420G Airlift powered AIO Reef Aquarium (Worlds first?)

[14crazychris]

Time for another update! Lots more corals have been added to the system and seem to be doing well so far. I have added 5 trochus snails as testers and they seem to be okay so first bulk of clean up crew will be going in End of next week. I plan to do 3/4 rounds of clean up crew as the stocking level slowly increases. The refugium seems to be doing well and definitly growing so hopefully it can outcompete any green hair algae that crops up. The skimmer has started to work more efficiently now and I’m getting a good level of skimate each day. It’s very wet but I’d prefer that over nothing at all. The plan is to add the first two fish into the system in the next few days, they will be coming off a local reefer. I have about 40kg of rock coming from a freind in a few weeks time so will likely do a rescape on the left island before things settle in too much as I have so much wasted space in the back left hand corner which I think could be used more effectively for extra corals etc. So finally some update pics

 

[atoll]

Critique is good! It’s how we get better and yes this was a concern too, I opted for a super silent pump and its very quiet. Bubbles arnt loud but if you have the lids open you can definitely hear them. So far the system is running better than expected but I guess time will tell.

Sounds good so far. We'll done.

 

[14crazychris]

Hey everyone!

so it’s been a while since the last update! And now we have some livestock in the tank! The tank is doing well and so far no problems! theres been a decent amount of diatom algae which the CuC seems to be slowly working it’s way throughl I’ve noticed the refugium is definitely starting to grow as well now. I’m happy with the overall flow but the plan is to swap out the tunze and try adding a couple of large power heads in the next four weeks to randomise the flow movement a little bit. So far clean up crew is some trochus snails, turbo snails and hermit crabs. I have two fish, one is a twistii and the other a banana wrasse. In the next two weeks I plan to add another batch of clean up crew and a few more fish. The aim is to allow 6 weeks or so between fish introduction to allow the tank to slowly catch up. You'll also notice I’ve had a little rescape on the left hand side of the tank and added approximately 40kg of additional rock. This has provided more space for coral positioning but also provide more surface area for beneficial bacteria, hopefully over the long term it will benefit the reef well.
cheers

 

[14crazychris]

Hey all

Another update! This time I’ve managed to get some day time pictures as well so hopefully shouldn't be too blue.


first off I’ve removed the single Tunze wave maker and replaced it with two 12000LPH double headed wave makers. I thought they would push more flow throughout the tank however they are just perfect! I’ve dropped the level of the tank by about 1cm to achieve better skimming on the filter and the wave makers are helping to provide more flow on the water surface as well. As I have 4 outputs on the wave makers plus my single Jacod RW-4, they are providing quite a nice flow throughout the tank and the corals are definitely much happier.

Today is also stocking day! I think the tanks been running around 5 weeks now so it’s time for the large stocking drop to go in. I’ve added-

Inverts
3x cleaner shrimp
3x peppermint shrimp
3x fire shrimp
1x emerald crab
10x red leg hermits
16x trochus snails
1x Tuxedo urchin
1x Pincushion urchin

Fish
Timor wrasse
Radiant/iridis wrasse
Male peacock wrasse
Female peacock wrasse
Red hood wrasse male
Red hood wrasse female (Cirrhilabrus bathyphilus)


The deep water red hooded wrasse pair are definitly my favourite, I really love them. The tank is slowly starting to mature now and the corals seem to be starting to grow and looking happy. The next fish drop won’t be for atleast 6 weeks now as I want the let the refugium catch up and everything settle In well. I have also purchased some all for reef dosing powder but the levels are still very high from the Red Sea coral pro salt so no need for that just yet. As the majority of corals are soft with a few LPS I’m hoping the demand will be low but we shall see.

so far my “experiment” is going surprisingly well, the airlift system is really pushing the flow through the filter and overal I couldn’t be more happier! I think time will tell for this system but if I can make it to the 6/8 month mark with no major problems I think it will long term be a winner.

Im already creating my next stocking list for the next shopping trip. And although I was aiming for 25 wrasse in total, I think 20 would be more suitable but we will have to see how the refugium and protein skimmer cope once I hit 20 fish. Next on the list will hopefully be

2x emerald crabs
10x nassarius/cerith snails
1x rhomboid wrasse
1x Potters wrasse
1x Gold flash wrasse
1x solar wrasse
1x flasher wrasse
1x Labouti wrasse


This will bring me up to around 14 fish and I definitely want to collect a few specimens from the anampses family. For next year I will be looking for a yellow tail, earmuff, chaoti (different family I know) China wrasse and maybe a femininus wrasse.

I would also eventually like a couple star fish (fromia and sandsifting) as well as a cucumber or two but I will give the tank atleast till February next year before even considering them. Heres some pics

 

[atoll]

Looking good so far. I always say it takes at least a year for a tank to mature perhaps more like 2 to fully get there. Good luck and well done so far and hope the wrasse leave the shrimps alone.

 

[Petcrazyson]

Following along!

 

[14crazychris]

Looking good so far. I always say it takes at least a year for a tank to mature perhaps more like 2 to fully get there. Good luck and well done so far and hope the wrasse leave the shrimps alone.

Yup definitly, I find the 18 month mark is the sweet spot for full maturation so I won’t know till then wether it will actually work long term but after 6 month I should have a good indication if anything will need big changes. Wrasse seem to ignore the shrimps so far. I’m going to try and stay away from potential risky ones like melanarus or ones that get to large sizes.

 

[i cant think]

I must’ve missed this but what shrimp and wrasses are in the tank?

 

[14crazychris]

I must’ve missed this but what shrimp and wrasses are in the tank?

shrimp-
cleaner x3
blood/fire x3
peppermint x3

wrasse-
twistii
Yellow coris
radiant
Male peacock
female peacock
Red hooded male
Red hooded female
Timor

 

[14crazychris]

Hey everyone,

So not much has happend in the tank but I've added a few more corals. I've spotted all 3 fire shrimp and a few of the peppermint shrimp as well as the emerald crab today which is nice to see they are all still alive! The tank is coming on surprisingly well so far, hopefully I don't tempt fate and get any disasters soon lol. Maintenence wise has been changing the filter fleece once a week, cleaning the glass once a week and feeding daily. Maintenence probably takes 5 mins a week and I hope it stays like that but we shall see lol. I also upgraded the refugium light to something a bit more powerful as the macro algaes were growing but not very fast. Hopefully this helps reduce any nutrients before I add the next batch of fish and inverts in a month or so. Anyway I was cleaning the lids today and took some good pictures. Thanks

 

[i cant think]

Hey everyone,

So not much has happend in the tank but I've added a few more corals. I've spotted all 3 fire shrimp and a few of the peppermint shrimp as well as the emerald crab today which is nice to see they are all still alive! The tank is coming on surprisingly well so far, hopefully I don't tempt fate and get any disasters soon lol. Maintenence wise has been changing the filter fleece once a week, cleaning the glass once a week and feeding daily. Maintenence probably takes 5 mins a week and I hope it stays like that but we shall see lol. I also upgraded the refugium light to something a bit more powerful as the macro algaes were growing but not very fast. Hopefully this helps reduce any nutrients before I add the next batch of fish and inverts in a month or so. Anyway I was cleaning the lids today and took some good pictures. Thanks

Photos of that iridis are a must! It looks beautiful. And of course the tank is also looking amazing

 

[Petcrazyson]

Photos of that iridis are a must! It looks beautiful. And of course the tank is also looking amazing

Hey I see you changed the pic again lol. I like it. He’s your favorite fish in the tank no?

 

[i cant think]

Hey I see you changed the pic again lol. I like it. He’s your favorite fish in the tank no?

He is! My wrasses are a close second though. My fox is just my oldest fish in the tank and he’s extremely fun to watch during the day.

 

[14crazychris]

Photos of that iridis are a must! It looks beautiful. And of course the tank is also looking amazing

I will try and get some! My lights are really blue so it’s quite difficult to get a good shot, he’s got the face markings like my yellow wrasse as well. Thanks

 

[i cant think]

I will try and get some! My lights are really blue so it’s quite difficult to get a good shot, he’s got the face markings like my yellow wrasse as well. Thanks

This is my boy, if you have the obvious dorsal spots on your specimen then it’s more likely a female. Once they begin to mature, their tails gain some beautiful colouring. So far mine has only gotten a red ‘dash’ on his tail.

 

[14crazychris]

This is my boy, if you have the obvious dorsal spots on your specimen then it’s more likely a female. Once they begin to mature, their tails gain some beautiful colouring. So far mine has only gotten a red ‘dash’ on his tail.

Very nice! He looks just like mine! So I tried taking some pics, impossible with the lights on but I got a really blurry shot with the lights off this morning. He has one dorsal spot right at the front. My yellow wrasse has two dorsal spots.

 

[i cant think]

Very nice! He looks just like mine! So I tried taking some pics, impossible with the lights on but I got a really blurry shot with the lights off this morning. He has one dorsal spot right at the front. My yellow wrasse has two dorsal spots.

Your yellow sounds like a female but the iridis sounds and appears to be a transitioning male

 

[14crazychris]

Hey,

so another little update! Got some new stock for the tank today which is exciting. This will be my last fish/invert drop for this year and I will probably wait till end of jan/feb before I introduce anymore fish. I really want the refugium to catch up and start growing some decent amounts of macro.

anyway! Today I got-

Mccosker flasher wrasse
Candy Hog fish
Yellow tail wrasse
Mauritius Leopard wrasse (Macropharyngodon Lapillus)

6 Nassarius snails
5 Cerith snails
1 Porcelain crab


Im hoping all the new inhabitants survive becuase it’s definitly starting to make a more busy enjoyable tank! I will try my best to get some pictures once all the fish are out. Next on my radar is a couple more porcelain and emerald crabs, a Labouti wrasse and a Romboid wrasse. I’d also like some more flasher wrasse but I won’t get the above until next year.

Thanks

 

[i cant think]

Hey,

so another little update! Got some new stock for the tank today which is exciting. This will be my last fish/invert drop for this year and I will probably wait till end of jan/feb before I introduce anymore fish. I really want the refugium to catch up and start growing some decent amounts of macro.

anyway! Today I got-

Mccosker flasher wrasse
Candy Hog fish
Yellow tail wrasse
Mauritius Leopard wrasse (Macropharyngodon Lapillus)

6 Nassarius snails
5 Cerith snails
1 Porcelain crab


Im hoping all the new inhabitants survive becuase it’s definitly starting to make a more busy enjoyable tank! I will try my best to get some pictures once all the fish are out. Next on my radar is a couple more porcelain and emerald crabs, a Labouti wrasse and a Romboid wrasse. I’d also like some more flasher wrasse but I won’t get the above until next year.

Thanks

I will warn you that a hogfish is most likely not going to allow any other wrasses in the tank once he’s established. This is a species that’s nasty and will risk your other wrasses.

Also, whilst the Mauritius ‘Leopard’ Wrasse looks to be a true Macropharyngodon I believe it’s actually a Halichoeres still. Halichoeres lapillus doesn’t have the throated teeth that Macropharyngodon have which is why it hasn’t been reclassified yet. This isn’t my photo however it does show the throated teeth that Macropharyngodon have.

 

[14crazychris]

I will warn you that a hogfish is most likely not going to allow any other wrasses in the tank once he’s established. This is a species that’s nasty and will risk your other wrasses.

Also, whilst the Mauritius ‘Leopard’ Wrasse looks to be a true Macropharyngodon I believe it’s actually a Halichoeres still. Halichoeres lapillus doesn’t have the throated teeth that Macropharyngodon have which is why it hasn’t been reclassified yet. This isn’t my photo however it does show the throated teeth that Macropharyngodon have.

Thanks for the warning! I wasn’t aware of that tbf! My fault for not doing in depth DD as I usually do. A freind has one in his tank who’s a model citizen. I assume it’s becuase it’s small and not grow up into the tank yet. I will keep an eye on it but he will definitly go if there’s aggression!

very interesting! And good to know! I haven’t actually seen it today, I have seen three of the new fish which all ate but the Lapillus hasn’t appeared yet. Fingers crossed! I have also added a few new corals tonight and a few more will hopefully go in next week. Starting to run out of space so I definitely will slow right down and be super picky on any new stuff.

so far so good though. crossed over the 50 day mark now and no signs of an ugly stage! I think I definitly need to get a better light for the fuge as growth seems slow.

thanks