SIZE : 65 gallon tank, 36'' wide, 18'' deep, 24'' high (22'' surface to sandbed)
LIGHTING: 4x96w PC, 2x10k, 2x actinic : 384 watts for 5.9 w/gal
FILTRATION: Wet/dry sump (W/O bioballs) beneath in cabinet, in sump skimmer #1. Rated for 75gal... ViaAqua Multi Filter/Skimmer(#2)/5 watt UV hang on on main tank.
REFUGIUM: 20 gallon long tank resides next door to the reef tank. This tank has Kent Biosediment, Chaeto and Prolifera maco and 10 red mangrove plants. In the fuge is a hang on pro Prizm skimmer. (skimmer #3) This is lit by 2 20w 10k bulbs.
FYI...My previously filtration method was 'undesireable" by some: A fluval 303 canister with bio-media, SeaClone 150 hang on skimmer and Bio-Wheel 60 hang on. This served me and my creatures well for 3 years. My change to the wet/dry, in sump pskimmer was for aestehtics(sp?) only, allowing me to remove two paerheads and piping from tank...
AGITATION: Besides the returns from the filters, a powersweep powerhead.
TEMP CONTROL: ViaAqua cc-25 chiller. I keep tank at
79 degrees. IMHO, people who advocate temps in low to mid 80's ar ethose who wont pony up the cash for a chiller! No heater needed, lights keep tank plenty hot, they are not eleveated...very close to surface.
LIVE ROCK: Over 100 lbs of rock. In tank for 3 years.
SAND BED: 1-1 1/2". In each frot corner of tank there are rubble piles 3" deep which provide cover for micro-organisms.
MACRO: About two fistfuls of Chaeto(Brillo) on each side of tank, right behind the rubble piles and jammed under rocks. This combined with ruble piles is ideal for micro-critters.
MICRO-CRITTERS: The tank is packed to maximum sustainable levels with loads of
Pods,
Mysis Shrimp, and bristleworms. Much maligned, but never grow large in my tank and kick ass at tearing up detrius. There are plenty of small 3/4 inch
Ghost Shrimp as well as an unkown amount of
Micro Brittle star and saghetti worms. Alot of these are moving to the fuge...
Fish: Maroon Clown, Clarkii clown, 2 teeny
yellow clown gobies, engineer goby, Royal gramma, jawfish, 4 green chromis which have tank to themselves as clowns never leave hosts and other fish are crevice/hole dwellers... 24'' or more Snowflake eel that plays nice with everyone. The eel is over 3 years old. A heavier load of fish than I generally would advocate, but if it works it works. The other fish are less than 6 months old, added after I finally tore my tank apart to remove 3 psychotic damsels and big-eye soldier. Ahhh, peace at last!
INVERTS:
Banded coral shrimp, 2 peppermint shrimps, Arrow crab, fighting conch, lettuce nudibrach, 20 or so nassarius (sand poppers) snails, unkown number of gost shrimp about 3/4 inch, unkown number of other various snails and hermits...probobly 30 or more...Xmas tree worm rock, feather duster. Rose bulb anemone for the maroon, big sebae for clarkii.
CORAL: Purple mushrooms dot the tank, approx 40, size of dime to 4" most purple, some very light green ones, Green Branching Hammer, Colt coral, Octopus coral, button polys, some zoos...
MISC:I also test my water very infrequently, once a month. I know this is a bad habit, but I believe if a system is running well and you are familiar with it, you will see any 'bad vibes' in the tank...I feed fish only 3-4 times a week, and that is an increase from my previous 2 times a week. I feed eel when he is 'looking", at this time I feed anemones as well. The fish eat bits of shrimp i crumble up at this time and rements of eels eating habits. I belive high pod/criter population keeps my guys well fed...
