We have the very special privilege of sharing an awesome reef tank with all of you. We like to call it Simply Sophisticated. The owner, Brad, simply refers to it as "his tank".

Brad has been maintaining reef tanks for the past six years. He first got started in the hobby like many of us do: with a nano reef! Brad kept a 28-gallon Nano Cube for just under 3 years before upgrading to a 110-gallon aquarium with a 40-gallon sump concealed inside his aquarium stand.

Speaking of stands, Brad has one of the cleanest, most organized aquarium stands we've ever seen! I mean seriously, this thing is immaculate! The excitement I felt viewing the stand with the doors open must be similar to what gearheads feel when someone pops open the hood of a tricked-out automobile.

Tank Stand

The cabinet doors are equipped with racks to hang towels and a paper towel dispenser to make maintenance clean-up quick and easy. The shelves underneath have a lip on the front to prevent food and supplements from sliding off when the doors are opened. In front of the spotless sump sits a water test and cleaning station that would make even the most compulsive organizer proud.

You would think with a reef tank as big and beautiful as Brad's that he wouldn't have time for much else. Yet, thanks to quality aquarium equipment and a Neptune Systems Apex AquaController, Brad still has time to bring home the bacon by working for a large technology company plus he coaches his son's travel baseball team.

Display Tank

 

Brad's 110-gallon reef has been up and running for about three years now. Brad told us that he enjoys all aspects of reefing including the maintenance and "work" that goes into keeping a successful reef.

General Reef Aquarium Tank Details

  • Tank Volume: 110 gallons
  • Tank Dimensions: 48” x 30” x 18”
  • Glass or Acrylic: Glass
  • Sump Volume: 40 gallons
  • Stand Type or Material: Wood

Reef Aquarium Circulation

Reef Aquarium Controller

  • Temperature Controls: Neptune Systems AquaController Apex
  • Fans: Ceiling fan connected to a timer
  • Heater: Finnex HPS-300
  • Chiller: None

Reef Aquarium Filtration

  • Protein Skimmer: Royal Exclusive Mini Bubble King 180
  • Ozonizer: N/A
  • Carbon: Various brands ran in a Two Little Fishes Phosban Reactor
  • Biological Filter: Live Rock and Live Sand
  • Refugium: N/A
  • Live Rock in Display: 100 lbs
  • Live Rock in Sump: 0
  • Sand/Substrate: CaribSea Arag-Alive Sand

Reef Aquarium Lighting

  • Metal Halide Bulbs: 2 x 250 Watt Metal Halide Bulbs
  • Fluorescent Bulbs: 4 x 48" T5 Bulbs
  • LEDs: N/A
  • Photoperiod: 12 hours
  • Reflectors: Stock Giesmann Infinity Fixture
  • Lighting Controller: Neptune Systems AquaController Apex