Hello

[Gweeds1980]

Hi, new to the forum so thought I'd just make my debut post...

I'm based in the UK, kept marines back in the 90s and then been back to FW since... set up my reef about 12 months ago. It's a work in progress and should keep me out of trouble for a while.

Eventually the plan is for a mixed reef with some nice big SPS alongside SPS and a couple of big softies. All interspersed with zoas and shrooms.

Tank is a custom built 8'3" x 26" x 26" with a 120l sump. Total is about 1200l or around 300 usg.

I'm trying to do this all on a shoestring... one because I can't afford about 10k on it and because I want to see if it can be done. Total so far including tank, cabinet, all equipment, rock, water and stock is less than £2k...

I haven't got a build thread as didn't take any pics and frankly it looks awful at the moment as I'm struggli g with bryopsis and cyano but am slowly getting it under control.

Major project at the moment is lighting and setting up a new QT as last one cracked

Happy reefing

 

[Gweeds1980]

Meant to say 'alongside LPS' lol.

 

[Labridaedicted]

Welcome to the best forum on the web! Looking forward to seeing the system!

 

[RyanCSGO]

Welcome to R2R!, glad to have you with us.
any pics?

 

[Gweeds1980]

Welcome to R2R!, glad to have you with us.
any pics?

I'll get some pics up tonight

 

[kschweer]

Welcome to R2R!!!

 

[KJ]

Welcome to R2R!!!

 

[dbl]

Welcome to R2R and thanks for joining.

 

[melypr1985]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[Gweeds1980]

A few pics as promised...

 

[4FordFamily]

Welcome home, you will love it here!

Post some pics of the setup!

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

Welcome!

 

[Gweeds1980]

To add to my brief intro I'm running a 1200l reef, mixed softie and lps with a green digi and red plating monti frags as the only SPS as a bit of an experiment.

Set up is as follows:

Around 200kg of live rock in the DT, other filtration consists of a TMC V2 1500 skimmer. A large (120l) fuge with caulerpa and a DSB. Turnover is low through the sump, to allow the caulerpa and skimmer to do their jobs... return is a red devil dc4000. Flow is from 3 reef octopus 6000 wave makers and one Chinese thing allegedly rated at 20000 lph. I reckon it does half that at best.

Lighting is 2 old school reefbeam 120 led units and one mars aqua 165w full spectrum unit. As mentioned, lighting is the next project

I dose no ca or mag etc at present as levels haven't dropped since adding lps/ sps. Although last week I did notice the first small drop so will likely start dosing red sea ab&c next week. I also dose vodka to control nitrates.

Other livestock is:
Cuc including blue leg hermits, nass snails, turbos, 2 Orange lip conches, 2 tuxedo urchins and a sand sifting star.

Fish:
Pair of maroon clowns
3 x humbug damsels
yellow coris wrasse
Copperband bf
Heniochus bf
Regal tang
Orange shoulder tang
Caribbean blue bass
Coral hawkfish

The whole tank is a bit of an experiment... it was set up on a shoestring, I already had the tank, cabinet and sump and everything else all in has cost me a total of £568.87 (I keep a spreadsheet... sad I know), with the exception of livestock. All equipment has been sourced 2nd hand or at very least on sale.

My goal was to prove you could run a SPS tank on a budget. I want to keep my total spend (including the tank and cabinet) at under £2000. The tank was £900 4 years ago and the cabinet was £350. So absolute total as of today, including everything (this time with livestock) is... £1988.87! Obviously as time goes by this will creep up with water changes, dosing and continual buying of corals and livestock. But I will keep bargain basement wherever possible.

Anyhow, for anyone not yet asleep, feel free to make any comments or ask any questions.

Cheers.