First Tank Finally!!!!!!!

[Nerdist Aquarist]

Congrats. I've had a few tanks now, the initial setup and growth are always my favorite part. Trust me, after a year or 2 you'll be looking for every reason to get a bigger one

 

[Skeeter4890]

Congrats. I've had a few tanks now, the initial setup and growth are always my favorite part. Trust me, after a year or 2 you'll be looking for every reason to get a bigger one

Oh for sure I already know that I originally wanted a larger one just don’t have the place to put it but once I get a bigger space a bigger tank will definitely be on my list!

 

[Skeeter4890]

Looks like the Tank will be here tomorrow I have my saltwater mixed and I have fresh Rodi for the ato already all set, now my biggest question is, sand before rock or rock before sand? I’ve heard horror stories from creatures digging under rockwork causing it to fall I have attached pictures of my scape and just curious if anyone thinks there is that danger for me? Or if I should just do rock before sand just to be safe?

 

[Skeeter4890]

Holy smokes it’s here I’m so excited to get it set up!!!!!!!

 

[Skeeter4890]

Holy smokes it’s here I’m so excited to get it set up!!!!!!!

All set up and running!!!! I kinda wish my scape went a little higher up in the tank but I’m still happy with it!!

 

[Skeeter4890]

Tank is much clearer now, still need to get the skimmer in and set up, cycle is on day 4 I still have ammonia, and nitrite but I also have nitrate so the cycle is working!!!! Hopefully things continue along a good path and I can get my first fish in about a week!!

 

[dlsorensen]

Welcome!

 

[Skeeter4890]

Alright so I’m not sure how big of an issue this is but I’m in the middle of my cycle day 7 actually, my ph is 7.7 ammonia is 2 ppm nitrite is 2 ppm but my nitrates are through the roof looks like they are reading 50 ppm now?? Should I be concerned with that stalling out the cycle? Or is it ok? Hopefully someone can help! I am using the tropic Marin compact lab tests.

 

[Brad Mckeon]

Get a clear acrylic lid

 

[Skeeter4890]

Major Updates, I’ve been stressing tirelessly over this tank and trying to get everything correct, finally the person I talk to at my lfs told me he thinks I’m ready for a fish, I bit the bullet and I officially have my first fish, I got myself a purple firefish, this is the best picture I could get of him as he is quite skiddish and has been hiding since I got him into the tank. Hopefully in the next couple days he will be out and about and I will worry less about him lol and be able to get some better pictures of him.

 

[Skeeter4890]

Second fish has been added got a Tailspot blenny and I also have some blue leg hermits as well the diatoms have arrived but hopefully that goes away soon!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Tank is off to a good start!!

 

[Skeeter4890]

Tank is off to a good start!!

Yeah so far everything has been fairly stable for being a new tank

 

[Skeeter4890]

Well bad news I had to take the Tailspot back to the store he was chasing and nipping at the firefish and already damaged the firefish’s tail. I read that for some reason it seems like Tailspots are kinda known for going after firefish for some reason. Does anyone have any info on how mimic Blennies are with firefish?

 

[Skeeter4890]

A little update, still haven’t been able to find my next fish, I have been looking for a Red Sea mimic blenny or a blenny with the scientific name of Ecsenius Lividanalis there are 2 color morphs there’s a blue head with a yellow body and then there is a dusky color morph which is a pale blue or grey with a yellow streak along the top of the fish, both of these blennies seem to be impossible to find can’t find them anywhere online and no LFS has been able to get them either. I hade added 2 new corals and moved my first coral. I got a green Acan and also got a new Zoa which I believe is a Hippie Duster Zoa but not really sure if anyone has any other ideas what it might be I’d appreciate the input. Things are going mostly smooth so I cant complain, all is definitely lower than I want so I may begin dosing for that soon. Thanks!!

 

[Skeeter4890]

Another update I know it’s been few and far in between, I ended up losing the firefish sadly, I’m not sure what happened to him, for some reason he just started getting kinda lethargic and hiding and not even coming out for food, after a couple days I found him in the morning. I did end up adding another Tailspot blenny and he seems to be doing great. I was battling some hair algae for a while scrubbed the rocks 3 times and had the lights turned down low and got a purple sea urchin and he had helped tremendously. I turned my lights back up and things have been going well to the point I added 4 new corals last night, I got a Forest Fire Digitata, ECC Arc Reactor Blastos, Meteor Shower Cyphastrea and another Zoa which I think may be a Hawaiian People Eater but I’m not sure on that. Trying to find me a pink streaked wrasse to add then I’m going to add clowns for fish

 

[iamacat]

Another update I know it’s been few and far in between, I ended up losing the firefish sadly, I’m not sure what happened to him, for some reason he just started getting kinda lethargic and hiding and not even coming out for food, after a couple days I found him in the morning. I did end up adding another Tailspot blenny and he seems to be doing great. I was battling some hair algae for a while scrubbed the rocks 3 times and had the lights turned down low and got a purple sea urchin and he had helped tremendously. I turned my lights back up and things have been going well to the point I added 4 new corals last night, I got a Forest Fire Digitata, ECC Arc Reactor Blastos, Meteor Shower Cyphastrea and another Zoa which I think may be a Hawaiian People Eater but I’m not sure on that. Trying to find me a pink streaked wrasse to add then I’m going to add clowns for fish

Twins!

 

[Skeeter4890]

Twins!

Heck yeah Forest Fire Digit’s I love how you can see the green and blue under the polyps

 

[Skeeter4890]

Well I pulled the trigger on my dream coral that got me interested in reefing in the first place. It’s an Iridiana Rainbow Micromussa from @Tidal Gardens I put it in the tank last night and it is already open and looking healthy I can’t wait to watch this thing grow!!!