Pic's from Pirate's Reef

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Anonymous

Guest
Haven't posted in a while and wanted to start a new thread more dedicated to pics from the tank. The tank is now seven months old.

For those that haven't seen the tank before. It is a DIY 7.7 gallon. Lighting is T5 Nova Extreme 24" fixture.

A few recent pics.













 
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reefman23

New Member
NemoNano said:
What kind of lighting are you using for your tank PC or MH?
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He said he has the 24" T5HO Nova Extreme... I love T5's!

Dude, your tank looks fantastic! You're making me jealous!

Jesse
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Thanks for the compliments! Yeah, I love the T5 fixture. The only thing I wish is that the lamps had the individual reflectors on them. I have included a few SPS frags (which I got at a frag swap for dirt cheap) because the clams were doing so well. I will try them out and see if the T5s will provide enough light for theml.
 
TimSchmidt

TimSchmidt

New Member
Nice to hear the T5s can support clams. I just might get me some of those lights. Where did you buy your fixture?
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Got the fixture from my LFS. One note on the T5s and clams. Remember this tank is only 9" deep and I target feed with DT's and recently changed to the Liquid Life line of liquid foods.

The max has been in the tank for 3-4 months and the crocea I picked up for $25 at the LFS a few weeks ago. I am trying some SPS frags also. I bought a really nice purple cap and a couple of millepora frags at our reef clubs last frag swap meet this weekend. On the avg they cost $10 each. If they flourish, I will be surprised. I think they will live and actually grow some, but will likely lose their color.

My ultimate goal is to accumulate a few good frags and move them to the 140 when I get it up and running. I have a purple rim cap that I got for free that has lost it's brilliant color, but it is growing and has good polyp extension in this tank. Once it gets under the halides, I hope that will regain it's origing green & purple color. I am thinking that it is possible that the cap is actually too close to the light (only a couple inches). May move it lower to see what happens.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
I actually feed the tank small amounts every day. I keep a close watch on nitrates, which, as of this time, have been undetectable. I occasionally get a little cyno around the base of my rock (mostly when my SCWD stops up and I lose flow on the bottom side of the tank), but there is zero hair algae in the tank and never has been.

I do two small water changes per week (about 1.5 gallons) and if you remember, the tank is heavily skimmed with a EuroReef skimmer. The only fish in the tank is a small Clown Goby.

This tank is kind of an experiment for me, so I am not recommending doing things this way. It may all come crashing sown around my ears eventually. So far, I have been pleased though. :mrgreen:
 
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reefman23

New Member
Good point with the T5's Gary. If the tank is about 12" or so deep or more, it would be wise to go with T5's that have individual reflectors... but seems how your tank is only 9" deep you can get away with the single parabolic reflector.

Great tank.

Jesse
 
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aquemeni5110

New Member
Great pictures! Your tank is maturing very well. I always thought it was a 20 gallon. And well if that is a sun coral you have, shouldn't it be on the bottom of the tank or shaded since they're non-photosynthetic?
 
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Anonymous

Guest
aquemeni5110 said:
Great pictures! Your tank is maturing very well. I always thought it was a 20 gallon. And well if that is a sun coral you have, shouldn't it be on the bottom of the tank or shaded since they're non-photosynthetic?
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Thanks! No, the tank is not quite a 20 - not even a 10. :)

That is a sun coral and since they do not host zooxanthellae algae, they are really not affected one way or the other by light. It doesn't matter where they are located in the aquarium, with respect to lighting.
 
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