A Mixed Reef in Maryland

[Reef Frog]

My iPhone 6 seems to take acceptable aquarium photos, so I figured it was time to post a few and comment on them.

Tank Details
I have a Red Sea Max 250 going on 5 years old (65 gallon). It's running 6 ATI T5 tubes, 2 stock Sicce circulation pumps and 1 MP 40 pump. I do 2 part dosing and run GFO. It is predominantly LPS but also contains zoanthids, tube anenomies, a few NPS polyps and some SPS species, but no Acropias. My fish load is fairly low and is made up of small fish.

Right Half

I will post new pics periodically and comment on my experience with individual animals. Feel free to comment, point out any problems you see or ask questions.

Full Tank View

View Left Side Panel

 

[Tweaked]

Nice mix you got there.

 

[Its.Evannn]

What fish do you have stocked with it? But nice looking tank!

 

[Tweaked]

I would do bad things for a frag of that acan colony in the corner. Reminds me of the A. Maximas around here in CT.

 

[Webmanny]

Very nice reef tank. I love the combinations.

 

[rt67ghy]

Very nice tank. I like the natural look to it instead of everything being arranged in an artificial way.

 

[cloak]

Nice tank. :thumbsup:

I really like that Maze brain on the left btw. (bottom) A piece like that or even small frags rarely show up around here.

 

[Reef Frog]

Thanks to everyone for taking a look. This is my first post with pics and obviously I need to learn about sizing a photo! I have 8 small fish. 2 Yellow Assessors, Purple Firefish, Royal Gramma, Yellow Goby, Swiss Guard Basslet & a Perchlet. They are a peaceful community but their behavior has changed over time as I have added new fish.

I just realized that the full tank shot is months old and I have made several additions and a few other changes so I will update that shortly, along with closeups of the residents. I'll try and tell their stories, as I've certainly had some of the same questions and issues that are asked about on a regular basis on this forum.

As you can see, I guess I'm partial to brains, Favias, Favites & other LPS. My design goal in the limited space of 65 gallons has been to create what in my mind is a "classic reef look" with the best diversity of color, shape and even some movement as best I can. Besides LPS I feel that would include encrusting & branching species as well as stuff on the sand bed. I'll be adding some more pics in the days ahead.

 

[noy]

nice arrangement, very colourful!

 

[jerzeedevl]

Love the colors!! Which ATI bulbs are you running?

 

[chefbill]

a ton of aptasia in the left view

 

[jdl242]

Beautiful tank, good job! I would try to knock out the aiptasia next.

 

[ExpensiveHobby]

Where you at in maryland im in pasadena. Are you on any of the local facebook reef groups?

 

[Reef Frog]

Maze Brain

Close Up

Dragon Soul

Close Up

Favite

Close Up

Purple Maze Brain

Close Up

 

[Reef Frog]

The third series of pics labeled FAVITE is now about 6" x 4". It was made by mounting 2 very small (1/2" x 1") frags about 3 inches apart in LR holes. Over about 3.5-4 years, the frags grew together and outward. Sweeper tenticles blowing from a right to left flow are a few inches long and are likely to be an issue with a stoly to its left at some point.

The last series labeled Purple Maze is a relatively new addition. The purple and light electric blue are very bright & the pic is fairly true to life. I don't have the capability to turn on blue only, but I think this coral would be ultra florescent under all blue/violet lighting. The colony is mounted vertically on the back glass wall, presumably receiving more indirect light than if it would have been mounted on the horizontal.

All of my brain corals need low-medium light and will easily bleach in the top half of this 6 tube T5 tank (Purple Maze excepted bc of mounting).

 

[chefbill]

My dragons soul is a bit different

 

[SNOboardNinja]

Nice tank![emoji106] What part of Maryland?

 

[Reef Frog]

My dragons soul is a bit different

That's a great looking frag. Physical structure is looks to be the same or similar but your coloration is different, excellent & unusual. Not sure if it's the same species I posted or not, but of is a different color morph of the same soecies. But of course names like "Dragon Soul" are just informal names that the coral sellers give to certain specie-morohs and have no taxonomical value.

 

[Reef Frog]

Nice tank![emoji106] What part of Maryland?

Thanks! Frederick County MD.

 

[Reef Frog]

Where you at in maryland im in pasadena. Are you on any of the local facebook reef groups?

Hello EH. I've been a real Facebook slacker for a while. Lost an auto login & throwaway email address after a device change and just never was compelled to fix things up. But I'd like to connect to some regional reefers. Could you PM message me back with a few good groups to check out? BTW I initially PM'ed you and rec'd a message saying your allotted space was full.