I am relatively new to the reefing scene and will be using this thread for documentation/progression. I had a 6-month saltwater craze back in 2019 up until I joined the Air Force. My first saltwater tank was a 30g extra tall and it went through all the ugly stages - diatoms, cyano, alagae, you name it. The tank did have a little bit of growth from some Stylophora and Plating Montipora just before I left. Previously had success with several planted freshwater systems and ponds.
Fast forward to 2026 - after spending 14 months away from home over the last couple years, my wife and I were eager to get this 90g family project up and going. We bought an established FOWLR tank w/ live rock, fish, skimmer, sump, Reefmat, heater, and powerheads. Keeping some parts and upgrading others. Looking to maintain a relatively budget oriented tank. Any insight is greatly appreciated!
Established 03 APR 2026
First Post 26 APR 2026
Tank -
Used 90g (48x18x24)
Sump -
20g at current water level
10 lbs of extra live rock
4 bags with ceramic and bio balls
Skimmer -
IOAOI 110 DC
Filtration -
Redsea Reefmat 500
Lighting -
48" 2-bulb HO T5 Agriculture Fixtures - x2
3 KZ super blue and 1 KZ New Generation bulbs
(adding 2 additional LED fixtures down the line for a hybrid setup)
Fish -
Ocellaris Clowns - x2
Yellow Coris Wrasse
Bicolor Blenny
Orchid Dottyback
Diamond Goby
Yellow Watchman Goby
Falco Hawkfish
(only holdbacks from original owner - Falco Hawkfish and 1 Ocellaris)
Inverts -
Longspine Urchin
Pink Pincushion Urchin
Tiger Conch's
Emerald Crabs
Turbo, Margarita, Astraea Snails
Tiger Pistol Shrimp
Blue and Red Hermits
Sand Sifting Star
Coral -
Frogspawn
Rainbow Infusion Zoas
Fireworks Clove Polyps
Rhodactis Mushroom
Goals -
Mixed reef w/ easier SPS (Green slimer, Oregon Blue Tort, Purple Stylo), various Euphyllia, small clusters of zoas/mushrooms, and 1 bubbletip. All with the intent of learning everything I can and hopefully gaining the ability to care for more sophisticated systems down the line.
My thoughts/Next Moves -
• Sand is too fine and blows with very little flow. Planning on slowly replacing some of the fine sand with fiji pink or some other more course sand.
• Fight with algae - tank came with very elevated phosphates 2.00+ (nitrate level 40 ppm). Started refugium with Chaeto. Started dosing PhosPhat-E and doing frequent 10-20% water changes over 3 weeks bringing levels to .30 and continuing until .08. Dosed additional copepods and daily dosing of phyto. Current Nitrate level steady at 10-15 ppm. Added emerald crabs, turbo/margarita snails, and more hermits to maintain algae.
• Evaporation amount is high - ATO on order
• Need more testing kits
• Still learning flow. Overflow is in corner and return pump shoots a ton of water volume away from it. Current orientation has the return facing upwards for maximum disturbance on the surface, and so that the powerheads have a chance to shoot the flow back at the overflow box.
• ReefMats are rad
Fast forward to 2026 - after spending 14 months away from home over the last couple years, my wife and I were eager to get this 90g family project up and going. We bought an established FOWLR tank w/ live rock, fish, skimmer, sump, Reefmat, heater, and powerheads. Keeping some parts and upgrading others. Looking to maintain a relatively budget oriented tank. Any insight is greatly appreciated!
Established 03 APR 2026
First Post 26 APR 2026
Tank -
Used 90g (48x18x24)
Sump -
20g at current water level
10 lbs of extra live rock
4 bags with ceramic and bio balls
Skimmer -
IOAOI 110 DC
Filtration -
Redsea Reefmat 500
Lighting -
48" 2-bulb HO T5 Agriculture Fixtures - x2
3 KZ super blue and 1 KZ New Generation bulbs
(adding 2 additional LED fixtures down the line for a hybrid setup)
Fish -
Ocellaris Clowns - x2
Yellow Coris Wrasse
Bicolor Blenny
Orchid Dottyback
Diamond Goby
Yellow Watchman Goby
Falco Hawkfish
(only holdbacks from original owner - Falco Hawkfish and 1 Ocellaris)
Inverts -
Longspine Urchin
Pink Pincushion Urchin
Tiger Conch's
Emerald Crabs
Turbo, Margarita, Astraea Snails
Tiger Pistol Shrimp
Blue and Red Hermits
Sand Sifting Star
Coral -
Frogspawn
Rainbow Infusion Zoas
Fireworks Clove Polyps
Rhodactis Mushroom
Goals -
Mixed reef w/ easier SPS (Green slimer, Oregon Blue Tort, Purple Stylo), various Euphyllia, small clusters of zoas/mushrooms, and 1 bubbletip. All with the intent of learning everything I can and hopefully gaining the ability to care for more sophisticated systems down the line.
My thoughts/Next Moves -
• Sand is too fine and blows with very little flow. Planning on slowly replacing some of the fine sand with fiji pink or some other more course sand.
• Fight with algae - tank came with very elevated phosphates 2.00+ (nitrate level 40 ppm). Started refugium with Chaeto. Started dosing PhosPhat-E and doing frequent 10-20% water changes over 3 weeks bringing levels to .30 and continuing until .08. Dosed additional copepods and daily dosing of phyto. Current Nitrate level steady at 10-15 ppm. Added emerald crabs, turbo/margarita snails, and more hermits to maintain algae.
• Evaporation amount is high - ATO on order
• Need more testing kits
• Still learning flow. Overflow is in corner and return pump shoots a ton of water volume away from it. Current orientation has the return facing upwards for maximum disturbance on the surface, and so that the powerheads have a chance to shoot the flow back at the overflow box.
• ReefMats are rad
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