50G Simple Setup Reef ( SPS Dominated )

[lilopop11]

Hi, I want to share my new tank that has been running for about 18 months. This tank was built since May 2023, cycled for 2 months and started to be filled with SPS since July 2023. As the title suggests, I use the simplest possible system, because I don't want to be bothered with calibration, checking tools here and there and other reasons, to minimize errors.

Start May 2023

Here are the specs for my tank:

Maintank : 80*50*40cm ( Build by Local Reefer )
Lighting : Micmol G4 Pro & Micmol Ledbar 60cm
Wave & Circulation : Aquadream BTC4000, Jebao SCP 120 & ECP 120
Skimmer : AJ700 ( DIY Brand by Local Reefer )
Reactor : No
Additive & Salt : Aquaforest Reef Salt, Big 3, AF Trace Element & AF Phospate +
Controller : Jebao Dosing Pump only for Big 3, manual dosing for Trace & Phospate +
Cooling : 2 Jebao Fan, 2 hours on and 3 hours OFF, using bardi timer, keep temp at 25-26°C
Sand & Liverock : Caribsea Fiji Pink & Indonesia Liverock use at main tank & sump
Testing : Aquaforest KH, MG, CA, Hanna Phospate & Redsea Nitrate Pro


July 2023

Like my previous tank, i apply the principle like the old reefer said, KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid). For daily routine, i just scrub the glass and trace and phosphate dosing. For weekly routine, I just do water change and do some parameter check. Apart from those activities, I rarely touch or put my hands in the tank. So far, there haven't been many problems with this tank, I hope it continues to do so.


Dec 24

For sump, I don't put many equipment in it, as I wrote before, I want everything to be as simple as possible. So my sump only contains a skimmer, and some chunks of liverock.

Sump

When cycling, I use UV and a reactor for activated carbon/phosphate remover, but after all parameters are under control, I deactivate all of those tools. Now I only rely on skimmer and liverock to handle all nutrients. My phosphate is around 0.02 and nitrate is around 3-5.

About 4-5 months ago, my phosphate dropped to 0, which caused several montipora bleaching, including Digi Fireforest, chili pepper and capitata, even until now the condition is still worrying. Which in the end I tried to dosing phospate+ to restore the color to several of those montipora, but it still didn't show any good signs.

I only dose phosphate 0.1-0.3ml per day, not brave enough to dose more than that. Because the other sps are in good condition, I will not take the risk for only 3 montipora, and im afraid it can cause bad effects for the others.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

That is some incredible progress in your tank in just a year!

 

[Tahoe61]

It's gorgeous. Really nice to see a tank with mature Acropora and other corals.

 

[lilopop11]

That is some incredible progress in your tank in just a year!

do you think so? I actually feel, their growth is quite slow. I saw someone on Instagram, whose sps growth is very fast in 1 year.

I'm a little jealous but I can't complain much, just trying to enjoy all the process.

 

[lilopop11]

It's gorgeous. Really nice to see a tank with mature Acropora and other corals.

Thank you very much, my goal from the start was to make the scapping as natural as possible and I tried to place the coral so that it looked natural too. I am not satisfied with the current condition, but I hope everything will look better in the next 6-12 months ..

I hope there will be no problems with these tanks, so I can see them grow in the next few years.

 

[lilopop11]

Since 15 years ago, when I first entered the reef world, I always made scapping with original liverock, Such habits are still carried over to this day..At that time there was no marco rock, caribsea or aquaforest rock, moreover in Indonesia, the price of liverock is very cheap, because the stock is very large and abundant..

When I made scapping for this tank, I also used liverock, the main purpose is to speed up the cycling process, besides that we don't have to bother putting bacteria into the tank, because everything is already carried from the liverock.. Fortunately the liverock I used was of good quality, not dirty. although there are a few algae here and there.

At first it was a bit troublesome, I had to pull it out manually, but, everything became easier when I put in Turbo snail & hermit crab, they were very helpful, they cleaned the liverock well.. I put in turbo snail, as soon as the first signs of brown algae appeared.. the same with hermit crab.. I didn't want there to still be algae in it when cycling was finished.