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My name is Aaron and I have been in this hobby for a little over 15 years. Growing up in Florida around the Gulf of Mexico triggered my interest in the ocean, and my first job at my LFS sparked my passion to have aquariums. I started with freshwater as I didn’t really understand the saltwater husbandry. I later setup my first saltwater tank while living in Naples Italy, a 55G. Once stateside I re-setup the 55G, then soon migrated to a 150G. Currently I am in a 40B and an IM 25 Lagoon, but am in the process of buying a home to setup my 200G Miracles Peninsula and an 80G frag tank.
My current tank is a 40B that was given to me by Isaac (YHSublime) with a 29G sump and rocks that were given to me by Haywood (DCReefer1964). It was these two amazing people that got me back in the hobby after taking down my 150G. This tank sits in my living room corner and honestly is more entertaining to my family than the TV.
I run two MP40s and a Jebao DCT12000 for water movement. A small Jebao pump in the sump is used to stir up detritus.
For lighting I am running an ATI 36” 8 bulb Dimmable Sunpower with one Reefbrite Tech bar and one OR2 Orphek Blue Plus bar. This light has been a workhorse and I couldn’t be happier with the coverage and coloration from my corals.
I am using pretty standard tank filter as I like to keep things simple. Crushed coral substrate with lots of rock. HOB Eshopps overflow box that drains to my refugium. Refugium is filled with Chaetomorpha and lit by Rapid LED Solderless Blue and Red LEDs from the side of my 29G sump. One large filter pad to keep chaetomorpha in place and is followed by my Bubble Magus Curve 5 skimmer. I use a large bioplate from Brightwell for added filtration.
I dose ESV Bionic 2 part, ESV Magnesium, ESV Nitrate, and occasionally Brightwell NeoPhos. I dose Acropower and Brightwell Amino for additional supplement.
Tank has a medium bioload for fish as I have a good amount of rocks, so I don’t have a ton of open space for swimming. For corals I have a mix of SPS, LPS, and soft corals. Tank definitely is SPS dominant though and I have really ran out of room as I am living off of frag racks now for expansion.
I feed NLS or Mysis pellets once a day and try to remember to feed frozen Rods/PE Mysis/LRS when I can. I put a sheet of Nori in once a week for the tang. For coral feeding I feed Benepets Benereef, Coral Frenzy, Live Phyto, Calanus Pods, Oysterfeast and Aquavitro Fuel at random 2-3 times a week.
My main challenge is working with such a small water volume as I like having a large variety of corals and have quickly run out of space. The other challenge is keeping stable Alkalinity as demand shifts with all the SPS I have. For this reason a calcium reactor will be coming in my future build.
Tank will be replaced by a Miracles glass 72x28x24 tank later this year or early next year. Temporarily it will all be transitioned into an 80G Deep Blue Frag tank to have a bigger water volume and more room.
I have gotten out of this hobby a few times and always come back to it. It is a fun hobby and having a great community of fellow reefers around me makes it that much more rewarding. If I could ever give a word of advice is don’t ever be afraid to ask the dumb question. So many people struggle in this hobby because they do little research or are afraid to ask for help.
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- 0830-2030 - LED Bars
- 0900-2000 - T5 Bulbs (2x Blue+)
- 1200-1700 - T5 Bulbs (3x Blue+, 1x Coral+,1x Purple+, 1x Actinic)
- Salinity: 1.026
- Temperature: 78 - 78°F
- Alkalinity: 7.9 - 8.5 dkH
- Calcium: 425-440 ppm
- Magnesium: 1380 - 1420 ppm
- Phosphate: 0.04 - 0.07ppm
- Display: Aqueon 40 Breeder
- Sump: DIY 29G
- Skimmer: Bubble Magus Curve 5
- Lighting: ATI Sunpower Dimmable with Reefbrite Tech/Orphek OR2 Blue Plus LED Bars
- Return Pump: Jebao DCT12000
- Circulation: 2x MP40QWD
- Controller: GHL Profilux 3N EX
- Doser: GHL Doser 2.0
- Smaller Tomini Tang
- Banggai Cardinal
- Fusilier Damsel
- Scooter Blenny
- Melanurus Wrasse
- Sunset Millepora
- TGC Redwing Millepora
- Copps 24k Millepora
- Walt Disney Tenuis
- TGC Acrolandia
- RC Poison Envy
- DCA Afterglow Millepora
- Copps Calacali Stag
- Strawberry Shortcake
- Pink Lemonade
- Purple Slimer
- Steve Elias Stag
- CC Voodoo Majick
- CC Needle in a Haystack
- RR Crazy T Montipora
- Mystic Montipora
- Gold Hammer
- Zoas/Palys
- FAVORITE: CC Hellboy Acropora (Slow grower, but love the red color)
- Cleaner Shrimp
- Peppermint Shrimp
- Emerald Crabs
- Astraea Turbo
- Nerite Snail
- Mexican Turbo
- Spiny Star Astraea
- Turban Snail
- Scarlet Hermit
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