First salt water tank!

Slippin · Jan 31, 2017

Hello All,

I'm in the process of setting up my first saltwater tank, and figured I would show my progress.

Build List:
Tank - Marineland 90 Gal. drilled tank
Sump - Trigger Systems Saphire 34
Return Pump - Eheim 1262
Power Heads - (2) EcoTech MP40W with VorTech battery back-up
Skimmer - Vertex Omega 150
Lighting - CurrentUSA 6 bulb T5HO
Rock - 70 lbs of Pukani dry rock
Sand - 70 lbs of Caribsea Fiji Pink dry

First time with water:

The tank is still cycling, I can't wait to get some fish/corals in it!
Looking for recommendations on a stock list/what to add first.

Thanks for looking!

Broadfield · Jan 31, 2017

Looks like you are off to a really nice start for being your first setup. Unfortunately some of your images have broken links for me. But your rock scape looks great!

revsgirl · Jan 31, 2017

Looking good!

Slippin · Jan 31, 2017

Sorry about the broken links, not sure how that happened.
Let me try to upload some more.

Thanks!

Jason mack · Jan 31, 2017

Looks great .. can't wait too see some corals and fish in there !! Welcome and happy reefing !!

Slippin · Feb 6, 2017

Just put a Hydor ATO on the tank, was already tired of having to monitor water levels every day. lol

Tahoe61 · Feb 6, 2017

Welcome.

!

Someone (you) obviously did their homework).

Slippin · Mar 7, 2017

Hello All!

Just hung the light fixture, ended up getting a great deal on a used Giesemann Infiniti.
I still have quite a bit of work to do on the canopy.
The tank is finally fully cycled, looking forward to getting some livestock this weekend.
I was thinking about getting a clownfish, some hermit crabs and snails. (Possibly a coral or two)
Any recommendations?

Thanks everyone!

Chrisfish · Mar 7, 2017

Looking really good

Maritimer · Mar 7, 2017

You've played this game before!

Your entire system looks terrific, from your plumbing to your aquascape. (Guessing you might have kept Tanganyikan cichlids at some time, looking at your avatar . . . )

For corals, start with something that can take a few newbie mistakes, but that won't become a total weed (I'm looking at you, Xenia, mushrooms and green star polyps!). Hardier zoanthids could be a sensible choice, and come in a lot of charming and delightful colors; do remember to handle with care and respect, as they can carry palytoxin, a particularly unpleasant poison.

~Bruce

Slippin · Mar 8, 2017

Thank you for your responses!

Maritimer, I used to breed African ciclids, however, am enjoying the switch to the dark side!

My avatar is of one of my old Tropheus Moorii Ikola, he sure was an ornery fish!
I will have to give zoanthids a try. How hard are Hammers/torch corals and scolymia/trachyphyllia to keep?

Thank you,

Maritimer · Mar 8, 2017

Euphyllias (hammers, frogspawns and torches) are among the easier stony corals, and impart a wonderful movement to their area of the tank. Hammers and frogspawns can touch one another, but neither will be happy touching a torch - keep some distance!

I've never kept scolys or trachyphyllia, so . . .

~Bruce

Slippin · Mar 9, 2017

Thank you for the great information Maritimer! I can't wait to get to the fish store this weekend!

Slippin · Mar 14, 2017

Went to the fish store this weekend and got my first few corals and fish!
I got a beautiful Wyoming white clownfish, cleaner shrimp, 2 hermits, frogspawn, and some zoas.

Sorry for the vertical video:
This is 24 hours after everything was added to the tank.

Quick questions, is this green coraline algae?

Maritimer · Mar 14, 2017

It may be green coralline, or more likely, green film algae. In that case, it's what you hired the snails and hermits for.

~Bruce

hybridazn · Mar 14, 2017

Tank is off to a great start!

Excellent choice with that light fixture :bigthumb:

Slippin · Mar 14, 2017

Thanks for the reply's.

Maritimer, my phosphate levels are between 0.0 and 0.03 (Using Saliferts test kit)
and nitrate is less than 5.0ppm
I was thinking about getting a reactor for gfo/carbon. If this green stuff continues to spread I think I will. Thanks for the heads up!

Hybridazn, Thanks! I am very happy with it so far!

Slippin · Apr 25, 2017

Small update, added a birdsnest and stylophora. They are doing very well, the birdsnest is almost 1.5x the size it was originally.
The green stuff has spread to almost all of my rock. Fairly certain it is green coraline algea, because I can't scrub it off and the snails/crabs/ Yellow tang can eat it off.
I also have started a refugium to try and keep my nitrate and phosphate levels as low as possible.
I am however, having an issue with diatoms. I know everyone says they will just go away on their own, but it is very ugly to look at.
I am using RO water, and my water parameters are as follows:
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: Between 0-5 ppm, closer to 0 (Using an API test kit)
Phosphate: 0-0.03ppm (Salifert)
Alk: 7.8
Calcium: 500+ (Salifert only goes up to 500, it is constantly this high)
I do weekly 30% water changes

Any recommendations to get rid of the diatoms?

Thanks!

Slippin · May 4, 2017

Hello All,

Well the diatoms are starting to subside, just had to wait it out.
Figured I would show the amazing growth I am getting on my birdsnest.
This is less than one month of growth time (April 11th-May 5th)