Video by Top Shelf Aquatics · Specs extracted by AllCorals · Watch on YouTube ↗

Top Shelf Aquatics

20 YEAR OLD Reef Tank! Keys to a Mature and HEALTHY Reef Tank!

1

Tank Featured

31

Minutes

2024

Released

This video tours Joe T's impressive 17-year-old reef tank, showcasing a mature and thriving SPS-dominant system. Joe shares his philosophy on stability, natural methods, and the challenges and rewards of maintaining a long-term reef, including his unique approach to sand bed maintenance and nutrient control.

⏭ Skip to a moment

00:00:49Tank age and history 00:01:52Evolution from LPS to SPS dominant 00:03:49Fish selection and history 00:06:48Tank size and dimensions 00:07:04Flow and lighting equipment 00:07:57Sump and filtration 00:09:59Water parameters and stability 00:12:33Cleanup crew and sandbed philosophy 00:15:01Maintenance, dosing, and nutrient control 00:16:20Feeding routine 00:19:19Biggest challenges over 17 years 00:21:31Future plans for the tank 00:26:24Salt brand choice 00:27:30Joe's biggest piece of advice

The Build

Tank Specs

Every spec, brand, and livestock mention pulled from the host's narration. Click any tank tour above to compare.

Tank 01

Joe T's Reef System

180

Gallons

SPS dominant

Style

204

Months Old

custom

Brand

60" x 24" x 22-23"

Joe T's reef system is a 17-year-old, 180-gallon custom tank, primarily SPS dominant, but also features LPS and gorgonians. The tank has a closed-loop system for flow, supplemented by MP40s and Tunze powerheads, and is lit by a combination of metal halides, T5s, and Reef Brite LED strips. Joe emphasizes stability in parameters, maintaining a 100:1 nitrate to phosphate ratio, and utilizes a deep sand bed with Nassarius snails for natural filtration.

Lighting

Metal Halide, T5,

Reef Brite LED strips $359.73in stock

Skimmer

Royal Exclusiv Royal Exclusiv (Germany)

Return Pump

Reeflo $591.20in stock

Flow

EcoTech Marine MP40 ×2 $431.99in stock,

Tunze ×3 $76.49in stock

Controller

GHL

Dosing

calcium reactor

Filtration

refugium

Salt

Tropic Marine Pro $23.99in stock

Water Changes

automatic water changes

Feeding

Mix of all frozen food (cyclopes, small particulates) daily; liquid oyster feed at night every now and then. No dry food, pellets, or flakes.

Corals

9

SPSLPSGorgoniansBirds NestChaliceAcropora tenuisAcropora granulosaAcropora spathulataRed Dragons

Fish

6

Blue TangBlack TangFeminine WrasseLonardi WrasseFilefishWrasses

Inverts

3

Nassarius snailsHermit crabsConchs

Shop the build

Featured products from our catalogue

Equipment mentioned in this tour that we cover in our gear catalog. Click through for full specs, retailer comparison, and where-to-buy.

EcoTech Marine Vortech MP40 QuietDrive

Vortech MP40 QuietDrive

Mentioned as: EcoTech Marine MP40

Mentioned as: Royal Exclusiv

Reeflo Hammerhead / Manta Ray

Hammerhead / Manta Ray

Mentioned as: Reeflo

GHL Profilux Controller

Profilux Controller

Mentioned as: GHL

Reef Brite XHO 50/50 LED Strip

XHO 50/50 LED Strip

Mentioned as: Reef Brite LED strips

Turbelle Stream 6105

Mentioned as: Tunze

Tropic Marin Pro Reef Salt Mix (55 lb)

Pro Reef Salt Mix (55 lb)

Mentioned as: Tropic Marine Pro

In their own words

Notable Quotes

Originally it was all LPS and then I switched over to SPS because I felt that it's more delicate, more complicated, more challenging to grow SPSS versus growing LPS.

Stability is the key. Whatever parameter you choose to stick with, your corals will adjust to it.

I have a 17-year-old sandbed that everybody is afraid of. Same sand, it's been the same sand, I never changed. I never vacuumed my sandbed in 17 years.

The best numbers for color and growth that I experience in this tank is .005 phosphates to five nitrates.

You have a lot of information out there. Keep it simple, choose one and you're going to be fine. Choose a successful one.