Husker 40 Breeder SPS tank

[Husker]

Hey all in R2R. I am back in the reef tank game after a few years hiatus because of moving for temporary jobs. However, I am brand new to the R2R site. It seems pretty friendly over here. Because of that, I thought I would start a thread to document my 40 breeder and my first foray into SPS dominant tanks.

Here is the equipment list (as of now):

Tank: 40 Breeder
Sump: 20 Tall
Skimmer: SCA 303 (just switched from a Reef Octopus 110 SSS and this is working way better)
Lighting: 2x AI Hydra 26 HD
Flow: 2x Gyre 130
ATO: Tunze Osmolator with 8 gallon reservoir
Reactors: BRS Reactor running GFO, Carbon in a media bag


I bought a tank/sump that was custom drilled/plumbed by a LFS for a client that never picked it up. In order to preserve all of the plumbing and unions, I had to make my stand to the perfect height. This was my first stand (and really first thing I ever built), so it made me a little nervous. I also wanted to build the stand wider than the tank to fit my ATO, sump, and an electrical section.

The plumbing all fits!

We wanted the tank to be stained wood to fit in with our wood panel-filled basement.

All stained with the tank filled. I made a light hanger out of metal pipe. I didn't make the doors-- I am not enough of a carpenter.

More updates on the actual tank will come soon. It has been filled with water since early summer, and fully cycled since the end of July, so I do have some livestock.

 

[Husker]

Early setup aquascape. ~06/05/16.

08/22/16 FTS.

09/11/16. I am now finally getting the algae under control in the last couple of weeks. I had a big phosphate spike and you can see I lost some color. I am slowly getting closer to everything being in check and keeping the dKH stable.

 

[Husker]

09/22/16 FTS. I will post some closeups in the upcoming days. And I think I am about done moving stuff around...

I am always up for any suggestions/tips. I am new to "real" SPS.

 

[kschweer]

Looks great!!! Nice job with the stand it really fits in well with the basement.

 

[Husker]

Thanks @kschweer. I was nervous about the build.

I have worked as a photographer in college, and I have been a photographer as a hobby, but I can't seem to get my reef tank photos to look like what I see with my eyes. I shoot RAW and edit in post, but the colors just don't come through in the wider shots.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Looking good and welcome back!

 

[Husker]

Thanks, all. Here are some macro shots of the coral.

ORA Green Birdsnest (when I first got it): 08/12/16

09/16/16: It has grown a lot, but I did lose quite a bit of the green color. I think it is a combo of high light and some parameter fluctuations that have happened from early tank mistakes. Hopefully color comes back now that I moved it to a lower light spot. I had my Alk higher at ~11 (because of IO Reef Crystals salt mix). I have had a couple high spikes up to 13.5 because of it. When I was gone for a long weekend my Alk dropped to 8 and several of the corals exploded in growth afterward (and during, obviously). I am working on brining my Alk slowly down to ~8 dKH now and using a salt mix that can maintain that more easily without big bumps (Red Sea non-pro).

 

[Husker]

My order from Battle Corals has been my favorite as of yet. Everything looked even better in person than the photos, and the corals were incredibly healthy. They have been in the tank about 10 days now and are starting to show some signs of growth. Here are some shots from 09/12/16.
BC Crimson Bliss

Schizopolis Sunset Millepora in the background. BC Secale on the back, right.

The sunset under the night blues.

Blue stag from a local reefer. This was after cleaning the rocks for a water change, so the polyps are retracted.

Jason Fox Psammacora (this was a bonus from Battle Corals)

Rainbows in Spain from Battle Corals on the left (another bonus coral), and my recovering Green Slimer on the right.

And some corals from UniqueCorals.com.

Neon Sunset Montipora

ORA Tricolor Valida. I really like this one. The dark purple, light purple, and green all look pretty cool.

ORA Plum Crazy Acropora. I accidently broke it, so hopefully that makes it grow into a big colony more quickly.

 

[Husker]

I have gotten my parameters under control and the algae has cleared up mostly (a few pieces remain, but the snails are really hammering it and it isn't coming back). I decided to take out my GFO, because I would have 0.00 phosphates for a few weeks and then get a big spike when it was used up. I am just using phosphate rx drops to keep the phosphates low but detectable now. Once my colonies grow up a bit, I will stop worrying about phosphates.

Because everything is looking good, I ordered a grab bag from @Battlecorals. There were some great frags in there, and some I had never even heard of. Here are some pictures of the new Battlecorals frags (photos were taken as my blues were dominant. I will get some under daylights later):

This is my favorite of the batch, labeled as Inland's Kaleidoscope. The colors on the Inland Corals website look a little ridiculous, but this still looks pretty great in person. I can imagine it looking great as it grows and colors up.

This was another favorite. Labeled "Hatfield's." I can't find a mother colony picture anywhere, but it looks pretty sweet.

Blue Polyp Granulosa (BPG). I have seen some pictures of this one that looks pretty cool. I hope this will turn into something great, as well. It looks like it has some potential.

Another one with a lot of potential. This is the Shades of Fall. I have seen some pretty great colony pictures of this one. This frag is kind of just brown/purple, but we'll give it a chance to color up.

Dale's Purple. Another one with a lot of potential. Cool shape and color so far.

Excalibur. This one has more yellow to it under daylights.

Another favorite. RR Grape Juice. I have seen some awesome colonies of this, and it looks like this is one Adam is bringing out of the vault (for good reason). I think this one will definitely look great as it grows.

Orange tipped Albro. Very fluffy/polyps out in the bag.

Red Robin Stag.

This was labeled as an Aussie Shortcake. It is basically just blue right now, so hopefully it colors up.

Another one with a lot of potential. Vivid's Rainbow Delight. It looks like this one browns out for a lot of people (it is basically brown/dark purple now). Hopefully I can bring it up to its "delightfulness."

This one (in the back right) was labeled as "Rainbow Smoothie." I can't find any pictures of a mother colony anywhere, so I am excited to see what it turns into.

And the Kaleidoscope at night:

There was also a Mr Pacman in the mix (basically a Red Dragon with green tips). It looks like it will be awesome, but it isn't much to look like yet-- basically a pale pink thing with hints of green on the tip. I have seen some good mother colonies, though, so I hope it does well. It seems like a pretty rare one.

 

[Dragonreef202]

Tank looks good. I haven't had good success with Sps. Just need more patience. I mostly enjoy Zoas and palys I do enjoy pls nothing to hard to keep. Now that I have gotten a maxspect razr I'll give some Sps a try. Maybe a birds nest. Nothing too hard. I just order some Zoas & palys from @Legendary Corals . They should come this week along with my mo40 pump. Oh yes I'm a Husker fan as well Go big RED.

 

[Husker]

Tank looks good. I haven't had good success with Sps. Just need more patience. I mostly enjoy Zoas and palys I do enjoy pls nothing to hard to keep. Now that I have gotten a maxspect razr I'll give some Sps a try. Maybe a birds nest. Nothing too hard. I just order some Zoas & palys from @Legendary Corals . They should come this week along with my mo40 pump. Oh yes I'm a Husker fan as well Go big RED.

Aquacultured easy SPS are as easy to keep as any soft corals (birdsnest, montipora, etc.). Some Acros can bit a little finicky if conditions are not stable, but for the most part they just lose color and don't die.

 

[Dragonreef202]

Ok thanks I'll check out aquacultured Sps

 

[jsker]

First time stopping by, The system is really looking good

 

[Husker]

First time stopping by, The system is really looking good

Thanks. It is getting there. This is my first mainly SPS tank, so it is the first time working on keeping everything so stable. A little bit of a learning curve.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Man, this is looking great! Keep up the good work! Can't wait to see this growing in.

 

[Husker]

Man, this is looking great! Keep up the good work! Can't wait to see this growing in.

Thanks! I can't wait either. This is my first SPS tank, so it is definitely fun to watch the growth. As a bit of an update: I came across a great deal on an ATI dimmable sunpower 24" 6 bulb T5 Fixture with two Reef Brite LED strips. I am going to replace out the Hydra 26 HDs for this unit. Nothing really against the Hydras, but they have been really buggy for me. I also can't seem to get the color where I want them, so for me going with a proven bulb spectrum on a T5 setup is probably best (as I am already an SPS novice). They also didn't connect well to my internet, and I had to reset them every time I wanted to change a setting. Here is a bit of a progress picture FTS (over 2 months), and it will be the last FTS under the hydras. I am hoping for some improved coloration in the frags I have had for a little while.

Lastly, I finally am clearing up that nasty brown hairy algae. Kole tang + Trochus + Astrea + cheato in the sump + phosphate RX.
2 Months ago (09/7/16)

Today (11/07/16)

 

[jsker]

Now that I am following you, I can stalk you every move. bahhhh, bahhhh

 

[Husker]

Just switched out my fixture to the ATI Sunpower Dimmable T5 + 2 Reefbrite royal blue LED strips. I have seen so much success with the T5/LED combo (including the guy I got these from), and the deal was too good to pass up.

Here is the FTS with Hydra 26 HDs:

And with the T5 setup:

These bulbs have about 3 months left on them, so I am really open to suggestions on bulb configurations. The T5 light certainly seems "softer" with less hard shadows. This bulb setup might be a little more blue than what my Hydras were running at, also.

I am noticing after one day of T5s that the polyps have come out on some corals for the first time in a while. A little surprising that 1 day could make that much differences.

My spainbow is finally starting to get some color:

Dale's Purple under T5/LED (I think the better color is just from recovering from shipping, but who knows):

RR Grape Juice after a few days in the tank and a day with T5/LED:

My Shades of Fall is starting to get some of the color, as well. It was a little brown on arrival.

My ORA Plum Crazy has grown back well after breaking the tip off. The color is a little blah though. I am hoping the extra fish and the T5s help that come around.

Kaleidoscope under T5/LED.

And finally, the zoanthids/polythoas under T5/LED. These had fancy names, but I don't really remember them. I picked them out because I liked them. Dragon Slayers are the pink ones, I think?

 

[Rpujol85]

Awesome tank! I think you are really going to like the ATI/reefbright setup.

I switched from led to an ATI and I'm planning to add some led's to it for the blue pop.

 

[Husker]

Awesome tank! I think you are really going to like the ATI/reefbright setup.

I switched from led to an ATI and I'm planning to add some led's to it for the blue pop.

Thanks. I think so to. I am too much of a "tinkerer" for LEDs... I can't stop changing things. I was also bleaching some acros at the same height as others that were browning- the light was so uneven that placement was getting really tough. I only have a 24" fixture, but it is a 6 bulb. I hope it is enough PAR. The only thing I miss is having a little UV running all night to see some glow I came down at 2 am.


What are you planning on doing for LEDs?