55gal Economy Build
Here's some quick links to my most substantial contributions to TRT
My Contributions
Forgive me if this list is too detailed, to be honest, I realized the benefit myself of having all of this information in one place for me, so I took the extra effort to include everything for my own reference.
Most recent pic:
Fairly recent, but some changes since this shot (most notably the plumbing on the return and the brown skirt around the whole thing)
Tank
Sump/Refugium
Inhabitants
Supplies
Here's some quick links to my most substantial contributions to TRT
My Contributions
- Aquatic Life T5 HO 4 bulb 48" Fixture Review
- HOWTO: "Light Rails" (quick, easy, and cheap)
- HOWTO: Easily and properly changing your water
- Photography Tips
- September 2010 Photo of the Month Winner
Forgive me if this list is too detailed, to be honest, I realized the benefit myself of having all of this information in one place for me, so I took the extra effort to include everything for my own reference.
Most recent pic:
Fairly recent, but some changes since this shot (most notably the plumbing on the return and the brown skirt around the whole thing)
Tank
- Tank: 55g, not plumbed (kit from walmart)
- Lights: Aquatic Life T5 Fixture (HOWTO: Light Rails), eggcrate for keeping the fish in
- Heater: 200w (kit)
- Substrate: 60lbs caribsea live sand
- Live rock: 60lbs
- Power Head: Hydor Koralia 2, 600gph
Sump/Refugium
- Tank: 20gal aquarium, 5 baffles
- Protein Skimmer: Coralife Super Skimmer 65
- Physical Filter: Berlin Sock
- Macro Algae: Chaeto
- Powerhead: ViaAqua VA480 (for water changes and keeping plenty of flow on the chaeto)
- Light: DIY Junction Box Light on reverse light cycle with tank
- Overflow: Eshopps PF-300 (300gph)
- Pump: ViaAqua va2600 740gph (~6ft head, ~300gph after head)
Inhabitants
- Fish: 2x False Percula Clowns, 1x 6-Line Wrasse
- Coral: 5x Blastomussa, 2x Acan, 1x small Starpolyp colony, 5x Blue/Purple Mushrooms
- Invertebrates: 2x Emerald Crab, 6x Peppermint Shrimp, 2x Mexican Turbo Snails, 4x Nassarius Snails, 3x Hermit Crabs (1 red leg, 2 blue leg)
- Hitchhikers: 1x Feather Duster, Numerous Aiptasia arg
- Planned: Cleaner Shrimp, Misc other invert. for clean up crew
- Tank: 20g
- Filter: Aqua-Tech 30-60 Power Filter (bio filter media stored between sump baffles to keep the bacteria active and alive)
- Protein Skimmer: Seaclone 100 (better than nothing? Atleast it keeps plenty of air in the tank :doh
- Lights: Standard fluorescent hood
- Power Filter: Aqua-Tech 30-60 Power Filter (kit, will be going to quarantine tank once sump is in place)
- Substrate: Bare Bottom
- Heater: To be determined. If required, will pull the one from the main tank as it's mostly unnecessary.
- Decorations: None yet, some misc PVC pipe elbows planned
Supplies
- Testing: RedSea Marine Lab Test Kit, Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Reef Master Test Kit, Thermometer one on-glass, another free floating, Instant Ocean Hydrometer
- Cleaning: Felt brush, small net, Magnafloat medium (only one worth the money, believe me I've tried!)
- Salt: Coralife Marine Salt
- Food: Frozen Mysis Shrimp, Frozen Fish Eggs, New Life Spectrum sinking pellets, TetraMin Tropical Flakes, BabyShrimp Sun Dried Gammarus, Hikari Tropical Algae Wafers
- Supplements: Tetra AquaSafe tap water conditioner (I started my cycle with tap water, I still keep this around but basically just for a stress coat)
- Water Changes: 10% per week
- Filtration: AquaFX Barracuda 4-stage RO/DI filter (50GPD)
- Mixing: 1x 32gal Brute trash can
- Storage: 3x 7gal Aqua-Tainers from Wal-Mart camping section