Another Aussie SPS tank

[Char lie]

Hey guys, been a creeper around these forums for a few years now but I’ve finally got around to setting up an account and documenting my tanks growth and progress.
Tank was set up at the start of the year and has been growing pretty good so far. All my previous tanks have been budget tanks with a lot of cheap equipment and DIY equipment, this is the first tank I’ve set up properly with quality equipment, so much easier..


Tank: 90cm x 75 cm x 50cm tank with low-iron glass

Lighting: 10x39w ATI Powermodule, 2 x Kessil a360N’s, 1 x Kessil A160we

Flow: Maxspect gyre 50w, 2 x Tunze 6025, 1 x Tunze 6015

Sump: 60cm-ish x 50cm-ish

Skimmer: Royal Exclusiv Double Cone Bubble King 180

Return Pump: Royal Exclusiv Speedy3 80w

Dosing pump: Kamoer 3ch

ATO: Tunze Osmolator 3155

Salt: Red Sea Blue Bucket

Reactor: Innovative Marine Mini-Max reactor with 150ml of activated carbon

Chiller: Hailea hc-500a


No other filtration in the sump, just the skimmer and a tiny bit of activated carbon. the Kamoer doses Ca, Alk and Mg and I also dose a few other products: K-balance 2ml/3days, B-balance 1.5ml/3days, Pohl's Xtra 2ml/3days, KZ Iron 2drops/3days, KZ potassium-iodide flouride 2drops/3days, KZ Coral Vitalizer 3drops/any night I remember. As you can see with the above dosing regime it is a lot less than recommended (e.g. 2ml/3days Pohls Xtra, manufacturers directions are 4ml every day for my tank). I try do weekly water changes of 20-30% although I am known to skip weeks quite often..

Might as well start with some earlier pics:

The very start, Early Jan:



Early Feb 2015:




October 2015:





This side is hard to photograph because of the ugly frag rack but you get the idea:


Now I just need to convince someone to come round with a DSLR so i can get some better pics
Thanks for reading, I will try update as things grow

 

[KJ]

Looking great

 

[spartanman22]

Very nice! How do you like the kamoer doser? I'm torn between that or a GHL for my upgrade. I initially only plan on Ca, Alk, and Mag, but would like to dose trace elements down the road.

 

[maroun.c]

Love the color and the growth you're getting

 

[steelheader.262]

WOW, those Kessil's sure made them colors pop!!!

 

[miyags]

Man, you don't have enough room for a nother 10 months growth. Your tank looks great!!!

 

[Char lie]

Looking great

Thanks KJ

Very nice! How do you like the kamoer doser? I'm torn between that or a GHL for my upgrade. I initially only plan on Ca, Alk, and Mag, but would like to dose trace elements down the road.

I'm not sure how long I've had the kamoer but it's at least five years now, never skipped a beat, all you want out of a doser is reliability in my opinion and mine has definitely ticked that box lol

Love the color and the growth you're getting

Thanks mate

WOW, those Kessil's sure made them colors pop!!!

Thanks mate They're not bad, although LEDs are still only good for supplement light in my opinion lol

Man, you don't have enough room for a nother 10 months growth. Your tank looks great!!!

Thanks I know, may have to sort something out soon lol

 

[spartanman22]

Awesome thanks, I liked the ghl because I like the tech and fancy new things but to add onto the ghl with a slave setup is much pricier than the kamoer route. Haven't been able to find a ton of reviews on the kamoer so glad to hear your experiences

 

[Char lie]

Awesome thanks, I liked the ghl because I like the tech and fancy new things but to add onto the ghl with a slave setup is much pricier than the kamoer route. Haven't been able to find a ton of reviews on the kamoer so glad to hear your experiences

Your welcome

 

[joshkirkland83]

Hey, that hot pink starfish, what kind is it and where can i get one???

 

[hotnickz07]

Omg wow. How i hate you Aussies with your cool sticks. . Lolj.k no seriously man your tank looks amazing, more pics please

 

[Char lie]

Hey, that hot pink starfish, what kind is it and where can i get one???

It's a Tosia queenslandensis, if your not in Aus then I'm not sure where you would get one. I'm not sure if any of the collectors who collect where they're extremely common do any exporting. Some of the Western Australian exporters get them but they're more pastel orange, have short stumpy legs and like cooler temps below 24C. The ones we have over here at the Gold Coast range from bright pink/orange to deep red and are really hardy, I don't think they're found further up north near Cairns where most of the more commercial collectors/exporters work.

Omg wow. How i hate you Aussies with your cool sticks. . Lolj.k no seriously man your tank looks amazing, more pics please

Thanks mate

 

[joshkirkland83]

It's a Tosia queenslandensis, if your not in Aus then I'm not sure where you would get one. I'm not sure if any of the collectors who collect where they're extremely common do any exporting. Some of the Western Australian exporters get them but they're more pastel orange, have short stumpy legs and like cooler temps below 24C. The ones we have over here at the Gold Coast range from bright pink/orange to deep red and are really hardy, I don't think they're found further up north near Cairns where most of the more commercial collectors/exporters work.



Thanks mate

Seems like australia is reefer heaven. Spectacular tank and thanks for the info.

 

[Ryan15236]

Wow great looking tank! That is really good growth as well, I hope my tank fills out half as good as yours.

 

[chriscq]

Wow, incredible tank. I love the minimalist aquascape. Could you post some pictures of the sump too, i'm always interested in whats under the tank

 

[Char lie]

Wow great looking tank! That is really good growth as well, I hope my tank fills out half as good as yours.

Thanks Ryan

Wow, incredible tank. I love the minimalist aquascape. Could you post some pictures of the sump too, i'm always interested in whats under the tank

Here you go mate, it needs a syphon as I don't run filter socks or anything, In my opinion its good when the detritus settles in a spot in the sump where it can be easily syphoned. Filtration-wise it's just got a Bubble-King 180 and tiny reactor with a small amount of activated carbon

 

[Char lie]

Two random pics:
Pic of my favourite pink piece today, grows fast and aggressive enough to sting and keep the annoying Cespitularia at bay that's trying to grow underneath it. The echinata has a yellow base too that won't show up in iPhone pics as the camera can't cope with anything remotely blue..


And some old photos I took of my male clown with the Porcelain crab that shares the Gigantea with them. They're a funny pair of clowns that will let the crab sit with them and let my hand even touch them while they're tending to eggs, although if any other fish come near them they get quite brutally attacked. they also have a tendency to kill any new shrimp/small fish that are being added

 

[Kieran McBride]

What T5 tube selection and brand are you using?

 

[MOPAR]

Great looking tank I love the pic with the nem, clown and crab very nice

 

[anthonywesty]

Amazing tank!!