20 Gallon Reef Refresh-3rd Birthday

[AWillroth]

I have a 20 gallon reef thats going on about 3 years old. Its had its ups and downs but earlier this summer I moved and switched work schedules and really let the tank go for a bit. Hair algae, cyano, T5 bulbs almost dead, some corals receding. I finally kicked myself into gear a few weeks ago and started whipping the tank back into shape.

 

First step? Water changes, and lots of them. Lots of manual removal of algae, endless applications of aptasia x, oh yeah, and herding the bastard clownfish into a net every time I wanna work on the tank.

 

Next up? New bulbs. The store I work at finally started stocking ATI so I grabbed a blue plus and a coral plus. I'll replace my actinics next month. Wow, what a difference from coralife.

 

Now, how to ensure I have less of these problems in the future, even if I happen to slip on the maintenance again, cuz lets face it, we all have intentions to do more than we ever actually get done? I upgraded my HOB filter to a Penguin 400 and throw a small skimmer in on of the compartments. Also added carbon and way more mechanical filtration to the other compartment. More flow? check. Skimmer? Check. Chemical filtration, check.

 

All in all, 2 weeks of working on things and my fading reef now has life anew. Of course I celebrated with a new coral, a pagoda cup. Heres to year 4 and beyond for my little reef.

 

 

 

[CrazyEyes]

Looks great. Great job getting it back in shape. What skimmer fits in the 400?

[AWillroth]

Pic Dump:

 

 

Full Tank Shot

 

Newest Addition, Pagoda Cup:

 

Ricordea Yuma/ small zoa garden:

 

 

Mushroom:

 

Green Leposeris, a frag I got on accident and ignored for a long time. now trying to grow it out:

 

Hammer Coral and my Clownfish, a fancy ocellaris from SA:

 

 

Green Palys/Buttons:

 

Frogspawn:

 

 

Clown Goby and a little baby bubble tip anemone thats been hanging on for dear life through my neglect:

 

Blastomussa:

My ever-elusive watchmen goby peering from his lair:

Looks great. Great job getting it back in shape. What skimmer fits in the 400?

The coralife biocube skimmer, actually. Its a tight fit and not the greatest skimmer but the best solution I've found for my tank.

[AWillroth]

The tank is 3 years old today. I added a new frogspawn to celebrate. Here's a video. Having some issues with cyano and flatworms but other than that everythings going well.

 

[Sharbuckle]

Happy 3rd Birthday! Mine just turned 1 today!