Thomas' Reef Tank Build

Your second reef aquarium is where experience starts to shape the build from the very beginning. Instead of learning how to reef, you’re learning how you reef: what kind of maintenance routine fits your schedule, what gear you trust, what livestock you want to keep, and what kind of system will support your long-term goals.

Rather than telling you exactly what to buy, this series is about showing you the questions, tradeoffs, and planning process that lead to every decision. If you're planning your next reef tank, especially an SPS-dominated reef, this series will help you build with intention from day one.

Thomas from BRStv

About Thomas

Thomas is a long-time reef aquarium hobbyist and familiar face from BRStv known for making saltwater aquarium care easier to understand. Through years of hands-on experience with reef tanks, equipment, livestock, maintenance, and troubleshooting, Thomas brings practical hobby knowledge to every build he takes on.

In this series, Thomas applies that knowledge to a real reef tank build from start to finish, sharing not only what he chooses for the system, but why those choices matter. Along the way, he highlights the questions, trade-offs, and goals that help shape a reef aquarium around the way you actually reef.

Episode Guide

Episode 1: Build Your Next Reef Backwards

Thomas introduces the mindset behind this build: using the lessons from a first reef aquarium to plan a second system with more confidence, more intention, and a clearer goal from the start.

Starting a second reef tank is completely different from starting your first. Instead of making decisions as you go, experience gives you the opportunity to work backwards from the reef you actually want to build.

In This Episode

  • Why a second reef aquarium gives you the chance to build with more confidence and intention.
  • How defining your reefing goals early helps guide better equipment and livestock decisions.
  • Thomas’ plan for an SPS-dominated reef with fish, clams, select LPS, and soft corals.
  • The importance of balancing automation, redundancy, maintenance, and available space.
  • Why choosing the right aquarium footprint is the first major decision in the build.

Episode 2: Choosing Your Reef Tank's Canvas

Choosing the right reef tank starts long before picking a brand or model. In Episode 2 of Thomas’ reef build, he works backwards from his SPS reef goals, filtration preferences, maintenance habits, available space, noise requirements, and automation plans to determine exactly what the aquarium needs to do.

From there, he explains why the UNS R120 Peninsula ultimately became the strongest fit for the build, including its spacious sump, controller cabinet, easy maintenance access, sleek design, and room for future equipment.

In This Episode

  • How available space influences the entire reef tank plan.
  • Why aquarium dimensions matter for aquascaping, flow, and coral growth.
  • What Thomas is looking for in a tank for an SPS-dominated reef.
  • How the right aquarium choice can support the build instead of limiting it later.

Episode 3 Coming Soon!

Stay tuned for the next episode where Thomas will talk about the next steps to getting this tank running. That includes equipment selection, aquascaping, and so much more!

If you're craving more reef tank builds, check out Matthew's 12-Episode My Way Series.