Background
Due to a new house and young kids, I got out of the hobby in 2010. Recently my 11-year-old daughter expressed some interest in having a fish tank. My wife promised my daughter if she didn't eat candy for a whole month, she could have a fish tank. I don't know what they were thinking. Something about a goldfish or a betta. Because of my previous reef keeping experience, my wife looked to me to set everything up. That was last June. Here is what happened next (pics attached).
System Profile
Display/Stand - Red Sea Max C250
Lighting - DIY LED Retrofit, LED stand lighting as well
Sump - 15 gallons integrated on the back of the tank
Refugium - Threw some chaeto in the back with a Magnafuge LED light
Skimmer - Whatever comes with the Red Sea?
Return Pumps - Jaebo DCT - 4000 Variable
Water Circulation - 2 MP10WQD's with Reeflink running reefcrest, tidal swell, lagoon and then constant 20% speed at night
ATO - JBJ
Chiller - JBJ 1/10 HP
Other Equipment - NextReef GFO Reactor, Vortech Battery Backup
Water Parameters
Salinity 1.026
PH 8.2
Alkalinity 8.6
Calcium 450
Magnesium 1400
Nitrate 0
Phosphate 0
Fish
Long Nose Hawkfish
Percula Clown
Coral Beauty
Orange Spotted Goby
Coral mostly small frags
Various Maricultured Acro
Canary Porites
Purple Stylaphora
Green Pavona
Green Birdsnest (not doing well)
Yellow Fiji Leather
Alien Acan
Rainbow Acan
Purple Favia
Maze Brain
Hammer Coral
Montipora
Misc. Mushrooms and Zoas
Everything is going quite well so far. What a great Father/Daughter hobby! My daughter really likes doing the water testing.
I know I have some Nitrate and Phosphate that is being taken up by some minor algae on the glass. I think the next step for me is to get something to better regulate my Alkalinity and Calcium. I have been going back and forth on Calcium Reactor or dosing. After much research, I have decided to go with dosing. I watched the BRS video on calcium reactors and it seemed like a nightmare! Too much to deal with! I am going to go with the GHL KH Director and dosing pumps.
I would welcome those of you with more experience to evaluate my set up and give me any advice. For example, what would be the next piece of equipment should I buy? Am I on the right track with the dosing? Thanks!
