Tank of the month: October 2021

ANIELLO PEPE

Some set up an aquarium to have a little piece of sea in the living room, some to satisfy an irrepressible longing for nature, some to spend a bit of money in the name of a wonderful passion. For Aniello Pepe, on the other hand, owner in Nocera Superiore of October's "tank of the month", the aquarium helped bring a little serenity back to a family struck by grief.

"In 2010 my wife Elia lost her beloved mother, so, to turn the page and take our minds off things a bit, we thought we would treat ourselves to a small tank with a few little fish", says Aniello, who is 47 and works as a technician in a large company.

So here is the Pepe family walking into the shop near home, asking questions, checking prices. "In the end we took home everything needed for a tank of about 100 litres, freshwater of course", says Aniello. "The first residents were the classic guppies, then cardinal tetras, angelfish and many others. In short, it was the classic "mixed bag" aquarium everyone starts with. But I devoted myself to it with passion. I read a lot, looked things up online, tried to learn. In short, little by little I built up some knowledge on the subject".

So after the "classic" freshwater aquarium came one dedicated to Caridina, the colourful shrimps that boast crowds of admirers and became fashionable years ago, thanks to a Japanese "school" of fishkeeping. "But meanwhile the idea of taking the big leap and moving to a marine aquarium was growing inside me", Aniello Pepe goes on.

And the dream finally came true in 2018. A reality made of colours and healthy animals, which we will now try to find out all about. Let's start with the equipment. Over to you, Aniello.

"It is a tank measuring 100 by 60 by 50, lit by two Hydra 32 HD units switched on for 13 hours, including sunrise and sunset. In the sump I have a Deltec 1000i skimmer and a refugium of about 50 litres, with a 50 W white light on a photoperiod opposite to the main tank".
Which flow pumps do you use?

"I have three, a Nero 5 and two others of 5,600 l/h and 7,600 l/h".

Balling or reactor?

"Balling all the way. I use D-D H2Ocean dosing pumps and rely on the Triton Core 7 Base system".

Let's come to the animals.

"I have a great many SPS, plus various LPS and some soft corals. As for fish, surgeonfish take the lion's share, followed by clownfish and many others. In the evening, before the lights go off, my Elia and I are spellbound watching this marvel, which is filling our lives".