oldfishman
Active Member
- Joined
- Dec 24, 2017
- Messages
- 161
- Reaction score
- 211
- What state or country do you live in
- South Carolina
A quick background before I begin. I am 75 years old and have had tanks since I was eleven. I have had fresh and salt and tanks from 10 gallons to 300 gal with a 125 gal sump. I am writing this to hopefully provide some information that may help anyone on R2R,
OK I choose a JBJ 28 intermediary LED to start my reef. We recently down sized and this would fit into my study that I share with our green wing macaw. It was an AIO so that would help keep down expenses or so I thought.
I set the tank up filled with water and checked out the equipment it came with. Turns out the pumps were way too loud for my wife so I emptied the tank and searched for new pumps after a few furtive attempts I found MJ1200. They fit and were considerably quieter. The hood fans were also too noise so I replaced the fans. (I posted an item on how to accomplished this.
First mistakes or I consider mistakes. Everything I read suggested 1 pound of sand per gallon. Well 28 pounds of sand in this tank was over kill. I decided on about 18 pounds, I thought it looked better. All the sand was washed until water ran clear and then soaked on RO/DI water for a couple of weeks before adding to the tank. I purchased reef saver dry rock for my reef build. I rinsed all the dry rock until clear and then soaked in RO/DI water for a couple of weeks. Again everything I read said to be sure to have caves/places for the fish to hide. I created a cave it is too big, it is in the center of the tank and it is too high. I had pieces of rack the size of baseballs I would elect to go smaller next time, move my reef closer to the back of the tank and for sure not stack it as high. When I was stacking my rock I cut a temp let the size of the tank and built multiple rock structures until I found one I liked. I took pictures and subsequently built it in the tank.
The following is equipment I consider essential to maintain a reef tank. A refractometer, a TDS meter, a salt test kit, RO/DI water making equipment, and an Auto Top Off system.
I set up the tank and cycled with a fresh shrimp. I check my water parameters weekly and record them. I let the tank cycle for two months before I added my first fish. I then went a 7 weeks before I added my first coral. I change 5 gallons of water every 7 to 10 days. I use polyfiber, chem pure blue, and purigen my filter. I change polyfiber every week and the chem pure and purigen every six months. I clean my return pumps every eight weeks. I thought I needed another circulation pump but it turned out the pumps were just dirty. If you have an AIO tank I recommend that the every month when do your water changing that you empty the back chamber where you pumps heater etc are located. You might be surprised what comes out.
I have learned to be sure you have food safe container for you ATO water. The first container I had that I thought was OK was NOT. The water became contaminated and I ended up with a algae bloom. I changed containers, cleared up the algae, and everything was OK. I began checking my ATO water with TDS meter weekly as it was always zero I guess I got lazy and started check only every two or three weeks. The water I was adding the ATO reserve was zero contaminates so I assumed all was OK. I had noticed a little algae here and there and found the ATO water to be contaminated again. It turns out that the return line from the ATO reserve to the tank was too low and water backed up in the ATO reserve. Raised the return line problem solved.
My first rule of maintaining any aquarium is find the real cause of any problem and do not assume a solution a diffidently don't just throw money at the problem unless absolutely required.
I recommend that any bucket/container you use to create you ATO water in is not used for any other purpose i.e. mixing your salt water. I also do not recommend stacking your buckets one inside the other as the inside of you bucket will be contaminated by the outside and bottom of the other bucket.
I am not expert on coral the mistake I have made is to not ask where to place the coral in the tank. You might have to get a little pushy because the LFS will almost always say in the middle. Try to get them to be more specific on flow also.
I have learned that when you go to any forum or anyplace for research you will fin 50% saying A and 50% saying B or just the opposite. I make my decisions on what I think I can do and go from there.
I have been lucky so far and I have not killed anything on my reef. I have 6 fish, 16 pieces of coral growing, two Mexican turbo snails, and sand shifting star fish. I have mostly Zoa's not everyone is great I would say 4 or 5 or just ok but the rest are growing and look good to me. I think I am about full up for now and just hope to keep everything going for another year. If all does go well I will upgrade to a 40 or 50 gallon.
I will be happy to answer any questions. Thanks for listening to me.
OK I choose a JBJ 28 intermediary LED to start my reef. We recently down sized and this would fit into my study that I share with our green wing macaw. It was an AIO so that would help keep down expenses or so I thought.
I set the tank up filled with water and checked out the equipment it came with. Turns out the pumps were way too loud for my wife so I emptied the tank and searched for new pumps after a few furtive attempts I found MJ1200. They fit and were considerably quieter. The hood fans were also too noise so I replaced the fans. (I posted an item on how to accomplished this.
First mistakes or I consider mistakes. Everything I read suggested 1 pound of sand per gallon. Well 28 pounds of sand in this tank was over kill. I decided on about 18 pounds, I thought it looked better. All the sand was washed until water ran clear and then soaked on RO/DI water for a couple of weeks before adding to the tank. I purchased reef saver dry rock for my reef build. I rinsed all the dry rock until clear and then soaked in RO/DI water for a couple of weeks. Again everything I read said to be sure to have caves/places for the fish to hide. I created a cave it is too big, it is in the center of the tank and it is too high. I had pieces of rack the size of baseballs I would elect to go smaller next time, move my reef closer to the back of the tank and for sure not stack it as high. When I was stacking my rock I cut a temp let the size of the tank and built multiple rock structures until I found one I liked. I took pictures and subsequently built it in the tank.
The following is equipment I consider essential to maintain a reef tank. A refractometer, a TDS meter, a salt test kit, RO/DI water making equipment, and an Auto Top Off system.
I set up the tank and cycled with a fresh shrimp. I check my water parameters weekly and record them. I let the tank cycle for two months before I added my first fish. I then went a 7 weeks before I added my first coral. I change 5 gallons of water every 7 to 10 days. I use polyfiber, chem pure blue, and purigen my filter. I change polyfiber every week and the chem pure and purigen every six months. I clean my return pumps every eight weeks. I thought I needed another circulation pump but it turned out the pumps were just dirty. If you have an AIO tank I recommend that the every month when do your water changing that you empty the back chamber where you pumps heater etc are located. You might be surprised what comes out.
I have learned to be sure you have food safe container for you ATO water. The first container I had that I thought was OK was NOT. The water became contaminated and I ended up with a algae bloom. I changed containers, cleared up the algae, and everything was OK. I began checking my ATO water with TDS meter weekly as it was always zero I guess I got lazy and started check only every two or three weeks. The water I was adding the ATO reserve was zero contaminates so I assumed all was OK. I had noticed a little algae here and there and found the ATO water to be contaminated again. It turns out that the return line from the ATO reserve to the tank was too low and water backed up in the ATO reserve. Raised the return line problem solved.
My first rule of maintaining any aquarium is find the real cause of any problem and do not assume a solution a diffidently don't just throw money at the problem unless absolutely required.
I recommend that any bucket/container you use to create you ATO water in is not used for any other purpose i.e. mixing your salt water. I also do not recommend stacking your buckets one inside the other as the inside of you bucket will be contaminated by the outside and bottom of the other bucket.
I am not expert on coral the mistake I have made is to not ask where to place the coral in the tank. You might have to get a little pushy because the LFS will almost always say in the middle. Try to get them to be more specific on flow also.
I have learned that when you go to any forum or anyplace for research you will fin 50% saying A and 50% saying B or just the opposite. I make my decisions on what I think I can do and go from there.
I have been lucky so far and I have not killed anything on my reef. I have 6 fish, 16 pieces of coral growing, two Mexican turbo snails, and sand shifting star fish. I have mostly Zoa's not everyone is great I would say 4 or 5 or just ok but the rest are growing and look good to me. I think I am about full up for now and just hope to keep everything going for another year. If all does go well I will upgrade to a 40 or 50 gallon.
I will be happy to answer any questions. Thanks for listening to me.
