Reefing on a budget, some pictures.

Wow thank you guys! I am pretty critical of my tank, don't think it stacks up to most of the tanks around here, so thank you!

maddmax I don't have the xenia within a fuge, just inside the tank. I only have the 65, not connected to any fuge or sump. I would go back in time and have it in a fuge if I had known how fast it grew though. I have to be on my toes with it. That the majority of it is growing on the wall is its saving grace.

Here is a pic before I harvested last

tumblr_n0qhzubDRP1rddoc7o1_500.jpg


After, I also moved a few rocks around

tumblr_n24yccaSjI1rddoc7o1_500.jpg


I have to harvest regularly. I just think of it like doing water changes. Whichever way you cut it, I have to do something to keep it the water clean. I traded weekly changes for bi-monthly xenia harvesting.
 
Some random pics

I love these guys, they are pushing the term 'micro' brittles to the limit

tumblr_n2bxclR1A71rddoc7o1_500.jpg


happy sandbed full of spionid worms

tumblr_n2bxclR1A71rddoc7o5_500.jpg


My favorite coral, my duncan which literally hitched in as rubble rock that had a tiny bit of slime

before

1979670_726235730755222_1045852513_n.jpg


after

tumblr_n2bxclR1A71rddoc7o2_500.jpg


tumblr_n2bxclR1A71rddoc7o7_500.jpg


tumblr_n2bxclR1A71rddoc7o3_500.jpg
 
Beautiful tank! Simple and tasteful... Nothing wrong with that. It just goes to show that you don't have to have all of the latest/most expensive tech to keep a nice marine aquarium.
 
Thank you :)

The reddish lighting is just from some compact flouros. Same thing I would be using in a refugium....instead I keep two bulbs close to the back where the xenia grows. And my T5s sit on the egg crate (for the eel, so she does not escape) in front of the CFLs. Really cheap and easy. The T5s are 3 giesemann actinic plus and 1 ATI purple plus. I actually really like the colors they produce together, who would have thought!
 
Awesome thread. I like your reef very much, and love the fact you are proving you don't have to throw a ton of money at a tank to be successful.
 
I had a tank for years that I ran with no filter except a fluidized canister of rowaphos. Tank did great, and it made no noise. I would occasionally run carbon in the fluidized chamber to clean up the water. I did change the water every month though.

Roy
 
looking back at your original pre xenia harvest pic, I think we ran into each other a few months back at yourreef. I've heard of xenia harvesting before but never really believed it, pics are worth 1000 words. Stop being so rough on yourself, your tank has tons of charm and character, even us tech lovers could learn something here. Not all tech has to be mechanical!
 
You guys are so awesome :D Thank you all so much!

Did we ArmyGreens? That is where I shop the most :) Right around the corner....and I wouldn't be surprised if I was spouting about the xenia harvest, I do everywhere ;) Well nice to maybe have met you!

Royy you bring up lack of noise, that is another reason for lack of equipment here as well. The tank is next to my bed so I can't have much noise. It is pretty much silent for me, only time any noise happens is when a snail gets on the powerhead and rattles against the glass.

Thank you so much for all your encouragement guys! I am finally proud of my tank.

Phillrodrigo, I wish there was a red duncan too! Or any other color, my favorite coral. The light brings out the pink though as much as it can.

Thank you Lila, that is Ellie's favorite spot in those polyps. She often can be seen sticking 6 inches or so out of them. She is queen of the tank. I won't be having any more fish because I don't want to push the balance...and she still has growing to do. I am not averse to doing more water changes in the future either, pretty much will have to when she is huge.
 
Your tank and your approach to reefing are both impressive. Sounds like you have an innate ability for this.

Thank you! :) I don't want to toot my own horn or anything, but I was breeding discus when I was 11. Ok, horn tooted ;)

I have always been able to grow things well. Or just take care of things. From raising orchids to raising baby birds from day 1, helping life along has always been a hobby of mine. I get confused by technical things (skimmers, refugiums, electrical DIY things) honestly, and just approach whatever I am working with from the most logical and simplistic (to me) of ways to get things done. It just translated over to reefing.

Instead of stuffed animals and toys, this is what my room was filled with as a child. At one point I was doing daily water changes on 15 tanks. My parents loved that.

tumblr_mt7ksn5L6O1rddoc7o1_400.jpg


tumblr_mt7jr56hSh1rddoc7o1_400.jpg


tumblr_mt7jr56hSh1rddoc7o2_400.jpg


I built this last year, this was my first garden. I am just starting to plant again.

tumblr_mr4gdl5fGp1rddoc7o1_500.jpg


I raised this little man from the size of a beanie baby, given to my by a homeless man at age 12 days. He is pushing 50 pounds at almost 6 months now.

tumblr_mv469tvjKH1rddoc7o1_500.jpg


tumblr_mvmjpxngjv1rddoc7o1_500.jpg


If you give me something, I will grow it. As easy as I can ;) Do not ask me to do anything technical though, I WILL break it :D
 
Last edited:
Beautiful tank and I second, third, fourth...what everyone else has said! :thumbsup:

Love all the pics! Even the non tank ones! :fish1:
 
Back
Top