BuGG's 120gal tank thread

[BuGG]

I wanted to share my tank thread with you. My wife and I have met so many nice, knowledgeable and generous reefers in the 2+ years we've been in the hobby. We started with a 34 gal Solana which my wife inherited from her uncle. Her family knew we always liked fish so she got the tank. However, our experience with fish started with a 1 gal with neon freshwater fishes. Worlds apart from reefing! Sadly, we lost some fish and corals when we were learning. But with forums such as Manhattan Reefs, we have successfully upgraded from the 34 gal to the 120 gal. So here's our story in pics:

The 34 gal prior to the upgrade. It was full to the brim with corals and livestock.

Stand and canopy was re-painted with Krylon Fusion spraypaint.

Initial aquascape while it was cycling.

And with several fish and cleanup crew. This was the 3rd week of cycling. No ammonia and nitrites.

More pics to come later!!

 

[BuGG]

After another week or two, all the corals have been relocated to the 120. The aquascape has changed as well.

I know you're not supposed to add an RBTA on such a new tank, but I figured since we used all live rocks, that the nem would be happy. Plus, we got it at a great deal with the snowflake. This was probably 2 months after cycling. :shocked1:

This is still my favorite piece in the tank.

 

[TommyP]

Looks awesome. Going from a 34 to a 120 must of been so exciting. I have a 55 and most likely I am going to a 90, but thinking of bigger.

Great pics! Keep them coming.

 

[BuGG]

Let's take a look at some of the corals in the tank. Most of my corals are still frags. I can't wait for them to grow out. These are not in any order. I forgot when and where I bought some of these corals. Some pieces were also given by generous reefers, so THANK YOU!!

Unknown SPS given by Feng of Feng's Reef.

Undata:

Stylophora:

Neon green birdsnest. It has been encrusting and growing.

Pocillopora colony:

Pink milli:

Freebie montipora from Geraud:

A blue-tipped SPS. Don't know the name but saw the colony.

Unknown green SPS from AnthonyNWJersey:

Freebie green slimer from ItzJu:

Crazy-looking montipora:

I think this is the Confusa montipora? Not sure.

Brain coral frag:

Miami hurricane chalice:

Red cap:

Green cap:

 

[samksy]

Nice rock work!!! Soon it'll be a awsome mature looking reef.

 

[BuGG]

Looks awesome. Going from a 34 to a 120 must of been so exciting. I have a 55 and most likely I am going to a 90, but thinking of bigger.

Great pics! Keep them coming.

Thanks Tommy! Go with the 120. Go big or go home!! LOL.

Nice rock work!!! Soon it'll be a awsome mature looking reef.

Thanks Sam! I want these corals to grow overnight.

 

[TommyP]

Thanks Tommy! Go with the 120. Go big or go home!! LOL.


Haha that's what I'm thinking. What are the dimensions on your tank. I don't want more than 4' long though. Plus, the tank right now is in my bedroom at my parents house. When I move out /build my apartment I want to do it bigger. I don't really want to put more than I have now on the 2nd floor. Not really sure what to do.

 

[BuGG]

The tank is a standard 4x2x2.

 

[TommyP]

see... that's what I'm talking about.

 

[BuGG]

How about some more pics? Here are some of my LPS:

Duncan. It started with 2 heads. Now probably has 7.

Octobubble:

Oulophyllia brain coral:

Hungry dendros. Thanks GluttonousSolarWrasse!!

Frogspawn and small yellow torch:

More green frogspawn:

Darker green frogspawn:

Acan lord:

Red acan lord started with 2 heads. Lots of babies now.

Green acan lord. Started with 2 heads too.

Won this guy at a raffle. Thanks Elos!

Different types of candycanes/trumpet coral

 

[thirty6]

Looks pretty nice

 

[BuGG]

Some more tank pics. Softies are here too.

Huge leather coral.

Cabbage leather from jcono

Kenya tree freebie from jcono. It has been dropping babies everywhere!

Neon polyp toadstool. Started as a quarter-sized piece and it's getting bigger now.

Blue superman mushroom. I found this in a pile of rubble rock that someone was throwing away. There are 2 of them on my tank now and a baby.

Fuzzy mushrooms

Ricordea garden:

Nepthea?

Sympodium and xenia. Xenia was from edd

GSP mat with 3 colors!! Thanks AnthonyNWJersey, edd, and redfishbluefish!!

Some misc shots:

Gorgonians:

Zoos, purple digi, and chalice:

Armor of Gods:

Mixed zoos and palys:

 

[nanoreefer22]

looks awesome dude!

 

[BuGG]

Thanks Kris! I have 3 ALD corals in there somewhere waiting for their permanent spots.

 

[ECFENCING]

Nice tank and healthy looking corals

What are you doing for dosing ? Or are you just doing water changes

 

[BuGG]

I used to regularly do my water changes every week. But now I see that there seems to be no difference if I change every 2 weeks. I also dose vinegar every day.

I also got a DSB on the sump as well as macroalgae. I also have a single BRS reactor running carbon and GFO. I try to keep things as simple as I can due to time and budget constraints.

 

[BuGG]

Updated FTS:

 

[turbotone]

following.. this is a great build? your stock is impressive

 

[BuGG]

Happy 1 Year Bday!! Part 1 of 3 growth shots.

So, my 120 is a year old this month! I'd like to celebrate by showing some growth pics from my corals. These are just some of my success stories. I got some of these corals all the way back in Nov 2012. A couple of others are as recent as Dec/Jan. I've also lost a couple of corals here and there. So my tank has had its ups and downs, but I keep looking forward to the growth and health of all my livestock.

I'll start with some of my really old corals. This chalice is one of the 3 frags on the top after my wife and I came from the Manhattan Reefs frag swap back in Nov 2012. I gave away 2 in the past in case mine did not make it.

Hollywood Stunner chalice from the same swap. The original pieces I got ranged in size from 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch only.

Here's my purple digi from the same frag swap. I wonder what this glob of polyps will look like? lol.

How about this bleached-out undata? Same swap. On the last pic, the left side is the one on the original square frag plug. The right side started from a small fingernail-sized piece I glued to the rock in case the original didn't make it.

Spongodes, same swap too

Teal ring zoo from the same swap again. I started with only 4 polyps

Here's a group shot of most of the corals we got from the swap.

 

[BuGG]

Happy 1 Year Bday!! Part 2 of 3 growth shots.

Here are some other ones I got over the years. Armor of Gods started from 8-10 polyps, I think. This was from Rookie07.

Bonsai from Sunny

Red, green and purple caps

Red Dragon

Duncan started with around 5 heads

Elkhorn montipora from Geraud

My green birdsnest started as a cross-shaped frag

Green leather was the size of a quarter

Miami Hurricane