Hey all, I've been on reef central for a few years now and it's finally time for the big upgrade. I currently have a 75 gallon skimmerless tank. This tank is filtered by a 20 gallon refugium that has 2 inches of livesand, about 15 lb of liverock, and chetomorphia algae. This has worked wonderfully for me for the past few years and my corals have been able to thrive. I will carry this over to my new 180 gallon tank. (There is a lack of hard corals in the tank now because I did a semester of college in Hawaii and they were given to a few friends to watch over while I was gone.) This is the most recent shot i have, one of my bulbs went out so i had to put an old one in, that's why there's such a color difference.
I'm sure I'll be criticized by many but I don't believe in the use of skimmers, UV sterilizers, filter socks etc. IMO all of these products take away food corals can use. The size of food a coral eats is very small so by using skimmers and filter socks you're just taking out the food. IMO using a natural filtration method like the ocean is able to do works the best.
The inspiration for my new 180 has come from the Great Barrier Reef. I'm going to try and recreate (as best I can) the reefs from Lizard Island. The part of the reef I'm going to try and recreate is the reef flats, located from 5-25 feet. I'm going to try and keep all corals found around this island. A few of the fish will be from around the reef, but most of them will be ones found all over the Great Barrier Reef. Here's a link to where I found much of my information if anyone is interested.
About the island- http://www.pcrf.org/science/Lizard_Island/fishid.html
Fish on the GBR- http://fish.mongabay.com/data/ecosystems/Saltwater Great Barrier Reef.htm
The new tank will be free standing in my living room against a wall, and will have 1 overflow. The filtration for this tank will be supplied by a 75 gallon refugium (my old 75) which will have a rubble area, bubble chamber, sea grass bed, and an ATS (algae turf scrubber). The lighting for the fuge will be supplied by a 36" Coralife CF fixture with 2x 10k bulbs. Here's something I drew up.
Equipment list:
Tank
1) 180 gallon glass tank (Black)
2) Stand and canopy (Black)
3) 75 gallon refugium
Lighting:
1) 3x Lumenarc (DE)
2) 3x Blueline 250w Ballasts
3) 2x T5
4) 2x T5 actinic bulbs
5) 3x 10k XM
Pumps:
1) Return Pump Marineland 5500 (1,384 GPH)
2) 2xTunze 6105
3) 3x Tunze 6045
4) 2x Maxi Jet w/ magnet
Temp. controller
1) 2x 300 watt marineland stealth heaters
2) Aqua controller Jr.
3) DC4 and DC8
4) Temperature probe
Water purification
1) 20 or 30 gallon reservoir (acrylic tank)
2) 5 canister purification (10 micron, 5 micron, 1 micron, .5 micron carbon, and DI)
3) ATO (From Bulk Reef Supply)
Live Rock and Sand
1) 200lb. Live Rock
2) 120lb. Ocean Direct Oolite
3) 200lb. Ocean Direct Sand
Plumbing
1) ¾ and 1" pipe
2) ¾ and 1" 90's or 45's
3) ¾ and 1" True union ball valve
4) ¾ Union
5) ¾ adapter for return pump
6) ¾ and 1" bulkheads
7) Overflow kit
Misc.:
1) Acrylic
2) Algae free hammerhead
3) Refractometer
4) Silicone
5) Moon lights
6) Salt
7) TDS Meter
Just got an order in from bulk reef, and here's everything i have so far.
Feel free to ask any questions, more updates will come as stuff starts to come in
I'm sure I'll be criticized by many but I don't believe in the use of skimmers, UV sterilizers, filter socks etc. IMO all of these products take away food corals can use. The size of food a coral eats is very small so by using skimmers and filter socks you're just taking out the food. IMO using a natural filtration method like the ocean is able to do works the best.
The inspiration for my new 180 has come from the Great Barrier Reef. I'm going to try and recreate (as best I can) the reefs from Lizard Island. The part of the reef I'm going to try and recreate is the reef flats, located from 5-25 feet. I'm going to try and keep all corals found around this island. A few of the fish will be from around the reef, but most of them will be ones found all over the Great Barrier Reef. Here's a link to where I found much of my information if anyone is interested.
About the island- http://www.pcrf.org/science/Lizard_Island/fishid.html
Fish on the GBR- http://fish.mongabay.com/data/ecosystems/Saltwater Great Barrier Reef.htm
The new tank will be free standing in my living room against a wall, and will have 1 overflow. The filtration for this tank will be supplied by a 75 gallon refugium (my old 75) which will have a rubble area, bubble chamber, sea grass bed, and an ATS (algae turf scrubber). The lighting for the fuge will be supplied by a 36" Coralife CF fixture with 2x 10k bulbs. Here's something I drew up.
Equipment list:
Tank
1) 180 gallon glass tank (Black)
2) Stand and canopy (Black)
3) 75 gallon refugium
Lighting:
1) 3x Lumenarc (DE)
2) 3x Blueline 250w Ballasts
3) 2x T5
4) 2x T5 actinic bulbs
5) 3x 10k XM
Pumps:
1) Return Pump Marineland 5500 (1,384 GPH)
2) 2xTunze 6105
3) 3x Tunze 6045
4) 2x Maxi Jet w/ magnet
Temp. controller
1) 2x 300 watt marineland stealth heaters
2) Aqua controller Jr.
3) DC4 and DC8
4) Temperature probe
Water purification
1) 20 or 30 gallon reservoir (acrylic tank)
2) 5 canister purification (10 micron, 5 micron, 1 micron, .5 micron carbon, and DI)
3) ATO (From Bulk Reef Supply)
Live Rock and Sand
1) 200lb. Live Rock
2) 120lb. Ocean Direct Oolite
3) 200lb. Ocean Direct Sand
Plumbing
1) ¾ and 1" pipe
2) ¾ and 1" 90's or 45's
3) ¾ and 1" True union ball valve
4) ¾ Union
5) ¾ adapter for return pump
6) ¾ and 1" bulkheads
7) Overflow kit
Misc.:
1) Acrylic
2) Algae free hammerhead
3) Refractometer
4) Silicone
5) Moon lights
6) Salt
7) TDS Meter
Just got an order in from bulk reef, and here's everything i have so far.
Feel free to ask any questions, more updates will come as stuff starts to come in
.
