First Saltwater Tank Build

[JosephM]

1/5/21 -
Finished all my plumbing today! Started to fill it all up and there was a decent leak between the glass and overflow box. I think this was due to my horrible drilling that left a lot of chips. I ended up just putting some silicone to fill in the gaps so I am now waiting for it to cure. I will try it again tomorrow to check for leaks! Also added my pump, a filter sock, and a bag full of matrix for some extra bio filtration that’s easy to clean.

 

[WirelessMike]

12/29/20 -
It’s been a while since I’ve updated this. I hope you guys all had a great Christmas! Since i last updated I have installed the handles, cleaned my tank and drilled it (it wasn’t the greatest drilling I’ve done but it should work) drilled a hole in the stand for my surge protector and went ahead and placed the grow light, reactor, skimmer, and heater controller. I know it’s a mess right now but I’m just waiting to get some Velcro cable ties in the mail and I’ll tidy it all up.

Looking good!!

 

[JosephM]

1/8/21 -
Picked up some live sand and a lil chunk of chaeto today! After sitting for around 8 hrs the water is starting to clear up. Definitely had to change my filter sock after all of that mess it was overflowing bad LOL. Also got in a cheap maxi jet circulation pump today to get me some flow until I get my other necessities and can save up for some nicer more dependable ones. Planning on running this for a little bit and ordering some like rock from KPA sometime next week. Big things coming with that rock I’m really excited.

 

[JosephM]

1/9/21-
Went on a shopping spree today... man this really is an addiction. I got 4 more filter socks (only had 2 and i didn’t realize how often you have to change them out), 40 lbs of KPA live rock!, Red Sea calcium test, salifert magnesium test, and an 11.74 oz container of chemi pure elite to put in sump. Boy did I spend a lot of money! Super excited though I CAN NOT wait for the live rock!!

 

[JB33t]

what size return pump are you running?

 

[JosephM]

what size return pump are you running?

Jebao DCT-1200. Has a controller that each knob is 10% so it can adjust from 120-1200 gph. Got it for around $70 I believe and it’s working great for me so far!

 

[JB33t]

Jebao DCT-1200. Has a controller that each knob is 10% so it can adjust from 120-1200 gph. Got it for around $70 I believe and it’s working great for me so far!

Very nice thank you, tank is coming out good so far what are you plans for corals? SPS? softies?

 

[JosephM]

Very nice thank you, tank is coming out good so far what are you plans for corals? SPS? softies?

Im getting in 40lbs of KPA live rock tomorrow so the ultimate goal is to get that settled in and tank cycled. I’m brand new to the hobby so once I get into corals it’ll be mostly hardy softies and lps and once i get more comfortable with dosing and such definitely some sps. So to sum it up, in the long run I want a mixed reef.

 

[JB33t]

Im getting in 40lbs of KPA live rock tomorrow so the ultimate goal is to get that settled in and tank cycled. I’m brand new to the hobby so once I get into corals it’ll be mostly hardy softies and lps and once i get more comfortable with dosing and such definitely some sps. So to sum it up, in the long run I want a mixed reef.

You’ve got a good start I’ll definitely be watching your thread! I’ve seen some amazing softie tanks

 

[JosephM]

You’ve got a good start I’ll definitely be watching your thread! I’ve seen some amazing softie tanks

Thank you!

 

[JosephM]

1/14/21 -
This is going to be a long little paragraph as a lot has happened since I last updated. I have since received my live rock and that has been a long and hard process. I bought the wrong type of refractometer and long story short had my salinity at 1.039! My beautiful live rock with all the good hitchhikers were sitting in this hyper salinity bath for over 6 hours before my Milwaukee salinity tester came in and I tested. After a few water changes I have gotten it down to 1.028 and planning on getting it down to 1.026 later tonight. The rock is looking great and I'm holding out hope that a lot of stuff survived my stupidity. What I saw that I'm hoping survived is a couple pistol shrimp, a pencil urchin, a couple brittle stars, some bristle worms, and even a bi-valve filter feeder (looks like a little clam). I also have a couple small crabs (one may be dead) that are in my sump because I am pretty sure they are gorilla crabs. Only time will tell what this rock and tank hold for me!

 

[JosephM]

1/18/21 -
Viparspectra light came in today! I constructed an L out of aluminum square tubing and some corner braces. Then secured it with some bolts to my stand. I’m overall happy with it just a little upset and disappointed that it’s about an inch off center. What makes it worse is I noticed it and *fixed it* which I obviously didn’t. But overall as of now I’m happy. If it bothers me too much I might take it apart and try and re center it.

 

[JB33t]

Any new updates?

 

[JosephM]

Any new updates?

Ahaha yeah. A ton. I’ll try and get to it sometime today. Some long stories and some new additions lol

 

[JosephM]

1/21/21 -
On this day I bought my first corals. I got a piece of GSP, some zoas (whammin watermelon), and a small frag of leather devils hand. They have all been doing great and thriving, even got a new polyp on the zoas. I also picked up a bottle of Tisbe Pods and some live phyto

1/22/21 -
The next day out I went and purchased my first fish, an exquisute firefish. He was absolutely beautiful but very timid. He hid in his cave all the time unless the Powerheads were off or it was feeding time. I also picked up 5 astrea snails and 1 shortspine urchin.
1/26/21 -
Went to a different fish store and picked up a small mushroom and Favia frag. This same day everything went downhill. In a nut shell some cirlanoid isopods made their way into my tank and overnight had latched onto my fish. By time I noticed he was belly up barely breathing. Quickly I picked him up and plugged the isopod off. He ended up passing away a few hrs later. Since then I've set up a couple traps and caught 2 isopods.
1/28/20 -
Received my order from a fellow reefer on here of two bottles chock full of tigger pods.
1/29/20 -
I just got back from the fish store and picked up a 6-line wrasse in hops he will find any isopods if there are any left, a sea hare to help control a GHA outbreak I am battling, and a couple Mexican turbo snails.

All in all the tank has been going decent. It was a rough week with my first fish dying but I will make an even bigger comeback! Also my Chaeto has taken off in my sump! There is some GHA down there but I'm leaving it alone because its not affecting anything and just helping to export nutrients.

 

[JosephM]

Another update for you guys
2/5/20 -
Went and picked up some corals from a local reefer. Got away with some nice frags of Rastas, WWC AOI, red/orange mushroom, and a big green mushroom. I don't have pics of the orange one because its in a little hole and I'm just gonna let him grow out of there (you can kind of see it behind the green shroom)
2/6/20 -
Went to the LFS and picked myself up a pair of premium phantom clowns. I needed bio load and impulsed because I know they'll be the most aggressive out of my stocking list. Maybe I'll be lucky and they'll be timid. If anything I have a sump or I can try mirror or acclimation box method lol.

Big things coming soon. Going to the LFS again tomorrow to check it out and Thursday will be a very busy day. I have a package of 22 corals coming in!

 

[JosephM]

2/10/21 -
Went to the LFS with my girlfriend! Ended up picking up a beautiful Dracula goby and got a big bullseye shrimp to hopefully pair together. Both beautiful specimens and easily the most I’ve spent on a single fish. Sadly I saw the goby make his borrow in the back of the tank but hoping the shrimp will make his upfront where he’s been hanging out and the goby will find him. Haven’t been able to get a good pic of the shrimp yet.

 

[JosephM]

2/10/21 -
Corals shipped out as well (forgot to add this)
2/11/21 -
Figured out the pistol shrimp I got is not known to pair with gobies so I had to catch him. Somewhere along catching him the goby jumped out and I didn’t notice him on my stand until it was too late, he passed away. Also figured out my corals were stuck at an airport in Kentucky due to weather
2/12/21 -
Went to LFS to return the shrimp and got put on their call list when they get another Dracula goby. I’m gonna get a lid I promise! I also picked up a couple polyps of gobstopper zoas. Only one has opened so far. Also figured out my corals won’t arrive until Monday so we might be facing a lot of death on Monday

 

[JosephM]

Alrighty guys. Quick updated on the coral shipment. All LPS and SPS are dead zoas haven’t died yet but are still closed. Vendor has said they’ll cover any DOA in the next two weeks and that if the zoas aren’t open within 5 days they’ll cover those as well. If no zoas open up by Monday I am going to email them again to see when I can get a shipment sent with replacements. I’m hoping they can send next Wednesday to get here on Thursday because the weather looks good in Kentucky and where I’m located but we’ll see what they say
2/17/21 -
Went to a different LFS then my usual, they have a way better coral selection for way better pricing. Picked up 3 different zoas
Punk rockers -

Blood suckers -

Sunny d’s -

Today was payday so I’ve been placing a lot of orders. Hopefully I’ll have a phyto culture set up on Tuesday, going to start with 2 species. I’ll keep you guys updated on how I set it up. Debating if I want to buy a dosing pump. If I do it’s going to be a Jebao DP-4 just to get me through until I make more money to invest in something more dependable.

 

[JosephM]

2/19/21 -
Went to two fish stores today. Went to my main one and picked up a royal gramma, African fire fish, 8 astrea snails, and 1 Mexican turbo snail. It’s hard to get a good pic lol. But super pleased as there’s zero aggression so far and everyone is eating like pigs

At the other one they were having a deal - buy a frag and get a free birds nest. I picked up a little cheap, bland, hammer and got a free birds nest

Got a dosing pump in today so hopefully I’ll get that set up in the coming days!