My First Reef Tank

[John Dean]

Current parameters, all salifert test kits.
Alkalinity 6.7kh
Calcium 440
Magnesium 1440
pH 8.3
Phosphate 0
Nitrate 0

Still fish only at this stage. Have GHA in the tank at the moment, it's not to bad.

Also added a bicolur blenny.

 

[John Dean]

Getting on top of the algae on the tank. Looking clean at the moment.

 

[John Dean]

Looking for some recommendations for some open water fish for this tank.

Currently have 2 x Trochus snails, 2 Clowns and a bicolor blenny.

 

[John Dean]

Added my first coral. A Duncan

 

[rkpetersen]

Once I get some corals, was thinking of getting Hanna checkers for Calcium, Alkalinity and Phosphate. And a test kit for Nitrate and Magnesium, not sure which ones. Do you think this would be enough? Do I need anything else? Maybe PH?

I'd go with Nyos for nitrate and Salifert for magnesium, if you can get them. That's a very reasonable water testing kit.
Testing pH is generally not necessary unless you eventually have issues with coral growth and suspect excess CO2 in the air where the tank is located.

 

[rkpetersen]

Looking for some recommendations for some open water fish for this tank.

Currently have 2 x Trochus snails, 2 Clowns and a bicolor blenny.

With that size tank (120 liters, is that correct?), a basslet like a Royal Gramma might make a good addition. I think one would get along ok with the clowns.
Tank is too small for tangs, angels, rabbitfish, most wrasses or anthias (other 'open water' active reef tank fish.)
I love Rainford's Goby although it isn't an open water fish per se; might do ok in that tank.
However if the clowns decide to mate and lay eggs, they will probably want the whole tank to themselves.

I'd get more algae-eating snails as well.

Nice Duncan. What lights are you running now?

 

[John Dean]

Still running the light at came with the tank. Going to get a AI 26 soon.

 

[ngoodermuth]

Looking good! I agree that a basslet would be a nice touch. Royal gramma, black cap, swiss guard, swales, chalk bass, or my favorite upside-down swimmer - yellow assessor

 

[John Dean]

Found these on my glass. Anyone know what they might be?

 

[John Dean]

Haven't posted an update for a long time. It's been slow going, I haven't added many corals as I would like, still learning and working out what works for me.

Here the highlights, not all good
- Duncan died off, is starting the recover.
- add about 9 Zoas early on and lost about 6, 2 are going well the other is just holding on
- add a torch and loss it after a year

Current stock:
Two clownfish, the original ones
3 Hammers
2 Acans
3 Zoas
1 one recovering Duncan
About 9 snails
A couple of Hermit crabs

Only hardware change is a Bubble Magus curve 5 skimmer.