First mixed reef tank build

[FTW-Reef]

Will be adding to this as I go further down the rabbit hole...

Filtration / stability:
-1- Filter socks OR Fleece Roller
-2- Protein Skimmer (DC)
-3- Refugium (growing algae to be harvested and fed to fish)
-4- UV Sterilizer
-5- Carbon & GFO reactor

Control, Lighting & Flow
-1- AI Prime lighting
-2- AI Prime or EcoTech pumps
-3- Neptune (with Trident)
-4- AFS

Nutrition:
-1- pellets twice a day with AFS
-2- DIY frozen food once a day (as the lights are going off to allow corals to feed more at night)

 

[WIReefer]

Looking forward to the build! Do you have a tank picked out?

 

[FTW-Reef]

Looking forward to the build! Do you have a tank picked out?

@WIReefer - turns out my initial thoughts on a build are likely what I will want for helping my friend convert a 50g tank from fresh to salt...

Picked up an Aquatop 24g AIO from craigslist this week. Since the protein skimmer wasn't included and the reviews I've read are subpar anyway, I'm considering just throwing the water-heater in that chamber.

Current thinking / plan for the 24g AIO:
- For filtration, I'm thinking of using all 3 media containers being filled with Marine Pure spheres.
- Only if necessary down the road - maybe adding a canister only to facilitate UV / Carbon-filtering / GFO.
- Also planning ~20 lbs of dry-rock and a 20 lb bag of sand.

Desired Fish / Inverts:
- 2x clowns
- 1x Aiptasia-eating filefish
- 1x Lawnmower Blenny
- 1x Six-Line Wrasse
- 1x Shrimp
- 1x Maxima clam

CUC:
- 5x hermit crabs
- 1x conch
- 1x Tuxedo Urchin

Corals / Algae
- 1x Zenia
- 1x Duncan
- 1x monti
- multiple Zoa's
- 1x Torch and/or Galaxia
- 1x macro-algae (for decorative / tank cleaning purpose)

Thoughts on whether this is a decent starting point to get to my desired end-point of thriving animals?

 

[Dcal]

I think it sounds good and its always awesome seeing new reefers with such a detailed plan because it shows their excitement perfectly.

For fish
- 2x clowns Ez go for it
- 1x Aiptasia-eating filefish tough but if you keep up the planning and research I think you got it
- 1x Lawnmower Blenny i say go for it but you might get other opinions
- 1x Six-Line Wrasse cool fish but can wreck havoc, possum wrasse would be an alternative if it peaks your interest
- 1x Shrimp ez
- 1x Maxima clam ez with planning

 

[FTW-Reef]

@WIReefer - turns out my initial thoughts on a build are likely what I will want for helping my friend convert a 50g tank from fresh to salt...

Picked up an Aquatop 24g AIO from craigslist this week. Since the protein skimmer wasn't included and the reviews I've read are subpar anyway, I'm considering just throwing the water-heater in that chamber.

Current thinking / plan for the 24g AIO:
- For filtration, I'm thinking of using all 3 media containers being filled with Marine Pure spheres.
- Only if necessary down the road - maybe adding a canister only to facilitate UV / Carbon-filtering / GFO.
- Also planning ~20 lbs of dry-rock and a 20 lb bag of sand.

Update:
- replacing stock return pump with a small Sicce
- adding a small UV sterilizer in-line between return pump and output to tank
- starting cycle tomorrow with:
- 17 lbs of dry-rock / 10 lbs of live sand a few Brightwell cubes (in media-chamber)
- using Dr Tim's One-and-Only

Next on the list is to decide whether to change lighting / flow / controller

 

[FTW-Reef]

No water measurements (no water yet in tank)

 

[FTW-Reef]

day 3 of fishless cycle:

Ammonia - 3 ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
PH - 7.6


Measured with glass / API test kit

 

[FTW-Reef]

day 10 of fishless cycle:

Ammonia - 3ppm
Nitrite - 1.5 ppm
PH - (stopped checking since I am ~18-20 ppt saltwater to cycle)

Measured with glass / API test kit

 

[FTW-Reef]

Day 7 with corals and 2 fish:

Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
PH - 8

Measured with glass / API test kit…will start testing for nitrite and phosphate this weekend.

 

[FTW-Reef]

Current (starting) stocking list:

- small snowflake clown
- medium darwin clown
- tailspot blenny
- 6 hermit crabs
- bubble tip nem
- mix of mostly LPS

 

[FTW-Reef]

~ 1 month in

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Congrats on the new tank!

 

[FTW-Reef]

Everything in the tank survived a 60 mile move! I did come close to a couple catastrophes…helpful lessons learned for next time

A few days later the filefish (who was added to deal with outbreak of aiptasia) disappeared…but thankfully found him 4 days later in a rear chamber of my AIO - slippery bugger!

Considering whether / when to start up another tank

 

[FTW-Reef]

5 months (and 1 move) in…starting to settle

 

[FTW-Reef]

Have added a refugium in the overflow chamber (with help from 2 parts from a 3d Printer on Etsy) - will try to get a picture for next update

 

[FTW-Reef]

Seeing some growth of a favia...nice to see especially since I didn't think it was going to make it after moving last fall!

 

[Honeyluv]

Will be adding to this as I go further down the rabbit hole...

Filtration / stability:
-1- Filter socks OR Fleece Roller
-2- Protein Skimmer (DC)
-3- Refugium (growing algae to be harvested and fed to fish)
-4- UV Sterilizer
-5- Carbon & GFO reactor

Control, Lighting & Flow
-1- AI Prime lighting
-2- AI Prime or EcoTech pumps
-3- Neptune (with Trident)
-4- AFS

Nutrition:
-1- pellets twice a day with AFS
-2- DIY frozen food once a day (as the lights are going off to allow corals to feed more at night)

Oh wow!

 

[FTW-Reef]

The monti at the top seems to be doing well…now battling with hair algae…

 

[FTW-Reef]

Most of the corals survived the move, sadly the fish did not…going to have to get a new goby buddy for the pistol shrimp

 

[FTW-Reef]