This is the background thread of my dream 225 gallon Crystal Dynamic Aquarium SPS build https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/225g-cda-sps-dream-build.888411. Read on for more info on what it took to prepare for my dream and how I got to this point, which at the time of this writing is sprawled up on a lazy boy with a sprained ankle in the air. I guess that’s what it takes to make me take the time to write this There will be description and pics of the construction and planning for the new tank and the obligatory but skippable personal background.
Current system for read-on-bait https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/reef-rehabilitation-29g-cube-and-equipment-room-build.519795/
My background: skip this paragraph for those of you who tire of the personal background as I usually do. But here we go. I’ve been in the hobby since my dad, himself a marine biologist through education, though not practice, got us all started with South American freshwater tanks and (statute of limitations expired ) temporary homes for tide pool collected Monterey, California specimens where we live. Don’t do that. Do as I say, not as I do and all that. We had tanks until my brother left me with his South American cichlids tank to take care of when he went to college. It was his tank so for me it was just a chore. I neglected the fish until the last one died sadly, and then shut down the tank. The next week I had trouble sleeping and it occurred to me I missed the sound of the bubbling water. This drove me to research setting up my own tank. But I have a personality problem with always wanting to push hard on the things I endeavor to do and decided I wasn’t doing anything the easy way. I was going to set up a reef aquarium with no money and, at first, no job as a teenager. Reef aquariums and unemployment are hard bed fellows so I started working in pet stores to afford my new addiction. I had reef aquariums of various sizes and bred African cichlids in up to 11 aquariums in my mom’s garage until I went to college and decided to only bring a 29g African shelldweller cichlid tank. It stayed with African cichlids until three years ago when I developed MS and decided it’s now or never on the dream of growing a successful SPS tank I could never previously afford. That was a bit of panic dealing with my new diagnosis, but fear not, modern medicine is amazing and MS can be put in remission. This SPS lagoon of 24g has been successful in my opinion though there’s always much improvement in husbandry to be made, at least for me. The build thread for that can be seen here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/reef-rehabilitation-29g-cube-and-equipment-room-build.519795/. That tank was hand built by myself and a friend and I only planned to run it for a year but now three years later, it’s still my primary system. Soon to be replaced. So let’s get to that. Next post!
Current system for read-on-bait https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/reef-rehabilitation-29g-cube-and-equipment-room-build.519795/
My background: skip this paragraph for those of you who tire of the personal background as I usually do. But here we go. I’ve been in the hobby since my dad, himself a marine biologist through education, though not practice, got us all started with South American freshwater tanks and (statute of limitations expired ) temporary homes for tide pool collected Monterey, California specimens where we live. Don’t do that. Do as I say, not as I do and all that. We had tanks until my brother left me with his South American cichlids tank to take care of when he went to college. It was his tank so for me it was just a chore. I neglected the fish until the last one died sadly, and then shut down the tank. The next week I had trouble sleeping and it occurred to me I missed the sound of the bubbling water. This drove me to research setting up my own tank. But I have a personality problem with always wanting to push hard on the things I endeavor to do and decided I wasn’t doing anything the easy way. I was going to set up a reef aquarium with no money and, at first, no job as a teenager. Reef aquariums and unemployment are hard bed fellows so I started working in pet stores to afford my new addiction. I had reef aquariums of various sizes and bred African cichlids in up to 11 aquariums in my mom’s garage until I went to college and decided to only bring a 29g African shelldweller cichlid tank. It stayed with African cichlids until three years ago when I developed MS and decided it’s now or never on the dream of growing a successful SPS tank I could never previously afford. That was a bit of panic dealing with my new diagnosis, but fear not, modern medicine is amazing and MS can be put in remission. This SPS lagoon of 24g has been successful in my opinion though there’s always much improvement in husbandry to be made, at least for me. The build thread for that can be seen here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/reef-rehabilitation-29g-cube-and-equipment-room-build.519795/. That tank was hand built by myself and a friend and I only planned to run it for a year but now three years later, it’s still my primary system. Soon to be replaced. So let’s get to that. Next post!
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