Jake's 35 Gallon Shallow Reef

Hello everyone!

I had to take a bit less than a year off from the hobby as I moved from Vancouver to Saskatoon to go to veterinary school. I finally have settled in a bit so I'm happy to start a new tank. Once again I'm going to try something new (to me!).

Tank: 24" long x 24" wide x 14" tall, external overflow from Concept Aquariums in Calgary, Canada.
3" of space on either side of the overflow... I like concealing powerheads on the back wall



Sump/Refugium: tall tank on right side is the refugium. Behind it is a 2nd taller tank that will be for top off water and water changes (dual use). Main sump is pretty standard with a filter sock tray, large skimmer chamber, and a return chamber. I'm hoping to stock the refugium with Halymenia macro algae again.



It should arrive within a couple of weeks! The tank will be lit with a Mitras, skimmed with a Reef Octopus skimmer, water flow from two Vortech's.

I have a couple of goals with this tank. First is to be more space efficient (look at my last tank)


My second goal is to emulate a anemone/seagrass ecosystem. This kind of ecosystem is seen in the Caribbean and I believe in the Indo-Pacific... although I have never been to the latter. I gained a bit of experience with sea grasses in my last tank, but have never kept an anemone before.

Kind of like this?


Here is my last tank! I miss it, but I'm excited to try something new.

 

As you know I have always enjoyed following your tank. I am looking forward to the next build.

I am not familiar with the Mitras fixture.

So rock/flower anemones or the carpet group from the pacific. I am guessing your not going with Condylactis?

I do think you would enjoy a Haddoni (perhaps a more exotic colored one) and the macro algae environment they inhabit.

 

Very nice!! Welcome back

 

Thanks Corailline!

The Mitras is a GHL fixture. It is hanging above my old tank in one of the pictures. It is a 120-190 W LED fixture. I will have to be careful acclimating corals to it in such a shallow aquarium.

I was thinking of just bubble tip anemones, although I really like the idea of a Haddoni carpet anemone. I only have space for one of them so I need to do some more research. I am a bit nervous about Haddoni's based on preliminary reading classifying them as a "difficult to keep" species.

For fish I am planning on a pair of clowns (I will see what types my LFS has available), a yellow watchman goby, and possible a pair of McKosker's fair wrasses. What is the risk a Haddoni anemone would capture the wrasses?

 

Haddoni might be consider moderately difficult to acclimate until they find the right spot. The Haddoni prefer an finer grain substrate, which I do not like, just be aware. Lastly they are fish eaters no doubt about it. In smaller tanks fish other than clowns acclimated to the anemone and other damsels are at great risk.

 

Thanks for the tips Corailline. A Haddoni may be a good fit as I was planning on a sugar sand/ mud bottom, like my last tank, to support seagrass.

Things are definitely moving slowly! I have the tank now and have hard plumbed in most of it. I cut some 3/4" pressure treated plywood and coated it in black deck paint to go under the tank and sump.

24x24x14" starfire tank


External overflow... I like the opaque glass the manufacturer used!


Bean Animal overflow with a 3/4" loc-line return


Sump... two gate valves on the left feed water into the sump from that display tank. Water then overflows into a filter sock tray and into a large skimmer chamber. Next is the return chamber. I used a true union ball valve to make the pump easy to remove or replace. The return line splits into two with one pipe going to the display tank, and the other through a gate valve to the refugium, which will overflow back into the return pump chamber of the sump (not plumbed in yet). Behind the refugium, there is a ATO/ SW change tank.


Regarding equipment, I decided to sell my GHL gear (aquarium computer and Mitras LED light) and replace it with an Apex and Kessil A360 LED. I have some issues with GHL after using their equipment for several years... never an easy firmware update, not many (any?) Canadian dealers left, PC only, etc. I really like Apex's new software, the Mac OS compatibility, and the constant stream of new features/add ons.