Pics of My first Reef Tank, 37 Gallon with Sump

[oseymour]

I saw other people sharing pictures of their tanks so I thought I would share mine and get feedback. I think I went overboard with spending for a couple of reasons, I wanted to make sure that because I was new to saltwater hobby that technology could take some of the burden of my lack of skills and I was sure that I would upgrade to at least a 55 gallon in the near future. This turned out to be a good thing since my wife wants all kind of fish that can't fit in a 37 gallon.

• Lights - AI Hydra with Director Module
• Controller - Apex Jr.
• 37 Gallon Tank
• 11 Gallon Sump, I got the aqueon proflex model 1. I have a small refugium with Chaeto to help absorb excess nutrients.
• I use a Sicce Syncra 3.0 return pump. It is silent and I turned it down to the lowest setting and it does the job.
• Overflow box is a LifeReef slim model. I could've gotten something a lot cheaper but I read a lot of reviews that this was the best and almost never fails so living in an apartment I chose to go with this.
• Tunze 9002 Skimmer. this skimmer does an OK job. It was one of the only one's that would fit in my sump. I had the Bh100 but I hated how it looked hanging onto the top of the tank.
• Powerheads - 1 Vortech MP10 and 1 Korea Nano 425
• Fish - 2 oscellaris clowns, 3 blue chromis for now.

• Zooanthids
• Mushroom Polyp
• Rose Bubble Tip
• Birds Next - had it less than a day
• Seabae anemone
• Small mushroom polyp
• Toadstool Polyp

My sandbed is between 1 to 3 inches

• Emerald Crab x 1
• Scarlet Hermit x 5
• Turbo Snails x 10
• Electric Blue Hermit x 4
• Nassarius Snail x 4

I feed Brine Shrimp, Spirulina Flakes and Cyclop Eeze

I just won a bout of low PH (opening the windows solved this!)
And I'm now battling a small outbreak of Hair Algea

I love it so far, I always wanted a tank and in 2012 I got a freshwater for a year to get in the groove of being on top of things.

 

[jennmac415]

Congrats on your first tank. ..looks like you have done alot of research. .how long has it been set up? Remember that in this hobby only good things happen slowly. Looking great so far!

 

[jennmac415]

How do you like the lifereef overflow? Ive always had reef ready tanks but right now space dictates the size of my tank so I don't currently have a sump on my 34 gallon and I am really missing the extra water volume and place to put certain equipment. Starting to look into external overflows. ...

 

[oseymour]

Congrats on your first tank. ..looks like you have done alot of research. .how long has it been set up? Remember that in this hobby only good things happen slowly. Looking great so far!

I did pretty much all my reseach here and read as much as I could.

Its been up and running since October, I started with a Fluval Canister filter but after a month I upgraded to the sump because evaporation would cause the salinity to fluctuate too much.

How do you like the lifereef overflow? Ive always had reef ready tanks but right now space dictates the size of my tank so I don't currently have a sump on my 34 gallon and I am really missing the extra water volume and place to put certain equipment. Starting to look into external overflows. ...

I love the lifereef overflow, its easy to prime and I've never had it lose suction or get clogged. The water going down to sump made a bit of noise and I purchase the added silencer which is now silent. I now actually hear the water going over the inner overflow. Its a nice relaxing sound.

I added a pic of the overflow below. One drawback to the silencer is that I had to remove the sponge prefilter going to the sump. This makes it even more important to change filter socks at least every two weeks. I have 2 pair which I rotate.

 

[jennmac415]

Thanks for the pics. ..always having built in overflows I just can't picture how these external ones work. ..

 

[oseymour]

Thanks for the pics. ..always having built in overflows I just can't picture how these external ones work. ..

Have you ever or seen someone siphon gas out of a tank? It works the same way. One the siphon never breaks then everything is good.

 

[bbecher]

Looks great so far! Keep up the good work, and the pictures!