Dusty's 75 Gallon First Reef Build

[dustynavy]

I would not add any of these hermits crabs/ snails until you have built up some algae for them to eat, altough they do eat scraps and supplements the survival rate in a new/ clean aquarium is poor.
Maybe wait until your aquarium is more matured (I cycled my aquriam empty for 8 months) and then clean up crew (cuc) when you have enough algae for them to graze on

I have Dwarf red legged, Dwarf blue legged, electric blue, Halloween hermit, various snails and various crabs (cuc)

Besides algae for them to eat/graze you need to also provide plenty of shells/ new homes... This will help with aggression towards each other

I don't think you should introduce any cuc at this stage of your aquarium

That is a good point and my tank is so new. I am supplying the food right now and hoping that the algae with start here soon for them. I hope I don't lose any. I didn't know about the extra shells that is great advice. Do you order them off line or where did you get yours?

 

[dustynavy]

I would not add any of these hermits crabs/ snails until you have built up some algae for them to eat, altough they do eat scraps and supplements the survival rate in a new/ clean aquarium is poor.
Maybe wait until your aquarium is more matured (I cycled my aquriam empty for 8 months) and then clean up crew (cuc) when you have enough algae for them to graze on

I have Dwarf red legged, Dwarf blue legged, electric blue, Halloween hermit, various snails and various crabs (cuc)

Besides algae for them to eat/graze you need to also provide plenty of shells/ new homes... This will help with aggression towards each other

I don't think you should introduce any cuc at this stage of your aquarium

Your tank looks amazing

 

[dustynavy]

I was thinking the same thing. My tank is 2 months old and I'm finally seeing a little bit of fuzz on a few rocks. I'm going to seed some pods now since they finally have a little bit to eat

Im hoping I don't have any die but if I do it will be because I was rushing everything too much. I should have posted before adding them and saw what everyone opinion was on the subject.

 

[Rick's Reviews]

Thank you for the advice and the support. I will definitely introduce the light slow. Do you have a height that worked with these lights for you? This forum has been the best.

To be honest I'm still working on it, currently at about 10inch above water level, I have only started introduction of fish and corals from Nov/dec and only adjust their position instead of light intensity

 

[Rick's Reviews]

Your tank looks amazing

Thanks

 

[dustynavy]

To be honest I'm still working on it, currently at about 10inch above water level, I have only started introduction of fish and corals from Nov/dec and only adjust their position instead of light intensity

I like the hanging setup instead of going from the ceiling. I will keep following you to see how it goes.

 

[Rick's Reviews]

That is a good point and my tank is so new. I am supplying the food right now and hoping that the algae with start here soon for them. I hope I don't lose any. I didn't know about the extra shells that is great advice. Do you order them off line or where did you get yours?

eBay, £2 for approximately 10 maybe 20 various size shells (small), my Halloween hermit is carrying a 1 inch shell so last purchase was £5 for 3 shells but better to provide option then not.

You can provide hermits some kind of invertebrate pellets along with seaweed on a clip if you have already added, at least until your algae growth starts

 

[Rick's Reviews]

I like the hanging setup instead of going from the ceiling. I will keep following you to see how it goes.

Great, I'm no professional and will follow you also, this will help in my next setup

 

[dustynavy]

I have also dosed with

eBay, £2 for approximately 10 maybe 20 various size shells (small), my Halloween hermit is carrying a 1 inch shell so last purchase was £5 for 3 shells but better to provide option then not.

You can provide hermits some kind of invertebrate pellets along with seaweed on a clip if you have already added, at least until your algae growth starts

Oh nice I am going to look up shells now and get them headed this way. I added phytoplankton, algae wafers, and hermit crab pellets. Hopefully this keeps everyone happy until I have algae growing for them. I need to look up the seaweed clip as well that is a good idea.

 

[underwaterjr]

This is mine at 2 months. DIY sump, I just wanted to get as much out of display as possible. Tried painting back but it just peeled.

 

[dustynavy]

This is mine at 2 months. DIY sump, I just wanted to get as much out of display as possible. Tried painting back but it just peeled.

Oh wow that looks amazing, great job. I love how organized it is. I used this for the back

​

 

[underwaterjr]

Nice! I was looking for a paint alternative and didn’t come up with to much. I didn’t look too hard though.

 

[dstockwell]

I have two vipars on a 55 running 50 blue 8 white.

 

[Rick's Reviews]

I have two vipars on a 55 running 50 blue 8 white.

Can I ask to confirm, 50 blue and 8 white?
I'm unsure where to start with questions?
how long have you had these settings and why this low on whites and to me why so high on blues please

 

[dstockwell]

At first I was running 65 blue and 15 white, local reefer said be careful with these lights, more white will cause more algae. Been running current settings 6 weeks, ran first settings 2 weeks, I finished cycling livestock soon.
Lights are 10 inches above water, corals need blue light to grow.

 

[Rick's Reviews]

Ahhh, ok, so no experience using it yet, ok no problems

 

[Rick's Reviews]

At first I was running 65 blue and 15 white, local reefer said be careful with these lights, more white will cause more algae. Been running current settings 6 weeks, ran first settings 2 weeks, I finished cycling livestock soon.
Lights are 10 inches above water, corals need blue light to grow.

loads of information here, I think only a small amount on these vispectra lights, thanks for sharing

 

[Rick's Reviews]

At first I was running 65 blue and 15 white, local reefer said be careful with these lights, more white will cause more algae. Been running current settings 6 weeks, ran first settings 2 weeks, I finished cycling livestock soon.
Lights are 10 inches above water, corals need blue light to grow.

Close but no cigar, without getting into depth in your aquarium.... Which will follow, these lights are definitely worth starting from bottom upwards

 

[dstockwell]

Standard 55, depth 21

 

[Rick's Reviews]

You took my depth literally lol