tannersmith200
Member
My 75g
I just wanted to show off my 75g SPS dominated reef tank. This tank is roughly 3 months old. This tank is the result of me moving all my corals from my 200g bow front tank to this 75g tank. I had a large bio load in my 200g and I was not getting the color, health and optimal growth that I was looking for. As you will notice with this tank, it is dominated by SPS and brain corals. When I think of coral reefs, I think of large brain corals and SPS coral colonies, particularly tabling corals.
I decided to take my corals from my 200g bow front display and move them to this 75g tank. My main focus was to optimize water quality for SPS corals. In order to achieve this, I needed a very light bio load, efficient and effective filtration methods, proper water flow and last but not least, patience.
Perhaps the biggest factor for any reef aquarium is lighting. I knew I wanted LED. What light fixture should I buy? There are so many choices on the market. It came down to price, output, and flexibility. I was almost sold on EcoTech’s Radion but ended up making the decision to go with AI’s Vega Color fixtures (x2). After two months of using the AI Vegas, I must say that I am very happy with the way my corals have reacted to the fixture. I did not get any bleaching and my corals have grown/spread significantly in the last two months. Very happy with the purchase!
As you may notice, I do not like my frags on discs typically. I like my corals to naturally adhere to the LR naturally. I fragged most of my corals from my 200g tank and placed them directly onto the LR’s surface in designated areas. They grow and spread MUCH faster if they are NOT ‘cut and glued’ onto discs in my experiences.
I am going to turn this thread into a diary as I am going to update pictures monthly in order to see color and growth over time. There is no better reward for me in this hobby than seeing vigorous growth over time through pictures. It will also give those who are interested in AI Vega color fixtures to see the effects coral coloration over time.
I will be posting pictures regularly with comparisons from last month's pictures. I will also post some youtube videos as well. This is going to be a very active thread.
Enjoy and feel free to leave any comments, feedback or even some good ole constructive criticism.
Equipment List:
Lighting – AI Vega Color (Black x2) -
Lighting Cycle -
8 AM - 20%
10 AM 40%
11 AM 60%
12 PM 80%
1 PM - 4 PM 100%
4 PM 80%
5 PM 60%
6 PM 40 %
7 PM 20%
8 PM - 8 AM OFF or Moon Light Cycle
Flow - EcoTech Marine Vortech Pump (MP40 x2),(MP10 x1)
Filtration and supplementation -
CPR AquaFuge 2 Hang-on Refugium
1. Miracle Mud
2. Chaetomorpha
Carbon Media
Aqua Remora C HOB Protein Skimmer
Phosphate removal - Two Little Fishes Phosban Reactor (150g), GFO media.
*** I perform a weekly 26% water change using Reef Crystals (I am NOT using kalkwasser or any other supplements)
Water Parameters:
pH - 8.1
Specific Gravity - 1.025
Alkalinity - 10 dkH
Nitrate - 0.05 ppm
Calcium 440 ppm
Magnesium - 1325 ppm
Phosphate - 0 ppm (undetectable)
Temp - 78
Fish:
Green Chromis - Chromis viridis (x3)
Yellow Watchman Goby - Cryptocentrus cinctus (x1)
Yellow Tang - Zebrasoma flaviscens (x1)
Ocellaris Clownfish - Amphiprion ocellaris (x1) ***First fish I purchased in the hobby. He is almost five years old.
Invertebrates:
Blue Spot Squamosa Clam - Tridacna squamosal (x1)
ORA Gold Maxima Clam - Tridacna maxima (x1)
Randalli Pistol Shrimp - Alpheus randalli (x1)
Skunk Cleaner Shrimp - Lysmata amboinensis (x2)
Pom Pom Crab - Lybia tessellate (x1)
Astraea Snails - Astraea tecta (x10)
Blue Leg Reef Hermit Crabs - Calcinus tricolor (x3)
Corals:
Maze Brain Coral - Platygyra spp (x1)
Closed Maze Brain Coral - Platygyra sinensis (x1)
Blue Tip Acro - Acropora spp (x1) ***Purchased two years ago as a 1” frag. Now almost 8” tall and 6” wide
Goniastrea Brain Coral - Goniastrea spp (x1)
Welsophyllia Brain - Trachyphyllia radiate (x2)
Whisker Coral - Duncanopsammia axifuga (20+ heads)
Orange Plating Montipora - Montipora hodgsoni (x1)
Bright Green Closed Maze Brain Coral - Platygyra sinensis (x1)
Blue Short Staghorn Acropora - Acropora spp (x2)
Neon Green Corallite Maze Brain Coral - Platygyra spp (x1)
Hydnophora (Branching) - Hydnophora grandis (x1)
Blue/Purple Montipora - Montipora spp (x1)
ORA Red Planet Table Acropora - Acropora spp (x1)
GARF Bonsai Acropora - Acropora spp (x1)
ORA Grube’s Gorgonian - Pinnigorgia flava (x4)
Firegarden Acropora - Acropora spp (x1)
Blue Flame Tabling Acropora - Acropora spp (x1)
TriColor Acropora - Acropora valida (x2)
Rasta Zoanthids - Zoanthus spp (30+)
PC Wolverine Zoanthids - Zoanthus spp (50+)
Purple Hornet Zoanthids - Zoanthus spp (20+)
Pumping Xenia - Xenia spp
I just wanted to show off my 75g SPS dominated reef tank. This tank is roughly 3 months old. This tank is the result of me moving all my corals from my 200g bow front tank to this 75g tank. I had a large bio load in my 200g and I was not getting the color, health and optimal growth that I was looking for. As you will notice with this tank, it is dominated by SPS and brain corals. When I think of coral reefs, I think of large brain corals and SPS coral colonies, particularly tabling corals.
I decided to take my corals from my 200g bow front display and move them to this 75g tank. My main focus was to optimize water quality for SPS corals. In order to achieve this, I needed a very light bio load, efficient and effective filtration methods, proper water flow and last but not least, patience.
Perhaps the biggest factor for any reef aquarium is lighting. I knew I wanted LED. What light fixture should I buy? There are so many choices on the market. It came down to price, output, and flexibility. I was almost sold on EcoTech’s Radion but ended up making the decision to go with AI’s Vega Color fixtures (x2). After two months of using the AI Vegas, I must say that I am very happy with the way my corals have reacted to the fixture. I did not get any bleaching and my corals have grown/spread significantly in the last two months. Very happy with the purchase!
As you may notice, I do not like my frags on discs typically. I like my corals to naturally adhere to the LR naturally. I fragged most of my corals from my 200g tank and placed them directly onto the LR’s surface in designated areas. They grow and spread MUCH faster if they are NOT ‘cut and glued’ onto discs in my experiences.
I am going to turn this thread into a diary as I am going to update pictures monthly in order to see color and growth over time. There is no better reward for me in this hobby than seeing vigorous growth over time through pictures. It will also give those who are interested in AI Vega color fixtures to see the effects coral coloration over time.
I will be posting pictures regularly with comparisons from last month's pictures. I will also post some youtube videos as well. This is going to be a very active thread.
Enjoy and feel free to leave any comments, feedback or even some good ole constructive criticism.
Equipment List:
Lighting – AI Vega Color (Black x2) -
Lighting Cycle -
8 AM - 20%
10 AM 40%
11 AM 60%
12 PM 80%
1 PM - 4 PM 100%
4 PM 80%
5 PM 60%
6 PM 40 %
7 PM 20%
8 PM - 8 AM OFF or Moon Light Cycle
Flow - EcoTech Marine Vortech Pump (MP40 x2),(MP10 x1)
Filtration and supplementation -
CPR AquaFuge 2 Hang-on Refugium
1. Miracle Mud
2. Chaetomorpha
Carbon Media
Aqua Remora C HOB Protein Skimmer
Phosphate removal - Two Little Fishes Phosban Reactor (150g), GFO media.
*** I perform a weekly 26% water change using Reef Crystals (I am NOT using kalkwasser or any other supplements)
Water Parameters:
pH - 8.1
Specific Gravity - 1.025
Alkalinity - 10 dkH
Nitrate - 0.05 ppm
Calcium 440 ppm
Magnesium - 1325 ppm
Phosphate - 0 ppm (undetectable)
Temp - 78
Fish:
Green Chromis - Chromis viridis (x3)
Yellow Watchman Goby - Cryptocentrus cinctus (x1)
Yellow Tang - Zebrasoma flaviscens (x1)
Ocellaris Clownfish - Amphiprion ocellaris (x1) ***First fish I purchased in the hobby. He is almost five years old.
Invertebrates:
Blue Spot Squamosa Clam - Tridacna squamosal (x1)
ORA Gold Maxima Clam - Tridacna maxima (x1)
Randalli Pistol Shrimp - Alpheus randalli (x1)
Skunk Cleaner Shrimp - Lysmata amboinensis (x2)
Pom Pom Crab - Lybia tessellate (x1)
Astraea Snails - Astraea tecta (x10)
Blue Leg Reef Hermit Crabs - Calcinus tricolor (x3)
Corals:
Maze Brain Coral - Platygyra spp (x1)
Closed Maze Brain Coral - Platygyra sinensis (x1)
Blue Tip Acro - Acropora spp (x1) ***Purchased two years ago as a 1” frag. Now almost 8” tall and 6” wide
Goniastrea Brain Coral - Goniastrea spp (x1)
Welsophyllia Brain - Trachyphyllia radiate (x2)
Whisker Coral - Duncanopsammia axifuga (20+ heads)
Orange Plating Montipora - Montipora hodgsoni (x1)
Bright Green Closed Maze Brain Coral - Platygyra sinensis (x1)
Blue Short Staghorn Acropora - Acropora spp (x2)
Neon Green Corallite Maze Brain Coral - Platygyra spp (x1)
Hydnophora (Branching) - Hydnophora grandis (x1)
Blue/Purple Montipora - Montipora spp (x1)
ORA Red Planet Table Acropora - Acropora spp (x1)
GARF Bonsai Acropora - Acropora spp (x1)
ORA Grube’s Gorgonian - Pinnigorgia flava (x4)
Firegarden Acropora - Acropora spp (x1)
Blue Flame Tabling Acropora - Acropora spp (x1)
TriColor Acropora - Acropora valida (x2)
Rasta Zoanthids - Zoanthus spp (30+)
PC Wolverine Zoanthids - Zoanthus spp (50+)
Purple Hornet Zoanthids - Zoanthus spp (20+)
Pumping Xenia - Xenia spp
