Lessons Learned from being nearly 2 years in...

[mmarisca]

Thought I'd share...I have a 90 gallon mixed reef that will turn 2 in December. I have had a love/hate relationship with the tank as I battled Ich and fallow period about six months in (bad QT procedures) and had a constant battle with hair algae and cyno....

I'm feeling the love for my tank now more than ever. I'm finally seeing coral growth that was elusive before. And the tank is free of algae. This is all because of two things:

Six months ago I upgraded my lights. I went cheap in the beginning and that was a big mistake. Don't do it. Loving my 48" reefbreeders Photon 2 LED.

3 months ago I introduced an exterior 20 gallon refugium with calerpa and chaeto that is plumbed into my sump (my sump is too small). The impact of this has exceeded my expectations as everything turned for the better since I did this.

If you are entering this hobby, do these two things. You won't regret it.

 

[Ron Reefman]

mmarisca, I've been in the hobby for 12 years and have 4 tanks. Two are new to me, replacing a 180g and 75g that had to go due the the 180g having a leak.

I have RB Photon V2 fixtures over both new tanks. IMHO they are well made fixtures with quality light and control at very reasonable prices. Why people pay twice as much for some other brands is beyond me.

As for the refugium... I had a 45g fuge full of chaeto on that 400g system and it was great, almost never had nitrate levels. So on the new system (125g DT and 40g sump, I've added a 50g display refugium. They make the entire aquarium much better at running naturally.

 

[homer1475]

Chinese black boxes are pretty much the same thing and cost even less.

I personally would attribute the algae dying, and coral growth to the tank becoming mature as opposed to adding a refugium and better lights.

 

[koko maung]

Six months ago I upgraded my lights. I went cheap in the beginning and that was a big mistake. Don't do it. Loving my 48" reefbreeders Photon 2 LED.

What was the lighting that you were using before?

 

[chrisfont23]

Six months ago I upgraded my lights. I went cheap in the beginning and that was a big mistake. Don't do it. Loving my 48" reefbreeders Photon 2 LED.

Agreed! I have a 90g DT and always had the 20G sump but I added the Reefbreeders Photon 48 as well a few years ago on Ron Reefman's advice. It was a significant upgrade to my Ecoxotic lights with a lot less draw on my wallet. My only concern was the switch to 3W LEDs and I had to rent a par meter to measure the tank's lighting after fiddling with it constantly. I have those pictures with the PAR readings if you want them.

 

[Ron Reefman]

chrisfont23, glad to hear that the RB Photons worked out for you. 95% of the time one gives advice here on RC and you never know the results. Nice to hear a success story. Thanks.