Mikeand Mel
Active Member
Started my reef keeping in 1996. I jumped in with both feet....never even having a marine tank.
My first (and only) tank was a 180g plumbed to basement with 300g sump, MTC skimmer, chiller, fire plug, Iwaki 100rlt, 4 VHO, 2 MH 250w, 1 MH 500w, wavemakers.
Then came children! Electric bills, equipment and specimens gave way to formula, diapers and babysitters.
Now, my youngest daughter convinced my wife to let her start a small reef (or did she just say tank?) anyway the two of us have been Googling and reading tons of interesting information.
All roads/searches seem to lead us here!
We've just joined and are excited to start up again, alot has changed in 20yrs!
We purchased a used 58g oceanic with corner overflow, 20 gallon tank for sump, ASM skimmer, Finnex digital controller and titanium 300w heater, Jebao return pump, filter sock and an LED Wholesaler 250 w LED fixture.
We have added 60lbs of dry live rock and 3" of oolitic sand. Used microbacter7 with 3 stripped damsel from friends QT tank to cycle(after reading I know the fish method is old school).
Original fill up was with well water....subsquent changes have been with RO/DI. Tank is now up for 5 weeks ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 20 now in the diatom algae bloom...Mel is freaking out....told her this is normal.
We are looking forward to learning from everyones experiences here!
My first (and only) tank was a 180g plumbed to basement with 300g sump, MTC skimmer, chiller, fire plug, Iwaki 100rlt, 4 VHO, 2 MH 250w, 1 MH 500w, wavemakers.
Then came children! Electric bills, equipment and specimens gave way to formula, diapers and babysitters.
Now, my youngest daughter convinced my wife to let her start a small reef (or did she just say tank?) anyway the two of us have been Googling and reading tons of interesting information.
All roads/searches seem to lead us here!
We've just joined and are excited to start up again, alot has changed in 20yrs!
We purchased a used 58g oceanic with corner overflow, 20 gallon tank for sump, ASM skimmer, Finnex digital controller and titanium 300w heater, Jebao return pump, filter sock and an LED Wholesaler 250 w LED fixture.
We have added 60lbs of dry live rock and 3" of oolitic sand. Used microbacter7 with 3 stripped damsel from friends QT tank to cycle(after reading I know the fish method is old school).
Original fill up was with well water....subsquent changes have been with RO/DI. Tank is now up for 5 weeks ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 20 now in the diatom algae bloom...Mel is freaking out....told her this is normal.
We are looking forward to learning from everyones experiences here!
