Maintenance and tank husbandry are really important for a reef tank and I do not always look forward to it. But I know it has to be done and in the long run it increases the chances for success.
Like past tanks, I have created a maintenance schedule for this new peninsula tank.…
When I start a new tank I like to come up with what I call a fish stocking plan. It is a list of the fish I would like to add to the tank. The first fish I add have to be hardy and inexpensive. Why roll the dice and add pricey fish to a new tank with a bacteria bed that is still maturing?…
I have always tried to stay away from too much automation with my tanks since I don’t like to have too many moving parts. The chances of something going wrong increases, in my view, when there are more variables in play.…
Peninsula reef tanks can present challenges when it comes to providing sufficient circulation for corals, especially SPS. It can be unsightly to have pumps on a viewing panel so many folks place them on the end panel.…
Over the years I have used both two-part dosing and calcium reactors for calcium and alkalinity supplementation. Two-part is good because it allows for precise dosing of each component. And it provides important major and minor trace elements for corals.…
I like to keep a slightly “dirty” tank for SPS and to do that I rely on a high import/export system. I target 2 to 5 ppm for nitrates and .03 to .07 ppm for phosphates.
On the import side, I like to keep a good number of fish and feed them heavily.…
Acro Eating Flatworms (AEFW), Red Bugs and other parasitic pests are unwanted guests in a SPS dominant reef tank. They can severely impact the health of corals and can be difficult to eradicate.
The Equipment
Setting up a SPS quarantine tank is a great way to keep a display tank pest free.…
I have never, ever used LEDs over any of my SPS dominated reef tanks but that is going to change with this peninsula tank. I have had great success with metal halides and supplemental T5’s and, as a result, have stuck with what works.…
Good old live rock is not so easy to find these days but there are a couple of places that do sell aquacultured rock. I have had great experiences cycling tanks with live rock so I wanted to use it again for this build.…
I have never had a bare bottom reef tank but that is going to change with this new aquarium. Why, well, strong flow is very important for SPS since it helps to deliver nutrients and with a peninsula tank I think it will be a real challenge to keep sand in place.…