Thanks to everyone watching. It makes me VERY HAPPY to have got to this stage in Palau Reef's construction. If you got any specific questions about the build, the plants I've used etc, please just ask. I'm happy to chat!
Way to go there big Ad, I thought I was a compulsive reef keeping, turtle keeping, eclectus running around the backyard keeping, orchid and pandannus keeping nut, but you take the cake! Gas from Nambucca
Hey Mate Thanks for supporting my channel. You can help it get momentum by sharing it to friends, fish clubs etc. Either way, I appreciate you watching!
@@australianaquarist it bloody called when I clicked ya number to save it 🤦🏼♂️ was hoping it didn’t ring. I think it might be 3 hours with daylight savings. Just gone 17:18 in Perth
Thanks mate. I’m pretty confident I’ve got it covered….. quite literally, I almost covered the entire front of the island shell with epoxy and cloth. Had to pull out most of the rock across the front. Thanks for your support
Adam! What a big milestone and it looks amazing mate! It's been really fun watching this tank from the start, so thank you to putting in the effort around publishing your work. Please do throw us videos of your work around the livestock when you can too - I'd have enjoyed even the process of picking and moving the current fish into that tank. Definitely so for your big boy eel. Re lighting my feeling would be that you try to keep that immediate concave area under the lip of the island unlit so as to hide that more plain area and give both the top and bottom more emphasis. I think light strip bars where you've indicated sounds great if you can ensure they can point at the bottom area of the reef and they don't backshine into your face sitting or standing. Another reason you don't want to want the light strips at the concave area of the island is so they don't erase the shadow the island lip creates on it - I think that's important to help sell the depth of shape you've built. Looking forward to the next video!
Ahhh I didn’t think of the light spill under the overhang. I was planning to angle them at a 45, but like you’ve noted, probably more straight down may be better for the illusion of shadow. I also thought of relying on mainly lowlight coral such as leptoseros, and Blastomussa here. I’m just not in love with them, and my butterflies would probably snack on the Blastos. I think I’ll reach out to Orphek and ask about the IP RATING . Many have suggested AI blades for their slimline form factor, however they are only IP 66, and it’s a lot of money to put into lights that may die from direct salt spray. I definitely have plans to produce videos on the livestock. I’ve somehow stumbled into DIY style videos, but it’s the fish and recreating actual underwater habitats that I truly enjoy
@@australianaquarist Maybe get a light meter and see what PAR you're getting down there. Some high power LEDs in those large lamps might get you quite far. But it is a deep tank, so I dunno really. It definitely seems like a uniquely tough setup to light - More hanging lamps would be simple, but then they'd conflict with the view of the awesome island. I wonder if you can pull the lamps up even further with a narrow beam lens?
Yeah they were a real pain to deal with. I’m definitely glad to not be getting in and out of the island anymore! I’m happy you like the finished display. I’m pleased with the result. Now onto corals
You’re a beast, sir. This is inspirational to those of us who appreciate an attempt to replicate the wild more than the more artificial environments most aquarists end up with. Salute!
I appreciate that greatly JMann. I always take inspiration from my dives around the local reefs. It’s the only way to truly appreciate and ultimately protect, what we’ve got on earth
@@australianaquarist Agreed. I’ve done the same in Palm Beach, FL as well. Nothing like the Great one but, we’ve got a subtropical barrier reef with the gulfstream current coming up front the Caribbean. I love patch reef zones the most I think
Perfect inspiration for a tank! I’m about to start a Gold Coast Seaway tank, which showcases the mixing of pelagic species , with reef fishes. Ideas are right near us. I see the bridge pillars on some of those TH-cam videos from the young guys collecting fish in Florida, and think what a great display that would make, with the tidal flow kicking the sand up and swirling it around the concrete piling.
@@australianaquarist Very cool. Yeah, one of the most famous bridge dive spots is right in my home town. Blue Heron Bridge. Lots of cool stuff to see there, especially at night!
@australianaquarist just wondering if I could pick your brain Adam? I've been wanting to do a shoreline build, so from mangrove shallow shore out to a shallow reef with seagrasses etc. I have 3 options in mind. 1. Dropdown tank 2. Put a huge pot on one end for the mangroves and build up around it with rock or 3. Put a divider on one end with a deepsand bed for the mangroves.
What size tank are we talking? I was thinking of a tidal mangrove and seagrass tank in my old 7 x 4 plywood tank. I feel you need a good and deep bed of actual mangrove mud and estuary sand to get an extensive root system. I’d be looking at some sort of glass divider to hold back the bulk of the substrate, and bury rubble to stabilise the slope , down to the deeper water column for the seagrass. In saying that, seagrass also have extensive and fragile root systems that need a fair amount of depth of substrate. Probably about 20cm (8”). You’d be talking about a deep tank to get a good effect- minimum 600mm (2 ft)
@australianaquarist that sounds really good, thanks for the information, I live right next to an estuary, so that would be perfect. The size of the tank would be around 10 feet long and as wide as I possibly can go. Im running a 7 foot cade on the opposite wall tobwhere this would go atm.Personally I'd love to have the overflow at the shallow end beneath the mangroves to pull nutrients towards them and even run a surge device like you have at the reef/deep end of the tank to cause a wave effect, simulating a reef break. Can you imagine small fish swimming in between seagrasses and up around the mangroves!!!! I truly appreciate your advice.
Hey Pete Thanks for your kind words. I’m glad to hear you’ve enjoyed watching the build. It’s been a rewarding experience in its construction, though I am pleased to be at the livestock stage!
Hi Adam. Thanks very much for your reply it’s much appreciated. What you have made is very special, you are very clever & knowledgeable about wildlife,diy & solving problems for your paludarium etc. keep up the fantastic & educational work. Pete 🏴
I was just thinking about this the other day! Glad you got those leaks sorted. The planted island looks great. Totally agree on "scale" of animals and hardscape.
Scale is what drew me to keeping large tanks. I wanted to replicate the feeling I got when snorkelling the local reefs, and watch the fish swim as naturally as possible. It’s actually amazing to see how fast my triggerfish can swim!! Something not witnessed in a 5 ft tank
Awesome…what a great milestone…congrats. The look also reminds me of the rock islands of Barbados if they had more vegetation ( a heritage site). Great time snorkeling the calmer/opposite side of that island with my family and these videos always bring up good memories. Loved the info on the soil mixture this episode. Thx!
I think you need to build an aquarium to keep those memories alive! That’s the true value of the hobby in my mind- replicating what we actually see underwater , so we can continue to enjoy it
Looks Awesome Mate!! I'm really happy you got those leaks it would of been a nightmare, it was a very inspirational video to wake up to, I hope it all goes well for you, I can't wait for the updates 🙂🏝
Absolutely George! I could not believe it when I thought I’d fixed it, only to come back a week later and see a puddle. And then it dawned on me, that I had to go through the whole process again. Still, I’m really happy with the result… drinking tea and watching fish right now!
Omg what amazing job and journey its been watching you bring this beautiful system to life. Yes would love to watch you do the sprinkler and drainage system. Thanks so much for showing us your journey from stat to finish. Just amazing. R.I.P Jake
Cheers Mark. It has been quite the journey! Jake Adams certainly did more for popularising and educating this hobby than anyone else I can think of. His work was a great resource for myself, when researching this build
Thanks for the upload Adam. got very excited when it pop up. always great content and very entertaining! that's going to look so amazing! bummer about the velvet :( never fun. keep the vids coming man!
Just received two new OR4 orphek 120mm bars - can confirm that the build quality is excellent, and can believe they live up to their water resistant claims. If you want icon controls get the new OR4, if you are happy with on/off get the now reduced OR3's (only reduced on the orphek website) good luck! Love the tank, only wish I had the space 😊
One thing that worries me is that I like my light on the whiter side, and most LEDs attending to heavy blue, and now more violet . Can the Orphek be tuned to a crisp cool white?
No, you’ll have only found me arms deep in a cow, picking flowers or hiding in my greenhouses ….. or preferably somewhere underwater!!! Still I am get older, so if you’ve got any showbiz contacts, I’m more than happy to explore a new direction in life!!! Thanks for the compliment though!
It has turned out great Adam. My two cents would be to light from above. In nature it would be dim under rock overhangs and the like. What about a skylight for the island?
I was told by Tom of Biota Group that deep water ( therefore low light) corals were growing up under the overhangs. However, trouble of my butterflyfish overeating these types of corals. It’ll be a trade off. Life’s a compromise hey. Regarding the skylight…. I’ve replaced two sheets of metal roofing with polycarbonate sheeting, which looks amazing when the fish swim through the rays of natural sunlight
Try the AI Blades, they are pretty robust, controllable and passively cooled. IMO great for filling in dark spaces. Great job on the tank, I am looking forward to seeing it fully stocked and grown out.
I like the very slimline look of the blades, I’m just a bit worried about them being IP66. There’s a fair amount of salt splash this close to the water in the tank
Id love to see your cut foliage setup, im growing natives and proteas in gold coast hinterland for cut flower. Also breed rainbows and setup ponds, building a 5000litre aquarium for my long neck turtle. Im going to use pool fencing glass(inspired by your channel). Love your channel mate, cheers
@@australianaquarist thanks mate i reckon i will one day. Ive stopped selling flowers for a little while, just had kids and returned to mine site work. But ill do it again one day, for now all friends and family get all my flowers😄
looks amazin mate. just watching the B-roll of the actual islands in Palau, the point where the water met the island was really dark from how deep in the erosion was undercutting. Might be an idea to add some contrast and depth at that point by maybe adding a bit of a darker colour or play with the lighting for more shadow
I know what you mean. In the video filming , I’ve used a bright light to shine on myself and the front of the tank, which makes my overhang area brighter than it really is. I’ll probably end up using lowlight corals like Leptoseris, but they will need some lighting
I think metal halides and more of those kessils will look amazing.. get the shimmer and blues from the kessils and the strength from the MHs. Maybe throw the narrow reflectors on the kessils to target spot those areas you mentioned. Any plans for SPS coral like jake adams video in palau? Or just sticking with the softies? Great vid!! been waiting for this one for a while.
The Kessil’s are good and I like their simplicity….. they are just so expensive! $1400 Aussie dollars for the a500x . My original plan was to do a sarcophyton, sinularia and Acropora reef. As I’m evolving the idea of a lagoonal side to the left, and a more ocean side to the right, I’m looking more closely at the Reef Builders video. Pavona cactus, Heliofungia, Pectinia, were noted in the lagoon, along with lobos. I did note that scrolling Montipora seemed dominant in the oceanic reef, which I’m not in love with! So yes, I’m looking closely….., but still love my leathers and acro!
@@australianaquarist yikes.. didn’t know they were so expensive down there. The chinesium reef bar Orphek knockoffs are a good bang for your buck. I know lighting these big tanks is a huge portion of the budget. I’m liking the idea of your coral selection. An ode to Jake Adams
Yes definitely. Though I’ll probably wait until the parasite outbreak has subsided first! Currently treating with hydrogen peroxide and UV. I’ll possibly touch on that when I bring my moray across
Mate I love what you’ve done here. I have some very similar ideas of my own so I resonate with your style. Have to be honest though I’m very concerned about the plywood and potential for leaks. Obviously you’ve already had 3. Have you considered a layer of 2mm acrylic placed over the plywood/waterproof paint to protect it? Obviously that’s a really big job at this point but the further along you get the harder it’s gonna be. Good luck man I’ll subscribe 🍻
No, the epoxy seals plywood very effectively. When applied to 3-5 coats, it impregnates into the timber grain and then builds on to the surface, and acts like acrylic. I believe my leaks were caused by a structural shortcoming of mine. The front of my curved island form work, was locked at the bottom by the epoxy fillet and the top by the horizontal arch of rock work, but I think was flexing inward , midway up. I should have bridged that joint with plywood, not just fibreglass tape
@@australianaquarist that makes total sense. FYI I’m not trying to find problems with your design just genuinely interested in the process. Very inspiring..
Thanks Stephen. I really like the slim form factor of the blades, but they are only IP66, which means they are only splash proof. I’m not sure if they’d handle the proximity to my surge devices?…
![ILLSLICK X YOUNGOHM - We're The same [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/yUJNkobYR0E/mqdefault.jpg)
Thanks to everyone watching. It makes me VERY HAPPY to have got to this stage in Palau Reef's construction. If you got any specific questions about the build, the plants I've used etc, please just ask. I'm happy to chat!
Not sure if you are familiar with the channel SerpaDesign here on ytube. Just thought you might have things to share with each other
Yes definitely. I watch some of his content. Thanks for thinking of me
Way to go there big Ad, I thought I was a compulsive reef keeping, turtle keeping, eclectus running around the backyard keeping, orchid and pandannus keeping nut, but you take the cake! Gas from Nambucca
Cheers mate. I think I’ll take that as a compliment!
This channel is so underrated
Hey Mate
Thanks for supporting my channel. You can help it get momentum by sharing it to friends, fish clubs etc. Either way, I appreciate you watching!
Just stumbled accross your channel. You have a wonderful setup!!
I’m so glad you got the leaks sorted Adam 😊 it looks amazing!!!❤ can’t wait to see it complete with Monster in it and all the coral 🫶🏻
“Coming soon to a TH-cam channel near you”…….Monsters Great Adventure
I love this whole playlist
I think I’ve watched it 2-3 times through and can’t pick a favourite
My favourite was when I finished building it! Did you try and call the other night? Late? What’s the time difference between us?
@@australianaquarist it bloody called when I clicked ya number to save it 🤦🏼♂️ was hoping it didn’t ring. I think it might be 3 hours with daylight savings. Just gone 17:18 in Perth
I've been anxiously awaiting news on your leak and it's repair. I do hope you got it all. They can be so frustrating! Loving this build!
Thanks mate. I’m pretty confident I’ve got it covered….. quite literally, I almost covered the entire front of the island shell with epoxy and cloth. Had to pull out most of the rock across the front. Thanks for your support
That looks so nice. Super jealous!
Mate don’t be jealous. Just getting thinking of a concept and environment that you love and start building!
Looking mega, well done & glad to hear the leak issue is resolved too, I’ve enjoyed this build so far , keep up the great work 👍🏻👏🏼🫡
Thanks Daz
Trust me when I say that I’m pleased to have those leaks fixed too!!!
Adam! What a big milestone and it looks amazing mate! It's been really fun watching this tank from the start, so thank you to putting in the effort around publishing your work.
Please do throw us videos of your work around the livestock when you can too - I'd have enjoyed even the process of picking and moving the current fish into that tank. Definitely so for your big boy eel.
Re lighting my feeling would be that you try to keep that immediate concave area under the lip of the island unlit so as to hide that more plain area and give both the top and bottom more emphasis. I think light strip bars where you've indicated sounds great if you can ensure they can point at the bottom area of the reef and they don't backshine into your face sitting or standing. Another reason you don't want to want the light strips at the concave area of the island is so they don't erase the shadow the island lip creates on it - I think that's important to help sell the depth of shape you've built.
Looking forward to the next video!
Ahhh I didn’t think of the light spill under the overhang. I was planning to angle them at a 45, but like you’ve noted, probably more straight down may be better for the illusion of shadow.
I also thought of relying on mainly lowlight coral such as leptoseros, and Blastomussa here. I’m just not in love with them, and my butterflies would probably snack on the Blastos. I think I’ll reach out to Orphek and ask about the IP RATING . Many have suggested AI blades for their slimline form factor, however they are only IP 66, and it’s a lot of money to put into lights that may die from direct salt spray.
I definitely have plans to produce videos on the livestock. I’ve somehow stumbled into DIY style videos, but it’s the fish and recreating actual underwater habitats that I truly enjoy
@@australianaquarist Maybe get a light meter and see what PAR you're getting down there. Some high power LEDs in those large lamps might get you quite far. But it is a deep tank, so I dunno really.
It definitely seems like a uniquely tough setup to light - More hanging lamps would be simple, but then they'd conflict with the view of the awesome island. I wonder if you can pull the lamps up even further with a narrow beam lens?
@DJDDstrich yeah the Kessil lights have 35 degree lenses… I might try playing with those. On an angle
That thing's looking sweat! The leaks must have been super frustrating but well worth the result👍👍
Yeah they were a real pain to deal with. I’m definitely glad to not be getting in and out of the island anymore! I’m happy you like the finished display. I’m pleased with the result. Now onto corals
That look out of this world adam top job mate
Cheers Colin
I think it turned out pretty good also!
You’re a beast, sir. This is inspirational to those of us who appreciate an attempt to replicate the wild more than the more artificial environments most aquarists end up with. Salute!
I appreciate that greatly JMann. I always take inspiration from my dives around the local reefs. It’s the only way to truly appreciate and ultimately protect, what we’ve got on earth
@@australianaquarist Agreed. I’ve done the same in Palm Beach, FL as well. Nothing like the Great one but, we’ve got a subtropical barrier reef with the gulfstream current coming up front the Caribbean. I love patch reef zones the most I think
Perfect inspiration for a tank! I’m about to start a Gold Coast Seaway tank, which showcases the mixing of pelagic species , with reef fishes. Ideas are right near us. I see the bridge pillars on some of those TH-cam videos from the young guys collecting fish in Florida, and think what a great display that would make, with the tidal flow kicking the sand up and swirling it around the concrete piling.
@@australianaquarist Very cool. Yeah, one of the most famous bridge dive spots is right in my home town. Blue Heron Bridge. Lots of cool stuff to see there, especially at night!
You ripper, you did it, I can Imagine the frustration. I've found my next project, thanks so much for all your inspiration and tutorials. Cheers
You’re very welcome vroomy! Looking forward to hearing how you builds develop!
@australianaquarist just wondering if I could pick your brain Adam? I've been wanting to do a shoreline build, so from mangrove shallow shore out to a shallow reef with seagrasses etc. I have 3 options in mind.
1. Dropdown tank
2. Put a huge pot on one end for the mangroves and build up around it with rock or
3. Put a divider on one end with a deepsand bed for the mangroves.
What size tank are we talking?
I was thinking of a tidal mangrove and seagrass tank in my old 7 x 4 plywood tank.
I feel you need a good and deep bed of actual mangrove mud and estuary sand to get an extensive root system. I’d be looking at some sort of glass divider to hold back the bulk of the substrate, and bury rubble to stabilise the slope , down to the deeper water column for the seagrass. In saying that, seagrass also have extensive and fragile root systems that need a fair amount of depth of substrate. Probably about 20cm (8”). You’d be talking about a deep tank to get a good effect- minimum 600mm (2 ft)
@australianaquarist that sounds really good, thanks for the information, I live right next to an estuary, so that would be perfect. The size of the tank would be around 10 feet long and as wide as I possibly can go. Im running a 7 foot cade on the opposite wall tobwhere this would go atm.Personally I'd love to have the overflow at the shallow end beneath the mangroves to pull nutrients towards them and even run a surge device like you have at the reef/deep end of the tank to cause a wave effect, simulating a reef break. Can you imagine small fish swimming in between seagrasses and up around the mangroves!!!! I truly appreciate your advice.
Hi Adam. Been watching you do this reef paludarium. It’s absolutely stunning. Pete from 🏴 south Wales
Hey Pete
Thanks for your kind words. I’m glad to hear you’ve enjoyed watching the build. It’s been a rewarding experience in its construction, though I am pleased to be at the livestock stage!
Hi Adam. Thanks very much for your reply it’s much appreciated. What you have made is very special, you are very clever & knowledgeable about wildlife,diy & solving problems for your paludarium etc. keep up the fantastic & educational work. Pete 🏴
The more videos the better… definitely would love to see irrigation videos
Great video🎉
Yo Krish!
I was just thinking about this the other day! Glad you got those leaks sorted. The planted island looks great. Totally agree on "scale" of animals and hardscape.
Scale is what drew me to keeping large tanks. I wanted to replicate the feeling I got when snorkelling the local reefs, and watch the fish swim as naturally as possible. It’s actually amazing to see how fast my triggerfish can swim!! Something not witnessed in a 5 ft tank
Amazing project ❤.
Looks great, glad to see your vision come to fruition
Thanks. I sit here right now in front of the tank, and do feel very satisfied to see it completed. Thanks for your continued support
Awesome…what a great milestone…congrats. The look also reminds me of the rock islands of Barbados if they had more vegetation ( a heritage site). Great time snorkeling the calmer/opposite side of that island with my family and these videos always bring up good memories. Loved the info on the soil mixture this episode. Thx!
I think you need to build an aquarium to keep those memories alive! That’s the true value of the hobby in my mind- replicating what we actually see underwater , so we can continue to enjoy it
Looks Awesome Mate!! I'm really happy you got those leaks it would of been a nightmare, it was a very inspirational video to wake up to, I hope it all goes well for you, I can't wait for the updates 🙂🏝
Cheers Jason
I’m going to have to start thinking about a build for that Saratoga soon!
Good work mate..
Hey thanks!
Awesome. Glad you fixed the leak!!
Myself included! Thanks for your support!
Adam, wow!!!! Great job, mate! Im sure that leak would have tested your patience. A+
Absolutely George! I could not believe it when I thought I’d fixed it, only to come back a week later and see a puddle. And then it dawned on me, that I had to go through the whole process again. Still, I’m really happy with the result… drinking tea and watching fish right now!
Omg what amazing job and journey its been watching you bring this beautiful system to life. Yes would love to watch you do the sprinkler and drainage system. Thanks so much for showing us your journey from stat to finish. Just amazing. R.I.P Jake
Cheers Mark. It has been quite the journey!
Jake Adams certainly did more for popularising and educating this hobby than anyone else I can think of.
His work was a great resource for myself, when researching this build
@@australianaquarist yes sir.he was amazing for this hobby
Thanks for the upload Adam. got very excited when it pop up. always great content and very entertaining!
that's going to look so amazing! bummer about the velvet :( never fun.
keep the vids coming man!
Yeah velvet sucks. But it’ll be OK. The velvet and I have an understanding going on. It doesn’t kill my fish, and I don’t completely kill it.
Absolutely love it mate ❤❤❤❤
Hey John!
I’ve got your seal of approval!!
@@australianaquarist you do 👍
very awesome .. i love it!
Hey thanks!!! I’m pretty sure I do too!
Very cool
Just received two new OR4 orphek 120mm bars - can confirm that the build quality is excellent, and can believe they live up to their water resistant claims. If you want icon controls get the new OR4, if you are happy with on/off get the now reduced OR3's (only reduced on the orphek website) good luck! Love the tank, only wish I had the space 😊
One thing that worries me is that I like my light on the whiter side, and most LEDs attending to heavy blue, and now more violet . Can the Orphek be tuned to a crisp cool white?
Looks great mate
Damn 0:12 I didn’t expect he show this
This looks amazing!
Thanks for checking the video out.
Amazing tank👍👍 ..new Subscribed😊
Much appreciated!!
Have you been working on tv or something? Your videos are just amazing to watch!
No, you’ll have only found me arms deep in a cow, picking flowers or hiding in my greenhouses ….. or preferably somewhere underwater!!!
Still I am get older, so if you’ve got any showbiz contacts, I’m more than happy to explore a new direction in life!!!
Thanks for the compliment though!
@@australianaquarist Ok :) sorry, I wish I had contacts in showbiz so I could help you with that.
Yeah awesome!
It has turned out great Adam. My two cents would be to light from above. In nature it would be dim under rock overhangs and the like. What about a skylight for the island?
I was told by Tom of Biota Group that deep water ( therefore low light) corals were growing up under the overhangs. However, trouble of my butterflyfish overeating these types of corals. It’ll be a trade off. Life’s a compromise hey.
Regarding the skylight…. I’ve replaced two sheets of metal roofing with polycarbonate sheeting, which looks amazing when the fish swim through the rays of natural sunlight
Try the AI Blades, they are pretty robust, controllable and passively cooled. IMO great for filling in dark spaces. Great job on the tank, I am looking forward to seeing it fully stocked and grown out.
I like the very slimline look of the blades, I’m just a bit worried about them being IP66. There’s a fair amount of salt splash this close to the water in the tank
@@australianaquarist My Blades are sat on top of my tank and exposed to salt splash and according to their website do meet IP66 standards.
Id love to see your cut foliage setup, im growing natives and proteas in gold coast hinterland for cut flower. Also breed rainbows and setup ponds, building a 5000litre aquarium for my long neck turtle. Im going to use pool fencing glass(inspired by your channel). Love your channel mate, cheers
Nice
Thanks Matt. Run, run, get out of cutflowers while you can!
You’re welcome to come and visit if you’re ever down this way
@@australianaquarist thanks mate i reckon i will one day. Ive stopped selling flowers for a little while, just had kids and returned to mine site work. But ill do it again one day, for now all friends and family get all my flowers😄
looks amazin mate. just watching the B-roll of the actual islands in Palau, the point where the water met the island was really dark from how deep in the erosion was undercutting. Might be an idea to add some contrast and depth at that point by maybe adding a bit of a darker colour or play with the lighting for more shadow
I know what you mean. In the video filming , I’ve used a bright light to shine on myself and the front of the tank, which makes my overhang area brighter than it really is. I’ll probably end up using lowlight corals like Leptoseris, but they will need some lighting
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Hey mate
Glad you enjoyed the video. You’re quick !!
@@australianaquaristLooks good.
Yes please big fella can your so the extra videos please mate
Well done, looks real nice. Scale is a pain and it’s looking robust
Thanks Banker!
I think metal halides and more of those kessils will look amazing.. get the shimmer and blues from the kessils and the strength from the MHs. Maybe throw the narrow reflectors on the kessils to target spot those areas you mentioned.
Any plans for SPS coral like jake adams video in palau? Or just sticking with the softies?
Great vid!! been waiting for this one for a while.
The Kessil’s are good and I like their simplicity….. they are just so expensive! $1400 Aussie dollars for the a500x .
My original plan was to do a sarcophyton, sinularia and Acropora reef. As I’m evolving the idea of a lagoonal side to the left, and a more ocean side to the right, I’m looking more closely at the Reef Builders video. Pavona cactus, Heliofungia, Pectinia, were noted in the lagoon, along with lobos. I did note that scrolling Montipora seemed dominant in the oceanic reef, which I’m not in love with!
So yes, I’m looking closely….., but still love my leathers and acro!
@@australianaquarist yikes.. didn’t know they were so expensive down there. The chinesium reef bar Orphek knockoffs are a good bang for your buck. I know lighting these big tanks is a huge portion of the budget.
I’m liking the idea of your coral selection. An ode to Jake Adams
Ai Blades are meant to have more PAR than the Orpheks. You would need the extra punch for the depth you have
I’ll contact AI and see if they are happy with the blades that close to the waters surface. Thanks for thinking of me
next video.... seeing it complete. What fish is in that tank setup?
Yes definitely. Though I’ll probably wait until the parasite outbreak has subsided first! Currently treating with hydrogen peroxide and UV.
I’ll possibly touch on that when I bring my moray across
Mate I love what you’ve done here. I have some very similar ideas of my own so I resonate with your style.
Have to be honest though I’m very concerned about the plywood and potential for leaks. Obviously you’ve already had 3. Have you considered a layer of 2mm acrylic placed over the plywood/waterproof paint to protect it? Obviously that’s a really big job at this point but the further along you get the harder it’s gonna be. Good luck man I’ll subscribe 🍻
No, the epoxy seals plywood very effectively. When applied to 3-5 coats, it impregnates into the timber grain and then builds on to the surface, and acts like acrylic. I believe my leaks were caused by a structural shortcoming of mine. The front of my curved island form work, was locked at the bottom by the epoxy fillet and the top by the horizontal arch of rock work, but I think was flexing inward , midway up.
I should have bridged that joint with plywood, not just fibreglass tape
Don’t be concerned about building tanks from plywood and epoxy. It’s a tried and true method. I just tend to push the boundaries a bit!!
@@australianaquarist that makes total sense. FYI I’m not trying to find problems with your design just genuinely interested in the process. Very inspiring..
Get some Ai blades under there, very thin profile and splash resistant.
Yeah I was looking looking at the blades, simply because of the thin profile. I didn’t think their IP rating was suitable?
@@australianaquarist water resistant, IP66, im sure with your skill you could build a plexi glass barrier of some sort
Palaudarium.
Paludarium
@@australianaquarist I was trying to make a pun. Palau-darium!
@willbritton133 ahhhhhhhh
Got you. Your wit was lost on me. I apologise….
This tank is the absolute tits. Bravo.
Thanks Jaykay, I'm not sure exactly what that means, but I think its good and I like them!
Hi can I suggest AI BLADE's.
Thanks Stephen. I really like the slim form factor of the blades, but they are only IP66, which means they are only splash proof. I’m not sure if they’d handle the proximity to my surge devices?…
Sor you loike loines
I like certain lines!