REEF OF THE MONTH - July 2023: Alex Costa's Amazing Rebirth Reef!

FishTruck · Jul 5, 2023

Just awesome.

Does your sand bed always look that good?

Alex Costa · Jul 8, 2023

FishTruck said:
Just awesome.

Does your sand bed always look that good?

heck no!

I had a several problems with amphidinium (dynos) in the sandbed.
Right now it is a lot better...no dynos anymore, but it's not as clear as it looks.
I'm keeping my silicate level high, to feed the diatoms, which feed the pods, which feeds the pipe/mandarim, etc.....

I like to keep a strong flow, with the help of a sand goby and a sandbed starfish...This combo helps me to keep the sand clean.

Alex Costa · Jul 8, 2023

Lowsingle said:
Beautiful tank! A real inspiration…..

Darren

Gumbies R Us said:
Absolutely amazing looking tank!

aabjones888 said:
Beautiful

Capt_BigIron said:
Congratulations on a very long and successful run. You have so much to be proud of.

RKeenan said:
Such a beautiful tank!

Thanks guys!!!!
It means a lot!

ryanrick · Jul 11, 2023

Everything about this tank is terrific!

Do you measure your silicate levels?

Danielj · Jul 13, 2023

Niesamowity zbiornik, podziwiam i gratuluję

Alex Costa · Jul 13, 2023

ryanrick said:
Everything about this tank is terrific!

Do you measure your silicate levels?

Hey Ryan
Thanks!

I haven't measured lately, but I'm pretty sure the level must be high. The water in my house has silicate above the maximum measured by Sera's test.
I measured it in my RO/DI water a couple of months ago and the level was sky-high.
After that, I changed the RO membrane but I didn't replace the resin, that is, it must still be high.
As long as there is consumption, I don't see it as a problem.
And it has a good side: it serves as "food" for diatoms that feed the pods and compete with dinoflagellates.

My RO/DI water before changing the RO membrane.

Danielj said:
Niesamowity zbiornik, podziwiam i gratuluję

Dziękuję bardzo!

revhtree · Jul 18, 2023

Still loving this beauty!

malacoda · Jul 18, 2023

Amazing tank.

And I love the stand!

kevgib67 · Jul 18, 2023

Awesome tank, being chosen is well deserved.

Alex Costa · Jul 18, 2023

malacoda said:
Amazing tank.

And I love the stand!

Thanks!
It took a lot of work.

malacoda · Jul 18, 2023

Alex Costa said:
Thanks!
It took a lot of work.

I noticed. You even went the extra mile to make dados to seat the leg braces into.

It was worth the effort. It came out great. And so refreshing to see something other than a typical cabinet stand.

Well done.

Alex Costa · Jul 19, 2023

malacoda said:
I noticed. You even went the extra mile to make dados to seat the leg braces into.

It was worth the effort. It came out great. And so refreshing to see something other than a typical cabinet stand.

Well done.

Yeap.
That and the 45º cuts in the top of the braces. Both helped to give a cleaner look to the stand, but both took a lot of hours of work.
In the end, I wanted a clean but still massive look in the stand, as I intended to have in the tank.
I think that I achieved that.