Azoox tanks are popping up more and more, but very few can match the beauty or Mariusz’ 550L (145g) reef. This aquarium utilizes six 80w Korallen Zucht T5 tubes, 4 Marine Light and 2 Fiji Purple. The end result is a warmer light that highlights the orange, red and pink tones of his non-photosynthetic animals like his hundreds of Sun Corals (Tubastraea spp.), 9 Rhizotrochus typus and 24 tube anemones (Cerianthus spp.). As we’ve written before, 20K’s are not the only way to make colors pop.

This look is a stark contrast to the deep blue 20K illumination over many SPS reefs. However, Mariusz still achieves his splashes of blue but with sponges and rather monochromatic fish: 10 Allens Damsels (Pomacentrus alleni), a Bicolor Angelfish (Centropyge bicolor), various wrasses (Cirhillabrus spp.), and a coupe of Niger Triggers (Odonus niger). 

Mariusz feeds 40 (yes forty – 10 mysis & 30 brine) cubes of frozen food a day to feed all of the azoox polyps in the tank. To handle the nutrient load he employs a Deltec apf851 and Korallin NO3 Denitrator, while dosing 6ml of vodka a day. Mariusz also uses Lanthanum chloride (liquid po4 remover) to reduce creeping phosphates. Weekly 80l (~20g) water changes are performed, and Korallen Zucht’s ZeoZyme is also used frequently and is believed to increase skimmer performance.

In one of the photos above, you will notice the pink and red Dendronephthya and Scleronephthya. At one point Mariusz stocked these finicky “carnation” corals, but he was not happy with the tank or the animals success. The sun corals began to dominate, and he allowed them to creating what you see today–A stunning aquarium, that should be considered art. 

To see some of the best aquariums around the world, see our Top Selections.

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5. Michael Lukaczyn’s Stunning Azoox Reef