Saltwater Reef Tank
by Don Geddis


This 250g reef tank started in November 2005. The initial livestock came from my previous 55g reef tank.

The major part of the display tank is a community reef, including fish, corals, invertebrates, live rock, and live sand. There is also a partition 1/3 of the way on the left side (which allows water to cross but prevents large animals from switching sides). The smaller section holds seahorses, which share much of the maintenance requirements of reef fish (and thus can share water), but which thrive better in their own section (because they prefer low current, low light, and are such slow hunters that they might starve in a tank with fast, aggressive fish).


        250g system
  • 192g display (66"x28"x24")
    • 1/3 seahorses
    • 2/3 reef
  • 40g refugium (36"x15"x16"")
  • 40g sump (36"x15"x16")
2x250W 10K Metal Halide
2x60" VHO Actinic White
3 SCWDs (6x2 = 12 returns)
ASM G-4 skimmer (Sedra 5000)

I originally imagined that I would design a custom (multi-level!) tank system of my own, but without any building experience I decided it was wiser to get professional help with my first major system. This tank was built by Nemo Marine Systems in San Jose, CA.



Newest
Photos
Antler Coral
Pectinia alcicornis
September 20, 2010
Antler Coral
Pectinia alcicornis
September 17, 2010
Hawkin's Blue Acropora
Acropora echinata
May 29, 2010
Disk Coral
Fungia sp.
May 29, 2010
Newest
Videos

Video: 320x240 317K avi (3 seconds)
(or: 640x480 4.5M mpg)
Bubble Coral
Plerogyra sinuosa
July 3, 2009

Video: 320x240 597K avi (4 seconds)
(or: 640x480 6.4M mpg)
Ocellaris Clownfish
Amphiprion ocellaris
May 24, 2009

Video: 320x240 1.1M avi (9 seconds)
(or: 640x480 13M mpg)
Colonial Polyps
Parazoanthus gracilis
May 24, 2009

Fish


(Brazilian Seahorse)
Hippocampus reidi


(Copperband Butterfly)
Chelmon rostratus


Coral Goby
Gobiodon okinawae


(Cubical Boxfish)
Ostracion Cubicus


Firefish Goby
Nemateleotris magnifica


Flame Angel
Centropyge loriculus


(Flounder)


(Neon Goby)
Elacatinus oceanops


Ocellaris Clownfish
Amphiprion ocellaris


Psychedelic Mandarin Dragonet
Synchiropus splendidus


Purple Tang
Zebrasoma xanthurum


Spotted Mandarin Dragonet
Synchiropus picturatus


(Sunburst Seahorse)
Hippocampus erectus


(Sunburst Seahorse ponies)
Hippocampus erectus


(Zebra-snout Seahorse)
Hippocampus barbouri


Corals


Antler Coral
Pectinia alcicornis


(Bird's Nest Coral)
Pocillopora damicornis


Branching Frogspawn Coral
Euphyllia paradivisa


(Bubble Coral)
Plerogyra sinuosa


(Button Polyps)
Zoanthus sociatus


Colonial Polyps
Parazoanthus gracilis


Disk Coral
Fungia sp.


Green Zoo
Zoanthus sp.


Hammer Frogspawn Coral
Euphyllia parancora


Hawkin's Blue Acropora
Acropora echinata


(Miami Orchid Staghorn)
Acropora sp.


Moon Brain Coral
Favites sp.


(Octopus Frogspawn Coral)
Euphyllia divisa


Plate Coral
Montipora capricornis


(Pocillopora)
Pocillopora sp.


(Rose Millepora)
Acropora Millepora


Star Polyps
Pachyclavularia violacea


(Tort Staghorn Coral)
Acropora tortuosa


(Turquoise Acropora)
Acropora sp.


Velvet Horn Coral
Hydnophora microconos


Invertebrates


Astraea Turbo Snail
Astraea tecta


(Atlantic Sea Cucumber)
Holothuria floridana


Bristleworm
[Polychaeta]


Cerith Snail
Cerithium sp.


(Cleaner Shrimp)


Dwarf Blue Leg Hermit Crab
Clibanarius tricolor


(Emerald Crab)
Mithrax sculptus


Feather Duster
[Unknown sp.]


(Feather Star)


Glass Anemone
Aiptasia sp.


(Horseshoe Crab)


(Maxima Clam)
Tridacna maxima


Peppermint Shrimp
Lysmata wurdemanni


(Queen Conch)
Strombus gigas


(Red Sea Star)
Linckia multifora


Red-footed Snail
[Unknown sp.]


(Sand-sifting Starfish)
Astropecten polycanthus


Scarlet Reef Hermit Crab
Paguristes cadenati


(Sea Hare)
Aplysia juliana


Serpent Sea Star
Ophioderma appressum


Shield Limpet
Scutus unguis


(Tube Anemone)
Cerianthus sp.


White Sponge
[Unknown sp.]


Plants


(Bonzai Ogo)
Gracilaria sp.


Brown Leafy
[Unknown sp.]


Brown Net
[Unknown sp.]


Bubble Algae
Valonia ventricosa


Caulerpa
Caulerpa taxifolia


Club Bubble Algae
Valonia aegagropila


Feather Hair Algae
Bryopsis sp.


Green Leafy
[Unknown sp.]


Green Round Leafy
[Unknown sp.]


Hair Algae
Derbesia sp.


(Sea Lettuce)
Ulva lactuca


Other


Tank - Community


Tank - Equipment


Tank - Refugium


Tank - Seahorses


Tank - Whole


webmaster@geddis.org reef.geddis.org Last updated 07/21/10