185 gal Reef - May 6, 2009 (Higgy's)

Higgy's new reef (185 gal total volume).

I just added my last (#10) fish after video was taken, my Green Mandarine (I wanted to be sure that there was plenty of live food in the new tank).
I am holding a Long Spine Urchin and Coral Beauty Angelfish; I don't think I will add them to this tank, (I may trade them).

Geeky details:

185 gallons total system volume: 125 gal Marineland 72" cornerflow, with 2 sumps tied together: (1 x 35 gal Eshopps Reef Sump, 1 x 25 gal Eshopps Reef Sump made into refugium with Gracilaria, Halameda etc. and 20# mud, (2 x Mag 9.5 for returns, 1 for each sump/side). Aquactinics Constellation 72" T5-HO hung, with 4 RKE blue lunar pods attached, 2 x VorTech MP-40W w/battery backup. ReefKeeper Elite controlled, ((2 x PC-4, 1 LMC (temp, pH), 1 MLC)), protein skimmer: AquaC EV-180 w/Mag 7 and 2L overflow, Tunze Osmolator (not moved yet), and 2 x 250W Stealth heaters. PhosBan reactor (not moved yet).

I am using C-Balance, I add about 80mL of A and 80 mL of B daily to keep alk and Ca in line. I may hook my Kalkwasser reactor back up, I think that I may need half as much C-Balance that way (I'd save money).

I keep 4 units of ChemiPure in sumps, and rotate 1 unit per month.
I use about 2 cups of PhosGuard for 2 months.
RO/DI water for make up water (all water has been DI).

Thanks for looking, please leave comments!

-Higgy

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Vortech MP40
• reef tank
• reef aquarium
• Powder Blue Tang
• Long Nose Hawkfish
• Clown Fish
• Green Mandarine
• 6 line wrasse
• Pajama Cardinal
• Yellow Tail Blue Damsel
• gracilaria
• halameda
• cleaner shrimp
• pulsing xenia
• maze brain
• frogspawn
• yellow polyps
• crocea clam
• tridacnid
• live rock
• coralline algae
• Eshopps Reef Sump

[allmc23]

Your tank is REALLY nice, I am trying to get a tank that size one day. 1 ? , i have a 55 gallon freshwater tank and want to make it a saltwater, what will i have to do. Please help me out.

[Higgybeer]

Thanks allmc23!

I would suggest reading as many books as you can find related to keeping reef aquariums first. I must have read over 20 before I went wild with the reefs. "The Consciencious Marine Aquarist", by Bob Fenner - is a good start! Also find a local reef club, and check out a reefer website, e.g. Michigan Reefers, etc.

-Higgy

[Springs24]

Awesome setup! How do u like the AquaC Auto-Waste Container? (I just ordered the 5L)

[Jerth6932]

Its all fun and games with our pumps till we suck a long nosed hawlk fish up. Lol amazing tank u till got it?

[brandonkr]

all that equipment is for the one tank???

[skidrow52]

Hi lovely tank, I need your advice on using Phosguard, I was thinking to switch to BRS GFO but had no problems with Phosguard but some reviews same its not a reef safe product!

[vdre3]

how is the phosguard working, can you tell me a bit of it as i plan to buy this product since i have high phosphates

[taedom]

very nice. what size sump and pump you using??

[tvshowuploader3]

nice reef tank dude what does the refugium do to the corals and fish? does the refugium give food or anything to the corals? does the refugium help anything to the reef tank? I am planning to build a aqua clear 30 refugium can u help me how to make one with a aqua clear 30 refugium thanks? does the refugium help xenia corals to pulse as well? nice tank 5 stars are u going to add more fish and anemones too?

[urmotherslover11]

GREAT TANK!

[tyler79720]

Very nice, that is some serious flow.

[hawaii2333]

Do you like the reefkeeper elite? i just put an order for one a few minutes ago.