I havent been on here for a while, so i have decided to show you guys what ive been up too.... ( i also might have few questions)

it might just be me but i carnt see anything ???

Don't they say "love is blind"

hey oliver i can't see anything either!!! welcome back though-hope your tank is going well...

im glad its not just me then

oh soz i didnt realise people would actualy look at this yet im only just puting stuff on now

ok so ill start of with showing you guys the skimmer me and dad have made...

(this pic was taken while i was testing the tank for leaks with fresh water)

(this was too)

(this one was when me and dad had brought the peices for the skimmer but had'nt put them together)

(just the bulbs and stuff)

(just thought i'd show this seeing i got it for free im using it in my sump )

(Wires and stuff in the light hood :roll: )

(dad made some hinges for the light hood)

the tank got a bit noisy...

(dad put some foamy stuff on the inside of the tank to keep it quiet)

(oh and also does any one know what this orange stuff on the coral is??)

I made a cool watter pump to circulate the watter with some help from my dad...

(I put lots of holes in the top so that water would come into the bucket and then the pump pump's it through a tube back into the tank)

(you can see it in the tank here)

The pump in the bucket is a Rio Hyperflow 17HF

The tank has only been runing for about 11 days now.

Soon i will try to get a picture of it with the MH on and the fluro's and the led's (they are awsome)

Looking impressive there Oliver. Can't wait to see the pictures with the lights on

yea looks cool

Got some plans for the skimmer?

Ill get dad to post the details later.

It uses a small pump in the sump to circulate water up through the hundred diameter tube and then back down to the sump. The small tube takes the water back to te sump, it slides up and down to controll the water level in the large tube.

At the bottom of the large tube are three large air stones which fill the column with bubbles.

The foam trap at the top is off a cheap $30 skimmer.

Dad still has to get the compresser going so we havent tried it yet.

hey oliver where did you get the aquamedic 10k bulbs from? i have one and it cost me a fortune! How is that skimmer doing? what pump have you got running it, you would need a big pump because of the height of it... you really need to get a background also. most people just use blue or black but it will hide all the pipes behind your tank!

(oh and also does any one know what this orange stuff on the coral is??)

Diatoms, Normal in any new setup

Oh they are all old but are good enoguh while we are cycling and for fish only.

I think dhindry might sell them... he gave me mine

Ive got some fish in it now and a few corals (unfortuantly some of the corals died in the trip) as of now i have 2 cleaner shrimp 2 clowns and a yellow tang

diatoms are off now another algae lol

Your 'shrooms are looking happy though. That tang will probably outgrow your tank

She's coming along. Wont be long and things may start turning green...a little better looking than the brown...then hopefully the pink sutff - coraline algae!!

Hi Oliver looking good.

You have obviously done this "on the cheap" with home made skimmer etc and are to be congratulated on doing such a good job plus doing all the needed research.

As there is at this stage quite a bit of diatom/algae type growth, IMO anyway you should not add any more fish at this stage. How is the skimmer going? Taking out a good amount of skimmate?

The other thing that is important is using DI water for top off. Using tap water, even if filtered, is usually a loosing battle it is virtually impossible to keep the tank clean long term. A DI, or preferably RODI type filter should be regarded as the second most important piece of equipment after the skimmer.

Anyhow keep those pics coming it will be great to watch your corals developing!

The other thing that is important is using DI water for top off. Using tap water, even if filtered, is usually a loosing battle it is virtually impossible to keep the tank clean long term. A DI, or preferably RODI type filter should be regarded as the second most important piece of equipment after the skimmer.

i got an RODI just a couple of weeks ago

Good work! A lot of people don't think of that!