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Minnesota's 2,000-Gallon SPS Reef

Minnesota's 2,000-Gallon SPS Reef

by BRStv Feature
Volume
2,000 gal
Dimensions
22' x 4' x 3'
Tank type
SPS dominant
BRStv tours Sean's 2000-gallon, 22-foot-long SPS-dominant reef in Minnesota, billed as the biggest in-home saltwater tank on the channel. Hosts Randy and Ryan walk through the display's lighting, flow and livestock before heading into the f

BRStv tours Sean's 2000-gallon, 22-foot-long SPS-dominant reef in Minnesota, billed as the biggest in-home saltwater tank on the channel. Hosts Randy and Ryan walk through the display's lighting, flow and livestock before heading into the fish room to cover dosing, filtration, skimming and water mixing. Top Shelf Aquatics' Steven explains their partnership grow-out and fragging relationship with the tank.

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Source: youtube

Equipment Breakdown

Shop this build · 6 of 7 items priced
Minnesota's 2,000-Gallon SPS Reef — Full Equipment List
$6,955
est. build cost
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Filtration
Reef Octopus SRO-5000 EXT
Reef Octopus
SRO-5000 EXT
Skimmer
Reef Octopus SRO 9000
$1,212.74 Buy → at CoralVue Details →
Lighting
Orphek Atlantik V4
Orphek
Atlantik V4
Lighting
Orphek Atlantik V4; Orphek OR bars
$1,100 Buy → ⚠ Out at Bulk Reef Supply Details →
Flow & Circulation
Abyzz A400
Abyzz
A400
Return Pump
Abyzz A400 (two units)
$3,695.99 Buy → at Aquarium Specialty Details →
EcoTech Marine Vectra L1
EcoTech Marine
Vectra L1
Flow
EcoTech Marine Vectra L1 (closed loop)
$474.99 Buy → ⚠ Out at Bulk Reef Supply Details →
Sea Swirl Rotating Return Outlet
Sea Swirl
Rotating Return Outlet
Flow
Sea Swirl
In our catalog →
Monitoring & Control
Neptune Systems Apex Controller
Neptune Systems
Apex Controller
Controller
Neptune Systems Apex
$399.95 Buy → ⚠ Out at Bulk Reef Supply Details →
Water & Salt
Tropic Marin Pro Reef Salt Mix (55 lb)
Tropic Marin
Pro Reef Salt Mix (55 lb)
Salt
Tropic Marin Pro-Reef
$70.99 Buy → at Bulk Reef Supply Details →

Husbandry & Notes

  • Source corals from trusted vendors (Top Shelf Aquatics) with strong backend pest-control processes.
  • Both trust the source AND quarantine/dip incoming corals before adding them.
  • Pull apart and clean all 27 pumps every four months to prevent flow loss and RTN.
  • Prioritize even, blanketed LED light over individual beams for SPS color and shimmer.
  • Broadcast feed rather than spot feed; uses fish bioload and Reef Chili to feed corals.
  • Underdose potassium and creep up via repeated testing rather than overshooting on auto-dosers.
  • Follow ICP/Triton recommendations conservatively, adding chemicals slowly via auto-doser.
  • Stagger cleaning of paired algae scrubbers so nitrate doesn't spike when one is cleaned.
  • Use coarse gravel-style sand instead of fine sugar sand to avoid blowing around in high flow.
  • Run a frag/nursery tank with a flow-off button to nurse stung or broken corals back with spot feeding.
  • Maintain a large diverse cleanup crew, re-upping ~1000 Blue Legs and 500 Scarlets regularly.
  • Run UV intermittently (8-10 hrs/day) to preserve a copepod population.
It's 2000 gallons, total.
I look at flow as way more important than lighting for me.
If I were to do this all over again, I would have not done the size of tank.
I don't think I've ever seen an LED solution that simulates even skylight as well as this.
It seems like the more difficult it is, I like it even more.