David_Nathan
New Member
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2016
- Messages
- 4
- Reaction score
- 0
Hi all,
Welcome to my tank page. A little about me to start with. My name's Dave and I live in Brisbane, Australia. I have always been amazed by the colours and hypnotic serenity of watching fish go about their business. I have a Bachelor of Applied Science (Chemistry) and a Master of Environment degree. I work for the Queensland Government department of Science in the Great Barrier Reef Catchment Loads Monitoring Program (GBRCLMP). We collect water samples from the rivers which discharge into the GBR and monitor for runoff pollutants such as sediment, nitrogen, phosphorus and pesticides. So I guess you could say reef protection is in my blood.
I want to build this tank for a few reasons. Firstly it's for my own enjoyment. The challenge of starting a tank from scratch with no experience, the struggle of creating a thriving ecosystem and the enjoyment I get when I quietly sit and observe the fruits of my labour. Secondly, I'm an environmentalist. I'm hoping that one day, down the track, I can breed livestock and share them with fellow enthusiasts. Attend coral frag days and use my tank as a tool to help build discussions about reef pollution issues on a larger scale. Thirdly, I have two beautiful nieces (6 and 9yo) and a pregnant wife. I'm hoping they will get as much enjoyment out of my tank as I will and I'll be able to use it as an educational tool for them.
So... I recently purchased a 5" x 2" x 1.5" (425L/112.5G) tank from a friend who'd sold all his livestock. The tank was originally built as a freshwater tank but has been drilled for an overflow into a sump and the associated return. The tank came with a small sump and the stand as you can see in the attached photos. It also came with a heap of plastic bio-balls, some coral sand substrate and a dodgy protein skimmer. There was a hood with two T5 fittings and a small return pump.
My vision for the tank is a mixed reef tank. First I'm going to clean the sump and tank and re-silicone all the joints. They hold water, but there's no harm in doing some maintenance while it's dry. I'm going to add in a bubble trap baffle to the sump before the return pump section while I'm at it. The cabinet will be sanded back and given a dark stain, if suitable, or painted black. Then... nothing. Well, at least for a while. My wife and I are buying a house in the next few months so I'm not going to fill the tank until I can have a permanent home for it. I have purchased a cheap new protein skimmer (yes, I know, you get what you pay for) and I'll initially buy new T5 globes. I'll have filter socks -> protein skimmer -> refugium -> bubble trap -> return pump. I'm going to have a sand bed with live rock, start with some hardy corals like hammer coral, but will eventually get some LPS and SPS. LED lights will be added once the initial financial burden has slowed (slightly). Livestock will initially be relatively generic. Oscellaris clownfish, cardinal fish, firefish, foxface etc. I'll be sure, when the time comes, to consult compatibility charts and add stock slowly. Also, I'll ensure I don't overstock the tank.
Well, if you've made it this far thanks. Feel free to get in touch and offer any advice, hints, tips or abuse. Just let me know that I didn't write this for nothing! I'm really looking forward to the future of this tank. I still need to buy a new return pump, chiller, heater and power heads, as well as new plumbing and an overflow box.
Cheers, Dave
[email protected]
Instagram: david_nathan83
Twitter: @David_Nathan
Welcome to my tank page. A little about me to start with. My name's Dave and I live in Brisbane, Australia. I have always been amazed by the colours and hypnotic serenity of watching fish go about their business. I have a Bachelor of Applied Science (Chemistry) and a Master of Environment degree. I work for the Queensland Government department of Science in the Great Barrier Reef Catchment Loads Monitoring Program (GBRCLMP). We collect water samples from the rivers which discharge into the GBR and monitor for runoff pollutants such as sediment, nitrogen, phosphorus and pesticides. So I guess you could say reef protection is in my blood.
I want to build this tank for a few reasons. Firstly it's for my own enjoyment. The challenge of starting a tank from scratch with no experience, the struggle of creating a thriving ecosystem and the enjoyment I get when I quietly sit and observe the fruits of my labour. Secondly, I'm an environmentalist. I'm hoping that one day, down the track, I can breed livestock and share them with fellow enthusiasts. Attend coral frag days and use my tank as a tool to help build discussions about reef pollution issues on a larger scale. Thirdly, I have two beautiful nieces (6 and 9yo) and a pregnant wife. I'm hoping they will get as much enjoyment out of my tank as I will and I'll be able to use it as an educational tool for them.
So... I recently purchased a 5" x 2" x 1.5" (425L/112.5G) tank from a friend who'd sold all his livestock. The tank was originally built as a freshwater tank but has been drilled for an overflow into a sump and the associated return. The tank came with a small sump and the stand as you can see in the attached photos. It also came with a heap of plastic bio-balls, some coral sand substrate and a dodgy protein skimmer. There was a hood with two T5 fittings and a small return pump.
My vision for the tank is a mixed reef tank. First I'm going to clean the sump and tank and re-silicone all the joints. They hold water, but there's no harm in doing some maintenance while it's dry. I'm going to add in a bubble trap baffle to the sump before the return pump section while I'm at it. The cabinet will be sanded back and given a dark stain, if suitable, or painted black. Then... nothing. Well, at least for a while. My wife and I are buying a house in the next few months so I'm not going to fill the tank until I can have a permanent home for it. I have purchased a cheap new protein skimmer (yes, I know, you get what you pay for) and I'll initially buy new T5 globes. I'll have filter socks -> protein skimmer -> refugium -> bubble trap -> return pump. I'm going to have a sand bed with live rock, start with some hardy corals like hammer coral, but will eventually get some LPS and SPS. LED lights will be added once the initial financial burden has slowed (slightly). Livestock will initially be relatively generic. Oscellaris clownfish, cardinal fish, firefish, foxface etc. I'll be sure, when the time comes, to consult compatibility charts and add stock slowly. Also, I'll ensure I don't overstock the tank.
Well, if you've made it this far thanks. Feel free to get in touch and offer any advice, hints, tips or abuse. Just let me know that I didn't write this for nothing! I'm really looking forward to the future of this tank. I still need to buy a new return pump, chiller, heater and power heads, as well as new plumbing and an overflow box.
Cheers, Dave
[email protected]
Instagram: david_nathan83
Twitter: @David_Nathan
. I got some resistance on the $170 in rock, $60 in sand, $150 light etc, etc.....Now we have a 90 gallon mixed reef. Last week she drove 160 miles round trip to pick up a new fish. Treats and a partner in crime 
