Cypraeamonkey
New Member
Hey all, I'm new to reefing and after lurking for a year thought it was finally time to join the R2R club.
My background: I grew up in Guam and the Marshall Islands. I have been in love with the ocean my entire life. While on Majuro as a teen, I kept fish that I caught in anything that would hold water. Clear file boxes, 5 gallon buckets, Rubbermaid tubs, if they were empty I filled them. With the exception of a couple BTAs, I only did FOWLR with the ocean for my water changes and an air pump to oxygenate the "tanks." The reef flat behind my house was a breeding ground, and after hatching many different species of fish would hang out there until they were big enough to survive on the reef proper. Following are just some of the fish I caught and kept: gobies, blennies, damsels, tangs, clowns, frogfish, scorpionfish, lionfish, stonefish, eels. My largest snowflake moray would eat baby convict tangs from my hand. When I wanted to keep something new, I would either find a new tank or release some fish to make room. I was out on the reef almost daily, and I miss it so much! After high school, I moved to the states and got a BS in biology, but I was not able to find a job in the field without years of experience, so I've been working in the corporate world for the last 5 years, hoping management experience will boost my resumé.
After 10 years away from the ocean, I am finally in a position to bring a small piece of it into my home again. I have a 47g rimless Eheim tank from Petsmart and will be using a 20L as a sump. The tank is 39" long, so I have 3 AI Prime 16 HDs that I am mounting on a 36" HMS rail and hanging from the ceiling. For the other hardware I have 4 Nero 3s, fleece socks, a BRS reactor for mixed carbon and gfo, a 1" marinepure plate for extra biofiltration, 2 200W BRS titanium heaters on an Inkbird, a Syncra Silent 3.0 for the return, which will be plumbed through a 15W AU UV. I am planning on growing chaeto in the sump as well. I am currently trying to finish building my stand (the frame is made, but I'm still working on the cherry and curly maple wrap), and I plan on opening a build thread when I get a chance.
For livestock, the plan is 2 clowns and a BTA or two followed by a school of yellow tail blue damsels. The schooling damsels were one of my favorite things to watch while snorkeling. After the fish are established and I get used to keeping up with water parameters (never had to do that before), I will introduce mixed corals and likely set up a two part drip.
Thank you all for your support and advice and for sharing your experience with the community!
My background: I grew up in Guam and the Marshall Islands. I have been in love with the ocean my entire life. While on Majuro as a teen, I kept fish that I caught in anything that would hold water. Clear file boxes, 5 gallon buckets, Rubbermaid tubs, if they were empty I filled them. With the exception of a couple BTAs, I only did FOWLR with the ocean for my water changes and an air pump to oxygenate the "tanks." The reef flat behind my house was a breeding ground, and after hatching many different species of fish would hang out there until they were big enough to survive on the reef proper. Following are just some of the fish I caught and kept: gobies, blennies, damsels, tangs, clowns, frogfish, scorpionfish, lionfish, stonefish, eels. My largest snowflake moray would eat baby convict tangs from my hand. When I wanted to keep something new, I would either find a new tank or release some fish to make room. I was out on the reef almost daily, and I miss it so much! After high school, I moved to the states and got a BS in biology, but I was not able to find a job in the field without years of experience, so I've been working in the corporate world for the last 5 years, hoping management experience will boost my resumé.
After 10 years away from the ocean, I am finally in a position to bring a small piece of it into my home again. I have a 47g rimless Eheim tank from Petsmart and will be using a 20L as a sump. The tank is 39" long, so I have 3 AI Prime 16 HDs that I am mounting on a 36" HMS rail and hanging from the ceiling. For the other hardware I have 4 Nero 3s, fleece socks, a BRS reactor for mixed carbon and gfo, a 1" marinepure plate for extra biofiltration, 2 200W BRS titanium heaters on an Inkbird, a Syncra Silent 3.0 for the return, which will be plumbed through a 15W AU UV. I am planning on growing chaeto in the sump as well. I am currently trying to finish building my stand (the frame is made, but I'm still working on the cherry and curly maple wrap), and I plan on opening a build thread when I get a chance.
For livestock, the plan is 2 clowns and a BTA or two followed by a school of yellow tail blue damsels. The schooling damsels were one of my favorite things to watch while snorkeling. After the fish are established and I get used to keeping up with water parameters (never had to do that before), I will introduce mixed corals and likely set up a two part drip.
Thank you all for your support and advice and for sharing your experience with the community!
