Anyone remember softies? :) I redid my personal 75 Gallon

[Palmetto]

Now that my SPS and clam obsession has gone through a good workout, I decided to re-do one of my 75-Gallon tanks with softies and Ricordea.

I love a good, colorful, overcrowded softie tank!

This 75-gallon is actually the "sump" for my 75-gallon SPS and clam tank.

I am using a mix of Fiji, Tonga, Kaileni, and Carribean rock to give maximum diversity. I also used collected Fiji and Carribean Live Sand, as well as sand from several of our systems to seed this 8" DSB. I really like mixing different kinds of rock and sand to add variety to the appearance and biodiversity of the reef.

I am culturing some beautiful Ricordea Florida onto nicely shaped branches that is making some really nice pieces.

 

[ChrisRD]

Very nice. 8)

 

[Expos Forever]

Very nice! What lighting are you using?

 

[Palmetto]

Thanks!


It is lit by 440 watts of VHO, using three Actinic Whites and one Actinic 03 URI bulbs on an ICECAP 660 ballast. I also have an extra Actinic 03 40Watt NO bulb on a separate timer.

 

[beerbaron]

This 75-gallon is actually the "sump" for my 75-gallon SPS and clam tank.

THATS AWESOME so where is the skimmer etc. i thought softies didnt always mix great with sps in closed systems. ive never had sps though so i dont know the particulars. i guess you dont have any fish down there? so its more of a coral filled refugium? very cool. How is it setup? could you give us a pick of the whole setup? id like to see how you have two connected 75s setup? does the sps tank sit above the other one?
cool
BB

 

[Palmetto]

There is a Red Sea skimmer sitting on one end of this 75-gallon.

The top tank drains through a pair of overflows into this one, with a big CAP pump for the return.

I will get some shots that show both tanks today.

Softies and SPS do not mix in the same tank well because they burn each other, but I have not had any problems running them like this. I am certain there is still some chemical warfare to a degree, but without the stress of being near each other, I don't think they release as many toxins anyway. Just a theory, but I have not had problems running them together yet separate like this.

 

[Markymarklar]

great refugium!!! i noticed you had a clam in there. what kind is it? i've always thought that clams didn't do well in VHO lighting. looks like yours is doing just fine.

 

[Palmetto]

That is a big fat Derasa. With 440 watts of VHO in that shallow tank with a very Deep Sand Bed, he is getting plenty of light for a Derasa IMO. Derasas are found in deeper water on the bottom in the wild, unlike the rock-clinging Croceas and Maximas.

I have two of these 7" Derasas. Nobody seemed to want them, so I put them in here.

 

[Reefguide]

I hate... umm... envy your "sump" ! JK... VERY VERY VERY NICE !

Congrats !!

 

[phillips]

Very nice set-up 8O 8O

 

[Palmetto]

[/quote]
THATS AWESOME so where is the skimmer etc. i thought softies didnt always mix great with sps in closed systems. ive never had sps though so i dont know the particulars. i guess you dont have any fish down there? so its more of a coral filled refugium? very cool. How is it setup? could you give us a pick of the whole setup? id like to see how you have two connected 75s setup? does the sps tank sit above the other one?
cool
BB[/quote]

Here is a pic I promised showing the more sumplike view: