Jw258
Community Member
theshallowreef
Thank you for coming to my build thread. This is my third largest tank in about 10 years of reefing (on and off).
I've run a lot of tanks generally using the Pico/aio methods. The biggest tank in had was a second hand AquaMedic Percula 90. That was awesome but I really didn't know what I was doing and without an ATO and my lifestyle at the time, it was never stable.
My last tank was a 55l cube called The Wave alas it is no more, it was broken down because ultimately it was too small to be sustainable. It was an sps reef full of started level acros and high end moniltipora. It was increasingly difficult to manage alkalinity stability and po4 and with my Allan's Damsels digging up nutrients from the sand bed all long.
The new tank is 84l after displacement and an the top to allow me to get my hands in without making a mess. The tank is made of 8mm optiwhite with a 10mm base. It's build with black silicone. The stand is an IKEA Kallax 2x2. The stand was sealed with bathroom grade silicon sealant on any sides which were not veneered.
Lighting comes from a G5 Ecotech Radion XR15 Blue on AB+ running at 70%. I run the moonlight setting.
Flow comes from two Nero 5. I run two custom programmes. The daytime programs shifting between wave and random, each both at circa 25-40% at any time. I get good swell with gyres which the sps seem to enjoy. I've historically reduced the flow rate overnight, running a program of 20% for 3 seconds, off for 2 seconds, I did this as I was worried about the reports of Nero's killing fish but after I had a yellow coral goby get sucked on and then swim off it as soon as the impeller stopped I stopped worrying.
I skim using a Tunze 9004 Commline. I run it on quite a dry skim. I often forget to service this and as I'm not a big fan of testing I rely on algae on the glass to tell me if I need to clean the skimmer. I empty the cup maybe once per week.
Filtration is from an all pond solutions dual chamber 500lph hang on back. I'm running 100g Aquaforest Carbon and 2 tablespoons of RowaPhos. I used to change the carbon twice per week.
For dosing, I'll be using my Kameor P1 to dose Tropic Marin All For Reef. I dose 22ml All For Reef per day and maintain a DLH of 7.7.
The Tunze Osmolator Nano keeps my salinity stable at 1.025. I use Tropic Marin Pro Reef salt, we didnt get the Turkish batch issue here and I really like TM. They have been very helpful in communications on Instagram and by email when ever I've needed them.
Heating is managed by an Inkbird thermostat. I stupidly ordered the heating only unit but it does a job and we don't have too many days when I need fans or a chiller in the UK. I run the tank at 25.6c.
The tank runs open top.
I initially ran the tank bare bottom when it was set up. I didn't want sand after it was getting blown around in my old tank when my fish buried in it (Allen's damsels). I thought about rubble but really liked the tank without it. The tank crashed when I moved house and I started it with a fine layer of sand. I was going to add more sand with a view to adding a Leopard Wrasse but changed my mind. I think about removing the sand quite a lot. I may do so when I get more growth and need to up the flow.
My aim for this tank is to get my corals thriving and not just slowly growing. I want to get higher end acros and manage to grow them out. It's hard to get the high end stuff you have in the states over here and when we can, they are generally one inch frags for £80+300 which is unaffordable with a young family.
I also want to avoid keeping frags or chaff corals in the tank and only keep corals that I want to keep to avoid unwanted corals sapping nutrients. I also want to have more open swimming fish. I wouldn't mind another Goby or two, a wrasse and maybe a Fathead anthias to go with the Spotted Mandarin and Blue Chromis in there already.
I'll be using this thread as a bit of a log book as much as anything else but also will be popping photographs on Instagram under Theshallowreefer, feel free to follow me there.
Thanks for reading and welcome to the ride!
Thank you for coming to my build thread. This is my third largest tank in about 10 years of reefing (on and off).
I've run a lot of tanks generally using the Pico/aio methods. The biggest tank in had was a second hand AquaMedic Percula 90. That was awesome but I really didn't know what I was doing and without an ATO and my lifestyle at the time, it was never stable.
My last tank was a 55l cube called The Wave alas it is no more, it was broken down because ultimately it was too small to be sustainable. It was an sps reef full of started level acros and high end moniltipora. It was increasingly difficult to manage alkalinity stability and po4 and with my Allan's Damsels digging up nutrients from the sand bed all long.
The new tank is 84l after displacement and an the top to allow me to get my hands in without making a mess. The tank is made of 8mm optiwhite with a 10mm base. It's build with black silicone. The stand is an IKEA Kallax 2x2. The stand was sealed with bathroom grade silicon sealant on any sides which were not veneered.
Lighting comes from a G5 Ecotech Radion XR15 Blue on AB+ running at 70%. I run the moonlight setting.
Flow comes from two Nero 5. I run two custom programmes. The daytime programs shifting between wave and random, each both at circa 25-40% at any time. I get good swell with gyres which the sps seem to enjoy. I've historically reduced the flow rate overnight, running a program of 20% for 3 seconds, off for 2 seconds, I did this as I was worried about the reports of Nero's killing fish but after I had a yellow coral goby get sucked on and then swim off it as soon as the impeller stopped I stopped worrying.
I skim using a Tunze 9004 Commline. I run it on quite a dry skim. I often forget to service this and as I'm not a big fan of testing I rely on algae on the glass to tell me if I need to clean the skimmer. I empty the cup maybe once per week.
Filtration is from an all pond solutions dual chamber 500lph hang on back. I'm running 100g Aquaforest Carbon and 2 tablespoons of RowaPhos. I used to change the carbon twice per week.
For dosing, I'll be using my Kameor P1 to dose Tropic Marin All For Reef. I dose 22ml All For Reef per day and maintain a DLH of 7.7.
The Tunze Osmolator Nano keeps my salinity stable at 1.025. I use Tropic Marin Pro Reef salt, we didnt get the Turkish batch issue here and I really like TM. They have been very helpful in communications on Instagram and by email when ever I've needed them.
Heating is managed by an Inkbird thermostat. I stupidly ordered the heating only unit but it does a job and we don't have too many days when I need fans or a chiller in the UK. I run the tank at 25.6c.
The tank runs open top.
I initially ran the tank bare bottom when it was set up. I didn't want sand after it was getting blown around in my old tank when my fish buried in it (Allen's damsels). I thought about rubble but really liked the tank without it. The tank crashed when I moved house and I started it with a fine layer of sand. I was going to add more sand with a view to adding a Leopard Wrasse but changed my mind. I think about removing the sand quite a lot. I may do so when I get more growth and need to up the flow.
My aim for this tank is to get my corals thriving and not just slowly growing. I want to get higher end acros and manage to grow them out. It's hard to get the high end stuff you have in the states over here and when we can, they are generally one inch frags for £80+300 which is unaffordable with a young family.
I also want to avoid keeping frags or chaff corals in the tank and only keep corals that I want to keep to avoid unwanted corals sapping nutrients. I also want to have more open swimming fish. I wouldn't mind another Goby or two, a wrasse and maybe a Fathead anthias to go with the Spotted Mandarin and Blue Chromis in there already.
I'll be using this thread as a bit of a log book as much as anything else but also will be popping photographs on Instagram under Theshallowreefer, feel free to follow me there.
Thanks for reading and welcome to the ride!
Jw258
Community Member
Yeh, I wanted to save the first post to update.
Jw258
Community Member
The current challenges of the tank:
KH stability:
The corals are growing rapidly since I started using out of date Tropic Marin Elixer and skimming a little wetter (high in and out). The downside to this is I am chasing KH stability. I've been dropping maybe 1dkh every week or so despite adjusting the doser and topping up. I think I'm on top of it but having to wait a few days since the last doser adjustment to test due to the way All For Reef works.
Flat Worms:
I've got Red Plenaria worms in the tank. I'm a big fan of biological control rather than chemical. I've dealt with this issue in the past with a six line wrasse but as I'm lidless I've opted for a Spotted Manderin. It has certainly made a difference getting rid of the smaller worms but the larger ones continue to persist. I might have to look at a six line or another wrasse which might do the job for me.
Film on rear glass:
I think it's the bacteria that TM Nitrobiotic makes. Never seen it before and can't budge it. It grows as a flat film before letting strings off. I tend to blow it off the glass but am considering trying a linkia star to see if that shifts it. I don't want such a big star in my tank so will move it on if it solves the issue or doesn't.
Stock:
I want more fish to create more nutrients but it's hard to get the fish I want. Im keen to add two or three fat head Anthias but can't get them for less than £100 at the moment nor more than one at a time.
It is also very difficult to source high end acros here and finding people that sell frags on at a rate that helps hobbyists is becoming difficult!
KH stability:
The corals are growing rapidly since I started using out of date Tropic Marin Elixer and skimming a little wetter (high in and out). The downside to this is I am chasing KH stability. I've been dropping maybe 1dkh every week or so despite adjusting the doser and topping up. I think I'm on top of it but having to wait a few days since the last doser adjustment to test due to the way All For Reef works.
Flat Worms:
I've got Red Plenaria worms in the tank. I'm a big fan of biological control rather than chemical. I've dealt with this issue in the past with a six line wrasse but as I'm lidless I've opted for a Spotted Manderin. It has certainly made a difference getting rid of the smaller worms but the larger ones continue to persist. I might have to look at a six line or another wrasse which might do the job for me.
Film on rear glass:
I think it's the bacteria that TM Nitrobiotic makes. Never seen it before and can't budge it. It grows as a flat film before letting strings off. I tend to blow it off the glass but am considering trying a linkia star to see if that shifts it. I don't want such a big star in my tank so will move it on if it solves the issue or doesn't.
Stock:
I want more fish to create more nutrients but it's hard to get the fish I want. Im keen to add two or three fat head Anthias but can't get them for less than £100 at the moment nor more than one at a time.
It is also very difficult to source high end acros here and finding people that sell frags on at a rate that helps hobbyists is becoming difficult!
Last edited:
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