crossroads of sanity
New Member
I started this system after 20+ years since my last marine tank. My plan is to run a low tech reef on as much of a budget as possible. Then slowly upgrade until it becomes better over time. My wife was not excited about the idea of putting a couple thousand into just the tank, stand and filtration. Then adding lights, wave makers, sand, rock, ect. Before even getting to start adding fish and coral.
I will try to keep this thread going as I add things. Currently it’s a 40 breeder on a homemade stand with side access from both sides. I’m running a seachem tidal 110 HOB for my mechanical and some biological filtration. Plus I’m running a fluval 407 canister filter with small rock and rubble for additional biological filtration. Then I made an aqua clear 70 into a mini HOB fuge for macros. That is essentially what makes up my filtration system currently. I have a 29 gallon aquarium right now and the sump kit is on order. I still need to get the HOB overflow and the return pump before I can even begin to start that process. For lighting I am using the smatfarm lights from Amazon, currently just one. But I will be ordering a second in the next couple weeks. My scape is designed with lots of caves, arches, and shelves with the idea of lots of space for the fish and flow to move throughout, yet plenty of surface area for coral to attach and grow. For additional flow I am running three sicce wave makers and that seems to be working well.
For fish I just have a pair of clownfish and a mandarin (still in QT) I plan on adding a diamond goby down the road and that will be all. I believe in a less is more approach with fish.
Inverts are dwarf blue leg hermits, assorted snails, emerald crabs, a cleaner shrimp, and a gorgeous rock flower anemone.
Corals so far.
Green branching monti
Green/purple hammer
Duncan
Candy cane
Kenya tree
Pulsing Xenia (on an island)
Neon green toadstool
Rasta zoas
Tangerine dream zoas
All the corals are growing very quickly, and I have already done a little fragging. The growth rate has seemed to impress a few people who thought my single Amazon light wouldn’t be enough.
Tonight I will post a few pictures of setting up and the initial scape. Please excuse my photography. I am just a guy with a iPhone and I am terrible at taking pictures of anything much less fighting the blue lights.
This was taken while leak testing and building the stand. This is the only picture I have of it right now. But I may have some pictures of the corals. I will get some pictures soon of it running. I didn’t figure I’d be sharing it online or I probably would have took some.
Yeah just checked and no pictures stored on my phone that are not blue washed out of control. Stay tuned if you want and I will upload more as I go. I will try to get some good pictures tomorrow.
I will try to keep this thread going as I add things. Currently it’s a 40 breeder on a homemade stand with side access from both sides. I’m running a seachem tidal 110 HOB for my mechanical and some biological filtration. Plus I’m running a fluval 407 canister filter with small rock and rubble for additional biological filtration. Then I made an aqua clear 70 into a mini HOB fuge for macros. That is essentially what makes up my filtration system currently. I have a 29 gallon aquarium right now and the sump kit is on order. I still need to get the HOB overflow and the return pump before I can even begin to start that process. For lighting I am using the smatfarm lights from Amazon, currently just one. But I will be ordering a second in the next couple weeks. My scape is designed with lots of caves, arches, and shelves with the idea of lots of space for the fish and flow to move throughout, yet plenty of surface area for coral to attach and grow. For additional flow I am running three sicce wave makers and that seems to be working well.
For fish I just have a pair of clownfish and a mandarin (still in QT) I plan on adding a diamond goby down the road and that will be all. I believe in a less is more approach with fish.
Inverts are dwarf blue leg hermits, assorted snails, emerald crabs, a cleaner shrimp, and a gorgeous rock flower anemone.
Corals so far.
Green branching monti
Green/purple hammer
Duncan
Candy cane
Kenya tree
Pulsing Xenia (on an island)
Neon green toadstool
Rasta zoas
Tangerine dream zoas
All the corals are growing very quickly, and I have already done a little fragging. The growth rate has seemed to impress a few people who thought my single Amazon light wouldn’t be enough.
Tonight I will post a few pictures of setting up and the initial scape. Please excuse my photography. I am just a guy with a iPhone and I am terrible at taking pictures of anything much less fighting the blue lights.
This was taken while leak testing and building the stand. This is the only picture I have of it right now. But I may have some pictures of the corals. I will get some pictures soon of it running. I didn’t figure I’d be sharing it online or I probably would have took some.
Yeah just checked and no pictures stored on my phone that are not blue washed out of control. Stay tuned if you want and I will upload more as I go. I will try to get some good pictures tomorrow.
