- Joined
- Mar 10, 2012
- Location
- Rocky Mountains BC
So after 20 years in the salt hobby, from my first miserable tank:
To my Second attempt:
To my current setup (before I started the move to the new tank)
Here's what I can tell you about what I do to keep an sps reef tank. I'm not saying what anyone else does is right or wrong, but I've had this current tank running for ~14 years, and since 2011 have run it with virtually no problem whatsoever. So take this for what it's worth, but it's exactly what I am going to replicate in the new tank (although I'll have to go through all the stages of growing pains again...bacteria/algae/dinos etc).
Water: -Only RO/DI water, tested with a handheld TDS meter every time.
-Water changes - 15gal a week with Reef Crystals. If I slack on that, growth of the sps slows.
Sump: - 40 gallon, 3 chamber, filter socks on 2 overflows, 200 micron mesh and 100 micron felt (I think)
-Reef Octopus Skimmer
-Dual dosers
-2 heaters ~300w each
-GFO and carbon run 24/7 (changed monthly) mesh filter on output of reactors
-pellet reactor run 24/7 vertex pellets
-no refugium
Substrate: ~4 inches of aragonite sand. Only vacuumed at the front, and only sections at a time, maybe once a month.
Computer: -Apex with 2 power bars (I need 3) and breakout box for ato/walter level alarms etc
-Connected to internet
Lighting: DIY LED CREE bulbs, I think there's 120 in there, I'm also adding a couple of T5's to the new setup
Flow: 2 return pumps, 2 wavemakers, and am mp10.
Livestock: 6 fish, some crabs, a shrimp an urchin, and anything else that survives in there.
Additives: Fuel, 2 part, iodine.
That's about it. I may do a video on the new setup as it's being done neater and a little safer, electricity wise.
I really don't do much at all to the tank, I don't even test anymore (but will start again with the new tank). I find that -for me- water changes make all the difference in the world on the sps. softies and lps do better when the tank is dirty, but the sps really want whatever the new salt gives them. Basically, I don't consider a tank mature until it's about 2-3 years old, up until then you can have outbreaks and who knows what, and especially problems if you are reactive to things you see... just do your husbandry and water tests leave the tank be.
To my Second attempt:
To my current setup (before I started the move to the new tank)
Here's what I can tell you about what I do to keep an sps reef tank. I'm not saying what anyone else does is right or wrong, but I've had this current tank running for ~14 years, and since 2011 have run it with virtually no problem whatsoever. So take this for what it's worth, but it's exactly what I am going to replicate in the new tank (although I'll have to go through all the stages of growing pains again...bacteria/algae/dinos etc).
Water: -Only RO/DI water, tested with a handheld TDS meter every time.
-Water changes - 15gal a week with Reef Crystals. If I slack on that, growth of the sps slows.
Sump: - 40 gallon, 3 chamber, filter socks on 2 overflows, 200 micron mesh and 100 micron felt (I think)
-Reef Octopus Skimmer
-Dual dosers
-2 heaters ~300w each
-GFO and carbon run 24/7 (changed monthly) mesh filter on output of reactors
-pellet reactor run 24/7 vertex pellets
-no refugium
Substrate: ~4 inches of aragonite sand. Only vacuumed at the front, and only sections at a time, maybe once a month.
Computer: -Apex with 2 power bars (I need 3) and breakout box for ato/walter level alarms etc
-Connected to internet
Lighting: DIY LED CREE bulbs, I think there's 120 in there, I'm also adding a couple of T5's to the new setup
Flow: 2 return pumps, 2 wavemakers, and am mp10.
Livestock: 6 fish, some crabs, a shrimp an urchin, and anything else that survives in there.
Additives: Fuel, 2 part, iodine.
That's about it. I may do a video on the new setup as it's being done neater and a little safer, electricity wise.
I really don't do much at all to the tank, I don't even test anymore (but will start again with the new tank). I find that -for me- water changes make all the difference in the world on the sps. softies and lps do better when the tank is dirty, but the sps really want whatever the new salt gives them. Basically, I don't consider a tank mature until it's about 2-3 years old, up until then you can have outbreaks and who knows what, and especially problems if you are reactive to things you see... just do your husbandry and water tests leave the tank be.
