Wes' Aquareef 300

[wes1984]

FTS: 4/08/2015


System Start Date: 21/02/2015

EQUIPMENT:
Aquareef 300 + Sump totalling at 330l.
Jebao DCT12000 Return pump.
1x 200w + 1x 150w Heaters (not sure on brand)
Stc1000 Temperature controller
Bubble Magus Curve 5.5 Skimmer
1x Jebao RW-8 & 1x Jebao RW-4
Hydor smart auto top up
Aquanano Led clamp lamp. (Fuge Light) Caulpera and Chaeto
V2 Vecton 200 UV with Newjet pump.
TMC Ozone Generator.
Bubble Magus Mini 70 reactor (Not running at the moment)
Mini Filter X BioPellets Reactor (Fish-Street)
Lights: Evergro IT2080

STOCK:
FISH:
1x Black spot Foxface
1x Yellow Prawn Goby
1x Cave/Circus Goby (Possibly)
1x Pink Scooter Blenny
2x Occelaris Clown Fish
1x Radiant Wrasse
1x Desjardini Sailfin Tang
1x Purple Tang
1x Yellow tang (In QT)

INVERTS:
1x Banded Black Brittle Star Fish
1x Sand Sifting Star Fish
1x Rock Boring Urchin
2x Conch Snail
1x Money Cowrie Snail
?x Trochus Snails
2x Mexican Turbo Snail
?x Dove Snails
1x Blood Shrimp (Unsure, MIA)
2x Peppermint Shrimps (I think)

CORALS:
SPS - Montipora Digitata, Plating Montipora, Green Slimer, Hysterix, Stylophora, Setosa, Millipora, Staghorn, Hirsuta, Acropora Tenius, ....
LPS - Acans, Favia, Candy Canes, Fungia Plates, Euphyllias- Hammers, Torch and Frogspawn, Bubble Coral, Elegance Coral, Duncan Coral, Trachyphyllia, Branching Brain coral (I think) Scolymia

SOFTIES - Gold Gorgonian, GSP, Orange Ricordeas, Various Zoas, Mushies(Scarlet, Superman and Green)

 

[wes1984]

Hi this is my new system been up and running for a couple weeks so far but was an upgrade to my old tank and the new stock came from a tank shutdown so all stock very healthy and mature.
The tank has numerous mods/upgrades which I'm very pleased with so far. The drain has been converted to a double drain using the original return pipe and a union ball valve on the 40mm drain pipe and a new return pipe built with double outlets.






I redesigned the sump in a way that allows me various options of how to run it. So if i want to change anything at later stage i just rearrange it etc. I think i'll be running a Skimmer, bio pellet reactor and phosphate reactor in the front section, then the section behind will be a refugium with chaeto. Both these chambers overflow into the return.



This is the current sump set up with all equipment:





The sump light has since been added and the refugium is now set up with chaeto and a few bits of caulpera and about 3kg of live rock.



I've also bought a new skimmer froma local reefer so upgrading from the Curve 3.5 to the C5.5. Theres a considerable size difference so need to move a few bits round to get it in.

 

[wes1984]

Guttatus coral last night under blues:

 

[wes1984]

Another piece has arrived to set up the calcium reactor

And i picked this up after weighing up the price of a more expensive Meter and the replacement probes for them are the same price of one of these so figured I'd just Replace this once a year or so. Will get it set up soon and see how it fairs. If not plan b and get a more expensive one. This is just to keep track of the PH of the tank as the probe for the other one measures the Calc reactor.

Calibrated and installed. Seems to work well.

This is the current sump set up with new skimmer etc.

 

[wes1984]

Took a few snaps today and first proper pics of my Foxface I picked up recently.

 

[wes1984]

 

[chippypah]

Looking very nice there.

 

[wes1984]

 

[wes1984]

Wowzers. Haven't updated this thread in a looooooooooong time.
If anyone is interested here is a run down and a lot of pictures. A lot has happened in 5 months, good and bad.
Shortly after my last post things went downhill and fast. My fish all developed whitespot and started dieing one by one. I tried the usual method over feeding, garlic, etc hoping the fish would shake it off. No results. After an online discussion on a local reef page i was reccommended seachem paraguard. I was assured by the person that he had used it mny times in a reef tank with no ill affect to corals etc. In my desperation i took his word for it and tried it. Two doses in and something was drastically wrong. My corals were on a downward spiral and did not look like anything was going to make it. I was gutted and so angry!! I did numerous emergency water changes and changed 300l of water in a space of 72hrs while running a massive bag of carbon to get this stuff out. Meanwhile still losing fish. After about a week i managed to stabilise the tank and in the end lost my hysterix, trumpets and chalice. These were defo dead but about 5 other colonies still looked horrible and borderline but i left them in hoping for a recovery miracle. Not wanting to lose anymore stock i went out and bought a quarntine setup for the remaining fish now down to the foxface, cleaner wrasse and yellow prawn goby.
The QT tank is as follows:
Clearseal 24x12x15 67litres with hood and LED
Eheim pick up 160 filter
100w heater
20cm blue led bar
TMC auto top off
DIY Stand

It took me a few days but managed to catch the remaining three fish with a trap and added to the QT tank in which i was dosing copper. Unfortunately it was too late for the cleaner wrasse and it died few days later. The other 2 survived the outbreak. I left the display tank for 8-10weeks during which i tried to get my corals back to health, added a few more corals and a few inverts along the way. Couple mods on the sump area as well. I also purchased and added in a TMC Ozone to run with the UV light. I know this isnt a cure but it does help with prevention and makes the skimmer work over time.
Added this shelf on the door for food


UV unit and Ozone unit:


Some frags to replace lost ones.





The tank at that point:


This is my tenius acroporra that i thought i lost as it went completely white but still had a few polyps out so was crossing fingers.


Setosa went really pale and white in areas. This was a few weeks after and in recovery process.


My cataphyllia was one of the first to recover along with my trachyphyllia



Added a sand sifting starfish, another conch snail and a large brittle starfish during the fallow period.





So that was the disaster I had. Everything has been pretty spot on after that. Few minor hiccups but just standard stuff.

 

[wes1984]

Bit of a shopping spree after that and picked up a fair few more frags and corals.

 

[wes1984]

Picked this drawer unit up from ikea. Fits in perfect with the tank and the rest of the furniture and fitted a tret in the gap. Still havent set the calcium reactor up lol.


Starfish on the move


So after what seemed like eternity a friend picked up this beauty for me, Radiant Wrasse and was added to the QT tank with the other 2 fish who were doing amazing now.



Tank was doing well too.




Pimped out my RO unit.
From this...


with this....


To this....

 

[dannydization]

stunning looking tank there mate shame about the disaster tho I'm hating seeing all these stunning tanks and seeing mine with just sand and one piece of rock

 

[wes1984]

stunning looking tank there mate shame about the disaster tho I'm hating seeing all these stunning tanks and seeing mine with just sand and one piece of rock

Thank you. And don't worry yours will get there too. It all takes time and certainly not over night. I've had some of thse corals for alost 3 years now. The slower yu take things th better it will be in the long run and be very selective as well as to what you want, dont just fill the tank with whatever you can get you hands on s you will regret it when you have no space an find something you really want!! Good Luck.

 

[dannydization]

Cheers mate i hope so been seeing so many nice tanks just lately and mine is sitting there just needing a sump conversion for the triton method hopefully its done soon so i can get som ATM colony in and some green chromis

 

[wes1984]

I picked this up for a mere £30 about 6 weeks ago. It was a rescue attempt as had been badly stung by an anemone in a previous tank.


Got it home and dipped it in an iodine solution for 15 min and then placed it in my tank. After a short few hours it was already showing good results.


6 weeks later and its an amazing piece!!


Picked up these a while back as well. This was them in QT tank. They are now in the display tank.


Sps cluster doing well.


FTS:

 

[wes1984]

Picked this little guy up as well along the way.



And this stunner.



And this is my latest addition currently in the QT.

 

[wes1984]

Some recent pics taken last week....

 

[wes1984]

Picked up this stunner yesterday from a tank breakdown. Its pretty big and had to rearrange a few things to get it in.

 

[penzo]

Sorry about your bad luck,but tank is looking super now,I like your coral placements and your fish choices,love purple tangs and a super pair of clowns.