MeuserReef's 30 Gallon Mixed Reef

[MeuserReef]

Greetings fellow The Reef Tank-ers,

I figured that a tank profile would make good use of my first post here on TRT. This tank was started in July of 2006 and is my first "real" attempt at keeping a successful reef aquarium (well.. there was a 10 gallon before this one, but it was hardly a "reef tank").

Tank Volume:
-30 gallon "long" (36"L x 12"W x 16"T)

Sump Volume:
-10 gallons (approx 7 gal. in operation)

Lighting:
-(2) 150W DE Phoenix 14K Metal Halide lamps in DIY "Brinks Security" reflectors/fixtures (7 hours/day)
-(1) 65W PC Actinic 03 lamp (9 hours/day)
-DIY LED Moonlight

Filtration:
-Phosban Reactor
-GAC reactor
-Water changes, water changes, & more water changes (no skimmer)

Return Pump:
-MAG 12

Water Circulation:
-(2) Maxi-Jet 1200's (switched via CurrentSea wavemaker)

Calcium / Alkalinity Dosing Method:
-Kent Marine Tech CB (part A & B)

Cooling Method: (Max temp = 82°)
-(5) !2V Computer fans
-Custom R22 Split Chiller System

Heating Method: (Min temp 78°)
-(2) 100W Marineland Heaters

Stand / Canopy:
-Custom-built pine stand and canopy

Fish:
-(1) Six Line Wrasse (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia)
-(1) Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris)
-(1) Yellotail Damsel (Chrysiptera parasema)

Inverts:
-(1) Pacific Cleaner Shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis)
-(5) Peppermint Shrimp (Lysmata wurdemanni)
-(?) Turbo Snails (Turbo fluctuosa)

Corals:
(SPS)
-Acropora Millepora (8 different color morphs; Light Blue, Rose, Hot Pink, Green, Yellow, Pink w/ Purple Tips, Pink/Purple w/ Blue tips, "Thick" Blue)
-Green Slimer (Acropora yongei)
-Acropora prostrata (light blue)
-Unkown Light blue(ish)/green Acropora
-Montipora Digitata - Purple
-Montipora Capricornis (5 different color morphs; Pink, "Army" green, "bright" green, "Plain-ole" Green, Green w/ Purple Rim)
-Acropora Pocillipora (3 different color morphs; Pink, Purple, Green)

(LPS)
-Scolymia
-Branching Hammer-spawn (not sure if its a hammer, or a frogspawn.. but it's branching!!) (Euphyllia parancora/divisia)
-White Frogspawn (Euphyllia paradivisa)
-Pink & Green Candy Cane (Caulastrea furcata)
-Green Closed Brain (Favites sp.)
-Purple & Green Blastos (Blastomussa wellsi)
-Pagoda Cup (Turbinaria Sp.)
-Acan (Acanthastrea Echinata)

(Softies)
-Finger Leather (Sinularia spp.)
-Toadstool Leather (Sarcophyton sp.)
-Various Mushrooms (Actinodiscus sp.)
-Various Zoanthid polyps (Zoanthus sp.)
-Button Polyps (Protopalythoa sp.)

OK... so now that the boring part of the profile has concluded... lets get to some pictures!!!

Tank in July of 2006, shortly after the 10 gallon was broken down and thrown in.



Tank getting "real" reef lighting. I started the tank with two, 96W 50/50 Power Compact lamps, only to realize that they sucked for lighting a reef.. so out they went (after summoning some cash, or course )



Tank as of this past June (most recent FTS)




Well folks, there you have it. She's certainly no TOTM, but I like to think its coming along nicely. My (inevitable) shift from softies/LPS to SPS has caused me to catch "frag-grab-itous", which has resulted in a sharp decrease in reef real estate. The only obvious cure for this condition is commonly called "Tank Upgrade", which is already underway. This reef will soon be moving into a 120 gallon (60"L x 18"W x 27"T).

Thanks for allowing me to share my little black hole that a fair amount of my money has been thrown into!

Cheers!

[crvz]

Ah! He found us! And posted pictures!!! Welcome aboard, Josh. You are indeed promptly running out of room in that setup, so you better be working on the 120 at the moment. You've got about a month until your self-imposed deadline. But until then, I'll admit that this setup looks great!

[aquawolf]

Weclome to TRT!!!

This was a great introduction to your system and it looks fantastic. Thanks for sharing.

[MeuserReef]

Originally Posted by crvz

Ah! He found us! And posted pictures!!! Welcome aboard, Josh. You are indeed promptly running out of room in that setup, so you better be working on the 120 at the moment. You've got about a month until your self-imposed deadline. But until then, I'll admit that this setup looks great!

Thanks for the kind words Chris! The carpentry work on the 120 is nearing completion. I spent all afternoon today working on the doors to the stand. I only got one of the side doors completed, mainly due to the insane amount of prep work that I had to do before starting (including a new base plate for the router to allow the 3"-diameter panel raising bit, a new fence for the router table to accept said bit, and a couple of other smaller shop items). I have stepped into a new frontier of woodworking that I have never been to before and Im taking each step very carefully as to not mess anything up!

As far as the self-imposed deadline, Im still on schedule (at least I think I am). I took a break from the woodworking last week to finally build my skimmer. Im actually quite impressed with how it looks, but the true test will be how it actually works! I will be sure to post it in the DIY forum (where you will likely find me 90% of the time )

Originally Posted by aquawolf

Weclome to TRT!!!

This was a great introduction to your system and it looks fantastic. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for the welcome aquawolf! I have been lurking in the shadows for a few months now on this board and crvz finally pushed me over the edge last week when I went by his place to pick up some frags (which are doing well I might add!).

Ive been quite impressed with both the people and the atmosphere on this board. I will do my part to keep with the (obviously successful) theme already in place here on TRT.

Thanks to you both for the warm welcome.

[crvz]

Originally Posted by MeuserReef

Im taking each step very carefully as to not mess anything up!

Very wise with woodworking. I find watching TV and listening to the radio never help when thinking through the precarious steps of woodworking, too. Go look at the first set of doors I built for my stand.

Originally Posted by MeuserReef

(which are doing well I might add!).

Good to hear. And since they are in the above tank, how's about some close ups?

[aquawolf]

That is great Josh, I for one will look forward to seeing all of the things you have done in the DIY section. I don't have any skills in that area so I really enjoy seeing what those of you who do can come up with.

[MeuserReef]

Originally Posted by crvz

Very wise with woodworking. I find watching TV and listening to the radio never help when thinking through the precarious steps of woodworking, too. Go look at the first set of doors I built for my stand.

Good to hear. And since they are in the above tank, how's about some close ups?

Well... since I have no radio or Television in the garage... my distractions have to be a bit more creative! About those doors... did you ever find an alternate use for them? I remember you mentioning that you were going to hang on to them.

Close ups: Well... these will have to wait until tomorrow as the tank has been tucked into bed for the night already. I have began vigorous campaining to the CFO for a new camera, but in the mean time, my wifes sony PS will have to do.

Originally Posted by aquawolf

That is great Josh, I for one will look forward to seeing all of the things you have done in the DIY section. I don't have any skills in that area so I really enjoy seeing what those of you who do can come up with.

Im planning on putting together some threads to highlight the things that have come out of my New Redneck Workshop, however my weakness has always been lack of pictures during the actual construction process (call it.. "DIY A.D.D."). Ive got to figure out a way to show the finished product, but still illustrate how I put it together. People tend to like instructions, not just pictures of the finished product, right!?

I try to take the approach of "Built it to be better" more so than "Build it to save a bunch of money". Sometimes both of these can be accomplished and that is a really cool thing when it (rarely) happens. Sometimes I accomplish neither, which kicks in the third, hidden approach that I always try to avoid in "Try to build it to be better and cheaper but fail at both and waste money that could have been used to just buy what you were trying to build". Yeah, that last one sucks when its applicable.

Nice evening to you both.

[aquawolf]

Oh yeah, your last method would be probably be what happens to me all the time.

[crvz]

Originally Posted by MeuserReef

About those doors... did you ever find an alternate use for them? I remember you mentioning that you were going to hang on to them.

I think my father-in-law is going to use them for some cabinets in his shop. I guess he earned them!

[Loverotties]

Welcome to TRT! Very Nice!

[MeuserReef]

Originally Posted by crvz

Good to hear. And since they are in the above tank, how's about some close ups?

OK.. heres my best attemps at using my wifes Sony DSC-H1 CyberShot.











Oh, and thanks for the welcome and the kind words loverotties!

[aquawolf]

Very nice attempt at using her camera indeed. What is the name of that zoanthid, if it has a name?

[crvz]

Those dudes better color up for you or I'll have some stern words for the colonies. I think it's a result of changing lighting 3 times (from T5, to 10kK, to 14kK, to your tank) in about 6 weeks. Hopefully they'll figure it out!

Originally Posted by aquawolf

Very nice attempt at using her camera indeed. What is the name of that zoanthid, if it has a name?

It's called an LE VZ.

[MeuserReef]

Originally Posted by crvz

Those dudes better color up for you or I'll have some stern words for the colonies. I think it's a result of changing lighting 3 times (from T5, to 10kK, to 14kK, to your tank) in about 6 weeks. Hopefully they'll figure it out!



It's called an LE VZ.

Chris, you are probably right about the lighting shock. That, along with higher than desired nitrates probably have them a bit upset. They should color back up, just in time to be shocked yet again when they are moved into the new setup.

Aquawolf, I appreciate the feedback. Im still trying to decide how to get my hands on a Cannon XSI and a good macro lens. Obviously I havent figured this out yet, but I am working on it!

[crvz]

Don't get the XSi. It's better than mine! I got the XTi about a year ago, and love it. Highly recommend either one. The canon 100mm macro is stellar, though, so definitely save your marbles for that if you find the XSi in your hands,