About 1 1/2 yrs later-pics of my tank

[gsiegel]

I know some do not like artificial corals BUT after about a yr and 1/2 and some bumps and bruises along the way I wanted to share my FOWLR and artifical coral tank. My first saltwater tank.

Long time planning, expanded a wall to the width to fit the tank - 280g. It is located between my family and dining rooms for viewing from both rooms. Reef octopus skimmer, UV, and 4 AI vega lights. In wall build and enclosed canopy so I also run a chiller (in FL) to offset the added heat - tank runs at 78-80 degrees.

I had the overflows constructed with pillars around them like the bottom of the pier, and the center is a manufactured lobster trap.
Just thought I would share this morning. Will post some fish photos later. Hope you enjoy.

 

[Eville]

Your fish selection is awesome! Very interesting aqauascape as well. It's not your typical everyday artificial coral look.

 

[thompson2224]

Thats a very cool looking tank. Good job on that. If you have the lighting capabilities and reef safe fish it may be even cooler with some live corals

 

[Marshall O]

I am not a big artificial coral fan, however I must say I really like your tank! Very well done! And I agree; even though it is a FOWLR, basically all of your fish are reef safe

 

[gsiegel]

Thanks - here is a panoramic view and just a sneak peak of the crosshatch hanging out as she likes to do between the rungs of the lobster trap, purple tang pecking away, and sorry for the blurred pintail wrasse. Will post other fish pics later.

While I do have the lighting capabilities for coral, I have kept the percentages lower than what is required for real coral and have had little algae growth. It is the showpiece of my house and I want to keep it clean. Maybe over time though I will become more brave but happy so far. When I had the tank done I said that I wanted to splurge and do this 1 time, get some of the best equipment, and not look back with any regrets. I am so glad I did so.

I am really excited though to have added a bubble tip anemone just the other day. Freaked me out when it deflated the first day but seemed good day 2 (yesterday) and this morning - love it! A constant learning process - but as my LFS owner says - "slow and steady" (he is one of the rare good ones and fortunately gets great stuff and is only 2 miles away!)

 

[gsiegel]

Thanks Marshall - yours and Hunter's advise with wrasses has been very helpful.

 

[SDguy]

I actually really like the artificial corals.... I've been wanting to mix in a few with my live rock in my FO. Maybe nothing as dramatic as the big red seafan, but the barnacle/sponge looking things look pretty good!

 

[gsiegel]

Yeah - I may take the fan out eventually.
Here are some fish photos - sorry for the crappy iphone camera photos

 

[gsiegel]

and some more....

 

[gsiegel]

and not to forget the orange star - this one is real, sunburst anthias, aussie tusk, and purple tang

 

[BlueFyre]

I'm in love with the lobster trap. What a cool idea!

Awesome tank and lovely fish.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

This is very unique! I really like it!

 

[snorvich]

How do you keep them clean? What maintenance is involved? Very interesting concept and nice implementation.

 

[UMass14]

Nice setup!

 

[gsiegel]

Thanks all
Steve I have been fortunate to not get much algae growth (although I just recently got a little and added some more cleanup crew). I have a bunch of blue leg hermit crabs, red leg hermit crabs, and Mexican turbo snails, along with some sea urchins. Fortunately not even my crosshatch trigger or harlequin task mess with the cleanup crew, at least not that I have seen.

I clean the glass with the magfloats and have a service that does a water change monthly. For the past several months the parameters have stayed good. I also forgot to mention above that I do have a phosphate reactor as well. I feed nori in the morning and Dr G's fish eggs and cyclopeeze for the anthias and other smaller fish in the morning, and mixture of frozen at night gradually with a turkey baster. What little goes to the bottom goes to the clean up crew.

I do find that The last that I mess with the tank, the better it seems.

I also got a course scrub brush from Home Depot that is long and narrow that I occasionally scrub the fake Coral's with. Along with the fake corals, I did add some live rock to give it a more realistic effect. Overall I am happy.

 

[gsiegel]

A couple of more photos - new bubble tip anemone (really cool!), Lubbock's and pintail wrasse, and sea urchin (kinda looks like those marshmallow snowball cakes I ate as a kid).

Again - my apologies for the bad iphone photos

BTW - Steve thanks for all the valuable input in making fish suggestions (even though I can still hear you through my computer...with so many larger fish your tank will look small... ;-)

 

[Marshall O]

I love your Pintail Hoping mine will turn into a beautiful male!