DIY Concrete Aquarium 5,000 gallon - Anderson Family Reef

[dca22anderson]

lol do you expect to ever see these guys in that massive tank?!?! The shrimps going to be visible?!?!

what’s your quarantine procedure?

I’ll try and snag some pics tomorrow…

I have a 40 gal breeder I use for QT for purchases from local stores or unknown sources. I can treat them if needed in there.

I try and buy fish from friends tanks that have had them for a while and that I know are “clean”. Tank tear downs are one of my favorites for acquiring new fish.

After QT they go to the sump for a few weeks to get acclimated to the water parameters of the big tank without other fish aggression then on to the display tank for hopefully years to come.

 

[Bpp124987]

So you’re not doing medicated or tank transfer qt?

 

[dca22anderson]

So you’re not doing medicated or tank transfer qt?

I medicate in the 40 breeder if needed. If they do well in there, look good and eat well then I just observe them for a few weeks.

I water change the 40 and clean in between new arrivals.

I will set up a better QT system when I start bringing in fish on a regular basis. So far it’s been just a few here and there so the 40 has worked out well.

I do like the tank transfer method… seems to be the best option.

 

[mehaffydr]

i really like My MRC skimmer. On my old 225 I had a MRC2R and it worked good but the becketts are a hassle to keep clean. I now have the Orca Pro with the Reeflo pump and its great. Works great and simple to clean.

 

[dca22anderson]

i really like My MRC skimmer. On my old 225 I had a MRC2R and it worked good but the becketts are a hassle to keep clean. I now have the Orca Pro with the Reeflo pump and its great. Works great and simple to clean.

That’s awesome thank you for your feedback! I had the Orca Pro 3, and one of their Beckett skimmers on past systems and loved them too!!

 

[dca22anderson]

Spotted the harlequin shrimp today so I figured I’d snag a quick video of the tank…

 

[dca22anderson]

Harlequin shrimp, cleaner shrimp, springer damsels in the tank

 

[dca22anderson]

Hallway fish pictures…

 

[dca22anderson]

Oh and my wife bought us a go pro for some underwater filming!! Stoked!!

 

[Fudsey]

Are you feeding the Harlequin starfish?

 

[dca22anderson]

Are you feeding the Harlequin starfish?

Sadly, I have tons of asterinas he has been knocking out for me! Still tons more to go but he was super small when I got him from my friend Allen B and now he’s huge!!

 

[Bpp124987]

So what’s the consensus on asterenas? Good? Bad?

 

[dca22anderson]

So what’s the consensus on asterenas? Good? Bad?

I always find them on sps that are not doing well so from my observations I am not a fan.

 

[Sltloser]

So what’s the consensus on asterenas? Good? Bad?

Its been a few years since I did any digging, but I don't know that we have a great grasp on the diet of asterina starfish in general or the specific diet of each species. I've seen them eat SPS corals, I've seen them eat Zoanthids, and I've seen them be completely harmless (98% or more of the time). I have an inkling that is probably species dependent as some have touted coloration differences as a way to tell. It could also be a response when their main source of food isn't in sufficient quantities, but I can't support any of that with any scientific data.

 

[Achilles Torben]

Light rack started, brain and hands hurt but got it in a good spot…

Hello Dave!

Fantastic build treat and tank by the way. In this moment I realize nearly the same tank like you. Can you help me with your light rack? Your work with the profiles is clear but how you connect the rack to the ceiling and how you realize the slide I can´t understand exactly.

Can you helb me?

Greetings Torben

 

[dca22anderson]

Hello Dave!

Fantastic build treat and tank by the way. In this moment I realize nearly the same tank like you. Can you help me with your light rack? Your work with the profiles is clear but how you connect the rack to the ceiling and how you realize the slide I can´t understand exactly.

Can you helb me?

Greetings Torben

For sure! I used rails and sliders from Strip-Crutains.com:

https://www.strip-curtains.com/order/track_trolley_hardware.php

attached to my ceiling joists with exterior deck screws and washers.

I would use Metal Framing Strut Channel for my next project:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Superst...el-in-Silver-Galvanized-ZA12HS10EG/202714274?

They make trolleys for that channel and it's tougher.

Does that help answer your question?

 

[dca22anderson]

My 11 year old son hand feeding the tangs nori…

 

[Bpp124987]

Are you running a fuge? Don’t think I saw one

 

[dca22anderson]

Are you running a fuge? Don’t think I saw one

No but could in a 240 or a 500 bin…

 

[dca22anderson]

Coral update! With just the blue lights