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Cultivated Reef

My 20g reef tank


pbenner

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Aquascape Shot

 

20gReefTank001.jpg

Wife dictated the placement of the rocks for the Aqua Scape.

 

Specs:

 

20g tank

20 pounds araganite (5lbs live)

15 pounds reef rock

8 pounds lace rock

 

250w Hamilton Halide Fixture with 2 36w PC actenic bulbs

AC70 converted into mini refugium

100w RENA Smart Heater

 

I built the stand from 2x4s and some 1/2" plywood. I used 1/2" black steel pipe to make the stand that the light hangs from. The stand will hold my dream tank one day (24" cube)

 

Back of the tank is painted with Krylon Fusion (Black Satin)

 

I'm hopeful that this weekend we'll pick up a few choice pieces of Live Rock to seed the tank. I also need to get some Chaeto and some other living additives soon. My goal is to seed the tank and let it sit until Christmas for good pod and bacteria growth on the rock.

 

My stocking plans are as follows:

 

CuC:

 

20 Dwarf Ceriths

6 Nassarius

4 Large Nerites

5 Blue Legs

10 Florida Ceriths

1 Limpet

1 Fuzzy Chiton

 

Inverts:

 

1 Skunk Cleaner

1 Emerald Crab

1 Peppermint Shrimp

1 Ball Tipped Anemone

 

Fish:

 

2 True Perculas

1 Falco Hawkfish

1 Royal Gramma (Possibly)

 

I haven't really sat down to list out what corals I want to keep, but I know that I want zoanthids more than anything. Some of the SPS and LPS look cool, but only a few I think I'd own at the moment. I'd be big into a plate coral I think.

 

Let me know what you think. I'm excited.

 

Best,

 

Paul

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I ordered my Koralia Nanos today, I got a pair of them. I think I may stick them to the back glass and point one straight out and toward the middle, and the other slightly down and towards the far corner.

 

Anyone have any thoughts on achieving the best flow for a 20gallon tank?

 

Best,

 

Paul

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Okay, so my wife may pick up some pieces of live rock today while she's out and about. Thinking I might remove some of the smaller pieces of base rock and just use them later on in another tank.

 

No thoughts on the Powerheads?

 

Parameters as of last night:

 

SG - 1.023

Ammonia - .25

Nitrate - 0

Nitrite - 0

 

Need to get the Reef Master Kit addon to my tests soon, lol.

 

Best,

 

Paul

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Added a single piece of fully cured live rock to the tank that weighs just over 3 pounds. Went ahead and grabbed two small hermits and a couple of snails. Also moved the Aquascape to accomidate the newest rock, and I removed a bit of the baserock thinking that it can aquaculture in the tank later on before I start my 2.5g DIY AIO for my desk at work.

 

20gReefTank005.jpg

 

Need to check my numbers later on this afternoon, but I've got a construction project going on

 

Best,

 

Paul.

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How high do u have the light above ur tank..I have the same tank by the way but a lot less light and want to eventually upgrade to a brighter lighting system soon...just gotta get the little bit of algae under control b4 I make it worse w/more light..cant wait to see how ur tank turns out.

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How high do u have the light above ur tank..I have the same tank by the way but a lot less light and want to eventually upgrade to a brighter lighting system soon...just gotta get the little bit of algae under control b4 I make it worse w/more light..cant wait to see how ur tank turns out.

 

 

The bottom of the fixture is 3' off the sand bed. Gives it a really nice look for distance. The tank is 42.5" off the ground on it's stand, so it sits much higher than the computer desk, I can see the left hand side of the tank from my desk and most of the frontal view.

 

The Gramma is totally friendly, and I've got some free frags on the way from a friend, so I hope that they take off well.

 

I'll be taking the webcam down off and on, but i'll probably leave it up. It may go to passworded access.

 

If I ever get to the point that the wife is comfortable with it, I might turn the remote PTZ option on and position the camera so you can view in real time and move it around a bit. Things to do.

 

Best,

 

Paul.

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Powerheads are out for delivery with the UPS guy. I can't wait to get them installed.

 

I also picked up some corals this weekend. I got a Colt, a Purple/Teal mushroom, and some GPS from a friend and then a nice local lady here gave me some Kenya frags, some Xenia and a small red mushroom.

 

They're all banded to a rock at the moment, trying to make sure they stick there. These will be the corals that I let my daughter frag for her science experiment.

 

Best,

 

Paul

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Found a rock crab in my tank >.<

 

Missing Peppermint Shrimp sucks as well, he might have been rock crab fodder. I put the crab into my refugium, I assume he can live out his days there. If not, He's going to the great toilet bowl in the sky. Bastard.

 

Paul

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  • 4 months later...
Found a rock crab in my tank >.<

 

Missing Peppermint Shrimp sucks as well, he might have been rock crab fodder. I put the crab into my refugium, I assume he can live out his days there. If not, He's going to the great toilet bowl in the sky. Bastard.

 

Paul

 

Updates Mate!

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wow! tank looks excellent so far! cant wait to see it all stocked up! question... what types of compact flour bulbs are you using? and what k rated metal halide bulb? i really like the look your lighting is giving off!

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