I started off with a 55 gallon non reef ready to see if I would enjoy the hobby, that turned out to be a mistake.
Those first few months were fine, watching the natural process of the water cycle. I knew I had a lot to learn since it was my first tank since i was around six. I'd watch it all the time and got quality hang ons. Once I started to add some nicer fish and something more than softies I upgraded my lights from a 48 inch marine orbit strip to two mars aqua boxes. No need for t5, too expensive since i was still new to the hobby. I was about a year and three months in, dealing with hair algae and a slew of other oddities. The only thing that saved the livestock was my 50% water changes every week.
The thing that changed it all was when I was sealing my new cedar railing and came inside to hear the wave makers only slightly in the water. My hang on back carbon/gfo reactor blew a hose throwing water everywhere and i decided I was done with that tank.
I wish I'd have been more patient and found the perfect tank but I am still happy with my new 75 gallon mainland reef ready. That's not to say everything is perfect. I bought the wrong sand and have tiny bits still floating around unlike the fiji pink in my last tank. I guess the point of this whole story is to say start small, make sure you actually turn your canister filter back on after cleaning it, leave notes a child could understand about taking care of your tank and you'll be okay. I forgot a few of those along the way.
With the new tank 48X18X21 I already had my 2 jebao pp8 wave makers, a jebao dct8000 return pump, 2 mars aqua led boxes and a bank account that would slowly drift away. I bought the mainland 75 reef ready and stand at my lfs for a decent deal along with the wrong sand. Dad helped me bring it inside after I moved most of my live rock and all the livestock into a 40 breeder and got the 55 out of the way. It was tough using my new rr tank as a regular non drilled for a week and a half but I wanted to start this one off on a better note. I ordered my reef keeper lite with sl2, salinity probe, ph probe, sca 302 skimmer, plumbing parts and picked up a 20 long at petco. I got it all set up but then the tank looked far too lightly stocked. I know the tank is too small for a naso tang but it's far bigger than the 15 he was sharing at my lfs. When I buy my new house in two years he will move into a 150-200. Then a guy on Facebook is moving and needs to sell his rainbow bta's so I had to take one. Then I find a sweet coral sale online, whats another couple hundred bucks and that's where I am today. I love taking care of my tank even though it's been a source of much hair pulling. My friends don't understand it and my daughter thinks it's just plain weird but to me it's my new golf, difficult but rewarding.
current livestock
1 clownfish
1 yellow tang
1 naso tang
5 blue/green chromis
1 firefish
2 turbo snails
5 nasarius snails
and a couple crabs
I am going to have my son come over with his professional camera, all I have are iPhone 6 shots but I hope you enjoy. The colors are off but still good looking.
Those first few months were fine, watching the natural process of the water cycle. I knew I had a lot to learn since it was my first tank since i was around six. I'd watch it all the time and got quality hang ons. Once I started to add some nicer fish and something more than softies I upgraded my lights from a 48 inch marine orbit strip to two mars aqua boxes. No need for t5, too expensive since i was still new to the hobby. I was about a year and three months in, dealing with hair algae and a slew of other oddities. The only thing that saved the livestock was my 50% water changes every week.
The thing that changed it all was when I was sealing my new cedar railing and came inside to hear the wave makers only slightly in the water. My hang on back carbon/gfo reactor blew a hose throwing water everywhere and i decided I was done with that tank.
I wish I'd have been more patient and found the perfect tank but I am still happy with my new 75 gallon mainland reef ready. That's not to say everything is perfect. I bought the wrong sand and have tiny bits still floating around unlike the fiji pink in my last tank. I guess the point of this whole story is to say start small, make sure you actually turn your canister filter back on after cleaning it, leave notes a child could understand about taking care of your tank and you'll be okay. I forgot a few of those along the way.
With the new tank 48X18X21 I already had my 2 jebao pp8 wave makers, a jebao dct8000 return pump, 2 mars aqua led boxes and a bank account that would slowly drift away. I bought the mainland 75 reef ready and stand at my lfs for a decent deal along with the wrong sand. Dad helped me bring it inside after I moved most of my live rock and all the livestock into a 40 breeder and got the 55 out of the way. It was tough using my new rr tank as a regular non drilled for a week and a half but I wanted to start this one off on a better note. I ordered my reef keeper lite with sl2, salinity probe, ph probe, sca 302 skimmer, plumbing parts and picked up a 20 long at petco. I got it all set up but then the tank looked far too lightly stocked. I know the tank is too small for a naso tang but it's far bigger than the 15 he was sharing at my lfs. When I buy my new house in two years he will move into a 150-200. Then a guy on Facebook is moving and needs to sell his rainbow bta's so I had to take one. Then I find a sweet coral sale online, whats another couple hundred bucks and that's where I am today. I love taking care of my tank even though it's been a source of much hair pulling. My friends don't understand it and my daughter thinks it's just plain weird but to me it's my new golf, difficult but rewarding.
current livestock
1 clownfish
1 yellow tang
1 naso tang
5 blue/green chromis
1 firefish
2 turbo snails
5 nasarius snails
and a couple crabs
I am going to have my son come over with his professional camera, all I have are iPhone 6 shots but I hope you enjoy. The colors are off but still good looking.
Last edited: