The 300G SPS & Angel Tank

[roberthu526]

After keeping fish for over three years and keeping reef tanks for over two year, I have finally started my dream build. This is something I have planned for over a year and been actively preparing since last June. But I didn't really know if or when it was going to happen until my wife gave the green light a month ago :celeb3:

Brief background: I have been keeping fish for a little over three years. First year was just fresh water tropical fish. Then in February of 2016 I started trying out saltwater fish and I thought I would never get into reefing because all corals seem so boring to me: they don't move or even eat. However after merely 2 months I started to realize that a tank with just fish and rocks were even more boring :eek2:

My first salt water tank was a 40G breeder and it quickly escalated to a 125G which I am still running. Although everything is going pretty well with this tank, there are a couple of not-so-good side of this system: 1st, the dimension is not ideal: 5' long and only 1.5' deep. It is very hard to create depth. 2nd, the tank is overstocked with three tangs:headwally:, one foxfish, three wrasses and one anthias. Three fishes are over 6" already and one of the wrasses is around 5" already. I need something bigger! 3rd, the tank is filled with LPS and I love angels!:headwally:

So with the new build, I am going to make it a angelfish dominant tank. I plan to get six large angels: a pair of regal, goldflake, and majestic each. And I want to have some dwarf angels like flame angel, coral beauty and potters or flameback. I want to have a total of 9-10 angels in this new tank. Plus the fish I already have in the LPS tank, it's probably going to be overstocked again.

With this many angelfish, I am going to risk it by putting any LPS or softies in this tank. Plus water quality requirement for angefish and SPS are quite similar and many people on the forum already have had success hosting angels and SPS together so it's totally worth a try!

 

[carrots]

Wow you are asking for a lot. With that many Angels you had better be prepared to have some super filtration system. Keeping nitrates & phosphates at levels to maintain SPS is going to be difficult with that bio load once the fish are full size. You may find that you are able to keep a few LPS corals with those fish. My Majestic did not bother any LP corals for about two years, then one day it ripped them all apart. My Regal took a liking to my favorite softy, Green Nephthea, but leaves hammers, grapes and duncans alone. My experience has been that adding any soft corals after the Angels are in the tank is difficult. They pick at it as if I added a new food. While the same type of coral that was in the tank before the fish were added seem to go untouched. We share the same dream. I failed with creating pairs and filtration. I wish you better success.

 

[roberthu526]

The 300G SPS & Angel Tank

The 300G SPS & Angel Tank

Wow you are asking for a lot. With that many Angels you had better be prepared to have some super filtration system. Keeping nitrates & phosphates at levels to maintain SPS is going to be difficult with that bio load once the fish are full size. You may find that you are able to keep a few LPS corals with those fish. My Majestic did not bother any LP corals for about two years, then one day it ripped them all apart. My Regal took a liking to my favorite softy, Green Nephthea, but leaves hammers, grapes and duncans alone. My experience has been that adding any soft corals after the Angels are in the tank is difficult. They pick at it as if I added a new food. While the same type of coral that was in the tank before the fish were added seem to go untouched. We share the same dream. I failed with creating pairs and filtration. I wish you better success.

Thank you for your reply! This tank is going to need some serious filtration for sure. I already bought a Super Reef Octopus 6000 Ext. I also plan to run a refugium while carbon dosing. I am not sure if it is going to work out this way but if not, carbon dosing alone should work. I have had pretty good results with Red Sea's NOPOX so I am fairly confident that it will work on the new build as well.

As for angels and LPS? I am just not going to risk it at all. I love my LPS too much to even try it out. Eventually I am going to setup another 150-20G in the same room just to host LPS and softies with some reef safe fish.

I used the term "œpair" loosely in my original post. I am not looking for male&female paired. Just two of the same fish.


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[roberthu526]

Finally got some pukani curing! 120 pounds from premium Aquatics and 50 pounds from marine depot. The first three to four days were horrible smell wise. But after dosing some MB7 the smell went away.

Just changed out water yesterday and the water was extremely yellow almost brownish.

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[roberthu526]

Wanted to share a side project: a 150G LPS dominant tank. It's going to be in the same fish room.
So far I have built the utility panel and the stand. The stand still needs some paint work and the doors. But I want to get the plumbing done before wrapping it up.

 

[carrots]

Will it be connected to your other tank so you will only have one sump/filtration to maintain? I’m Considering doing that on my next build.

 

[roberthu526]

Will it be connected to your other tank so you will only have one sump/filtration to maintain? I'm Considering doing that on my next build.

I thought about it but since the two tanks are not on the same side of the room, it is pretty difficult to get them plumber into one system. Besides, LPS like a little dirtier tank so they are going to use two different sumps.


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[roberthu526]

Another update to the side project: finally got the tank on the stand! Took five people and two dollies. Test filled tonight and so far no leaks. Fingers crossed! Now just waiting for the overflow to arrive. Supposed to be here next week but somehow got delayed by one full week...

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[Ardeus]

There's an online store that states that keeping flame angels in mated pairs is the way to prevent them from nipping corals. I have tried to contact them to try to find out how do they know that, but I haven't received any reply yet. I keep a pair ans they have behaved well until now.

 

[roberthu526]

There's an online store that states that keeping flame angels in mated pairs is the way to prevent them from nipping corals. I have tried to contact them to try to find out how do they know that, but I haven't received any reply yet. I keep a pair ans they have behaved well until now.

Thanks for chime in. I am not counting the Angels not nipping on corals. Just hope to keep them at bay with a big tank filled with SPS.


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[roberthu526]

Here is another update on my youtube channel. It's focusing on my QT tank and procedure and why I am a strong believer of hypo-salinity.
https://youtu.be/sKBHP41hf7s

 

[roberthu526]

Apparently I am no artist, at least when it comes to aquascape a reef tank...

Threw two piles of rocks in the tank and called it a day. No glue no epoxy, I will likely redo the rock work anyway.

 

[roberthu526]

Then spent an entire day to fill the tank and sump with RODI water. Used three bags of special grade sand and the water is still pretty cloudy. With two filter socks hooked up I hope everything clears out pretty quickly. We shall see.

 

[Ardeus]

I really like your aquascape. 3 structures with different heights make it interesting.

 

[roberthu526]

I really like your aquascape. 3 structures with different heights make it interesting.

Thank you. My idea is once it's ready for corals, I will put some acans, Goni, and fungia toward the front of the tank on the sand bed and some branching corals like torch, hammer and frogspawns on the rocks to create high low effect. It will add some depth to the look I think.


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[roberthu526]

https://youtu.be/-2nUt_7hFGk
Quick video update on my build. Everything is moving along pretty well.

 

[roberthu526]

Not everyday you get a cool poster in the office!

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[roberthu526]

Got an email today and I felt it was from Santa when I opened it. Needless to say I am super pumped now!

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[Redeyes31]

I am super pumped now!

That is a nice big tank! 300 gallons Im assuming. Are those pre-drilled holes on the upper back side of the tank? How big of a sump will you use with that?

Happy Reefing!

 

[roberthu526]

That is a nice big tank! 300 gallons Im assuming. Are those pre-drilled holes on the upper back side of the tank? How big of a sump will you use with that?



Happy Reefing!

Yes it is the 300G. The holes are drilled for overflow and return. I am going to use a 125G tank for sump in the garage.


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