Tank Made Possible by R2R

[norfolkgarden]

May I suggest at least 1 "SPS quality" light to start?

You can hang it to one side and grow whatever you want there.
A very, very cheap light for the other 2/3 of the tank for now. (You will be tossing/giving it away later)

Budgeting for 2 more good lights later will be easier when he wants to get rid of the cave look on 2/3 of the tank. ;-)

You will probably want to run them all along the long axis.

 

[Mariette]

Haha! Just dont tell my wife though!

There’s that too lol

 

[norfolkgarden]

Sorry, let me try that again.

You will most likely want to run the lights all along the long axis of the tank.

 

[Mariette]

May I suggest at least 1 "SPS quality" light to start?

You can hang it to one side and grow whatever you want there.
A very, very cheap light for the other 2/3 of the tank for now. (You will be tossing/giving it away later)

Budgeting for 2 more good lights later will be easier when he wants to get rid of the cave look on 2/3 of the tank. ;-)

You will probably want to run them all along the long axis.

We have a decent light on our current 55g that will be enough to keeping low light requiring softies alive. When the time comes, we’ll get a decent full length one

 

[Hemmdog]

Yes...temporary fluctuation. I’ll pitch that to the husband who had to be convinced to spend 5,000 (before fish) and who has now accepted it’ll be $6,000

Yea that’s true. A big tank like that sand and live rock will be almost $1000 alone.

 

[Mariette]

Yea that’s true. A big tank like that sand and live rock will be almost $1000 alone.

I’ve transferring 1/2 of what we’d need from my current 55g and I found a guy online selling live rock for fairly cheap. I’ll quarantine it of course but that’s ok. It’s the costs I hadn’t considered that are frustrating me. The pump. The plumbing. What else?!

 

[Hemmdog]

I’ve transferring 1/2 of what we’d need from my current 55g and I found a guy online selling live rock for fairly cheap. I’ll quarantine it of course but that’s ok. It’s the costs I hadn’t considered that are frustrating me. The pump. The plumbing. What else?!

Oh that’s good!

Filling it . Water & salt the first fill always surprises me how much it ends up costing. Skimmers for a tank that size that will last you and be good, are between $400-$1500. So keep that in mind to. A return pump won’t be too bad just get a Varios6. I think they are $300ish.

 

[Mariette]

Oh that’s good!

Filling it . Water & salt the first fill always surprises me how much it ends up costing. Skimmers for a tank that size that will last you and be good, are between $400-$1500. So keep that in mind to. A return pump won’t be too bad just get a Varios6. I think they are $300ish.

Water and salt have been covered under the budget. I’d planned on spending $500 on the skimmer but now that I’m looking, it’s probbaly going to be a bit more. Return pump (around 250 at LFS) was unexpected. Wavemakers are a future purchase as I have plenty of Powerheads that will do for now. Lighting too. What I have will be acceptable short term. No corals. Yet. I may have to put the display refugium on hold for now too

 

[Hemmdog]

Water and salt have been covered under the budget. I’d planned on spending $500 on the skimmer but now that I’m looking, it’s probbaly going to be a bit more. Return pump (around 250 at LFS) was unexpected. Wavemakers are a future purchase as I have plenty of Powerheads that will do for now. Lighting too. What I have will be acceptable short term. No corals. Yet. I may have to put the display refugium on hold for now too

It’s better to slowly acquire it all anyways excited to see your new build!

 

[Mariette]

It’s better to slowly acquire it all anyways excited to see your new build!

Slowly adding to it does make you appreciate it more...

 

[Mariette]

Some thoughts and feelings along the way...

The research is fun. I’m taking it slow and I’m actually enjoying the process. Husband has joined me in my paranoia about disease and we’ve decided on the following qt protocol for all fish:
- copper
- move to sterile qt
- 2 doses of prazi
- move to sterile qt
- 30 days observation w no meds
- black molly test (2-3 weeks)

All inverts, corals, algae will be observed fallow for min 76 days. All corals will be dipped first. Maybe twice a week apart. More research needs to be done but we’re not there yet.

Current DT has been fallow over a mth. Learned about disease laying dormant in oxygen less pockets of substrate. Decided to pull substrate and restart fallow period. Lovely. Then molly test because that’s how determined we are to keep disease out of new tank.

Return pump
Decided to go w 5 times DT volume per hour. Picked out pump. Adjusted budget. Learned that “head height” is a thing. More research needed

Rant time: 1 thing that’s got me moping: I’ve somehow developed an allergy to EVERYTHING we feed our fish except Nori. It started w just freezdried bloodworms 10 yrs ago when I had a Beta. Then evolved to all freezdried fish foods. Then somehow frozen bloodworms. Then frozen mysis and brine. Now includes pellets and flakes too. So I can’t feed my own fish. I get my husband to do it while I watch from a distance. I should point out that I’ve otherwise been blessed with great health and don’t have ANY other allergies. What gives?!? Rant over.

Tank should be arriving at LFS on Wednesday. Maybe next week. Eeeeeee

 

[Hemmdog]

Some thoughts and feelings along the way...

The research is fun. I’m taking it slow and I’m actually enjoying the process. Husband has joined me in my paranoia about disease and we’ve decided on the following qt protocol for all fish:
- copper
- move to sterile qt
- 2 doses of prazi
- move to sterile qt
- 30 days observation w no meds
- black molly test (2-3 weeks)

All inverts, corals, algae will be observed fallow for min 76 days. All corals will be dipped first. Maybe twice a week apart. More research needs to be done but we’re not there yet.

Current DT has been fallow over a mth. Learned about disease laying dormant in oxygen less pockets of substrate. Decided to pull substrate and restart fallow period. Lovely. Then molly test because that’s how determined we are to keep disease out of new tank.

Return pump
Decided to go w 5 times DT volume per hour. Picked out pump. Adjusted budget. Learned that “head height” is a thing. More research needed

Rant time: 1 thing that’s got me moping: I’ve somehow developed an allergy to EVERYTHING we feed our fish except Nori. It started w just freezdried bloodworms 10 yrs ago when I had a Beta. Then evolved to all freezdried fish foods. Then somehow frozen bloodworms. Then frozen mysis and brine. Now includes pellets and flakes too. So I can’t feed my own fish. I get my husband to do it while I watch from a distance. I should point out that I’ve otherwise been blessed with great health and don’t have ANY other allergies. What gives?!? Rant over.

Tank should be arriving at LFS on Wednesday. Maybe next week. Eeeeeee

What return pump did you get?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Great to hear things are in the right direction

 

[Mariette]

What return pump did you get?

I didn’t get one yet. Have to now factor in head height and pick a stronger one

 

[WVNed]

Just do it
Waiting patiently for mine to come.

Don't forget you need somewhere to mix lots of water

I got 2 100 gallon stock tanks on sale.

 

[Mariette]

Just do it
Waiting patiently for mine to come.

Don't forget you need somewhere to mix lots of water

I got 2 100 gallon stock tanks on sale.

Waiting for the actual tank, stand, sump. Should be available for pick up any day now. So excited.
Water mixing sorted

 

[ihavecrabs]

Some thoughts and feelings along the way...

The research is fun. I’m taking it slow and I’m actually enjoying the process. Husband has joined me in my paranoia about disease and we’ve decided on the following qt protocol for all fish:
- copper
- move to sterile qt
- 2 doses of prazi
- move to sterile qt
- 30 days observation w no meds
- black molly test (2-3 weeks)

All inverts, corals, algae will be observed fallow for min 76 days. All corals will be dipped first. Maybe twice a week apart. More research needs to be done but we’re not there yet.

Current DT has been fallow over a mth. Learned about disease laying dormant in oxygen less pockets of substrate. Decided to pull substrate and restart fallow period. Lovely. Then molly test because that’s how determined we are to keep disease out of new tank.

Return pump
Decided to go w 5 times DT volume per hour. Picked out pump. Adjusted budget. Learned that “head height” is a thing. More research needed

Rant time: 1 thing that’s got me moping: I’ve somehow developed an allergy to EVERYTHING we feed our fish except Nori. It started w just freezdried bloodworms 10 yrs ago when I had a Beta. Then evolved to all freezdried fish foods. Then somehow frozen bloodworms. Then frozen mysis and brine. Now includes pellets and flakes too. So I can’t feed my own fish. I get my husband to do it while I watch from a distance. I should point out that I’ve otherwise been blessed with great health and don’t have ANY other allergies. What gives?!? Rant over.

Tank should be arriving at LFS on Wednesday. Maybe next week. Eeeeeee

Are you allergic to shell fish? If not, it may be preservatives being used and the is a fish food without preservatives (fresh ingredients and flash frozen) that you may want to consider.

 

[Mariette]

Are you allergic to shell fish? If not, it may be preservatives being used and the is a fish food without preservatives (fresh ingredients and flash frozen) that you may want to consider.

I’m not allergic to shellfish. Preservatives? On frozen brine shrimp and stuff? Ugh. Okay, will see what I can find thx

 

[norfolkgarden]

Lol, beat me to it. :- )

Not allergic to all shellfish?

Shrimp, lobster, clams, scallops, mussels, crabs?

No grass allergies?


Lol, up until 40 I didn't know what an allergy was. Slowly started acquiring one cutting the grass after 45.
Now spring time is 'fun' for a month and a little in the fall.

Oh, my favorite, now something in alchohol makes my windpipe narrow and I puff up like a puffer fish and get hives and need to scratch off my skin on the bottom of my feet, groin and underarm. Great at parties. :-/
6 types of beer, 3 types of wines, vodka, rum, tequila all do it.
3 years of experimenting was sad. :-/

But, no shellfish allergies. Go figure.

Hope you can narrow it down.

 

[BestMomEver]

Lesson #1 in the saltwater hobby... budgets are a figment of ones imagination. Lol just like boat owners. Boat stands for Break out another thousand. That same phrase can hold very true in this hobby.

My daddy used to say, “A boat is a hole in the water, surrounded by wood, into which one pours money.” Of course, he should know.... he a had a really large boat! But the same could be said for aquariums.