Stunning 460-Gallon Reef Tank by Bill Bramucci | Reef2Reef
Tank Specifications
Volume: 460 Gallons / 1740 Liters
Dimensions (L × W × H):
84.0" ×
42.0" ×
30.0"
213.4cm ×
106.7cm ×
76.2cm
Equipment List
- Salt: Red Sea
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maintenance routine for my reef tank?
Daily tasks include feeding the tank, dosing Reef Moonshiners Elements, and scraping the glass. Weekly maintenance involves changing filter socks, performing tests on Tuesdays and Fridays, dosing Prodi-Bio bacteria, cleaning and emptying skimmers, blowing detritus from rocks and sand, recharging air dryer beads for the ozone generator, and inspecting and cleaning dosing lines and probes. Monthly includes sending in ICP tests and performing trace element corrections. Every six months, a large water change is performed, and a major equipment cleaning is undertaken every January.
How do you ensure stable water parameters in the tank?
I monitor and maintain stable calcium (Ca), alkalinity (Alk), and magnesium (Mg) levels at 420, 7.5 DKH, and 1350 respectively. The pH is particularly important, and I use a custom Kalk stirrer to maintain the pH around 8.3. It doses whenever the pH drops below 8.35, primarily during the night.
What is the export strategy for maintaining water quality?
My strategy focuses on high import and high export. I feed heavily, utilize wet skimming, and employ a large volume of bio media to house denitrifying bacteria. I also use carbon dosing with Tropic Marin NP Bacto-Balance to keep nitrates in check.
How do you dose for calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium?
I use a Kalk stirrer that doses fully saturated Kalk based on my pH target of 8.35. Additionally, I have a GHL Alk Director that doses BRS Sodium Bicarbonate and BRS Calcium Carbonate if alkalinity drops below 7.5, mostly during daylight hours.
What is the role of the Reef Moonshiners method in your system?
I use the Reef Moonshiners method to dose individual trace elements daily, along with larger corrections based on monthly ICP tests. This method has helped maintain coral health and growth effectively.
What lighting system do you use for your reef tank?
The display tank is lit by 8 Ecotech Radion XR30 G4 Pro LED lights, 4 Ecotech Radion XR15 G6 Blue LED lights, paired with 16 - 39W ATI Blue+ T-5 bulbs in 4 hybrid fixtures. This lighting schedule incorporates an all-blue spectrum for sunrise and sunset, with red and white light added during the day.
How do you manage water circulation and flow in the tank?
Water circulation is managed using four Ecotech MP60 powerheads equipped with 4D Aquatics movable nozzles, providing a standing wave during the day and lagoon mode at night. Two 1" Sea Swirls also contribute to creating random flow, ensuring no dead spots.
What type of feeding regimen do you have for the tank's inhabitants?
I feed a mix of frozen foods, TDO pellets, Benepets, and Nori, along with Boyd Vita-Chem and Selcon, three times a day. The total daily feeding amounts to 16 ounces of food mixed with RODI water.
How did you select the inhabitants for your tank?
I have a passion for SPS corals, which guided my primary objective to maintain a heavily SPS-dominated tank. However, I sometimes add LPS or other corals that catch my interest.
How do you typically handle setbacks in the reef tank?
When setbacks occur, I focus on resolving the issue quickly, learning from every mistake. I keep backup equipment on hand and plan for contingencies, such as power outages.
What major challenges have you faced, and how did you overcome them?
I experienced significant issues from incorrect dosing of Lanthanum Chloride that led to a fish die-off. I addressed this by rapidly correcting water parameters. Additionally, I’ve dealt with equipment failures, which I now counteract by maintaining redundancy with probes.