August
2006
MidasBlenny's System |
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Introduction
Hi, my name is Robin, I’ve been keeping marines for over ten years although most tanks prior to this one have been a lot smaller! As most reef keepers I started from a tropical background breeding various cichlids until the reef bug bit. |
Display
Tank Size in cm
200cm x 75cm x 80cm(h)
Sump Size in cm
120cm x35cm x35cm(h)
Total system volume
1200litres
Natural Sea Water or synthetic mix
Synthetic - Aqua Medic Reef Salt
Tank Construction (Glass, thickness, bracing
etc)
10mm glass all round with double base and 4 15cm braces front to back and two on front joining the other four.
Cabinet
Have a curtain on Velcro around the light pendant structure and
one to cover the sump area.
Location
Lounge |
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Mechanical
IM 1000 skimmer with floss in a bag covering exit pipe.
Biological
About 170kg Kenyan live rock in tank
Chemical
Aqua Medic carbon runs 24/7 in a diy gravel cleaner |
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Main system lighting
all either t8 or t5 tubes, 24 in all, 6 x 4ft t5 and rest a mixture of
literally all types available
Photoperiod
only blues from 6am till 10pm, whites on at 8am till 8pm
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Return pump
OR6500
Powerheads
2 x PF1000, 1OR2000, 1OR3000 in tank |
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Calcium reactors / Kalkstirrers / Drips etc
Drip kalkwasser about 10litres a day manually
Other additives you add to your system and how often
Pure Reef Supplements, 10ml a day of Iodine, Strontium, Kh Buffer,
Magnesium, Calcium Booster and 7ml Trace Elements
Top up manually or if automated and whether RO
All added manually and kalk is made using RO water |
Livestock
FISH |
1 sailfin tang, yellow tang, nigrofuscus tang, scopes tang, 1 coralbeauty angel,
1 flame angel, 1 black bean angel, 1 six line wrasse,
1 spotted hawkfish, 3 pineapple fish, 1 green mandarin |
| SOFT
CORALS
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| sinularia, cladiella, clavularia, rhodactis, discosoma, zooanthus, xenia |
| LPS
CORALS |
| pectinia, goniopora, trachyphylia, turbinaria, euphylia |
| SPS
CORALS |
| pocillopora, hydnophora, acropora |
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OTHER
INVERTEBRATES |
A few tube worms, sponges, 7 shrimps
Clean up crews:
loads of nerite snails, 3 linkia starfish, 20 or so hermits. |
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| Look closely, you can see a very reclusive Pineapple fish hiding behind the live rock. |
Water change regime
60-80 litres a week, circulated with a pump for three days before use.
How often lamps replaced
when they appear dim or they blow
How often major equipment is stripped and cleaned
once a year
General system parameters tested (How often)
salinity every week, otherwise monthly
Levels (Average or when last tested)
SG.:1.025
Temp (High/low):24-26
PH:8.4-8.6
CA:400ppm
NO3:10ppm
PO4:0.1ppm
Feeding
Types of food
a huge variety, hake roe, mysis,brine shrimp, daphnia, blood worm, red rotifers, caulerpa, hair algae, nori, sea veggies,prawns, mussels, clam meat,
dry pellets, hake and river shrimps
How often
5-10 times a day
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Things
I like most about my system?
The size!
Things I would change if I could do it over?
no overflow box, rather an elbow directed to the surface.
Favourite on line resource besides SA Reefkeeping.com?
wetwebmedia and reefcentral
Worst Advice received?
There is no need to clean as this is a complete ecosystem
Favourite fish:
Pineapple fish
Favourite coral:
Pectina peonia
My all time wish list for a fish I don't
have but would love:
Achilles tang
My all time wish list for a coral I don't
have but would love:
Elegance coral |
Conclusion
The upkeep of a reef can be time consuming but hugely rewarding, thanks to great sites such as SARK this has become easier, lets all share our knowledge.
-Robin |
All photos by Rob Holness |
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