My name is Slobodan Lazarevic, for most of local fish keepers and close friends of mine better known as Laza. I'm from Belgrade, the capital of Serbia (former republic of Yugoslavia, SE Europe). I'm a member of several fish keeping web portals word-wide under the nickname Octopus or OctopusBG .

I've been deeply involved in marine fish keeping for about last 22 years. Besides, I have been keeping plenty of freshwater fishes and planted tanks . Also I've been dealing with aquascaping for many, many years. Some of my works in aquascaping you can see on following link:

http://www.akvaristikayu.com/Octopus%20aquascaping/Gallery.htm

Today, the fish keeping, corals and aquatic plants are my business, my hobby and still my obsession. Aquaristic is my love and also my way of living. I am a breeder of freshwater fishes, aquatic plants, corals. Ever since I was a child, my parents have had aquarium so my first footsteps had been made by the aquarium and their inhabitants. I have always loved the water. My parents are veterinarians and they taught me to love the live world. Thanks to that and my wish to know as much as possible about those living beings, I have decided to attend Biology at University of Belgrade.

I started my first marine tank in 1988. It was a small tank (200 litre) with several fishes. At that moment I already had a lot of experience with freshwater tanks so I started to work on something what we today called aquascaping. I was successfully breeding a lot of freshwater fishes: Angelfish, Discus, neon tetras etc. Still, marine aquatics was for me something new, one great challenge. At that moment in my country only a few people had something that could be called a marine tank. It was very hard to reach some new knowledge. There wasn't internet and books in my country. Some coral species which is very easy to maintain today, in that time was almost impossible to keep in life. Today is all so simple with technique progress and all available knowledge. I'm still learning on that field and enjoy in every moment.

The most of my tanks are located in separate space which my wife has named Laza's Green House. My plan for future is to make in that space some kind of Reef Centre, where all Serbian marine fish keepers will occasionally meet each other and exchange their experiences. In light of that, few years ago, I have established one of the most respectable fish keeping Web Site in Serbia, www.akvaristikayu.com (unfortunately, web portal in Serbian language only).

Today this system has four tanks, sump and a refugium.

4 tanks in system: 3 tanks 200 cm x 55 cm x 50 cm and one 200 cm x 55 cm x 60 cm + sump 165 cm x 45 cm x 40 cm + 180 cm x 40 cm x 30 cm refugium

I started to work on this system in 2006 when I set up the first tank and sump in October 2006. The second tank was added in May 2007, and at the end of 2009 I added another tank which is only for frags. The systems are never finished though and only a few days ago I set up bigger sump and one more 500 l tank. Now the entire system has more than 2500 litres of water.

In future I am planning new system for frags around 1000 l

IMO, high quality lighting is one of the most important things in reef keeping. Over the years in past, I have used various lighting but have to emphasize that I am more than satisfied with the lighting that is currently in use as it provides excellent growth and color of corals.

First tank:
aquaconect LUMIMASTER - 8 x T5 80 W lamp (2x aquascience blue, 4x aquascience special, 2 x aquascience duo )

Second tank:
Arcadia 3 series (2 x 150 W MH iwasaki 14000 K and 1 x 150 w Iwasaki 20 000 K) + 4 x T5 80 W aquascience blue and aquascience duo)

Frags tank:
DIY light 8 x T 5 80 W lamp (2x aquascience blue, 4x aquascience special, 2 x aquascience duo )

Right now I'm working on lighting for fourth tank. It will be DIY combination 3 x 150W Iwasaki lamps and 4 aquascience blue T 5 80 W lamps.

Photoperiod:
First tank:
8:00 aquascience blue ON
8:30 aquascience duo ON
9:00 MH 20000 K ON
19:30 MH 20000 K OF
21:00 h aquascience duo OFF
22:00 h aquascience blue OFF

Second tank and frag tank:
8:00 h aquascience blue ON
8:30 h aquascience duo ON
9:00 h aquascience special On

19:30 h aquascience special OFF
21:00 h aquascience duo OFF
22:00 h aquascience blue OFF

Moonlights: 21.00 ON - 4:00 OFF
Refugium and LPS tank : 22 :00 ON - 8:00 OFF

Excellent circulation is important for my tanks. In the first tank circulation is provided with Turbelle stream Kit TS 48 ( 4 x Turbelle stream 6100 /12000 l/h with multicontroller 7095)

In Second tank 4 x Tunze Turbelle stream 6105 with multicontroller 7095.

Frag tank circulation is provided with 2 x nanostream Turbele nanostream 6055 and one Turbelle stream 6105

For new LPS tank I prepare new 2 x Tunze Turbelle stream 6105

My previous (many years ago) reef tanks utilized a deep sand bed or trickle for filtration and nutrient processing. But I was not satisfied with that system. In my new system filtration is arranged with 300 kg live rock (Fuji, Tonga) and Bubble King 300 internal DeLuxe in sump + ozonizer (Sander) Right now I prepare 100 kg live rock for new LPS tank.

My Bubble King is big and very good skimmer. IMO, efficient skimming is also very important.

Return pump: first tank 2x 2500l Red dragon, second tank 2x 2500l Red dragon, frag tank 2 x 3000 l Tunze Master. For new tank I prepare 2x 2500l Red dragon.

I replace all of my top-off water with kalkwasser. Kalkwasser dosing daily with Deltec KM 500 Kalkwasser Stirrer and Tunze osmolator 3155

UV filtration is provided by 2 x De bary aqua UV 25 watt. UV filtration is switched on 24/7.

During the summer season the temperature is controlled by an Aquamedic Titan 1500. Above the tank are ventilators connected on Tunze temperature controller set and IKS aquastar Bassisistem .

In the winter I turn ON 4 x 300-watt heaters also on a controller. These heaters rarely turn on because the temperature in this room remains constant. Between the pumps and the lights, the tank needs only minimal and occasional, additional heat input.

There are a lot of corals in this system and they are growing very fast, so a lot of macro and micro elements are required. Use of calcium is big because the growth of corals is big. I have 2 CA reactors but lately they cannot compensate all coral requirements so sometimes I must increase calcium with Calcium Chloride Anhydrous (Purity (Min) 97%) and Ca complete with gluconate.

In my system I keep CA at 400-420 ppm and alkalinity at 7-8 dKH.

About microelements: With IKS aquastar and IKS doser I precisely add nutrients for corals on a daily bases which provides presence of all important and necessary elements for growth. I’ve used Grotech A, B, C and M additives for some time now. As I have already mentioned, it is very difficult to find all the things I need for the coral nutrients (there is not any specialist marine shops) and this has forced me to learn how to make these solutions. Many years of learning are behind this. I have good equipment for precise measuring and reliable water tests. All I need for my reef and my planted tanks I make by myself. By my opinion it is the real sense of this hobby.

Control is one of the most important aspects of my reef system. I keep the environment as constant as possible and this is accomplished with an IKS aquastar Bassi system. (pH module,redox module, temperature module). Schaltsteckdosienlieste. IKS Aquastar SMS give me absolute control in monitoring and maintaining. I have also installed:

• Tunze redox controller set 7075/2 (controlling Ozone)
• Tunze temperature controller set (controlling cooling ventilators)
• Tunze pH control set
• Tunze Conductivity meter
• Tunze water level alarm

IKS and other controllers allow me to monitor and control conductivity, temperature, pH and Orp. My lights are shut off if the temperature ever gets too high. The pH is kept constant and the controller does not allow my calcium reactors to adversely affect the tank. The conductivity monitor allows me to check the Osmolator. The temperature is kept within a one-degree range. The Orp is monitored so that the ozonizer never adds too much ozone.

I calibrate all my instruments on a monthly basis.

In Belgrade we sometimes suffer power failures ... it’s not often but it happens. When this occurs I have a little power generator (3500W) to help run the tanks. This generator can work for 12 hours with one full reservoir, and all the equipment runs off the generator.

I feed my fish three times a day with different frozen food and different kinds of flake or pellets.

Two to three times a week I also target feed most of my corals with a Cyclop-Eeze and various frozen foods. Also After lights three times a week I feed my corals with live Artemia or Oyster-eggs. I have the Plancton reactor phytobreder 2 Grotech and I dose 1000 ml live phytoplankton ( Nannochloropsis aculata, Phaeodactylum tricornutum ) every day except Saturday with Grotech Phytocontrol.

I change approximately 8 % of the tanks water using Tropic marin pro reef and Reef crystals salt every 7 days. Clean the protein skimmer every few days. Inspect all my corals and fish daily to make sure that they are ok.

My RO/DI cartridges I change every 3 months. Once a month I have to change the activated carbon. Rowaphos changed every 3 months. Once a year I change the T5 bulbs.

Water parameters are tested once a week.

No doubt that every single tank has its ups and downs. Therefore, the success depends on our needed education, knowledge and experience how to handle any possible problems that could appear. As I am Biologist, this advantage gives me a great opportunity to easier oversee and understand all possible problems that could be seen and to solve them in time in all tanks I have. Apart from some 30 years I've spent in this hobby, I'm still trying to learn and educate myself as much as possible.

No doubt that Internet sources and only very few of quality magazines help me a lot every time when I face some specific problem that needs a quick response and action. All I mentioned above is nothing but the fact that leads to the conclusion that the Aquaristic hobby is certain mix of plenty of knowledge from the fields of Chemistry, Physics, Biology etc. I haven’t had many problems with these tanks. The biggest problem could be fast growth of corals which require making frags very often in order corals will not damage each other.

FIRST TANK
Sohal Tang x2 (Acanthurus sohal)	Yellow zebrasoma x3 (Zebrasoma flavescens)	Majestic angel (Pomacanthus navarchus)
Ocellaris clownfish x14 (Amphiprion ocellaris)	Spotted mandarin (Synchiropus picturatus)	Algae eating bleny - pair (Salarias fesciatus)
Engineer Goby x2 (Pholidichthys Leucotaenia)	Six line wrasse x3 (Pseudocheilinus hexatenia)	Regal tang x2 (Paracanthureus hepatus)
Banana wrasse	Green wrasse	Dispar antias x10
SECOND TANK
Yellow zebrasoma x4 (Zebrasoma flavescens)	Purple tang (Zebrasoma xathurum)	Six-line wrasse x5 (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia)
Azure Damselfish (pair) (Chrysiptera hemicyanea)	Mandarinfish (pair) (Synchiropus splendidus)	Rainford's Goby (Amblygobius rainfordi)
Regal angel (Pygoplites diacanthus)	Algae eating bleny (Salarias fesciatus)	Red sea ocellaris (pair) (Amphipirion perideraion)
Skunk clown x3	Blue throat triggerfish (Xanthichthys auromarginatus)
FRAG TANK
Yellow zebrasoma x3 (Zebrasoma flavescens)	Algae eating bleny (Salarias fesciatus)	Ocellaris pair (Amphiprion ocellaris)
LPS TANK (added to the system a few days ago)
Sailfin Tang (Zebrasoma veliferum)	Orangespot surgeonfish (Acanthurus olivaceus)	Six line wrasse (Pseudocheilinus hexatenia)
	Algae eating bleny (Salarias fesciatus)

If I try to list all my corals species I will never finish this article. I have about 200 coral species and varieties. Here are some of them:

LPS CORALS
Pink Alveopora (Alveopora sp.)	Trumpet Coral (Caulastrea curvata)	Candy Cane Coral (Caulastrea furcata)
Pineapple Coral (Blastomussa wellsi)	Branching Hammer Coral (Euphyllia parancora)	Green favia (Favia sp.)
Metalic green staghorn flat (Hydnophora sp.)	Neon orange (Cycloseris tenuis)	Elegance Coral (Catalaphyllia jardinei)
Crystal coral green (Galaxea sp.)	Flowerpot red (Goniopora sp.)	Merulina Coral (Merulina sp.)
(Montastrea sp.)	Elephant Skin Coral (Pachyseris sp.)	Cactus pectinia green (Pectinia lactuca)
Bubble coral (Physogyra lichtensteini)	Porites Coral (Porites sp.)	Red Symphyllia (Symphyllia sp.)
Open Brain Coral (Trachyphyllia geoffroyi)	Scroll Coral (Turbinaria reniformis)	Button Coral (Scolymia sp.)
Oulophyllia (Oulophyllia crispa)	Plate coral green (Fungia sp.)	Multi Color Royal (Porites sp.)
Leptoseris Common (Leptoseris sp.)	Leptoseris Color (Leptoseris sp.)	Pachyseris Color (Pachyseris sp.)
Plate Anemone Green (Heliofungia actiniformis)	Plate Fungia Green Metalic (Fungia sp)	Organ pipe green polyps (Tubipora sp.)
Organ Pipe pink (Tubipora musica)	Organ Pipe White Big Pipe (Tubipora musica)	Plate Cycloseris Yellow (Cycloseris sp)
Tongue Coral Poly Green (Polyphyllia sp)	Blastomussa Red (Blastomussa)	Blastomussa Pipe (Blastomussa)
Modern Coral Red (Cynarina lacrymalis)	Meat Coral Carpet Green (Lobophyllia sp.)	Lobophyllia carpet red (Lobophyllia hemprichii)
Symphyllia Green (Symphyllia sp)	Pineapple Green Metalic (Favia sp.)	Pineapple Red (Favia sp.)
Pineapple metalic red (Favia sp.)	Fox Coral (Nemenzophyllia turbida)	Pearl Coral Green Celebes (Physogyra lichtensteini)
Bubble Coral (Plerogyra sinuosa)	(Pavona sp.)	Hexagonal coral (Diploastrea)
Euphyllia ancora	Diploastrea Green (Diploastrea sp.)	Echinophyllia Red (Echinophyllia sp.)
Favites Brain Green (Favites sp.)	Jewel Stone Budding Green (Goniopora sp.)	Tongue Coral Green (Herpolitha sp.)
	Dendrophyllia fistula
SPS TANK
(Acropora anthocercis)	(Acropora azurea)	(Acropora loisetteae)
(Acropora retusa)	(Acropora anthocercis)	(Acropora aspera)
(Acropora bifurcata)	(Acropora echinata)	(Acropora elegans)
(Acropora exquisita)	(Acropora formosa)	(Acropora insignis)
(Acropora echinat)	(Acropora loripes)	(Acropora millepora)
(Acropora plumosa)	(Acropora tenuis)	(Acropora tricolor)
(Acropora valida)	(Acropora verweyi)	(Acropora sp. pink polips)
(Montipora capricornis(red,gren,pink))	(Montipora delicatula)	(Montipora digitata)
(Montipora hoffmeisteri)	(Pocillopora damicornis)	(Pocillopora eydouxi)
(Pocillopora verrucosa)	(Seriatopora hystrix pink, gren, yellow, purple)	(Seriatopora stellata)
(Seriatopora caliendrum)	(Stilophora pistillata)	(Stilophora subseriata)
SOFT CORALS
Waving Hand Coral (Anthelia sp.)	Glove Polyps (Clavularia sp.)	Tree Coral (Lemnalia sp.)
(Sarcophyton glaucum)	(Sinularia flexibilis)	(Sinularia polydactila)
(Sinularia brassica)	(Sinularia cf. notanda)	(Sinularia dura)
(Xenia sp.)	Mushrooms Blue Special Java (Discosoma sp.)	Mushrooms Blue Spotted (Discosoma sp.)
Mushrooms (Actinodiscus cardinalis)	(Anthelia sp.)	Mushrooms yuma (Ricordea yuma)
Fine spoted mushroom (Actinodiscus sp.)	Striped mushroom (Actinodiscus sp.)	(Zoanthus sp. red, pink, green, brown)
(Epizoanthus sp.)	(Parazoanthus sp.)

Turbo snail x45 (Tectus niloticus)	Tridacna clam x2 (T.gigas and T.maxima)	Blue Starfish x3 (Linckia laevigata)
Cleaner Shrimp x6 (Lysmata Amboinensis)	Coral crab x3 (Tetralia cavimana)	Boxing shrimp x2 (stenopus hispidus)
Blue Leg Hermit Crab x5 (Calcinus elegans)	Fire shrimp (Lysmata debelius)	Spoted algae starfish (Nardoa pauciforis)
Spotted linckia starfish (Linckia multiflora)	Sand starfish (Archaster typicus)

It is also important to keep in mind that each reef aquarist should work hard on education in order to understand corals needs and accordingly to provide them what they need under appropriate conditions. Success in aquaristic is kind of mix of necessary basic and sometimes even advanced knowledge of natural sciences, experience and of course, a lot of creativity.

I've studied Biology and passed planty of exams regarding the corals and other marine organisms, including their morphology, taxonomy, phisiology etc... All the time, I was trying to use all of that basic knowledge in this hobby and also to facilitate all my knowledge combined with practice. I'm not ashamed to say that I'm still learning... I have a huge aquaristic library that contains the most valuable books published in the last 25 years in English as well as in Russian language.

For me Reef aquarium and aquascaping is a way of relaxation, the escape from boring things that we face every day and the different world made of my imagination. It is strange to me sometimes how aquariums can divert my full attention from usual problems and show me a whole beauty of a world of silence and creativity. Water itself, all the related parts of water, and the specific peace and silence that it provides, have always had a special meaning to me. After every successful setup I made in some of my tanks, I feel much, much better.

My plan for future is to make space some kind of Reef Centre, where all Serbian marine fish keepers will occasionally meet each other and exchange their experiences.

I would like to thank the all on the ultimate reef, especially the Ultimate Reef team, that has made my reef dream come true. I would also like to thank the all reefkeepers who nominated my tank. Tank of the Month, is a great honour for me and also obligation that my future set up have to be better and better. My personal satisfaction is even bigger bearing in mind the fact that we have no any available LFS capable to offer any marine fishes or corals in our local market and that I live so far away from tropical seas in country where reef aquaristic is still in its beginning.

Therefore, I was forced to be in touch with a lot of fish keepers from neighboring countries as well as with fish keepers from Germany, Holland and Singapore, in order to find needed marine organisms I intended to breed in my tanks and to find the easiest way to be supplied with them. According to the above-mentioned, it is needless to say that I have started to collect corals for my reef tanks a long time ago.

This time I would like to thank to all my friends worldwide that make me able to rise and continuously enlarge my coral collection. Of course, I would specially like to thank dear friends TK. Haw and KB. Haw from Singapore who helped me a lot with coral and fish supply.

In the end I have to thank my wife and my san for support me in my hobby and my endless plans for aquaristic.

I wish you my dear reefers clear water, fast coral growth and great plesure in this wonderful hobby.

Cheers and Happy reefkeeping.