SunnyX
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Well, it’s finally time for a new setup! As some of you know, I had to take a long break from reefing due to health issues. I am now happy to be back and look forward to watching this reef grow. I eventually plan on building a larger in-wall setup, but at this time it would be too large of a project for me to handle.
While this tank is “small” it will not be lacking in color or in design. I plan to stock it with SPS, Clams, Zoas, and a small selection of LPS. I like Digitata’s and plan to have green, orange, and purple ones in the reef, along with a small selection of SPS. I will also have an assortment of Zoa's, Acans, and other LPS.
For livestock I am thinking of one dwarf Angel, perhaps a Potters, along with a few clownfish and some other “nano” fish. A couple cleaner shrimp, blood, and some Halloween hermits will do nicely.
I thought about the lighting I would use and came to the decision that I would use Metal Halide on this reef. I mainly chose Metal Halide as I already had 20+ new Metal Halide bulbs in storage. I do have a 6x36w Ati Sunpower that I could have used over this setup, but it requires new bulbs, fans, and a hanging kit. I figured i'd save a couple hundred dollars and run Metal Halide. I chose to use a 250w Radium bulb in a Lumenarc III reflector. I’ve used Radiums in the past and they simply cant be beat. I may at some point hang the T5 unit over this tank. Time will tell.
I will say that I did look into LED lighting but in the end I wasn’t impressed. While the energy savings are nice, they offer no other advantage over Metal Halide or T5. There’s simply no reason to dump a tried and true technology. Even if all things were equal it wouldn't make sense for ME to use LED's when I already have MH and T5 fixtures.
The skimmer being employed is my trusty Deltec AP851. It has been in use now for almost 12 years and is still going strong. Given the small size of the system I have thought about alternate filtration systems such as refugiums and even "Miracle Mud". But, a skimmer appears to be the easiest form of filtration so I will stick with it for the time being.
You won’t find any fancy plumbing, controllers, or other tech in this setup. I’ve always run simple setups and this one won’t be any different. The sump is a simple 20gl long with no baffles or compartments. It simply houses the return pump and provides water for the skimmer to draw from. The less complicated the system, the less issues I’ll have to deal with. So, you won’t see equipment or build pictures. This thread will simply feature the display itself, along with pictures of the corals and livestock.
The rock used in the tank is completely dead and clean Pukani rock from Bulk Reef Supply. The rocks has been cleaned and allowed to bake in the sun. I kickstarted the reef with Dr Tim "One and Only" along with the ammonia solution. The tank cycled within 7-9 days. I am very worried about introducing any nuisance algae or pests, and was able to find a decent piece of rubble rock to seed the tank with coralline Algae. I plan on purchasing pods online to add some biodiversity to the system. While it may be impossible to avoid all forms of algae and pests, I would like to avoid some of the most virulent forms such as turf and bubble algae.
Display Tank
36x18x18.5″ Rimless
Ghost overflow with 1.5″ drain
Sump
20 gallon AGA tank
Water Movement
Ehiem 1262 for Return pump
Vortech MP40W
Lighting
250w Radium Metal Halide in a Lumenarc III reflector
Skimmer
Deltec AP851
Calcium and Alk Addition
Kalkwasser (dosed through top off)
Substrate
CaribSea Seaflor Special Grade Reef Sand
Filtration and supplements
Carbon in a Phosban reactor
Lugol's Solution
Reef Crystals Salt
MicroBacter7
Below you will find pictures of my setups over the years:
While this tank is “small” it will not be lacking in color or in design. I plan to stock it with SPS, Clams, Zoas, and a small selection of LPS. I like Digitata’s and plan to have green, orange, and purple ones in the reef, along with a small selection of SPS. I will also have an assortment of Zoa's, Acans, and other LPS.
For livestock I am thinking of one dwarf Angel, perhaps a Potters, along with a few clownfish and some other “nano” fish. A couple cleaner shrimp, blood, and some Halloween hermits will do nicely.
I thought about the lighting I would use and came to the decision that I would use Metal Halide on this reef. I mainly chose Metal Halide as I already had 20+ new Metal Halide bulbs in storage. I do have a 6x36w Ati Sunpower that I could have used over this setup, but it requires new bulbs, fans, and a hanging kit. I figured i'd save a couple hundred dollars and run Metal Halide. I chose to use a 250w Radium bulb in a Lumenarc III reflector. I’ve used Radiums in the past and they simply cant be beat. I may at some point hang the T5 unit over this tank. Time will tell.
I will say that I did look into LED lighting but in the end I wasn’t impressed. While the energy savings are nice, they offer no other advantage over Metal Halide or T5. There’s simply no reason to dump a tried and true technology. Even if all things were equal it wouldn't make sense for ME to use LED's when I already have MH and T5 fixtures.
The skimmer being employed is my trusty Deltec AP851. It has been in use now for almost 12 years and is still going strong. Given the small size of the system I have thought about alternate filtration systems such as refugiums and even "Miracle Mud". But, a skimmer appears to be the easiest form of filtration so I will stick with it for the time being.
You won’t find any fancy plumbing, controllers, or other tech in this setup. I’ve always run simple setups and this one won’t be any different. The sump is a simple 20gl long with no baffles or compartments. It simply houses the return pump and provides water for the skimmer to draw from. The less complicated the system, the less issues I’ll have to deal with. So, you won’t see equipment or build pictures. This thread will simply feature the display itself, along with pictures of the corals and livestock.
The rock used in the tank is completely dead and clean Pukani rock from Bulk Reef Supply. The rocks has been cleaned and allowed to bake in the sun. I kickstarted the reef with Dr Tim "One and Only" along with the ammonia solution. The tank cycled within 7-9 days. I am very worried about introducing any nuisance algae or pests, and was able to find a decent piece of rubble rock to seed the tank with coralline Algae. I plan on purchasing pods online to add some biodiversity to the system. While it may be impossible to avoid all forms of algae and pests, I would like to avoid some of the most virulent forms such as turf and bubble algae.
Display Tank
36x18x18.5″ Rimless
Ghost overflow with 1.5″ drain
Sump
20 gallon AGA tank
Water Movement
Ehiem 1262 for Return pump
Vortech MP40W
Lighting
250w Radium Metal Halide in a Lumenarc III reflector
Skimmer
Deltec AP851
Calcium and Alk Addition
Kalkwasser (dosed through top off)
Substrate
CaribSea Seaflor Special Grade Reef Sand
Filtration and supplements
Carbon in a Phosban reactor
Lugol's Solution
Reef Crystals Salt
MicroBacter7
Below you will find pictures of my setups over the years:
Last edited:
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