Cencal’s 20L Shallow Reef

[Cencalreefer56]

Hey everyone I’m new here but have been established on nano-reef for some years! I recently got back into reefing after a 2 year hiatus with my masters program. I have the same tank up and running currently going on 4 years now. Unfortunately I got so busy that everything I once had I sold stuff off. Currently the tank is only home to my pair of clowns, a Darwin misbar ocellaris and davinci grade A.

here are some before pics when it was in its prime and how it sits currently. As of yesterday I switch over to an AI prime since I had a couple blue LEDs burn out in the kessilA160 unit.

equipment list:
Visio rimless 20L with exact dimensions
AI prime with flex arm
Advanced acrylics 10 gallon sump
Eheim 1250 return pump
Ice cap k2-50 skimmer
Autoaqua smart micro ATO top off
Finnex fuge ray+ (fuge light)
Reef cleaners rock
Pink Fiji sand

at the moment I’m using aqua forest and will continue to do so but I’ve noticed it’s more expensive now with less options to buy it lol I used to use amazon prime. I intend to make this a BTA tank and add a couple more fish such as a goby and an open swimmer. Although, the coral itch is coming back and I wanna do some sps such as nicer birds nest (had a nice colony a couple years ago of pink) and LPS probably more along the lines of euphyllia with acan garden and potentially zoas and palys at the base of the rocks.

stay tuned! And happy reefing!

 

[Cencalreefer56]

Here is a better current FTS and my torch garden I had back in the day, believe it or not I got the gold for $30 and the green mouth purple for free, the other torch was also $30. Seems as though coral prices have skyrocketed lol

 

[Cencalreefer56]

Alrighty so let’s start this tank... found a nice rainbow BTA for $71 near me. A steal if you ask me and look at these colors, it’s small at about 2”. Hoping to bulk it up within the next month feeding rods.

 

[Cencalreefer56]

I need to update this thread more often! But here is the tank as it sits now, everything is going great and starting to see some polyps popping up on the zoas and palys. Thinking another torch on the rocks and few more acans or nice welso for the sand.

 

[Cencalreefer56]

 

[Cencalreefer56]

Also have to add this tank has been running for 4 years, really wish I would’ve kept the old reef up and running but clowns and rock are original! Only thing swapped out was kessil for AI prime and new pump for the skimmer, other than that the equipment has been perfect with cleaning every few months

 

[BitReef]

Awesome tank. Looks great. What sump did you get? I’ve been looking for a 10 gallon sump. Might build my own. Also, how do you like that skimmer?

 

[Cencalreefer56]

Awesome tank. Looks great. What sump did you get? I’ve been looking for a 10 gallon sump. Might build my own. Also, how do you like that skimmer?

Thanks! I ended up ordering an advanced acrylics sump online, believe they’re based on southern Cali. I contemplated building my own but I really wanted this to be a clean setup to my liking with no worries of error lol

The skimmer has been running strong for 4 years and has really kept this tank spotless, it’s rated 40-80 gallons so I’ll be using it on my next system. I have a pretty big bio load which is why I got an oversized skimmer. But the adjustability and performance is great. My only complaint is to make sure to keep the pump clean, I had one go out on me (my fault) after 2 years or so. Here’s some pictures for reference, don’t mind the mess of wires

 

[thatsruff]

I need to update this thread more often! But here is the tank as it sits now, everything is going great and starting to see some polyps popping up on the zoas and palys. Thinking another torch on the rocks and few more acans or nice welso for the sand.

Really nice tank, like the dimensions a lot.

 

[Cencalreefer56]

Really nice tank, like the dimensions a lot.

Thank you! I’ve had budget reefs before and spending a little money and planning really makes this hobby a bit easier! I think the next tank I’m shooting for is a 50 gallon shallow, my cabinet I built for this tank has enough room, I think with islands it would be awesome

 

[thatsruff]

Thank you! I’ve had budget reefs before and spending a little money and planning really makes this hobby a bit easier! I think the next tank I’m shooting for is a 50 gallon shallow, my cabinet I built for this tank has enough room, I think with islands it would be awesome

Planning it out and spending a bit more money sure seems to help. And hopefully it helps prevent some of the unexpected spending too.

Nice, that sounds excellent, good that you could use the same stand. Eventually I want a shallow 75-100, something I can keep a bunch of wrasses in.

 

[Cencalreefer56]

Planning it out and spending a bit more money sure seems to help. And hopefully it helps prevent some of the unexpected spending too.

Nice, that sounds excellent, good that you could use the same stand. Eventually I want a shallow 75-100, something I can keep a bunch of wrasses in.

Oh yea 100% accounts for unadded spending on equipment at least lol

That would awesome honestly, I was thinking about a couple more wrasses once I expand this tank and an angel, something about those shallow rock dwellers is cool lol

 

[Cencalreefer56]

Stay tuned! AquaSD order incoming!

 

[RipleysReef]

Very Beautiful tank!! I almost thought it was sumpless!!

 

[Cencalreefer56]

Very Beautiful tank!! I almost thought it was sumpless!!

Thanks! I’m glad you said that actually because that was the main goal of this tank was to try and keep as much equipment out of the tank view as much as possible! Love the sump, this was my very first sumped system and I doubt I’ll ever do it different

 

[Cencalreefer56]

Also for those following, my other BTA split decided to be Houdini and get to the island on the right I had to move corals to sandbed but my poor Mohawk palys are in Godzilla’s way‍

 

[TriggersAmuck]

...I think the next tank I’m shooting for is a 50 gallon shallow, ...

Is that the Zoomed 50 gallon low boy tank you are referring to? Just looked up a video on it, and that looks pretty awesome!

 

[Cencalreefer56]

order arrived and everything opened up! Peep the freebie, baby rhodactis? toxic Goni, toxic green frogspawn (super bright green), purple torch

 

[Cencalreefer56]

Is that the Zoomed 50 gallon low boy tank you are referring to? Just looked up a video on it, and that looks pretty awesome!

I guess I was wishing it was the lowboy, I plan on using my current cabinet and sump so more like a 40 breeder with more depth and less height

36x24x13 were the dimensions I was going for

The lowboy is 48x24x10, looks like I need a longer stand lol

 

[ZipAdeeZoa]

Those euphyllia look awesome! Definitely looks like some sort of rhodactis, gotta love freebies!