Hilton's Tank

[bristlebasher]

I have been busy during the holidays and this is the result.

I will add more pictures and details soon.

[bristlebasher]

The hole where it all started :P

The tank - still dirty - behind it.

[bristlebasher]

The lighting arrangement.DIY out of aluminium 4 40 watt N/O fluo's and 2 400 watt 14k and 10k M/H - at present only the 14k is running - waiting for a new 10k from the states.The orriginal bulb got broken during the build :blush: .

[bristlebasher]

The lights are susspended from the roof with runners and a track.This slides out of the way completely when maintenance is done on the tank.

[bristlebasher]

The aquascaping is still a work in progress and recently some stunning liverock was added.See pictures below.I will add more details soon with some more "behind the system" photo's.

Any and all comments,Questions wellcome :D .

Cheers

Hilton

[bristlebasher]

One more

[bristlebasher]

One more - really impressed with this rock !!!!!!!! In this photo a small gorgonian is visible , the underside has some suncorals on it and bits of halimeda is also present.Cant wait to see what grows out off this.

[Cain]

Excellent idea with the sliding lights.

[ragboy]

looks really good mate, nice one :thumbsup:

[wayne g]

looks good and i love the lighting rig idea :thumbsup:

[kitenski]

that rocks looks great, where did you get it from?

[lenny]

Originally posted by bristlebasher@Jan 21 2005, 06:41
The lights are susspended from the roof with runners and a track.This slides out of the way completely when maintenance is done on the tank.
tank looks good. have you thought about motorising the lights on tha track so you can have them move across your tank very slowly over the day to simulate sun up and sun set. just a thought . nice one. :wub: lenny

[fishbert]

i really do like the in wall displays.

do you find the shelf in front keeps getting things put on?
i had a shelf in front of mine and she was constantly putting stuff on it <_<

[bristlebasher]

do you find the shelf in front keeps getting things put on?

Thankfully no :dance: . It gives me somewhere to put my drink though :thumbsup: .

tank looks good. have you thought about motorising the lights on tha track so you can have them move across your tank very slowly over the day to simulate sun up and sun set. just a thought . nice one. lenny

I would very much like to - but it is unfortuanetly just to complex. I am saving up for an IKS so would rather spend the money there.Once in a while I switch the lights (M/H) off to simulate a cloudy day. ;)

that rocks looks great, where did you get it from?

Kenya.Took a great deal of effort - the wife could not understand how a piece of rock good be "soooo important". :angry: <_< :lol: :lol: .

Thanx for the comments. :thumbsup:

System specs and more photo's to follow ;)

[bristlebasher]

A full frontal :ph34r: as @ 24/01/2005

[bristlebasher]

The refugium tank - waiting to be hooked up.This will be fed from the sump and drain by gravity to the tank.This tank is a diy.I am toying with the idea of using it as a waterchange tank in a process of tidal simulation.

[bristlebasher]

The sump.

[bristlebasher]

The control panel for the lights - mounted against the wall - some extra timers in there for future expansion. Might become obsolete when iks eventually arrives.

[bristlebasher]

Chiller venting outside.

[bristlebasher]

One of the residents - a bubble coral.

[bristlebasher]

A quick rundown of the specs:

(1)All glass tank 1.8 x .7 x .8
(2)Main return approx 14000 litres/h through manifold to create random flow in tank
(3)2 Corner overflows draining to sump
(4)350 littre sump
(5)Tunze universal skimmer
(6)Diy Nilsen reactor
(7)4 N/O fluorescents - 800watts M/H 10k and 14k or 20k(Not sure yet)
(8)Aquamedic chiller
(9)2 x 2000l/h powerheads hidden behind rockwork to flush detritus
(10)100 kg of liverock

Aimed at soft and lps with a few sellect sps(Just to hard to get here)

Cheers

H :thumbsup:

[bristlebasher]

Hi , just a bit of an update.

I have received my ev400 skimmer :dance: :dance: :dance: and have temporaraly hooked it up.
What an awesome piece of kit - it's been running for 2 days and whilst it's still bedding in - the amount of foam it is producing is absolutely staggering. :bow: :bow:

This seems to be very good competition for the deltec :whistling: I thought of buying first - and at half the price. :thumbsup:

EDIT - Blows the Deltec away :wub: :wub: !!!!!!!!

Will post some pictures soon.

Have also found 2 plating montipora's one green and one pink and think they are the dogs danglies. :wub:

Pictures of this will be added also.

Cheers for now

Hilton

P.S Also been thinking of a way to add a closed loop without drilling any new holes - and think I might just have discovered how :idea: .

Will update on that tomorrow also.

[Philfish]

Originally posted by bristlebasher@Feb 24 2005, 06:19


I have received my ev400 skimmer :dance: :dance: :dance: and have temporaraly hooked it up.
What an awesome piece of kit - it's been running for 2 days and whilst it's still bedding in - the amount of foam it is producing is absolutely staggering. :bow: :bow:

This seems to be very good competition for the deltec :whistling: I thought of buying first - and at half the price. :thumbsup:

EDIT - Blows the Deltec away :wub: :wub: !!!!!!!!


Do they stock these in the uk? Anyone elso got one?

[bristlebasher]

I bought it from here:

Aqua c Ev 400 (http://www.ultralifedirect.com/protein_skimmers.htm)

[kyah710]

I love the aquascaping - you can just tell that this is going to be one to watch - lots more piccies please!!!! :thumbsup:

steve

[bristlebasher]

Thankx for the nice comments everyone ;) :D .

Picture of the skimmer in action. That is a tower of thick , scummy foam.
I really am very :wub: :wub: happy with this skimmer.

[bristlebasher]

A pic of the skimmer cup from the top - showing the foam build up.
Did I say that I like this skimmer ;) :P
And it's only been running for 3 days !!!!!

[bristlebasher]

Trumpet coral:

[bristlebasher]

Cup - with pink monti :wub: at back:

[bristlebasher]

Green monti:

[bristlebasher]

Some more pictures to follow:

Will be hooking the refugium/waterchange tank up this weekend. :thumbsup:

Post some pic's of that and also looking at fitting a closed loop using the one overflow is the inlet to the closed loop pump.

Will have to cut out the existing overflow and place some egg-crate over the inlet - hoping it wont be too difficult - will be using a 14000 litre pump - so should bump the circulation to 40x50 times the tank volume - dont want it any higher than this.Lps will not like it - and hoping to add some sps - so will see.

Anyways - will keep you updated.

Cheers

Hilton

[bristlebasher]

A poor :blush: picture from the front took quickly this morning:

[bristlebasher]

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploads/Fishroom170106.jpg

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploads/clam170106.jpg

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploads/fishroom2170106.jpg

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploads/fragtank170106.jpg

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploads/sump170106.jpg

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploads/sump2170106.jpg

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploads/tank170106.jpg

[PYTHON2674]

Stunning set up you have there.

Something that I would one day like to aspire to. However I think a divorce would be the only I could get round that one............

Now wheres those papers hmmmmmmm

ATB

Carl

[SCOOB]

looking good hilton :evil:
how comes your fuge shelf has been lowered?

[bristlebasher]

Originally posted by SCOOB@Jan 17 2006, 08:33
looking good hilton :evil:
how comes your fuge shelf has been lowered?
It doubles as a frag tank - there is a 400w m/h above it . Was a bit too close to it before,the reason for moving it down . ;) And obviously makes it easier to get to.

Scoob - having an off day ? - no comments about the crappy photography ????

:rolleyes: :whistling:

[Paul]

What a beast of a set up! I love it, well done.

Only 1 problem though ....... the sofa is facing the wrong way :P

[SCOOB]

Originally posted by bristlebasher@Jan 17 2006, 09:20
Scoob - having an off day ? - no comments about the crappy photography ????

:rolleyes: :whistling:
wouldn't dream of it, i think it's disgusting when people rip apart other members tanks :P

what happened to the tanks in your garden??? thought they were your frag tanks.

[bristlebasher]

The tanks that were in the Garden Shed????

I have had to dismantle them <_< - I ran into temperature problems - both high and low. I did insulate the roof - but could not afford to do the walls also. I really liked the idea of natural sunlight and am sure that if I had the money to install a big chiller I would have persued it further.

Anyways one of those tanks is now in the fishroom - acting as frag/refugium tank.

The shed is now a bonsai nursery :thumbsup:

Cheers for all the comments so far - will have to post some better pictures soon.

Thanx for looking

Hilton :)

[bristlebasher]

Originally posted by Claude@Jan 17 2006, 14:58
What a beast of a set up! I love it, well done.

Only 1 problem though ....... the sofa is facing the wrong way :P
Thanx for the kudo's

The sofa is now on the other side of the wall :thumbsup:

A lovely place to sit and relax with a cold one :cheers: .

[bristlebasher]

Some photo's

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploads/clam230106.jpg

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploads/tank2230106.jpg

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploads/tank2301006.jpg

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploads/tank3230106.jpg

[bristlebasher]

And

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploads/tank4230106.jpg



:wave: :wave: :wave: :wave: :wave:

[bristlebasher]

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploads/tankskp1.jpg

[bristlebasher]

A full tank shot:

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q1/tankfull070906.jpg

The "Frag" tank:

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q1/frag070906.jpg

And the "Engine" :

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q1/sumps070906.jpg

[bristlebasher]

:rolleyes:

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q1/tank070906.jpg

Comments wellcome.

[Manta]

Very nice to see this lovely tank again Hilton, very natural looking and superb colours of both corals and fish.

Kudos:) :) :)

[Prometheus]

looking sweet :D and keep the pic comming

[bristlebasher]

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/fragtank021006.jpg

[jobr]

Looks great M8

[bristlebasher]

Some closeups:

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/green031006.jpg

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/hammer031006.jpg

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/pagoda031006.jpg

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/pink031006.jpg

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/shroom031006.jpg

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/sinularia031006.jpg

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/sinularia2031006.jpg

[davebroon]

nice tank mate, liken the corals, nice colours all over

[bristlebasher]

Looks great M8

nice tank mate, liken the corals, nice colours all over

Cheers:D .

[bristlebasher]

An updated picture - still a few frags to mount;)

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/tank021106.jpg

[bristlebasher]

1
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/monti%20frag.jpg
2
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/acro%20frag.jpg
3
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/platacro.jpg

[bristlebasher]

Found my old tank thread and thought I would post an update :cool:

Been a while .............:whistling:

The tank is currently a shadow of it's former self and it has been moved 3 times in the last 9 months - so to say the stock was stressed in the process is an understatement. I have been fighting rodactis mushrooms that have been taking the tank over and the only saving grace is that I have sold many on to other tanks. I am not too sure where the tank is going at present and I am seriously thinking about packing things in and starting something new.

Guess time will tell:


A few pics

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2009Q1/tank1006.jpg

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2009Q1/tank1005.jpg


http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2009Q1/clown1016.jpg

[SCOOB]

3 moves in 9 months? House moves as well or just the tank?

Nice to see the same fish 4 years on!

[bristlebasher]

Yip - still have all my fish :) At least they are nice and fat , cant say the same for my corals though ..............

I got divorced and had to move the tank for the first time,moved it to a friend who had a petshop but he ended up using as "general show tank" and sold corals from the system !!!!! Not impressed to say the least :mad: was told they died but later saw a coral I knew was mine in a reefer's tank and discovered that he was selling......So I had to move it to what was my lodging at the time(Parents house) which was temporary and then moved with the tank to where it is now. This house is also currently in the market so guess it will be a matter of time before I need to move again. So yes we moved together .....
Got divorced from now ex but stayed married to the tank :p..........

Good trade-off in my book !!!:whistling: