Jourdy's 90 Gallon Mixed Reef

hybridazn · Jul 27, 2018

jourdy said:
Update!

So...

Haven't been able to login for quite some time and was surprised to see sooo many messages in my inbox. Sorry guys, haven't been able to answer any of those yet.

Thought I'd post again just in time for my new tank.
Over the past year I've kept these tanks, mostly for growing stuff:

Back to back 4x2 frag tank for LPS and softies

7x2 SPS frag tank

I built a small 4x2 display tank

which became this

And now I'm moving all of them again to a bigger tank!
8'x2' dropoff. Shallow part is 18" while the deep end is 36"
There's not much stuff in here yet since this tank is very new. In fact, this tank is only 5 days old but I have used mostly old/seeded biomedia and inert rocks. Canopy and side cabinets are not even done yet I'm hoping I can continue to keep this thread alive.

Thanks for posting a long overdue update haha!

Everything looks awesome though, so you have that going for ya haha

Lilmatty5dimes · Jul 28, 2018

Wow that's an amazing drop off tank.

Janci · Jul 29, 2018

That is an awesome come back.

jourdy · Jul 30, 2018

First fishes of the dropoff tank:

This pair of clownfish spent the past 2 years in an isolation box. I think they're having fun in the new 8 footer

bubbaque · Jul 30, 2018

Beautiful pictures!

Travis Stewart · Jul 30, 2018

Where is drop off from?

jourdy · Jul 30, 2018

Travis Stewart said:
Where is drop off from?

Hi what do you mean?
Do you mean where does the drop off start? The deep part of the tank is 3 feet x 3 feet while the shallow part is 5 feet x 18 inches high.

davejep · Jul 30, 2018

Welcome Back!!!!!!
So looking forward to seeing more of your photos.

BillyReefer · Jul 30, 2018

Verry nice corals, your zoa's look amazing!

Travis Stewart · Jul 30, 2018

jourdy said:
Hi what do you mean?
Do you mean where does the drop off start? The deep part of the tank is 3 feet x 3 feet while the shallow part is 5 feet x 18 inches high.

Did you build this or did an aquarium manufacturer build it custom for you??

jourdy · Jul 31, 2018

Travis Stewart said:
Did you build this or did an aquarium manufacturer build it custom for you??

We built this on our own

jourdy · Jul 31, 2018

davejep said:
Welcome Back!!!!!!
So looking forward to seeing more of your photos.

Thank you. Hopefully I can continue posting pictures. As long as I have time

jourdy · Aug 3, 2018

Second fish!

vetteguy53081 · Aug 3, 2018

People ask " Why Saltwater" ?

T H I S - I S - T H E - R E A S O N - W H Y !!!!
WELL DONE AND BEAUTIFUL !!!

Marie7 · Aug 4, 2018

jourdy said:
Hi everyone! New to this forum.
Wanted to share my tank with all of you.

A quick background:

I started back in 2001, joining a forum called ReefAquariumGuide (RAG). Not sure if that site still runs, but my interest in reefing culminated from there. During that time, there were very little material available on the internet for the hobby, and I got flamed a lot for my poor reefing choices. Haha. My tank did not last very long - I was ill equipped and the summers in my country (Philippines) run to 38 degrees! There were no chillers available at that time, and the only lights I could get my hands on were fluorescent lights. No skimmers yet as well! LFS had poor husbandry for livestocks. Basically I started with the worst possible chance in the hobby.

In 2004, I joined Rc and that was when I started having moderate success. Tank thrived, but obviously not as nice as I had hoped and compared to others. There were no chillers/skimmers/lights to be found still, but at least I kept things alive! In 2006 (or 2005), a local club formed and there was a guy who started bringing in equipment from the USA. I was a fresh graduate then, and started with a cheap nano that i kept for years! In 2010 I decided to join ReefCentral's nano tank of the month contest for fun; really surprised to have won! Ever since then, I started upgrading my tanks. It seemed like I was upgrading every year or so.. I have had experience with 20 gallons, 30 gallons, 55 gallons, to 67 gallons, and now up to my current 90 gallons (4x2x1.5 ft). I am actually planning on upgrading again next year when I move to a new home. Seems like you just don't ever get contented once you get to taste this hobby

My current equipment are as follows:
2 Ecotech Radion Gen 2
2 Ecotech MP40
Reef Octopus XP2000 Cone Skimmer
TECO TR20 Chiller

Here are some pictures of my tank. Please bear with me as I try to take newer and better pictures. I am currently away from home for a week.
My only lens is a 55mm Zeiss fixed lens, and thus taking pictures is a bit more difficult without the flexibility. I am hoping to get a more suitable lens for reefing soon.

Also, sorry for the small pictures. Will update to bigger pictures once I learn how. I am currently using IMGUR and the default images are too big that it stretches the whole page. Had to choose thumbnails but they turn out a bit small and quite hard to see things clearly.

This is the only FTS I have on my computer as of the moment. Filled with micro bubbles as the return pump has just been turned on.

Overhead shot

Zoas are my first love, and that's why you will see most of my corals are zoas.
They all started as small frags (ranging from 1-4 polyps), and they have grown in my tank like mad over the past few years.

Favia and Acan

I just started keeping SPS about 6 months ago. I just tried it to check if I could keep them. I am always away from home, so I couldn't keep a closer eye on them. So far, so good.
Wildcaught SPS are still difficult though. I am having difficulties in retaining their wild color.

This is a triggerfish given to me a few months ago when my friend dismantled his tank.

Will post more pictures soon!

My tank is always changing. I keep moving things around, so my tank looks different often haha. I have some close friends who I share frags with (we sometimes take turns taking care of something) and there are plenty times when my tank has been like an evacuation home/hospital tank for my friends' corals.

The best thing I like about my tank is how maintenance-free it is. Like I said, I am barely home most of the week - I am thankful that my tank is alive and well. I don't dose anything, and I forget the last time I checked my parameters. All I know is having old and mature live rocks help a lot! Also biopellets which I use!

Thanks for viewing! I am open to all comments and criticisms.

Marie7 · Aug 4, 2018

jourdy said:
Second fish!

Absolutely beautiful I love the way it looks....

vetteguy53081 · Aug 4, 2018

PLEASE IF YOU COULD, SHARE WITH US YOUR FEEDING/DOSING/CARE SCHEDULE AS WE HAVE MANY WHO STRUGGLE TO KEEP ONE ACRO OR ZOA ALIVE.
Based on your equipment description, it is proof we do not need an entire laboratory to maintain a beautiful system as yours,

jourdy · Aug 6, 2018

vetteguy53081 said:
PLEASE IF YOU COULD, SHARE WITH US YOUR FEEDING/DOSING/CARE SCHEDULE AS WE HAVE MANY WHO STRUGGLE TO KEEP ONE ACRO OR ZOA ALIVE.
Based on your equipment description, it is proof we do not need an entire laboratory to maintain a beautiful system as yours,

Zoas do not need much to thrive, but SPS sure do. If you want to keep them colorful.
There are some corals that are easy, some intermediate, some hard. It really depends on what you want to achieve - there's the ULNS route, high nutrients (for zoas) route, etc.

I have a lot of tanks, and in the SPS frag tank, I've adopted ULNS method - which is reliant on good equipment IMO. The colors of SPS are much nicer than I have ever experienced before.
Zoas on the other hand, don't fare too well in that tank.