gallegos
06/22/2016, 05:32 PM
as with most reefers I started out small. I had a little 10 gallon freshwater tank in college that was very neglected. once everything died I changed it to a small reef with 1 clown fish. at the time I was living in phoenix so water temperature was hard to handle and I couldn't afford a chiller. I donated all my stuff and moved out to new mexico where I started another tank 10 gal fresh lol. My brother was into salt and had a 28 gal biocube and was trying to get me back into salt water. I bought a 60 gallon with 100lbs of live rock so I jumped back into salt. after a while I moved up to a 90 gallon which was awesome and set up a 29gallon biocube so I can have a nano. I had both of those tanks for a few years and as things grew I decided it was time to go big. I bought me a 230 gallon aqueon tank and got started. The tank started with super basic equipment and I keep upgrading as I go so don't be too harsh lol. I will post pics from the beginning to current. As far as equipment goes im currently running 3 mars aquat black box leds. (not too bad but want to upgrade) 2 echotech mp40s (bought used and replaced the bearings), sump is a eshopps rs-200, return pump is a mag 12.5, skimmer is an old school impact 400, i also run a gfo and carbon reactor and recently added a 24 watt uv sterilizer to help with algae growth. for maintenance i do monthly 10% water change and dose according to my testing results. currently reef carbonate and reef complete are my staples. i also alternate reef plus and reef trace. My tank is truly a mixed reef. I have everything from nps gorgonians and sponges to acropora and millepora, to toadstools, mushrooms, anemones and gsp. I wanted a more diverse tank and i dont like limiting myself to a certain kind of coral. it makes it difficult at times but worth it in the end. i have 250lbs of live sand and 400lbs of figi live rock. (i love rock lol). thanks for checking out the evolution of my reef.