Ricardo Pinto
New member
Hi there,
I currently own a 50-gallon SPS dominated reef tank and I'm in the process of moving the corals and fishes to a bigger tank "“ a 150 gallon tank which I intend to be SPS dominated as well.
My History in Reef Aquariums
My name is Ricardo and I live in Porto, Portugal (EU). I have begun reefkeeping on 2004 with an 80-gallon rimless tank. It was a great start and the hobby really kicked inside me since this aquarium. By 2007, I have started working, left my parents' house, moved to another town, and dismantled this aquarium. On 2008, after moving back to my hometown Porto I got myself an apartment and started a 200G project. This tank was a great lesson and I've learned a lot from it. By 2009, I and other friends have created a reef blog called H2O + Something on which I've shared many of my learnings throughout these years.
Unfortunately, at least for the reef side of my life, I moved to London (UK) in 2010 and left the hobby during a few months. By 2012, I moved again to Porto and got back the 200-gallon running. After a promising start, I found myself not enjoying the hobby as much as before and I almost have any spare time for aquarium - life had changed, I was now married and father of two wildly active boys. Again, the hobby was on hold for indefinite time.
However, there is this thing when you really enjoy reef-aquariums; you can live without it, you kind a feel like its missing a part of your life. Therefore, in 2014 I've decided to get a 50-gallon aquarium and this project did really well. So well that I've now to move it into a bigger one. After a careful planning, I have come out with the idea of a 150-gallon aquarium. My career is now consolidated in my hometown (I don't see myself moving again) and my two boys, who are now 7 and 3 years old, are much more independent, which give me plenty of time to take care of a larger aquarium. Let's see how this project goes but I have great expectations for this tank. I think this is"¦. the one.
I would like to thank to some of my fellow local reef friends because without them, I would not have built this project nor I would have had some much fun in the past ten years.
Setup Date 14/08/2015
Aquarium
- Tank: 150 x 70 x 50 cm or 60 in x 27.5 in x 20 in (length , width and height, respectively)
- Total volume = 525L + 75L (sump) which makes a volume up of aprox. 150-gallon.
- Rimless low iron-glass 12mm or 1/2in
- Sump 110 x 40 x 40cm or 43 in x 15 in x 15 in
Overflow
- DIY Ghost Overflow + modified (simplified) Bean Animal with 2 x 32mm (1-1/4") holes
Tank Stand
Custom made iron structure, coated with white wood
150 x 70 x 80 cm or 60 in x 27,5 in x 31.4 in (length , width and height, respectively)
Circulation
- Return pump: Jebao DC 3000 (fully controllable, uber silent pump).
- Power heads: 2 x JEBAO RW-8
Lightning
4 x Ocean Revive Arctic t247
48 x 3 watts LEDs, with timer, a 2 dimmable channels included and wireless control through a remote control.
Great value for the money.
Ok"¦ right, you can't mimic "œthe sunset of the Maldives" with this fixture, but let's face it, we spent too much money on LED fixture just to get full control. Most of the times you get your daylight schedule, intensity and that's it.
This fixture has an unbeatable price.
Skimmer
Skimmer Wo! - W202
Wo! is a Chinese skimmer brand which I think was formerly known as KCR Marine. The skimmer had been recently introduced onto the European market (at least Portugal and Spain) and my first impressions are very good. It is equipped with a DC 3000, electronic adjustable pump. Again, similarly with the return pump, the skimmer is impressively noiseless. In a few weeks, after I got a bit more experience with it, I will post my final thoughts and possibly a video of its functioning.
Calcium/Kh supplementation
- Randy's 2-part solution through a Jebao Dosing Pump (w/ "œ4-channel")
Sand and Rock display
- SSB (Small Sand Bed of 2-3cm, aprox. 1 inch) of CaribSea Seaflor Special Grade Reef Sand (27Kg total)
- Live Rock 30Kg "“ 20Kg of "œWalt Smith Reef Rock" + 10 Kg of Live Rock that was in my previous aquarium.
Currently the tank is cycling for one month before I start moving fishes & corals from the old aquarium.
Below is a photo with the rock display. There are still missing 2-3 small stones with attached SPS but there will plenty negative space for coral growing and for fish to swim.
Hope you enjoy. Comments are most welcome.
I currently own a 50-gallon SPS dominated reef tank and I'm in the process of moving the corals and fishes to a bigger tank "“ a 150 gallon tank which I intend to be SPS dominated as well.
My History in Reef Aquariums
My name is Ricardo and I live in Porto, Portugal (EU). I have begun reefkeeping on 2004 with an 80-gallon rimless tank. It was a great start and the hobby really kicked inside me since this aquarium. By 2007, I have started working, left my parents' house, moved to another town, and dismantled this aquarium. On 2008, after moving back to my hometown Porto I got myself an apartment and started a 200G project. This tank was a great lesson and I've learned a lot from it. By 2009, I and other friends have created a reef blog called H2O + Something on which I've shared many of my learnings throughout these years.
Unfortunately, at least for the reef side of my life, I moved to London (UK) in 2010 and left the hobby during a few months. By 2012, I moved again to Porto and got back the 200-gallon running. After a promising start, I found myself not enjoying the hobby as much as before and I almost have any spare time for aquarium - life had changed, I was now married and father of two wildly active boys. Again, the hobby was on hold for indefinite time.
However, there is this thing when you really enjoy reef-aquariums; you can live without it, you kind a feel like its missing a part of your life. Therefore, in 2014 I've decided to get a 50-gallon aquarium and this project did really well. So well that I've now to move it into a bigger one. After a careful planning, I have come out with the idea of a 150-gallon aquarium. My career is now consolidated in my hometown (I don't see myself moving again) and my two boys, who are now 7 and 3 years old, are much more independent, which give me plenty of time to take care of a larger aquarium. Let's see how this project goes but I have great expectations for this tank. I think this is"¦. the one.
I would like to thank to some of my fellow local reef friends because without them, I would not have built this project nor I would have had some much fun in the past ten years.
Setup Date 14/08/2015
Aquarium
- Tank: 150 x 70 x 50 cm or 60 in x 27.5 in x 20 in (length , width and height, respectively)
- Total volume = 525L + 75L (sump) which makes a volume up of aprox. 150-gallon.
- Rimless low iron-glass 12mm or 1/2in
- Sump 110 x 40 x 40cm or 43 in x 15 in x 15 in
Overflow
- DIY Ghost Overflow + modified (simplified) Bean Animal with 2 x 32mm (1-1/4") holes
Tank Stand
Custom made iron structure, coated with white wood
150 x 70 x 80 cm or 60 in x 27,5 in x 31.4 in (length , width and height, respectively)
Circulation
- Return pump: Jebao DC 3000 (fully controllable, uber silent pump).
- Power heads: 2 x JEBAO RW-8
Lightning
4 x Ocean Revive Arctic t247
48 x 3 watts LEDs, with timer, a 2 dimmable channels included and wireless control through a remote control.
Great value for the money.
Ok"¦ right, you can't mimic "œthe sunset of the Maldives" with this fixture, but let's face it, we spent too much money on LED fixture just to get full control. Most of the times you get your daylight schedule, intensity and that's it.
This fixture has an unbeatable price.
Skimmer
Skimmer Wo! - W202
Wo! is a Chinese skimmer brand which I think was formerly known as KCR Marine. The skimmer had been recently introduced onto the European market (at least Portugal and Spain) and my first impressions are very good. It is equipped with a DC 3000, electronic adjustable pump. Again, similarly with the return pump, the skimmer is impressively noiseless. In a few weeks, after I got a bit more experience with it, I will post my final thoughts and possibly a video of its functioning.
Calcium/Kh supplementation
- Randy's 2-part solution through a Jebao Dosing Pump (w/ "œ4-channel")
Sand and Rock display
- SSB (Small Sand Bed of 2-3cm, aprox. 1 inch) of CaribSea Seaflor Special Grade Reef Sand (27Kg total)
- Live Rock 30Kg "“ 20Kg of "œWalt Smith Reef Rock" + 10 Kg of Live Rock that was in my previous aquarium.
Currently the tank is cycling for one month before I start moving fishes & corals from the old aquarium.
Below is a photo with the rock display. There are still missing 2-3 small stones with attached SPS but there will plenty negative space for coral growing and for fish to swim.
Hope you enjoy. Comments are most welcome.
Love the minimal-plenty-of-room-for-growth scape too!
