Shaun's 2000 Litre (530 USG) Living Reef & Red Sea Max S 650 LED Design & Build

SPR

Well-Known Member
Well, for the first time since June 2016 when I set up the tank, I've taken the main pump out and cleaned it.

Now this may seem an easy task for all you experienced types out there, but I have never done this before and despite practicing on the spare I purchased, just in case the one I had failed before I cleaned it, I was a little nervous. However, it was very easy and infact the pump wasn't that dirty surprisingly. I'll do every 6 months or so now.

The NYOS Quantum 160 is starting to produce some nasty stuff in a good way, and although I'm still fine tuning it, it's very good indeed. Totally silent.

Anyway, I know you like pictures so here are a few.....

The full tank shot is the view I have to my left whilst watching TV, which is why I have to watch everything 3 times!! I just get distracted by the tank. The pictures do not do these tanks justice at all. They are stunning.

IMG_0577.JPGIMG_0576.JPGIMG_0574.JPGIMG_0572.JPGIMG_0566.JPGIMG_0555.JPGIMG_0553.JPGIMG_0555.JPG
 
Last edited:

SPR

Well-Known Member
How are the triggers? Any eggs that you have seen?
Beautiful tank!

The Triggers are both good but I've seen not any eggs as yet and they were both behaving a little different last night in that they weren't 'hovering' as much. Will wait and see what happens and keep an eye out.
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
Would you not be worried about your corals with the triggers ? beautiful looking tank by the way

Thank you.

I will be worried if they fill the tank with baby triggers!

Before I got them as a pair, I did loads of reading for several months before I finally purchased them and was lucky the shop hadn't sold them, but they were quiet expensive.

They are Blue Throat Triggers and the consensus seemed to be that they were one of the more reef safe Triggers so I went ahead and got them. It was a chance as with some fishes but...

I've never had any problems with them at all with corals. The only thing they do is sometimes lift a crab up and take it 'tank surfing' around the tank before tossing it somewhere else!
 

mr_tap_water

Well-Known Member
Looking good you've got a lovely flow going on in there,
Those blue damsels how are you getting on I found they used to dig a lot Cover other corals with the sand LOL.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: SPR

SPR

Well-Known Member
Looking good you've got a lovely flow going on in there,
Those blue damsels how are you getting on I found they used to dig a lot Cover other corals with the sand LOL.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There is a lot of flow in these tanks, all 4 rear pumps are on maximum along with the main return.

I haven't seen the damsels digging or anything but they are very territorial and it's very amusing watching them nip one of the bigger fish who just look to say 'like what u doing'!lol

I'll try and do a bit better video now I know what I'm doing!
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
Shaun - A question re the Triggers. What are you doing to stop their teeth growing too big? Do they eat your snails etc?
I'm only asking as I want a pair as well, but I don't want them to ravage my snail population :yup:
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
When I purchased them the shop said to feed them mussels in the shells but to be honest I have fed them mussels but not in shells as I didn't want to keep digging them out. I might try in now you have reminded me as the shop didn't have any treated ones in shells last time i went.

I haven't had any problems with them killing anything, at least not that I have seen. The only thing they do is take crabs 'surfing' around the tank if they don't like were they are. Maybe they are grinding their teeth as they do it but...
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
Shaun, I may have missed it (not unusual) but what are your stocking levels regarding fish?

I currently have :-
6 x Blue/Green Chromis
4 x Lyretail Anthias
2 x Clowns
2 x Yellow Bellied Damsels
1 x Six Line Wrasse
1 x Cleaner Wrasse
1 x Kole Tang
1 x Yellow Tang
1 x Coral Beauty
1 x Arabian Blue Lined Wrasse
2 x Cleaner Shrimp
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
Hi Nobbygas

At the moment I have the following list of fish:

2 x Blue Throat Triggers
2 x Clownfish
1 x Regal tang
1 x Yellow tang
1 x Naso Tang
1 x Royal Gamma
2 x Anthias
5 x Azure damsels (nasty things !)
5 x Green Chromis
1 x Regal Angel
1 x Flame Angel
1 x Coral Beauty
1 x Stary Blenny
2 x Yellow Clown Goby

2 x Peppermint Shrimps
2 x Cleaner Shrimps
1 x Boxing Shrimp
2 x Sexy shrimp
1 x Sand Sifting Starfish
1 x Sea Cucumber
6 x Tuxedo Urchins
1 x Spiky Urchin (cant remember name)
1 x Clam
1 x Porcelain Crab
1 x Emerald Crab

I've probably forgotten somebody and will look at the tank and spot them immediately

I also have numerous hermit crabs and snails within the clean up crew, but I'm beginning to prefer the Tuxedo urchins as they do a much better job at eating any algea so although I will maintain some snails, the urchins seem much better.
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
You ve got one very beautiful tank ,it is a pleasure to look at it.

Thanks you for your kind words Oliver.

I stare at it constantly when I'm watching the television and have to watch everything 2 or 3 times as the movement in the reef is quiet mesmerising.
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
Its been a few weeks since i did an update

I had been running Red Seas Accelerated Growth high parameters for a while (alk 12.6 etc) and for various reasons i decided to go to normal levels under the Enhanced Colouration program so alk at 8.2 etc

I have to say that some of the corals have changed dramatically with these more normal levels and I'm going to stick at these from now on. Accelerated growth certainly does work though.

The main reason i changed was i had some hair algea and believe that mainly came with the higher nutrient levels, but ive solved that with the addition of Rhowaphos with Nopox and i can now feed the fish properly and they love it

In a few weeks the tank will be 1 year old and ive created this without any prior experience, learning from scratch so it shows what can be done if you read and learn etc.

I have sorted the hair algea and phosphate now 0-03 ppm constantly within test kit errors and nitrate 5-10ppm ish. Im trying to go lower on the nitrates for SPS corals but everything else is thriving.

I had a bit if stubborn hair algae remaining so i have tried Vibrant in the tank. I only dosed it last week and the last hair algea seems to be dropping off and being skimmed out. The Phosphate is still low but the skimmate this week has been dark green so i think thats nutrients being skimmed out maybe from the algea.

The NYOS skimmer is brilliant. Thats all i can say, in a league of its own.

On a sadder note i lost my small Naso Tang. I did a 3 day blackout and when the lights came back he wasn't well and looked quiet diseased so i had to take him out. Not sure if he was bullied with the lights off or just coincidence.

I know you like pictures so here goes just before the first birthday!

IMG_0669.JPGIMG_0670.JPGIMG_0671.JPGIMG_0674.JPGIMG_0676.JPGIMG_0678.JPGIMG_0679.JPGIMG_0681.JPGIMG_0682.JPG



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Top