Hello Reef2Reef!
I have been in the hobby for about 10 years, enjoying mostly nano mixed reef and low-tech planted tanks. After being without a reef tank for about 1 year following a cross-country move, we decided to take the plunge and start a small mixed reef, trying for a more SPS-dominated tank than our previous builds for a little extra challenge. It took some time to put together all the equipment, but as of fall 2023 was filled with water.
Equipment:
- Tank: UNS 45C with Clearview Lids custom cover and Mame overflow, on a Waterbox white stand
- Lighting: Single AI Prime 16HD
- About 15 lbs dry rock and rubble
- About 25 lbs fiji pink sand
- Sicce synchra silent 1.5 return pump
- Reef diaper filter socks
- Aquamaxx WS-1 Skimmer
- Tunze Nano Osmolator ATO
- AI Nero 3 wavemaker
- Apex A3 with pH, temp monitoring, Trident and DOS for ASV 2-part
- IceCap ReefSump 15
- Tunze EcoChic Fuge Light
Fish/Inverts:
- Midas blenny
- Yasha goby and red pistol shrimp
- Porcelain crab
- Minimal snail cleanup crew
- 2 emerald crabs
- On the way: Upside down goby, starry goby, link's goby, and pavo damselfish (BIOTA)
Coral:
- Multiple zoanthids
- Various SPS including multiple montipora, seriatopora, acropora varieties
- Various LPS including green duncan, blastomussa, acan lord corals, hammer, and alveopora
Maintenance:
- Two-part dosing daily as directed by Apex Trident, monitored and adjusted as needed
- Weekly addition of magnesium as needed
- Weekly 5 gallon water change, sump/Mame overflow cleaning
- Fill ATO reservoir about twice weekly
- Change filter sock every 3 days
- Feed fish twice daily
- Reef roids every 3-4 days, live phytoplankton every 3-4 days, also add Brightwell Aquatics Reef Snow periodically
That's it! So far things have been going well. Despite adding the corals very early, i have only had 2 losses (zoanthid and little red ferrari acro), possibly related to initial fluctuations in alk. Since starting dosing and transitioning some of the sump into a refugium, pH has been very stable with minimal algae growth in the display. Still keeping a close eye on the system since it's so young. Thanks for looking!
I have been in the hobby for about 10 years, enjoying mostly nano mixed reef and low-tech planted tanks. After being without a reef tank for about 1 year following a cross-country move, we decided to take the plunge and start a small mixed reef, trying for a more SPS-dominated tank than our previous builds for a little extra challenge. It took some time to put together all the equipment, but as of fall 2023 was filled with water.
Equipment:
- Tank: UNS 45C with Clearview Lids custom cover and Mame overflow, on a Waterbox white stand
- Lighting: Single AI Prime 16HD
- About 15 lbs dry rock and rubble
- About 25 lbs fiji pink sand
- Sicce synchra silent 1.5 return pump
- Reef diaper filter socks
- Aquamaxx WS-1 Skimmer
- Tunze Nano Osmolator ATO
- AI Nero 3 wavemaker
- Apex A3 with pH, temp monitoring, Trident and DOS for ASV 2-part
- IceCap ReefSump 15
- Tunze EcoChic Fuge Light
Fish/Inverts:
- Midas blenny
- Yasha goby and red pistol shrimp
- Porcelain crab
- Minimal snail cleanup crew
- 2 emerald crabs
- On the way: Upside down goby, starry goby, link's goby, and pavo damselfish (BIOTA)
Coral:
- Multiple zoanthids
- Various SPS including multiple montipora, seriatopora, acropora varieties
- Various LPS including green duncan, blastomussa, acan lord corals, hammer, and alveopora
Maintenance:
- Two-part dosing daily as directed by Apex Trident, monitored and adjusted as needed
- Weekly addition of magnesium as needed
- Weekly 5 gallon water change, sump/Mame overflow cleaning
- Fill ATO reservoir about twice weekly
- Change filter sock every 3 days
- Feed fish twice daily
- Reef roids every 3-4 days, live phytoplankton every 3-4 days, also add Brightwell Aquatics Reef Snow periodically
That's it! So far things have been going well. Despite adding the corals very early, i have only had 2 losses (zoanthid and little red ferrari acro), possibly related to initial fluctuations in alk. Since starting dosing and transitioning some of the sump into a refugium, pH has been very stable with minimal algae growth in the display. Still keeping a close eye on the system since it's so young. Thanks for looking!
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