Ash's 400 Gallon Reef

Ashish Patel · Sep 15, 2026

McPuff said:
A year ago my nitrates were over 200 and after adding a nitrate destroyer reactor I've been able to get it down to 30 or so (I need to test to make sure it's not much lower!). Actually 40ppm isn't a bad value at all. I have the opposite problem with phosphates so I continue to use GFO to reduce them (also need to test again!).

I have typically had the same issue not being able to keep millepora... although I currently have 2 and they have been doing really well for a couple of months. Staying colorful and fuzzy! I really don't know why though. But I'm at the point where I will just keep whatever is doing well and not sweat the rest of it. I like the look of a smaller number of big colonies so whatever corals give me that reef will stay in my tank.

My phosphates drop because of the vodka dosing. I am dosing about 22ml per day and honestly I think i could create additional issues if I try to force the nitrates down. I think its the number of fish and how much I feed them. I have been ramping up my light intensity the last weeks and notice a big improvement. Especially on the bleeding tree which is starting to put out branches after 5 years of encrusting..maybe the next batch of corals will do better now that the tank is more established. But I hate that I cant even keep zoas..they are supposed to be bullet proof

Ashish Patel · Oct 15, 2026

Its time to setup a frag tank, my sump frag tank is a total failure, aiptasia growing all over the frag rack, not able to add inverts or fish because i dont have a proper divider, MP40 and light spill into the sump just creates a mess. So the goal is to not spend any money doing this, use my existing radions and Mp40, Tee my vectra m1 that feeds my protein skimmer and ATS and just have a 30-40 gallon dedicated frag tank next to the sump. This way I can actually have a place to add my frags and see them. Stay tune.

Ashish Patel · Oct 16, 2026

Look at me trying to take macro shots with my smartphone. The bleeding tree has got me pumped. Easily my favorite acro ever only took 5 years of encrusting.