A Reef Grows in Brooklyn

[ARGiBK]

Greetings from a gloomy day in BK! I'm pretty new to posting in RC, but have been enjoying reading/researching/lurking here the last few months while re-entering this hobby after 12 years away!

Way back in the 90s when I was a teen in California, I had a FOWLR 55-long acrylic tank that I broke down when I started college. Fast forward 12 1/2 years to last September, I decided to start a small ADA-60P as a way to get my feet wet and to see if I had the discipline to get re-enter reefing (the technological advances in reefkeeping alone are really astounding, this coming from someone deeply embedded in the start-up/tech industry). I thought 18 gallons would be enough to sate this addiction, but like most everyone who starts out small, I was dead wrong.

Thus, last weekend, I upgraded the ADA to a Deep Blue 60 cube, and the below is the result. I thought I'd share some early progress:

My current equipment list is:
- 60 Gallon Deep Blue Cube (24" x 24" x 24")
- DIY Acrylic sump/refugium (22" x 16" x 16")
- AI Vega Color w/ AI Controller
- Bubble Magus NAC 3.5
- Apex Lite
- 2x Vortech MP10
- Eheim 2000+ Return Pump
- 65 Lbs LR
- 60 Lbs Caribsea Sand

Fish:
- 1 Occelaris and 1 Percula Clown
- 1 Flame Angel
- 1 Tailspot Blenny
- 1 Yellow Clown Goby
- 1 Hippo Tang

Inverts:
- SPS: Acropora, Millepora, Stylopora, Montipora
- LPS: Green Tip Purple Torch, Pink Tip Aussie Elegance, Alveopora
- Anemones: 2 RBTA
- Ricordea: (3 Florida, 1 Yuma), 2 Actinodiscus Mushrooms (Blue and Red)
- Polyps: GSP, Fire and Ice Zoas
- Clams: ORA Derasa, Black Maxima

 

[ARGiBK]

And a few more photos:

And a few more photos:

 

[saltwatertanker]

Nice

 

[HunterBryan]

Great shots and beautiful tank! I'm upgrading soon to a 75 and I can't wait. I'm pretty new to the forum as well and I've learned a lot by just following build and researching! Keep us posted

 

[kga943]

nice tank

 

[GroktheCube]

Look great!

 

[Almondsaz]

Very nice...great aquascape. Look forward to more updates

 

[ARGiBK]

Thanks for the replies and compliments everyone!

I'm waiting tight to see how the next few weeks go, and hope that new tank syndrome doesn't creep its way in. I managed to transfer just about all the existing aragonite and water from the old system, seeded the new system with bio-spira (during transfer day), and have trialed Pure Marine to help stabilize params, so far so good!

A few next steps for me would be:

• Setting up an ATO
• Deciding on the final 2 fish to add to the tank: Red Elongated Dottyback, Gold Assessor, a Fairy Wrasse, or Pearly Jawfish are likely candidates.
• Possible Skimmer upgrade: Reef Octopus or Tunze 9410
• Changing out lighting to 1 or 2 Kessil A360N units. I love the controllability of the Vega, but mine has chronic overheating/fan issues, and, the new Kessil units are controllable via the Apex.

Stay tuned!

 

[ARGiBK]

I'm upgrading soon to a 75 and I can't wait. I'm pretty new to the forum as well and I've learned a lot by just following build and researching!

This place has definitely been my most visited site the last few months, and truly a working model of how a community helps and educates each other.

I'd have totally gone for a larger tank, though since I rent, and in an old building, I think 60 is at the upper limit of my comfortability/sanity. Good luck with the upgrade!