Canreef Tank of the Month

Jason McK's 370G Gallon Tank

We welcome back Canreef's Featured Tank of the Month with JasonMcK's stunning setup. Thanks, Jason, for sharing your system details with us!

Introduction

It's a huge honor to be asked to be TOTM on Canreef. To be included in a group of people and tanks that I have admired for years truly is a milestone in my reefing experience. Unlike most I began my Aquarium obsession later in life, with a 75G reef tank, in 2001. I quickly became a huge fan of SPS corals and have been keeping them for about 6 years.

System

My Current tanks birth date was 08/01/06. This date was chosen as it was the date I transferred all my livestock from my 75G.

370G display (6.5' x 36" x 30")

90G sump

30G frag tank

The tank weighs well over 1000lbs without water. Getting it in the house was a challenge and many door frames had to be removed. With out the use of a very strong dolly, even with 5 big guys, the tank would still be out on my driveway. Thank goodness my wife had the foresight to bring it home from work. Then she had to force us to use it. Once we gave into to our male stubbornness it only took about 5 minutes to get it on the stand.

I DIYed the stand using TomR's "survive a nuclear war" stand plans.

Lighting

3x400W Blueline e-ballast, Lumenarc III reflectors

Currently using EVC Tech 14K bulbs

8x36W T5

Currently using 4x22K Aquaconnect 4x Fiji Pink Bulbs

Filtration

Bubble King 300 External

Miscellaneous Equipment

Sequence Reeflo Hammerhead return pump teed off to feed both my chiller and my 30G frag tank

Pacific Coast 1/2hp chiller

PM Ca Reactor with additional chamber

Phosban reactor for carbon

Zeovit 3L reactor

Tunze auto topoff system

Frag tank (32"x 12" x 12")

Profilux Aquarium Controller

American Pinpoint Marine pH monitor

Flow

Closed Loop : Oceans Motions 4-way driven by a Reeflo Sequence Hammerhead pump. The Oceans Motions 4-way uses a drum with 2 openings on the opposite ends. This allows 2 branches of the 4-way to have water flow at one time. A total of 12 holes have been drilled through the very thick 3/4 inch Glass (rumor has it Marc spent 6 hours to drill each hole).

To describe the closed loop I will break down each port of the 4-way

1) 2 one inch holes on the right side of the tank 3 inches from the bottom of the tank. These holes run through the tank wall then run through the overflow and finally through bulkheads on the overflow wall. Both holes have enductors attached to them

2) 4 one inch holes through the back wall of the tank 2 inches from the bottom of the tank. Each hole has an Omni-flex directional flow controller. The amount of flow is equal from all holes

3) 2 one inch holes on the left side of the tank drilled high on the tank wall. I had enductors on these ports but it was just too much flow

4) 4 one inch holes on a spray bar at the top of the tank. Each hole has an Omni-flex directional flow controller. The amount of flow is equal from all holes

So every 30 seconds 1 and 3 then 2 and 4 are cycled through the Ocean Motion 4-way

Every 6 months or so I was taking the 4-way apart to clean it but found it simply wasn't necessary. It has been working for about 3 years without a single problem.

Return pump, returns water through 2 wavy sea units and 1 simple Loc-Line pipe

Aquarium Chemistry

Specific Gravity: 1.024 Temperature: 79 F pH: 8.2

Calcium: 380-410 ppm Alkalinity: 7-8 dkh Magnesium: 1500 ppm

Potassium: 380 ppm Nitrates: <1ppm

Zeovit Supplements added

Zeolith : 3L

Zeobak: 6 drops every 3 days

Zeofood: 3 drops every 3 days

Zeostart: 0.6ml twice a day

AAHC: 7 drops daily

Coral Vitalizer: 7 drops daily

B-Balance: 3ml daily

Pohl's Xtra: 3ml daily

Potassium Iodide Fluoride: 7 drops daily

I've been using Zeovit for the entire life of the tank (Birth date 08/01/06). As many have learned, beginning Zeovit can be quite costly but now, after 3 years, the dosages have dropped significantly and that has afforded me reduce my costs while also adding other Zeovit products. I am a big fan of bacteria based systems and have chosen Zeovit based on the amount of support that was available at the time I started.

Photoperiod

T5 Actinics: 10am-10pm

MH Main lights: 12:00pm-9:00pm

Current Fish

Red Sea Sailfin Tang Zebrasoma desjardinii

Juv. Orange Shoulder Tang Acanthurus olivaceus

Chevron Tang Ctenochaetus hawaiiensis

Naso Tang Naso lituratus

Foxface Rabbitfish Siganus vulpinus

Arc-eye Hawkfish Paracirrhites arcatus

Frog Fish Antennarius coccineus

Pink tail Trigger Melichthys vidua

I've never been a huge fish guy, but as you can tell I'm a fan of Tangs. One from each family was my plan and I'm sticking to it.

I'm currently looking for ways to rid my tank of a nasty Arc-eye hawkfish. They are just nasty fish, despite being the smallest fish in the tank he sure is a bully.

Maintenance

Bimonthly 40G water changes using Reefers Best Salt

Monitor pH between 1st and 2nd stage of Ca reactor daily

Clean skimmer collection cup twice a week

Unfortunately I have not found the ID for each on my SPS corals. Something I continue to put on the back burner. There are over 65 different SPS in the system. With a large Hammer coral (approx. 12" X 12") some Ricordia and a few zoas and mushrooms.

Future plans include the addition of a Profilux Aquarium controller, redo the lighting mount system, and a possible reconfigure of the Skimmer frag system.

I have found that a small colony of Green Star Polyps, that has gone unchecked, is now a very large problem. I am in the process of eradicating them from my system, but they are winning. I believe my next step will be replacing some of the rock work to ensure the GSP are gone. My poor Orange Cap has been completely encrusted by GSP.

As the tank is always challenging my knowledge and skill, I'm at a point right now that I'm allowing my pieces to grow. I'm a big fan of massive SPS colonies. So that is my current goal to continue to be able to support the demands of the corals as they grow.