My 2000ltr recovering reef

[haydn]

Just over a year ago I had a serious heart attack and I wasn't able to look after my tank for 6 months. No water changes, the RO unit was topping up with high TDS water, the skimmer stopped working, the calcium reactor stopped, the phosphate media was exhausted, anything which died just rotted in the tank (and there was quite a bit!), my readings were all over the place.

When I felt better I looked at the tank and just wanted to rip it all out, but my wife convinced me that I should try to rescue it. So started a regime of testing, massive water changes and serious TLC.

So after 9 months of very hard work (and a LOT of salt!)...............

 

[rssjsb]

Great work! And congratulations on the recovery!

 

[mil hse]

Its amazing what some new SW and a little time will do... congrats on the come back... looking good!

 

[seashark]

thats a good come back. your tank looks like sps forest.

 

[zaheda]

Great looking tank, a forest indeed. Do you have specs on the tank and equipment been used.

 

[Elliott]

nice recovery for both of you! coronaries open and tank looks great! thanks for sharing

 

[haydn]

Do you have specs on the tank and equipment been used.

The tank is 2M (6'6")x 1m(3'3")x 1.15m (3'6") this gives me 1m depth of water. The sump is a 'marine pond' at the side of the tank sunk into the floor, this helps with the cooling and gives me a place to grow mangroves. It holds about 500ltrs of water.

Lighting is 4x400W 14KK BLV halides with coralview eletronic starters and luminarc reflectors. There are 2x80w actinic T5s.

In tank circulation is by 2x6101, 3x6201 and 1x 6305 Tunze Streams giving me a 60x turnover.

Skimmer is a Aquamedic 5000 unit.

Deltec 601s calcium reactor.

F/W topup is automatic from a 6 stage RO unit.

A home made Phosphate reactor using Rowaphos maintains a very low reading.

There is approx 350Kilos of LR and a shallow sand bottom in the tank.

There is a 1Mx1Mx200mm (8") deep sand bed in the sump.

I like fish and as an ex-diver I am facinated by the interaction and group dynamics of pair or groups of fish, so I keep groups or pairs where ever I can. I have 5 different types of chromis in groups, a pair of longnosed hawkfish, 5 peacock wrasse (1m and 4F), two regal angels (not paired yet), 2x yellow tangs plus some singleton fish (don't let anyone tell you that firefish shoal!!)

I suppose my most unusual 'reef' fish are a racoon butterfly and a burgess butterfly, they were put in to combat the aptasia and majanos and have done a great job but more importantly they haven't damaged any of the SPS or LPS.

Anyway enough writing- more pictures:dance:

 

[chingchai]

Great recovery.
And it is nice to know you have a good health now.

 

[dzfish17]

I think the wife was right again. Good save. Keep up the good work.

 

[James404]

Glad to hear you and your tank have recovered. Tagging along to see how this progresses.

 

[haydn]

A FTS including me just to show I'm recovering almost as well as the tank, but uglier:lol2::lol2:

 

[kinlayan]

very impressive well done on the recovery of both you and your aquarium!! really an accomplishment but please look after yourself now , your aquarium needs you!

 

[trickedout900]

Great job on the recovery. Good to hear you pulled thru the heart attack. Now stay on your toes and listen to the doctors so we can have many more years of stories/wisdom shared by you.

 

[Elliott]

nice tank, where did you get that big red and white striped fish on the left?
he looks healthy! :thumbsup:

 

[haydn]

nice tank, where did you get that big red and white striped fish on the left?
he looks healthy! :thumbsup:

Thanks. the shirt is a rugby union supporters shirt for a team called Leicester Tigers (Rugby Union is a bit like american football but without the padding!)

The one thing that took all the trauma in its stride was my fire coral (millipora sp) If you want a bullet proof 'sps' (yes I know its a hydroid) get this.

This grew from 4x 4" frags

 

[haydn]

I have been playing with my macro lens, I hope you enjoy the pictures

 

[bmullikin1]

Not positive but on the second and third pictures of last post, it looks like you might have some red bugs. if you do interceptor for dogs works great. nice recovery.