Perry's 50 Gallon AIO Reef

[Perry]

Hello R2R family,
I have enjoyed reefing for years, especially the full on addiction of SPS reefing. I have had this AIO system going for awhile, but have never had success with SPS, believe me, I have tried, lol. This tank however has done well with many LPS, as those corals have grown. The tank is a prototype from Waterbox, and is 24x24x21" tall, 50 gallons. The filtration compartment is generous, and allows for larger equipment than most AIO type aquariums The glass is starphire wrapped, and is .5" thick, this one jointed with clear silicone, very clean, tank almost appears icey, with cool blue appearance.
The filtration is as follows:
1. Aquamaxx WS-1 skimmer
2. 2 mangrove shoots lit same cycle as tank, with 25 watt led 6k.
3. Aquaforest carbon(passive)
Lighting is Kessil a360we, peak at 30% color, and 70% intensity. Main pump is eco-plus @350 gph. I use Tunze nano with standing wave, lps love it For salt I use AF Reef salt, i run my parameters close to what salt mixes@ 34ppt.(NSW values). I have 5 fish, feeding normal twice per day pellets. I am sure I am missing something, but anyway, thanks for checking out my tank.

 

[Retro Reefer]

Looks great! Nice to see someone with an appropriate size CUC

 

[Perry]

Looks great! Nice to see someone with an appropriate size CUC

Gotta practice what I preach lol, have always advocated the importance of good CUC

 

[SPR1968]

The tank looks great Perry, very nice indeed

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Hello R2R family,
I have enjoyed reefing for years, especially the full on addiction of SPS reefing. I have had this AIO system going for awhile, but have never had success with SPS, believe me, I have tried, lol. This tank however has done well with many LPS, as those corals have grown. The tank is a prototype from Waterbox, and is 24x24x21" tall, 50 gallons. The filtration compartment is generous, and allows for larger equipment than most AIO type aquariums The glass is starphire wrapped, and is .5" thick, this one jointed with clear silicone, very clean, tank almost appears icey, with cool blue appearance.
The filtration is as follows:
1. Aquamaxx WS-1 skimmer
2. 2 mangrove shoots lit same cycle as tank, with 25 watt led 6k.
3. Aquaforest carbon(passive)
Lighting is Kessil a360we, peak at 30% color, and 70% intensity. Main pump is eco-plus @350 gph. I use Tunze nano with standing wave, lps love it For salt I use AF Reef salt, i run my parameters close to what salt mixes@ 34ppt.(NSW values). I have 5 fish, feeding normal twice per day pellets. I am sure I am missing something, but anyway, thanks for checking out my tank.

Beautiful, comrade

 

[Perry]

The tank looks great Perry, very nice indeed

Thank you very much, this tank is really my way of explaining to my wife why I need another tsnk for just SPS, lol, which is already being planned out

 

[Perry]

Beautiful, comrade

Thank you

 

[Perry]

A few coral pics

 

[siggy]

SPS are awesome, but a well stocked LPS tank has such a variety of textures and colors that I wonder if its the challenge that that draws most to try to achieve that SPS show tank.....
anyhow the tank is looking good and I can see that ICE BLU you referenced

 

[Perry]

SPS are awesome, but a well stocked LPS tank has such a variety of textures and colors that I wonder if its the challenge that that draws most to try to achieve that SPS show tank.....
anyhow the tank is looking good and I can see that ICE BLU you referenced

Yes, your analogy is pretty spot on Also, I took the SPS plunge early in my reefing journey, 14 years of it, lol. There is something majestic in relearning this hobby, and finding comfort in simplicity Thanks for checking out the journal!

 

[Perry]

For those interested, the mangroves installed to move away from use of probiotics, more towards natural filtration. The 2 shoots bought with 2 rows of leaves, it took some time, but are now keeping both n&p low, to the point where the skimmer only pulls after feeding. I will likely begin feeding heavier, with frozen mysis and LRS. The mangroves are rooted in 1 liter of AF Life Bio Fil, in left side reurn. The mangroves are misted with RODI each morning prior to lights on

 

[Perry]

Picked up this beautiful Indo Torch ealier this week

 

[SKYHIGGh]

For those interested, the mangroves installed to move away from use of probiotics, more towards natural filtration. The 2 shoots bought with 2 rows of leaves, it took some time, but are now keeping both n&p low, to the point where the skimmer only pulls after feeding. I will likely begin feeding heavier, with frozen mysis and LRS. The mangroves are rooted in 1 liter of AF Life Bio Fil, in left side reurn. The mangroves are misted with RODI each morning prior to lights on

The probiotic method actually out did all my mangroves I had for 1.5 years had to pull them from the tank after 6 months of switching to probiotics I guess nothing was left in water for them to consume and they never did well again.

I miss them they really add something to a tank almost everyone would always as about them

 

[Perry]

The probiotic method actually out did all my mangroves I had for 1.5 years had to pull them from the tank after 6 months of switching to probiotics I guess nothing was left in water for them to consume and they never did well again.

I miss them they really add something to a tank almost everyone would always as about them

The mangroves were added with the idea that eventually they woukd help N&P, but also as a show piece for a totally different look. I really did not expect them to be effective. Surprisingly, I have found them to keep optimal levels, without use of GFO, and carbon used passive. I used AF Life Bio Fil as a rooting media, as the mangroves are in the filtration return compartment on left side of tank. I would imagine it too helps keep low nutrients. As far as AF, I love the products, still use some, but as this tank is LPS dominated, i am wanting a spot of nutrients Too bad on tour mangroves, but yes they would struggle in ULNS. Cheers

 

[ngoodermuth]

Lovely tank, and great photos... keep them coming!

The mangroves and corals all look very healthy

 

[Perry]

Lovely tank, and great photos... keep them coming!

The mangroves and corals all look very healthy

Thank you for the kind words I would say that the mangroves are considered a part of the aesthetics, and are tended to accordingly. I believe they are helping to establish a more balanced environment, it just happens that this balance is helping with all inhabitants. I have 5 fish, not too heavy of a bio-load. They all accept pellets, but am now feeding a heavy broadcast of LRS and PE Mysis a few times per week, all pumps disabled, allowing a heavy feeding to LPS, shrooms, and z&p's. I have some bubble algae, but that's it, not unmanageable, yet, lol. I brush glass every 4 to 5 days, that is how I gauge nutrient levels, at least based on observation, but tests usually validate this. I don't obsess over nutrients, my CUC does the work in the tank, my mangroves and skimmer do the rest. I have hundreds of bristle worms, they sre by far the heart of nutrient break down, a cucumber to process the sand, fighting conch to help stir sand, tons of Mexican Red Leg hermits, blue legs, snails, and a teeming micro life. My thoughts have always been that many over emphasize the filtration, but over look what is filtering inside the show tank, I have seen this example far too many times, leading aquarists to chase numbers, sometimes killing corals. Regardless of any approach, a strong CUC is the key to the eco balance Thanks for checking out my journal

 

[SKYHIGGh]

The mangroves were added with the idea that eventually they woukd help N&P, but also as a show piece for a totally different look. I really did not expect them to be effective. Surprisingly, I have found them to keep optimal levels, without use of GFO, and carbon used passive. I used AF Life Bio Fil as a rooting media, as the mangroves are in the filtration return compartment on left side of tank. I would imagine it too helps keep low nutrients. As far as AF, I love the products, still use some, but as this tank is LPS dominated, i am wanting a spot of nutrients Too bad on tour mangroves, but yes they would struggle in ULNS. Cheers

They really do work believe it or not aside from just looking good I had 4 in my tank for a long time wild that I picked up in the keys and I never had one issue.

I now run all the stuff carbon zeomix probiotics and since removing them first time in 2 years I’m seeing spots of GHA so can be a coincidence.

I am considering removing my skimmer witch does nothing really it’s old and instead of buying a new one adding the biofill and more mangroves and see if I can feed to help them grow better.

I did find the require maintenance pruning and watering witch I slacked on

 

[Perry]

They really do work believe it or not aside from just looking good I had 4 in my tank for a long time wild that I picked up in the keys and I never had one issue.

I now run all the stuff carbon zeomix probiotics and since removing them first time in 2 years I’m seeing spots of GHA so can be a coincidence.

I am considering removing my skimmer witch does nothing really it’s old and instead of buying a new one adding the biofill and more mangroves and see if I can feed to help them grow better.

I did find the require maintenance pruning and watering witch I slacked on

In the future, I will setup a all out SPS tank, u would most definitely run that one with heavy export in mind, hence larger than normal filtration. A Probiotic system can be tricky, for my current application, completely unnecessary I believe the heart of a dedicated SPS system with ULNS system should apply copious amounts of siporax installed properly. The daily use of bacteria has endless capacity, for aid in nutrient removal. My plan will include a large fish load, with heavy feedings, heavy flow, and likely bb. JME...

 

[Perry]

Today I acquired an old piece from a fellow reefer that I traded a few years back. I recently reached out to him in hopes of purchasing a head of this amazing Indo gold torch, I believe it to be a dragon soul upon further inspection. He gave me this piece back for FREE! Thanks Kiet, you are truly a great reefing friend! The tank is really filling in, I certainly did not expect a fat double head, lol, so will have to be very choosey in any new corals moving forward Still not completely open, but a pic for reference.

 

[Perry]

So the recent torch, is extending like crazy, forced me to move a few corals, but over all quite satisfied Here are a couple FTS pics.