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Mr. Saltwater Tank — 450-Gallon Mixed Reef

Mr. Saltwater Tank — 450-Gallon Mixed Reef

by Mark Callahan
Volume
450 gal
Location
🇺🇸 Tennessee, USA
Established
2016
Tank type
Mixed reef
6× EcoTech Radion XR30 Pro, 4× VorTech MP60, Bubble King SuperMarin 200. Fully Neptune Apex-controlled.

Mark Callahan runs Mr. Saltwater Tank TV — one of the longest-running reef YouTube channels (2010+). His 450-gallon mixed reef ran a 6-Radion + 4-MP60 + Bubble King SuperMarin 200 setup, controlled end-to-end by Neptune Apex. Mark sold this system in 2023 to upgrade to an 800-gallon build inside a converted fireplace nook.

View original source
Source: Mr. Saltwater Tank TV (YouTube) + Reef2Reef

Equipment Breakdown

Shop this build · 7 of 9 items priced
Mr. Saltwater Tank — 450-Gallon Mixed Reef — Full Equipment List
$4,769
est. build cost
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Filtration
Royal Exclusiv Bubble King SuperMarin 200 Protein Skimmer
Royal Exclusiv
Bubble King SuperMarin 200 Protein Skimmer
Protein skimmer
⭐ Premium pick
Flagship German-built skimmer handling waste export on the 450 — Royal Exclusiv has been Mark's long-standing recommendation.
$1,385.49 Buy → ⚠ Out at Bulk Reef Supply Details →
Bulk Reef Supply BRS GFO Reactor (DELUXE)
Bulk Reef Supply
BRS GFO Reactor (DELUXE)
GFO/carbon reactor
Dual chambers run GFO and carbon separately, each media at its own flow rate — phosphate and yellowing handled in one unit.
$71.99 Buy → at Bulk Reef Supply Details →
Lighting
EcoTech Marine Radion XR30 G6
EcoTech Marine
Radion XR30 G6
Display lights ×6
Six XR30s span the full 6-foot display, blended for Mark's signature blue-heavy spectrum.
$999.99 Buy → at Bulk Reef Supply Details →
Flow & Circulation
EcoTech Marine VorTech MP60wQD Powerhead
EcoTech Marine
VorTech MP60wQD Powerhead
Wavemakers ×4
Four MP60s run reef-crest mode across the peninsula — EcoTech's biggest powerhead, four-deep on a 450 viewable from three sides.
$836.99 Buy → at Bulk Reef Supply Details →
Royal Exclusiv Red Dragon 3 Speedy DC Return Pump
Royal Exclusiv
Red Dragon 3 Speedy DC Return Pump
Return pump
Quiet, controllable DC return matched to the Bubble King — Royal Exclusiv gear on both ends of the filtration chain.
Monitoring & Control
Neptune Systems Apex Controller
Neptune Systems
Apex Controller
Controller
🏋️ Workhorse
One brain ties pumps, lights, dosing and probes together — the whole 450 runs end-to-end on Apex logic.
$399.95 Buy → ⚠ Out at Bulk Reef Supply Details →
Neptune Systems Trident Automated Tester
Neptune Systems
Trident Automated Tester
Alk/Ca/Mg monitor
Tests alk, calcium and magnesium around the clock and feeds results to the Apex — trends show up before corals react.
$699.99 Buy → at Bulk Reef Supply Details →
Dosing
Neptune Systems DOS Dual Dosing Pump
Neptune Systems
DOS Dual Dosing Pump
Two-part dosing
Feeds two-part into the 450 on Apex control — set-and-forget alkalinity and calcium replenishment.
$374.99 Buy → at Bulk Reef Supply Details →
Display & Aquascape
Custom 450-Gallon Peninsula Display
Display tank
In-wall peninsula viewable from three sides — the display Mark ran until selling the whole system in 2023 to go 800 gallons.