First saltwater aquarium- build thread

Colin_1122 · Jan 16, 2020

Hey guys,
I recently set up my first saltwater tank, a Fiji cube 32 gallon and decided I should make a build thread. I added a torch frag and gsp last night along with two hermits and a small brittle star. I’ve got a prime 16hd using David Saxby’s settings on acclimation mode for 30 days, right now it’s at 40% intensity. For my stock list I plan on first adding a firefish if I can get a lid, then two clowns, a Pygmy hawkfish or yellow watchman goby/shrimp pair, and eventually a Pygmy angel if possible. This is my first saltwater tank so any help/advice would be great!

Colin_1122 · Jan 16, 2020

Not sure why my torch has retracted a bit. Earlier today he was out farther. Is this normal behavior or is something wrong? Not sure how much flow I need, I’m running the stock pump and I added a small power head at first which was originally going to be used to mix saltwater. Would the tank be ok with just the stock pump? Here is a pic of the torch

Colin_1122 · Jan 16, 2020

Tiny brittle star that hitchhiked in with my frags

And my gsp frag

ether · Jan 16, 2020

How long has the tank been up and running? Parameters? Need way more info to get a helpful answer. Also, sometimes torches do that. I would only worry if you watch for a day or so and it doesn't get better.

Colin_1122 · Jan 16, 2020

ether said:
How long has the tank been up and running? Parameters? Need way more info to get a helpful answer. Also, sometimes torches do that. I would only worry if you watch for a day or so and it doesn't get better.

The tank has only been up for two days but I used live sand and fritz turbo start so I haven’t seen an ammonia spike. Ammonia and nitrites are at 0, nitrates are 5. Salinity is 1.026 and temp is 78. It’s slightly farther out now but still not fully extended. Not sure if I put it in an area with good flow?

Colin_1122 · Jan 30, 2020

The tank has been up for about 2 weeks, I’ll get some pics later. I’m looking for suggestions on my first fish. I don’t have a lid otherwise I would go with a firefish. Any other suggestions?

CasaReefer · Jan 30, 2020

Hi Colin... Welcome to R2R... Can't wait to see your set up... Glad you jumped In..

BeejReef · Jan 30, 2020

How is your torch doing?
Congrats on getting those first few weeks behind you. Nice score on the free sea star!

I'd get a lid and get the fish you want.. lol. Any fish can jump, so most will be hesitant to recommend a fish that won't need a lid.

How's that torch doing?

Colin_1122 · Jan 30, 2020

BeejReef said:
How is your torch doing?
Congrats on getting those first few weeks behind you. Nice score on the free sea star!

I'd get a lid and get the fish you want.. lol. Any fish can jump, so most will be hesitant to recommend a fish that won't need a lid.

How's that torch doing?

The torch is doing great! I definitely want a pair of clowns but I’m hesitant to add them first as I’ve heard they can get territorial, especially in a smaller tank. I’m thinking of a firefish, Pygmy hawkfish, or maybe a yellow watchman goby to add to the tank first. I’m just looking for any suggestions for any colorful and peaceful nano fish.

Colin_1122 · Jan 30, 2020

here is a pic of the torch today

Colin_1122 · Jan 30, 2020

Here is one with the whites up. I’m still trying to figure out the best settings for pictures and I’m using my phone camera so I’m sorry for the bad pics haha

Colin_1122 · Jan 30, 2020

Here is a fts. Like I said, sorry for the bad pictures. This is my first saltwater tank so I tried my best with the aquascape and I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. So far I just have the torch, a gsp frag which is super retracted at the moment (not sure why), and two dwarf hermits. The GSP was sold to me as a branching GSP, not sure what that is I’ve never heard of it before?

Mav88 · Jan 30, 2020

As long as the fish are young you shouldn't See a problem. I added my clowns first in a smaller tank. I believe territorial tendencies happen as they get older. Maybe the goby and shrimp first so they can get a hole and get used to feeding. But after that you should be able to stock in whatever order you want. Maybe slow it down a bit, and keep stable parameters for a couple more weeks before you add more.

Colin_1122 · Jan 30, 2020

I picked up my first fish today, a purple firefish. He is in qt now and seems to be doing ok.

Colin_1122 · Jan 31, 2020

Hey guys, I have a few questions about flow. My GSP frag still isn’t out it’s been over a day so I’m wondering what’s going on. I took the power head out of my DT and moved it to my 10g QT for the new firefish. It’s a Marineland Maxi Jet 600. Is this too much flow for the qt? Also does my DT have enough flow with just the stock return pump? My torch is doing really well so I don’t think the flow is the problem with the GSP unless it’s the location. Thanks for any help!

Colin_1122 · Jan 31, 2020

Can anyone help me out? I don’t want to stress my new firefish with too much flow and don’t want to leave my frags with not enough flow

MERKEY · Jan 31, 2020

You need circulation in the QT.

Do you have a HOB filter on the QT now?

AND yes that is TOO much flow for a 10g.

I'd move the power head back to your DT and find a HOB filter or airstone for the QT.

Others will join in with help also!

Colin_1122 · Feb 1, 2020

MERKEY said:
You need circulation in the QT.

Do you have a HOB filter on the QT now?

AND yes that is TOO much flow for a 10g.

I'd move the power head back to your DT and find a HOB filter or airstone for the QT.

Others will join in with help also!

I have an aqua clear bio filter on the QT but wasn’t sure if that was enough flow. I have a spare air stone I can throw in but I heard those don’t really help much

MERKEY · Feb 1, 2020

Colin_1122 said:
I have an aqua clear bio filter on the QT but wasn’t sure if that was enough flow. I have a spare air stone I can throw in but I heard those don’t really help much

You only need 1...its just to oxygenate the tank. Any surface agitation works.

Move the power head back to the DT