46 bow

[Todd W.]

46 Gallon Bowfront (up for 13 months)
(recently redone, got rid of original sand/gravel bed... created plenum following GARF.org design and added the sump/refugium)
Coralife 96 Watt Actinic, 96 Wall Daylight (10,000K)
Fluval 305
1200 Maxijets x2
300GPH overflow
30 Gallon Sump/Refugium
AquaEuro for return
CPR backpack skimmer (originally hang off tank before sump)
live sand from Florida
3 Clams (need more)
6 Mangroves (other 45 in 10 gallon to sprout and weed out the dead)
45-50 pounds live rock
2 misbarred clowns (looks like I may be a dad soon... they have found a spot)
4 Chromis
1 originally thought to be emporer damsel, following research and watching him nip a toadstool he is actually a bowtie damsel. He lives in the refugium right now, he may be joined by the hawk if more snails turn up with white chalk lines around them in the morning.....
1 Lawnmower Blenny
3 Engineer Gobies (wife wanted these) they will be big soon
1 Falco Hawkfish (keeping an eye on this guy, he is new, I saw him tag a snail, so I need to adjust food for him)
1 seacucumber
1 brittle star
3 emerald crabs
1 coral banded
1 peppermint (mysterious disappeared after adding the hawkfish)
Clean up crew blue hermits, red hermits, nassarius, trocus, turbo, cerith, 1 zebra hermit, 2 halloween (recently removed as they were chomping on green star polyp home)
Multiple corals..... See pics......

Whew....

Total up time 15 months.

I re-did the base last month. Originally had a deep base of 1/2 reef sand, and 1/2 aragonite, no plenum. I couldn't reduce my nitrates or phosphates for love or money.

SOooooooo, Joel at Aquariums Etc suggested that that base was causing the issue, he was right. I pulled everyone and everything out, put in a plenum from designs I got from GARF.org, redid the sand. To make things more interesting, I then put in a refugium.

I supported several Locals....
Sand and idea from Aquariums Etc.
Pump from North Dixie
Overflow from Gerbers.

Hardware from Lowes and Menards.


Within 1 week the phospates were 0 and nitrates were <10.

I am very happy.

Next project... I want to get Metal Halide bulb(s). Will inquire if someone wishes to trade for some (I've got DX6 parkflyer digital remote that is nearly brand new)