Tank of the month, I can't believe it.........I'm made up! Thanks to all who voted! When I saw the PM in my inbox I was shocked and chuffed to bits at the same time!

I've kept fish ever since I was a kid but despite keeping tropicals I always stared deep into the marine tanks wondering if I'd ever have the knowledge and money to be able to take the plunge.

Well several years ago I was made redundant and with the payout I thought I'd treat myself and went for a fish-only. Corals, who wants those I thought, that was until I spotted pulsing xenia and that was the beginning of my reef tank. My fish-only career lasted all of about two months!

A few years and two tanks later we moved house and after doing a lot of work to it, my treat was a new tank, which is where this one began.

The display tank is 66" x 28" x 24" and although I initially wanted to go larger, I also wanted to continue to use 5ft T5 bulbs so I was governed by these, as I didn't want to much shadow at either end. The tank has black silicon on all 4 vertical corners with clear silicon elsewhere. The back of the tank was painted blue but in hindsight I wish I've gone for black as I think it makes the colours punch more, hence now leaving it to colour up, but also because I'm too lazy to clean it! I also wish I'd gone for a more open aquascape with maybe a couple of bommies but when I did it I wanted maximum space for corals. I think a big part of this hobby is a case of the grass is always greener.

The cabinet is a DIY job made from a CLS timber frame and clad with MDF. The MDF was primed then sprayed with several coats of a matt grey oil based paint. The spraying process is laborious but the finish is excellent.

Sump measures 42" x 21" x 17" and is fed from the display with 2 x 50mm weir pipes, so it pretty quiet. The sump also contains a built-in RO top-up chamber.

Running as part of the same system is a frag/refugium tank, which is on the other side of the wall from the main system. This frag tank measures 40" x 12" x 20" and is split equally between a frag tank and refugium. This also feeds back into the sump via a further 2 x 40mm weir pipes. Running the frag tank inline prevents the need for separate testing, dosing, etc

I've calculated the whole system volume, excluding displacement, to be around the 800 litre mark.

Since the tank's been up and running, approx 4 years ago, there's been many changes to lighting. Originally I was using just T5 ballasts with standard reflectors. Later I replaced a few of these with Aquarays but saw the coral growth fall away. Later still I bought a second hand triple 150w halide and the growth increased more than I'd ever seen but I found the tank looked very yellow. Finally, 6 months ago I bought an 8 x 80w ATI powermodule and have never looked back - these units are the nuts!

Bulbs are the standard ATI bulbs with their recommended combination being blue, white, purple, blue, white, purple, white, blue (front to back).

In addition to the powermodule are just a single pair of all blue aquarays which come on for 60 minutes at either end of the photo period to create a dusk/dawn effect.

The lighting period is;

Aquarays - 1200 to 1300hrs, then 2200hrs to 2300hrs
ATI purples only - 1245hrs to 2215 hrs
ATI all bulbs - 1415 hrs to 2145 hrs

As for the frag tank, this has a 6 x 24w ATI sunpower running, again it's ATI tubes and their recommended configuration. I wanted to make sure the lighting in the frag tank was a similar to the main tank to ensure any frags held their colour. Lighting times are pretty much the same as the display.

Future plans are to try and squeeze a bit more out of the powermodule by changing some of the bulb configurations. If anyone has any suggestions on what alternatives/mixes to use it would be appreciated. I've already been looking at the KZ tubes

Circulation is via a whole load of tunze nano's!

Just behind the rocks at the top, facing down, are 2 x 6105's which are at each side of the weir. These are mounted with the nozzles inserted into pipework which runs down to 2 x 90 degree elbows situated at the bottom of the tank, next to the weir. The idea here is that I wanted loads of flow behind the rock (as you can see I have a lot!) but wanted easy access to the nano's for cleaning. These are controlled by a 7095 controller on pulse. That said, the rock work is much more open than it actually looks with some reasonable voids behind the main structure.

Across the top of the tank are 4 x 6055's which are controlled via a 7096 controller to create random flow patterns.

The return is an OR6500 with the feed pipe split and it comes in via two pipes/nozzles across the brace bars and in at the front of the tank to try and push some flow round either side of the main rock work structure. These can be seen in the top left and right front corners.

The frag tank is fed via an OR3500 and has 2 x 6015's for flow, one in each chamber. I know flow in a refugium is generally not the done thing but I found without it I was getting some cyano growth in there.

This really is pretty basic but seems to work a treat;

- Loads of live rock in the display (probably 120 kg's plus)
- Phosphate and carbon reactors in chamber 1 of the sump, fed from a 'T' from the return which is in chamber 3. I needed to put them in chamber 1 as I was running out of space but this way the reactors aren't taking in waste directly from the weir/tank. They feed back into chamber 2
- Deltec SC2060 skimmer in chamber 2 (this really is a great bit of kit)
- Floss between chambers 2 and 3, changed weekly
- The refugium contains cheato and is reverse lit by an envirolight 150w CFL bulb for just 7 hours each night

Heating/cooling is controlled via an ATC 800 (I did buy a TC10 several months ago so I had more accurate control but have not got round to fitting it!)

Heaters are 2 x 300w Rena heaters

Cooling is done via an Aquamedic Titan 1500 chiller; with all the lighting, pumps, frag tank, etc, this really is essential in the summer

The tank is controlled to run around the 26 degree mark, give or take a degree

Tank is running on the balling lite method and I love it, so simple, via a stand alone GHL triple doser set up as follows;

Pump 1 (KH)
I use normal bi-carb for this, bought off the internet. I've read about aquarium based balling lite buffer being better for the tank and colours and have considered switching but for now I'm happy. The tank consumes 600ml of KH mix per day, although this is actually 1200ml as I actually halve the number of grams to litre as I find this prevents the feed tube blocking. To the KH fluid I add Fauna Marin Iodine solution

Pump 2 (Calcium)
For this I use Fauna Marin calcium with their strontium and heavy metal supplements. The tank is currently using about 160ml of this mix per day

Pump 3 (Magnesium)
For this I use magnesium bought online from a chemicals company. It works out much cheaper although at just 15ml's per day I don't use much!

The tank stays pretty stable at;

KH 9.6
Calcium 420
Magnesium 1350

The only down side to the balling method is mixing solutions, particularly as I use so much KH. I generally mix the KH in 20 litre batches and store it in sealed bottles

The tank is run on TMC Pro Reef which only requires a little magnesium to bring it up to the correct level, at 1.025

Other than the GHL doser and the ATC800 there really isn't anything worth shouting about

Lighting runs off cheap plug-in timers

Temperature is monitored via standard battery operated thermometers with temperature probes. These have a min/max setting which I think is important

Top-up is via a tunze ozmolator which I must have had now for 10 years and it's still going strong

I do have a Pinpoint PH Probe but its never turned on these days. Since switching to balling I find this to be surplus really

I also run ozone to polish the water. This is done for just 2 hours each night and although is on a controller the level is so minimal I don't ever think it reaches the 350 setting

I generally test for kh, calcium and magnesium once a week or whenever I look at the tank and see something that doesn't look quite right

As for nitrate and phosphate, I don't really test for these at all. Last test was weeks ago and both were zero. I tend to change the phosphate media (Rowaphos) when I need to clean the glass a little more often.

Each morning the tank gets a quarter of a sheet of seaweed (chinese supermarket stuff)

When I get in from work I often feed a few pellets, then later in the evening a mix of frozen mysis and brine

I try to keep feeding to a measured amount. In the past I've found myself with water parameter issues due to over feeding

Water changes are done every 2 or 3 weeks depending on if I have the time. To be honest this is more like 3 weeks these days as I've found the tank doesn't suffer for it. Each water change is 100 litres, so about 12% ish.

Along side the frag tank I have a 36" x 15" x 15" tank which is drilled in the centre with pipework running to the sump. I pump water out of the sump and then drop the water change mix into the sump by opening a valve below this tank. This makes water changes so much easier and I can have one done in about 15 minutes.

Carbon and rowaphos are in separate reactors but changed at the same time, just because its easier. These are generally changed every 6-8 weeks.

Problems began with this tank from day one with the manufacturer having to deliver it 5 times before it was right (wrong colour silicon, bracing, scratched glass, etc), hence not mentioning them here!

Since then I've had a few ups and downs, the ones that stick in my mind are;

Losing corals, mainly LPS and SPS. This was probably a year or two ago now and was down to the volume of additives required exceeding what I could manually control and monitor. This was as a result of more corals being added and their growth. Since switching to balling its solved the problem.

Balling dosing too high. When I started balling I found the KH to be dropping, so increased the dosing, then calcium too low, so increased this, then again KH, and so on. Ultimately it appeared I was over dosing the tank and the KH and calcium were continually knocking each other out with the corals suffering. After some spot on advice from here I was put back on the right road.

Dumping 2 litres of calcium into the tank! I made the mistake of disconnecting one of the GHL pump heads one day without realising that by doing so the container back siphoned. Came home to find some sad looking corals and when I tested I found the calcium to be in excess of 900 - I really did nearly have a trouser accident that day! Again, fortunately that's where UR comes in and thanks to the advice I got I didn't lose a single thing.

Currently the only issue I have is a little cyano that refuses to go. Nothing too much but its just annoying.

Believe it or not other than a mandarin, that I got from a fellow member late last year, no new fish have been added for probably 18 months plus!

Two or three years ago I got brook or velvet in the tank after adding a new fish and lost probably 80+% of my fish. Since then I've been QT all the way! The advantage of QT is that it stops impulse buys as the process is a pain, plus I don't have the QT tank running all the time.

Current fish are;

Powder blue, yellow and purple tang, flame angel, silver belly wrasse, iridis wrasse, gold back wrasse, cleaner wrasse, peacock leopard wrasse, pair of tangerine line gobies, scarlet hawk, pair of black and white clowns, emperor cardinal, 5 anthias and a spotted mandarin

Without doubt my favourite marine fish is the powder blue and although they come with problems, mine does really well. I just love the colour of them when they are settled in an aquarium.

I do like a completely stacked tank when it comes to corals, although that does mean there's a constant war between them. The carbon handles any chemical warfare, it's just when they come into contact with each other

I've recently, and since balling has allowed, got more and more into SPS and although they look great I still also like the movement that comes with softies and LPS. Well, as you can see I couldn't choose between them so have gone for the lot!

Unfortunately in the days prior to writing this my frogspawn decided to take out my alveopora and purple plate, just left of centre, so they don't look too great but that's just how it goes.

As for inverts, there aren't many. Kicking around are a dozen or so hermits, a dozen or so mexican turbo snails, 4 tuxedo urchins, a banded serpent star and a maxima clam

Somewhere in the tank is a huge black crab, resembles a mythrax. It's almost 2 inches across its shell but despite my best efforts I'm yet to catch it. It even fought off an attack from a carving knife a few weeks ago. Fingers crossed though I'm yet to lose anything that I can put down to it.

I've heard this hobby described as being worse than drugs and I completely agree! There's been times I want to give up and times where I can't stop buying things, both sometimes on the same day! When it's going well it's great but there are times whereby you do wonder why.....

In the last few months I've tried to stand back and leave the tank alone and I must say it seems to be working right now as it's just ticking. It's nice just to enjoy it, keep on top of the maintenance and snap off the odd frag here and there.

I do think I'd be rich though if I'd never started in the first place!

The last thing is I wish I knew more about photography. I've struggled to get some decent shots, mainly as the glare from the ATI is pretty intense. Some of the images you see on UR are awesome but sadly mine don't compare.

Well, number 1 has to go to my girlfriend Esther. She's pretty cool about the whole thing letting me spend endless hours messing around with the tank and buying what I want (sorry, need!)

Secondly has to go to Paul and Daryl at World of Fishes, East Grinstead. There's a lot to be said for supporting your LFS in order to ensure they stay your LFS. Buying things off the internet can be cheaper but at the end of the day without actual shops where would you get your livestock? (I would never buy fish or corals without seeing them in the flesh first). The support goes both ways though as when I need something they are only too happy to help out and go the extra mile. I travel a lot with work and always have a look what's in the area I'm going to but I have to say their stock remains right up there with the best, if not higher. If you've not been it's worth a trip.

Lastly, thanks to everyone on UR. This site really is excellent. Where else could you have a problem with the tank at anytime of the day and find a solution or get a response almost immediately?!