Ruben
New member
I’m now a little over one year into reefing, so thought I would take the opportunity to share my tank.
I started this hobby, somewhat by accident. I originally went to my LFS to pick up a TERRArium (biOrb)... they heard AQUArium... telling me that they had one in stock. Well, I didn’t get what I went for, but walked out with a small bioCube 32. I brought it home, added water and live rock, and I was started with my first tank.
I was remarkably lucky, with a quick cycling of the tank, added pair of clowns, working up to a few small fish and soft corals. That lasted for a couple months, and I knew I needed a larger tank... I’m sharing my story, not a how NOT to spend a bunch of $$ learning by trial and error... ha!
That brings me to my current tank—a Red Sea 425XL. A great base, but more trial and error with equipment:
+Red Sea RSK 600 skimmer
+2x Red Sea ReefLED 50 pendant lights
+2x Jaebo power heads
+1x Jaebo return pump
+1x Jaebo doser
In addition to the tank, I also knew that I needed to set up a mixing station...I spent too much time & effort lugging 5 gallon jugs... nightmare. So, I plumbed 2x 55 gallon Brutes to a Blueline pump in the basement, with a line through the wall cavity into the back of the stand. I also ran a Python tube from the tank, through the same wall cavity down into our utility sink. This set up makes water changes a snap.
Since the original tank equipment list, I’ve made a few upgrades:
+3x Kessil A360s (RS lights way underpowered for my SPS heavy mixed reef goal)
+2x MP40s
+APEX (hard to put a price on automation, real time monitoring, etc.)
+Trident / DOS
That brings me to today... and these pics. The parameters are dialed in, and I’m seeing great coloration and growth. Very rewarding when things are progressing!
For a future post... I need to raise my Ph levels a bit to speed growth, and will supplement my Kessils with some fill light.
**Spoiler... I found out that ReefBrite is introducing brackets compatible with the Kessil rigid mounting arm! It should be available from BRS in March... but I’ll save that for later.
I started this hobby, somewhat by accident. I originally went to my LFS to pick up a TERRArium (biOrb)... they heard AQUArium... telling me that they had one in stock. Well, I didn’t get what I went for, but walked out with a small bioCube 32. I brought it home, added water and live rock, and I was started with my first tank.
I was remarkably lucky, with a quick cycling of the tank, added pair of clowns, working up to a few small fish and soft corals. That lasted for a couple months, and I knew I needed a larger tank... I’m sharing my story, not a how NOT to spend a bunch of $$ learning by trial and error... ha!
That brings me to my current tank—a Red Sea 425XL. A great base, but more trial and error with equipment:
+Red Sea RSK 600 skimmer
+2x Red Sea ReefLED 50 pendant lights
+2x Jaebo power heads
+1x Jaebo return pump
+1x Jaebo doser
In addition to the tank, I also knew that I needed to set up a mixing station...I spent too much time & effort lugging 5 gallon jugs... nightmare. So, I plumbed 2x 55 gallon Brutes to a Blueline pump in the basement, with a line through the wall cavity into the back of the stand. I also ran a Python tube from the tank, through the same wall cavity down into our utility sink. This set up makes water changes a snap.
Since the original tank equipment list, I’ve made a few upgrades:
+3x Kessil A360s (RS lights way underpowered for my SPS heavy mixed reef goal)
+2x MP40s
+APEX (hard to put a price on automation, real time monitoring, etc.)
+Trident / DOS
That brings me to today... and these pics. The parameters are dialed in, and I’m seeing great coloration and growth. Very rewarding when things are progressing!
For a future post... I need to raise my Ph levels a bit to speed growth, and will supplement my Kessils with some fill light.
**Spoiler... I found out that ReefBrite is introducing brackets compatible with the Kessil rigid mounting arm! It should be available from BRS in March... but I’ll save that for later.
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