ADA reef

[Tom Barr]

I have been wanting to add a reef to the house here for sometime, but never got around to really doing the 70 Gallon like I wanted.

So I decided to do the smaller 17 gallon ADa 60p with the mame overflow and I added a 10 Gallon sump.
Well, the 10 gal cracked last night.

I'd not put salt in the water just yet, which was wise.
I will make an acrylic tank instead out of 3/16".
I have made the base live rock and added a nice arch hole for the MP10, also, those hydor rotating heads can be added to the mame returns.

It'll be a nice set up, might switch to pendant Kessil LED lights.
I have some nice ATI lights. Reef oct skimmer. Not sure if I'll use sediment in the tank, but will grow some macros down below for sure.

 

[puopg]

I personally love the low profile and shimmer on reef tanks that the kessils put out. Also, corals pop nicely.

 

[Tom Barr]

In deeper planted tanks, they look awesome also. Shimmer insanity.

 

[Sinularia]

What type of corals are you going with, SPS or a softie tank ? Sounds like SPS with all that flow your going to have..

 

[reef12]

Good deal had two reef tanks back 10 to 12 years ago great but too much time for me.


Cause I could post pics but to shamed to Hijack the post.

Could post pics if needed.

Good Luck.

Jeff

 

[Tom Barr]

I'll post later.

Tank is cycling and curing.
Not sure if I'll use the skimmer, might in the beginning and then see.

The plan is to SPS obviously, but due to the small size, I'll have some work to do and need to think about aggression and space as they grow.
Not decided yet on the livestock for fish/shrimp etc.

I have a 15 gallon sump. I might add some aragonite sand and some rice paddie soil under that, then do a rug of a shorter Caulerpa in the sump. Snails and maybe a crab or two for cleaning crew.
I might just leave the main tank bare for the gravel.
Or add the Caulerpa as a foreground type layout.

I'll have plenty of export.
So either way or both.

Main thing is to do a about 5-7 gallons a week water change. Easy, cheap(12$ a month).
Feed corals 2x a week, rest is fish and critter waste, with a little top off for ferts as needed.

Pretty simple.

I'll keep th ATI for later if I go to FW, but then again, I might sell it.
I like the Kessil but I'd need the 6700K for the plant and then the Tuna Blue for the reef.

 

[Tom Barr]

I'll post later.

Tank is cycling and curing.
Not sure if I'll use the skimmer, might in the beginning and then see.

The plan is to SPS obviously, but due to the small size, I'll have some work to do and need to think about aggression and space as they grow.
Not decided yet on the livestock for fish/shrimp etc.

I have a 15 gallon sump. I might add some aragonite sand and some rice paddie soil under that, then do a rug of a shorter Caulerpa in the sump. Snails and maybe a crab or two for cleaning crew.
I might just leave the main tank bare for the gravel.
Or add the Caulerpa as a foreground type layout.

I'll have plenty of export.
So either way or both.

Main thing is to do a about 5-7 gallons a week water change. Easy, cheap(12$ a month).
Feed corals 2x a week, rest is fish and critter waste, with a little top off for ferts as needed.

Pretty simple.

I'll keep th ATI for later if I go to FW, but then again, I might sell it.
I like the Kessil but I'd need the 6700K for the plant and then the Tuna Blue for the reef.

 

[Yo-han]

Perhaps you can use EI to grow corals like crazy!

 

[Tom Barr]

Perhaps you can use EI to grow corals like crazy!

No, they are not analogous. Patience is a virtue.
I can grow macro algae really really well. and when they are happy, the corals generally are as well, plenty of evidence of this when the refugiums are maxing out.........but they often do not trim back the algae, so it' crashes as the biomass keeps growing like a Faustian trait, kills itself with its own rapid non stop growth. Then the entire tank crashes.
Still as the macros are growing and attain a good biomass, corals do exceptionally well. So the trick is to maintain the macro algae = happy corals.
Skimmers should be used as a back up, but the skimmate produced is hardly anything if the refugium is run well.
No reason the macro algae cannot grow on the sediment in the main tank, as long as you use easy to manage species.

 

[Tom Barr]

Perhaps you can use EI to grow corals like crazy!

No, they are not analogous. Patience is a virtue.
I can grow macro algae really really well. and when they are happy, the corals generally are as well, plenty of evidence of this when the refugiums are maxing out.........but they often do not trim back the algae, so it' crashes as the biomass keeps growing like a Faustian trait, kills itself with its own rapid non stop growth. Then the entire tank crashes.
Still as the macros are growing and attain a good biomass, corals do exceptionally well. So the trick is to maintain the macro algae = happy corals.
Skimmers should be used as a back up, but the skimmate produced is hardly anything if the refugium is run well.
No reason the macro algae cannot grow on the sediment in the main tank, as long as you use easy to manage species.

 

[Tom Barr]

 

[Sinularia]

No, they are not analogous. Patience is a virtue.
I can grow macro algae really really well. and when they are happy, the corals generally are as well, plenty of evidence of this when the refugiums are maxing out.........but they often do not trim back the algae, so it' crashes as the biomass keeps growing like a Faustian trait, kills itself with its own rapid non stop growth. Then the entire tank crashes.
Still as the macros are growing and attain a good biomass, corals do exceptionally well. So the trick is to maintain the macro algae = happy corals.
Skimmers should be used as a back up, but the skimmate produced is hardly anything if the refugium is run well.
No reason the macro algae cannot grow on the sediment in the main tank, as long as you use easy to manage species.

Tom, Do you think a 10 gallon refugium is going to keep up with your tank, Nutrient wise ? I honestly dont think think so. I feel like its way too small to have a huge impact. But will help.I would also ( since this is a sps tank) run your skimmer before/after the refugium.If a skimmer is not producing dark black skimate, even with a refugium i would look into making some mods to your current skimmer or a new pump/skimmer. Your tank looks great by the way. Are you going to run the refugium on reverse cycle ?

 

[reef12]

Here was mine.

2 different tanks.



Shameless indeed.

Jeff

 

[Sinularia]

Tom you should check out this rock ! Its full of Macros i mean full, clams sponges sometimes even coral. I can get it locally not sure if this type is available in your area. I put this stuff in all my tanks, the Tangs unfortunately eat all the macros though.

http://www.liverockusa.com/Products.html

http://www.gulfliverock.com/premium-decorative-rock.html

 

[Tom Barr]

Tom, Do you think a 10 gallon refugium is going to keep up with your tank, Nutrient wise ? I honestly dont think think so. I feel like its way too small to have a huge impact. But will help.I would also ( since this is a sps tank) run your skimmer before/after the refugium.If a skimmer is not producing dark black skimate, even with a refugium i would look into making some mods to your current skimmer or a new pump/skimmer. Your tank looks great by the way. Are you going to run the refugium on reverse cycle ?

I have full control of everything. I have a nice Reef octopus skimmer, not lacking there.
Also, a 10 gallon fuge on a 20 gal tank is plenty. A good sized rug of macros in there will export plenty.
Additionally, it's a 30 Gallon system, I can do 30% water changes each week without any issue, not need to dose many things when you do this one simple step, skimming is a non issue.
10 Gal of salt is only 7-8$. Once both the macros and the corals are chugging along......likely once every 2 weeks.
This has less to do with nutrients and more to do with Ca/alk/traces.
Eventually it'll whittle down to once a month, maybe 50 to 70%.

 

[Tom Barr]

Tom, Do you think a 10 gallon refugium is going to keep up with your tank, Nutrient wise ? I honestly dont think think so. I feel like its way too small to have a huge impact. But will help.I would also ( since this is a sps tank) run your skimmer before/after the refugium.If a skimmer is not producing dark black skimate, even with a refugium i would look into making some mods to your current skimmer or a new pump/skimmer. Your tank looks great by the way. Are you going to run the refugium on reverse cycle ?

I have full control of everything. I have a nice Reef octopus skimmer, not lacking there.
Also, a 10 gallon fuge on a 20 gal tank is plenty. A good sized rug of macros in there will export plenty.
Additionally, it's a 30 Gallon system, I can do 30% water changes each week without any issue, not need to dose many things when you do this one simple step, skimming is a non issue.
10 Gal of salt is only 7-8$. Once both the macros and the corals are chugging along......likely once every 2 weeks.
This has less to do with nutrients and more to do with Ca/alk/traces.
Eventually it'll whittle down to once a month, maybe 50 to 70%.

 

[Tom Barr]

Tom you should check out this rock ! Its full of Macros i mean full, clams sponges sometimes even coral. I can get it locally not sure if this type is available in your area. I put this stuff in all my tanks, the Tangs unfortunately eat all the macros though.

http://www.liverockusa.com/Products.html

http://www.gulfliverock.com/premium-decorative-rock.html

I know these guys already. I suggested they sell this type of stuff going back 13 years ago when I lived in Florida.
I've collected and ID'ed all these species in the Keys.
I've done some rather intense planted marine tanks and have spoken to reef clubs.

I can do another planted marine, but I want something that's less work and colorful still.

 

[Tom Barr]

Tom you should check out this rock ! Its full of Macros i mean full, clams sponges sometimes even coral. I can get it locally not sure if this type is available in your area. I put this stuff in all my tanks, the Tangs unfortunately eat all the macros though.

http://www.liverockusa.com/Products.html

http://www.gulfliverock.com/premium-decorative-rock.html

I know these guys already. I suggested they sell this type of stuff going back 13 years ago when I lived in Florida.
I've collected and ID'ed all these species in the Keys.
I've done some rather intense planted marine tanks and have spoken to reef clubs.

I can do another planted marine, but I want something that's less work and colorful still.