Marks’ auto top-up unit uses a 25-liter (6-gallon) container in the settlement tank fed by a 600-liter (150-gallon) container in his garage, on the other side of the wall. Far easier than contending with old salt buckets and flexible siphons like many of us do! A pump in the settlement tank also feeds a chiller. This tank is drilled at the bottom and allows Mark to easily dispose of waste water to the drains when he is carrying out a water change.Ībove this tank is a reservoir for making fresh water, which is then allowed to flow via gravity straight into the settlement tank. Water from the main system flows via gravity into a large settlement tank through a 200-micron filter sock. The latter is the envy of all who survey it. In effect, Mark has two-his viewing room and a utility room that holds a huge amount of equipment. Before looking at the inhabitants of Mark’s system, let’s look at the technology that creates such stunning water quality.Ī dedicated fishroom is the dream of many. He progressed to adding a separate refugium and frag tank in a cupboard before moving to the two-room solution we see today. It started out as a large but conventional system, with a sump downstairs connected to the tank via a conventional corner weir and two 50-mm drains.
Mark’s system has been running for around 18 months in its present configuration. The refugium, sump, and settlement tank bump the overall volume up to 1,650 liters (363 gallons), and as you sit and watch the reef, there is little hint of the technology at work on the other side of the wall. Mark’s 78 x 30 x 30-inch, 1,000-liter (250-gallon) system resides in an uncluttered viewing room with cleverly hidden and boxed-in piping and cabling running into a fishroom next door. Everything is superbly put together, and each piece of equipment contributes to water quality that is as good as anyone is likely to achieve. Not only are his corals and fish in perfect health and condition, his fishroom and technology are on the cutting edge of the hobby. Seeing Mark’s reef leaves you pretty much speechless. When he returned five minutes later, I was still in the same spot, mouth agape and utterly transfixed at one of the finest systems I had ever seen. When I met Mark, he showed me his fishroom, offered me a seat on his comfortable-looking sofa, and disappeared to the kitchen to make coffee. Mark Ratcliffe’s reef tank has been receiving a great deal of attention over here in the UK, winning Tank of the Month status on a leading web forum and appearing in a UK magazine. Our author went to visit Mark Ratcliffe’s impressive aquarium and explains exactly how he is so successful. World-Class Reefing: Mark Ratcliffe's 250-Gallon SPS TankĪ large reef tank is always a sight to behold, but one that is thriving with a variety of vibrant corals and fish is absolutely stunning.