Bernd Losert

La Ceiba, Honduras

HISTORY

Owners Name: Bernd Losert

Location: La Ceiba, Honduras

Year the tank was set up: 10/2001

Size and Volume of the Tank: 60 x 17 x 21", 90 gallon

Sump Size: None

Pounds of Live Rock: Base Rock 40 lbs., Live Rock 20 lbs.

Sand Depth/Type: 1" fine coral sand from reef

Type of Biological Filtration: 2 BioWheels

EQUIPMENT

Main System Pumps: Magnum 350 gal/hour canister filter

Additional Pumps: 3 Powerheads

Reactors: None

Protein Skimmer: Aqua C Remora Pro

Monitoring Equipment: None

Wavemaker: None

Doser: None

Chiller: None

Heaters: None

Refugium: None

Denitrator: None

UV Sterilizer: Turbo Twist, 9 W

LIGHTING

Lamps: Four 65W Power Compact fluorescent (Two 50/50, Two 6500K) - will soon add another 95W 50/50

Photoperiod: On at 10AM, off at 10PM

CHEMISTRY

Water Temperature: 28°C

Specific Gravity: 1.022

PH: 8.2

Calcium: Not yet tested yet

Redox: Not tested

Alkalinity: Not yet tested yet

Nitrate-N: 18ppm

Ammonia/Ammonium: 0

Nitrite: 0

Silica: 1ppm

Phosphate: 0

Additives: CombiSan, Iron for macroalgae when in tank

Water Changes: every 2 weeks 10%

RO/DI water: RO-Yes - DI-No

Brand of Salt Mix: Instant Ocean

LIVESTOCK

Fishes: 1 Blue Tang, 1 Yellow Tang, 1 Fox Face, 1 Royal Dottyback, 2 Yellowtail Demoiselle, 1 Bicolor Blenny, 1 Longnose Hawkfish, 1 Purple Firefish, 2 Ocellaris Clowns Invertebrate: 1 Condylactis Anemone, 1 Bubbletip Anemone, 20 blue leg hermit crabs, 5 emerald crabs, 2 feather dusters, 1 sea urchin, 4 - 6 brittle stars, several snails, 1 live rock with mushroom anemones, some calcareous algae brought in on live rocks

FEEDING

Dry Flakes, frozen and fresh, in the morning, dry flakes with some drops of Vitamin supplement added, in the afternoon 1 frozen cube from Ocean Nutrition (Prime Reef, Formula Two, Brine Shrimp Plus), twice a week fresh seafood pieces when I feed the anemones. I squirt twice a week a liquid food over the filter feeders. (Kent Micro Vert)

GENERAL HUSBANDRY:

Twice a week clean sponge filter on Powerheads, empty cups on skimmer, and clean front glass. Every 6 weeks clean canister filter, add new material, floss and activated carbon. Test water parameters every 2 weeks.

PROBLEM AREAS

Nitrate too high, Silica too high and am looking into correcting those areas. Temperature usually a problem, but keep fairly good control with two fans in the very warm weather. The problems with unwanted algae/cyanobacteria have mostly passed.

COMMENTS

It is very hard here to get anything. We don't even have a Pet Store in town. The only ones are 2 1/2 hours away by car and have next to nothing for saltwater tanks. I would love to add more mushrooms and the like, but can't get any because of import restrictions. Therefore, I have been going on snorkeling trips to our Bay Islands and collected several specimens for my tank. Live rock, critters of all sorts, anemones and crabs, shrimp, snails, macroalgae, brittle stars, fan worms, feather dusters etc. I and everybody that visits us loves my reef tank. Thanks to Bob Goemans I haven't given up.

Thank you again,

Bernd and family