This is my SPS only tank. It was my challenge tank to see if I was ready for SPS coral.
Aquarium Profile and Equipment
- What type of saltwater aquarium is this?
- SPS Dominated
- Total Water Volume
- 90
- When did you start this tank?
- Feb 18, 2019
- What is your aquarium made of?
- Glass
- Aquarium Length (inches)
- 48
- Aquarium Width (inches)
- 18
- Aquarium Height (inches)
- 21
- Aquarium Overflow/Drain
- External Overflow
- Aquarium Sump
- YES
- Sump Water Volume
- 15
- Aquarium Stand
- Standard wood stand provided as a kit from Marineland
- Aquarium Controller
- YES
- Aquarium Controller Make and Model
- A3 Apex
- Protein Skimmer
- YES
- Protein Skimmer Make and Model
- Simplicity 120
- Aquarium Reactors
- None
- Return Pump
- Orlushy dc4000 (Amazon)
- What types of equipment are you using for water flow and circulation?
- Wavemaker
- Water Flow and Circulation Equipment List
- Jebao SCP 120 and SCP 150
- Aquarium Lighting
- LED
- Lighting Equipment List
- Four Kessil a360x on a four foot ReefBrite XHO actinic fixture.
- Lighting PAR and Goals
- The par ranges from 150 on the bottom to about 300 up top.
- Dosing Equipment
- Calcium
- Alkalinity
- Magnesium
- Dosing Equipment Detail
- Neptune DŌS
- Auto Top Off or ATO
- YES
- Aquarium Heating and Cooling
- I am using a heater or heaters
- Water Temperature
- 79
- Heating and Cooling Equipment Detail
- I use Aqueon Pro heaters
- Additional Equipment Detail
- I also use a Corallife Turbo-Twist 6x uv sterilizer.
Aquarium Water Chemistry and Parameters
- pH Level
- 8.3
- Specific Gravity
- 1.025
- Nitrate or NO3
- ~10 ppm
- Phosphate or PO4
- 0.05
- Calcium
- 380
- Alkalinity
- 8.5
- Magnesium
- 1300
- Salt Brand
- Waterbox Sea Salt
- Trace Element Dosing
- None
Aquarium Natural and Mechanical Filtration
- Substrate
- Bare Bottom (BB)
- Substrate Level
- Other
- Live Rock
- 80
- Live Rock Type
- Dry Rock
- Nutrient Export
- Refugium
- Algae Scrubber
- Protein Skimmer
- Filter Sock
- Water Changes
- YES
- Water Change Details
- I do a monthly 30% water change. The alkalinity is adjusted in the freshly mixed saltwater by adding an acid buffer.
- Nutrient Export Details
- Nitrates are always elevated in the 20’s. I do have to add phosphate, as it is usually low.
Aquarium Tank Inhabitants (fish, coral, invert etc.)
- Fish List
- Chromis
- Clownfish
- Damselfish
- Surgeonfish Tang
- Total Fish
- 7
- Coral List
- SPS Coral
- Total Corals
- 24
- Invert List
- Crabs
- Starfish
- Snails
- Urchin
- Total Inverts
- 100
- Livestock Detail
- I load up on astrea snails to keep algae in check. I also have four pincushion urchins. A purple tang helps with algae as well. It is over 6 years old, and only 3 1/2” long! So the 75 gallon is enough room for this particular tang.
- Livestock Quarantine
- Fish
Aquarium Nutrition (fish, coral, invert etc. feeding)
- Fish Feeding Frequency
- Every Other Day
- Coral Feeding Frequency
- Do Not Feed Coral Directly
- Fish and Coral Feeding
- Flake
- Pellet
- Auto Feeder
- NO
Additional Aquarium Information
- What do you think are the keys to your success in reefing?
- Definitely patience and stability. I learned early on that adding coral too quickly to (even a four month cycled tank!) can be detrimental. When parameters get out of whack, I have to decide if a quick bump or slow adjustment is best. But over the years, these coral and fish are pretty well adapted to minor changes in alkalinity and salinity. But in the long run, patience always wins.
