Hello all,
After a 15 year hiatus from the hobby, the seed I planted with my children finally sprouted! My 10 yo daughter asked to get an aquarium for the house, and since I didn't need much of a push, we jumped in! Since I have never done a saltwater tank, this will be a totally new experience. I have been close many times (had a 58g all set up at one point), but I didn't want to tear it down after a year as our family started to grow. Anyway, enough of the background, lets jump in!
Equipment:
I found a craigslist special which included:
IM Nuvo Fusion 20 on a computer stand
media caddy x1 and two well used IM socks
Sicce Syncra 1.0 return
AI PrimeHD
Jebao RW-4 Wavemaker
AutoAqua ATO
Eheim feeder
Red Sea Marine test kit
Coralife salt bucket
Some books to add to my collection
heater
original return pump
Additions to get started:
I already have an RO/DI from our drinking water system and from when I was prepping before. Needed new filters and now can produce TDS 0 water. Garbage cans and auto shut off valve
Refractometer
2nd IM Media Caddy (I tossed the socks since they were in rough shape)
BRS titanium heater with Inkbird controller
Light schedule - Initially using the exact same schedule the LFS uses. There does not seem to be any consistency in how people set theirs up. Probably the most frustrating part so far. Any good resources you can direct me to? I have been reading many posts, but haven't found anything to use as a foundation to make any informed decisions going forward.
After 15 years of reading forums, I have sufficiently confused myself with too much info before having any first hand practical knowledge. With that in mind, I decided to follow the LFS owners advice (since he has been in business for 15+ years and is on the BRS LFS recommended list I am hoping it will go well).
First live inhabitants:
12 pounds of live rock from circulating bins and a 3 pound seeder piece of live rock from one of the LFS display tanks.
17ish pounds of caribsea reef live sand. (I will get better at taking pics)
Day 1
Day 2:
Water parameters:
pH 8.o,
ammonia 0,
nitrite 0
nitrate 5 (LFS result was 0)
temp 77.5-78 according to inkbird
salinity 1.025
ALK LFS result was "good" can't remember the number given
Ca LFS result 360 (Red Sea Foundation test kit on the way and Hanna Alk meter)
Dosed 5ml Ca and added Bio Spira just before adding the following:
My wife and two daughters picked out the first purposeful inhabitants. An ocellaris clownfish and a onyx percula. My kids named them Leah and Marty, repectively : ) The LFS owner also said we would have success if we put in a soft coral as well, so we picked one out of his frag tank. I don't remember what he said it is, but from looking it up I think it is a neon green hairy mushroom. On day 3 we fed the coral brine shrimp. He closed up around the food and ate it! I never saw a coral eat before, pretty fun experience with the kids. I also learned a half cube of brine shrimp was waaay too much food. Little Marty (percula) was quick to eat leftovers, but Leah (ocellaris) was a bit pickier. Day 4 we gave some flake food. Again learned that the little we gave was way too much. Both fish seemed to eat, Leah still a bit more hesitant than Marty.
Day 2
Day 5:
Water parameters:
pH 8.2
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10 (not sure how much to trust this. Previously a discrepency with the LFS on day 2. Is this accureate because the tank is already cycled due to live rock? or is this an errant result and I am still waiting for an ammonia spike?)
Temp 77.8
Results of overfeeding twice are apparent with the beginning of the brown algae. Knew it was coming, but not sure what to do with it yet. Clean up crew is obviously in our future. Suggestions of what and when are appreciated! Skipped feeding today. You can see the two main hitchikers in the "seeder" live rock in the coral close up below. A brittle star is to the left of the coral (many, many others around). The other is what I believe to be a variety of Aiptasia which I know can be horrible. Hope this variety is not. There are two below the coral and one just above it (with a few others present which cannot be seen). Anything else you guys see? I know there are many things we could have done better already, but I got sick of reading so many opinions of what to do that I decided to jump in to get some experience. Any input, good and bad is welcome. I have warned my wife and kids we will have many bumps in the road, but I hope that will make it a good learning experience and be part of the fun.
After a 15 year hiatus from the hobby, the seed I planted with my children finally sprouted! My 10 yo daughter asked to get an aquarium for the house, and since I didn't need much of a push, we jumped in! Since I have never done a saltwater tank, this will be a totally new experience. I have been close many times (had a 58g all set up at one point), but I didn't want to tear it down after a year as our family started to grow. Anyway, enough of the background, lets jump in!
Equipment:
I found a craigslist special which included:
IM Nuvo Fusion 20 on a computer stand
media caddy x1 and two well used IM socks
Sicce Syncra 1.0 return
AI PrimeHD
Jebao RW-4 Wavemaker
AutoAqua ATO
Eheim feeder
Red Sea Marine test kit
Coralife salt bucket
Some books to add to my collection
heater
original return pump
Additions to get started:
I already have an RO/DI from our drinking water system and from when I was prepping before. Needed new filters and now can produce TDS 0 water. Garbage cans and auto shut off valve
Refractometer
2nd IM Media Caddy (I tossed the socks since they were in rough shape)
BRS titanium heater with Inkbird controller
Light schedule - Initially using the exact same schedule the LFS uses. There does not seem to be any consistency in how people set theirs up. Probably the most frustrating part so far. Any good resources you can direct me to? I have been reading many posts, but haven't found anything to use as a foundation to make any informed decisions going forward.
After 15 years of reading forums, I have sufficiently confused myself with too much info before having any first hand practical knowledge. With that in mind, I decided to follow the LFS owners advice (since he has been in business for 15+ years and is on the BRS LFS recommended list I am hoping it will go well).
First live inhabitants:
12 pounds of live rock from circulating bins and a 3 pound seeder piece of live rock from one of the LFS display tanks.
17ish pounds of caribsea reef live sand. (I will get better at taking pics)
Day 1
Day 2:
Water parameters:
pH 8.o,
ammonia 0,
nitrite 0
nitrate 5 (LFS result was 0)
temp 77.5-78 according to inkbird
salinity 1.025
ALK LFS result was "good" can't remember the number given
Ca LFS result 360 (Red Sea Foundation test kit on the way and Hanna Alk meter)
Dosed 5ml Ca and added Bio Spira just before adding the following:
My wife and two daughters picked out the first purposeful inhabitants. An ocellaris clownfish and a onyx percula. My kids named them Leah and Marty, repectively : ) The LFS owner also said we would have success if we put in a soft coral as well, so we picked one out of his frag tank. I don't remember what he said it is, but from looking it up I think it is a neon green hairy mushroom. On day 3 we fed the coral brine shrimp. He closed up around the food and ate it! I never saw a coral eat before, pretty fun experience with the kids. I also learned a half cube of brine shrimp was waaay too much food. Little Marty (percula) was quick to eat leftovers, but Leah (ocellaris) was a bit pickier. Day 4 we gave some flake food. Again learned that the little we gave was way too much. Both fish seemed to eat, Leah still a bit more hesitant than Marty.
Day 2
Day 5:
Water parameters:
pH 8.2
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10 (not sure how much to trust this. Previously a discrepency with the LFS on day 2. Is this accureate because the tank is already cycled due to live rock? or is this an errant result and I am still waiting for an ammonia spike?)
Temp 77.8
Results of overfeeding twice are apparent with the beginning of the brown algae. Knew it was coming, but not sure what to do with it yet. Clean up crew is obviously in our future. Suggestions of what and when are appreciated! Skipped feeding today. You can see the two main hitchikers in the "seeder" live rock in the coral close up below. A brittle star is to the left of the coral (many, many others around). The other is what I believe to be a variety of Aiptasia which I know can be horrible. Hope this variety is not. There are two below the coral and one just above it (with a few others present which cannot be seen). Anything else you guys see? I know there are many things we could have done better already, but I got sick of reading so many opinions of what to do that I decided to jump in to get some experience. Any input, good and bad is welcome. I have warned my wife and kids we will have many bumps in the road, but I hope that will make it a good learning experience and be part of the fun.