Introduction
Tank Specs:
Display: 40 gallon Aqueon 36"x18"x16" glass aquarium
Lighting: Current 4x36" T5 fixture with (2) ATI Blue Plus and (2) GE 6500 bulbs.
25 watt custom made Cree XP-G, XT-E and Osram Red LED array mounted onto my Current T5 fixture.
Overflow: Life Reef Nano overflow box
Sump: 15 gallon Aqueon glass aquarium
Heater: 200 watt Ehiem
Top-off: 5 gallon RODI with drip
Filter media: no sock or mechanical, Phosban 150 with GAC
Return Pump: Tunze Silence 1070.20
Circulation: (2) Koralia Nano 400 pumps
Sump Light: Sunpark PAR38 15 watt 5000k LED light for growing Chaetomorpha
Setup Date: Nov. 11th 2009
Corals:
The tank is a blend of soft and LPS corals. Both categories of corals prefer more gentle water movement and most like to eat a lot. Many soft corals like Cladiella sp., Sarcophyton Elegans and Xenia thrive under intense light. The general rule in my tanks is "the less they feed, the more light they need". I have one hard coral on the back side of my center rock work, a beautiful orange Montipora Capricornis.
Acanthastrea sp. (Acan)
Briareum sp. (Green Star Polyps)
Capnella sp. (Kenya Tree Coral)
Cladiella sp. (Colt Coral)
Euphyllia glabrescens (Green Torch)
Euphyllia Paradivisa (Frog Spawn)
Gioniopora sp.
Montipora Capricornis
Nephthea sp. (Green Nephthea)
Palythoa sp. (Palys assorted)
Sarcophyton Elegans (Yellow Fiji Leather)
Wellsophyllia Radiata (Open Brain Coral)
Xenia sp.
Zoanthus sp. (Zoas assorted)
Filtration:
My current system is simple and has very low maintenance requirements. The water flows from the tank through a Life Reef Nano overflow box. The Life Reef overflow has been 100% reliable with no siphon restart issues. The overflow empties into a 15 gallon glass sump. No filter sock is used. Most of the sump is taken up with a large clump of Chaetomorpha. Any particulates that go into the overflow or sump are quickly eaten by a large population of small brittle stars (see photo) and amphipods. If I consistently over-feed, my detritivore population grows. I used a Sunpark PAR38 15w LED fixture to light the Chaeto. A Phosban 150 reactor is partially filled with activated carbon (GAC). GAC is surprisingly effective at removing dissolved organics and helps keeps the water clear and reduce odors. Sometimes soft corals can get a little stinky.
I've experimented with both GFO (granular ferric oxide) and protein skimming. GFO is a little too good at removing phosphate. In a small aquarium it's very easy to bottom out your phosphate levels and starve your corals- be careful. I think protein skimmers are a great option for aquariums heavily stocked with fish. I've used a Bubble Magus NAC6 protein skimmer in past. I didn't see any changes in the aquarium except my Chaeto grew more slowly. I'd much rather trim Chaeto once a month, than clean a skimmer every week.
Display: 40 gallon Aqueon 36"x18"x16" glass aquarium
Lighting: Current 4x36" T5 fixture with (2) ATI Blue Plus and (2) GE 6500 bulbs.
25 watt custom made Cree XP-G, XT-E and Osram Red LED array mounted onto my Current T5 fixture.
Overflow: Life Reef Nano overflow box
Sump: 15 gallon Aqueon glass aquarium
Heater: 200 watt Ehiem
Top-off: 5 gallon RODI with drip
Filter media: no sock or mechanical, Phosban 150 with GAC
Return Pump: Tunze Silence 1070.20
Circulation: (2) Koralia Nano 400 pumps
Sump Light: Sunpark PAR38 15 watt 5000k LED light for growing Chaetomorpha
Setup Date: Nov. 11th 2009
Corals:
The tank is a blend of soft and LPS corals. Both categories of corals prefer more gentle water movement and most like to eat a lot. Many soft corals like Cladiella sp., Sarcophyton Elegans and Xenia thrive under intense light. The general rule in my tanks is "the less they feed, the more light they need". I have one hard coral on the back side of my center rock work, a beautiful orange Montipora Capricornis.
Acanthastrea sp. (Acan)
Briareum sp. (Green Star Polyps)
Capnella sp. (Kenya Tree Coral)
Cladiella sp. (Colt Coral)
Euphyllia glabrescens (Green Torch)
Euphyllia Paradivisa (Frog Spawn)
Gioniopora sp.
Montipora Capricornis
Nephthea sp. (Green Nephthea)
Palythoa sp. (Palys assorted)
Sarcophyton Elegans (Yellow Fiji Leather)
Wellsophyllia Radiata (Open Brain Coral)
Xenia sp.
Zoanthus sp. (Zoas assorted)
Filtration:
My current system is simple and has very low maintenance requirements. The water flows from the tank through a Life Reef Nano overflow box. The Life Reef overflow has been 100% reliable with no siphon restart issues. The overflow empties into a 15 gallon glass sump. No filter sock is used. Most of the sump is taken up with a large clump of Chaetomorpha. Any particulates that go into the overflow or sump are quickly eaten by a large population of small brittle stars (see photo) and amphipods. If I consistently over-feed, my detritivore population grows. I used a Sunpark PAR38 15w LED fixture to light the Chaeto. A Phosban 150 reactor is partially filled with activated carbon (GAC). GAC is surprisingly effective at removing dissolved organics and helps keeps the water clear and reduce odors. Sometimes soft corals can get a little stinky.
I've experimented with both GFO (granular ferric oxide) and protein skimming. GFO is a little too good at removing phosphate. In a small aquarium it's very easy to bottom out your phosphate levels and starve your corals- be careful. I think protein skimmers are a great option for aquariums heavily stocked with fish. I've used a Bubble Magus NAC6 protein skimmer in past. I didn't see any changes in the aquarium except my Chaeto grew more slowly. I'd much rather trim Chaeto once a month, than clean a skimmer every week.
Equipment
Aquarium