First Reef Tank Ever - Fails/Successes

[KyRo]

I started my first reef tank 9 months ago without any experience with freshwater or saltwater tanks. It was very impulsive, but my uncle had a tank he wasn’t using and he lets it get very out of control so he gave it to me if I could clean it and take it off of his hands

First fail was jumping into it thinking that a few days of YouTube videos and this forum was enough. When I took this thing apart, I forgot where hoses went, and basically had a heck of a time putting it back together.

Second mistake is I also got my clownfish wayyyyy too quickly. I didn’t let my tank cycle just tossed them in. I also put my live sand in, filled it up with RODI water and mixed the salt in the tank

When Covid first hit, I neglected my tank a bit and lost a few corals, some snails and didn’t do any water changes for 2 months. Mistake 3.

I had it a goal to get everything back up to speed again and my tank is doing far better today.

I ditched the Red Sea lid and lights for an AI Prime -

My Duncan is still waking up today.

I’d like to hear other success stories as well. What is working for you and what isn’t.

Appreciate all the help from you guys since I’ve started!

 

[K7BMG]

Wow I am impressed with your success.

Good job, very nice tank.

No advice as I see you have it under control.

 

[Funston07]

Wow that tank came a very long way

 

[KJ]

I started my first reef tank 9 months ago without any experience with freshwater or saltwater tanks. It was very impulsive, but my uncle had a tank he wasn’t using and he lets it get very out of control so he gave it to me if I could clean it and take it off of his hands

First fail was jumping into it thinking that a few days of YouTube videos and this forum was enough. When I took this thing apart, I forgot where hoses went, and basically had a heck of a time putting it back together.

Second mistake is I also got my clownfish wayyyyy too quickly. I didn’t let my tank cycle just tossed them in. I also put my live sand in, filled it up with RODI water and mixed the salt in the tank

When Covid first hit, I neglected my tank a bit and lost a few corals, some snails and didn’t do any water changes for 2 months. Mistake 3.

I had it a goal to get everything back up to speed again and my tank is doing far better today.

I ditched the Red Sea lid and lights for an AI Prime -

My Duncan is still waking up today.

I’d like to hear other success stories as well. What is working for you and what isn’t.

Appreciate all the help from you guys since I’ve started!

Wow great job you tank look amazing

 

[KyRo]

Thank you guys. Much appreciated!

 

[Dcole12]

Glad you continued to stick with it and it looks like you re getting great results! Those Zoa's are awesome! Those will look so good when the fill out.

 

[Fishn’Chick]

Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing and helping newbies like me learn through some of your mistakes. It’s beautiful.

 

[Afterburner]

How much did it cost you to get the tank up and running with all the livestock. Looks really nice.

 

[KyRo]

Glad you continued to stick with it and it looks like you re getting great results! Those Zoa's are awesome! Those will look so good when the fill out.

Thank you. I had a day where I almost drained my tank and put it in storage during the issues. The zoa garden started like this and it’s probably my favorite part of the tank!

 

[Pistondog]

I started my first reef tank 9 months ago without any experience with freshwater or saltwater tanks. It was very impulsive, but my uncle had a tank he wasn’t using and he lets it get very out of control so he gave it to me if I could clean it and take it off of his hands

First fail was jumping into it thinking that a few days of YouTube videos and this forum was enough. When I took this thing apart, I forgot where hoses went, and basically had a heck of a time putting it back together.

Second mistake is I also got my clownfish wayyyyy too quickly. I didn’t let my tank cycle just tossed them in. I also put my live sand in, filled it up with RODI water and mixed the salt in the tank

When Covid first hit, I neglected my tank a bit and lost a few corals, some snails and didn’t do any water changes for 2 months. Mistake 3.

I had it a goal to get everything back up to speed again and my tank is doing far better today.

I ditched the Red Sea lid and lights for an AI Prime -

My Duncan is still waking up today.

I’d like to hear other success stories as well. What is working for you and what isn’t.

Appreciate all the help from you guys since I’ve started!

Yo kyro, that's awesome.
Tank , looks good.
Smooth move switching to you ai, nice.

 

[KyRo]

How much did it cost you to get the tank up and running with all the livestock. Looks really nice.

The tank was free so if we’re going just by coral and fish. I have spent more than I’d like to admit on coral that I lost early on. Probably $125 on fish. Maybe like $800 on coral? I’d have to add it up though.

Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing and helping newbies like me learn through some of your mistakes. It’s beautiful.

For sure. Reading peoples mistakes has helped me a lot so I figured I should say how I’ve messed up. Little mess ups can cost hundred or thousands of dollars

 

[KyRo]

Yo kyro, that's awesome.
Tank , looks good.
Smooth move switching to you ai, nice.

That was one of my better choices for sure. Great light

 

[Krixic]

Talk about a glow up! Very nice transformation

 

[SPR1968]

I started my first reef tank 9 months ago without any experience with freshwater or saltwater tanks. It was very impulsive, but my uncle had a tank he wasn’t using and he lets it get very out of control so he gave it to me if I could clean it and take it off of his hands

First fail was jumping into it thinking that a few days of YouTube videos and this forum was enough. When I took this thing apart, I forgot where hoses went, and basically had a heck of a time putting it back together.

Second mistake is I also got my clownfish wayyyyy too quickly. I didn’t let my tank cycle just tossed them in. I also put my live sand in, filled it up with RODI water and mixed the salt in the tank

When Covid first hit, I neglected my tank a bit and lost a few corals, some snails and didn’t do any water changes for 2 months. Mistake 3.

I had it a goal to get everything back up to speed again and my tank is doing far better today.

I ditched the Red Sea lid and lights for an AI Prime -

My Duncan is still waking up today.

I’d like to hear other success stories as well. What is working for you and what isn’t.

Appreciate all the help from you guys since I’ve started!

Wow that’s some turn around and cleaning job, and beautiful pictures as well!

 

[Bfragale]

KYRO! Bro! Nice tank my friend! I have to say, great progress. You really turned that tank around. Beautiful zoa garden! I love everything! Keep up the good work!
Happy reefing.

 

[fishkeepinginasia]

That's a really stunning tank!

 

[scdigby]

Very nice! Great pics!

 

[KyRo]

Wow that’s some turn around and cleaning job, and beautiful pictures as well!

Thank you! Another success of mine is buying the polyp lab V2 filter for my phone. The pictures come out great and you don’t get the overly blue tint

 

[KyRo]

KYRO! Bro! Nice tank my friend! I have to say, great progress. You really turned that tank around. Beautiful zoa garden! I love everything! Keep up the good work!
Happy reefing.

I appreciate it buddy! My goal is to have the zoa garden cover both of those rocks on the right side. Gonna take some time, but all good things do

 

[KyRo]

Very nice! Great pics!

I can’t take full credit. My pictures kind of sucked before the Polyp lab filters lol