Sir Patricks contest tank-

[Sir Patrick]

Looks like I am in on this one!

Not sure if I will be contesting though, depends on if I get the coral pack or not. But either way, I will be setting up a nano to follow along in the contest, possibly just for fun.

Basicly, I got the OK to set up a tank for my daughter in her room. Shes wanted one for a really long time, and this nano contest was a great reason to finally make it happen.

Im going to take it back to the basics on this one. Thought it would be fun to cruise memory lane and replicate my first reef tank! Basic 10 gallon, PC lights, carbon, skimmer, and some phos media, with a water pump for flow. Only difference from my first tank is I will be using RO water this time around, and no sand bed- because I have no sand. Pretty excited to see the results!

Me and my daughter will start setting up the tank when she gets home from school today- pics to follow!

[whitetiger61]

sweet..looking forward to seeing pics..this is gonna be fun

Rick

[Fishgeek88]

Cool! Im still on the fence...

[Sir Patrick]

Time for my daughter to learn the "Basics of reefkeeping". She has grown up with fishtanks, and at the age of 10, I beleive she is ready to start learning the basics, other then the stirring water and holding canopy doors open! I decided to use this contest to teach her more about reefkeeping in her own room, with a cool contest tank.

We didnt get too far today, but got a good start. Still need to colect a few things, and replace a couple other things, but the tank is full and ready to cycle whenever it may!

Heres a run down of equipment and specs so far-

Tank- 10 gallon AGA

Filtration- CPR bak-pak skimmer (in need of a replacment pump)
HOT Magnum, running carbon and phosguard

Flow- Seio 620

Misc- 50w hydor glass heater

Lighting- ?????? dont have anything yet, but plan on running PC on this tank.

I have also decided that a sand bed is in order- because my daughter says she wants one.
Pretty much throwing this tank together from odds and ends around the house in an effort to replicate my first reef tank. Running the same skimmer, filter, hopefully lighting, and beleive it or not-liverock. Still got the same rock from all those many years ago. The powerhead will be different, and my old pc lights are long gone, but still will be pretty close to what I was running.

Heres some pics of the progress-

The old 10 gallon-


http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/Picture016-1.jpg


And my daughter with the tank in her "Im too cool because Im setting up a reef tank in my bedroom pose"


http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/Picture015-2.jpg


The mixing of salt and water begins!-


http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/Picture017-1.jpg



Full, running, and a peice of live rock-


http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/Picture018-1.jpg



More to come either wednesday or this weekend!!

[Sweetpea]

How fun for her (and you, too)! I can't think of a better night-light than a lovely reef tank! :D

[whitetiger61]

sweet looking tank Sir Patrick..cant wait to see itup and going..

Rick

[tazzy695]

nice start

[igot2gats]

PERFECT reason to start a Nano. Nice start....love the pose, too.

[Fishgeek88]

Coming together, any idea on lighting yet?

[Sir Patrick]

Lighting is still being figured out, but pretty sure I will find some pc light to run on the tank.

Added some black sand and a new pump for the protein skimmer. Gonna do some water tests and see where I am sitting in the cycle process this weekend.

[MizTanks]

Not sure if these would work for ya Chris~but walmart has these 9w compact florecent bulbs~the screw in kind~my FW plants went crazy under em~I used 2 x 9w in my 10g.

[Sir Patrick]

Heres my pics-

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/Picture021-1.jpg






http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/Picture022-2.jpg



Gonna do some parameter tests tomorow, and see where the tank is at.

[Sir Patrick]

Well- got rid of the seio pump- too much fro the little tank. Think the filter and skimmer will be plenty of current.

Picked up a rio 800 w/ needle wheel to replace the old 600 for the cpr bakpak. Huge improvment! Might just stop hating the bakpak skimmers. We will see, right??

Put some rock into the tank! Think the aquascapping is done.


Still no water testing- Its my daughters bed time, and she is currently working on her DIY background.

Heres some pics so far- pics with DIY background will be posted tuesday-



http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/fishtank/Picture024-2.jpg



http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/fishtank/Picture025-1.jpg



Still- no light....

[Sir Patrick]

Tank has officially cycled!

ammonia- 0
nitrite- 0
nitrate- 20



http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/Picture032-1.jpg


Still need to find a light, to get this thing off the ground. I borrowed a single t5ho bulb from my tank, just for the pic.

[aperry2006]

nice work..looking forward to seeing this tank grow

[Paulo]

Just remember, I got some freebies to give to her when she is ready.

[Sir Patrick]

^Thx aperry.

As soon as I tell her, paulo, she will be the one to not let me forget. Beleive me!

[MOB1224]

Good luck with the contest. I need 2 talk my wife into letting me get a tank started "for my son". The tank is lookin good so far:big_grin:

[Sir Patrick]

I got an update. beleive it or not-

Picked up a temporary light to borrow, till I get a permanent one. What is it??? Top Secret!!
Got some corals into the tank too! Added a bit of rock also!

I havent tallied the cost up yet (they came from my DT) but fingers crossed I am within natural sea water parameters....I mean contest guidlines...





BOOM!-







http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/Picture033-1.jpg

[ec1452]

top secret on the light so that means he is going to have to pay me money to stay hush hush lol

[Cash]

Tank looks great Chris

[Sir Patrick]

^thx cash. I just hope things will grow in!

[whitetiger61]

you and your daughters tank looks sweet..keep up the good work..one of the nicest 10 gallons ive seen..

Rick

[Sir Patrick]

Heres some pics of what will most likely stay in the tank-

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/Picture044-2.jpg

[Sir Patrick]

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/Picture048-2.jpg





http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/Picture047-2.jpg





http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/Picture046-2.jpg




http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/Picture045-2.jpg






http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/Picture043-1.jpg

[Sir Patrick]

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/new%20cam%20fish/Picture035-1.jpg

[Sir Patrick]

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/new%20cam%20fish/Picture036-1.jpg





http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/new%20cam%20fish/Picture037-1.jpg






http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/new%20cam%20fish/Picture038-1.jpg





http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/new%20cam%20fish/Picture039-1.jpg






http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/new%20cam%20fish/Picture040-1.jpg






http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/new%20cam%20fish/Picture041-1.jpg







http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/new%20cam%20fish/Picture042-1.jpg

[Sir Patrick]

Feel free to help me out with the counting of these polyps....I could use the help!

I think I count 96 polyps or so...

[whitetiger61]

dang Chris im impressed..very nice..you have some nice looking corals there..good luck

Rick

[tazzy695]

Heres some pics of what will most likely stay in the tank-

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/Picture044-2.jpg

what is this coral chris

[Paulo]

what is this coral chris
This is something I will have to get a frag when he decided to lol. I'm ready to roll for swap day!
Paulo

[igot2gats]

Your tank is coral crazy. Looking sweet.

[Sir Patrick]

Igot2gats- the tank wil thin down pretty soon- I broke down my DT and am holding some things there for a bit. Hope to kave the excess gone this weekend. Probly gonna keeep the peices in the individual pics for the tank, and if I am within limits- add some more different polyps.

Paulo- I cant beleive I havnt hooked you up yet!

Tazzy- Its a plating hydophora- blue in color! Pretty cool peice, huh?? I got a tiny sliver at the first lansing frag swap, and have been growing/fragging it ever since. Only hydno I have ever seen thats not green....

[Sir Patrick]

Added a clean up crew yesterday-

6 blueleg hermits
50 tiny colonista snails
harlequin serpent star

20" 96w PC light being delivered tomorow!

[thefishgirl]

:we_need_pics:

Your tank is looking great. I bet your daughter is very proud so far!! And what a great project for the 2 of you!! So.. post some more pics already! LOL

[Sir Patrick]

Where did my last update go?!?!?!?! Coulda sworn I posted one after the swap....

I gotta get one posted real quick!

[Sir Patrick]

couple new additions (that I thought I posted) from the lansing swap- :)



http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/new%20cam%20fish/Picture056-1.jpg




http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/new%20cam%20fish/Picture057-1.jpg




http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/new%20cam%20fish/Picture059-1.jpg





http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/new%20cam%20fish/Picture061-1.jpg

[Sir Patrick]

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/new%20cam%20fish/Picture063-1.jpg





http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/new%20cam%20fish/Picture062-1.jpg







http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/new%20cam%20fish/Picture-3.jpg



http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/Picture064.jpg

[Sir Patrick]

Full tank shot-

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/fishtank/Picture065.jpg

[demonclownfish]

great tank chris looks awesome, you know im gonna need a frag of those lunars and hydno! :)

[thefishgirl]

WOW! what was I thinking? Asking for more pictures.... That thing looks awesome!
...and come to think of it... I think I remember pictures too. But maybe they were in the "what I got at the swap" thread?

[Sir Patrick]

^ Yup- I confused the forums...though I updated here too, but didnt! Thx for the bump!!

I do have some more new news- I moved the tank today! Will get new pics up soon.

[iyachtuxivm]

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/new%20cam%20fish/Picture063-1.jpg



I got some of those! Do you remember who you got them from? It was at the swap right?
BTW nice tank!

[Sir Patrick]

Think it was tmo1's set up. Lionhead helped me out though! That frag is popping 2 babies already!!

[Sir Patrick]

Lets see...been a while since I updated....

Sorry for the delay!! Tank went through an overhaul today. I realized I have never run a frag tank, just many tanks full of frags!!

Here we go!



http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/fishtank/downsized_0308001927.jpg



http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/fishtank/downsized_0308001927a.jpg



http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/fishtank/downsized_0308001927b.jpg

[Sir Patrick]

Sorry for the poor pics- my bro in laws got my camera....wheres my camera corvette reefer?? :big_grin:

[thefishgirl]

Awesome!!!!

[MizTanks]

Looks awesome Chris!

[jimsflies]

Chris are you still the contest?

[Sir Patrick]

Wish I could say I was....the 10 gallon sprung a leak a good while ago. Check out post 12 and 46- full tank shots, lower left hand corner. Couldnt figure out why I has salt creap so bad....till I started getting the puddle of water out from under the tank. Only tank I had available to set up was the 34 cube, and thats a bit big for the contest...

Looks like I am out- due to equipment failure....

[thefishgirl]

:( *cry*

[iyachtuxivm]

Wish I could say I was....the 10 gallon sprung a leak a good while ago. Check out post 12 and 46- full tank shots, lower left hand corner. Couldnt figure out why I has salt creap so bad....till I started getting the puddle of water out from under the tank. Only tank I had available to set up was the 34 cube, and thats a bit big for the contest...

Looks like I am out- due to equipment failure....

Wow whats going on with this contest people dropping out everywhere. Sorry to hear this.