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melev

Melev's 280g reef - 5.5 years and counting

Rating: 5 votes, 5.00 average.
Summary
  • 280g Starfire glass Reef-ready tank
  • 150g sump and refugium built by me
  • Euroreef CS12-2 protein skimmer with two Eheim 1262 pumps
  • Lifereef Calcium Reactor with a flaky Milwaukee pH controller
  • Aqua Controller III to control lighting, heat, and log some parameters, available on the web and my iPhone (AquaNotes App).
  • 55g water changed every two months.
  • 100gpd RO/DI used for top offs and to make more saltwater. My tank evaporates about 5g per day.
  • Kent Sea Salt or Red Sea Pro, as I always have both on hand
  • For cooling, I have a 8000 BTU window A/C unit set to keep the fish room at a comfortable 74-76F, which keeps the tank between 79-81F daily during the hotter months of the year.
  • The return pump is a Little Giant
  • A Sequence Dart pump runs to a manifold that feeds water to many areas, include the Angled tank in my foyer and the Suncoral species tank.
  • 3 Vortech pumps create the flow in my tank, and are connected to IceCap battery backups.
  • A 6250w generator protects my system from power failures, which occur two or three times a year.
  • 14g quarantine tank for all new arrivals

Here are some of the water test results I've performed this year:


Nitrates have been controlled with Vodka dosing, which I've been doing for about 17 months. Currently, I dose 15ml daily.
Phosphates are controlled with Blue Life's Phosphate Control. When they measure >.25ppm, I'll add 150 drops late at night to avoid having fish swimming actively through the flocculant. By morning the water is crystal clear.

Here's a peek into my fishroom.


And here's a view of the livingroom the tank is in.


Feedings
  • I feed three times a day. Each "morning", 1/2 sheet of nori is quickly consumed.
  • During the afternoon/evening, some pellet food (AquaThrive by Reef Nutrition) is tossed in for the fish to chase and devour.
  • Every night around 9:15, thawed Mini Mysis and Cyclop-eeze is fed to the suncorals and then the remainder (or majority) goes in the reef.


Lighting
  • 250w 10,000K - 400w 20,000K - 250w 10,000K in Lumenbright Reflectors
  • VHO Actinics span the tank as well.



I love my iPhone's AC3 application, and use it all the time to check on the tank.


Spring - 2009

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Updated 01-03-2010 at 09:09 PM by melev

Categories
Tank - Full Summary

Comments

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  1. Jessy's Avatar
    Looking forward to following along closely.
  2. Snakebyt's Avatar
    the tank is looking amazing, look foreward to seeing it for the next 5 years
  3. brotherd's Avatar
    You are why I'm here.Perhaps the most honest and scincere reefer on the net.
  4. drimo's Avatar
    Your tank has been an inspiration since I got started. Looking forward to seeing how it evolves over the next 5.5 years.
  5. Trido's Avatar
    Nice system! Seeing this, is just the incentive I need to clean up the mess around my tank. Very nice mixed reef.
  6. Scott Fellman's Avatar
    Rocking tank...Always a favorite. Marc, when I die, can I be buried in your sandbed?
  7. gimmito's Avatar
    When are we going to see this bad boy on "tank of the month" in reef keeping magazine ??
  8. Reeftankjunkie's Avatar
    Truly breathtaking. I can't believe how big that toadstool is getting.
  9. doomicon's Avatar
    If you haven't seen it, He has the entire build process here http://www.melevsreef.com/days127.html
  10. melev's Avatar
    That was only the first 14 days too.
  11. MMoore0324's Avatar
    The reef is looking amazing! If that leather gets much bigger, you may need another upgrade! Keep up the great work, I appreciate everything you do for the reefing community!
  12. melev's Avatar
    Thank you mmoore.
  13. MMoore0324's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by melev
    Thank you mmoore.
    No problem!
  14. melev's Avatar
    Here's the January 2010 picture.
  15. kmjoen230's Avatar
    Absolutely Amazing!
  16. Sisterlimonpot's Avatar
    In the next 5 years you will see the leather dominant tank. and another 14 day project, converting the sons old bedroom into a 2000 gallon tank/tan k room.
    looking good, very nice tank Marc.
  17. Alaska_Phil's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Sisterlimonpot
    In the next 5 years you will see the leather dominant tank. and another 14 day project, converting the sons old bedroom into a 2000 gallon tank/tan k room.
    looking good, very nice tank Marc.
    He'll have to, if that toadstool grows like it has in the last 6 years, he'll need a place for the rest of his corals!
  18. Kane's Avatar
    The tank looks as stunning as ever and I still can't believe how huge that Toadstool is. It's epic !
  19. Lukinrats's Avatar
    Tank looks as great as ever. Makes me even more excited about my up coming 180 build!!!

    Keep up the great work!

    Nathan
  20. Lukinrats's Avatar
    Marc,

    Don't know how I have missed it previously, but I just noticed the two valves that are coming out of the back of your tank, about middle way up. They don't seem to go anywhere, so what are they there for?
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