Reef experiment

Chitown1 · 06-30-2007, 03:01 PM

I have been keeping tanks for over 15 years and have seen lots of different set ups. I have heard a lot of people including myself state that you need large tanks, halide lighting, supplements up the ying yang etc. in order to keep a reef.

I have set up a 26 gallon bow front up as a reef, the live stock includes, 2 gold banded maroon clowns (mated), 12 various snails and a pepermint shrimp, corals are a flower pot, honeycomb, yellow leather, 2 plates (1 maroon and yellow, 1 yellow) and a croatia clam. There is also a bubble tip anenome. It also has 40 LBS LR and a 4" deep sand bed.

I am setting this up as a simple low cost set up, it has a 110 watt PC fixture with 1 10,000k daylight and a actinic, a remora c skimmer, 150 watt heater. The tank has a built in over flow so the equipment is completely hidden leaving a clean looking display. The only supplement I will be starting with is calcium and I will be feeding "Rod's Reef" food, mysis and krill for the anenome.

As time goes by I will update the progress of the different species to help others wanting to set up a tank without spening big money and I will post pics as soon as I get the chance.

Radom · 06-30-2007, 08:42 PM

post some pictures

gm333 · 06-30-2007, 10:53 PM

Sounds good, I have been doing the same thing with the 2.5 gallon tank i have. All thats in mine is one crab, three snails and some palys, zoas, mushrooms and GSP's. So far I have not had any issues with anything. The coralline is growing rapidly and I have yet to have an algae problem.

Chitown1 · 07-01-2007, 08:22 AM

I started this tank by adding the sand and about 12 LBS LR from a existing tank, it then sat and cured for 6 weeks. I did 10% water changes weekly starting on week 4.

Week 3 - I added the balance of the LR

Week 6 - I added the clean up crew consisting of 5 asteria, 5 black turbo, 2 mexican turbo and 5 nassarious snails.

week 8 - I added the clowns and bubble anenome using drip acclimation

week 9 - I added the honeycomb and flower pot using drip acclimation

week 10 - I added the leather, clam and plates using drip acclimation

Chitown1 · 07-18-2007, 06:09 PM

Week 11 - All is progressing well, the clam has attached itself to a piece of rock I placed in the sand so it has now been moved to a higher location, the flower pot is just as vibrant under these 110 watt pc lights as it was in the store where it was kept under 2 250 MH bulbs with pc actinics, the maroon plate coral has shown some growth and the yellow plate has molded itself a bit over the rock it was placed on.
I started using Rod's Reef food in the mix of formula 2, mysis, squid and krill for the anenome, the feeders on the corals fully extend for this stuff and it is all natural, the ingredients are even rinsed in RO filtered water.
I am still working on getting some decent pics, as soon as I can get some "worthy" shots, I will post them in the pic forum.

Nereaga · 07-18-2007, 06:18 PM

Sounds like it coming along nicely. I cant wait to see some pics then. I myself am starting to think about a smaller setup for my living room. This will surely help me with deciding on a smaller setup.

Thinking Seahorses, just like Andy...

Keep us posted Chi....

Tbx · 07-18-2007, 08:45 PM

Sounds like every one is trying to figure out the minimal requirements to reef keeping. I to am doing the same thing with a 2 gallon with the diy canister filter i made.

Chitown1 · 07-18-2007, 09:58 PM

This is one time I would say smaller is better, you dont need MH or even T5 lights with sucha shallow tank and the low fish population keeps water params more stabalized, there is the issue of a small contaminent could cause a major issue but with a good water change and testing regiment, it can (in theory at this point) be caught

Radom · 07-19-2007, 07:21 AM

How often you do water changes?

Chitown1 · 07-19-2007, 08:52 AM

I do 5 gallons weekly and test all water params twice a week.