[PlantedNewt]

Using a 24x24x7 Rimless Starphire tank.

-24" BlueLine Aurora Light Fixture- 150w Metal Halide, 2x 24w T5HO, and lunar LEDs
-Tahitian moon sand mixed with Activ Flora... Mostly sand though.
-A light fixture that has two t5 High Output 24w(6,700k bulb and a pink color max one), one 150w metal halide, and two tiny led lunar lights.
-For filtration I'm running a rena filstar XP1, I have the spray bar aimed at the glass to decrease the current.
-For CO2 I'm running the fluval 88g kit with a glass diffusor at 2 bbs

I'm currently trying to carpet Dwarf Baby Tears (HC) throughout the right side, and in between the rocks of the tank.
I also have a small section with glosso that I'm trying to carpet as well. Will keep updates as I learn from my mistakes and the tank progresses.

I failed at taking pictures through the initial set up... but here's day 5
sorry the last 2 pictures are a little ehh hahaha

 

[manualfocus]

The dimensions of this tank are awesome! Is it custom? Looking good so far. I feel like your lights are going to be overkill, however.

 

[PlantedNewt]

The dimensions of this tank are awesome! Is it custom? Looking good so far. I feel like your lights are going to be overkill, however.

Thank you, yes it is... and as far as the lights go I definitely do too. They're all I got though, and I'm working on figuring out a DIY hanging method.
If I can master planted tanks, I'm going to use the light fixture on a reef tank :biggrin:

 

[ikuzo]

wow this is great
the sand color is amazing
is it black silica?

 

[PlantedNewt]

wow this is great
the sand color is amazing
is it black silica?

Thank you! It's Black Tahitian Moon Sand mixed with Active Floro so it has some beneficial qualities for the plants!

 

[argu]

good size but not standard
I guess you will have algae problem because you can't prepare good flow in the tank.

 

[iRun]

I'm so glad to see a tank with these dimensions! I really considered getting a shallow square when I ordered mine, but it just wouldn't fit where I needed to put it. What did you set it on?

 

[tatersalad]

cool looking tank, reminds me of one of those coral frag tanks. Can you unscrew the metal halide bulb to reduce your lighting by just having the flourescents on? Might help out some with alage and such.

 

[vincenz]

Since it's a square tank, I'd hang the fixture and take out the fluorescent strips and run just the metal halide for the coverage and the shimmer effect. Add a Koralia 240 in one corner to help with flow also. :thumbsup:

 

[dasob85]

This is such a cool tank.

 

[PlantedNewt]

good size but not standard
I guess you will have algae problem because you can't prepare good flow in the tank.

Not true... I did research on that. I'm using a Rena Filstar XP1 with a spray bar on the tank, I have a strong flow throughout!
Thanks though

 

[PlantedNewt]

I'm so glad to see a tank with these dimensions! I really considered getting a shallow square when I ordered mine, but it just wouldn't fit where I needed to put it. What did you set it on?

Thank you! I made a stand myself for it, it has a bottom shelf too in case I decide to get it drilled and get into reefing

 

[PlantedNewt]

This is such a cool tank.

Thank you so much :biggrin:

 

[PlantedNewt]

cool looking tank, reminds me of one of those coral frag tanks. Can you unscrew the metal halide bulb to reduce your lighting by just having the flourescents on? Might help out some with alage and such.

I'm working on hanging it so that I don't have to worry about algae... However, I feel that my tank flow is good enough. Not sure, but I still need to hang it, regardless

 

[PlantedNewt]

Since it's a square tank, I'd hang the fixture and take out the fluorescent strips and run just the metal halide for the coverage and the shimmer effect. Add a Koralia 240 in one corner to help with flow also. :thumbsup:

I need to work on the hanging thing. Not sure how I'm going to get that done, but it'll happen haha

and the flow is perfect right now. I have a canister filter rated for 45 gallons in a 18 gallon tank with a spray bar. I think it's perfect anyways... any more current seems like overkill to me?

 

[Zefrik]

Lol, metal halides on a 7in deep tank. Looks like a cool tank though!

 

[iRun]

How is your evaporation? I'm losing a gallon every other day (Denver is pretty arid) and I have less surface area (36x12x12).

I was thinking the same thing as you are with an eventual transition to reef. After seeing how much I'd have to stay on top of the water due to the evaporation, though, I'm thinking...not so much.

 

[PlantedNewt]

How is your evaporation? I'm losing a gallon every other day (Denver is pretty arid) and I have less surface area (36x12x12).

I was thinking the same thing as you are with an eventual transition to reef. After seeing how much I'd have to stay on top of the water due to the evaporation, though, I'm thinking...not so much.

Evaporation is a pain in the butt... but yeah, I may want to hang my fixture.
PS go broncos all day.

 

[GoldenTetra]

I really like it! I'm excited to see this tank develop!

 

[PlantedNewt]

Okay guys, quick question... My tank started browning. It's not diatoms, but I want to say the plants seem to be dying? The middle of some of them is still green, like leaves underneath the brown ones on my HC and they're pearling. I'm really quite confused.
I'm guessing it's due to too much light? I've been fertilizing perfectly, co2 is perfect.. so I'm lost