G’day from Australia! As an British man it still sounds a little weird saying that, but feel like after 13 years’ it’s become part of my regular vocabulary!
Background
Like most “fish people”, I started by keeping freshwater as a kid. Something has always fascinated me about creating and observing an entire ecosystem, it’s quiet incredible!
Shortly after arriving in Australia, I started scuba diving. I was blown away by diversity of life that dwelled below the surface. Naturally, after spending time googling various diving forums, I found reference to the reef hobby. I joined Reefcentral in 2008, and began reading (and reading and reading!), a trip the the LFS, and I was hooked! I needed to set up a reef tank. At the time, my partner and I were saving for our first house together. I ordered a tank, and began to accumulate equipment. The tank was a custom 50g tall without an overflow box, instead having two riser pipes (don’t ask!). Eventually we purchased a house, and I was able to set up the tank. It was a great learning curve, but after about 12 months, I wanted more. As the years passed I upgraded again and ended up with a 187g reef, complete with a fish room. It was awesome! The tank ran for about a year, during which time my now wife fell pregnant with twins, and we realised that we needed a larger house. I transferred a couple of fish and corals into a smaller tank and shut down this system.
Fast forward a number of years and a substantial renovation, and I am now a position to start a larger system again. I kept the smaller system running, and still have the three fish I kept (a pair of Occi clowns (the first sw fish I ever bought), and a hybrid scopes tang who I couldn’t bare to part with).
New Beginnings
The new system will be a shallow SPS lagoon. I am a keen DIYer, and spent the first 18 years of my (working life) as a mechanical fitter - as such, I love to modify and build things. This will no doubt be apparent during this tank build. I have purchased most of the required equipment and have almost finished the stand, but for the sake of documentation, I will start this thread from the beginning. Here is what I have so far:
Tank: 40” x 28” x 16” (73g) custom rimless with external overflow
Sump: Custom DIY
Skimmer: Bubble Magus Curve 7
Lighting: Modified Aquatic Life Hybrid, 2 x G3 Ecotech Radion XR30s. Tunze refugium LED
Flow: 1 x MP40 QD, 1 x MP40w
Return: EcoTech Vectra M1
Temp Control: Inkbird WIFI controller with Eheim heater, and eBay cooling fans
Elements: Bubble Magus Dosing Pump
Other: Bubble Magus Automatic Filter Roller, Smart Automatic Water Change System
Some of this equipment is new, some used, and some from my existing system.
Its 12:30 am over here, but I promise to start adding some pics tomorrow. Hopefully this thread is of use to someone, even if it’s just how not to do something x-)
Cheers, Mark
i think i see two reefs in background,and no pic's
lol ,to be honest i run and love bare bottom tanks,never painted one ,just a thought here ,black absorbs light ,will it cover in algae too fast?? white will reflect light again ,will it cause problems?? i don't have that answer ,but think something to think about,once done,too late.????beige like beach sand,lighter blue ???just suggetions ,never did ,mine were all pink..lol ,foam insulation board
