SRC Tank of the Quarter winner - Alexcyf Mixed reef tank ( Nov 2015 to Jan 2016)

[Singapore Reef Club]

SRC is proud to featured this quarter TOTQ winner - Alex's mixed reef tank !! Below is a write up from Alex. 

Front View

Since young, I have always been fascinated by the colors of the ocean. I remember when I was young, my dad used to rent his place to an Angmo with a hexagon Marine tank. That was when I told myself, I want a marine tank when I grow up!! Well, after I started work, I dived into marine.

 

This is my 6^th year into marine. Through these years, I have made countless mistakes, but I guessed I have learnt a lot from my mistakes, from fellow reefers, and from friendly LFS too!

 

I started out with a simple nano tank, then into a DIY 2 feet tank, and  then to a 3 feet tank which I have now.  when I got my new place, I ordered a custom made 5 feet with a full height hood 3 sided divider tank which I used to divide my living room with my relax corner, and also to have many different views of my new tank as possible . Despite having friends who are crazy over sps corals, I still retain my love for LPS corals . Reason being i can’t resist the intense colors and fluffy corals waving to & fro in the water which is also why I decided to steer towards a mixed reef  setup J

Tank specifications

Salinity: 1.026

Temperature: 26 degrees

Ph: 8.1

Calcium - 450

Alkalinity– 8.0

Magnesium – 1450

Tank: Hardware

Tank Size: 60” x 27” x 24”

Sump Size: 36” x 18” x 15”

Glass: 3 sides Crystal Glass 12mm (Braced)

Skimmer: Skimz Monster E Series SM251

Mechanical filtration: Bio Balls/Coral Chips/Bio Home

Dosing pump: Jebao DP4

Chiller: 1 HP Daikin Compressor (Drop in Titanium Coil)

Biopellet / reactor: NM 122 (Nitrate Reactor) & FM100 (Sorb4)

Chemical filtration:

Biological filtration: Prodigio Biodigest & Biooptim

Main return pump: Jebao DC-6000 DC Pump & Jebao DC-12000 DC Pump

Wave maker: Jebao RW 20 & RW  15

Others Equipments :

Lighting period : 6 x 80W Ati Dimmable Sunpower 1200 – 0100 (3 Blue plus / 1 Purple plus) 1600 – 2100 (2 Coral Plus)

 

 

Addictive used

Ca & Kh on Dosing

Manual Mg dosing

Reef Roids (3 times a week)

GroTech A,B,C – Definitely thinking about changing to FM colour elements J

Live stocks – Corals

Full Range of Corals ranging from Softies – LPS – SPS

Some examples.

Softies  - Floridas & Yumas, Assorted Zoas, Xenias, Yellow Gorgonian, GSP

LPS – Hammers, Torch, Frogspawn, True Octo, Jewel, Red Gonio, Blasto, Wild Acans, Prata, Scoly, Favia, Chalice, Plate, Lobo, Duncans

SPS – Assorted Millies, Staghorns, Tenuis, Spathulatas, Lokanis, Birdnest, Montiporas Shortcakes etc.

And an Ultra Big RBTA

 

Live Stocks - Fish:

1 Sohal Tang

1 Blue Tang

1 Yellow Tang

1 Power Blue Tang

1 Midas Blenny

1 Flame Angel

1 Flame Hawk

1 Yellow Head Jawfish

4 Clowns (3 Picasso, 1 Frostbite)

4 Purple Queen Anthias

1 Yellow Wrasse

1 Solar Wrasse

2 Six Line Wrasse

2 Blue Chromis

1 Algae Blenny

1 Sleeper Blue Dot Goby

1 Red Dragonet

 

 

Some personal Q & A questions

1. How long have you been reefing?

Ans: 5.5 years

2. How did you get into this hobby?

Ans: Always been my Childhood dream! Started the hobby when I graduated and move back home from hostel.

3. Are you a fish guy or a Coral guy?

Ans: I am both, love the interaction between fishes, corals, invertebrates in the marine eco system. Not to mention the vibrant colours and the interesting personalities

4. Any dream fish or coral you wish to own one day  ?

Ans: Achilles Tang. Tried twice L

5. What is your main concern when looking around for your reefing equipment?

Ans: Reviews from fellow reefer on the efficiency!

6. What is your favorite past time

Ans: Ermm.. Looking at my tank? Haha, well, I am a PE teacher so, I spent a lot of time on sports too!

7. What is the satisfaction you got from this hobby?

Ans: Definitely, seeing the corals and fishes grow healthily! Seeing the corals try to encrust, and colour up gives me the recognition for my efforts, and of cuz $$ The next satisfaction or maybe, personal achievement, would definitely to successful breed my clowns!

8. Any advice for newbie in this hobby?

Ans: Never jump straight into this hobby! It has been a painful process for me, and I’m sure many of us, losing livestocks, having setbacks due to mistakes that we have made. Do your homework, don’t be afraid to ask questions when you visit LFS. Think through whether your passion is worth your hours and hours of commitment before you make the jump! Because, I’m sure, if you do, you will never regret getting poisoned by marine J

Final acknowledgement  which I would definitely want to thank SRC for this privilege to feature my tank, especially for being still a novice and relatively “young” reefers like me, a chance to share my passion and pride with fellow reefers here ! I would also like to take the opportunity to thanks all the reefers here who always share their buys with me! You know who you guys are J Also, to thank ah Heng, for sharing with me all the reefing tips and advises  ever since I started reefing! Lastly, every one of you, for your support as you read this thread!

 

Edited November 2, 2015 by Singapore Reef Club

[twiddledoo]

world class.

[ahchris]

Congrats Alex!!! Beautiful Tank!

 

[redsuns]

Well deserved winner! Absolutely stunning! Prime example of keeping the best of both worlds (LPS & SPS!

[tamama]

world class.

World class must go 5 ft. Singapore class at least 4ft.

 

Best mixed reefs seen so far! haha..

[Singapore Reef Club]

Just added in the video for Alex  

[alexcyf]

world class.

Congrats Alex!!! Beautiful Tank!

 

Well deserved winner! Absolutely stunning! Prime example of keeping the best of both worlds (LPS & SPS!

World class must go 5 ft. Singapore class at least 4ft.

 

Best mixed reefs seen so far! haha..

Just added in the video for Alex  

Thanks all! Really 献丑了:)

[xiggie]

Great looking reef !!! Congrats !! 

[FaLong]

Wonderful!

[Sparkz68]

Alex - From a person who has always wanted to start a reef tank, your tank is inspirational. I have been reading for the past 9 months and hoping to take a first step .... hope to learnt and hear from you on your experience ! You deserve this award !

[nwyk153]

congratulations!  

[SubzeroLT]

Congratulations. Lovely tank indeed.

[alexcyf]

Alex - From a person who has always wanted to start a reef tank, your tank is inspirational. I have been reading for the past 9 months and hoping to take a first step .... hope to learnt and hear from you on your experience ! You deserve this award !

thanks bro! 9 months of reading! Looks like patient is your strong suit! Definitely a virtue that's important to reefing! And sure, would love to share more! Pm me when you decided to commit to this hobby!

[JMW]

Congrats!! Amazing looking tank man! The colors really stand out from the background.

Particularly impressive is how you made one side look completely different from the other side! Many thumbs up! Really an inspiration for going into big tanks one day when I get more experience.....

[alexcyf]

Congrats!! Amazing looking tank man! The colors really stand out from the background.

Particularly impressive is how you made one side look completely different from the other side! Many thumbs up! Really an inspiration for going into big tanks one day when I get more experience.....

haha still have more work on the colouration! Can't get e intense reds n yellows out. 

The 3 different views was really something I wanted after seeing AM's tanks since I started out :)

[dinGdinG]

Congrats bro~! A deserved win! Hope to have a chance to take a peek at it haha

[alexcyf]

Congrats bro~! A deserved win! Hope to have a chance to take a peek at it haha

thanks Ray! Sure! You r always welcomed :)

[leejwa]

Inspirational tank !! I hope i can have a big tank like you one day . 

[alexcyf]

Inspirational tank !! I hope i can have a big tank like you one day . 

start saving now:)

[shy88devil]

Seen it in person

Totally speechless

 

[ezman]

Congrats!! Beautiful setup with healthy corals and fishes!!

[tofubox]

Congrats bro!!! I love the size of that rbta, and the red so intense!

[alexcyf]

Congrats!! Beautiful setup with healthy corals and fishes!!

Congrats bro!!! I love the size of that rbta, and the red so intense!

thanks thanks TOTQ winners for the kind words :)

[say1606]

Great job!!! Congratulation bro.

[Zhi Long Oh]

Congrats bro!!