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Cliff's 180 Gallon Aquarium
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Tank Specs: 180 gallon, 6ft by 2ft
Lighting: Two Aquaticlife 36" 6-bulb T5 fixtures. I use ATI bulbs with 4-blueplus, 1-purpleplus, and 1-coralplus in each fixture
Filtration: Wet/dry system using bio balls, mag 12 return pump, skimmer, 25W UV sterilizer
Flow: Two Sicce Voyager 1600gph for water flow
Lighting: Two Aquaticlife 36" 6-bulb T5 fixtures. I use ATI bulbs with 4-blueplus, 1-purpleplus, and 1-coralplus in each fixture
Filtration: Wet/dry system using bio balls, mag 12 return pump, skimmer, 25W UV sterilizer
Flow: Two Sicce Voyager 1600gph for water flow
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Livestock
Fish: flame angel, flame-back pygmy angel, Japanese swallow lyre tail angel, 2-percula clowns, 2-pajama cardinals, yellow wrasse, royal gramma, 2-firefish, purple firefish, 5-green chromis, flame hawkfish, leopard file fish, blue hippo tang, scribble rabbit fish, mandarin Corals: Assorted zoanthids, palythoas, leathers (aussie crown, bright green cabbage, sinularia, and yellow fiji), frog spawn, chalice, red goniopora, mushrooms (red, purple, blue, green, ricordeas and rhodactis), a few sps I am trying, bubble coral, and favia Inverts: 2-spiny urchins, 2-pin cushion urchins, african sea hare (I see it about once every 3 months), coral banded shrimp, cleaner shrimp, 5-sand sifting star fish, snails, hermit crabs |
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Tank Husbandry Routine
Feeding: Fish are fed two to three times a day-marine flake, frozen brine, mysis, and EZ pods. Corals are fed three times a week-DT's phyto plankton, oyster feast, cyclops, fuel, calcium buffer Maintenance: water changes average every two weeks, clean skimmer as needed, UV bulb changed every 10 months, T5 bulbs changed every year |
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Question Time
What got you into the hobby? For my birthday a long time ago I was given a 20 gallon setup which I immediately exchanged for a 29 gallon to get more height in the tank and I was hooked from then on. Luckily, at that time I lived very close to House of Tropicals in Delhi and became friends with Wayne and was in there all the time. Biggest challenge you have faced in the hobby? After I had been in it for a long time and had a beautiful salt water tank with beautiful high-end fish, I made a mistake and wiped out the entire tank and losing thousands of dollars in fish. I was ready to give up and sell everything. I had enough. My wife convinced me to think about it and just give it time. After awhile I decided to give it one more chance but this time I was going to try corals which got me excited again for the hobby. What has been easy for you? Salt water has been easier than fresh water. It seemed like I had to always battle with sickness with fresh water. Once I put all the correct systems in, it has been relatively easy. Your goals for the present and future? My present goals are hoping that all my frags grow out the way I am picturing the tank which will bring a lot more color to it. For the future, I want to branch out to more types of corals, especially the fleshy types but I have to get rid of my bi-color angel which has killed a few of them. I also want to add a few select wrasses to the tank. Area of the hobby you would like to learn more about? A lot of times when I am around other people in the hobby some of the language they use I do not know what they are talking about with new things that keep happening. I would like to try to catch up with the new ideas and systems that people have. It doesn't mean I will change everything I do but I am always open to good ideas. If you could go back to your rookie days what advice would you give yourself? I actually really enjoyed my rookie days. I think it was great starting with fresh water with inexpensive fish and building up from there. Wayne at House of Tropicals was really a good friend and helped me greatly. I guess the advice I would give myself is always get the better equipment, do not cut corners, and have a lot of patience. Find someone you can trust for advice. |