS?

[Sir Patrick]

Will-

Glad to see that unknown sps still doing well for you! Its got great color, and from the looks of it, is ready to branch out and take off for you this cold season thats approaching.

All I know for sure is- Its a smooth skin/deepwater acro.

Your tank is looking great, by the way, and sounds like you are doing very well with your fish!

If you need a home for a small piece of vivids rainbow, for safe keeping, let me know. I am about to do some changes in my tank (but very few to the entire system thats running) and will have some prime high light areas. Already got the low nutrient part down.

We should catch up for some beers and reef talk soon. I got some pointers to getting you to the SPS keeping potential in your tank that are easier explained in person.

[WillBattle]

Chris,
Thanks for the complements! Very much appreciated! The green acro is at least double the size when I revived it, ill put up some start till now pics. :) It seems to grow in every direction but up lol.
Some beers are definitely needed, and a frag of vivids coming your way.
I have been meaning to get in touch with you anyways, besides touching basis of the finer points of sps keeping, I will also be seeking advice on moving two tanks. ( Lauras and mine) Luke from Fd ypsi told me he would bag and oxygenate my fish for me. Just simply because I really don't want to see anything happen to them above all else. But still am curious on how I should handle a tank full of coral, nems, sand, and rock. It will be a move from Ann Arbor to Adrian, so not a short distance.

Anyone else that has pointers about moving a tank a hour or so away, I would love to hear em!

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---------- Post added at 06:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:45 PM ----------


Looking good! How about an FTS?

Sure ill get one out shortly, with a new Nem in the tank I've had to move a lot of corals around lately

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[binford4000]

Chris,
Thanks for the complements! Very much appreciated! The green acro is at least double the size when I revived it, ill put up some start till now pics. :) It seems to grow in every direction but up lol.
Some beers are definitely needed, and a frag of vivids coming your way.
I have been meaning to get in touch with you anyways, besides touching basis of the finer points of sps keeping, I will also be seeking advice on moving two tanks. ( Lauras and mine) Luke from Fd ypsi told me he would bag and oxygenate my fish for me. Just simply because I really don't want to see anything happen to them above all else. But still am curious on how I should handle a tank full of coral, nems, sand, and rock. It will be a move from Ann Arbor to Adrian, so not a short distance.

Anyone else that has pointers about moving a tank a hour or so away, I would love to hear em!

Sent from my PH44100 using Tapatalk

---------- Post added at 06:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:45 PM ----------





Sure ill get one out shortly, with a new Nem in the tank I've had to move a lot of corals around lately

Sent from my PH44100 using Tapatalk

I have two 150 gallon square heavy duty totes that work well for moveing. You are welcome to use one. I have moved from as short as a mile to 8 hours useing them. The nice thing is you can use heaters,skimmer and power heads in them once you arrive to your new home! I used them for 7 weeks when I set up our new tank. Look at my build thread and you will see what I am talking about. If you need someone to baby sit the vivid LMK. I have no shortage of intense light and levels are maintained well. When your ready to house it I will gladly return it. :oldman: