Hephalump
02/06/2012, 03:24 PM
Hi all,
I just recently got my tank SPS ready, so I wanted to show off my tank. First a little background info:
I've been in the hobby now for over 5 years, and have had my share of tank crashes.
In fact I haven't had much else over the years. Every time it looks like I have things running smoothly,
something happens that brings my tank crashing to its knees. Usually this has been mostly my fault.
Over the years, my husbandry practices have been sadly lacking. But no more!
After recovering from my most recent crash, a mishap with kalkwasser that caused calcium to
precipitate on every surface of the tank, I let my tank go mostly dormant. If it hadn't been
for the survival of my clowns, my rockflower anemone, and my devil's hand (all of which have
been with me for many, many years now) I probably would have left the hobby.
I have a good track record of meeting my new years resolutions. So, this year,
I resolved to either start taking my responsibility to the animals I keep seriously,
or give up the aquarium. I simply cannot abide being responsible once again for the
deaths of so many beautiful creatures. To that end, I bought a new Reef Octopus NW150 skimmer,
and four Koralia 4s to increase the flow in my 65 gallon bowfront.
More importantly than buying new gear (as this has always been my often misguided approach)
I have radically adjusted my maintenance routine. I used to do a small water change once a week,
if I remembered, and wasn't too tired, or busy. I'd say I went through a 5 gallon bucket of salt every 6 months.
I also used to dose b-ionic, but I was lazy about testing and often let the parameters get all out of whack.
In mid december I started doing an 8% (5gal) water change every other day. I also
reduced my sandbed from 6 inches to just over 1 inch. When I do a water change, I vacuum the sand,
yielding a murky brown bucket of water. I also run a filter sock with carbon and dust the rocks
with my turkey baster several times a day. For alk, I add baking soda to the ATO bucket.
Calcium and other trace elements are kept elevated by the water changes. I test every Saturday.
After keeping up this maintenance schedule unfalteringly for most of December and all of January my tank was
looking pretty clean. Cleaner than it has for years as a matter of fact. So, I decided to once again give SPS a try,
and this time I am successful!
I went to my LFS and bought the cheapest acro frag I could find, as well as a monti cap.
In the past these would have rapidly declined in my tank, but this time they have done great,
with perfect polyp extension and color! I'm so excited that yesterday I went back to the LFS,
and bought a sweet orange brain and an orange digi, as well as a tiger tail cucumber, and a starry blenny.
This is just the beginning of things to come, but right now I'm going to take it easy and
let the animals I have bought grow and enjoy their new home before I add any more.
I feel, with my track record, that I need to prove to myself that I can keep these animals alive long term before I add any more.
Without further delay, here are some pics: (crappy camera warning: Colors are not representative)
First a full tank shot:
http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss274/overgrown/DSCI0039.jpg
Left side
http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss274/overgrown/DSCI0050.jpg
Right side
http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss274/overgrown/DSCI0048.jpg
Center
http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss274/overgrown/DSCI0049.jpg
Clowns
http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss274/overgrown/DSCI0046.jpg
Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed looking at my tank, I know I do. And I offer this piece of
advice to anyone suffering from chronically poor tank health: There is no substitute for
regular water changes, and a quality skimmer. I found this out the hard way, over and over again,
even though I must have read it here on Reef Central a thousand times.
I just recently got my tank SPS ready, so I wanted to show off my tank. First a little background info:
I've been in the hobby now for over 5 years, and have had my share of tank crashes.
In fact I haven't had much else over the years. Every time it looks like I have things running smoothly,
something happens that brings my tank crashing to its knees. Usually this has been mostly my fault.
Over the years, my husbandry practices have been sadly lacking. But no more!
After recovering from my most recent crash, a mishap with kalkwasser that caused calcium to
precipitate on every surface of the tank, I let my tank go mostly dormant. If it hadn't been
for the survival of my clowns, my rockflower anemone, and my devil's hand (all of which have
been with me for many, many years now) I probably would have left the hobby.
I have a good track record of meeting my new years resolutions. So, this year,
I resolved to either start taking my responsibility to the animals I keep seriously,
or give up the aquarium. I simply cannot abide being responsible once again for the
deaths of so many beautiful creatures. To that end, I bought a new Reef Octopus NW150 skimmer,
and four Koralia 4s to increase the flow in my 65 gallon bowfront.
More importantly than buying new gear (as this has always been my often misguided approach)
I have radically adjusted my maintenance routine. I used to do a small water change once a week,
if I remembered, and wasn't too tired, or busy. I'd say I went through a 5 gallon bucket of salt every 6 months.
I also used to dose b-ionic, but I was lazy about testing and often let the parameters get all out of whack.
In mid december I started doing an 8% (5gal) water change every other day. I also
reduced my sandbed from 6 inches to just over 1 inch. When I do a water change, I vacuum the sand,
yielding a murky brown bucket of water. I also run a filter sock with carbon and dust the rocks
with my turkey baster several times a day. For alk, I add baking soda to the ATO bucket.
Calcium and other trace elements are kept elevated by the water changes. I test every Saturday.
After keeping up this maintenance schedule unfalteringly for most of December and all of January my tank was
looking pretty clean. Cleaner than it has for years as a matter of fact. So, I decided to once again give SPS a try,
and this time I am successful!
I went to my LFS and bought the cheapest acro frag I could find, as well as a monti cap.
In the past these would have rapidly declined in my tank, but this time they have done great,
with perfect polyp extension and color! I'm so excited that yesterday I went back to the LFS,
and bought a sweet orange brain and an orange digi, as well as a tiger tail cucumber, and a starry blenny.
This is just the beginning of things to come, but right now I'm going to take it easy and
let the animals I have bought grow and enjoy their new home before I add any more.
I feel, with my track record, that I need to prove to myself that I can keep these animals alive long term before I add any more.
Without further delay, here are some pics: (crappy camera warning: Colors are not representative)
First a full tank shot:
http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss274/overgrown/DSCI0039.jpg
Left side
http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss274/overgrown/DSCI0050.jpg
Right side
http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss274/overgrown/DSCI0048.jpg
Center
http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss274/overgrown/DSCI0049.jpg
Clowns
http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss274/overgrown/DSCI0046.jpg
Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed looking at my tank, I know I do. And I offer this piece of
advice to anyone suffering from chronically poor tank health: There is no substitute for
regular water changes, and a quality skimmer. I found this out the hard way, over and over again,
even though I must have read it here on Reef Central a thousand times.