First Tank.. Straight to SPS Obsession

[Msleckro]

Hello All!
I wanted to share my first ever tank with the Reef Central Community. I've alway had a fascination with the Reef keeping hobby ever since my father had one when i was just a little guy. He only kept simple softies but i always remember visiting multiple LFS and falling in love with their displays of SPS tanks. In Mid July 2011 i started my first tank with the intentions of not getting obsessed. Then i got bit by the bug... the rest is history.

Tank Set-Up:
Standard 65gal 36"x24"x18"
DIY Cree LED Lighting (36 royal Blue / 18 Cool White)
AquaC Remora Pro Skimmer
Mp40 and Koralia 1050
Two Little Fishies Reactor
CPR Medium HOP Refugium
Apex Jr. Controller
DIY ATO - Kalk ATO Set-up With AquaLifter
90lbs Live Rock
DIY Canopy (Not Finished)

The Start. July 2011


The Beginning of LED Build


Top View


These are the first SPS I received from a Follow Reef. His lights went bad in his tank. When i got them they were loosing a lot of color. ( As you can see) This in when i just dove into SPS keeping.

 

[Reef264]

Not Bad Meeho!Nice tank.

 

[Aquaticchaos]

Nice setup, how do you like the LED's??? I am thinking of getting some myself

 

[Msleckro]

Growth Pictures

Growth Pictures

These pictures are not good.. They are from my iPhone. Sorry for the poor quality.

Green millepora October 2011


February 2012


Orange Digitata October 2011


February 2012


Current Tank 2012



Again i'm sorry for the crappy pictures.

Other corals:

SPS
Rose millepora
Blue Millepora
Borealis
Red Planet
Purples Cats Paw
Green Cats Paw
Orange Cap
Pink Birds Nest
Purple Plasma Acro
Atlantis Raspberry Lemonade
Tyree Bali Tri-Color
Setosa
Tyree Sunset Montipora
PearlBerry Acro
A couple Unkown..

LPS
Brain
Hammer
two types of unknown Chalice
Yellow Scroll

Softies:
Toadstool
a couple different times of mushrooms

Live Stock:
Two Ocellaris Clownfish
Yellow Tang
Anthias
Blenny

Thanks for taking the time to check out my set up. Please feel free to give me tips or even tell me what i'm doing totally wrong.. Like i said.. this is my first attempt and i consider myself no expert. Thanks AGAIN!

 

[Msleckro]

i really like the LED's.:inlove: I'm still trying to figure out the perfect color temperature and how bright to make them. They are super powerful. I just like the ability of being able to change brightness and color within a couple minutes.

Here is a picture of them in my canopy with the additional 18 royal blues.


18 royal blues have 80 degree optics
18 cool whites have 80 degree optics
18 royal blues have No optics

 

[Msleckro]

i really like the LED's.:inlove: I'm still trying to figure out the perfect color temperature and how bright to make them. They are super powerful. I just like the ability of being able to change brightness and color within a couple minutes.

Here is a picture of them in my canopy with the additional 18 royal blues.
View attachment 176607

18 royal blues have 80 degree optics
18 cool whites have 80 degree optics
18 royal blues have No optics

 

[sonoranaut]

Looking good.. nice job.

 

[Msleckro]

Thanks!

 

[jdm1114]

Good work man, you have great growth.

 

[Msleckro]

I'm looking into getting a sump set up for it. Does anyone know a place to get a good CPR overflow box?

 

[Msleckro]

Here are some updates..

 

[MammothReefer]

nice job! My first tank was a disaster haha.

 

[Msleckro]

Thanks i've had my ups and downs with his tank also.. But overall i think its been successful. I'd had a blast learning the hobby though.

 

[Netspawn]

Hi there. So you added a extra 18 royal blues? What size heatsinks did you use? Was the tank too white before you added tHem?

 

[Msleckro]

My heatsink is 1.5"x36" I felt the 1:1 ratio of royal blue to cool whites was to white. The 2:1 ratio is much better in my opinion. The only think I'd like to change on my light would be to replace a couple cool whites with natural white.