**Update 3/9/24** : The Scottish Reefers Mixed Reef

TheScottishReefer

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***** Latest Update *****

Hi folks!

Longtime lurker of this forum but decided it was about time i make an account and start a build thread to share my experiences.

Little Introduction to my fish keep history. Started with a small 12L betta tank around 6years ago which within 2weeks was a 24L tank then a few months after i had a 100L Freshwater community tank. Things escalated from plastic plants to real plants and aquascaping. The obesssion kept growing and a 200L was purchased within the year.



Curiosity got the better of me and around 3years ago my first reef was started, a Juwel 120L cube. Alot of money wasted wasted on corals and really having no idea was i was doing taking advice from multiple different lfs and people and trying to combine them all.
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The 200L Freshwater was converted to Saltwater, external canister filter and hang on back skimmer.
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This setup worked well for quite some time until i got white spot on the tank after buying a tiny regal/hippo tang (more on him later) from a different store. Lost all the fish bar 1 Clown and some how the regal. This really disheartened me from the hobby for a while and the tank was pretty much on autopilot with nearly no maintenance and i lost most of the corals in the process.

Covid struck and i was sat inside looking a the tank for a few weeks before i decided i had to sort it out and make a restart.
This is the last picture i have of it before the breakdown to move into the redsea
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The time came to make the upgrade to a proper reef tank and my Red Sea was purchased and the build began.
Equipment i went with:
2x Hydra 26HD's
Reef Octopus 110s
Nyos Reactor
TMC Return pump
Maxspect Jump Gyre
Reef Factory Doser
DD Heater and controller
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Sump was next to setup
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Gate valve was a must for controlling the flow

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Rock Scape was next to go in
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Fish and Corals got moved over

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I got quite into softies thanks to the ease of maintenance and working 2 jobs i was rarely getting a chance to keep an eye on the tank so it worked out well for me and the tank took off and things are going strong. I need to get a more recent picture after my last visit to the LFS to trade in some of the kenya trees for a frogspawn and a couple of small sps pieces to try now the tank is very stable and happy.

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Now i know the tang police are going to be in here very shortly so ill get my cover story in now. Remember that hippo tang i mentioned that helped wipe out my tank before? Yeah thats him now a few years later after being in a friends red sea 350 fowlr tank. This is by no means his permanent home with me, he was in my friends qt tank the past few months as he had broke down the red sea to have his large lagoon tank setup. So in the meantime to give him some more space to cruise about hes having a holiday with me.

This is the tank he will be living his years out in once its up and running
3x1 meter and i think 40ish cm tall
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Theres many steps ive forgot but thank you for taking the time to read. I hope to build this out with things little projects ive done and as i try to make the transition from softies over to LPS and SPS!

Ive got an insta with some more content on it and things from my journey with this tank TheScottishReefer feel free to have a look over there.
 
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Devaji

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nice story! seems we all have one like that.
softies are underrated there are some rare and cool ones out there. beautiful too.

you need a pic doing water change/maintenance in a kilt. then this will truly be a Scottish build! :rolling-on-the-floor-laughing:

enjoy the tank!
 
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TheScottishReefer

TheScottishReefer

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Thank you for the replies! Ill try and get him persuaded to start a thread on the lagoon as its going to be quite the build when its finished up and wet.

Softies really are, luckily my lfs stocks some really nice ones to choose from.
Aslong as you dont ask for proof of me being a true scotsman you might have a deal haha!

Snapped a pic of the tank tonight for a little update:
IMG_20230305_172139~2.jpg


Can we post videos on here? :thinking-face:
 

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Thank you for the replies! Ill try and get him persuaded to start a thread on the lagoon as its going to be quite the build when its finished up and wet.

Softies really are, luckily my lfs stocks some really nice ones to choose from.
Aslong as you dont ask for proof of me being a true scotsman you might have a deal haha!

Snapped a pic of the tank tonight for a little update:
IMG_20230305_172139~2.jpg


Can we post videos on here? :thinking-face:

Very nice! Following!
 

Devaji

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Thank you for the replies! Ill try and get him persuaded to start a thread on the lagoon as its going to be quite the build when its finished up and wet.

Softies really are, luckily my lfs stocks some really nice ones to choose from.
Aslong as you dont ask for proof of me being a true scotsman you might have a deal haha!

Snapped a pic of the tank tonight for a little update:
IMG_20230305_172139~2.jpg


Can we post videos on here? :thinking-face:

the best way I have found to post videos it Up load to youtube and copy and past the link here.
 
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TheScottishReefer

TheScottishReefer

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Well I've changed things up a bit in the tank the past couple weeks. Decided to start on the LPS garden and also picked up some easier SPS frags to try out. So far so good and everything seems healthy, just monitoring levels so I can get the 2 part dosing dialed in ☺️.

Little video of the tank as it sits the now

And a pic update aswell!
PXL_20230327_162809561.MP.jpg
 
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TheScottishReefer

TheScottishReefer

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Well, its been a while since ive done an update on here!

The tank has changed quite a bit in the last year since my last post, so let me give you a quick rundown.

The SPS done really well since adding them to the point the colonies were getting way to large and they've since been fragged and moved on to be replaced with some other SPS. Most of the softies have also been moved on to make way for my growing LPS collection.

Ive been active over on my instagram and have alot more content there video wise. Ive been fortune to be supported by the guys at Reef Zlements in the past few months after using their pHplus for some time. The additional advice, alongside the product range have seen great success with my Journey.

Maintenance wise i do a 10% water change with DD Dosing formula once a week/bi weekly depending where my nutrients are sitting. 9

Parameters sit around ;
Nitrate 8-10
Phosphate 0.09
Alk 8
Calcium 440 (currently raised and at 490 at the moment after switching dosers and dialling it back all back in)
Mag 1350 (again raised 1410 but dropping)

Added a (unfortunately) fake plant wall behind the tank and hung some fake trailing plants to the lighting to help them blend in. I personally love the look!

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Wee flow off top down shot

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Equipment wise a few things have changed since my last post also. Ive since added 2 x Orphek Or2 blue plus to supplement the Hydra 26HD's, i havent par tested but the SPS seem to be doing well and the acros seem to be having success. Swapped out the filter socks for a Clarisea SK5000, bit of a daunting task cutting into a sump thats still full of water but credit to the red sea knife kit it actually made the task very easy! The clarisea has been a game changer in terms of dialling in the nutrients and holding them consistent with the aid of CarboPlus daily dosing. The back chamber of the sump is now the refugium lit by a Tunze light which allows me to keep the Red Sea gravity top off system.

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Excuse my poor photography skills but please feel free to head over to my social media and check out my video content.
 
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TheScottishReefer

TheScottishReefer

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Time for another update !

Been doing some tidying up in the cabinet and adding some 3D printed goodies to clean up the loom

Added in another 4 channel doser to allow me to automate more Zlements products. So tidied up the dosing lines and some brackets for the bottles and love the look now .

Excuse the photography skills

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Enjoy
 
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