A New Revolution of Artificial Coral
Coral Replicas for the Coral Obsessed
- Perfect replicas of full specimen quality SPS colonies.
- Including only ocean grown & shaped species.
- Unparalleled detail, dimensionality & florescence.
Made with the Experienced Reefer in Mind
View SPS Coral Gallery
FOWLR Tanks are Proof there is a Problem...
- Many reef keepers also keep FOWLR tanks because even well established coral tanks have stiff bioload restrictions.
- Coral tanks are often lightly stocked with small fish and a “cleaner crew” and exclude all non reef-safe inhabitants.
- Most consumer AIO reef tank dimensions are just too small for anything but a miniature and burdensome coral garden.
- The fact that many aquarists would prefer a barren rock aquascape over a typical artificial reef insert speaks volumes.
The Solution... Fish Only Tanks with NO LIMITS!
- MFC inserts are as good as it gets. No artistic depictions that include crude texturing and sculpting.
- Materials are lab tested safe for all aquarium types and have been used commercially around the world.
- Permanent, lightfast colors will fluoresce under any T5 or LED light fixtures peaking in the 420 nm range.
- 92 fluorescent color combos are optimized for 42 base colors with an ever expanding coral library.
Shop Reef Inserts
Clearly Engineered
- No UV color block
- Extreme durability
- 100% waterproof
- Crud & algae resistant
- Effortless cleaning*
- Nitrifying bacteria friendly
* Unlike reef tanks, powerful lights are undesirable for FOT’s and with controlled nitrate and phosphate levels, algae should never be an issue.
Diatom brown spot rarely appears and is temporary in a clean tank. If persistent, remove the decor from the tank and dry for 2-3 days.
Back into a clean aquarium, the spots will dissolve in roughly one week. No scrubbing, bleaching or powerwashing ever required.
Send In The Clowns!
LPS for clown hosting is no laughing matter
- Clownfish thrive when they have a place of their own but real anemones are notoriously troublesome for aquariums and Euphyllia tentacles cause injuries.
- Though currently not possible to replicate Euphyllia and anemones, optimized design brings representations that look and move as realistically as possible.
- Top quality silicone rubber compounds lock in any color combination imaginable while providing maximum lifelike movement with minimum powerhead flow.
- Laboratory tested and verified nontoxic for all aquarium types and embedded with high quality lightfast pigments to compliment any size and shape LPS.
View LPS Coral Gallery
Introducing Tsunami Bommies!
- Bommies, short for the Australian Aboriginal word “bombora” are more natural looking structures than monotonous rock walls and overly fanciful NSA rockscapes while also encouraging circulating currents to eliminate dead zones.
- Reef fish hate feeling exposed! If your aquarium design provides plenty of places to hide.. they won’t. Deep shelves provide lots of shaded areas for fish to seek shelter, dramatically reducing stress for peaceful, healthy, colorful fish.
- Tsunami Bommies© are hollow castings of real coral rock sculptures. No fake shapes and textures. Each bommie tells the story of an ancient reef; passing storms that bury and unearth with new corals rooting on calcified foundations.
View Bommie Gallery
Which Type of Tank is Best?
The red pill blue pill moment. This is the most important question that every marine hobbyists should carefully consider before setting up a saltwater tank. The choice you make will inevitably determine your success or failure. The options may feel overwhelming but in reality there are just four basic choices. Two of these choices should be eliminated immediately.
1) A Bare Bottom tank
- This is an aquarium with only water and fish OR water and corals OR water and corals and limited fish. To say it mildly, these tanks lack a natural aesthetic. Not only do they look like a quarantine tank or perhaps a weird scientific experiment, they take longer to cycle and actually require higher maintenance with more dependency on a filtration system. Despite appearances, these tanks are the opposite of simple.
2) A FOWLR tank
- This is an aquarium with a sand or gravel substrate and a rock aquascape that is usually arranged with quarried coral rock. The term live rock describes the rocks being blanketed with nitrifying bacteria which will happen once the tank is cycled. This aquarium setup would easily be the best option for the majority of hobbyists except for the fact that they look like an incomplete coral tank with an undesirably dismal and barren appearance.
The Last Two Options:
1) A FOT with a Reef Insert
2) A Reef Tank
Choosing the best of these two options is easier than you think. The right choice is as simple as determining which tank will work best for YOU and that just requires a moment of self reflection. Afterall, the sign above the Oracle’s door read “Temet Nosce”.. know thyself. The following list of questions is not intended to be comprehensive nor is it a test. The only thing you’ll need to do is read the questions and that will probably be enough to steer you in the right direction.
If a saltwater aquarium was a hit TV show.. Who were the stars? The corals or the fish?
Do you have more than a few potted plants in your house? If so, who waters them?
Do you have any experience with freshwater planted tanks or terrariums?
Are you interested in learning about ecosystems?
Does having an ant farm sound like a boring activity?
What are the steps of the nitrogen cycle?
Have you ever used a data logger?
Do you top off a marine tank with freshwater or saltwater? Why?
Is a nano reef tank easier or harder than a large reef tank? Why yes and why no?
How fast do coral grow?
How quickly can a reef tank collapse?
What is RTN in a reef tank?
Do you read the last page of a book first?
In your personal life, what projects have taken you years to complete?
Would a project without a defined goal seem pointless?
Did you have an aquarium as a kid? If so, what happened to it?
Do you keep a vegetable or flower garden?
What are the key components of an indoor hydroponics garden?
Do you have an occupation or other hobbies that are demanding of your time?
Do you travel often?
How often do you clean your house? Do you use a service?
Would you say that you are a sprinter or a marathon runner?
Do you have a gym membership you rarely use?
Every marine hobbyist has seen plenty of jaw dropping reef tanks on the internet. It’s no secret. Nothing looks and moves like real corals. The industry certainly understands this. Each year new products are introduced to help you turn tiny frags into hulking, fluorescing coral colonies. And like many other industries today, Apps with AI are the latest tech boost to help you automate your way to success.
The truth is unfortunately not that simple. Most hobbyist are nowhere near as successful as they wish to be with their reef tanks regardless of how deep their pockets happen to be. You cannot buy or automate your way into growing a chunk of the Great Barrier Reef in your living room. Sadly, many folks are reminded of this fact every time they look at the condition of their corals. Even the virtuosos eventually find themselves at odds with the limitations of reef tanks, especially regarding fish and creature selection. The solution is usually starting a FOT as opposed to a colossal reef tank.
The key takeaway is that you must be obsessed with coral to be successful with a reef tank. To say otherwise is a disservice to the relatively few people on Earth that have accomplished such an extraordinary feat. You might have just watched a big beautiful tank on someone’s channel but you are not seeing the years of effort experimenting and learning that they have put into their hobby. Undoubtedly there was a progression of tanks before the one featured in the video.
The consensus opinion is actually quite clear. Total immersion into knowledge gathering. Patience through the ugly phases. Keeping your hands out of the tank and allowing the aquarium to establish balance. And most importantly slow and incremental changes with a hawk’s eye on parameters. The final indicator of success is the most elusive. It is the innate capacity that some people possess to spot problems very early on, matched with the right skill and instincts to course correct. After all, tank collapse can happen in a matter of hours.
As you might have inferred by the above questions; steadfast and patient, scientifically minded DIY-ers with a penchant for electronic and data driven systems, enduring curiosity and lots of spare time on their green-thumbed hands are probably going to fare best when it comes to keeping reef tanks.
This is a snippet of a typical conversation in a reefing forum… about salt… sound like you?
“I definitely don’t know enough of the balling method to speak smartly on it, however I do remember the macna talk from the scientist from Tropic Marin, and my take away was that if left unchecked your salinity will eventually rise while only looking at alk and calc. Yes, I get the correlation between sodium chloride and other elements, but that seemed like it was defined around only dosing according to the balling method… I do some unorthodox things with my tank. Not only am I dosing kalk, but I’m running a carx. Plus I’m doing auto water changes with concentrated salt all the while having the 2 peristaltic pumps run at different speeds to compensate for the kalk reactors effluent and maintain 35ppt inside the main tank… it’s complicated to say the least.”
Not Your Last Option.. Your BEST Option!
These days it is easier than ever to quickly research the advantages/ disadvantages of any of the aquarium setups and you will instantly find blogs, articles, forums and videos delivering an immense amount of information. Thankfully with very few exceptions, the internet community of professional aquarists and hobbyists is an open, honest and accurate wealth of information. Whether you conduct a quick search or a deep dive, you will still find the following universally accepted conclusions:
Summary Table
Factor | Fish Only Tank | Reef Tank |
|---|---|---|
Cost | Lower | Higher |
Maintenance | Easier | Complex |
Water Stability | Moderate | Very high |
Fish Options | Unlimited | Reef-Safe Only |
Lighting | Basic | Specialized & Expensive |
Visual Appeal | Fish Focused | Ecosystem Focused |
Skill Level | Beginner Friendly | Moderate – Advanced |
Disadvantages of FOT?
If you search for the disadvantages of a fish only aquarium you will see that they are considered to be higher maintenance. But how can they be considered higher maintenance and lower maintenance at the same time? The answer is the kind of maintenance. Reef tanks are higher maintenance because you will need to do far more testing and careful dosing to achieve very specific water parameters, i.e., stable levels of alkalinity, calcium, magnesium and many other trace elements for corals to survive, color up and grow and don’t forget you will also need to feed them! Additionally, you will need to do all of the same testing and maintenance as a FOT tank to keep low levels of nitrates, phosphates and silicates.
Established reef tanks will have more of an ecosystem and biodiversity of coral, microfauna and invertebrates which help to process nitrates and phosphates than a fish only tank, which in the strictest of comparisons would have none of those things. To be fair, reef tanks are also not stocked with large fish, so there is on average less uneaten food and fish waste being put into a reef tank in the first place. If you don’t know already, nitrates are essentially toxic and phosphates and silicates are compounds that will become food for things you do not want to feed in your tank like unsightly hair algae, diatoms and cyanobacteria.
So what does this mean? It means that both tank types could be viewed as equivalent, however a deeper look will prove this assumption is incorrect. Firstly, both tank setups can deploy identical countermeasures: protein skimmers, sumps and filters with lots of media for beneficial bacteria, deep sand beds for anaerobic bacteria, Ulva or Chaetomorpha (macroalgae) refugiums and even carbon dosing. All of these methods will consume nitrates and phosphates and RODI water purifiers and snails will remove silicates which will feed diatoms. Both tank setups will require that you clean your filter system perhaps once or twice a year. Both setups require water changes.
The biggest drawback is that water changes appear to be a bigger chore for fish only tanks but more on that in a minute. Recently, reefers have reported that a properly calibrated Chaeto refugium can potentially bring nitrate levels to zero and apparently be overly effective, creating the need to dose micronutrients back into the tank. Chaeto itself needs 5 ppm nitrates to survive so this claim is a little suspicious. Can 0 ppm nitrates be achieved in a fully stocked fish only tank? Perhaps not but consider this, if you are growing coral you will need to keep the nitrate level to 10 ppm or lower regardless of the type of coral but if you are growing SPS coral then you need to maintain 1 ppm to zero at all times which means you’re probably doing more than just keeping a macroalgae refugium. By the way, SPS corals also demand strong light and heavy flow. Inexpensive lights and laminar flow are fine for a fish only tank.
What nitrate levels can saltwater fish handle? Well, here’s the good news and an essential element of the FOT argument. Saltwater fish can routinely tolerate nitrate levels up to 40 ppm before you will need to do a water change and not coincidentally, this is the same as it is for most freshwater fish. If you have maintained a mid-large sized freshwater tank with larger fish then you are more than qualified to handle a saltwater fish only aquarium! The only difference is 35 ppt salt in the water.
Still unconvinced, then I would encourage you to query the following:
“With an equally sized tank and identical fish stocking levels, how often would you need to change the water in a reef tank versus a fish only tank?”
The AI Answer:
For an identical tank and fish load, a reef tank needs more frequent, consistent and larger water changes with dosing than a fish only tank because corals consume vital elements (calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium) and add nutrient demands, while a fish only tank primarily needs changes to remove fish waste (nitrates/ phosphates), often handled by 10-20% bi-weekly to monthly changes but a reef tank needs weekly changes plus dosing to maintain stability.
It’s easy to run in circles with the water change argument. Reef tanks adopt automated dosing and reduce the number of fish and FOT’s take on greater numbers of larger fish, and adopt macroalgae refugiums and tolerate higher nitrate levels. One thing is clear, you don’t need to carry and lift buckets to conduct a water change and FOT’s are much simpler than reef tanks. Other than the water change debate, FOT’s have no other compelling disadvantages.
Monkey Fire Tank Prep
Monkey Fire Corals creates the best coral reef inserts that money can buy and MFC wants you to put your money where it counts and avoid costly mistakes. Understanding the goal of a fish only tank is very important. If you want a FOT then you want fish and other marine life that most reef tanks cannot support. These are bigger tanks for bigger and more exotic fish. These are stunning tanks for people that want an aquarium that has lots of action and not just a peaceful coral garden.
You will always do best by positioning your large expenditures upfront into the things that will matter most in the long run. As the saying goes; buy cheap, buy twice. Right out of the gate, tank design, glass quality and dimensions matter. Walk into a big box pet store and you will find small tanks that are long, low and skinny and made of thin, cheap glass. These are lightweight tanks for people that are not pursuing the same goal as you.
Two tank dimensions that have largely been ignored by the industry is width and height. By expanding these dimensions a whole new world of possibilities comes into play. Tall tanks are generally a nonstarter for real coral because the water column is just too deep for adequate light penetration, so unfortunately the majority of tanks on the market are kept to about 20 inches. Thin tanks are a legacy of the pet store mentality. Their desire is to sell a tank that one or two people can easily carry into a home and press unobtrusively against a wall. If you search AIO coral tank companies, even 6ft and longer options are usually only about 20 inches wide. If you subtract 4 inches from either side to allow enough room for cleaning and for the fish to swim past the aquascape, you will be left with a measly 12 inches of width for topography. This is literally an aquarium of limited dimension.
After careful research, a consensus was discovered (by mostly regretful tank owners) for what dimensions constituted a residential “dream tank”. The dimensions are 6ft to 8ft long by 30 to 36 inches wide and 25 to 30 inches tall. MFC reef inserts are designed for tanks that are 6ft X 3ft X 30 inches tall or 7ft X 30 inches X 30 inches tall with the former being preferable to the latter. It is worth noting that a few inches could be subtracted from the height and still accommodate a MFC reef insert, including the expectation that the fill line will be lower than total tank height by approximately 1 inch but the expanded height of 30 inches creates a larger water column to encourage habitat partitioning and longer lasting water stability. Over 30 inches; glass bowing and tank cleaning can potentially become issues.
A rule of thumb used by professional art installers is to hang a painting at 60 inches to center. That is 60 inches to the center point of the painting from the floor. If the aquarium stand is made to the average table height of 30 inches, that will bring the top of the tank to roughly 60 inches from the floor. You will discover that you will no longer be looking down on your tank, but rather looking into your tank. The expanded width of 36 inches will allow for a deeper field of view and you will be looking at a more captivating aquarium. Plus, the fish will develop new patterns of exploration around the bommies as opposed to the relentless back and forth along the front glass.
It is important to recognize the glass tank as a work of art. MFC highly recommends that you contact a custom aquarium builder or a design and install company that works closely with a custom aquarium builder. Request a rimless, low iron glass tank for stunning clarity and a sidewall thickness of at least ¾ inch to avoid any need for cross/ corner bracing. A rimless tank with overhead lighting suspended by cables is as stylish as an aquarium can be. Also, a cabinet style aquarium stand designed with hidden detachable doors for maximum access and with an extra door at one end for easy sump placement is a necessary request. Large interior overflow weir boxes that will intrude into the aquarium habitat should be avoided. Please note that the overflow will consume one wall of your tank! MFC inserts look great from every direction, so it might be worth considering if the space allows, a peninsula style aquarium and sacrifice one end of the tank as opposed to a setup along a wall.
MFC recommends that you work with a custom sump builder. If you are a diligent caretaker, filter socks can allow you to avoid a protein skimmer, a Chaeto refugium is a must to delay water changes, and despite the many other options and the strong opinions that go with them.. sheets of quality, forever usable, 30 PPI urethane foam are best for biological filtration. Carbon and other chemical filtration media are not recommended as it should be a goal to run a sump with zero consumables and thus the entire aquarium with as few consumables as possible. Likewise, inline UV filtration should be used instead of wasteful filter floss media to better achieve crystal clear water.
Though basic to sump building; a bubble trap must be incorporated into the sump design to avoid micro bubbles from being blown into your display tank. Overall, the key to a sump is the bigger (and quieter) the better and the wider, not deeper the refugium the better. However, be sure not to fill the entire space of your cabinet with a sump. A gyre powerhead and/or a submersible grow light in addition to the overhead grow light will keep your Chaeto healthy and productive. Chaeto should be your top choice for several reasons but one very good reason is that it does not go sexual. Be sure to purchase clean Chaeto from a reputable source to avoid bristleworms and other undesirable hitchhikers.
Always choose to have redundancy for the parts of the sump system that can fail. Double up your return pumps and your water heaters and separate your heaters from probes. Heaters should not be placed in the return pump chamber. Again an experienced sump builder will know this and more.
MFC recommends that you contact a custom light fixture company, preferably one that has experience in building hoods for aquariums. Again, an experienced custom design and install company will probably be able to source the right expert for your project. There are many options when it comes to coral tank lighting. Powerful, high-tech LEDs and hybrids have definitely come onto the scene in the last ten years, replacing the old school metal halides and T5 fixtures.
However, MFC recommends that true actinic HO T5 bulbs mixed with cool white bulbs will enable the reef insert (and the fish) to look best. For every 6 feet of tank length, two length to length, single bulb HO fixtures with ATI true actinic 22.2 inch/ 24 watt HO T5 bulbs paired with two single bulb HE fixtures with Philips 12 inch/ 8 watt HE T5 cool white bulbs is a perfect balance. Your lighting expert should also be able to make your lights dimmable. This will require a dimmable ballast designed for T5 fluorescent lamps such as those from Lutron, Tridonic or other brands or a compatible dimmer switch or lighting controller with an LED driver (for T5 LED tubes) and connect them via a 0-10V signal or compatible control system.
Unlike reef tanks, powerful lights (that encourage unwanted algae) are not needed for fish only tanks. Your aquarium lights should be turned down to the lowest level for observers to enjoy the tank. The fish do not need bright light; they can see in the dark far better than you so don’t worry about them! Overly bright tanks are a major cause of stress for fish. Likewise, the aquarium should be placed at least 10-12 feet away from any strong natural light source such as a sky light, window or door and bright, sunlit rooms should be avoided. Determining the best spot to place your aquarium regarding unwanted light, ease of water changes and best of all, aesthetics is a big decision.