Latest updates

We are free of nitrates and GHA
We have added:
Lyretail anthias
Arrow crab
Two hammers: one green one blue.
Longnose hawkfish
Rose BTA split
REMORA has boosted in efficiency I'll have to re3d print the part to make it as efficient as possible.

Moved a couple things around. Its getting close to time for the monti plates to get a trim. They are starting to shade everything again.

The title is foreshadowing because this is a historical account thus far, rather than a current blog. I suppose I'll catch up eventually. I must say being fresh to saltwater (you see what I did there? :) I am quite sure I had the completely wrong vision in my head when building this scape for two reasons. Firstly, the influence for a reef tank initiated from freshwater youtubers with macro algae tanks, which I was absolutely sure that was direction I was headed. I was completely uneducated about how the whole layout and light thing works with coral if I should happen to change my mind. Secondly, the Hello Reef videos suggested an arch (apparently my mind is weaker to suggestion than I am aware of. I've always thought when watching Star Wars the Jedi mind trick would NEVER work on me. Now, I am not so sure... lol) Thus, I went with an arch. In retrospect it was a bad idea. Nevertheless, Here is how it started with the build of the scape.

As a lifelong freshwater keeper (well almost life), my first fish was a Betta about too long years ago. As we all do, I've delved deeply into the hobby and have experienced life breaks. With my current aquarium obsession, I began to admire British you tubers and that's where it all began. The influencers, the curiosity, the dreams of what I, what my reef aquarium could be. One part of the hobby that enthuses me the most is the learning, the research of it all. But how can I experience the unknown and unexplored to me. Can I take a chance?

The New Beginning

I am quite a lazy keeper of freshwater aquariums. The planted tank, both beautiful and low maintenance was intriguing. But alas, the saltwater planted tank was also just as beautiful, new creatures, new adventures and new exploration. Could I? I? The one who had spend so many years dedicated to one side of the hobby cross over. Now you may wonder what was the tipping point. Hmmm.... It was the influence.... in my area a LFS had everything you could want all freshwater and a fully stocked saltwater array. The plan was to do an fact finding mission, investigation if you will. Maybe I'll invest in a new saltwater aquarium or I'll just add some stock to my freshwater tanks. Not a wasted trip. No. Just an exploration of the unknown. A walk on the side of salinity.

Hello Reef? But I'm not new ....

During my investigation, or reconnaissance mission at the LFS I looked at all the fancy saltwater aquariums. Now, I had watched many "budget saltwater" videos that explained about using regular tanks and HOB. I had an empty tank and some spare HOB but if I am going to dip my toes. I wanted to do it right. Now, I had it all planned out... I'd ask my LFS for their recommendation..... They'd recommend a Red Sea Cube (I didn't know, don't @ me ... lol) I'd go that's expensive but I'll do it. So after walking around the store, it was the moment, I said well I am thinking about trying out saltwater aquariums. To my surprise they recommended Hello Reef. I said well okay. Now he explained, I could recommend a different set-up but you'd think I'm just trying to sell you things, this kit is good and comes with everything you need. Now that sounded like honesty if I've ever heard it. So I trusted him and purchased it. I purchased a few other items and the water and I was off. But in the back of my mind... I thought Hello Reef, isn't that for newbies... I'm not new!

Updated photos . Tank is doing well. Having an issue with nightmare palys growing out of control covering all of my rock. Thinking about a larger Aquarium…

Lots homes with the tank.. custom elements added from reef quest making a huge difference !! But also will be all going up for sale and refining soon as I’m having a tank 3 times the size and can’t fit this one as well. So starting again

i had to re-scape

The controller

The old ati sunpower is off and I put up my quanta bars. Beautiful color pop, I have to say, but I want to add 2 Kessil pucks to add some par and supplemental light. I need to find a creative way to angle them off my wall so they have a nice angle in. I think my par meter also sucks because it’s only showing 300 par upper end of tank. I have a 55 reflector on one just to see how it looks and performs. See below photo.

Update while I had the pumps off during the day for a change!

Tank is still jamming and my only complaint is that I need to get my frag tank going so that I can get these frag racks out of the system. Corals are growing so fast and I’m in love with SPS.

Just some updated pics of the tank after getting all the new coral in! Also added a few CUC members (one with his very many hats that he now loves wearing). Starting to see some growth in the coral.

A couple recent pics. Omg now I know why they are called nightmare palys!

Frag storage

Setup to hold the overflow from the big tank

Got the new frags in from the @WWC Fragtoberfest sale! Got the Goni and Blasto and then jumped on the chance to get the Florida Clove. Not in the sale but totally fine with it cause I've been waiting to be able to get that one for a while. Thank you Kieth for all the help!

Super happy with how the tank is coming together. Loving the movement from the torches and the goni! And was stoked to get the red in from the blasto to add some contrast to the greens and blues! Still trying to get the golden suns zoa frag to open back up. Done two dips of increasing from 3-1 hydrogen peroxide to a 1-1 part yesterday to kill off the GHA.

Got one of the Gold Torches from WWC into the tank this weekend...and then had the flash sale soooo, will be getting a few more pieces in this week haha!

Really happy with how it's coming together! The possum wrasse is in and I'm not at my stocking number for animal life and am now just on a mission to stock coral. Dealing with a small bit of GHA in select areas due to a spike in phosphates from bad source water due to salt (it was clearly just old and had been on the shelf for a long time) but luckily have been able to handle it and got new salt. Started dosing the AFR now which has been holding my alk between 8.4 and 85. so seems to be matching uptake as it stands now. Overall, everything seems to be happy and fully extended (minus the one zoa I need to redo a H2O2 dip on to get rid of the GHA growing on the frag).

Can't wait to get the new frags in this week!

The 56g high nutrient tank was transferred into a standard 75g tank September 2025.

Today I bought these cool little guys fancies my 1st few LPs to put amongst the softies! I picked up a little Duncan with 4-5 heads and a neon green candy cane complete with an odd tube worm attached :)