4x2x2 Dupla system, 2x150w halides (osram 6500K). This was the third year of its running, and the last (went into plants from then on).
The Dupla system was worth $4500 brand new, (got it for $2500 second hand) and the retail value of the corals and other products inside the tank would have been over $2000 those days.
Funny thing was there were shops in Perth that were discouraging the use of sand in the tank - it "Reduced the Redox Potential" and ozonizers and redox meters were all the rage at the time.... well those same shops now sell living sand.... how things change!!
The varieties of corals and the new products now available would have made it easier and better if they were available then. But this just shows you that with basic products, and some idea of what corals need, it can still be done. Oh yeh, don't be fooled by the "Dupla System" and the price.... it was just a tricle filter with two pumps switching over every 5 minutes...... wow, what technology!!!! and the Halide lamps looked good too (and cost half of the total amount).
No actinic light, no refugiums, no 20000K lighting, no protein skimmers, no fancy stuff...., just two pumps, filter, and 300watts of 6500K lights all inside a glass box.
All the rest was one hour a week of fiddling, weekly 30% water changes from the beach (4 x 25litre tubs in the back of the VW bug) and careful choice of corals, placement and use of macro algae in the aquarium. Regular fiddling was required to keep the macro algae from smothering the corals, and keeping pests out like coral eating snails, nudibranchs and crabs.
I keep thinking if I would go into it again...... one day..... when I retire and cant be bothered travelling anymore.... maybe.
