Husker 150g Peninsula (SPS--> Soft Coral Tank)

[Husker]

The main display tank still looks so barren, with the mostly new rocks and tiny frags.

Here are a couple shots from the display refugium, which will also become an anemone tank. Everything has been quite stable, so I picked up a couple very cool looking RBTA from a local. I have had them in the past without much trouble. If they do well, I will transfer my clown over to this tank.

 

[Husker]

 

[Husker]

The anemones are doing really well and have stopped moving around. I think I might actually be getting some growth from the seagrasses.

I would really like to move my clownfish into the display refugium. I think he would be happier in there. However, he apparently does not know what is good for him because he is almost impossible to catch. My net is perhaps a little small (only around 4" wide). However, I'm not sure if I want to get a new net and/or a fish trap to go through that whole fiasco, or if I will just leave him in the main tank and get more clowns for the anemone/refugium tank.

 

[Husker]

Quick update. I now have nearly 60 SPS frags in my tank (90% Acropora). No more room. Everything seems healthy and a few are starting to encrust.

Anemones are happy, and I added a pair of cinnamon clowns that look enough like tomato clowns that we named them "Pasta" and "Noodle." The fuge tank is keeping nitrates at 0.0 and phosphates at 0.00 despite absurdly heavy feedings. I am hoping that there is sufficient nutrient availability with the heavy feedings, but it just isn't lingering. I went the first couple months without algae problems in the main display, which has never happened in any of my past tanks.

 

[Husker]

Any guesses as to what is going on here?

 

[Rob77]

My last tank was my first SPS tank, and I really love the color and interesting growth you can get from SPS. However, I also love the natural and less sterile look of macro algae and soft coral tanks. I decided this tank will try to have best of both worlds: 150g SPS display tank (5'x2'x2')+ 55 gallon display refugium.

Here is the vision, transforming my little office into a bit of a cave surrounded by reef tanks.

Current View (July, 2017)

Setup (so far):
Display Tank: 150g (60"x24"x24") Planet Aquariums, 1/2" starfire glass
Display Refugium: 55g (48"x13"x21") standard + Aquasanrise R120 Light
Sump: 75 gallon (48"x18.5"x22") standard
Lighting: ATI T5/LED hybrid (Nanobox reef; 8 bulb modified to 6 bulb + LEDs)
Flow: 2x Tunze 6105 (1x MP60for the display refugium)
Skimmer: Vertex Alpha 200
Return pump: Vectra M1
Overflow: Synergy Reef Shadow Overflow (16"); BeanAnimal drain
Doser: Jebao
Calcium Reactor: Old MRC CR-2
Controller: Apex 2016




This is my first tank with a controller... I can't believe I am giving in. It looks like it could save a lot of headaches and heartbreaks in the future, though.

amazing tank!

 

[Husker]

amazing tank!

Thanks, it feels like it is starting to take shape.

 

[pelphrey]

You've done an amazing job! Hoping the next house is a perfect fit for a peninsula tank!

 

[Fritzhamer]

This is so cool. Really great build. I like how sparse the main tank is, the display fuge is also really neat. I also really like how you finished the steel structure and hung the ATI light.

 

[Husker]

You've done an amazing job! Hoping the next house is a perfect fit for a peninsula tank!

Thanks, but much of the amazing has been to the credit of local help and some great vendors. The local who built my stand did a fantastic job. This space wasn't necessarily a perfect fit for a peninsula tank, but I wanted one bad enough that I felt the need to jam it in here . It does create a nice reef cave for my desk/computer.

This is so cool. Really great build. I like how sparse the main tank is, the display fuge is also really neat. I also really like how you finished the steel structure and hung the ATI light.

Thanks. I used too much rock on my last tank, and the corals filled in to quickly. This time, I wanted enough rock to be interesting but enough open space that coral could grow over a foot tall.

 

[Husker]

A couple quick photos. Things are starting to get some color and growth.

 

[Husker]

 

[pboutin]

Looking awesome! Where did you source your sea grass?

 

[Husker]

Looking awesome! Where did you source your sea grass?

Thanks. The seagrass is from Floridapets.com.

 

[pboutin]

Thanks. The seagrass is from Floridapets.com.

I guess I'll have to wait until Irma passes to order anything.

 

[Husker]

I guess I'll have to wait until Irma passes to order anything.

Probably. Not many other people selling them. The hurricane might wash up some of the rarer species, which is kind of a silver lining.

 

[revhtree]

Looking very nice!

 

[Husker]

Looking very nice!

Thanks, it is getting there.

 

[Husker]

A few quick macros.

RR Orange Passion

No namer.

No namer.

Red Planet.

Green slimer.

No namer.

BC secale, back from the dead.

Strawberry shortcake back from the dead.

Mr. Pacman that I surprisingly haven't killed yet.

 

[Husker]

I had a bout with red bugs that really hurt. The interceptor knocked it out, but the Acropora took a beating in the mean time. Everything is just starting to recover. Color definitely took a big hit.

Display refugium is doing well. Seagrass is starting to look healthy again, but there is a bit of a cyano problem. I added some more flow to try and curtain it.