Reef Aquarium information

Setup & equipment list 

Living things inventory

Aquarium pictures  

Lesson learned histories

pictures were taken with Kodak DC210Plus, at 1024x768 resolution. 

 

Setup & equipment list

Aquarium dimension: 43" x 20" x 24" (1,1m x 0,5m x 0,6m)
Sump size: 31" x 16" x 12" (0,78m x 0,40m x 0,30m) (Apr 02)
Actual water volume: 76 Gal (290 liters), included sump volume 
Setup date: November 16, 2000
Internal Circulation: 4 Maxijet 1200 (1110 liter/h each), controlled by Red Sea wavemaster Pro
Salt: Sintetic, Coral Life salt
Denitrification system: Jaubert (3 in of halimeda) with plenium
Calcium additives: Kallwasser (evaporation)
Calcium reactor: DYI + Tunze CO2 valve + Tunze midia. Powered by Sarlo Better 2000 pump. (Dec 02)
Lightning: 2 HQI 150W/10.000K and 4 Actinic Blue 30W. Actini 9hs/day, HQI 8hs/day.   (Dec 02)
Evaporation (average): 4 liters/day (Ultralife RO purifier + Tapwater DI + Tapwater Purifer resin), controlled by eletronic level sensor (Eclusa II)
Partial changes: 10% twice a month
Skimmer: Berlin hookon with Mag Drive 700 GPH
Temperature control: Cooler (Ventisilva E11) controlled by thermosensor Novus 321N and Chiller Teco RA240 with Mag Drive 1200 GPH (July 02)
Chemical parameters: pH 8.6, Alc 3.2meq/l, salinity 1025mg/l, nitrate zero, Ca 500ppm, PO4 0-1ppm
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Living things inventory

Type Qty Common name Cientific name Purchased date
Fish 3 Green Chromis (Jan 02) Chromis atripectoralis 12/Jan/2001
Fish 1 Green Clown Gobi (Apr 02) Gobiodon histrio 02/Jun/2001
Fish 1 Mandarin Dragonet (Dec 02) Pterosynchiropus splendidus 04/Jul/2001
Fish 1 Bangai Cardinal (Jan 02) Pterapogon kauderni 15/Aug/2001
Fish 1 Neon Gobi (Sep 01) Gobiosoma genie 02/Sep/2001
Fish 1 False Percula (Nov 02) Amphiprion ocellaris 07/Oct/2001
Fish 1 Convict blenny (Dec 02) Pholidichthys leucotaenia 05/Dec/2001
Fish 1 Foxface (Dec 02) Siganus vulpinus 09/Feb/2002
Fish 1 Apogon (Sep 01) Myri Prispis Jacubus 23/Feb/2002
Fish 1 Scopas Tang (Dec 02) Zebrasoma scopas 23/Feb/2002
Fish 1 Mimic Tang (Dec 02) Acanthurus pyroferus 22/Mar/2002
Fish 1 Bangai Pijama (Dec 02) Apogon Orbiculares 30/Nov/2002

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Type Qty Common name Cientific name Purchased date
Invertebrate 80 hermit crab (Aug 99)   10/12/2000
Invertebrate 2 Red sea star (Jun 99)   10/Jan/2001
Invertebrate 5 Sea serpent (Dec 99)   10/Jan/2001
Invertebrate 1 Feather duster    17/Sep/2001
Invertebrate 2 Peppermint Shrimp (Jan 03) Lysmata wurdemanni 19/May/2002
Invertebrate 1 Banded shrimp (Apr 02) Stenopus hispidus 21/Aug/2002
Zoanthus 2 Red button polyps (Jun 02) Zoanthus 16/Feb/2001
Mushroom 2 Red mushroom (Dec 02) Discossoma 16/Feb/2001
Mushroom 1 Green striped mushroom (Aug 02) Discossoma striatus 16/Feb/2001
Mushroom 1 Green Hairy mushroom Rhodactis indosinensis 18/Dec/2002

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Coral 2 Yellow/Green toadstool leather (Aug 02) (Apr 02) Sarcophyton 23/Feb/2002

12/Aug/2002

Coral 3 Tonga toadstool leather (Dec 02) Sarcophyton elegans 23/Sep/2001

02/Nov/2001

27/Dec/2001

Coral 4 Starburst Polyps coral (Dec 02) Pachyclavularia 27/Dec/2001

30/Mar/2002

08/Jun/2002

22/Nov/2002

Coral 100 Pulsing xenia  (Jun 02) Xenia Umbrelata 20/Feb/2001
Coral 20 Brown xenia (Nov 02) Xenia Elongata 30/May/2002
Coral 50 Clove polyps Anthelia 08/Jun/2002
Coral 200 Yellow polyps (Dec 02) Parazoanthus gracilis 12/Aug/2002
Coral 1 Yellow sun coral (Dec 02) Tubastrea 17/Oct/2002
Coral 1 Orange sun coral (Dec 02) Tubastrea 17/Oct/2002
Coral 2 Kenya Tree (Dec 02) Capnella 07/Nov/2002
Coral 2 Green/Brown cabbage leather  Sinularia dura 09/Dec2002

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Aquarium Pictures

Front View (single picture) (Dec 02)  
Front left view (Dec 02) Front Right view (Dec 02)
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Lessons learned
Powerhead 802 with Red Sea wave maker - bad choice

I had spent a bunch of money in impellers (at least enough to buy twice the pumps I had).

I had not understood that powerhead 802 is not design to use in wave maker systems. Red sea wave maker turn on and off pumps several times per minute. Impellers of 802 doesnīt live more than 3 months there.

After buying 4 new Maxijet 1200 no impeller had broked yet (12 months later).

Take care about pump design if you use wavemakers.

Read, read, read, think, think, think, after that maybe you donīt want to buy a reef ...

I had bought my reef aquarium in 30 days period from my purchasing decision. Thatīs not a good idea.

If I had time to search at the Net probably I never would buy the 70W HQI lamps (cost as much as 150W and doesīt give corals energy enough) neither have no space planned at my sump for Calcium reactor and its CO2 cylinder.

 

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