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2ft Tank + 2ft Refugium

Jun Hong

By Jun Hong,
in Members Tank & Specs

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Jun Hong

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Really learnt a lot for you guys. :thanks: Your comments are most welcomed! :peace:

AGE OF TANK (AS OF DATE OF POSTING):

-Main tank: 1 year old (Just did a major clean up, i.e changed half of sand bed, clean LR and glass due to serious cyano outbreak :cry: , so decided to add a refugium to increase nutrient output)

-Refugium with 5 inches DSB + Invert Tank: 2 months old, hope the DSB will mature fast to bring down the NO3. :bow:

SIZE OF TANK:

-Main tank: 2X1.5X1.5

-Refugium: 2X1.5X1.5

-Wrought iron stand :ph34r: : painted, so far no rust was detected. Hope it can last for 2 years before upgrade to larger tank with cabinet.

LIGHTING:

Main tank

-1X36W 10000K & 1x36W 50/50 6500K/actinic w/ 10hr photoperiod

-15W actinic FL w/ 12hr photoperiod (to simulate dawn & dusk)

-DIY 470nm Blue LED moonlight on reverse photoperiod

Refugium

-36W 10000K on reverse 12hr photoperiod

-15W actinic FL 7day/24hr photoperiod (to bring out the vivid colours of the invertebrates and prevent asexual of macro algae) :idea:

WATER MOVEMENT:

-1200lph immersed pump for return pump

-1200lph immersed pump and 600lph canister filter for main tank water circulation

-Gravity forced water from main tank for refugium water circulation

-Air-driven skimmer + Air stone for refugium. Take into account to prevent salt spray and minimized micro bubble in refugium.

FILTRATION SYSTEMS:

-15kg LR (main tank) + 3kg LR (refugium)

-Refugium with 5 inches DSB + red and green macro algae

-Air-stone counter current protein skimmer (thinking of upgrade to Weipo skimmer but afraid that temp might increase due to additional pump)

-Matrix carbon + phosguard :ph34r: (Just realize that the hazard of releasing Aluminum, so far no side effect was observed)

-Canister filter with Poly filter (change every month) and filter media (Should I take out the filter media and use it for water circulation only since I heard that canister filter is Nitrate factory?) :bow:

COOLING METHODS:

-2 ac fan

-temp: 27 ave; 26.5(min) 28.5(max)

CALCIUM SUPPLEMENTARY EQUIPMENT/METHODS:

-Seachem Reef Builder, half a teaspoon 2x/wk in top-up water

-Seachem Reef Complete, one capful 1x/wk in top-up water

-Just started daily Kalkwasser drip ( ½ teaspoon + 5ml vinegar into 1 liter of DO water)

-Just realize that Kallwasser drip has a lot of benefits (e.g. encourages the growth coralline algae, keeping the pH at 8.2 to 8.4 that may prevent micro-algae problem and etc) :idea:

-Question: Is Reef Builder and Reef complete becomes redundant with Kalkwasser drip? Is the kalkwasser overdosed for total of ~60 gallons tank water? :thanks:

WATER TOP UP SYSTEM/TOP UP RATE:

-DIY automatic float switch water top up system

POWER FAILURE ALERT SYSTEMS: :eyebrow:

-My home security system will call me if power is failure but provided I am not oversea

WATER PARAMETERS (as of date of posting)

-salinity: 1.024

-calcium: 500ppm by Sera Ca test kit <_< (Realized this is a false reading since the coralline algae is declined. Hope the Kalk drip will promote the growth of coralline algae)

-po4: Must be very high and cause cyano outbreak, Hope the Phosguard + Marco algae refugium can eliminate PO4 ASAP

-ammonia: undetectable/negligible

-nitrite: undetectable/negligible

-nitrate: >50ppm (SeaChem) before adding refugium (Hope DSB mature faster!)

-ph: 8.0 low 8.3 high

-redox: -

FEEDING ROUTINE:

-Fine chopped prawn meat target feed once daily

-DT phytoplankton (used to ½ cap 3X/week, stop now until cyano problem solved)

HUSBANDRY ROUTINE:

-40% water change bi-weekly using Coralife salt + DO water. Will change to Coral Marine salt (score 79 marks on S-15 report) once existing Coralife salt used up.

:peace:

post-34-1064989098.jpg

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Jun Hong

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LIVESTOCK LIST (Main tank): :peace:

Cleanup crew: Snails

Fish: Maroon Clown, Common Clown, Dottyback and Damsel

Invertebrates: Boxing shrimp and Cleaner

Corals: Brain, Bubble, 2 octopus, hammer, star poly, alveopora, button, moon, Blue sponge and orange sponge.

post-34-1064989206.jpg

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LIVESTOCK LIST (refugium tank): :paiseh:

Cleanup crew: Snails, tiny hermit crab urchin and a lot of Pods

Fish: NO fish

Invertebrates: 2 ###### Dancing Shrimps, 2 anemone shrimps Boxing shrimp, tiny lobster, 2 tube anemones, yellow poly, pink tube worm and sun coral

post-34-1064989293.jpg

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Jun Hong Newbie

Jun Hong

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Last but not least

Share my mistake made and hope newbie wouldn’t repeat my mistake again: ;)

-Should buy REEF Ready (pre-drilled hole for sump) and bigger tank in the beginning, saving the problem of upgrading that cost me more money.

-Overfeed DT Phytoplankton (½ cap 3X/week) and yet my tank set up don’t have enough nutrient output capacity. The coral didn’t get much benefit and end up with serious cyano outbreak that nearly crashed the whole tank. :pinch: The cyano is under control now by adding a macro algae refugium, massive water changed bi-weekly and Phosguard.

-Thought I can keep mandarin fish happily. It died after 6 months due to starvation even though it accept tubiflex worm (those red worm available at freshwater LFS). Feel really sad for it. :unsure:

-Bought some filter-feeder inverts (e.g. Gorgonian/Seafan) and sea slugs and end up they died due to starvation. I will not buy any livestock that I can take care of from now onward) :sick:

-Bought alveapora coral that is the coral won’t survive in enclosed tank environment even in the expert’s tank. Somehow I find that it prefers nutrient-rich water since it opened happily in my tank with >50ppm nitrate. After adding the refugium, it shrinks smaller and smaller and ends up with a skeleton covered by algae. :cry:

And Your comments! :thanks:

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