cham
New member
Hello all, it's been a little while. Two years ago things got really busy for me and I let my once mature reef go after some frustrations and disappointments. I left it running thinking there was a good chance I'd have it running again at some point. It looks like that day is here 
The tank was originally set up in early 08 and ran as an all SPS reef for just over 5 years. It was my dream tank and everything I wanted in a reef. I stopped tending to it, sold off some of my corals about 2 years ago and just left the fish in it. I have a Powder Blue that I've had since 2011 and the other yellow tang, blue tang, chromis and pair of clowns I've had since roughly 2004 or 05 (prior tank).
Not using all of my equipment in awhile I was surprised to find that most everything was ok. My XP3000 skimmer and cleaner head worked great still but my impeller bit the dust because the magnet had split (apparently a known defect with the first gen bubble blasters). My 4 Vortechs we're running great with the exception of one controller so I had to replace that and while I was at it added a fifth Voretch (I like running them all on the lowest speed setting so it's good to have more)
Anyway, I got all my salt, carbon, impeller, Vortech, replacement tubes for doser and RO filters in this past week and got them all put on. I'm changing my aqua scaping this time to a more vertical approach leaving more bare bottom area for some LPS and encrusting montis (NEVER AGAIN ON MY ROCKS!!! lol). The open scape will also help with detritus. I got tired of having to turkey baster my rocks. With the 5 Vortechs positioned low in the tank I should have good detritus removal.
I'm picking up a spare Reeflo Snapper return soon, mine has been running for 7 years so it's making me nervous.
One thing I want to do differently this time is be selective about what corals I put in. After a few years of my tank being mature I didn't have any space for new additions because at times I just picked up or traded for random corals.
For lighting I'm going to keep my ATI powermodule. I had thought about going MH again but it doesn't make sense for me right now. I have 3 reefbrite strips but only plan on using 2 of them for now.
My water changing station in the garage is cleaned out and I did my first water change this past weekend. Skimmer got plugged in yesterday and is going nuts. The plan from here is to let it settle, maybe pull the rock out and check for anymore of those tube worms that shoot slime nets, clear any bubble algae and let the tank sit for a few weeks to get it settled and ready for SPS frags.
Anyone with cool and unique SPS please keep me in mind.
The tank was originally set up in early 08 and ran as an all SPS reef for just over 5 years. It was my dream tank and everything I wanted in a reef. I stopped tending to it, sold off some of my corals about 2 years ago and just left the fish in it. I have a Powder Blue that I've had since 2011 and the other yellow tang, blue tang, chromis and pair of clowns I've had since roughly 2004 or 05 (prior tank).
Not using all of my equipment in awhile I was surprised to find that most everything was ok. My XP3000 skimmer and cleaner head worked great still but my impeller bit the dust because the magnet had split (apparently a known defect with the first gen bubble blasters). My 4 Vortechs we're running great with the exception of one controller so I had to replace that and while I was at it added a fifth Voretch (I like running them all on the lowest speed setting so it's good to have more
) Anyway, I got all my salt, carbon, impeller, Vortech, replacement tubes for doser and RO filters in this past week and got them all put on. I'm changing my aqua scaping this time to a more vertical approach leaving more bare bottom area for some LPS and encrusting montis (NEVER AGAIN ON MY ROCKS!!! lol). The open scape will also help with detritus. I got tired of having to turkey baster my rocks. With the 5 Vortechs positioned low in the tank I should have good detritus removal.
I'm picking up a spare Reeflo Snapper return soon, mine has been running for 7 years so it's making me nervous.
One thing I want to do differently this time is be selective about what corals I put in. After a few years of my tank being mature I didn't have any space for new additions because at times I just picked up or traded for random corals.
For lighting I'm going to keep my ATI powermodule. I had thought about going MH again but it doesn't make sense for me right now. I have 3 reefbrite strips but only plan on using 2 of them for now.
My water changing station in the garage is cleaned out and I did my first water change this past weekend. Skimmer got plugged in yesterday and is going nuts. The plan from here is to let it settle, maybe pull the rock out and check for anymore of those tube worms that shoot slime nets, clear any bubble algae and let the tank sit for a few weeks to get it settled and ready for SPS frags.
Anyone with cool and unique SPS please keep me in mind.
Chad is my brother.
