ThreeSix
01-01-2012, 10:13 PM
This tank is my baby, its the only tank I have, which I see as a huge benefit. I don't like getting into politics but when people have multiple tanks the best case is that they come off as crazy fish hoarders and the worst case is that none of the tanks are maintained properly because it's just too much work for one hobbyist.
Anyway, now that I've offended everyone, let's move on to the tank. It's a 40 gallon breeder with a 20 gallon long sump. In the sump is a CPR protein skimmer, a BRS bio-pellet system (for nitrate control), a heater that is more than big enough, and an extra lower flow powerhead just to keep everything moving and clean. The sump also contains a small pile of live rock as well as chaetomorpha algae. The reason for these is not so much to do with nutrient control but rather to give pods and other tiny living foods a place to live and thrive. There is a filter sock over the intake from the main tank, which is my only mechanical filtration.
The equipment in the main tank consists of 2 koralia 750s (both of which I have turned off at the moment), a U-tube siphon overflow box, and the return from the sump. That's all. The lack of equipment really makes for a nice aesthetic appeal in my opinion. Overhead is a 2x39w Odyssea T5 fixture, which is regulated by a simple walmart timer. The tank itself sits on an old chest of drawers that is very solid and fairly tall. The way the tank sits on it, you would think that this dresser was made for the tank. It's awesome to be able to grab my socks and underwear every morning while staring at my tank.
The sump (where all the equipment is) is actually in a separate room, on the other side of the wall from the main tank, so there is no need for any equipment to be underneath or behind the main tank. Plus there is the added benefit of being able to run the tank completely silently, which seems almost luxurious.
Livestock:
Bengaii Cardinal x2
Scopas Tang (I know what your thinking, see below)
Mandarin Goby
Cherub Angel
Engineer Goby
Mushrooms - many varieties
Zoas - many varieties
Candy Canes
Green Star Polyps
Hammer Coral
Frogspawn
Brain Coral (most awesome brain I have ever seen in captivity or the wild)
Cleaner Shrimp
Tridacna clam (of some kind, not very colorful, but still cool)
Feather dusters - many
Christmas Tree Worm colony (in symbiosis with host coral)
Various clean-up-crew members
Hermit crab - exactly one
Countless hitchhikers
It's really a full house but the nitrate level has stayed below 5ppm ever since I implemented the BRS bio-pellet system. For water changes and top-offs I use water from the water dispenser at the grocery store, and store it in a 35 gallon bucket.
Just a couple other random thoughts about me and my tank... I don't think crabs are good for reef systems, they can become a risk to snails and even fish and corals. Even hermit crabs, especially hermit crabs. I do have one, but only because I'm too lazy to pull it out of the tank every time I spot it. So far it hasn't done any damage, but it's just because he is well fed and not a rogue, either of which could change at any time, so the risk is always there.
I have a bubble coral that isn't doing so hot. I've had it for four months but I didn't list it because I feel like it probably wont last. The weird thing is that I have much more sensitive creatures in the tank that are doing very well, for a longer time. Everything in the tank is amazing aside from that bubble.
The scopas tang deserves a much larger environment, I admit, but he's been with me for about 6 months and he is fat and happy as far as I can tell. I've tried capturing him a few times, but I concluded that the stress of catching him, moving him to a fish store tank, and inevitably to yet another tank, probably outweighs the stress that he is in now. I hope I'm not wrong.
The Mandarin Goby has been here for about 8 months. He doesn't eat anything prepared or frozen, only living pods, and he is probably considered overweight. Luckily, the sump/fuge provides the pods with a place to repopulate themselves. It literally looks like the bottom of my sump is moving because of all the pods squirming around. Plus they love the chaeto, as I mentioned before.
The cardinal pair are a mated pair, but they don't do much mating.
The Cherub Angel is a neat little guy. The smallest and yet most expensive fish in the tank (it's actually not the most expensive, but I paid more for it than any other). They say Angelfish are not reef safe, because they aren't, but you can get lucky with the Cherub Angel and maybe a couple of other pygmy angels. I got lucky with mine apparently, because he doesn't bother any coral at all. That being said, I don't have any SPS and I don't have many types of coral that you might have. All I'm saying is that for my specific situation, it works.
The Blenny you may have seen a picture of in my intro thread is not in the tank any longer because he was eating my beloved brain (which he is perched on in the picture, calculating his next bite no doubt). Which brings me to my next point, Midas Blennys are NOT reef safe.
I'm sure I've missed a lot but if you have any questions it would be my pleasure to answer them.
Colin
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/FTS2012.jpg
Up-to-date FTS taken moments ago!
Just a bunch of random livestock pics. Some are pretty good, others not so much.
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/IMAG0229.jpg
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/IMAG0195.jpg
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/IMAG0194.jpg
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/IMAG0228.jpg
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/IMAG0097.jpg
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/IMAG0543.jpg
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/IMAG0617.jpg
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/IMAG0604.jpg
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/kauderpair.jpg
Equipment shots:
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/IMAG0321.jpg
This picture shows the lines going to and from the sump.
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/IMAG0328.jpg
Here is the whole sump setup, the canister has been replaced by a BRS bio pellet reactor
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/IMAG0331.jpg
Here is the sump room
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/IMAG0316.jpg
This is my outlet configuration
And last but not least....
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/shotglass.jpg
The shot glass I use to thaw frozen food (which I love)
Oh and HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Anyway, now that I've offended everyone, let's move on to the tank. It's a 40 gallon breeder with a 20 gallon long sump. In the sump is a CPR protein skimmer, a BRS bio-pellet system (for nitrate control), a heater that is more than big enough, and an extra lower flow powerhead just to keep everything moving and clean. The sump also contains a small pile of live rock as well as chaetomorpha algae. The reason for these is not so much to do with nutrient control but rather to give pods and other tiny living foods a place to live and thrive. There is a filter sock over the intake from the main tank, which is my only mechanical filtration.
The equipment in the main tank consists of 2 koralia 750s (both of which I have turned off at the moment), a U-tube siphon overflow box, and the return from the sump. That's all. The lack of equipment really makes for a nice aesthetic appeal in my opinion. Overhead is a 2x39w Odyssea T5 fixture, which is regulated by a simple walmart timer. The tank itself sits on an old chest of drawers that is very solid and fairly tall. The way the tank sits on it, you would think that this dresser was made for the tank. It's awesome to be able to grab my socks and underwear every morning while staring at my tank.
The sump (where all the equipment is) is actually in a separate room, on the other side of the wall from the main tank, so there is no need for any equipment to be underneath or behind the main tank. Plus there is the added benefit of being able to run the tank completely silently, which seems almost luxurious.
Livestock:
Bengaii Cardinal x2
Scopas Tang (I know what your thinking, see below)
Mandarin Goby
Cherub Angel
Engineer Goby
Mushrooms - many varieties
Zoas - many varieties
Candy Canes
Green Star Polyps
Hammer Coral
Frogspawn
Brain Coral (most awesome brain I have ever seen in captivity or the wild)
Cleaner Shrimp
Tridacna clam (of some kind, not very colorful, but still cool)
Feather dusters - many
Christmas Tree Worm colony (in symbiosis with host coral)
Various clean-up-crew members
Hermit crab - exactly one
Countless hitchhikers
It's really a full house but the nitrate level has stayed below 5ppm ever since I implemented the BRS bio-pellet system. For water changes and top-offs I use water from the water dispenser at the grocery store, and store it in a 35 gallon bucket.
Just a couple other random thoughts about me and my tank... I don't think crabs are good for reef systems, they can become a risk to snails and even fish and corals. Even hermit crabs, especially hermit crabs. I do have one, but only because I'm too lazy to pull it out of the tank every time I spot it. So far it hasn't done any damage, but it's just because he is well fed and not a rogue, either of which could change at any time, so the risk is always there.
I have a bubble coral that isn't doing so hot. I've had it for four months but I didn't list it because I feel like it probably wont last. The weird thing is that I have much more sensitive creatures in the tank that are doing very well, for a longer time. Everything in the tank is amazing aside from that bubble.
The scopas tang deserves a much larger environment, I admit, but he's been with me for about 6 months and he is fat and happy as far as I can tell. I've tried capturing him a few times, but I concluded that the stress of catching him, moving him to a fish store tank, and inevitably to yet another tank, probably outweighs the stress that he is in now. I hope I'm not wrong.
The Mandarin Goby has been here for about 8 months. He doesn't eat anything prepared or frozen, only living pods, and he is probably considered overweight. Luckily, the sump/fuge provides the pods with a place to repopulate themselves. It literally looks like the bottom of my sump is moving because of all the pods squirming around. Plus they love the chaeto, as I mentioned before.
The cardinal pair are a mated pair, but they don't do much mating.
The Cherub Angel is a neat little guy. The smallest and yet most expensive fish in the tank (it's actually not the most expensive, but I paid more for it than any other). They say Angelfish are not reef safe, because they aren't, but you can get lucky with the Cherub Angel and maybe a couple of other pygmy angels. I got lucky with mine apparently, because he doesn't bother any coral at all. That being said, I don't have any SPS and I don't have many types of coral that you might have. All I'm saying is that for my specific situation, it works.
The Blenny you may have seen a picture of in my intro thread is not in the tank any longer because he was eating my beloved brain (which he is perched on in the picture, calculating his next bite no doubt). Which brings me to my next point, Midas Blennys are NOT reef safe.
I'm sure I've missed a lot but if you have any questions it would be my pleasure to answer them.
Colin
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/FTS2012.jpg
Up-to-date FTS taken moments ago!
Just a bunch of random livestock pics. Some are pretty good, others not so much.
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/IMAG0229.jpg
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/IMAG0195.jpg
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/IMAG0194.jpg
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/IMAG0228.jpg
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/IMAG0097.jpg
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/IMAG0543.jpg
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/IMAG0617.jpg
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/IMAG0604.jpg
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/kauderpair.jpg
Equipment shots:
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/IMAG0321.jpg
This picture shows the lines going to and from the sump.
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/IMAG0328.jpg
Here is the whole sump setup, the canister has been replaced by a BRS bio pellet reactor
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/IMAG0331.jpg
Here is the sump room
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/IMAG0316.jpg
This is my outlet configuration
And last but not least....
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/Colin_Rose/shotglass.jpg
The shot glass I use to thaw frozen food (which I love)
Oh and HAPPY NEW YEAR!