Aquatop Recife 40 AIO

[Georgia00013]

Hey everyone, so this is my first tank and it's a few months shy of being 2 years old. I have upgraded the light to a prime AI and am looking at a media basket currently to hopefully replace the black sponge filter in the first compartment (this seems to constantly clog and impact flow). What else does anyone recommend upgrading? I was thinking it maybe the skimmer next. I I'm finally getting the hair algae problem I had under control after realizing my alkalinity was running super low as well as some minerals. I'm a couple years into this and still feel like I don't know what I'm doing, despite my research. Any tips are appreciated. I want to love my tank but I never feel like it looks super good. I also can never keep the glass clean. Not sure why. I did turn up the white light to take the 2nd picture. It's normally not that white.

 

[Georgia00013]

I'm also thinking about removing some of the rock and will for sure be rehoming some of the massive clump of BTAs at the top.

 

[Georgia00013]

Update. Tried to get some of the BTA off of the top rock with no success so I ended up just taking that whole rock out. Also added a few more corals. Thinking I like the more open look better and having more room for direct light. Also manually removed most of the hair algae so it looks like that problem is going away (it has been dying rapidly since I got my parameters right anyways)

 

[miltonkl]

I can't tell if you have a skimmer already, but I have this tank and recently purchased the Aquatop v2 skimmer on their website and it was garbage. I'm returning it. Definitely don't recommend that. There is a guy here on the forums that makes and sells media baskets for this tank. He's got a sign up list going for his next batch. Let me know if you need me to dig up the link for you (or check my history). I'm waiting to get one to get rid of that black sponge too. Currently using it to hold up my filter floss or I'd take it out, lol.

Love the scape you got. Keep the updates coming! Love watching other what others do with this tank for ideas on mine

 

[Nebunu]

First of all nicelly done. Hair algae...I only had this problem once until now, when I started a small tank a while ago with live rocks. Just went trough all fazes really quick. At some point I just got all the rocks out and scrubbed them really good. What was left my urcin took care of it and since then never saw hair algae again. About the glass, I clean the glass every 2-3 days, I am not sure is possible to go by without cleaning the glass. Its just a thing I got used to.

 

[Georgia00013]

I can't tell if you have a skimmer already, but I have this tank and recently purchased the Aquatop v2 skimmer on their website and it was garbage. I'm returning it. Definitely don't recommend that. There is a guy here on the forums that makes and sells media baskets for this tank. He's got a sign up list going for his next batch. Let me know if you need me to dig up the link for you (or check my history). I'm waiting to get one to get rid of that black sponge too. Currently using it to hold up my filter floss or I'd take it out, lol.

Love the scape you got. Keep the updates coming! Love watching other what others do with this tank for ideas on mine

I have the 1st version skimmer (the black one not the red and white) but I was considering upgrading so I'm glad to hear the feedback that it's not worth it. I'm not even sure I really need to run a skimmer in the tank. My phosphate and nitrates actually run too low anyway. I'm currently on the sign up sheet for that media basket so hopefully I hear back about that and I can give that a go instead of the sponge! I did end up putting a couple layers of gutter guard plastic on top of the sponge to keep any algae off of it for now and prevent it from clogging up. Thank you for the feedback!

 

[Georgia00013]

First of all nicelly done. Hair algae...I only had this problem once until now, when I started a small tank a while ago with live rocks. Just went trough all fazes really quick. At some point I just got all the rocks out and scrubbed them really good. What was left my urcin took care of it and since then never saw hair algae again. About the glass, I clean the glass every 2-3 days, I am not sure is possible to go by without cleaning the glass. Its just a thing I got used to.

I had actually got an urchin when I first noticed the problem. He seemed to ignore my algae and just move all my corals. There are a couple that I'm not ready to glue or anything. So he went back to the LFS. I think I just need to get a manual razor blade to try to clean the glass. The magnet razor blade doesn't seem to do anything and what's left stuck on it currently is all too hard to sponge off.
And thank you! I feel like it's been a mess so it's a nice to hear that it doesn't look like a complete failure lol. Hopefully soon I can figure out how to take better pictures of it. Because I do feel like those don't do it justice.

 

[Nebunu]

I had actually got an urchin when I first noticed the problem. He seemed to ignore my algae and just move all my corals. There are a couple that I'm not ready to glue or anything. So he went back to the LFS. I think I just need to get a manual razor blade to try to clean the glass. The magnet razor blade doesn't seem to do anything and what's left stuck on it currently is all too hard to sponge off.
And thank you! I feel like it's been a mess so it's a nice to hear that it doesn't look like a complete failure lol. Hopefully soon I can figure out how to take better pictures of it. Because I do feel like those don't do it justice.

I actually use a mag float and if you ask me...is the best thing ever. Keep up the good job, it looks great. And also keep the updates comming.

 

[miltonkl]

I actually use a mag float and if you ask me...is the best thing ever. Keep up the good job, it looks great. And also keep the updates comming.

With the blade attachment or just the scrubby part? I have a mag float I got a long time ago for a cheap goldfish aquarium but it seemed like junk so I never used it but held onto it in case I ever get around to a quarantine tank and need one.

I use a standard size flipper that I got used from someone locally and the scrubby pad side seems worthless but the blade works GREAT for the brownish film algae I get. I also just bought a Continuum Aquatics 24" scraper for cleaning the back partition, though it just came in over the weekend so I haven't used it yet.

 

[Nebunu]

With the blade attachment or just the scrubby part? I have a mag float I got a long time ago for a cheap goldfish aquarium but it seemed like junk so I never used it but held onto it in case I ever get around to a quarantine tank and need one.

I use a standard size flipper that I got used from someone locally and the scrubby pad side seems worthless but the blade works GREAT for the brownish film algae I get. I also just bought a Continuum Aquatics 24" scraper for cleaning the back partition, though it just came in over the weekend so I haven't used it yet.

Definitely the blade, wich I change very often. The scrubby part...junk.

 

[Sean Clark]

I like the new more open look.

 

[Sean Clark]

I just saw this person's post. They have the same tank. Thought you might want to check it out.
Thread my first tank aquatop recife 40 aio

 

[Georgia00013]

I like the new more open look.

Thank you! Me too. When I initially put the rock in I thought I would be more fish focused. But seeing as I have the same pair of clowns that I started with and just a war paint goby at this point I seem to be gravitating more towards corals now and this works a lot better for getting them in a well-lit spot.

 

[Georgia00013]

With the blade attachment or just the scrubby part? I have a mag float I got a long time ago for a cheap goldfish aquarium but it seemed like junk so I never used it but held onto it in case I ever get around to a quarantine tank and need one.

I use a standard size flipper that I got used from someone locally and the scrubby pad side seems worthless but the blade works GREAT for the brownish film algae I get. I also just bought a Continuum Aquatics 24" scraper for cleaning the back partition, though it just came in over the weekend so I haven't used it yet.

I agree the scrubber part on the Mag float is useless. The blade does get most things off but I seem to have this harder algae that it will quite get.

 

[Georgia00013]

I know these aren't the best pictures. But does anyone know if these are baby snails or something else? Nuisance?

 

[Nebunu]

Looks like tiny clams. I had quite the population a while ago. Dont know the reason why they apperead, and dispperead without me doing anything.

 

[Sean Clark]

Looks like baby snails to me.

 

[Georgia00013]

Looks like tiny clams. I had quite the population a while ago. Dont know the reason why they apperead, and dispperead without me doing anything.

They only have shell on one side so I'm not thinking calms for these. But that does sound cool.

 

[Georgia00013]

Another update. Got a bird nest coral and a pair of fire fish. Should be done adding for a bit.... Unless I actually win a few coral in this online auction I'm bidding in

 

[Kodski]

I know these aren't the best pictures. But does anyone know if these are baby snails or something else? Nuisance?

Looks like Limpets too me. Good guys, they do a good job eating pest algae in its early stages.

If I may suggest, if you're having algae issues, a good clean up crew is worth its weight in gold. Another great utilitarian fish for algae is an Algae blenny AKA sailfin blenny. One would be a great addition to your tank and would certainly help with any algae.

Another really important thing to know is your PAR in your tank. Renting a par meter from a LFS or even Bulk Reef Supply is a very good investment. It will allow you to know where certain corals need to be placed for best success in your tank. Ultimately I find that renting a PAR meter often times saves people money as they don't loose nearly as many corals because they think they have enough PAR or don't think they have as much PAR as they actually do.