40 gallon breeder - My first tank

[Mikeltee]

Okay. Good for you!

 

[KochergenJ]

You like that bullet 3 though? Been looking at the aquamaxx 1.5 or the Reef Octopus 1000.

 

[KochergenJ]

Well BRS had a 50% of sale and I couldn't resist, new AquaMaxx 1.5 going on to the tank!

 

[KochergenJ]

Ugly stage in full force. Based on everything looks like dino, some hairy areas holding bubbles. Nitrates and phosphate have been really close to 0.

 

[Gman83]

Well BRS had a 50% of sale and I couldn't resist, new AquaMaxx 1.5 going on to the tank!

That's a pretty good deal they have on Aquamaxx right now

 

[KochergenJ]

And we are still looking really ugly. Still trying to raise nitrates and phosphates. Pulled out the chemipure blue from the filter and feeding heavy. Ordered some neonitro and neophos but only the phos showed up.

 

[KochergenJ]

Just realized it's been over a month since I've even been on here, having a new child and starting a saltwater tank might have been bad timing. Update though, dinos are looking to be under control at this point, not spreading like they were, don't cover the rocks and don't come back after stirring the sand. Neonitro and neophos, while dosing microbacter seemed to do the trick. Enter the new problem though, this greenish algae. Might have dosed a little too much neophos and it exploded. Also forgot to mention the new crew member, Fuego, the firefish.

 

[KochergenJ]

First corals added to the tank:
Christmas Favia
Green star poly
Greenbay packers zoa
Blue mystique???? Not sure it's correct.

 

[KochergenJ]

After searching several sites with extensive zoa lists, still no clue what this is. Assuming it is a paly based on size and substrate in the flesh.
Edit: maybe mindblowing paly

 

[KochergenJ]

Added a few more to the collection this weekend. Now to just get the zoas off the plugs and onto their rock. Still trying to figure out where I want to place the favias.
-sunny d zoa
-armor of god zoa
-utter chaos zoa
- micro favia

 

[Saltwater_Reefing]

My first attempt at keeping a saltwater tank. My plan right now is to keep a few fish and a couple of corals, eventually.

Equipment:
40 gallon breeder tank
Aquaclear 70
2 - koralia 565 pumps
150 heater
40 lbs of caribsea rock
30 lbs ocean direct sand (not pictured)
Lighting - eventually (decent priced opinions?)

Any advice is welcome.

I'd recommend Nicrew 100w and they are cheaper than the primes and I have had great growth with mine and they give off a nice color!

 

[~MD~Reefs~]

I'd recommend Nicrew 100w and they are cheaper than the primes and I have had great growth with mine and they give off a nice color!

I use the 150W version and I like them. Just get the controller that you buy separately so you can adjust the blue/whites and when they come on/off/climb/dim

 

[KochergenJ]

I use the 150W version and I like them. Just get the controller that you buy separately so you can adjust the blue/whites and when they come on/off/climb/dim

I ended up going with the noopsyche k7 mini, went with two for now. Pretty happy with the lights so far. Bought some M6 stand offs to allow the light to be centered over the tank.

 

[KochergenJ]

Testing a few things out for photos

 

[KochergenJ]

Added a couple more today

Miami vice
Wwc.... still figuring this one out

 

[KochergenJ]

Seems to be a weekly occurrence now, picked up a hammer this weekend.

 

[KochergenJ]

Oh no!!!!!! SPIDER! Found this guy today on a zoa frag while getting rid of what I believe was some sort of sponge. The debris around it is either the sponge or dead zoa. Guess I'll be dipping these zoa multiple times over the next few weeks.

 

[KochergenJ]

Currently battling a huge algae outbreak. Several rounds of reef flux to no success. Back to manual removal and added a huge clean up crew from Reef Cleaners.

 

[KochergenJ]

After adding clean up crew, went on vacation for a week. Came back to cuc doing some damage to the algae. 60-70% improvement which was a pleasant surprise. More manual removal and added a few new corals.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

After adding clean up crew, went on vacation for a week. Came back to cuc doing some damage to the algae. 60-70% improvement which was a pleasant surprise. More manual removal and added a few new corals.

Glad they got rid of a lot of your algae!