MarineDepot.com Featured Customer Tank—Mathdoc's Reef Sanctuary
About the Tank Owner
I am a pediatrician and a math teacher and have loved and kept both salt and fresh water fish for over 20 years. I have a Koi pond at home and a 180-gallon reef tank in my pediatric office. In general, children are very afraid of doctors and shots. The tank calms them down and helps so much. They also learn about fish and corals so it is an educational experience as well. Before I see patients, they have to sit and look at the tank, and then after they are seen, they spend some more time watching and relaxing.
Charles G.
Northridge, CA
Tank Details
General
- Tank Volume: 180 Gallons
- Tank Dimensions: 72" x 24" x 24"
- Glass or Acrylic: Glass with Starfire glass front
- Sump Volume: ~25 Gallons
- Refugium Volume: ~15 Gallons
- Stand Type or Material: Black wood
Circulation
Controllers
Filtration
Lighting
System Parameters
- Temperature: 80ºF min - 81.3ºF max
- Specific Gravity: 1024-1025
- pH: 8.0 - 8.3
- Alkalinity: 9-10
- Calcium: 425-450
- Mg: 1300
- Test Kit Brand(s): Salifert and Hanna Instrument Phosphate Colorimeter
- Nitrate: < 0.2ppm
- Phosphate: < 0.03
- Resins or Devices Used to Control Nitrate/Phosphate: Two Little Fishies Phosban Reactors with Phosban, Carbon and Denitrate. 3 units, two pumps as above.
- Calcium Reactor: Vertex with pH probe
Maintenance Schedule
- Water Changes: 15 Gallons every Friday
- Bulb Replacements: Every 9 months
- Water Tests: Every 2 weeks at most
- Resin Replacements: Monthly (or as needed)
- Type of Salt Used: E.S.V. B-Ionic Salt Mix
Livestock
Livestock (continued)
- Stony Corals:
- Montipora Setosa
- Montipora Confusa
- Montipora Green with Blue Polyps
- Montipora Capriconus Red Cap
- Montipora Sunset Digitata
- Montipora Laker (encrusting)
- Montipora Rainbow (encrusting)
- Montipora Nodosa
- Montipora Nugget
- Montipora Garrets Pink Cadillac
- Sunset and Reverse Sunset Montipora
- Montipora Purple Haze
- Montipora Neon Orange Digitata
- Montipora Starburst Cap
- Mystic Grape Favia
- Mayan Sun Favia
- Tricolor Acanthastrea Echinata
- Acanthastrea Lord Toxic Orange and others without names
- Stylophora Pistillata both pink and pink with green
- Meteor Shower Cyphastrea
- Acropora Strawberry Shortcake
- Acropora Nasuta White and Purple
- Acropora Oregon Tort
- Acropora Light Blue
- Acropora Purple Nana
- Scroll Coral
- Pavona Maldivensis
- Blue Ridge Coral
- Soft Corals:
- Purple Hornets
- Turple Terror
- Armor of God
- Electric Oompa Loompa
- AOI
- Blue Agave
- Fire and Ice
- Darth Maul
- Gold Dust
- Mary Jane
- My Clementine
- Yellow Jackets
- Red Candy Apple
- Vivid Nightmare
- Tubbs Blue
- Cinnamon Polyps
- Palythoa Grandis
- Mohawk and variable stars
- Pastel and many other rainbow
- Sinularia Green Variety
- Goniopora Red, Purple and other varieties
- Kenya Tree
- Anemones Rose Bubble Tip and Green Bubble Tip
- Ricordea Mushrooms including pink Yuma and green
- Rhodactis orange and blue as well as and many other mushrooms
- Many types of clove polyps
- Inverts:
- Yellow Banded Coral Shrimp
- 1 Small Red Starfish (unknown type)
- Many kinds of snails
- Many type of hermit crabs
- Noteworthy Specimens:
- Tyree Mayan Sun Favia
- Colony of Turple Terror AKA Bloodshot Palys
- Jedi Mind Trick Montipora
- Strawberry Shorcake Acropora
- Monitpora Setosa
- Colony of Yellow Jacket Zoanthids
- Pink Elephant Palythoas
- Wellsophyllia Brain Coral
- Pink Ricordea Yuma
- Sohal Tang
- Montipora Starburst Cap
- Colony of Electric Oompa Loompa
Feeding
Additional Notes
- Problems Overcome With System: I have had many problems including Red Cyaobacteria. I found that when the lights are overdue for a change, the Cyanobacteria starts to grow. I also used Ultralife Red Slime Remover and it works well. I have also had problems with Flatworms. Have not figured that one out yet. Good flow has helped overcome many problems and is an absolute must, in my opinion.
- Things You Like Best About System: I love the wide spectrum of colors I have and I love having a few soft corals, some LPS and SPS all mixed. It is not easy, but it is well worth the work! Mostly I love that every day 25 or more children can see and enjoy bits of the reef (aquacultured) from all over the world in my office! They learn, enjoy, and appreciate coral reefs more because of this tank.
- Anything Special Unique About System: Mixed system (LPS/SPS/SOFTIES) and they all get along (well, most of the time, at least).
- Overall Positives: Great coral growth and I have had many fish over 3-4 years. Amazing colors and textures. The water is always very clear.
- Overall Negatives: I feed heavily, so I need to skim quite a bit. I also need to use lots of Phosban, carbon and Purigen as well as water changes to keep the SPS happy. The MH lights are very hot and I am thinking about changing to LEDs someday.
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