The Bonsai Reef- Red Sea Reefer 300XL G2 Build

[dlaird76]

Aquascape done. Have used flat base rocks at the bottom, broken pieces of brs macro rocks to create the branches using glue and Aquaforest stonefix. Then brs shelve rocks to create tree looking structures. This took me about 3weeks and I am happy with the end product. It will help to mount SPS Frags. I made sure to keep same caves and crevices near the base for smaller fish to hide. I have seen some beautiful bonsai style reefs and they look amazing and thats my vision for this build.
I would give credits to JagAquatics from Australia for the youtube videos that inspired me to come with something like this.

Stunning

 

[Hollywood_XL]

awesome tank! Going to upgrade to this and your tank is a great inspiration

can you tell a little more on how you make the scape end what materials you used?

 

[Bonsai reef]

awesome tank! Going to upgrade to this and your tank is a great inspiration

can you tell a little more on how you make the scape end what materials you used?

Thank! I have used base rocks to create a solid foundation first and then marco rock pieces glued with rock dust and BRS aquascaping glue. The main structure was built 3-4 inches at a time over a month. Then fixed the marco shelf rocks to create the coral placement flat structures. I have also used aquaforest stonefix to strengthen the joints further. Hope this helps.

Wish you good luck with your build!

 

[Juanzingo]

nice build and perfect aquascape!

 

[UltraKelius]

How is the tank going?

 

[Bonsai reef]

How is the tank going?

Tank is doing good. At 6 months mark now. Had a period of dino which lasted about a month caused some sps to fade and slowed down growth due to low PO4. But things are turning back now. Have few patches of cyano on the sand but nothing concerning.

Fishes are all good. Added a pair of randall's anthias and springeri damsel about 2 months back. All settled in well.

 

[Bonsai reef]

Came back after 10 days vacation and things have never looked better than this. Colors of sps improved with more PE. Few growth tips and more encrustation.

Checked my params- alk- 6.7(from 8), NO3 -0(from 8) and PO4- 0.00(from 0.05) hanna ulr. The remarkable change was in ph (with no one at home) which was consistent btwn 8 low to 8.24 high (7.8-8 otherwise). This hobby is strange!

 

[dlaird76]

How are things going now with the tank?

 

[Bonsai reef]

Tank is going good. Acros are still encrusting. Montis taking off, have lost couple of Aussie euphyllias due to some bacterial infection, indos are doing great. Added a radion xr30 gen5 blue. Running at 30% and color pop is amazin!

 

[lubeck]

Looks great. What setting are using on the radion?

 

[Bonsai reef]

Looks great. What setting are using on the radion?

All channels at 100% with intensity at 30%. All blues at night for 2 hours.

 

[lubeck]

All channels at 100% with intensity at 30%. All blues at night for 2 hours.

Got It , so essentially the AB+. That’s what I run At 75%

 

[Bonsai reef]

Got It , so essentially the AB+. That’s what I run At 75%

Yes thats right. I have T5 so i started way down at 30%

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Tank is going good. Acros are still encrusting. Montis taking off, have lost couple of Aussie euphyllias due to some bacterial infection, indos are doing great. Added a radion xr30 gen5 blue. Running at 30% and color pop is amazin!

Coral are looking great!

 

[dlaird76]

That's looking great. Sorry to hear about the loses. New light addition is great also. Correct decision to start with low intensity.

 

[Bonsai reef]

One year mark is magical…!

Year 1 has seen it all. From dinos to cyano. It was a roller coaster ride. As the tank hits its one year mark, sps started to take off. Here is the FTS and some close ups. Everything started from 1-2 inch frags.

RR Rainbow Loom-

Adam bomb-

Electric limeade mille-

Strawberry shortcake-

TSA Bill Murray-

JF grafted monti

Bubble gum digi and green goblin-

 

[Nano_Man]

Your set up is really nice also corals and the scape looks brilliant great job.

 

[Bonsai reef]

Your set up is really nice also corals and the scape looks brilliant great job.

Thanks a lot

 

[nuxx]

Looking super good!

 

[Bonsai reef]

Picked up some sticks from @FraghouseCorals sale last week-

Amazing color and always nicely sized frags at great prices plus they never forget to add freebies!

front row from left to right -

FHC Blukachu
Unique Corals Pink Hyacinthus
MattV Topaz
WWC Heartbreaker

back row from left to right -

Living Reef Orlando Jamba Juice
Battle Corals Upscale Microclados
FHC Chaching
FHC Night Fire
FHC Choco taco