My First Saltwater Adventure

[warpdrvr]

So I’m not really new to aquariums, but a complete newb to saltwater tanks. I decided to take the advice of members and start a build thread. Have to state a caveat though: I won’t be really starting until some remodeling work is finished in our house. Don’t want to let anything harmful get into a new environment.

I have started purchasing things though. My first purchase was this tank. It’s an Aqueon 55 gallon show tank. 48x12x21. Was a total impulse buy at Petco this last weekend. It was 50% off

I also have purchased a few books, the tops for the tank a filter and a few other things. This is going to be fun, exciting, and terrifying all at the same time. I’m sure I will be leaning on you guys for knowledge, encouragement, and inspiration

Thanks for taking this journey with me

 

[VB313]

So I’m not really new to aquariums, but a complete newb to saltwater tanks. I decided to take the advice of members and start a build thread. Have to state a caveat though: I won’t be really starting until some remodeling work is finished in our house. Don’t want to let anything harmful get into a new environment.

I have started purchasing things though. My first purchase was this tank. It’s an Aqueon 55 gallon show tank. 48x12x21. Was a total impulse buy at Petco this last weekend. It was 50% off

I also have purchased a few books, the tops for the tank a filter and a few other things. This is going to be fun, exciting, and terrifying all at the same time. I’m sure I will be leaning on you guys for knowledge, encouragement, and inspiration

Thanks for taking this journey with me

Welcome to R2R no worries your not alone here

 

[Blitheran]

welcome to reef 2 reef! Post the equipment list you plan on running on the tank! I would love to see it

 

[Derek siskey]

Welcome to R2R!!! Be sure to use rodi water and not tap water and good luck with the build

 

[warpdrvr]

welcome to reef 2 reef! Post the equipment list you plan on running on the tank! I would love to see it

So I plan to add my equipment list as I get it. Spent about $250 this morning in a few minutes ordering things

Welcome to R2R!!! Be sure to use rodi water and not tap water and good luck with the build

We have a soft water system here at the house. Would that be ok? We have an RO hooked to sink for drinking water but it only produces a gallon at a time. It also makes it alkaline, so not sure hoe that would work anyway. I’ve had people knowledgeable in the hobby say tap is ok... Where can I find RO water in bulk without buying a tankless unit.

 

[phatduckk]

Have fun! I just got in the hobby myself and there’s so much to learn!

 

[toxicshark]

Are you doing a reef tank or FOWLR (fish only with live rock)? I've heard some people say they can get away with dechlorinated tap for a fowlr tank but most people will use RO/DI water for reef tanks. Some local fish stores can sell ro water or saltwater.

And Welcome to R2R!!

 

[warpdrvr]

Are you doing a reef tank or FOWLR (fish only with live rock)? I've heard some people say they can get away with dechlorinated tap for a fowlr tank but most people will use RO/DI water for reef tanks. Some local fish stores can sell ro water or saltwater.

And Welcome to R2R!!

Thanks toxicshark. I am also going to check some of those water stores where people go to fill up their old bottles and see if it's RO water

 

[warpdrvr]

So, actually started the very first step today. Installed my RO/DI system and it’s currently making water. I mounted it in the garage, running the waste line thru the wall into the laundry room drain. It’s getting about 65psi in and it’s currently putting out water at 0tds. I have a float that I will install a little later so it will keep itself topped off. I decided to bite the bullet and just buy a system from @BRS so I don’t have to keep buying water elsewhere and schlepping it home. First up on the hit parade is to bleach some old dry rock I was gifted

 

[warpdrvr]

Ok so things changing up some. Instead of the 55 gallon with a canister, I’m going with this:

Visio 80 gal drilled overflow tank with stand and matching canopy. My wife said let’s get this one... I’m like, OK! I think I win the best wife contest for a while...
Getting a Trigger Systems Emerald 26 sump/refugium for it along with other goodies along the way. Will keep updating this thread as the process keeps moving along slowly

 

[flchamp89]

That will make a killer reef.

 

[New Jersey REEF]

Looking good!
What are your plans for live stock ?

 

[warpdrvr]

That will make a killer reef.

It will! Only problem is now I have to buy more rock and sand, since I initially thought I was going with the 55. First world problems

Looking good!
What are your plans for live stock ?

Still being figured. Clowns for sure, then maybe chromis, dottyback, reef safe wrasse, still not sure of kinds and numbers. Typical clean up crew, a shrimp or 2 and after well established, some softies and LPS. If tank is big enough I’d like to have a Tang too. I’m a real n00b, so open to suggestions

 

[Aheinz]

We all were at one point but r2r is s great community and welcome I'll be following the build

 

[warpdrvr]

So it’s taken a while but our remodel is all but complete. Gonna kick in gear and hope to have water in next Saturday starting the cycle. This weekend, in between honey-dos and errands, managed to get the plumbing done. Going with 1 1/2” drain from overflow, thru bulkhead and split into 2 lines to feed both inlets in the sump.
Ended up going with a Trigger Systems Emerald 34, has 2 7” filter socks, more than enough room for my Xyclone protein skimmer, into a 14 1/4”x10 1/2” refugium.
Return duties will be handled by a Current Orbit Marine eFlux 6011 DC return pump that maxes out at 3170 gph with no head pressure. I’ll be going up about 4’, so my max will be about 2300 gph or so, much more than enough for my 80 gallon tank
This is the sump plumbing

This is overflow plumbing

Sorry about the messy glue work. I was a gardener for a few years and no one cared what our glue work looked like. I went with the flex line as I didn’t want to have to hard plumb the whole thing at this point.
Any comments or suggestions welcomed. Will update as I work on aquascaping this week, hopefully leading up to a fill next Saturday

 

[warpdrvr]

Hope someone is reading this besides me

Anyway,I got the black background and some aquascaping done. Not sure about rock, gonna cross post the pic to the aquascaping forum for some constructive criticism. Anyway, here’s what I have now:

It’s a mish-mosh of 40 lb of CaribSea Dry Life Rock and 10-15 lb of dry rock I was gifted by my brother in law. I finished curing it a few days ago. Hopefully that and 30-40 lb of CaribSea Special Grade dry Arag sand will be plenty for the good bacteria’s to establish themselves. Just have a couple pieces of equipment to place and electronics to mount and I think I’ll be ready to get it wet

 

[warpdrvr]

So, I redid the rocks looks like this now:

I did make another small change. The middle donut rock has been moved to the right, up against the right tower. Gives better negative space in the middle. Been working on filling it. Almost there. Another 15-20 gallons plus the sump. I’ll make an equipment list tomorrow. Hope I can get it done tonite to run some to get the water clear before I add Dr Tim’s.

 

[Lorenzo Angotti]

So, actually started the very first step today. Installed my RO/DI system and it’s currently making water. I mounted it in the garage, running the waste line thru the wall into the laundry room drain. It’s getting about 65psi in and it’s currently putting out water at 0tds. I have a float that I will install a little later so it will keep itself topped off. I decided to bite the bullet and just buy a system from @BRS so I don’t have to keep buying water elsewhere and schlepping it home. First up on the hit parade is to bleach some old dry rock I was gifted

Good decision, will safe you money in the long run, and welcome onboard, in this hobby you can’t rush things, make sure your tank cycles properly and in the meantime this gives you time to make a list of what corals or fish you decide on having. Good luck!

 

[warpdrvr]

So it's been a while since I updated this thread. Tank up and running now, finished cycling and first fish added as well as a small CUC. Fish consist of 6 green chromis and a Banggai Cardinal. CUC is a blue leg hermit, an emerald crab, various snails. Will post a couple of pics later. Equipment as follows:

75 gallon glass drilled tank
Trigger Systems Emerald 34 Sump
60lbs of CaribSea Life Rock
10lb of dry rock I was gifted
40lbs of CaribSea Special Grade Aragonite Dry Sand
Current Orbit IC Marine Pro Loop System LED lights that control the wavemakers and return pump
2 Current Loop system wavemakers
Current DC return pump
Xyclone Protein Skimmer
Tunze Echochic Refugium Light
Inkbird Heater Controller
BRS 300 watt Titanium Heater
Another 300 watt heater I can't remember name of
Not sure if this counts as eqipment, but I have some chaeto and copapods in the refugium as well as a bag of bio balls

I think I got all the equipment listed....

 

[warpdrvr]

Update, the Xyclone skimmer ended up being a piece of junk. Could never get it dialed in. I finally broke down and got a Skimz SN167 skimmer from BRS. Got it dialed in almost immediately after 24 hour break in. I can’t believe all the crap it gets. My water looks absolutely crystal clear.

Next step is to set up a small 20 gal clown and drag tank. Got the tank yesterday at Petco $1 per gallon sale. Gonna have just one clown who’s getting bullied from a bonded pair and some frags initially. I think I’m gonna buy a handful of Ocellaris’s to keep together for a full on clown tank. Most major purchase will be the light. I’m thinking a Prime 16 HD should be plenty for it