Something is Missing and Something Took Its Place: An Update on Mr. Saltwater Tank’s 235 Gallon Tank
The dog days of summer are over and after a summer of avoiding a chiller for my saltwater tank, it is time to bring you up to speed on my 235 gallon mixed reef tank. Grab some popcorn and see what’s gone on in terms of coral, fish, fish on the fringe and saltwater tank equipment.
Browse the Store! Questions?
hey mark,
how long has your tank been up and running for now?
Always love your videos Mark! Great job and the tank is looking great! I love how you are keeping the back glass clean. I like to do this as well.
Hey mark u dint add a biopellets reactor?
You’ve done it again! Another GREAT show again Mark! Keep up the good work, I appreciate it & I’m sure everybody else does as well! I can’t wait to see the next update on your new tank!
Looking sweet! Wish my lps would look like that! are you feeding them?
Hi Mark,
I wonder why you always dodge having a chiller for your reef tank. Are you put off by the running cost or the noise/heat generated or something else?
Looks great Mark 😀
Carefull with the mesh screen its going to start rusting very soon and quick
Pretty sweet Mark, the tank is looking good. I picked up a pair of tank bred baby Banggai Cardinals from Tropicorium the other day. 🙂
Mark,
Sweet looking tank! So well put together. Thank you for the update. I always learn something from your videos.
Alla
Hon…chillers are noisy and draw a lot of electricity. Plus to set one up correctly, it needs to be located outside.
I’ve also not needed a chiller on any of my tanks. Cooling fans have always done the trick.
Alexander…I don’t feed my corals.
Thanks Tom. I’ve got some surprises in the works for the next tank update show.
Veeral..no need for pellets. My phosphates and nitrates are near zero without it.
Reef2Reef…the clown tang does most of the work. He’s always back there grazing away.
Blake…about 5 months
Kristofer..the mesh is plastic so no rusting worries.
Hey mark, sounds cool…. no pellets no macro fuge…. i guess your skimmer is doing really well….. hey what is your temp? my temp rises to 31C without chiller during summers…. as summers are hot and humid here….
Thanks Alla! Do your resplendants all swim in the water column or hang out in the corners? One of mine sits in the corner of the tank upside down until feeding time. Once food hits the tank, he snaps out of it and swims around normally. Strange fish!
Mark H…thanks for supporting captive breeding!
I was headed to the lfs to pick up my clown today. I was kind of on the fence but after seeing your video this morning, I took it as a sign. It will be a great addition to my 300.
And what about GFO and Carbon?
veeral…I run both GFO and carbon
have been looking at a blue throat for awhile now and have been reluctant to pull the trigger. (no pun intended) I think you have swayed me to try one….thanks for the push. beautiful tank by the way.
Hey Mark, is it necessary to have a pair of these fish or will a male do well on it’s own. I would like to have just one and prefer the colors of the male. (talking about the blue throat triggers)
whats the temp. of ur tank?
holy crap your tank is looking good!
Hey Mark,
Love the show. Can you tell me what you are feeding them?
Scott…what is “them”?
Veeral..77-78F
Im sure then ur outside temp is not like ours, here its 34-36C. so with fans i get them down to 31C max. i maintain at 27-27.5C thats approx 79-80F…. im facing electricity bill issues due to chiller but u know our passion (i dont take it as just a hobby…lol) dosent care about it….lol
Hey i was just curious are you planning on making a review video for that skimmer you are running?
Hey Mark, I also have a younger blonde naso. By the coloration/size of yours I think mi mine is roughly the same age. I’ve seen full grown adults and love the color. Question. Will there be a difference between male and female color wise. Mostly wondering about the lips. At what age do the lips color up. Mine is showing a slight yellow tinge on lips.
Also what’s the minimum size tank to hold the triggers. One or pair.
Hey Mark, just read a comment you posted that you don’t feed your corals can you explain a little?
Thanks!
Good call on the magnesium, Mark. Probably one of the biggest missing components in most people’s reef tanks. I never knew what true polyp extension was until I started dosing magnesium.
…also, a potential quick-tip for you: Magnesium chloride can be blended with calcium chloride, so you can mix them both in one container and dose them with one dosing pump (confirmed by Randy Holmes-Farley of Reef Central; for reference, search “Mixing Magnesium and Calcium Chloride” there).
Enjoyed our video. I note you enjoy Tangs. I have trouble keeping them alive. Any suggestions?
Mark,
Thanks for the update, looks very clean from Top to the bottom hardware setup! I really love that you are doing Fish on the fringe and a mixed coral reef setup. Gotta be the best part of this hobby, building your own little mixed piece of the world reefs all in one tank. So true about having that Rose settle down before you can place all your corals.
Hey Mark, upgrading from a 30 gallon tank to a 90 gallon tank what do you suggest for my tank being healthy. I dont have a sump i have a fluvial fx5 filter. What kind of protein skimmer and what ever else i need to make a nice healthy tank. I am new to your website looks like a great setup.
Thanks
Hi Mark,
Is the frame for your plastic mesh screen cover custom made from Aluminum?
Thanks, Frank
My my the lad is growing… I remember the same little man being lulled to sleep by your 90G … Works a treat on my little girl but boy they do grow fast! 🙂
Cracking vid as always… Really impressed to see you take a new road, accept the ups and downs whilst always enjoying the hobby to its fullest… Surely the way everyone into marine should play the game… 😀
Those clams look great!! I can’t keep them alive and would love to have them!! I’ve gone through 3, I’m not sure if its a water chemistry issue or the Foxface/Fiji had been irritating them. Great tank!!
You should create a page that documents it all (was searching for that the other night).
What happened to the Bellus Angel?
Aaron..I have this page about the tank build
Frank…I believe so.
Mark, my resplendants are staying in the water column but only on one side of the tank. They start swimming all over the place only around feeding time and in the late evenings.
Hey mark,
I love the netting i great idea and it could even have been a quick tip.
But how did you attach it? Did you make a wooden frame and glue/staple it in between?
I envy you Mark (and anyone who keeps a reef tank in temperate climates) :p
Where I reside (at the equator) where humidity can hit 100% and high tropical temperatures ranging in the 90s constantly throughout the year, chillers or air-conditioning are a must for reef tank keepers.
Hey Kevin you can get the mesh and kits from several online vendors but the frame is a normal screen window/door kit with spline. The clear mesh does not affect par like eggcrate does and you can get it in half inch or quarter inch.
Hi, Mark
What did you put in your BIO chamber ?
Thanks