Ben's Mixed Reef Tank

[Reef Hero]

Display Tank: 75 Gallon
Sump: 40 Gallon Long (1/2 Full)

PARAMETERS
Salinity - 1.026
Temp - 78-80 F
Nitrates - Unreadable (Salifert)
Alk - 8.0 to 8.5 dkh (Hanna)
Calcium - 450ish ppm (Salifert)
Magnesium - 1400 to 1500ppm (Salifert)
Phosphates - 0.03 to 0.1 ppm (Hanna)
Potassium - 390ppm (Salifert)

Water Change:
Instant Ocean Reef Crystals
5g Every 5 Days. No excuses.

PowerHeads:
2 - Tunze 6055 Nano
2 - Tunze 6095 Nano
1 - Tunze Nano Wavebox

Return Pump:
MAG 18 w/ Manifold and 2 - 3/4" Return Lines to DT

Overflow (Drain to Sump):
2 - LifeReef Single Prefilter Overflow Boxes w/ 1" Drains leading into 1-1/2" Drains into Sump..... Going old school
Silencers Installed on Both of course....
I'm also using a Tunze Water Level Alarm to kill my return pump just in case.....

DIsplay Tank Lighting:
ATI 8-54W Dimmable Sunpower Fixture
Front to Back Bulb Configuration:
ATI Actinic
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Coral Plus
ATI Actinic
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Purple Plus
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Actinic

Skimmer:
AP600 Deltec w/ Original AquaBee

Chiller:
JBJ Arctica 1/10th HP
Fed From Return Pump Manifold

Carbon:
Phosban 150 w/ 250ml BRS ROX 0.8
Fed From MJ400 in Sump

GFO:
Phosban 150 (x2) w/ 250ml BRS HC
Fed From MJ400s in Sump

Heaters:
2 - 250W Eheim Jäger

ATO:
Tunze Osmolater
Custom Built ATO Reservoir with Attached Additive Reservoirs

Aquarium Computer/Controller:
GHL Profilux 3
GHL Expansion Box w/ Temp., Conductivity, ORP, and PH Probes
GHL Touch
GHL SMS Module
GHL 6PAB Powerbar (x2)
GHL Slave Doser 4 Channel

RODI:
Mine is kind of a Frankenstein setup....lol...originated as a MaxWaterFlow ROD....now it is as follows
5micron Sediment
5micron carbon
1micron carbon
75GPD RO Membrane
DI Media
Oh, and I change my filters often....especially the DI media
I have the line teed for tap water use as well but instead of going through the DI from the RO Membrane, it goes to a post carbon/chlorine inline filter

Fish:
3 - Blue/Green Chromis
2 - Blue Streak Cardinals
2 - False Perc Clownfish
1 - Chocolate (Mimic) Tang
1 - Sailfin Tang
1 - Yellow Tang
1 - Naso Unicornis
1 - Melanurus Wrasse

I have been using Prodibio's BioClean dosing additives in order to achieve a ULNS. Here are some more pics of what is behind the scenes....

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[harleymike]

Awesome looking tank.
I was looking at your lighting. I run a 8 bulb t5 also. I see you only have one coral plus. I have two and was thinking of going to one. Do you find it really blue with just one coral plus.
thanks
Mike

 

[Reef Hero]

Awesome looking tank.
I was looking at your lighting. I run a 8 bulb t5 also. I see you only have one coral plus. I have two and was thinking of going to one. Do you find it really blue with just one coral plus.
thanks
Mike

Thanks.
I used to run 2 Coral Plus. I switched one out for the Purple Plus about 3 months ago but I am thinking about switching back now....it lowered my par quite a bit and I think some of my acros are being affected negatively.
I did not notice much of a difference in colour actually.... I'm thinking that if I want more blue then maybe I switch out an actinic for a blue plus....perhaps the one at the very front.

To be honest, I'm not very happy with the FTS....and it cropped out the sides too much so I'm missing some stuff....I'm going to fix it

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[Duke]

wow your tank is sweet man,  sps galore, ill have to come see it one of these trips to london. how are you liking the new camera?

 

[Reef Hero]

wow your tank is sweet man,  sps galore, ill have to come see it one of these trips to london. how are you liking the new camera?

Thanks duke! I have learned that I like reefing a lot more than I like photography LOL


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[Skim]

Nice Tank and nice pic. Just wondering how long has been up and running?

Mike

 

[Reef Hero]

Nice Tank and nice pic. Just wondering how long has been up and running?

Mike

Thanks Mike!
The tank has been up for just over 5 years. However, there has been numerous changes to it over the years. When I first started I was fish only....well fish and lots of algae!


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[Skim]

Ya everyone has to go through the Algae Monster usually more then once. It looks like its getting crowded, me thinks I see some frags going on sale soon or maybe a nice 6'x2'x2' even better 6'x3'x2' should take you about another 5 years to fill that one.
HA HA HA

Mike

 

[teebone110]

About time we see some pics of your tank, congrats!
Things look very healthy and your sps is thriving nicely

Let's see some more pics under the hood

 

[Poseidon]

Glad you finally got around to doing a thread, shame though the pics can't capture how awesome this tank is and the huge diversity of coral in it.
I must've spent a good 1.5-2 hrs there the other day just looking at all the different pieces!

 

[Salty Cracker]

By the way he's lying about the livestock, he doesn't have a single fish in the tank

 

[MrHermit85]

Sweet tank and setup! Probably one of the nicest 75s I have seen in a while!

 

[KBennett]

Hey Ben,

What do you plan on doing with the Naso and the sailfin when they get bigger?  Upgrading soon?

 

[AdamS]

Ben's tank is nicer than some of the RC TOTM tanks. It also has at least 1000 different types of coral, all of which Ben can tell you the lineage of back to the middle ages.

 

[nexusnight]

this tank really does look amazing. lots of kick ass coral, u can tell he is a bit of a "collector". snagged up a few frags from ben and headed back for more!!!

 

[Reef Hero]

Ya everyone has to go through the Algae Monster usually more then once. It looks like its getting crowded, me thinks I see some frags going on sale soon or maybe a nice 6'x2'x2' even better 6'x3'x2' should take you about another 5 years to fill that one.
HA HA HA

Mike

I will likely upgrade my tank at some point but the 75 is what I got for now and I'm just going to work with it....I have sold off a couple larger colonies that I grew out to make more room. And I have begun fragging some things..... Some things I have no choice but to frag and others are more or less cut to order

About time we see some pics of your tank, congrats!
Things look very healthy and your sps is thriving nicely

Let's see some more pics under the hood

Thanks teebone! I want to come see your tank sometime....soon....send me a pm
I have taken quite a few pics of the setup and equipment and I will post them up very soon....I just want to fix my DT pic first....it's driving me nuts!! Yesterday was hockey day in Canada and so I was kinda glued to the tv haha

Glad you finally got around to doing a thread, shame though the pics can't capture how awesome this tank is and the huge diversity of coral in it.
I must've spent a good 1.5-2 hrs there the other day just looking at all the different pieces!

Thanks Brandon! Yes, it took me a while to get a tank thread up lol.... I'm going to do my best to fast track it and yet try not to leave too much out. I will follow up soon with individual coral pics of perhaps group pics starting with pieces I've had the longest.
I'm still figuring out my camera and such so bear with me....speaking of that, anyone know some good s/w for editing pics? Thanks in advance!

By the way he's lying about the livestock, he doesn't have a single fish in the tank

LOL....I'm going to update my DT pic very soon and show you!!!

Sweet tank and setup! Probably one of the nicest 75s I have seen in a while!

Thanks!!! I'm never happy with it....lol

Hey Ben,

What do you plan on doing with the Naso and the sailfin when they get bigger?  Upgrading soon?

I'm not really too sure yet Kevin....they are such terrific fish that I hope they stay small forever lol....right now they all look very happy and play nice together....of course who knows what the future brings and like I've always done, I will have to deal with the issue when it arises.
The only thing I might be upgrading in the future is to having a largish frag tank because the corner racks just aren't cutting it

this tank really does look amazing. lots of kick ass coral, u can tell he is a bit of a \"collector\". snagged up a few frags from ben and headed back for more!!!

Thanks! I like to collect pieces of all species....anything that catches my eye lol
I prefer and have grown out everything from frags.....the only downside of this is that I have some pieces much larger than others and it kinda looks funny to me but oh well.

Ben's tank is nicer than some of the RC TOTM tanks. It also has at least 1000 different types of coral, all of which Ben can tell you the lineage of back to the middle ages.

Wow! Thanks Adam! I'm not sure if I totally agree with you but that comment does mean a lot to me.
Yes, I like to talk coral or saltwater....sometimes I'm sure I embarrass myself more than I should but I really do love the hobby....ask my wife!!
It looks like you and your family are loving st Lucia!! Hope you took lots more pics!! Have a safe return back to Canada and see you when you get here.


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[spyd]

Very nice tank!!! Can't wait to check it out one day! Very nice layout, great coral selection and growth!! Definitely time for an upgrade in the future.  ;D

 

[Reef Hero]

Very nice tank!!! Can't wait to check it out one day! Very nice layout, great coral selection and growth!! Definitely time for an upgrade in the future.  ;D

Thanks Derek! I gotta get over to see your tank one of these days too. Pictures just never capture how nice they can be in person and that's why I like to see things in person


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[Reef Hero]

I changed the pic of my DT..... I like it a lot better but for some reason it didn't crop properly..... Hmmm, might be changing it again yet lol


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[jmonker]

Wow stunning aquarium... Love to see some more pics...

Killer ben keep up the grow.