|
First and foremost, I would like to thank the WAMAS community for nominating my tank as TOTM. When I received the email, I had to make sure that it wasn't a mistake because I've seen other member tanks and they are more deserving, but I guess every dog has its day. I caught the saltwater bug about five years ago, so I am relatively new to the hobby compared to other WAMAS members. I started out with a 5g Fluval Spec V and never looked back. My interest has always been nano tanks, and at one time I had five tanks running ranging from 2g to 80g. I’ve loved the ocean since I was a little kid, and every time I saw a saltwater tank I would be in awe. I never thought that someday I would have one of my own. I feel very lucky to be part of the WAMAS community, because I have learned so much from other members and have made some great friends as well.
My current tank is a Red Sea Reefer 250 (65g total volume) that's been running for about six months. The tank is sitting in the living room of my home.
Water movement is provided by two MP40QDs on the back wall of the tank.
Two AI Hydra 26HDs light the tank, and I have been very happy with them.
Bubble Magnus Curve 5 and filter socks are keeping the nutrients under control.
I am dosing Brightwell Aquatic Kalk+2 in my top off water.
My tank is a mixed reef, with about ten fish including a school of five green chromis, a leopard wrasse, a melanurus wrasse, a tri color wrasse, a midas bleny, and a tiny hippo tang. My favorite fish is the leopard wrasse who is the King of the tank, and has a lot of personality.
I feed my tank twice a day with flakes and pellets. I feed frozen mysis, LRS, and Nutrama Ova twice a week.
The most challenging issue that I have faced is keeping my parameters in check. I recently lost many SPS due to an alkalinity spike, so no more SPS for me for a while. The second most challenging thing is stopping myself from adding more corals and fish to my tank. I am in no position to give advice, but if pressed I would say be patient, add everything slowly, and watch your parameters closely.
Future plans may be a bigger tank or an in-wall tank.
This hobby has been very rewarding, and very expensive as well. I tried to take a break when I was moving but it didn't take long before I had to have a reef tank in my life again. The WAMAS community has been great and they are always willing to answer questions and help keep your tank thriving.
|
- Salinity: 1.024
- Temperature: 80F
- Alkalinity: 8.9 dkH
- 1000 Lights On
- 2200 Lights Off
- Five green chromis
- Leopard wrasse
- Tri color wrasse
- Melanarus wrasse
- Midas blenny
- Three-stripe cardinals
- Rainford’s goby
- Tiny hippo tang
- Various zoanthids and palythoas
- Gold hammer
- Scolys
- Fungias
- Frogspawn
- GSP
- Various SPS
- Sun coral
- Two clams
- Fire shrimp
- Cleaner shrimps
- Several peppermint shrimps
- Lots of snails and hermit crabs
|
