Skaterzero22's 55g Reef (Bryan) 2 months

[skaterzero22]

Hey i have had my tank running for 2 months now with about 80lbs of LR. 2x 250w metal halide (14k hamilton) 2 65w pc actinics, 20L sump/refuge. CSS 220 (maybe upgrading in a little bit)

for flow im using a rio 2100 on the return line and a tunze 6060 in their convenient stream rock which im guessing will eventually become live because of some holes in it.

This is the custom stand my girlfriends dad and i built. Can hold up to a 90 gallon in case i feel that urge


Here is the matching custom canopy we built


The canopy open and the actinics on to give you a look inside


The tank with actinics on


Here is the left side with halides and actinics on


Here is the right side with halides and actinics (tunze rock/pump on the right)


Here is the FTS with halides and actinics


Here it is with the moonlights (picture does no justice)

[skaterzero22]

The inside of the stand


The gallon jug is used to hold skimate so i dont have to go behind the stand and remove the cup alot.

My custom power center


The Sump/Refuge


Left (LR chamber)


Right (Cheato/rubble)


Skimmer hanging on the sump in the back of the stand

[skaterzero22]

Current Livestock
Chromis (2) the littler one was currently being camera shy


Holding the sm blue hippo tang for my friend. i know my tank is too small. it won't be in their much longer

Cleaner Shrimp(1)


Lawnmower Blenny (also called Rock Blenny?)
Also being shy


I also have about 13-15 atlantic turbo snails, a hitchiker blue leg, and a large hermit in my cheato chamber.

any comments? suggestions? please feel free to let me have it

[gman0526]

Keep an eye on that "Power Center" , they're crap IME. Also the Rio return pump is dodgy at best. Other than that the tank looks very clean and well on it's way. Good luck !!!

[skaterzero22]

yea ive heard of problems with the powercenter and rio.. i plan on changing over the rio to like a mag 5 or 7 eventually and am willing to test my luck with the power center.

[mixed_reefer]

Looks like it is time to STOCK IT!















Dont run from the tang police, we all know hes yours..

[skaterzero22]

lol i wish i could keep a tang, i'm holding it for a 210 being built at the moment. going to college in a year leaves me with little options to upgrade so no tangs for me

[skaterzero22]

come on 2 comments? I know I'm not doing that great.. where is all that famous RC constructive criticism

[sk8ergolie31]

looks amazing. aka bump for u!

[skaterzero22]

thanks for the compliment

[twistoflex]

Nice set up. Like you refugium. I've had good luck with chaeto exporting nitrates. Once you start stocking, you can put some copepods in there for food
for your fish and corals.

[edwing206]

Tank looks good. The stand is very nice looking.
Looks like you got a good taste in music.

[skaterzero22]

yea im a rocker.. any kind.. any time

[mixed_reefer]

So what do you plan on stocking it with?
I have a 3 foot tank 18 inches wide and i almost cant stop myself from buying a tiny little yellow tang, i want one soo bad... If i did that i would also have to buy new shoes so i could outrun the tang police. I will go into the fish stores and feed the tangs and watch them like im going to buy one but i have stopped myself so far.

[skaterzero22]

well I have reserved a mated pair of gold stripe maroon clowns. eventually I plan on a mandarin and a diamond goby. I would like to put some frogspawn and hammer coral in it. either a RBTA or really nice long tube anemone.
as of now that's all I've really thought about. probably going to find something else in time. but that's my basic idea. I figure the less I plan on buying. the less ill feel urged to go out and buy them before the tank is ready

[sk8ergolie31]

u should plan on getting some xenia in your tank!!!

[skaterzero22]

yea when my annoying little brother frags his xenia ill definitely put it in my tank

[TKByrnes]

Great start. I have used those power center/timers for a couple years now with no issues yet ( KNOCK ON WOOD )

[skaterzero22]

my only problem is if I mess with it at all I have to reset the timing because the halides will stay on for 24 hours.. but once I got it set I have had no issues. also.. KNOCK ON WOOD.

[OranguTang]

Why two refugiums? Do you plan on using one section for the new skimmer when you upgrade?

[TKByrnes]

I take back what I said I have one that the timer keeps getting stuck and not keeping up with time. I just use it as a power strip and turn the lights on and off myself.

[skaterzero22]

I originally was going to use the left compartment of the sump for the skimmer but completely forgot to measure the height of the skimmer while building the stand. so I hung it on the back and figure I'd take advantage of the space and add more LR to the take for more filtration. if I find a skimmer I like in the future that will fit it will be a skimmer compartment WITH live rock. I was looking at the tunze smallest skimmer. doc 1005 I think. but I haven't read into it. school comes first.

[jonnydalejunior]

dude just go ahead and get a small yellow tang. he will be just fine. i know i am playing with fire by saying this, but lets be real these fish come from the OCEAN, and we are putting them in our tanks. he isnt gonna care if its a 55g or 75g or a 125g. i agree that we need to use common sense when we choose the fish we stock, but i think the "tang police" take it WAY too far. triggers like to swim FAR GREATER distances, but they are not nearly as harshly scrutinized. just do it.

[asonitez]

Originally posted by mixed_reefer
Looks like it is time to STOCK IT!
Dont run from the tang police, we all know hes yours..

lol exactly. idc what the tang police says anymore. I go by the if they are really tiny then go right head and add them. when they get too big trade em for more tiny ones.

[skaterzero22]

to be completely honest, I agree with the tang police. I think the tangs do need a good amount of swimming room. I think while they are small it is okay but once they start growing its tough. but at the same time if you get them when they are small who is to say that living their whole life in that size tank, it is going to stress them? I'm not sure, but until I study it more I will listen to the experienced and not keep tangs in my 55.