Dorz with his 4x2.5x2 SPS dominated reef tank.
Prizes kindly donated by:
Aquablue Distribution
Dorz has won:
Ocean Nutrition Foods Prize Pack
You can find out more about the winning tank tank in this Tank Journal
1) How Long have you been in the hobby (eg. start date or length of time or a whole paragraph or two on your history in the hobby)?
I have had aquariums for roughly 3.5 years now, starting my first marine aquarium a little over 2 years ago. it has been an interesting transition from freshwater to marine, especially getting to know the parameters, livestock compatibility, equipment and maintenance required, is a huge leap from the simple water tests of freshwater.
2) What size is your winning tank, dimensions and litres?
My current tank is 4'x2.5'x2' in 12mm float glass, with a euro brace flush with the top of the glass.. It was made by Marine Plus here in South Australia, and i am very happy with the build. it has an overflow box in the right corner with a siphon/open standpipe arrangement, and return using locline. I am not sure on an exact water capacity, but i can assume that with the sump plumbed in it is probably around 700-750L (display should be 550L, the height of the water level is lapping on the underside of the euro brace.) The tank size was determined by the amount of room i had, and what i thought i could get away with, as at the moment i am still living at home. (however dad mentioned i should have got a 6x2x2!). i like the extra depth it has, and prefer it to a wider tank. the tank has been running for almost a year now.
3) Anything you want to say about your stand?
I wish i had gone and got my stand made out of galv steel! the current stand is made primarily with mdf and pine, and is a 2 pac painted, gloss white. it looks nice, however it is actually bowing a bit from the lack of bracing, which should have been considered when the cabinetmaker knew it was for an aquarium, and should need to hold a tonne.
4) Do you have a sump and/or refugium? If so, what size?
I have a sump, it is 100cmx45cm with the water at about 25cm high. it currently contains a skimmer section, LR section, frag rack and return.
5) Filtration eg. amount of live rock, sand bed or bare bottom, mechanical filtration etc?
I have somewhere around 40kg of live rock, around 60kg of 1-2mm sand in the bottom, so it does make the sand bed a little deep. i am running rowaphos, though i am not sure if it is necessary at the moment.
6) Do you have a skimmer? If so, what?
I have a bubble Magus NAC-7 skimmer, however for the past month or so it has been turned off, and i have been maintaining the tank by performing regular water changes. this is due to it overflowing a few times on me lately, and haven't been able to set up an auto cutoff yet.
7) Water flow/movement (powerheads etc)?
Currently have 1xjvp5000, 1xtunze 6045, 1xtunze 6105 with battery backup. return pump is a laguna 6000 plumbed into a tee, to display and to chiller returning to sump.
8) Lighting, type and times?
Tank is lit by an inwatter 4' unit, set to 85% white and 93% blue, raised slightly higher than usual above the water level to cover the width of the tank. the frag rack in sump is lit by a DIY Aquastyle online 72w kit, which is currently running around 60% white and blue.
9) Other equipment such as auto topoff, Ca reactor etc?
Tank is currently being monitored and controlled by a GHL Profilux 3.1N eX. ATO is controlled by a tunze osmolator. dosing pumps have been turned off.
10) Water parameters?
Water parameters have not been checked in the past 2 odd months, however regular water changes seem to be assisting in the balance of parameters. i am currently doing around 80 to 100L per week.
11) Additives and conditioners (kalk, phophate removers etc.)
Dosing pumps turned off, currently using rowaphos to control phosphates.
12) Fish stock. Preferably scientific name followed by common name if known.
- Amphiprion ocellaris, ocellaris clownfish (flipper)
- Siganus vulpinus, foxface rabbitfish (foxy)
- Acanthurus japonica, powder brown tang
13) Coral stock. As above, scientific and common names if known
Acropora, Millepora, lots of poras! also lots of zoanthids!
14) Other Inverts. As above, scientific and common names if known.
I have one peppermint shrimp which seems to still be living since the tank swap, and a coral banded shrimp, affectionately named shrimpy. also, trochus snails, and ellie JR, the stromb.
15) Maintenance such as water changes, cleaning etc?
At the moment the only maintenance i have been doing is my water changes, as i haven't had time lately to test and set up my dosing pumps with the new sump.
16) Acknowledgments and any other comments you would like to make that don't apply elsewhere.
I would like to thank my loving girlfriend Emma, for being so patient whilst i do 'aquarium stuff', and my parents for putting up with the constant trekking of water through the house, paying the electricity bill, and supporting my hobbies!
Silly me 