Ty’s Fluval reef build

reeferTy

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Hi everyone, I’m Ty. I just wanted to post my first build thread. I have had many freshwater tanks over the years and finally took the leap to get into the saltwater reef tank realm and I am so excited!

Tank: Fluval 13.5 gallon
Powerhead: Nero 3
Media baskets by intank + chaeto refugium with a ACKE full spectrum grow light
Substrate: Caribsea Hawaiian black sand
Dry Rock: Caribsea

I initially started by buying and adding a pre-mixed saltwater to the tank along with the carib sea sand and dry rock. I let the tank run for 3 weeks before I touched it.

Finally I added fritz ammonia and Fritz Zyme 9 to cycle the tank and my tank was cycled within 8 days. I then redosed with ammonia to 2ppm and my tank cleared the ammonia and nitrites within 48 hours.

Thus far i’ve added a black snowflake clownfish, a green star polyp and a ricordea mushroom. All seem to be doing great up until this point. I plan on waiting probably another 3-4 weeks before I add anything else to the tank.

I haven’t had any algae blooms and i’m not sure if that’s bc it’s still too soon or if I possibly avoided some of this from cycling with my lights off + sand/dry rock?

I am very excited to be apart of this community and definitely will have tons of questions. I eventually would love to upgrade to a 100 gallon + and maintain this current tank as a QT but this is what I have so far!

IMG_9386.jpeg IMG_9464.jpeg
 
Hi everyone, I’m Ty. I just wanted to post my first build thread. I have had many freshwater tanks over the years and finally took the leap to get into the saltwater reef tank realm and I am so excited!

Tank: Fluval 13.5 gallon
Powerhead: Nero 3
Media baskets by intank + chaeto refugium with a ACKE full spectrum grow light
Substrate: Caribsea Hawaiian black sand
Dry Rock: Caribsea

I initially started by buying and adding a pre-mixed saltwater to the tank along with the carib sea sand and dry rock. I let the tank run for 3 weeks before I touched it.

Finally I added fritz ammonia and Fritz Zyme 9 to cycle the tank and my tank was cycled within 8 days. I then redosed with ammonia to 2ppm and my tank cleared the ammonia and nitrites within 48 hours.

Thus far i’ve added a black snowflake clownfish, a green star polyp and a ricordea mushroom. All seem to be doing great up until this point. I plan on waiting probably another 3-4 weeks before I add anything else to the tank.

I haven’t had any algae blooms and i’m not sure if that’s bc it’s still too soon or if I possibly avoided some of this from cycling with my lights off + sand/dry rock?

I am very excited to be apart of this community and definitely will have tons of questions. I eventually would love to upgrade to a 100 gallon + and maintain this current tank as a QT but this is what I have so far!

IMG_9386.jpeg IMG_9464.jpeg
Love the black sand!!
 
Looks great! I'm considering using that same sand. I love the look in yours!
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%
  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%
  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%
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