Hello everyone, I'd like to show all of you a project that I've been working on for the last few months. I set up a greenhouse in my backyard in the hopes of experimenting with growing coral under natural lighting. It is a 6ft x 8ft greenhouse and I'm using a 110 gallon stock tank. It's been set up since July and it is finally done cycling.
I haven't finalized what I'm going to do as far as filtration, but I currently have a 528 GPH internal filter with ChemiPure, Purigen, and Matrix. The filter has two "returns" - one goes directly back into the tank and the other one pumps water into a DIY overhead refugium with Chaeto and Dragon's Breath. I'm running a Lee Counter Current Protein Skimmer as I'm still looking for the right skimmer for my setup. I also have a pump that moves all of the water in a circular motion.
Currently this is my stocking list:
Around 15 Mollies (impossible to count the number of fry)
2 Clownfish
1 Yellow Tang (bought the last one at my LFS following the Hawaii news)
1 Yellowtail Damselfish
Unknown number of snails and hermits
Various softie, LPS, and SPS frags.
My setup relies on the sun as the primary light source for optimal coral growth and coloration. I have a cheap LED that hangs over the tank, but it is just for night viewing.
Pictures:
The tank - you can see the skimmer on the left-hand side and the return pump's tubing going over the live rock.
The DIY Refugium - complete with Chaeto, Dragon's Breath, and a little Mangrove
Close up of the frag rack.
The temperature of the stock tank usually fluctuates between 71 and 74 degrees, but on a really hot day it can go up to 76. Something interesting that I've found is that the tank seems to get murkier as the day progresses. Every morning it looks like the pictures above, but during the evening and nighttime it looks like this:
Full Tank
The Refugium
Frag Rack
Whole Setup
I suspect that perhaps either algae or bacteria blooms during the day and then goes dormant at night. The tank does not get progressively murkier - it always resets to its original clarity in the morning. Any insight as to what is happening would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for taking the time to look at my greenhouse!
-SDReefer
I haven't finalized what I'm going to do as far as filtration, but I currently have a 528 GPH internal filter with ChemiPure, Purigen, and Matrix. The filter has two "returns" - one goes directly back into the tank and the other one pumps water into a DIY overhead refugium with Chaeto and Dragon's Breath. I'm running a Lee Counter Current Protein Skimmer as I'm still looking for the right skimmer for my setup. I also have a pump that moves all of the water in a circular motion.
Currently this is my stocking list:
Around 15 Mollies (impossible to count the number of fry)
2 Clownfish
1 Yellow Tang (bought the last one at my LFS following the Hawaii news)
1 Yellowtail Damselfish
Unknown number of snails and hermits
Various softie, LPS, and SPS frags.
My setup relies on the sun as the primary light source for optimal coral growth and coloration. I have a cheap LED that hangs over the tank, but it is just for night viewing.
Pictures:
The tank - you can see the skimmer on the left-hand side and the return pump's tubing going over the live rock.
The DIY Refugium - complete with Chaeto, Dragon's Breath, and a little Mangrove
Close up of the frag rack.
The temperature of the stock tank usually fluctuates between 71 and 74 degrees, but on a really hot day it can go up to 76. Something interesting that I've found is that the tank seems to get murkier as the day progresses. Every morning it looks like the pictures above, but during the evening and nighttime it looks like this:
Full Tank
The Refugium
Frag Rack
Whole Setup
I suspect that perhaps either algae or bacteria blooms during the day and then goes dormant at night. The tank does not get progressively murkier - it always resets to its original clarity in the morning. Any insight as to what is happening would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for taking the time to look at my greenhouse!
-SDReefer
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