13 year old's first tank. 75 g

[Salman123]

Hi, my name is Salman and I am 13. I am in 8th grade and am in the North New Jersey area. It's been a year since I started my first (and only) saltwater tank. I have always wanted to start a build thread but it just felt like so much time. Anyways, here we go. I first started this tank when I was 12-13. It went through many highs and lows, and an almost impossible amount of bullying. I got this tank off Facebook marketplace for $400. It's a 75 gallon tank with a custom built sump with Calcium reactor, skimmer, filter socks, and return pump. I then bought two AI hydra 32 lights for $525. I started off with two clownfish, and when it was cycled I added a damsel (it's been the bane of my existence). I have played around a lot with clownfish (I think I deserve the badge clownfish master) I had at one point 10 and at one point 1. I had two tangs that unfortunately passed away but I do intend on getting them back (different ones). I also had two Anthias but now I have two lyretail Anthias. I have been doing some research (obviously during school) and have decided to start doing a little coral spree on Facebook marketplace. Also, side note none of this was funded by my parents, I had to start many small businesses to afford this. What's funny is that because my dad made me pay for it when we went to the lfs he would pick out the most expensive corals or most expensive equipment. (Hence the lights). Below are many pictures, the last one is the most recent. Would love to hear everybody's feedback! Would love to grow more, and reefing tips are much appriciated.

 

[fishywishy]

 

[Dread Pirate Dave]

Hi, my name is Salman and I am 13. I am in 8th grade and am in the North New Jersey area. It's been a year since I started my first (and only) saltwater tank. I have always wanted to start a build thread but it just felt like so much time. Anyways, here we go. I first started this tank when I was 12-13. It went through many highs and lows, and an almost impossible amount of bullying. I got this tank off Facebook marketplace for $400. It's a 75 gallon tank with a custom built sump with Calcium reactor, skimmer, filter socks, and return pump. I then bought two AI hydra 32 lights for $525. I started off with two clownfish, and when it was cycled I added a damsel (it's been the bane of my existence). I have played around a lot with clownfish (I think I deserve the badge clownfish master) I had at one point 10 and at one point 1. I had two tangs that unfortunately passed away but I do intend on getting them back (different ones). I also had two Anthias but now I have two lyretail Anthias. I have been doing some research (obviously during school) and have decided to start doing a little coral spree on Facebook marketplace. Also, side note none of this was funded by my parents, I had to start many small businesses to afford this. What's funny is that because my dad made me pay for it when we went to the lfs he would pick out the most expensive corals or most expensive equipment. (Hence the lights). Below are many pictures, the last one is the most recent. Would love to hear everybody's feedback! Would love to grow more, and reefing tips are much appriciated.

That's a really great start!

 

[Salman123]

Thank You. I appreciate it.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Great start to your tank!

 

[Subsea]

Tank looks great. I really like the aqua scape.

 

[Salman123]

Tank looks great. I really like the aqua scape.

Yeah, I designed it. I really like it.

 

[Salman123]

Great start to your tank!

Thanks!

 

[Salman123]

So, it’s been a long time a few updates, the mimic yellow passed away unfortunately. May have shocked it by accident. But, the tank is doing good a bit of algae in the sand but overall pretty good. We have a family member who’s into reefing and has given us a few corals.

Been trying to get rid of the algae. I’ve tried using a bunch of aquarium starter for the nutrients but don’t really know what to do other than water changes. I have physically stirred up the sand so the algae goes away. That’s until it just comes back. Any ideas?

 

[Subsea]

Would you take a picture with white light only. It helps a lot for identification. The maroon algae looks like Cyanobacteria. It seems to be on the right half of sand bed only.


“Been trying to get rid of the algae. I’ve tried using a bunch of aquarium starter for the nutrients but don’t really know what to do other than water changes. I have physically stirred up the sand so the algae goes away. That’s until it just comes back. Any ideas?“

Nutrients are supplied with fish poop.
Would you post your Big 3 nutrient parameters of N, P, K.

“the mimic yellow passed away unfortunately. May have shocked it by accident”

Would you elaborate? What kind of accident?

 

[TylerHaworth]

I’m concerned about why you’re losing so many fish.

I have lots of concerns, actually.

 

[Salman123]

Would you take a picture with white light only. It helps a lot for identification. The maroon algae looks like Cyanobacteria. It seems to be on the right half of sand bed only.


“Been trying to get rid of the algae. I’ve tried using a bunch of aquarium starter for the nutrients but don’t really know what to do other than water changes. I have physically stirred up the sand so the algae goes away. That’s until it just comes back. Any ideas?“

Nutrients are supplied with fish poop.
Would you post your Big 3 nutrient parameters of N, P, K.

“the mimic yellow passed away unfortunately. May have shocked it by accident”

Would you elaborate? What kind of accident?

I don’t have any pictures right now but I will post them as soon as I get back. Thank you for your advice it’s actually really helpful!

As for shocking the fish, I had a wave maker and it stopped working. Then, after plugging it back out and then in again it started to work. So, I left it. Then it stopped working. So, I brought it out the water to look at it. As I brought it out the water the cord came of and was just shooting electricity into the tank. I got it out as soon as I noticed maybe a minute or so. The corals all closed up and the fish were quite stressed. I think unfortunately it may have gotten stressed. Everything has recovered but maybe there’s still electricity left in the tank? I don’t really know too much about this stuff.

 

[Subsea]

No worries, electricity is no longer in the tank.