JoeIII
Well-Known Member
I've been very lucky in a few raffles recently, so I am building a "free" reef.
The idea is to have something basic, beautiful, and low-maintenance. I intend to house a few fish and inverts as well as some soft corals that will present good color and healthy growth without the need for a lot of equipment or time. Our household has a "primary" 125G mixed reef that gets all the attention, and a 40B that remains slightly neglected due in equal parts to a lack of direction and not being in a highly-trafficked part of our house. Once this tank is up and running I intend to break down the 40 and let it move on to a new home where it can be given an appropriate amount of love.
Enough history, on to the present and future:
Current Equipment:
12G Innovative Marine Nuvo Concept ATOLL tank - thanks to saltwateraquarium.com and Toys 4 Kids 2016
AI Prime HD (black) - Thanks to Tampa Bay Reef Club and Drysdale Aquarium in Land O' Lakes, FL
Tank is currently cycling, Aquascape was created using dry reef rock, thanks to Billy's Reef Connection and Toys 4 Kids 2016 (again)
I have a few hermit crabs keeping things neat and clean for now (once again, thanks to Billy's Reef Connection and Toys 4 Kids 2016)
The sand was, strictly speaking, not free, but was left over from a 50 lb bag of Black Diamond Blasting Media I purchased for the 40B - at $8.50 for 50lb and considering it was extra I am considering it free
I plan to drop a small heater in the 2nd or 3rd chamber, which I am sure I paid money for at some point, but as I cannot remember how long I've had it I am also considering it "free"
The first inhabitants will be my pair of onyx clownfish from the 40 - I purchased these fish when they were TINY babies, and they hold a special place in my son's heart. They will be the centerpiece of this system and likely the only fish. We may add a goby/pistol pair in the future, but that is yet to be determined.
I will bring some zoa and mushroom frags from our other systems as well to add additional color.
Initial aquascaping, this was my first idea, and after about a dozen iterations, I returned to it:
And the clowns (picture taken with a potato):
I have to thank @revhtree and everyone involved with Toys 4 Kids - We look forward to that event each year, and it was our luck in the "thank you" drawing that inspired this build.
The idea is to have something basic, beautiful, and low-maintenance. I intend to house a few fish and inverts as well as some soft corals that will present good color and healthy growth without the need for a lot of equipment or time. Our household has a "primary" 125G mixed reef that gets all the attention, and a 40B that remains slightly neglected due in equal parts to a lack of direction and not being in a highly-trafficked part of our house. Once this tank is up and running I intend to break down the 40 and let it move on to a new home where it can be given an appropriate amount of love.
Enough history, on to the present and future:
Current Equipment:
12G Innovative Marine Nuvo Concept ATOLL tank - thanks to saltwateraquarium.com and Toys 4 Kids 2016
AI Prime HD (black) - Thanks to Tampa Bay Reef Club and Drysdale Aquarium in Land O' Lakes, FL
Tank is currently cycling, Aquascape was created using dry reef rock, thanks to Billy's Reef Connection and Toys 4 Kids 2016 (again)
I have a few hermit crabs keeping things neat and clean for now (once again, thanks to Billy's Reef Connection and Toys 4 Kids 2016)
The sand was, strictly speaking, not free, but was left over from a 50 lb bag of Black Diamond Blasting Media I purchased for the 40B - at $8.50 for 50lb and considering it was extra I am considering it free
I plan to drop a small heater in the 2nd or 3rd chamber, which I am sure I paid money for at some point, but as I cannot remember how long I've had it I am also considering it "free"
The first inhabitants will be my pair of onyx clownfish from the 40 - I purchased these fish when they were TINY babies, and they hold a special place in my son's heart. They will be the centerpiece of this system and likely the only fish. We may add a goby/pistol pair in the future, but that is yet to be determined.
I will bring some zoa and mushroom frags from our other systems as well to add additional color.
Initial aquascaping, this was my first idea, and after about a dozen iterations, I returned to it:
And the clowns (picture taken with a potato):
I have to thank @revhtree and everyone involved with Toys 4 Kids - We look forward to that event each year, and it was our luck in the "thank you" drawing that inspired this build.
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