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View Full Version : XL Reef Aquarium(180g+) Mr. Cherries big one



cherrycorals
07-31-2010, 05:40 PM
This system has been up for about a year but I thought I would share.

Its a 460 gallon(96" x 42" x26") Miracles tank with starfire front and back. 3/4" glass all around with 4 1/2" Eurobracing.

I had it built in place and I was even able to help!

Dry stacked concret block with steel I beam standhttp://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c45/Stoneyscoral/069.jpg

The Miracle guys doing their thing.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c45/Stoneyscoral/076.jpg

Two weeks later I had water in it.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c45/Stoneyscoral/011.jpg

Looking good although I did move alot of rock around later.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c45/Stoneyscoral/001-2.jpg

cherrycorals
07-31-2010, 05:51 PM
Fast forward to today... I finally settled on 250watt Radiums in Sunlight supply 22" reflectors. I also have two sets of 48" all blue reef bright LED's in from of and behind the halide fixtures.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c45/Stoneyscoral/tank1.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c45/Stoneyscoral/tank2.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c45/Stoneyscoral/tank3.jpg

I love Goniopora!!! I have 11 or 12 types on this bommie, some indo some aussie
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c45/Stoneyscoral/gonibommie.jpg

I got this lettuce coral from the Trop, its 10" http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c45/Stoneyscoral/LETTUCE.jpg

Now that my lighting scheme is settled I have finally started to buy some SPS. http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c45/Stoneyscoral/spsstart.jpg

One of my favorite wellso's
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c45/Stoneyscoral/welsophyllia.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c45/Stoneyscoral/welsophyllia2.jpg

cherrycorals
07-31-2010, 05:53 PM
All the pics are from the left side, here is one from the right.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c45/Stoneyscoral/lpsbommie2.jpg

bkss709
07-31-2010, 06:48 PM
Wow the tank looks amazing and nice to see that you have started to add the SPS coral to the tank and if you do not have the Strawberry Shortcake Acro it is a must have and this is a must have to this thing is off the hook and sorry for the poor looking picture it sites way back in the tank and is hard to take a picture of it and it has 5 colors in it and is hard to see in the picture.

http://i660.photobucket.com/albums/uu322/bkss709_2009/new%20Pictures/DSC04256-1.jpg

BriGuy31+
07-31-2010, 06:59 PM
Good looking stuff. That duncan colony is HUGE!!! Did you grow that out yourself?

Hindered
07-31-2010, 07:14 PM
This tank is most epic. I love all the goniopora! The lighting makes this tank the absolute boss. AMAZING!

cherrycorals
07-31-2010, 07:33 PM
The Duncan is huge but wild.

Strawberry shortcake is on my list, so far I have:

ORA bird of paradise
Tyree bonsaii
Tyree purple unknown
Sunset monti
Light blue aussie acro frag
and a couple others...

taziam10797
07-31-2010, 07:40 PM
All I can say is WOW!!

fishtal
07-31-2010, 07:52 PM
Looks great Todd! :thumbsup:

cmpenney
07-31-2010, 08:01 PM
Very nice. I love the aquascaping it unique and very open.

How long have you had your gonipora? I know that they are very mixed results for long term survival. I noticed you use a course substrate or more course than usual at least. I've noticed that tanks with more course substrates tend to have higher Pod populations do you think that might have contributed to your success with them?

cherrycorals
07-31-2010, 08:31 PM
Most of the Gonis have been there for 6 months or so. I chose small polyped reds and encrusting varietys to ensure better success. I have also randomly fed Fauna Marin Min F or crushed Fauna Marin LPS pellets. No clue if thats why but its worth mentioning.

The substrate is SeaChem Kona Coast, its pretty much all shells. Its pretty cool but I do miss the white aragonite, I may mix some in someday.

demonclownfish
07-31-2010, 08:36 PM
looks great!

is this the same tank from the plasma lighting demo?

cmpenney
07-31-2010, 08:55 PM
What ever your doing it seems to be working very well.

Chelle's Ocean
07-31-2010, 10:18 PM
Good question re substrate....I was also thinking that the finer sand would be 'blown' onto the coral ..maybe thats a reason for limited success?
I love this tank! I was not aware of the varieties of gonipora....thanks for sharing!
(you deliver to FL,right?) :)

Chelle's Ocean
07-31-2010, 10:20 PM
Is it all crushed coral/shell? Or do you have a deep sand bed under there? How deep is the sand vs the shell?

cherrycorals
08-01-2010, 07:05 AM
The substrate is all very small shells, not so much crushed just small.

I am in search of a few more goni's, there is an encrusting variety that is red with orange centers that I must have!

I added the mother colony of my japanese leather to the goni field in the back last night I think that will be cool.

Full tank shot later today when lights come on.

jimsflies
08-01-2010, 07:36 AM
Sweeet! Very nice!

slapshot
08-01-2010, 09:12 AM
As great as it looks in the pictures it looks better in person. The one thing you could do is give me some of those scolys you have. You really have way to many in there. It takes away from the substrate. I can stop down this week and help you with that. :shifty:

cg5071
08-01-2010, 09:40 AM
2nd that the lighting looks awesome! i also had the same ? about the goni's.

Myteemouse
08-01-2010, 09:41 AM
you need some ORA RED PLANET
AND it's about time your did something with your display tank.
you spend soo much time slingin corals it's good to see you get your tank good.

cherrycorals
08-01-2010, 10:04 AM
Yeah, I do need a red planet and a strawberry shortcake. Its my understanding that you have both and would like to send to me asap!

Goni's are goni's, expect some to die and some to live but increase your odds by going for the smaller polyped variety and those that encrust. The feeding may help but honestly I can't say for sure.

I am taking a break from slinging corals today and will be putting more cool stuff in tank.

bkss709
08-01-2010, 01:25 PM
I have a Encrusting Gonipora i got from Tomasz at the lansing swap i can not seem to make it happy at all and all my other Lps are doing great it lost almost all of it's color. I will donate it to you and i have the Red Planet and Strawberry short cake acro's i could frag for you if you like we could do trade. And again out standing looking tank Todd.

cherrycorals
08-01-2010, 01:58 PM
Lets do it!, I have a ton of stuff to trade.

7347765457 give me a call and swing by.

T.


I have a Encrusting Gonipora i got from Tomasz at the lansing swap i can not seem to make it happy at all and all my other Lps are doing great it lost almost all of it's color. I will donate it to you and i have the Red Planet and Strawberry short cake acro's i could frag for you if you like we could do trade. And again out standing looking tank Todd.

cherrycorals
08-01-2010, 04:26 PM
Some top down shots with Melev's photo box. I rigged the box to work with my tripod but I need a taller tripod to use on my big tank. Maybe for xmas:rolleyes:

Pics without tripod....
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c45/Stoneyscoral/topdowngoni1.jpg
Poor little clam on the right, it had been through alot :(
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c45/Stoneyscoral/topdownclam.jpg
Must try and save bleached challice!
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c45/Stoneyscoral/topdownchallice2.jpg
I like this baby blue challice with purple eyes, not crazy but I like.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c45/Stoneyscoral/topdownchallice.jpg

cherrycorals
08-01-2010, 04:27 PM
Big bowerbanki or Hillae, I dunno the difference.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c45/Stoneyscoral/topdownbower.jpg
This is a GIANT Acanthaphyllia Deshayesiana!
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c45/Stoneyscoral/topdownacanthaphyllia.jpg
Wellso field 1
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c45/Stoneyscoral/topdownwellsofield2.jpg
Wellso field 2
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c45/Stoneyscoral/topdownwellsofield.jpg
A kewl maze I decided to keep for myself
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c45/Stoneyscoral/topdownmaze.jpg

Chelle's Ocean
08-01-2010, 04:49 PM
Ok, so in your opinion.....what is better for coral to be placed on- sand or shell?
Your coral is beautiful, without even having to say that, it definitely shows it is healthy and happy. I am thinking of doing the same, as I am not happy with my orange spot gobie spitting sand on everything- I am constantly having to unbury coral / frags/ rock.
What about pockets of nutrients, food, etc getting caught underneath? A sifter can't move around the shell the way it does sand (i.e. sand sifting star, nassarius, etc)
Do you have any pros vs cons you could share with using shell?

cherrycorals
08-01-2010, 04:52 PM
I am going to have to clean this stuff every once in awhile. I often push parts of it around to stir it up.

1/2 a dozen giant nassarius also cruise through it.

ReeferRob
08-01-2010, 04:59 PM
Tell us about your fish list for this bad boy!

streetrodder007
08-01-2010, 04:59 PM
That is the most colorful reef tank I have seen. Also it looks so clean. Fantastic!

cherrycorals
08-01-2010, 09:28 PM
Right now I have:

a Fowleri tang
purple tang
mandarin
latezonatus clown
2 black ocellaris
5 blue eye cardinals

rosebud161616
10-16-2010, 11:31 PM
Awesome tank! I LOVE that maze brain!!!!!

Myteemouse
10-17-2010, 08:57 AM
Yeah, I do need a red planet and a strawberry shortcake. Its my understanding that you have both and would like to send to me asap!

Goni's are goni's, expect some to die and some to live but increase your odds by going for the smaller polyped variety and those that encrust. The feeding may help but honestly I can't say for sure.

I am taking a break from slinging corals today and will be putting more cool stuff in tank.I didn't catch this before..
would you like me to send you a chunk of each?!?!?