Cell Block H

[Hunky Dory]

Introduction:
Hi All,
I've kept marine fish on and off since the early 80's and was a member here several years ago under the guise "Blootang". I did start a journal then not long after upgrading a 4x2x2 to a 4x2.5x2 which housed fish, shrimp, snails, soft corals and anemones. The tank went quite well for a few years but after an awful heatwave one summer my inverts suffered badly, then I had kids and it ended up becoming a neglected fish and rock tank. I still have a couple of old fish, a Desjardinii Sailfin which I purchased around 1996/97, (it's been that long I can't really remember) and a Tomato Clown around 10 years old. Two more recent additions were a Tusk and an Undulated Trigger. My tank's not really a predator setup, it's more like a Maximum security block for the criminally insane. But I love them, all hardy and have heaps of character and attitude and are considered family members. I cant really add any more fish as there is just enough space to keep the peace and don't want to rock the boat, I've even taken out a lot of the old rock now to provide more open swimming space. My nitrates have been high for a long time but once I get my parameters back on track I might put some Leather's, Morphs, Zoas and perhaps a BTA in but I will be expecting my fish to eat them lol, you should see what happens to a kilo and a half piece of primo LR!


System Objectives:
No real objective other than getting my nitrates down atm

System Type
FOWLR/Predator


Strike up Date:
2003

Display Tank:
4x2.5x2.5 550l

Display Lighting:
2x9 36w white led
1x9 36w blue led

Stand:

Customised by me cabinet from the LFS



Sump:
Sump is two old tanks connected via a 40mm bulkhead and around 100l but I have finally ordered
a new proper single unit I'll install next w/end -hopefully



Support systems:

System Water:[/color]
artificial salt water

Display Water circulation:
2 Tunze's, a 6085 and one of the old square shaped ones (can't remember the model number!)on a 7091 controller

Return Pump:
Eheim 1262

Skimmer:
H&H V2001 internal with Waveline 5000 dc pump (upgrade from Aqua C ev180)

Evaporation Top Up:
Tunze osmolater but It's kaput so manual now


Chemical Support:

Calcium Addition: If not calcium reactor

Alkilinity Addition: If not calcium reactor

Other Chemical Maintenance:
Reef Octopus BR110 pellet reactor + Eheim compact 1000
Aquamaxx pellets

Current Water Chemistry: If applicable
Nitrates:
Phosphates:
Alkalinity:
Calcium:
Salinity / Specific Gravity:
Magnesuim:


Images:

Happy Tang

He wan'ts to eat my camera

Nasty, but nice

Front shot

Silly sump about to be replaced and set up better, can't wait to see this skimmer in action in a non fluctuating water level!
TBC & Nick

[priscacara]

Love the tj title :-) . Great shots of the fish, very nice colors and attitudes!

[Hunky Dory]

Thanks

Picked up the new sump today. 100x40x40cm, just a simple 2 section job with 6mm sides and a 10mm base. They also bevelled the top edges to which was nice. The first 60cm section will house a 20cm nylon sock, pump for and return pipe from the pellet reactor, heater and the skimmer. I had the baffle made to the correct height for the skimmer so I don't have to put it on a stand -if my calculations are correct! The baffle/bubbletrap is wide enough (5+5cm) to drop a little egg-crate shelf into for a bag of carbon or filter wool etc. The return section is 30cm. Now the bit I havn't been looking forward to, cutting out a new "door" in the side of the cabinet so I can get the thing in. I think the new door will become some sort of locker that I can hide the electrical gear in -and all those damn cables!


I have also started my assault on the algae and did the back glass with a razorblade on a stick, not easy in 30" of water but it's good to see the wall again. The Tang liked it to, following the razor everywhere so it got the prize chunks first, not that anyone else wanted it though.


Another new toy, though not really aquarium related is a Nikon DSLR and I'm trying to teach myself how to drive it. Here's a few pics-

HTF "Count Dracula", nice to see he's grown his top left fang back!


Undulatus watching the world swim by from the comfort of her bommie


And working on yet another burrow


I've also removed about 15kg's of sand and more will go to, inspired by a post from "Tone" if I remember correctly, about DSB's as mine was really too shallow to be functional but deep enough to collect a heap of sediment and detritus. Found a lot of worms in there though, much to the delight of the Trigger and Tusk.
TBC &
Nick

[lorby]

Bit of a bump. Love the fish, triggers are awesome! Pity I don't have a tank large enough for any. Nice size tank as well, got any pics of the sump setup?

[Hunky Dory]

Cheers lorby
Here's a few pics of the sump,
The new side door..I also gave the cabinet another lick of paint inside while I had the chance and installed
some conduit to keep the pump and skimmer cables tidy.


I ended up using the shorter section for the overflow/skimmer/biopellet outlet.
The 21cm high baffle/bubble trap worked out to be a good guess for the skimmer.


Bubbletrap and second section has reactor + pump, heater and return pump.


During the sump change-over I ran the pellets ( approx 1l ) in a 50l tub which became quite milky in a few hours, don't know why
exactly and then suffered a second bloom in the tank once it was back online. As there's lots of room in the sump
I put the old AquaC ev180 in on an eheim 5000 and within two days with both skimmers foaming like crazy it was gone.

[Hunky Dory]

Super skimming my tank really cleared up the last bloom quickly and I've left it set up with 2 for now. If the AquaC stops
performing I'll take it out. Surprisingly the H&H leaves enough for the ultra sensitive ev180 to skim out, that's a weeks worth in the 3l pura bottle.

[Choppa]

Cool fish - like the tusk

How's the nitrates now?

Chop

[Hunky Dory]

Hi Chop
the nitrate's seem to be under control now and I've not had a reading over 2ppm for several weeks.

[Choppa]

Hi Chop
the nitrate's seem to be under control now and I've not had a reading over 2ppm for several weeks.

Nice one - are you still super skimming and using biopellets?

[Hunky Dory]

Just the H&H skimmer now running fairly wet, approx 5lt a week of skimmate and yes still using the pellets. Besides the two fairly uneventful blooms they've really helped my tank, the rocks are now free of GHA and Coralline's starting to take hold. I'm down to about half a litre now but if the N03 starts to rise I may add another 250ml or so.