I work 6 days a week at the LFS and I was getting to the point that I dreaded even having to feed my 170 gallon system at home before heading to another day at the shop. My tank at home was suffering from neglect and my better halfs desires for coral that most of us consider weeds and big fish. For months I was putting together the parts for a 180 that I have, but finding the time to support the floor and literally move everything else in the room to the second floor was a daunting task that I know was likely to never get done, and still hasn't. We also rent and would like to buy a house sooner than later and tearing down another system is something that I have not been able to convince myself that I want to do. In one of our 4ft by 8ft frag tanks at work I had a little section that I was holding onto some Acropora frags for the time when I got around to setting up the 180, but they had been there since April. At work we have a display Red Sea Reefer 170 that was set-up as a macro algea/sea horse tank. We had some Caulerpa in it that went sexual and that tank looked pretty bad. I convinced the owner that I needed an "office" tank and that letting me have the 170 to turn into an SPS tank was a good idea.
I was able to sell the sea horse and ran bleach through the system. After bleaching everything, including the rock that I was going to use I took everything apart and rinsed it and put it back together. Then I grabbed parts from home and around the store and put the system up in it's current configuration.
It is a Red Sea Reefer 170 with a white stand. I am currently running the stock sump and ato. I am contemplating turning the ato into a small fuge with a kessil H80 and putting a different aot on it as I'm not a big fan of the stock system, but that would be down the road. I brought in a big bag of Seachem Matrix from my QT tank at home to speed the cycle or to prevent one. I added coral the day I put water in the tank starting with a Milky Stylophora. Some Acropora went in day 3, more day 7. The tank was fully stocked as you see it by day 20. I did experience some STN on 2 of the Acropora that went in on the 3rd day, Hawkins Enchinata and a Purple Bonsia. The tank has now been up for 4 weeks as I write this.
I know that I started with dead bleach rock. I know that there was ammonia in the system during the cycle with Acropora. I expect that there will be some casualties (probably Hawkins and the one Valida). I know that the recent trend in articles and on the forums is talking about how you can't keep Acroporas in a new tank, but follow along and see if it is true.
Tank - Red Sea Reefer 170
Light - Radion Xr15 gen3
Skimmer - Skimz SM121
Auto top off - stock
Media - GFO in a bag in the over flow
Bio Media - approx. 2 ltr Seachem matrix
Mechanic filtration - mesh filter sock
Return Pump - Jabeo DC
Circulation Pumps - Ecotech MP10, 2 Koralia nanos (would like to add second MP10)
Dosing - 5 gallon water changes twice a week (debating what I want to go with, playing by ear, either 2-part or Kalkwasser)
LIVESTOCK
chrysiptera springeri (Springer's Damsel)
Cirrhilabrus lubbocki (Tri-color or Lubbock Fairy Wrasse)
Harlequin Serpent Star
10 Trochus Snails
1 Cowrie
a few micro brittle stars and stomatella that I pulled from other places
I am going to add a blenny to help with algae and probably another wrasse
CORAL
Hot pink birds nest
Milka Stylophora
Rainbow Cat's Paw
Red and Green Montipora Carpricornis
Montipora Undata ASD phoenix
Rainbow Monti that I am trying to grow across the bottom glass
ATL Christmas Mirabilis
Red Dragon
GARF Bonsai
Tiera Del Fugo
Battle Corals Fire Marshall Bill
Battle Corals Glowstik
Rogue Millie
ORA Hawkins Enchinata
Jason Fox Cooler's Champagne
Green Slimmer
ORA Red Planet
Strawberry Shortcake
About half a dozen or so other pieces that I got from a club member who was moving across the country and gave me a ton of frags without the names but assured me that most were from WWC and BC, but there was no time and too many to name
My camera is pretty crappy and doesn't take the best shots, but here are a few for your viewing pleasure.
I was able to sell the sea horse and ran bleach through the system. After bleaching everything, including the rock that I was going to use I took everything apart and rinsed it and put it back together. Then I grabbed parts from home and around the store and put the system up in it's current configuration.
It is a Red Sea Reefer 170 with a white stand. I am currently running the stock sump and ato. I am contemplating turning the ato into a small fuge with a kessil H80 and putting a different aot on it as I'm not a big fan of the stock system, but that would be down the road. I brought in a big bag of Seachem Matrix from my QT tank at home to speed the cycle or to prevent one. I added coral the day I put water in the tank starting with a Milky Stylophora. Some Acropora went in day 3, more day 7. The tank was fully stocked as you see it by day 20. I did experience some STN on 2 of the Acropora that went in on the 3rd day, Hawkins Enchinata and a Purple Bonsia. The tank has now been up for 4 weeks as I write this.
I know that I started with dead bleach rock. I know that there was ammonia in the system during the cycle with Acropora. I expect that there will be some casualties (probably Hawkins and the one Valida). I know that the recent trend in articles and on the forums is talking about how you can't keep Acroporas in a new tank, but follow along and see if it is true.
Tank - Red Sea Reefer 170
Light - Radion Xr15 gen3
Skimmer - Skimz SM121
Auto top off - stock
Media - GFO in a bag in the over flow
Bio Media - approx. 2 ltr Seachem matrix
Mechanic filtration - mesh filter sock
Return Pump - Jabeo DC
Circulation Pumps - Ecotech MP10, 2 Koralia nanos (would like to add second MP10)
Dosing - 5 gallon water changes twice a week (debating what I want to go with, playing by ear, either 2-part or Kalkwasser)
LIVESTOCK
chrysiptera springeri (Springer's Damsel)
Cirrhilabrus lubbocki (Tri-color or Lubbock Fairy Wrasse)
Harlequin Serpent Star
10 Trochus Snails
1 Cowrie
a few micro brittle stars and stomatella that I pulled from other places
I am going to add a blenny to help with algae and probably another wrasse
CORAL
Hot pink birds nest
Milka Stylophora
Rainbow Cat's Paw
Red and Green Montipora Carpricornis
Montipora Undata ASD phoenix
Rainbow Monti that I am trying to grow across the bottom glass
ATL Christmas Mirabilis
Red Dragon
GARF Bonsai
Tiera Del Fugo
Battle Corals Fire Marshall Bill
Battle Corals Glowstik
Rogue Millie
ORA Hawkins Enchinata
Jason Fox Cooler's Champagne
Green Slimmer
ORA Red Planet
Strawberry Shortcake
About half a dozen or so other pieces that I got from a club member who was moving across the country and gave me a ton of frags without the names but assured me that most were from WWC and BC, but there was no time and too many to name
My camera is pretty crappy and doesn't take the best shots, but here are a few for your viewing pleasure.
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