30G Mixed Reef Cube

[Sumo Reef]

Started this tank back in June 2018 and just now giving the tank the love it needs.

Latest FTS as of 7/11/22 (see page 3 for the glow-up post):

Tank: Pro Clear Aquatics KFH 31Gal Cube - https://www.pro-clear.com/glass

(Sump & Stand came with the setup from what I can measure the sump is 10 gallons at least and barely has enough room for equipment)

Heater: Cobalt Aquatics Neo-Therm Sub. 100W
Skimmer: Eshopps X120
Return: Sicce Syncra Silent 2.0 (568 GPH) (set to lowest because overflow cant handle any more than that lol)
Powerhead: IceCap 1K Gyre
Light: AI Hydra26 HD


Tank currently has 3 fish, 2 trochus, 2 hermits, and a sand conch (George). All are alive and healthy.

Fish are a 12 line wrasse (Fernando), a Blue Reef Chromis (Blue), and a Blue-Green Chromis (Squirt).

The goal of the tank is to be a mixed reef tank predominantly SPS. Aiming for 3/4 SPS the rest softies and LPS where we can. I want to avoid any fast/overgrowing types of softies.

 

[Sumo Reef]

As you can see the sump is rather crowded. I wanted to incorporate a small refugium as the tank is rimless and wanted to avoid any gaudy HOB refugium putting pressure on the sides. The fuge section is about 4" x 7" x 11" with the $70 LED light velcro light attached outside. It hosts a healthy pod pop and grows the cheato like mad.

Wanted to do some custom aquascaping so I went with the STAX rocks. I'm happy with the outcome but I do wish they came in bigger pieces. Lots of epoxy was used to create the structure. I'm actually curious how the rock will look once its matured. I have yet to see any pics of poeple with STAX that have corraline and other stuff on it. The inside of it has a pillar in the center and 4-5 exits. Fernando and Blue both claim the caves currently.

This is probably the part I am most satisfied with. All of the electronics/plugs are outside of the tank and held onto the wall with a $10 roll of velcro from Home Depot. This stuff is awesome! Holds weight like a champ and would highly recommend to anyone who is looking to mount their stuff.

The Hydra26 HD LED Fixture with their mounting bracket. Not much to say here yet. Love the sleekness of the light and the current frogspawn coral in the tank is healthy and looking good! I think I am starting to see a little more growth since adding it 2 weeks ago (could just be in my head).

 

[Sumo Reef]

Currently the only coral in the tank. Our green frogspawn with blue/purple tips. Our parameters are stable with nitrates around 10. Not planning on chasing numbers with it but will be doing kalkwasser once we stock. I have been doing 5g water changes every other weekend and plan on keeping that regimen up. Just ordered an SPS frag pack from WWC and asked them for hardy frags to start with till the tank takes off. Should be here tomorrow.

 

[3mm3]

Looks like a great setup going! Maybe move the heater to the sump?

 

[Sumo Reef]

Looks like a great setup going! Maybe move the heater to the sump?

Thanks! Ha! I wish I could but the water level in sump would leave the heater a bit out of the water of mounted vertically. And for whatever reason the instructions on the heater say not to mount it horizontally. Plus Squirt our blue green chromis has claimed the heater and sleeps behind it lol

 

[NY_Caveman]

Looks like a good start!

 

[Sumo Reef]

Our WWC sps frag pack arrived today also snapped some pics of the residents. Sorry for phone pics. Eventually gonna pick up a camera for this lol

 

[Sumo Reef]

Thank you kind sir!

Looks like a good start!

 

[Chrisfish]

Welcome to R2R, very nice set up:)

 

[Kingsley_Reef]

dang I’ve never had luck with a single blue green chromis was always told to keep in a group of 3 nice setup though

 

[Sumo Reef]

Thank you! Sorry to hear that [emoji26]he is def quite shy but eats and seems relatively happy

dang I’ve never had luck with a single blue green chromis was always told to keep in a group of 3 nice setup though

 

[Sumo Reef]

Update on the new frags.

The madman austera frag is not taking the new home very well. All the other frags look great besides the madman and starburst monti.

Running my hydra26 on a 14 hr photo period with 60% intensity from 12-4 and lunar settings on with deep blue at 5% over the nighttime.

Just turned on a 50% reduction across the board on the lights to see if that helps these two frags.

Alk at 8.8, ph at 8, 10 on no3, 1.27 salinity

 

[Electricianreefer]

Update on the new frags.

The madman austera frag is not taking the new home very well. All the other frags look great besides the madman and starburst monti.

Running my hydra26 on a 14 hr photo period with 60% intensity from 12-4 and lunar settings on with deep blue at 5% over the nighttime.

Just turned on a 50% reduction across the board on the lights to see if that helps these two frags.

Alk at 8.8, ph at 8, 10 on no3, 1.27 salinity

Nice looking set up to start. Love sand conchs.

 

[Sumo Reef]

Thanks! He's awesome but has yet to burrow. Waiting on him to figure it out lol

Nice looking set up to start. Love sand conchs.

 

[Hunt3r]

Update on the new frags.

The madman austera frag is not taking the new home very well. All the other frags look great besides the madman and starburst monti.

Running my hydra26 on a 14 hr photo period with 60% intensity from 12-4 and lunar settings on with deep blue at 5% over the nighttime.

Just turned on a 50% reduction across the board on the lights to see if that helps these two frags.

Alk at 8.8, ph at 8, 10 on no3, 1.27 salinity

Maybe your a little to salty at 1.027. I would max it out at 1.026. Check your po4 too when u get a chance.. just my $.02.. but all in all nice looking gank. Hows the gure working out for you?

 

[Sumo Reef]

Maybe your a little to salty at 1.027. I would max it out at 1.026. Check your po4 too when u get a chance.. just my $.02.. but all in all nice looking gank. Hows the gure working out for you?

Yeah, been aiming for .026 but the LFS I supply from gives me 1.023. So been bouncing between 26-27 for a month. Did the biweekly 15% water change yesterday and they actually gave me 1.025 when I specified water for reef tank. Glad I figured that out lol.

The gyre is great! Have it set to pulse mode at 60% on 6 second intervals. Lots of flow!

 

[Sumo Reef]

A Little update! I really need a camera [emoji37].

Picked up a 3 for $25 frag pack from LFS. Wanted to give some acro's another shot as my tank is doing great minus the one lost acro from WWC. (RIP madman austera).

The rainbow monti has recovered and all the frags from last pack are now mounted.

Also, cut the frag rack in half since everything out there is too big for a 30gal cube. The half size one works perfectl for me and allows me to have one high one low if needed.

New frags are: 2 acros and a star polyp. Want the star polyp to grow up the overflow box. Any help on identifying the acros is appreciated.

 

[Sumo Reef]

OH, and yes - the new frags were dipped in a quick 5 min CoralRx dip.

My first time with SPS and never dipped my corals before, but here is my process (pretty happy with it). Also, I don't have a room for a QT so selection, dipping, and source will be my only safeguards for this tank.

Process was as follows:
- Coral bags immediately sitting in DT to bring up to temp.
- While temp is setting I prepared my station and used a capful of Coral RX in about a quart of tank water.
- Each coral was placed in tank water and sprayed off with turkey baster
- After basting, a 5 min dip in CoralRx
- Also basted after 5 mins in dip.
- Rinsed in RO water, also basted.
- Placed back in tank water, based again, and then placed in DT on frag rack.

Although not perfect, pretty happy with the process and will adjust the process where I can.

 

[Sumo Reef]

Just found out about my camera a bit lol galaxy s9+

 

[Electricianreefer]

Looks great, I have the galaxy 7 maybe I should read up on the camera options too, my pics are less than average of my tank.