deklin
New member
Recently I've been answering a lot of PMs about my tank setup. I've realized that a tank thread to get all the info in one place is long overdue and will save me some time in the future. So here goes!
Display dimensions: 80 gallon, 48" long, 18.5" front to back and 23" tall
The tank is plumbed to a basement 30 gallon sump and an inline 20 gallon frag tank.
The tank is over 2 years old now and it was my first SW tank. This led to a lot of trial and error and learning as I go in the first 6 months or so. I originally started with a hang on the back overflow and a small 10 gallon sump under the stand. After 3 months I decided to move all the fish and live rock into rubbermaid containers to take the tank down, drill the back, build a 2 foot coast to coast overflow, run PVC through the wall to move the sump downstairs and add a frag tank and set everything back up. :hmm3:
Somehow I managed to make it through all this without my wife putting a end to this new aquarium hobby!
Lighting
T5 since the begining!!! I have a 6 bulb icecap retro kit installed in my canopy. One IC660 ballast driving 4 bulbs and one IC430 with 2 bulbs. I run the IC660 7 hours a day, the IC430 comes one one hour before the 660 and stays on one hour after. Bulbs are 54W version although icecap overdrives them, probably to about 80W.
The lighting is intense, I've bleached a few frags that I haven't been careful with. I believe the setup is borderline too much for my tank.
Bulb combo front to back:
KZ Fiji Purple *IC430
ATI Blue+ *IC660
KZ New Generation *IC660
ATI Blue+ *IC660
ATI Aquablue Special *IC660
ATI Blue+ *IC430
Nutrient Export
My goal is to provide a nutrient export system that will allow me to feed the tank heavily without any buildup of nitrates or phosphates. I think good SPS growth and coloration is in part dependent on high availablity of dead organics such as fish poo or coral food. However the dead organics need to be removed before they break down.
I use an oversized bubblemaster 250 skimmer that works great, much better than my first skimmer. I also run passive carbon in a filter bag that I replace every couple weeks. I do not have a zeoreactor but I do run a small amount of zeostones in a phosban reactor that I replace every 2-3 months. I feel like this provides a bacteria driven element that helps supplement my skimmer by keeping phosphates low.
Dosing
Was using a Geo612 calcium reactor that worked great, but the amount of SPS in my display and frag tank has been accelerating and I recently outgrew my old calcium reactor. I decided to switch over and try the balling method based on some positive feedback I've read. I have 3 drew's dosers peristaltic pumps on my reefkeeper controller that feed calcium, alkalinity and magnesium mixtures into the tank at intervals throughout the day. Also include NaCl free salt in the magnesium solution along with AAs.
I feed the fish twice a day and 4-5 nights a week I will dose 4-5 drops each of KZ AAs, coral vitalizer and sponge power after lights out along with a small teaspoon of coral frenzy.
On to the pictures!
FTS September 2008
FTS January 2009
I like this shot, one of my lyretail anthais was cooperative in posing for the picture!
Here's my Icefire colony, it's gotta be my prize coral! I grew it from a small frag I received August of 08.
Side shot
All corals in my tank started as small frags. Makes for an empty looking tank the first year or so but it's satisfying when they finally grow out. That's it for now, I'll update more later.
Display dimensions: 80 gallon, 48" long, 18.5" front to back and 23" tall
The tank is plumbed to a basement 30 gallon sump and an inline 20 gallon frag tank.
The tank is over 2 years old now and it was my first SW tank. This led to a lot of trial and error and learning as I go in the first 6 months or so. I originally started with a hang on the back overflow and a small 10 gallon sump under the stand. After 3 months I decided to move all the fish and live rock into rubbermaid containers to take the tank down, drill the back, build a 2 foot coast to coast overflow, run PVC through the wall to move the sump downstairs and add a frag tank and set everything back up. :hmm3:
Somehow I managed to make it through all this without my wife putting a end to this new aquarium hobby!
Lighting
T5 since the begining!!! I have a 6 bulb icecap retro kit installed in my canopy. One IC660 ballast driving 4 bulbs and one IC430 with 2 bulbs. I run the IC660 7 hours a day, the IC430 comes one one hour before the 660 and stays on one hour after. Bulbs are 54W version although icecap overdrives them, probably to about 80W.
The lighting is intense, I've bleached a few frags that I haven't been careful with. I believe the setup is borderline too much for my tank.
Bulb combo front to back:
KZ Fiji Purple *IC430
ATI Blue+ *IC660
KZ New Generation *IC660
ATI Blue+ *IC660
ATI Aquablue Special *IC660
ATI Blue+ *IC430
Nutrient Export
My goal is to provide a nutrient export system that will allow me to feed the tank heavily without any buildup of nitrates or phosphates. I think good SPS growth and coloration is in part dependent on high availablity of dead organics such as fish poo or coral food. However the dead organics need to be removed before they break down.
I use an oversized bubblemaster 250 skimmer that works great, much better than my first skimmer. I also run passive carbon in a filter bag that I replace every couple weeks. I do not have a zeoreactor but I do run a small amount of zeostones in a phosban reactor that I replace every 2-3 months. I feel like this provides a bacteria driven element that helps supplement my skimmer by keeping phosphates low.
Dosing
Was using a Geo612 calcium reactor that worked great, but the amount of SPS in my display and frag tank has been accelerating and I recently outgrew my old calcium reactor. I decided to switch over and try the balling method based on some positive feedback I've read. I have 3 drew's dosers peristaltic pumps on my reefkeeper controller that feed calcium, alkalinity and magnesium mixtures into the tank at intervals throughout the day. Also include NaCl free salt in the magnesium solution along with AAs.
I feed the fish twice a day and 4-5 nights a week I will dose 4-5 drops each of KZ AAs, coral vitalizer and sponge power after lights out along with a small teaspoon of coral frenzy.
On to the pictures!
FTS September 2008
FTS January 2009
I like this shot, one of my lyretail anthais was cooperative in posing for the picture!
Here's my Icefire colony, it's gotta be my prize coral! I grew it from a small frag I received August of 08.
Side shot
All corals in my tank started as small frags. Makes for an empty looking tank the first year or so but it's satisfying when they finally grow out. That's it for now, I'll update more later.
