So, as predicted, the 29g biocube wasn't enough to scratch the reefing itch. Rather than shell out $250 to retro fit some nice LED's, I bought a 40g breeder from a MASC member who was downsizing. (with some peer-pressure "encouragement" from Mike). The previous owner (chris) did a great job building the tank - removed the trim piece so the tank looks rimless, build in an overflow with beananimal system, and made a nice sump out of what I believe is a 20L. Its got a section that feeds from the display which will eventually be a mini-fuge (maybe), a big skimmer department with an awesome skimmer, and the return section. I believe the system had been running for several years at his house before it moved to mine. It came with some more equipment (doser, reactor) that aren't running right now.
When we moved the tank to our house, we disturbed all the sand and then added some more (husband's preference). So I had a strong feeling the tank was going to go through another cycle. In preparation, I pulled out the corals that had come with the tank and moved them into the biocube for temporary housing. The really large 20-headed hammer went to school where Mike agreed to home it for me in the meantime (naturally, I didn't have anything big enough to transport the huge coral, and had to use my dutch oven. And of course, when I got to school to drop it with Mike, I no longer had a 20-headed hammer and now had two medium sized hammers and a little branch - boo!).
I'm thankful I temporarily re-housed the corals, as the tank registered a level of 0.5 ammonia on my test kit today. No inhabitants in the tank other than some asternina stars, some pods, and whatever else is hitchhiking on the little piece of live rock.
Lights are some 165W LED's that we hung today (These: http://www.amazon.com/Galaxyhydro-5...&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01). Looking forward to being able to keep some SPS and the more light-hungry corals that just can't live under the PC's in my cube.
Every day, my 2 year old son climbs up to look in the top of the tank and say "Fish, where are you?". Planning to get a goby/shrimp combo, and not sure what else at the moment.
Next up on the to-do list while the tank finishes cycling is to build an ATO system (ordered the valve today), figure out how to silence the skimmer, and sew a curtain to enclose the sump once I'm done with the initial setup.
When we moved the tank to our house, we disturbed all the sand and then added some more (husband's preference). So I had a strong feeling the tank was going to go through another cycle. In preparation, I pulled out the corals that had come with the tank and moved them into the biocube for temporary housing. The really large 20-headed hammer went to school where Mike agreed to home it for me in the meantime (naturally, I didn't have anything big enough to transport the huge coral, and had to use my dutch oven. And of course, when I got to school to drop it with Mike, I no longer had a 20-headed hammer and now had two medium sized hammers and a little branch - boo!).
I'm thankful I temporarily re-housed the corals, as the tank registered a level of 0.5 ammonia on my test kit today. No inhabitants in the tank other than some asternina stars, some pods, and whatever else is hitchhiking on the little piece of live rock.
Lights are some 165W LED's that we hung today (These: http://www.amazon.com/Galaxyhydro-5...&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01). Looking forward to being able to keep some SPS and the more light-hungry corals that just can't live under the PC's in my cube.
Every day, my 2 year old son climbs up to look in the top of the tank and say "Fish, where are you?". Planning to get a goby/shrimp combo, and not sure what else at the moment.
Next up on the to-do list while the tank finishes cycling is to build an ATO system (ordered the valve today), figure out how to silence the skimmer, and sew a curtain to enclose the sump once I'm done with the initial setup.
