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REEF2REEF

Just the Tip (45 gallon mixed reef)

Tank 1 of 1 from REEF2REEF TV Episode 1 (Tank Series)

45
Gallons
mixed reef
Style
3 ft x 12 in tall
Xavier Bruce's 45-gallon 'Just the Tip' is a quintessential mixed reef in Aventura, Florida, built around softies, LPS, SPS, and his favorite nonphotosynthetic corals. It features an emersed intertidal aquascape, locally-collected Florida gorgonians, and heavy feeding balanced by aggressive nutrient export via an oversized skimmer and algae turf scrubber.
Video by REEF2REEF
Equipment

Gear in this tank

Lighting
6-bulb T5 fixture ×1
Skimmer
Eshopps S-150
Return
Jebao DC 3000
Filtration
refugium / algae turf scrubber + media reactors
Feeding
Heavily overfeeds — about 5 cubes of frozen food (or equivalent) daily; feeds a variety rather than one staple
Husbandry

Protocols & Practices

  • Heavily overfeeds ~5 cubes frozen food daily to sustain LPS, softies, and nonphotosynthetic corals.
  • Oversizes nutrient export: 150-gallon-rated skimmer plus algae turf scrubber on a 45g tank.
  • Feeds a variety of foods rather than any single staple for better long-term coral health.
  • Maintains slightly elevated phosphate and nitrate to feed softies and NPS corals.
  • Compartmentalizes corals by aggression — sweeper LPS grouped apart from zoanthids/palys.
  • Runs media reactors: one Purigen+carbon, one phosphate media+carbon, tuned via valves.
  • Shares rare unidentified Blastomussa with several reefers as insurance against a tank meltdown.
Chemistry

Target Parameters

NO₃
intentionally kept slightly elevated
PO₄
intentionally kept slightly elevated
Stocked

Livestock

Corals
8
gorgoniansSea Fangolden rod gorgoniansun coralsdendrophylliazoanthidsProtopalythoaunidentified Blastomussa (grows like Blastomussa wellsi in polyps but branches like Blastomussa merletti)
Inverts
2
hermit crabssnails