My 65G Shallow Reef Tank

[trout]

Hi all,

This thread is about my 65-Gallon shallow reef tank, which I set up nearly 9 years ago. It has been an interesting journey. I have experimented numerous methods over the years to keep the animals living in it healthy and gained a lot knowledge and experience along the way.

I began reef keeping just over 12 years ago. This is is my third tank. Setting it up was not my choice. I was forced to doing it. My second tank sprung a leak just before its first anniversary. So, all the inhabitants had to stay in two separate containers until my current tank had been built.

The gross volume of the display tank is about 65 (US) gallon (40" (L) X 21" (W) X 18" (H)) . The gross volume of the sump is about 125 litres (32" (L) X 15" (W) X 16" (H)).

The tank was built in March 2012. I went for a shallow tank as I found my previous tank, which was 24" high, difficult to maintain. The tank builder suggested that the weir be placed back to front, so that when I look at the tank my eyes would not be drawn to it. Surprisingly it works.

The tank initially housed a mixed reef comprised of LPS corals, SPS corals and a mixture of large T. crocea and T. squamosa clams.

Up until February 2015, the tank was illuminated by a 6-tube ATI sunpower unit. A combination of chaeto and Rowa Phos was used to export NO3 and PO4.

The main obstacle to full enjoyment of this set up was that it was plagued by aiptasia. No method invented by mankind cured the problem. I then decided to change direction with the tank. I sold all my LPS corals and clams and converted to a full SPS tank and bought a filefish, and never looked back.

With this change of direction came a number of other changes, some were radical than others. The main one was the removal of the chaeto bed and stopping the use of phosphate adsorbers. I started to use Tropic Marin NP-Bacto-Balance together with A- and K+ elements. I also swapped the sunpower module with an 8-tube ATI powermodule. Here are a few shots of the tank under the new regime and equipment taken between 2016 and 2019. In the following posts, I will share the latest photos along with the current equipment list and animals I keep.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Hi all,

This thread is about my 65-Gallon shallow reef tank, which I set up nearly 9 years ago. It has been an interesting journey. I have experimented numerous methods over the years to keep the animals living in it healthy and gained a lot knowledge and experience along the way.

I began reef keeping just over 12 years ago. This is is my third tank. Setting it up was not my choice. I was forced to doing it. My second tank sprung a leak just before its first anniversary. So, all the inhabitants had to stay in two separate containers until my current tank had been built.

The gross volume of the display tank is about 65 (US) gallon (40" (L) X 21" (W) X 18" (H)) . The gross volume of the sump is about 125 litres (32" (L) X 15" (W) X 16" (H)).

The tank was built in March 2012. I went for a shallow tank as I found my previous tank, which was 24" high, difficult to maintain. The tank builder suggested that the weir be placed back to front, so that when I look at the tank my eyes would not be drawn to it. Surprisingly it works.

The tank initially housed a mixed reef comprised of LPS corals, SPS corals and a mixture of large T. crocea and T. squamosa clams.

Up until February 2015, the tank was illuminated by a 6-tube ATI sunpower unit. A combination of chaeto and Rowa Phos was used to export NO3 and PO4.

The main obstacle to full enjoyment of this set up was that it was plagued by aiptasia. No method invented by mankind cured the problem. I then decided to change direction with the tank. I sold all my LPS corals and clams and converted to a full SPS tank and bought a filefish, and never looked back.

With this change of direction came a number of other changes, some were radical than others. The main one was the removal of the chaeto bed and stopping the use of phosphate adsorbers. I started to use Tropic Marin NP-Bacto-Balance together with A- and K+ elements. I also swapped the sunpower module with an 8-tube ATI powermodule. Here are a few shots of the tank under the new regime and equipment taken between 2016 and 2019. In the following posts, I will share the latest photos along with the current equipment list and animals I keep.

Well written, beautiful, and interesting journey! Thanks for sharing <3

 

[trout]

If we fast forward it to the present day, here are some facts about my system:

System​

Display: 40 x 21 x 18 inches (102 x 53 x 46cm)
Sump: 32 x 15 x 16 inches (81 x 38 x 41cm)
Tank Volume: 200 litres (44 gal)
System Volume: 250 litres (65 (US) gallon)

Water Parameters​

Temperature: 27-28 C (80.6-82.4 F)
pH: 7.80-8.20
Salinity: 34.5-35.5 ppt
Ammonia: not measured
Nitrite: not measured
Nitrate: 1-5 ppm
Phosphate: 0.046-0.14 mg/L
Calcium:390-425 ppm
KH: 6.4-7.3 dKH
Magnesium: 1285-1350ppm
Iodine: not measured
Potassium: 400-420 ppm
Redox: not measured

Corals

Gorgonian (photosynthetic)

Acropora

• sarmentosa (wild-collected)
• efflorescence
• yongei
• desalwii
• echinata
• red dragon
• millepora
• microclados (lime green- wild-collected)
• microclados (strawberry shortcake- wild-collected)
• hyacinthus
• granulosa (wild-collected)
• pinky the bear
• hurlock
• gomezi (wild-collected)

Montipora

• capricornis
• setosa
• monaseriata

Fish

• kole tang
• yellow longnose butterflyfish
• pyramid butterflyfish
• copperband butterflyfish
• regal angelfish
• bellus angelfish
• royal gramma
• majestic angelfish (tank bred)

And the equipment list is as follows:

Equipment

Skimmer: Deltec SC 1350
Control System: not used
Lights: ATI Powermodule 8 X 39W (front blue+ coral+ actinic aquablue special purple+ blue+ coral+ blue+ back)
Pumps: Tunze 6055 X 4
Top up: Tunze Osmolator Universal 3155
Heaters: Schego 300W titanium with ATC 300 controller
RO Unit: D-D RO 50 USG Unit (4 stage with DI resin)
Chiller/Cooler: 4-way Azoo fan and Habistat Cool Control
Ultra Violet: not used
Phosphate reactor: not used
Kalkwasser Stirrer: Deltec KM 500
Calcium reactor: not used
Dosing Pump: Williamson 2 ml/min peristaltic pump X 2; Williamson 4 ml/min peristaltic pump
Ozone: not used

Test kits

• Salifert (alkalinity, calcium, nitrate, potassium)
• Elos high-resolution (phosphate)

Supplementation Methods

• Calcium hydroxide (Rowa kalk)
• Two-part (Randy Holmes-Farley DIY dosing method- Recipe 2)
• Tropic Marin K+ elements
• Tropic Marin A- elements
• Tropic Marin Pro-Coral Iodine
• Tropic Marin Reef Actif
• Tropic Marin Nitribiotic
• KZ Sponge power

Filtration Method

• Tropic Marin NP-Bacto-Balance
• Live rock
• Siporax (7.5 litres)
• GAC
• Aiptasia scrubber in the weir (overflow box)
• Sponges and feather duster worms

 

[trout]

Here are some photos of my system taken recently:

 

[Karen00]

I always think that at some point I will stopped being wow'd by members' tanks but to this day I'm still left with my jaw hanging open at the beauty of everyone's "little piece of waterway". It doesn't matter if it's fresh, brackish or salt!

Both of your setups (old and new) are stunning!

 

[trout]

Well written, beautiful, and interesting journey! Thanks for sharing <3

I always think that at some point I will stopped being wow'd by members' tanks but to this day I'm still left with my jaw hanging open at the beauty of everyone's "little piece of waterway". It doesn't matter if it's fresh, brackish or salt!

Both of your setups (old and new) are stunning!

Thank you. I appreciate your encouraging feedback.

 

[Karen00]

Thank you. I appreciate your encouraging feedback.

It's well deserved!!

 

[zukihara]

Pretty darn sexy!

 

[trout]

As stated in my first post, the presence of aiptasia was a major setback and spoilt my enjoyment. Using various potions, such as Aiptasia X, Joes juice, kalk paste, as well as using even a soldering iron to burn them outside the tank, did not offer a long term solution. They rebounced even larger in numbers.

In the end, I had to get a filefish. The main problem with filefish is that some may not eat aiptasia readily. I also found that they do not live long in a reef tank. Perhaps, I was unlucky or did not provide the right care for them. Two filefish I had in the past did not live beyond the fourth year.

Once the aiptasia goes in a display tank, it does not mean that the problem goes away. My experience suggests that aiptasia will always live in where its biological enemy cannot get them, including sump and weir. In my case, all the uneaten aiptasia colonised inner walls of my weir, which affectively meant that they formed what one fellow reefer termed as "aiptasia scrubber". No uneaten food can ever find its way to the sump. So, effectively, I am making good use of these pest anemones.

This arrangement has also its other benefits. A filefish that refuses to eat aiptasia can be trained inside the weir and learn to eat them. This is what I did with my second filefish. I left it in the weir for up to 3 weeks. Once the aiptasia started to diminish there, I transferred it back into the display tank. Aiptasia population in the weir recovered soon after the removal of the fish.

At present, I do not have a filefish. My second one died a few weeks ago. Fortunately, there has not been any sighting of any aiptasia inside my display tank, perhaps thanks to my copperband butterflyfish.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

As stated in my first post, the presence of aiptasia was a major set back and spoilt my enjoyment. Using various potions, such as Aiptasia X, Joes juice, kalk paste, as well as using even a soldering iron to burn them outside the tank, did not offer a long term solution. They renounced even larger in numbers.

In the end, I had to get a filefish. The main problem with filefish is that some may not eat aiptasia readily. I also found that they do not live long in a reef tank. Perhaps, I was unlucky or did not provide the right care for them. Two filefish I had in the past did not live beyond the fourth year.

Once the aiptasia goes in a display tank, it does not mean that the problem goes away. My experience suggests that aiptasia will always live in where its biological enemy cannot get them, including sump and weir. In my case, all the uneaten aiptasia colonised inner walls of my weir, which affectively meant that they formed what one fellow reefer termed as "aiptasia scrubber". No uneaten food can ever find its way to the sump. So, effectively, I am making good use of these pest anemones.

This arrangement has also its other benefits. A filefish that refuses to eat aiptasia can be trained inside the weir and learn to eat them. This is what I did with my second filefish. I left it in the weir for up to 3 weeks. Once the aiptasia started to diminish there, I transferred it back into the display tank. Aiptasia population in the weir recovered soon after the removal of the fish.

At present, I do not have a filefish. My second one died a few weeks ago. Fortunately, there has not been any sighting of any aiptasia inside my display tank, perhaps thanks to my copper band butterflyfish.

I'd drop one Berghia nudibranch in weir, mostly because I'm an aiptasia hater. You have VERY interesting strategy USING aiptasia. Curious if you know why second filefish died.

 

[trout]

I'd drop one Berghia nudibranch in weir, mostly because I'm an aiptasia hater. You have VERY interesting strategy USING aiptasia. Curious if you know why second filefish died.

I forgot to mention that I also tried bergia nudibranchs on two separate occasions. The first time I did not have any wrasses, whereas the second time round, I had a H. hortulanus. Bergias must have been eaten as a snack.

I have no idea how long aiptasia eating filefish (Acreichthys tomentosus) live in captivity. If anyone knows, would you be interesting in sharing your experience? If I exclude old age as the cause of death, I can assume that it was due to bacterial infection, even though there was not any external symptoms, such as cloudy eyes or red blotches on the skin. All the other fish, including the dead filefish were quarantined with medication prior to adding to the tank. No snails, crabs, shrimps, urchins or anything that has hard surface that can house eggs of pathogens are put into the tank unless they have been quarantined.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

I forgot to mention that I also tried bergia nudibranchs on two separate occasions. The first time I did not have any wrasses, whereas the second time round, I had a H. hortulanus. Bergias must have been eaten as a snack.

I have no idea how long aiptasia eating filefish (Acreichthys tomentosus) live in captivity. If anyone knows, would you be interesting in sharing your experience? If I exclude old age as the cause of death, I can assume that it was due to bacterial infection, even though there was not any external symptoms, such as cloudy eyes or red blotches on the skin. All the other fish, including the dead filefish were quarantined with medication prior to adding to the tank. No snails, crabs, shrimps, urchins or anything that has hard surface that can house eggs of pathogens are put into the tank unless they have been quarantined.

wrasse goes in your weir? Wrasses will eat any nudibranch. Hearing about 5 yrs is filefish lifespan (considering getting one, so I have been researching), and this post aligns (but is for matted): https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/lifespan-of-matted-filefish.792890/

 

[trout]

wrasse goes in your weir? Wrasses will eat any nudibranch. Hearing about 5 yrs is filefish lifespan (considering getting one, so I have been researching), and this post aligns (but is for matted): https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/lifespan-of-matted-filefish.792890/

This information is really useful. It is the first time that I have received some anecdotal evidence about the life span of a filefish in captivity, even though it is not exact species. It is better than nothing. Thank you for sharing. I guess both of my fish were not far off as I can't be sure how old they were when I bought them.

I knew that wrasses eat nudibranchs, but I was desperate to take my chances. As you suggested, I could have put the wrasse in my weir, but I did not think about it at the time. I wonder how easy/hard it would have been to catch the fish while sleeping in the sand bed if I had tried.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

This information is really useful. It is the first time that I have received some anecdotal evidence about the life span of a filefish in captivity, even though it is not exact species. It is better than nothing. Thank you for sharing. I guess both of my fish were not far off as I can't be sure how old they were when I bought them.

I knew that wrasses eat nudibranchs, but I was desperate to take my chances. As you suggested, I could have put the wrasse in my weir, but I did not think about it at the time. I wonder how easy/hard it would have been to catch the fish while sleeping in the sand bed if I had tried.

Sorry I wasn't clear - I'd put one Berghia in the weir. Berghia in weir would eat aiptasia (I hate aiptasia). Wrasse couldn't get into weir to eat nudibranch (and its offspring) so eventually all aiptasia would be eaten by berghia.

FYI: My six line wrasse was super easy to catch in an icecap fish trap when (in reaction to wrasse eating 2 new peppermint shrimp) was moved to sump/dungeon. While he was in dungeon, replacement peppermint shrimp went in DT. Time passed, wrasse went back to DT, and replacement peppermints hide all the time but think all 3 still alive/uneaten.

 

[trout]

Sorry I wasn't clear - I'd put one Berghia in the weir. Berghia in weir would eat aiptasia (I hate aiptasia). Wrasse couldn't get into weir to eat nudibranch (and its offspring) so eventually all aiptasia would be eaten by berghia.

FYI: My six line wrasse was super easy to catch in an icecap fish trap when (in reaction to wrasse eating 2 new peppermint shrimp) was moved to sump/dungeon. While he was in dungeon, replacement peppermint shrimp went in DT. Time passed, wrasse went back to DT, and replacement peppermints hide all the time but think all 3 still alive/uneaten.

Thanks for the clarification. On two occasions, my silver belly wrasse jumped into the weir. It was hard work to get it out. I thought it was dead and could not see it swimming in the weir due to aiptasia. Everytime I tried to remove it, it berried itself into sludge that a accumulated at the bottom. I had to empty the weir.

The problem I found with aiptasia is that when you eliminate them in one place they may be multiplying elsewhere, e.g. sump. I have therefore resigned to the fact that I will never eliminate them. As long as they are not in the main display, I am very happy. I have just taken picture below. Don't they look horrible ;Nailbiting? They even colonised the edges of the overflow pipe. So, there is no way an uneaten food will make its way to the sump. Pests have become CUC.

A berghia breeder offered to buy some aiptasia off me in the past after seeing pictures like this on another forum. I politely turned him down as I did not want to disturb the scrubber at the time. Knowing how fast the scrubber recovers, I would probably be obliged immediately if he asked again.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Thanks for the clarification. On two occasions, my silver belly wrasse jumped into the weir. It was hard work to get it out. I thought it was dead and could not see it swimming in the weir due to aiptasia. EVerytime I tried to remove it, it berried itself into sludge that a accumulated at the bottom. I had to empty the weir.

The problem I found with aiptasia is that when you eliminate them in one place they may be multiplying elsewhere, e.g. sump. I have therefore resigned to the fact that I will never eliminate them. As long as they are not in the main display, I am very happy. I have just taken picture below. Don't they look horrible ;Nailbiting? They even colonised the edges of the overflow pipe. So, there is no way an uneaten food will make its way to the sump. Pests have become CUC.

A berghia breeder offered to buy some aiptasia off me in the past after seeing pictures like this on another forum. I politely turned him down as I did not want to disturb the scrubber at the time. Knowing how fast the scrubber recovers, I would probably be obliged immediately if he asked again.

Hardest thing for Berghia breeding is sufficient food. Starving is sad. If you could find that guy he would love your outreach. One of my local coral stores will buy starter berghia then breed berghia until they run out of aiptasia. I couldn't bring myself to buy anything at LFS because I could see aiptasia, but it would make sense they first have to get "food" supply up for berghia so berghia don't starve.

Like I said in #10, you have very interesting strategy which makes sense to put aiptasia to use exporting nutrients. .

 

[trout]

I keep a high energy reef, which is a term suggested by the editor of Reef Hobbyist magazine after editing my article before its publication back in October 2016. I have been using this term ever since. It involves high nutrient throughput, normal reef temperatures (27-28 C), intense light and strong random flow (in excess of 80 times per hour inside the display tank).

The advantage of maintaining somewhat more natural reef temperatures of 27-28 C is that "the entire methobolism of the tank is raised, including those of the microbial community, detritus processing organisms, and herbivores. Furthermore, it is a more natural temperature for many reef animals" (Ref: Aquarium Coral by Eric Borneman). This is at the heart of my reefkeeping philosophy, which also supports my high nutrient input and output strategy. This results in vigorous coral growth, excellent polyp extension and arguably good colouration. Another advantage is that should there be a sudden increase in water temperatures (e.g. due to a heat wave) it is less likely that corals will experience heat induced bleaching. To quote Borneman again: "Anecdotal reports by home aquarists suggest that corals normally kept at 26 C may bleach at temperatures above 29 C, while those usually maintained at 29 C may not bleach until the water exceeds 32 C". Over the past 12 years, I have not experienced any heat induced bleaching despite encountering quite a few heat waves even in the UK. However, one downside of fairly high water temperature is that if any nuisance algae are present, it encourages their growth too.

Up until February 2019, I kept up to 16 fish. Feeding them a lot during the day helped with the coral growth. I had to do deforestation in regular intervals (once every 18 months). I am keeping 8 fish at present. The coral growth is still very good, but not as fast as in the past.

The photos below were taken in October 2018, depicting a typical deforestation exercise. Regular deforestation like this keeps the corals in good shape as upgrading to a bigger tank has not been an option so far.

 

[rusgum]

Greetings to my friend. Glad to see your system on this forum.

 

[trout]

Greetings to my friend. Glad to see your system on this forum.

Greetings to you Виталий.

 

[trout]

Following on from my previous post about regular deforestation, I organised my aquascape in such a way that removing rocks out of the tank for any reason and putting them back in should take minimal effort. It is currently about 20 minutes. Rocks are not glued together and each rock houses only a few corals.

The ease with which rocks can be removed also makes it possible to rejuvenate the rocks in regular intervals (once every 18 months to 24 months) by scrubbing them outside and rinsing them to get rid of excess detritus, as well as carrying out heavy fragging an necessary.