JerSaint's 29

JerSaint · Mar 20, 2014

I am a full on NEWB to this whole reefing thing. I am an avid planted tank keeper and chose to dip my toe in on the reef side. This is my humble starting point. My tank has been up and running for just three months. I already ran into an ich problem that took out the two tomato clowns. I will be running my 29 along with the last minute hospital tank (thrown together to try and beat ich) fish free for the next three months.

Here are some pics and I will post updates as they come.

Pocillipora

Duncan

Hammer

Torch

Frogspawn

Zoas

SmoothSmoke · Mar 20, 2014

Looking good man! Sorry to hear about your clowns.

JerSaint · Mar 20, 2014

Thanks Smooth, losing the clowns was a bummer!

SmoothSmoke · Mar 20, 2014

JerSaint said:
Thanks Smooth, losing the clowns was a bummer!

I bet! At least you have some nice corals!

SmoothSmoke · Mar 20, 2014

How many pounds of rock do you have in there?

JerSaint · Mar 20, 2014

35-40ish. I need to get some new pics. I got a few new frags at my clubs March meeting.

Chevyguy8893 · Mar 20, 2014

Sorry to hear that you lost the clowns. Those look like some nice corals that you picked up. I look forward to seeing some new pictures once you take some.

SmoothSmoke · Mar 21, 2014

JerSaint said:
35-40ish. I need to get some new pics. I got a few new frags at my clubs March meeting.

Thanks! I ordered 30lbs of dry rock and I thought it would be overkill. But after seeing your setup, it may be just right.

JerSaint · Mar 27, 2014

I am working on dialing in my parameters. I am hoping to pick up a skimmer to add to the system this week which should help nail things down. The mesh breeder basket is holding cheato to help reduce phosphate.
Params:
Salinity 1.026
pH 8.2
Calcium 520
KH 7*
Phosphate Less than .25 PPM
Nitrate 20 PPM

Some photos(my camera skills suck!)
FTS

Finger Leather

Frogspawn

Hammer

Polyp extension

Red Mushroom

Pocillipora

Xenia

Zoas

vlangel · Mar 27, 2014

I really like your aquascape. It has a nice focal point but still moves the eye around. One thing I heard about sand beds is that they should either be less than an inch or more than 4. With trim yours may be more than 4 but I thought I'd mention that in case you never heard that. Your planted tank is amazing!!!

JerSaint · Mar 27, 2014

Thanks vlangel! Sand bed is between 4-4.5" deep. Oolite with a thin larger grain aragonite cap. The planted tank has been up for a while, I have several planted tanks running.

vlangel · Mar 27, 2014

That sounds like a perfect depth for a DSB. When I did FW I always wanted to try a planted tank with Discus and Angels but never did. Right now 1 tank is enough for me to care for.

JerSaint · Mar 27, 2014

I am in the planning and squiring stages for a tank wall in my basement. Side by side 90G's one planted Discus the other a mixed reef.

vlangel · Mar 27, 2014

Wow, big plans. Good for you. My first tank was in the wall and I loved the dramatic effect, but I didn't make provisions to easily maintenance or decorate it. The tank was viewed from our living room but it was accessed from the back in a bedroom closet. Any decorating required running back and forth between rooms. My lights just layer on the glass top so I'd prop them up on a joist next to the tank when I was working in it. Amazingly I never bumped it and got electrocuted!!! Haha. Anyway, learn from my mistakes when you build yours.

JerSaint · Mar 27, 2014

Thanks! I plan on having the back area be a bit of a maintenance room(access to furnace and oil tank) and fish room.

JerSaint · Apr 25, 2014

Club meeting this weekend and I am pretty psyched about getting some new pieces and a Royal Gramma from fellow members. I will post some pics next week. I have frags of pink cat's eye, green bay packers, blue tubbs & bride of chucky zoas coming. Along with a head of yellow frogspawn, a white torch and a little frag of mystic monti.

I just added a blue fin damsel and a hector's goby from qt. I am hoping the gramma will get along with them.

vlangel · Apr 25, 2014

I love my royal gramma. Some folks say they are aggressive but mine does not seem to be. He did go for a ride over my overflow though and ended up in the sump the first day or so that I had him. I dubbed him KB for kowabunga after that.