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My name is Dip (DipG) and I have been in this hobby and part of this wonderful community for about 10 years. I kept freshwater tanks growing up but snorkeling at GBR triggered this new hobby of saltwater aquariums. After I joined WAMAS, I decided to start a small 6g pico with a pair of clown fish (still have the fish) and few SPS and mushroom corals. After a couple of years, I upgraded to 35g, then a few years after that I upgraded to 200g. The build threads for both of those tanks are on WAMAS.
The current tank was planned when we were designing our new house. The main level of the house was designed around the tank and its the first thing you see when you enter the house. This 560g peninsula tank was set up in July 2018 with a fish room in the basement. The tank dimensions are 120” x 36” x 30” with a refugium, sump and frag tank connected to this tank. The total water volume of this system is approximately 900g.
Four MP60s with a Tunze provide the majority of water movement in the main tank. The Abyzz a400 return pump pushes water through two sea swirls on the far end of the tank.
Just like my previous tank, the lighting is provided by a combination of Ecotech Radions and T5s. There are 8 Ecotech Radions with 8 48” T5 bulbs. The Radions run from 10 am to 10pm and T5 bulbs come on from 6 pm to 9 pm. This combination worked really well in previous tank as far as growing the SPS corals go and I am seeing the same results now.
Pretty standard filtration process for this tank. The sump has filter socks, followed by a skimmer, then reactors for carbon and GFO which are filled as needed. I also have a refugium where I grow Chaetomorpha and Caulerpa Prolifera for nutrient export. UV Sterilizer runs 12 hours a day.
I use a Calcium Reactor and Kalk reactor to maintain alkalinity at about 8 dKH. I also dose about 40ml of Acropower daily.
This tank is truly a mixed reef. I have SPS, LPS and soft corals living in harmony with Tangs, Angelfish, Butterflyfish, Damsels, Wrasses and Anthias. I have a total of about 45 fish in the tank which includes about 10 tangs. When it comes to corals, I love rock flower anemones, staghorn type acropora and goniopora.
I am a heavy feeder. I have an auto feeder which feeds 3 different sizes of TDO Chroma Boost twice a day. Every evening they get a combination of frozen food (LRS, Mysis, Spirulina enriched brine shrimp & krill). The fish get a few sheets of red and green nori at least once a week and sometimes more.
Getting the right amount of flow/water movement in every section of a 10 foot long tank will always be a challenge. I think I have enough flow right now but as the corals grow I might have to look at adding some more power heads or replace the existing ones with something else. My advice to anyone planning a Reef tank, no matter how big the tank is going to be, think about flow. I believe that right amount of flow is one of the most important aspects of a reef tank after water quality. Obviously good flow will also help with water quality by keeping the detritus suspended in the water long enough for it go down the overflow or sucked up by hang on filter if you have a nano/pico tank.
Watch the tank mature :). Truly, this is my dream tank and I really don’t have any major plans in future other than adding more corals.
I love this hobby. There is so much to learn and in that process I have met so many wonderful people who are passionate about how to provide the best environment for the reef dwelling creatures. Keep it simple and enjoy your tank.
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- Ecotech Radions: 10:00 am - 10:00 pm
- T5s: 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
- Salinity: 1.025
- Temperature: 77-79°F
- Alkalinity: 7.8-8.3 dkH
- Calcium: 425-440 ppm
- Magnesium: 1350-1370 ppm
- Phosphate: 0.0612ppm
- Display: Plante Aquariums 120x36x30"
- Refugium: 72x24x30”
- Sump: MRC 48x24x40”
- Skimmer: Bubble King Deluxe 300
- Lighting: 8x Ecotech Radions G4, 3x Kessil H380 grow lights
- Return Pump: Abyzz a400
- Circulation: 4x MP60s
- Reactors: Calcium Reactor MRC CR-6
- Mixing Station: 2x 210g Containers
- Others: UV Sterlizer
- Anthias
- Bangaii Cardinal
- Talbot and Azure Damsels
- Black Tang
- Gem Tang
- Powder Blue Hybrid Tang
- Yellow Tangs
- Whitetail Bristletooth Tang
- Tomini Tang
- Pyramid Butterflyfish
- Belus Angelfish
- Swallowtail Angelfish
- Hawaiian Wrasse
- Dottyback
- Clownfish
- Gobies
- Goniopora
- Setosa
- Stylophora
- Milliepora
- Montipora
- Ricordea Mushrooms
- Hairy Mushrooms
- Tabling Acropora
- Branching Acropora (Slimmer types)
- Euphyllia
- Palythoa and Zoas
- Torchus Snails
- Cleaner Shrimp
- Hermit Crabs
- Rock Flower Anemones
- Bubble Tip Anemone
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