HARDY CORALS
Zoanthid Enthusiast
11/20/2025
9/1/2025 picture.
Well I have avoided showing anyone my DIY drilled 40 gallon breeder. It is now 17 months old and my confidence is getting higher. For the longest time my stand was just 2x4's, and deck screws. Now it has a more finished look. The stand to this day needs a real door but carpentry seems to not be my forte, so I put up a curtain and called it done haha.
In the beginning my sump was just a 10g tank with no filter media or anything (just more water haha). Then I switched it to a free13.5g fluval AIO HAHAHA as you can imagine an AIO as my sump had some variables and complications. Presently the sump is a 20 gallon trigger systems saphire 26, with a vectra S2 return pump. 1 gallon of marinepure bioballs in the sump chamber. Chaeto growing in my refugium under an AI blade refug light.
My first light was not very capable, I do not remember the brand (found it at petco where I bought my breeder). Presently I run 2x AI prime 16s. I use one of the preloaded templates.
Started with 40-50lbs dry rock, 2 Inch sand bed (Fiji pink if I remember right). My first livestock, 3 clownfish quickly became 2 clown fish after some aggression. My first coral at about 45 days was a petco special wall hammer, it did not survive long haha. My second coral was petco GSP (I have this still today haha). Needless to say I learned almost everything the hard way.
Presently I have 5 clownfish, 1 lawnmower blenny, 1 diamond watchman goby, 1 cleaner shrimp, 1 peppermint shrimp, 12 zoanthid types (by far my favorite corals), rhodactis mushrooms, mantipora (i think), duncan, galaxea, frammer, torch, GSP. Things seem stable and happy, and I look forward to digging up some old pictures to show on this forum.
9/1/2025 picture.
Well I have avoided showing anyone my DIY drilled 40 gallon breeder. It is now 17 months old and my confidence is getting higher. For the longest time my stand was just 2x4's, and deck screws. Now it has a more finished look. The stand to this day needs a real door but carpentry seems to not be my forte, so I put up a curtain and called it done haha.
In the beginning my sump was just a 10g tank with no filter media or anything (just more water haha). Then I switched it to a free13.5g fluval AIO HAHAHA as you can imagine an AIO as my sump had some variables and complications. Presently the sump is a 20 gallon trigger systems saphire 26, with a vectra S2 return pump. 1 gallon of marinepure bioballs in the sump chamber. Chaeto growing in my refugium under an AI blade refug light.
My first light was not very capable, I do not remember the brand (found it at petco where I bought my breeder). Presently I run 2x AI prime 16s. I use one of the preloaded templates.
Started with 40-50lbs dry rock, 2 Inch sand bed (Fiji pink if I remember right). My first livestock, 3 clownfish quickly became 2 clown fish after some aggression. My first coral at about 45 days was a petco special wall hammer, it did not survive long haha. My second coral was petco GSP (I have this still today haha). Needless to say I learned almost everything the hard way.
Presently I have 5 clownfish, 1 lawnmower blenny, 1 diamond watchman goby, 1 cleaner shrimp, 1 peppermint shrimp, 12 zoanthid types (by far my favorite corals), rhodactis mushrooms, mantipora (i think), duncan, galaxea, frammer, torch, GSP. Things seem stable and happy, and I look forward to digging up some old pictures to show on this forum.
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