Liquidgold's 300g mixed reef

[liquidgold]

Hi, my name is Matt and I'd like to share my tank set up. I set up my tank 18 months ago and have been reefing for 6 years. I'd like to thank Lawrence (@Bullitr) for his advice and friendship. My system details are below.

Tank Details

General:
Tank Volume: 300 Gallon
Tank Dimensions: 96" L x 24" D x 30"H
Lee Mar Starfire Glass
Sump Volume: 80 Gallons
Aquarium Stand Material: Steel, Aluminium, and Plastic

LIGHT STAND WITH PNEUMATIC LIFT

The light lift I did myself. I originally designed the lift to raise the light for tank maintenance.

I basically strapped three 2x4 wood pieces vertically to the metal frame beneath the tank using U-bolts from Home depot. A second 2x4 glides freely over top the first piece using a large 24" drawer slide. In the middle, I used an telescoping linear lift that has an excursion of 24". The three vertical sliding 2x4 pieces are connected horizontally with closet shelving from Home depot. The wood was pre-painted with water repellent enamel to prevent moisture absorption and warping. The light lift has a weight capacity of about 100 pounds. I had plans to have a floating canopy and to cover the front of the lights with a fascia (like the lights over a billiards table) but came to like the simple look of the exposed LEDs.

I basically adapted my system to the following youtube video.
https://youtu.be/XRxtqrFo6nE

Starboard siliconed to bottom to prevent rock structures from damaging bottom glass panel. Live rock columns are supported by 1/2" acrylic rods. Cerameco pieces complete the bonsai look.

EXTERNAL OVERFLOW PLUMBED OUTSIDE
I decided to plumb my external overflow outside to the house alley. My overflow was set up as a beananimal-type overflow.

FULL TANK SHOT

Circulation
Main Return Pump: Waveline DC10000 and Jebao DC6000
Plumbing: PVC Pipe
Overflow: External Bean Animal Overflow
Powerheads: x4 VorTech MP40wES, x3 VorTech MP10wES and x1 Gyre XF150

Controllers and Monitors
Controller: Neptune Systems Apex and EcoTech Marine ReefLink
Heater: x2 Eheim Jager 150 Watt
Chiller/Fans: JBJ 1/3 HP Arctica Chiller

Filtration
Protein Skimmer: Bubble King Supermarin 250, Reef Octopus POV-DC8
Ozone: 300mg/h Spa Ozonizer controlled via APEX ORP
Turf Algae Scrubber: DIY waterflow Algae Turf Scrubber, Turbo Aquatics L4 ATS and Turbo Aquatics L2 ATS
Sulfer Denitrator: Korallin BioDenitrator
UV Sterilizer: 57 Watt Aqua UV
BioPellet Reactor: Hydra Aquatics
Media: Carbon, GFO, and Seachem Matrix
Media Reactors: x2 AquaMaxx Carbon and GFO Reactors
Live Rock: 150 lbs combined with Ceramico Rock Structures and acrylic rods
Substrate: 2-3 Inches of Caribsea Oolite Sand

Lighting
LED: x3 Radion XR30w Gen3 Pro and x8 Kessil A350 and A360 LED Lights
Moonlight: Kessil A350 and A360 LED controlled via Apex
Photoperiod: 8am - 6pm

System Parameters
Temperature: 75ºF / 23.8°C
Specific Gravity: 1.026
pH: 7.9 - 8.10
Alkalinity: 10 dKH
Calcium: 450 ppm
Magnesium: 1250 ppm
Nitrate: 0 ppm
Phosphate: 0.03 ppm
Maintenance and Dosing
Water Exchanges: 5 gallons daily
Calcium Reactor: Geo 818 Calcium Reactor
Water Tests: All parameters are tested every two weeks using Salifert Test Kits and Hanna Instruments Checker Colorimeters
Media Replacements: Every 6 - 8 weeks
Salt Mix: Instant Ocean Reef Crystals

Feeding
Fish: Ocean Nutrition Pellets 3x per day, Frozen Food Mixture 2x per day, Frozen Clam every other day and a sheet of Nori Seaweed 1x per day
Coral: Coral Frenzy once per week

Fish
Gem Tang
2x Black Tang
3x Yellow Tang
Desjardini Tang
2x Cross-hatch Trigger (male, female)
2x Bandit Angel
Red Sea Regal Angel
Potters Angel
Hawaiian Flame Angel
Chelmon marginalis
Heniochus diphreutes
x3 Anampses feminis (1 male, 2 female)
Chaoti Leopard Wrasse
Yellow Tail Tamarin Wrasse
Red Tail Tamarin Wrasse
x3 Leopard Wrasse (male, 2 female)
Ornate Leopard Wrasse
x2 Blue Star Leopard Wrasse (male,female)
x2 Potters Wrasse (male, female)
x2 Flame Wrasse
x2 Lineautus Wrasse
Yellow Coris Wrasse
Green Coris Wrasse
Red Velvet Wrasse
Red Hooded Wrasse
Rhomboid Wrasse
Labouti Wrasse
x2 Cleaner Wrasse
Bodianus opercularis
x2 Skunk Clown
x2 Black Snowflake Clown
x2 Extreme Snowflake Clown
Yasha Goby
Midas Blenny
Quoyi Parrotfish
x2 Bimaculatus Anthias (male, female)
Blotched Anthias

Stony Corals
Assorted Acropora
Assorted Montipora
Assorted Euphyllia
Acanthastrea lordhowensis
Echinophyllia aspera
Leptoseris
Scolymia australis
Pectinia
Soft Corals
Gorgonia
Purple Plating Sponge
Zoanthids
Palythoa
Assorted Mushrooms
Inverts
Rose Bubble Tip Anemone
Tuxedo Urchin
Abalone
Hermit Crabs
Snails
Emerald Crabs
Cleaner Shrimp

You probably can guess from my fish list, that I am a fish-collector first and a coral-collector a close second. With such a high bioload, it has been a challenge to optimize filtration and detritus removal. For filtration, I utilize multiple approaches to produce overlap and redundancy. I am always amazed and impressed about how other reefers can sustain thriving reef systems with just a skimmer and water changes.

Automated water changes have been a game changer for me. No more lifting water buckets; I just make up fresh saltwater once a week. I also like the fact that my filtration is plumbed outside so the system is quiet inside my home. My system has many DIY parts such as a pneumatic lift light rack, an overflow Algae turf scrubber and a remote live rock/pond matrix bio filter.

Attached is a recent home-made video of my tank. There is better quality video on the Marine Depot Featured Tank section.

https://vimeo.com/124276954

 

[vuqchu]

Awesome tank Matt! Congrats on the featured tank spot on MD's site.

5g a day water change? Just curious how you have that set up. Some pics of that would be awesome. Thanks!

 

[liquidgold]

Hi Vu, I do automatic water changes via the Litermeter3 pumps. Every day, 5 gallons of fresh saltwater is pumped into the sump of the display tank. Then 5 gallons of old tank water is pumped out and recycled into my Quarantine and frag tank. The LITERMETER3 pumps small amounts a hundred times a day so water changes are gradual throughout the day.

 

[bullitr]

Liquidgold's 300g mixed reef

Finally a fish crazy tank
[emoji12]

Picture or video don't do this amazing tank justice

 

[Justin1386]

That's [profanity] setup you got there love it!

 

[OC CJ]

Tank is beautiful. I see that you run ozone, biopellets and a turf scrubber. Do these all work together? I've read that ozone = dead bio pellets and I've had it stop the growth of macro algae in the past. Just curious on your method.

 

[liquidgold]

My ORP runs between 340-380. I get this much algae every week!

 

[Justin1386]

That's a ton of algae!

 

[scrapz]

Sick fish collection

Wouldn't a large water change 1-2x a week be much more beneficia than just removing 5g per day?

 

[blkg35]

Gorgeous tank and awesome fish list. Thank you for the YouTube link on the light rack. Will use some ideas from it for my next build. Curious, did you qt the fishes before adding them in the tank? If you did, what is your qt method?

 

[CoralsAddiction]

Gorgeous set up! If you look at Lawrence's videos your fish selection is almost identical (hogfish, bandits, flames among others)...unless some of your fish came from his tank

 

[acesq]

Very nice set up! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Enjoy]

My ORP runs between 340-380. I get this much algae every week!

Can you show some photos, and additional details on your DIY Algae Turf Scrubber?

That is a great looking tank - I really like the look of your aquascape.

 

[Chuongj510]

Wow. Great setup. I have also been trying to figure out how to make my canopy automatic. Also how do you like the waveline dc pump? I'm considering getting one.

 

[liquidgold]

Thanks Everyone for the compliments

Sick fish collection

Wouldn't a large water change 1-2x a week be much more beneficia than just removing 5g per day?

I think smaller, more frequent water changes are better for system stability.

Gorgeous tank and awesome fish list. Thank you for the YouTube link on the light rack. Will use some ideas from it for my next build. Curious, did you qt the fishes before adding them in the tank? If you did, what is your qt method?

Good luck with your light rack project. Let me know if I can help.

I think that fish QT is one the most important parts of this hobby that is often overlooked and understated. New fishes need time to distress and regain their appetite. All my fishes go through QT irregardless the source. I have had my fair share of tanks crashes from velvet, ick and brook. I learned my QT technique from WayneL333. New fishes go through TTM for 2 weeks, then to an observation tank for at least 4 weeks. No meds unless disease is detected. They have to be eating well before going into DT so that they can compete with the other fishes. New fishes spend a week in an acclimation chamber in DT prior to release so that current fishes can familiarize with the new addition. This worked out well for me when I added a new regal angelfish to a tank full of established tangs. My 2nd black tang arrived 1.5" in size and was in QT for 3 months to grow and fattened up.

Gorgeous set up! If you look at Lawrence's videos your fish selection is almost identical (hogfish, bandits, flames among others)...unless some of your fish came from his tank

Lawrence has excellent taste in fish choice. Many of my fishes came from his tank when he would renew his stocks in a different direction.

Wow. Great setup. I have also been trying to figure out how to make my canopy automatic. Also how do you like the waveline dc pump? I'm considering getting one.

Having an automated canopy is cool but not essential. I'm kinda into gadgets and DIY stuff which makes this hobby fun. I like the waveline DC pumps for their low energy draw and quietness. However, they are not that reliable. I have two identical back up pumps which I swap out and service every 3 months to clean and de-calcify.

 

[gveng]

I don't think you have enough lighting... haha j/k

Tank looks amazing!!

 

[bullitr]

I can't wait to see the tank video it plain white lights
To highlight the amazing fish collection.

 

[.Renegade]

awesome tank tagging along

 

[liquidgold]

Can you show some photos, and additional details on your DIY Algae Turf Scrubber?



That is a great looking tank - I really like the look of your aquascape.

My DIY ATS uses the my main tanks overflow drainage water via 1.25 " pipes. I cut a 3-4mm slit in the pipe and inserted a 12x16" plastic mesh. The ATS is lit by four 20 watt hydroponic LEDs. It works very well for me. I also use a Turbo Aquatics L2 and an L4 ATS. All of them grow turf algae so fast I need to harvest weekly. Surprisingly, my chaeto fuge also grows well too.

Does anyone know if the turf algae can be used as food for Tangs? I thought it might defeat the purpose by adding back to tank?

 

[bullitr]

Any update sir ?