180g show ( lit by 6 Radion Gen 1 + TIR reflector upgrades & 2 DIY UV LED strips ) w/ 60g fleet farm tub that serves as both sump and frag tank ( anywhere between 150-400 frags at one time lit by 2 27" Razor LEDs ).



Additional Pics from my March 19 TCMAS meeting I hosted: http://nicholb.smugmug.com/Aquariums.../308600_VJdKVB

ATS screen size is 18" X 12" lit both sides 16 hours per day via 4X24" 3000k T5 HOs with parabolic reflectors. ( I dabbled with 21 LEDs per side 17 Red/ 4 blue for a while but went back to T5s after about 6months ) Fed directly from herbie standpipe. Return pump is Panworld 100 ( approx 600-650gph after head loss ).

No skimmer, quit cold turkey the day the ATS went online in Jan. 2012.

Feed 4-5 times a day with heavy fish load ( 37 fish total: 8 tangs, 4 wrasses, 10 green chromis, 8 kupang damsels, 2 clowns, 2 flame angels, 1 coral beauty, 1 copperband, longnose hawkfish )

Total water change per month = 5 X 50g bags of Instant Ocean ( 1.25 boxes per month ). I have gone 2 weeks per water changes occasionally and noted no accumulation of nitrate/phosphate during the time period so I could get by with less if I wanted to but as you will see from the description the water changes fit well with my export of detritus routine so I stick with it.

My tank is about as sterile looking as possible for a reef tank. Not a stich of algae in the show can't even grow much coralline algae. Every so often a might see a tiny patch of cyano in low flow areas of the sump.

Parameters are pretty consistant now:

Nitrates near undectable with salifert between 0 - .1 ppm
Phosphates .06 - .08 ppm.
I strive for near 7dkh Alkalinity. 400 ppm calcium , 1280ppm Mag. Levels may drift a little higher sometimes but never lower.

CA/ALK maintained by Kalkwasser via a dosing pump. Mg maintained using Randy's Magnesium Chloride & Sulphide recipe. I do add 1 cup of Randy's 2 part Ca Chloride to freshly mixed I/O. Occassionaly will add Mg to IO as well. I don't use 2 part for any daily.

Weekly Maintenance ( Total time about 1 hour worth of work ):

Water change. 1 full 50g bag of instant ocean @ 35ppt. Estimate it at 40g usuable.

Siphon the entire show tank substrate during each water change.

1/2 cup of Rox .8 carbon per week in a reactor ( Helps with odor and water clarity ). I went the first 10 months without running carbon.

Scrap the front glass 2-3 times a week just a very light dusting. Back glass once a week. After 1 week time the back glass is my barometer. If just a dusting enough to see the snail marks then I know I'm on target. If its darker green I know my parameters are likely off a little.

Blow detritus from all rocks in show tank 2-3 times a week and always just prior to water change.

Clean 1 side of ATS per week. Usually harvest about 1.75 - 2.25 cups worth of algae per week.

Iron ( 2 dissolved fergon tablets in 100ml of ro water ) dose 20ml just after ATS screen cleaning. No other additives/supplements.

Monthly ( about 1 additional hour of work on top of the weekly ):

Completely drain and clean the ATS.

Completely drain sump/frag and sucking up all detritus with the shop vac. Includes an additional 40g water change to fill it back up in addition to the weekly. All frags are on racks from Rays Reef that fit in a 5g bucket. I stack 2-3 high. Loose frags are put in a 20L during the process.