220 Gallon SPS Reef Build

[JonoH]

Finally added in some more coral that i have had my eyes on for a while now.
Couple of new hammers -

This one was sold as a 'Rainbow Hammer' - has some amazing colours


Canary yellow and an orange hammer - they still need to colour up a bit.

Finally added in a new Mint Tip Gold Torch (this is a test to see if it survives, then i will add in a 24k Gold one again)



And more Acros - These ones are mostly Staghorn type, but also some others (I am blessed by having some amazing local guys that grow these!) - Real Teal, Dallas, Strawberry Shortcake, Red Dragon and also added in a Raja Rampage Chalice.

The Tank is almost full now of coral, if i want to add in more sticks, i will need to get rid of the Green Sinularia at the end of the tank (which i am slowly trying to frag down still, but it grows so fast!)

 

[DarkReefer]

Great work on the control board, looking tidy now!
Jealous of all your awesome corals! Can't wait to add more to mine but unfortunately I can't add any LPS or zoas it seems. My foxface and copperband love eating everything :(
Might try some acros over the break but I think my phosphates are a bit elevated these days so I'm not sure how well that'll go.

Got any full tank shots?

 

[JonoH]

Great work on the control board, looking tidy now!
Jealous of all your awesome corals! Can't wait to add more to mine but unfortunately I can't add any LPS or zoas it seems. My foxface and copperband love eating everything :(
Might try some acros over the break but I think my phosphates are a bit elevated these days so I'm not sure how well that'll go.

Got any full tank shots?

Here is one that I took the day before I added in the extra Acro's!
My phosphates are sitting around .2 at the moment...so a little elevated also, but i did feed the coral with Reef Roids the day before which always jacks up the levels.

 

[DarkReefer]

Looks amazing mate, that softy on the right is huge too!
Doing really well!
Doesn't look like you've got any annoying algae or anything either which I'm envious of! haha
Good job

 

[JonoH]

Looks amazing mate, that softy on the right is huge too!
Doing really well!
Doesn't look like you've got any annoying algae or anything either which I'm envious of! haha
Good job

I have been fragging that Green Sinularia like crazy, and it is still growing like a weed!
I'm tempted to take it out completely, but my Clownfish host in it, and the kids all love it!

Thankfully nothing at the moment...but about to go away for 2 weeks, so lets see how it is when i get back!

 

[DarkReefer]

I have been fragging that Green Sinularia like crazy, and it is still growing like a weed!
I'm tempted to take it out completely, but my Clownfish host in it, and the kids all love it!

Thankfully nothing at the moment...but about to go away for 2 weeks, so lets see how it is when i get back!

Yeah mine seems to be unhappy at the moment. Often find it sucked up. Not overly sure why, maybe I have it sitting too high in the tank perhaps ?

 

[JonoH]

Full tank shots for a 1 year update (actually been running for 13 months now in this tank).
Picked up a full colony of Real Teal Acro yesterday which has now officially replaced the Green Sinularia on the corner.

 

[DarkReefer]

Dude, this looks awesome! The fish and corals look amazing.
Your tank is doing so much better than mine! haha
Well done!

 

[JonoH]

Dude, this looks awesome! The fish and corals look amazing.
Your tank is doing so much better than mine! haha
Well done!

Thank you!
I think this past year i have been so hyper focussed on the tank to take my mind off other things.
But have also been very lucky with local reefers moving on coral etc.

My next goal is to finally put doors onto the tank.

 

[DarkReefer]

Thank you!
I think this past year i have been so hyper focussed on the tank to take my mind off other things.
But have also been very lucky with local reefers moving on coral etc.

My next goal is to finally put doors onto the tank.

Your hard work has certainly paid off though. The doors will definitely round out an already stunning tank.
Some of those fish are HUGE too!

 

[JonoH]

Your hard work has certainly paid off though. The doors will definitely round out an already stunning tank.
Some of those fish are HUGE too!

My Unicorn Tang (named Thelma by the kids) is huge - i upgraded to this tank for it, looks like i'm going to have to start planning the 10 foot upgrade for it again soon! haha

 

[DarkReefer]

My Unicorn Tang (named Thelma by the kids) is huge - i upgraded to this tank for it, looks like i'm going to have to start planning the 10 foot upgrade for it again soon! haha

Yeah wow. Very impressive fish. I too upgraded my tank for fish (and because I always wanted a bigger one), my Foxface and Blue Tang were big drivers in getting the upgrade happening... especially when they were getting bigger and bigger.

 

[JonoH]

Finally stopped being lazy and changed the bulb in my UV sterilizer last night...was actually pretty easy.
The only issue being where i have installed it, i didnt allow for a way to drain the water from it when its switched off...so i flooded about 5 Litres of water in the process :p.

Its done for this 12 months - next time its done i will re-plumb it in a way it can drain! (Just need to lift it up about 30cm).

Started adding the 3d printed brackets I had made for the MP40's - occasionally they do drop off and I needed to fix this before one of them broke!

The file was by @Poseidon03 - posted here (https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/mp40-dry-side-bracket-safety-holder.1031138/)

Also picked up a Maxspect viewer a month or so back, have the coloured len's that go with it also which make photographing the tank a heap easier! Its a good piece of kit (even has a LED for using at night)

 

[DarkReefer]

Finally stopped being lazy and changed the bulb in my UV sterilizer last night...was actually pretty easy.
The only issue being where i have installed it, i didnt allow for a way to drain the water from it when its switched off...so i flooded about 5 Litres of water in the process :p.

Its done for this 12 months - next time its done i will re-plumb it in a way it can drain! (Just need to lift it up about 30cm).

Started adding the 3d printed brackets I had made for the MP40's - occasionally they do drop off and I needed to fix this before one of them broke!

The file was by @Poseidon03 - posted here (https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/mp40-dry-side-bracket-safety-holder.1031138/)

Also picked up a Maxspect viewer a month or so back, have the coloured len's that go with it also which make photographing the tank a heap easier! Its a good piece of kit (even has a LED for using at night)

Which UV system do you run?
I'm pretty sure with my Aqua UV there's an internal quartz tube that stops the water getting in (maybe ?) and allows the light to pulled out and replaced without removing water. Could be wrong, it's been a year since it's been on this tank and last pulled apart to be cleaned and been 2 years since I actually changed a bulb LOL

Nice! those brackets would be a life saver. I find mine get a bit sketchy when I try and clean/remove the internal side. I do have the cables kind of set up in a way that if they drop it'll only be maybe an inch or so but still annoying.

 

[JonoH]

Which UV system do you run?
I'm pretty sure with my Aqua UV there's an internal quartz tube that stops the water getting in (maybe ?) and allows the light to pulled out and replaced without removing water. Could be wrong, it's been a year since it's been on this tank and last pulled apart to be cleaned and been 2 years since I actually changed a bulb LOL

Nice! those brackets would be a life saver. I find mine get a bit sketchy when I try and clean/remove the internal side. I do have the cables kind of set up in a way that if they drop it'll only be maybe an inch or so but still annoying.

Its a Lifeguard aquatics 90 Watt unit...i didnt even think about that, and just unscrewed the entire end!
You may be right though as there is a seperate screw for the sleeve...

Next time! LOL

 

[Poseidon03]

Finally stopped being lazy and changed the bulb in my UV sterilizer last night...was actually pretty easy.
The only issue being where i have installed it, i didnt allow for a way to drain the water from it when its switched off...so i flooded about 5 Litres of water in the process :p.

Its done for this 12 months - next time its done i will re-plumb it in a way it can drain! (Just need to lift it up about 30cm).

Started adding the 3d printed brackets I had made for the MP40's - occasionally they do drop off and I needed to fix this before one of them broke!

The file was by @Poseidon03 - posted here (https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/mp40-dry-side-bracket-safety-holder.1031138/)

Also picked up a Maxspect viewer a month or so back, have the coloured len's that go with it also which make photographing the tank a heap easier! Its a good piece of kit (even has a LED for using at night)

Thanks for the shout-out! I'll have to look at your build, but at a quick glance, it looks great!

 

[JonoH]

My Wild Acro colonies i put in the tank at the start of December have been slowly changing colours and showing their true colours, one of the jobs i have been meaning to do is photograph and document all the coral in the tank so i can monitor its growth over x amount of time (spreadsheet etc).

I think I got a winner with this one (it almost looks like a wild Strawberry Shortcake)

And this one started out almost a browny gold - now going a green!

Trying to make a few more Arch's out of the rock in my tank on the RHS also, as it was missing that on that side of the tank.

 

[JonoH]

Have been trying out some different coral foods for the tank as i'm not a huge fan of the way Reef Roids jacks up the Phosphates.
Tried Reef Enhance, and measured the phosphates just after using - jacked them from 0.08 to 0.44!

Tested again a few days later, and all back to normal.

Managed to pick up a bargain on a tank yesterday also! My son has been wanting to update his freshwater tank, and i found a 400L one for free that came with 2 Red Sea Reefwave 25's, a Ecotech pump, Deltec SC1455 Skimmer and heaters etc.

Will probably just flip all the gear to make some money for more coral! :)

 

[JonoH]

Re-homed this little guy today from a local Reefer

Hid for a bit, but now in amongst all the other fish.

First Wrasse for the tank. :-)

 

[JonoH]

Cleaning up around the tank last night, shifted the piano into a different room with my Lad finally getting the cabinetry done.
This is the final design for this - decided i want to keep the top open, and adding a frag tank to the LHS which will feed off the same sump (basically gets my frag racks out of the main display).

Was getting distracted by all the life in the cryptic zone of the sump and noticed a Baby Sexy Shrimp hiding in there! (Sitting next to a pineapple sponge for size reference!)

Construction pics to come...