Wilson Nacario
New Member
Hello Fellow Reefers!
I have been in the Reef hobby since 1986. Back then wet dry filters with sand trays, caulerpa harvesting and fluorescent lighting were the rage. I think I've tried every fad that has come along in this hobby since that time. I retired from educational administration in June of 2014 and along with my wife we care take for her parents and help out with my 96 year old mom. I was in San Diego for a number of years and had to sell my 300 gallon SPS tank. Things have calmed down with everyone and I feel comfortable setting up another reef. I lucked out and purchased a used Red Sea Max 130D for a hundred bucks with stand. After researching the past month I am making the following modifications after discussion with In Tank LLC:
I have been in the Reef hobby since 1986. Back then wet dry filters with sand trays, caulerpa harvesting and fluorescent lighting were the rage. I think I've tried every fad that has come along in this hobby since that time. I retired from educational administration in June of 2014 and along with my wife we care take for her parents and help out with my 96 year old mom. I was in San Diego for a number of years and had to sell my 300 gallon SPS tank. Things have calmed down with everyone and I feel comfortable setting up another reef. I lucked out and purchased a used Red Sea Max 130D for a hundred bucks with stand. After researching the past month I am making the following modifications after discussion with In Tank LLC:
- Replaced the light hood with a Trinity T5, 4 bulb fixture as the main lighting source and a 20 watt Wave Point LED fixture as supplemental lighting. I tried AI Sols in addition to other LED light sources on my 300 gallon tank and lost a majority of my milleporas. My other sps corals did not color up very well and the growth was much slower. I switched back to metal halide and the corals came back. MH is not feasible with a tank this size so I am going with T5's.
- Added a filtration cover
- Replaced the stock skimmer with a Tunze 9001. I am a bit skeptical whether this will be large enough for a SPS only tank. I do have a Eshopps HOB skimmer rated for 100 gallons if the Tunze is too small.
- Purchased the media rack from In Tank
- Upgrade the return pumps and return kit with Eheim pumps
- Adding two Jebao wave maker power heads
- 35 pounds of Reef Saver rock from BRS
- 2 designer clown fish
- 1 Hawaiian chevron tang
- 1 algae blenny
- Undecided on the 5th