Mayja's 90 Gallon Reef Experience

[Mayja]

I began my tank on February 2, 2013 and I just celebrated my 5 month anniversary. I asked an LFS to come up with a basic saltwater tank package that could get me started. From there, I've upgraded the lights and added the powerhead (will add another with a controller once I can afford it). Originally, it started off as a FOWLR, but I quickly decided that I wanted to build a reef and added my first corals in March.

Tank Setup
I've included links to all the manufacturers so you can look-up exactly what I'm using:

90 gallon Marineland Perfecto tank 48x18x24 with 110lbs live rock
40lbs CaribSea Aragonite SeaFlor Special Grade Reef Sand
AquaticLife R7S - T5HO/HID/LED
Tunze 6055 controllable powerhead
Aqua Classic 15 watt UV sterilizer
Rio Hyperflow 20 pump - 1290 GPH display tank/UV pump
Via Aqua 300 watt titanium heater
30 gallon Bashsea refugium using grape caulerpa algae 30x14x16
Bashsea Beckett Twisted Skimmer 6x24
Rio Hyperflow 12 - 750 GPH skimmer pump

Current Inhabitants
2 True Percula Clownfish (Marlin and Coral)
1 Blue-Spot Watchman Goby (Mr. Grumpy Gills)
1 Pearly Jawfish (New 7/3! Needs a name)
1 Green Chromis (Highlander - there can be only one)

CUC
10 Blue/Red Legged Hermit Crabs
10 Dwarf Cerith Snails
10 Nassarius Snails
3 Trochus Snails
3 Mexican Turbo Snails
2 Peppermint Shrimp
1 Sand Sifting Starfish

Corals
1 Candy Cane LPS
1 Sinularia Finger Leather
1 Lobos
1 Eagle Eye Zoanthid
1 Orange/Purple Zoanthid (needs an ID)
1 Hammer
1 Frogspawn
1 Torch (New 7/3!)
1 Green Ricordea
1 Purple Mushroom

 

[Mayja]

Photos


Here's a full tank shot:

Here's a close up of my sump/skimmer setup:

Here's the skimmer:

Mr. Grumpy Gills:

Here's my new ricordea:

Now for some coral growth comparison shots:


Lobos - when I purchased it 4/27/13:

Lobos - today:

Purple mushroom - when it was given to me 3/14/13:

Purple mushroom today (Actually, it's even bigger than this. It will cover up the entire rock behind it):

Hammer - when it was given to me 4/26/13:

Hammer - today:

Leather - when I purchased it 4/27/13:

Leather - today:

 

[Mayja]

Videos

Sand Sifter Starfish
[video=youtube_share;kY3g2exBCsM]http://youtu.be/kY3g2exBCsM[/video]

A View Into My 90 Gallon Reef (this is my latest one, which tells me I'm overdue for an update!)
[video=youtube_share;qZZY5453DCg]http://youtu.be/qZZY5453DCg[/video]

 

[Mayja]

I hate to toot my own horn, but no one has commented on my tank. So, this is a shameless bump to put me back on the radar. I'd love your feedback on my setup, pics and videos. Thanks!

 

[Reef@holic]

Very nice tank and setup you got going on, looks like you need some more coral to get some more color in there!

 

[Mayja]

Here's the latest video of my 90 gallon reef tank as of July 2013 - 5 month mark. Enjoy!
[video=youtube;rasqOx81Lek]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rasqOx81Lek[/video]

 

[rsb1982]

Nice thread! I have just changed my 75G to a 90G last night
Question for you-- what stand do you have?

 

[Mayja]

Thank you! I have a basic pine stand for a 48x18x24 tank. It came with the tank, so I'm assuming is from Marineland.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Great job so far!