2nd Time in the Hobby

[Utahsaltnoob]

Hello all,

I had a Salt water fish tank 10+ years ago. I cut a lot of corners and was quasi successful. Recently my wife and I bought a house and I got a basement man cave out of it!

After getting settled, I had a friend in the hobby give me the final push to get a tank.

I will make a couple different post to show my progression up to now.

I found a lightly used 120 gallon tank with return and a sump with skimmer and heater. I watched a BRS video and painted the back of my new 120

 

[Utahsaltnoob]

From here is found some live rock and lights from a guy getting out of the hobby. I got a cheap LED bar and some T5s to get me started.
I watched some vids on how to acid wash and bleach the rocks to start clean.

 

[Brad Miller]

Welcome to R2R friend.
Take your time and enjoy the build

 

[Utahsaltnoob]

The bleach and acid wash turned the rocks bone white! I got 160lbs of oolite live sand and filled her up!

It took like a week to settle down the sand and I bought some cultures live rock from my LFS and set up some cave and fired up the system!

 

[Utahsaltnoob]

After about 3 months of cycling in a painful wait I finally bought a couple clowns and clean up crew members.

I added a carbon reactor into the sump as well along with some bio media rocks.

PS I’m a nerd so disregard all my Halo swag.

 

[Utahsaltnoob]

Over the next couple months I added a cardinal fish
green bubble tip anemone
cleaner shrimp
Tuxedo urchin
More CUC
And a wave maker

 

[Utahsaltnoob]

Another month passed and I added a strawberry dottyback
Later after my first loss as it harassed a 2 spot goby to death I borrowed a trap and caught it to give back to the LFS.
Also found a smoking deal on a Radion XR30 on mount. After using this high end light I understand why people love Ecotech.
Picked it up and got my first leather to test the waters for my corals.
At this point I also added some green star polyp and a couple random cheap Zoa frags.

 

[Utahsaltnoob]

After 1 XR30 I had to get a second.
I found a used Gen 2 pro and mount from a couple great members here on R2R.

I also placed my first online order to liveaquaria to get some fish I have always wanted not that things have been running really well.

 

[Utahsaltnoob]

This brings us to yesterday and today,
My order arrived and the fish are doing great (other than 1 who was struggling since arrival)
My family and I are loving the hobby. I’m excited to watch my tank mature. This thread is for my own timeline as much as sharing with you folks!

 

[SPR1968]

Great pictures and thanks for sharing all of them with us

And welcome to R2R it’s great to have you with us!

 

[Neilth1]

your tank is looking good

 

[Hemmdog]

Lookin good!!

 

[Utahsaltnoob]

So I found a local guy getting rid of his setup. I picked up a great looking rose BTA, birds nest, tiny chalice, and hammerhead oh and a hitchhiker porcelain crab!

I wish my clowns would be hosted by one of my anemones!

 

[Utahsaltnoob]

Been awhile since I posted.

New additions to the tank!
Also the coraline is growing great too!

 

[Zos4me]

Very nice Great Job

 

[Utahsaltnoob]

Been awhile since I posted. Crazy to see my old pics!