Sergio's 430L SPS Reef Build – Brasil
Hi everyone!
I'm Sergio, from Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, and I finally decided to start a build thread to document my new reef tank from day one!
I've been planning this setup for a while, and now that the tank is up and running, I thought it would be a good time to share the project with the Reef2Reef community.
The idea is to keep this thread updated with pictures, equipment upgrades, water parameters, coral additions, and hopefully the growth of some beautiful SPS colonies over the coming months and years.
This will be a predominantly SPS reef, with a strong focus on Acropora, along with a few carefully selected LPS corals in the lower areas of the aquascape.
My long-term goal is to create a colorful, mature reef dominated by large Acropora colonies, with different growth patterns, shapes, and colors.
The Tank
The display tank measures 150 × 50 × 60 cm (59 × 19.7 × 23.6 inches), giving it a theoretical gross volume of 450 liters (119 gallons).
The sump holds approximately 70 liters (18.5 gallons).
After installing the aquascape, substrate, and filling the system to its operating level, the actual water volume is approximately 430 liters (113.6 gallons), including the sump.
For the sand bed, I chose Nature's Ocean Samoa Pink #2. I wanted a natural-looking substrate.
I wanted a tank with enough length to create an interesting aquascape, leaving plenty of swimming space for the fish while allowing SPS colonies to grow without everything becoming overcrowded too quickly.
Equipment – Initial Setup
Here's the equipment I'm using or planning to install:
Display and Filtration
- Display: 150 × 50 × 60 cm – 450L gross
- Sump: Approximately 70L
- Actual system water volume: Approximately 430L
- Return pump: OceanTech DC 12,000 L/h
- Protein skimmer: TMC 1250
- Heater: Eheim 300W
- Biological filtration: 2 × Maxspect Nano-Tech Bio-Blocks
- Substrate: Nature's Ocean Samoa Pink #2
- Aquascape: Marco Rocks
Auto Top-Off (ATO)
- ATO system: FZONE ATO380
- Freshwater reservoir: Approximately 30L (8 gallons)
Lighting – Planned
- 3 × A8 LED reef lights
Water Movement – Planned
- 2 × Maxspect MJ-GF316 gyre pumps
Temperature Control
- Primary temperature control: Air-conditioned aquarium room
- Heater: Eheim 300W
- Initial cycling temperature: Approximately 28°C (82.4°F)
- Target operating temperature after cycling: 24.5°C (76.1°F)
Water and Supplements
- Salt: Aquaforest Reef Salt
- Bacterial supplement: Aquaforest Bio S
The lighting and circulation pumps have already been selected, but they haven't been installed yet.
Since the tank is still in its initial cycling stage, I'm taking my time with the equipment installation and focusing on getting the biological filtration established first.
For automatic freshwater replenishment, I'm using the FZONE ATO380 connected to a dedicated reservoir holding approximately 30 liters of RO water.
The plan is to start with two Maxspect gyre pumps and see how the flow behaves around the rock structures. Considering the future Acropora colonies, I know water movement will be extremely important, so I'll make adjustments as the reef develops.
Temperature Management
Another aspect of this project is the temperature control strategy.
Since the aquarium is installed in an air-conditioned room, my plan is to use the room's air conditioning as the primary method of controlling the aquarium's temperature, rather than relying on a dedicated aquarium chiller.
During the initial cycling period, I'm keeping the water temperature at approximately 28°C (82.4°F). This is a temporary setting for the beginning of the biological cycling process.
Once the cycling process is complete, I plan to gradually lower the temperature and establish a long-term target of 24.5°C (76.1°F).
The Eheim 300W heater will be available to provide supplemental heating when needed, while the room's air conditioning will help manage the overall thermal conditions.
Living in Rio de Janeiro, where ambient temperatures can get quite high, temperature management is definitely something I need to pay attention to.
I'll be monitoring how well this strategy works in practice and making adjustments if necessary.
The Aquascape – Two Islands with Multiple SPS Levels
This is probably one of my favorite parts of the entire project!
For the aquascape, I decided to use Marco Rocks and build two separate island structures, leaving an open area in the middle.
Instead of creating two solid piles of rock, I wanted something more open, with multiple horizontal shelves, overhangs, and different levels.
The main idea was to create a stepped, layered aquascape specifically designed for Acropora growth.
Each island has several branching platforms extending outward at different heights, almost like a series of terraces.
These platforms will eventually support different Acropora colonies, allowing them to grow into separate layers.
I'm imagining large branching Acropora colonies occupying the upper sections, with tabling Acropora extending horizontally across some of the middle shelves.
Hopefully, as the colonies mature, the two islands will develop into colorful, three-dimensional coral structures, with overlapping growth patterns while still maintaining some open spaces.
Another important part of the design was keeping the lower sections accessible.
I plan to place a few LPS corals there, especially Euphyllia torches, which I really enjoy. I think their long, flowing tentacles will provide a beautiful contrast to the more rigid branching structures of the Acropora colonies above.
The goal is to have the movement of the torch corals near the bottom, with large, colorful Acropora colonies growing on the upper levels.
I also wanted to preserve the open space between the two islands. Besides providing swimming room, I think it gives the aquascape more depth and makes each coral structure stand out individually.
Water Preparation and Initial Cycling
The tank was officially filled on November 1st, 2026.
For the initial fill, I used RO water produced by my own 7-stage filtration system.
The filtration setup includes polypropylene sediment filtration, activated carbon, an RO membrane, Purolite A400 anion exchange resin, and MB400 mixed-bed resin.
For salt, I chose Aquaforest Reef Salt, which I'll be using as the starting point for the system.
On November 2nd, 2026, I officially started the biological cycling process using Aquaforest Bio S.
Since the entire aquascape was built with dry Marco Rocks, I'm expecting the system to take some time to establish a stable biological environment.
During this initial phase, I'm keeping the temperature around 28°C, with plans to gradually bring it down to my target of 24.5°C after the cycle.
I'm not planning to rush this stage.
My priority is to let the tank develop properly, monitor the nitrogen cycle, and gradually establish the conditions required for more demanding SPS corals.
I know that a successful Acropora-dominated reef is much more about long-term stability than simply achieving the right parameters during the first few weeks.
For now, patience is the plan!
The Long-Term Vision – An Acropora-Dominated Reef
The main objective of this entire project is to build a reef where Acropora colonies are the absolute stars of the aquarium.
While I enjoy many different types of corals, Acropora have always fascinated me the most. Their variety of colors, growth patterns, branching structures, and the way they transform a reef over time are exactly what I want to focus on with this setup.
My vision is to eventually have both rock islands almost completely dominated by mature Acropora colonies, with different species and growth forms creating a dense, colorful, and natural-looking reef.
I particularly like the contrast between branching, staghorn, bushy, and tabling Acropora. The idea is to combine these different shapes throughout the aquascape, using the stepped platforms to create depth and distinct layers of coral growth.
I'd love to see large colonies extending outward from the rock shelves, eventually covering much of the original aquascape while still preserving the overall two-island structure.
Ideally, the rocks will become less visible over time, giving way to a reef built almost entirely from living Acropora colonies.
Other SPS, such as Montipora, Stylophora, or Seriatopora, may be included in selected areas, but Acropora will remain the primary focus and should occupy most of the available space.
The LPS selection will also be intentionally limited. I plan to keep a few torch corals in the lower sections, where their movement can provide a nice visual contrast without taking attention away from the Acropora-dominated upper structures.
One of the reasons I designed the aquascape with multiple stepped platforms was precisely to support this long-term vision.
I want to give each Acropora colony enough space to grow into its natural shape instead of constantly having to trim or relocate corals because they are too close together.
I'm prepared to take things slowly, allowing the system to mature before introducing more demanding species.
I know this is a long-term project, and that's exactly what makes it exciting!
Current Status – November 2026
At the moment, the tank is still in its very early stages.
- November 1st, 2026 – Tank filled with RO water and Aquaforest Reef Salt.
- November 2nd, 2026 – Biological cycling started with Aquaforest Bio S.
- Aquascape completed using Marco Rocks.
- Nature's Ocean Samoa Pink #2 substrate added.
- Return pump, skimmer, heater, and biological media installed.
- FZONE ATO380 installed with an approximately 30L freshwater reservoir.
- Initial cycling temperature maintained at approximately 28°C.
- Lighting and additional circulation equipment still pending.
- No corals or fish have been introduced yet.
After that, I'll start working on the livestock plan and eventually begin adding the animals.
I'll also be sharing updates on water parameters, equipment decisions, and any challenges that come up along the way.
That's where the project stands for now!
I'm really excited to document the progress and see how this tank develops over time.
What do you think about the stepped rock platforms for Acropora placement? Any suggestions regarding coral growth, flow distribution, or possible shadowing as the colonies get larger?
Thanks for following along, and happy reefing!
Sergio – Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
