my 30 gallon Paradise Reef

[Fishy41212]

I have had several tanks over the years, mainly reef tanks from about 2008 on. My last one was a 120 I could not take with me due to health issues and no one to help me move it. I gave up on reefing for a couple of years though I had secretly been itching to start another reef. My wife mentioned that she missed the old reef but in our new place we can only have 30 gallon tanks.

It just so happened we had a tank we were given that was a 30 gallon with a metal stand. I tried it on the metal stand but discovered real fast that the stand would rock back and forth when adding water. I built a stand and canopy of sorts but both are just skeletons right now. I will have a sump soon, thinking 29 gallon tank or 40 breeder. If a bigger one comes along for the right price I will bite.

For lighting I have two 250 watt 20000k metal halide lamps (have not bought the second ballast yet but next month... ). The sump will be lit by a 175 watt 5000k halide which once it nears EOL I will replace with low K lamps from Lowe's or ebay.

I want to have a Mandarin dragonette so I will be making a refugium and a half. Well, that and an anemone or two (like rock flower anemones or maybe one bta). I intend to keep mainly LPS and some SPS and softies but I also want there to be a lot of featherdusters and the like. Maximas are definately gonna happen and maybe Croceas. Maybe one of each.

Currently I have 2 Red Legged Hermit Crabs, 1 Blue Damsel, 1 Ocellaris Clownfish, Three red Mushrooms (likely Actinodiscus), and one Trumpet Coral which is splitting all over the place. I figure 20 heads easily once the splitting is done. They have maintained color wonderfully so far and in fact they were the most open I have seen them since I got them last Friday. I hope to have some pics tomorrow.

 

[Fishy41212]

I finally got some pics of the system today. My skimmer is hanging on the back as is the emperor 400ish filter (except it has no bio wheels... it is a penguin filter of some sort I believe). This will change once the sump goes in.

 

I will be getting the second 250W ballast at the beginning of June, along with the overflow, return pump, and sump. In the mean time I will be getting the sides and doors for the stand made this week hopefully.