Bigsampson
New Member
hello to the forum.
i am not exactly new to the hobby, I was experimenting with reef tanks in the 80s, things have come a long way since.
Recently got back in the hobby, I am at a job that requires me to live away from home. Commute every other weekend or so about 600 miles to be with wife and kids.
Reef keeping and golf keep me out of trouble.
My setup is a bit different, I guess.
I have a 90 gallon main tank with a 30 gallon sump.
Also, have a 40 gallon frag tank that has a 20 gallon sump, this sump drains into the main 30 gallon sump. Each tank has one independent pump from the sump to the tank in case the primary pump fails. Also, there is a primary pump connected to a manifold. Manifold provides primary circulation to both tanks, gfo reactor, carbon reactor and bio pellet reactor. Have about about 180 gallons in the system.
ATO with Ro/di water from lfs.
Both sumps have large refugiums with cheato and other macro algae. Have all sorts of bugs in both tanks and sumps. Good ones.
There is also a skimmer.
There is about 100 lbs of live rock in the large tank an a sand bed. Also lots of dry rock and live sand in both sumps.
The tank is about six months running and very healthy. Main tank has vho and led lights, frag tank has good LEDs. All corals are thriving in both tanks. LPS, SPS, softies, zoas, chalices, polyps, mushrooms, just about something from every type. There is pretty much two or three of each type, mostly smaller colonies, between the two tanks. Only coral I have that is not growing or appearing to be very healthy is a pink goni. Had it for about a month. Tried everything in the main tank, now in the frag tank. Looking better, but not good.
In the frag tank, only fish is a starry Benny. Needs a mate, sooner or later.
Fish in the large tank are a yellow and powder brown tang, two maroon clowns, two cardinals, one red fire fish, diamond Benny, black comb tooth Benny and a baby mandarin. All the fish are 1 to 2 inches, except the tangs, a bit more than three inches. All small specimens.
Some snails, ppmt shrimp and little blue leg hermits in tanks and sumps.
Also, all my parameters are pretty much pristine. Change about 15% water a week, good water from two different lfs, ca around 480 (i do add two part when it dips below 460 or so) nitrates, nitrites and ammonia pretty much 0, Mg 1300ish, Phosphates are not 0 but are close and slowly going down, Alk is my only low area currently running about 5.5 and on a slow rise with morning dosing. Because the system is fairly new and added the frag tank and sump a month ago, I check the water about every 3 days. When I added the frag tank, used Ro/di from lfs, live black sand and I have lots of live rock and algae in the main sump, seeded the new sump with that. It really didn't cycle. Parameters didn't even bump.
I added the frag tank because I like growing things and I figured it would be a good way to trade for new stuff
Anyway, I tend to read, lurk and learn.
Thanks
i am not exactly new to the hobby, I was experimenting with reef tanks in the 80s, things have come a long way since.
Recently got back in the hobby, I am at a job that requires me to live away from home. Commute every other weekend or so about 600 miles to be with wife and kids.
Reef keeping and golf keep me out of trouble.
My setup is a bit different, I guess.
I have a 90 gallon main tank with a 30 gallon sump.
Also, have a 40 gallon frag tank that has a 20 gallon sump, this sump drains into the main 30 gallon sump. Each tank has one independent pump from the sump to the tank in case the primary pump fails. Also, there is a primary pump connected to a manifold. Manifold provides primary circulation to both tanks, gfo reactor, carbon reactor and bio pellet reactor. Have about about 180 gallons in the system.
ATO with Ro/di water from lfs.
Both sumps have large refugiums with cheato and other macro algae. Have all sorts of bugs in both tanks and sumps. Good ones.
There is also a skimmer.
There is about 100 lbs of live rock in the large tank an a sand bed. Also lots of dry rock and live sand in both sumps.
The tank is about six months running and very healthy. Main tank has vho and led lights, frag tank has good LEDs. All corals are thriving in both tanks. LPS, SPS, softies, zoas, chalices, polyps, mushrooms, just about something from every type. There is pretty much two or three of each type, mostly smaller colonies, between the two tanks. Only coral I have that is not growing or appearing to be very healthy is a pink goni. Had it for about a month. Tried everything in the main tank, now in the frag tank. Looking better, but not good.
In the frag tank, only fish is a starry Benny. Needs a mate, sooner or later.
Fish in the large tank are a yellow and powder brown tang, two maroon clowns, two cardinals, one red fire fish, diamond Benny, black comb tooth Benny and a baby mandarin. All the fish are 1 to 2 inches, except the tangs, a bit more than three inches. All small specimens.
Some snails, ppmt shrimp and little blue leg hermits in tanks and sumps.
Also, all my parameters are pretty much pristine. Change about 15% water a week, good water from two different lfs, ca around 480 (i do add two part when it dips below 460 or so) nitrates, nitrites and ammonia pretty much 0, Mg 1300ish, Phosphates are not 0 but are close and slowly going down, Alk is my only low area currently running about 5.5 and on a slow rise with morning dosing. Because the system is fairly new and added the frag tank and sump a month ago, I check the water about every 3 days. When I added the frag tank, used Ro/di from lfs, live black sand and I have lots of live rock and algae in the main sump, seeded the new sump with that. It really didn't cycle. Parameters didn't even bump.
I added the frag tank because I like growing things and I figured it would be a good way to trade for new stuff
Anyway, I tend to read, lurk and learn.
Thanks
