First Fish Tank

[Blenny Benny]

Current State
Hi everybody, this is my first build thread (my first thread overall in fact).

 

[Blenny Benny]

Background and Goals (aka the part you can skip)

I guess this started back in 2015, when my girlfriend (now wife) and I went to a pet store where they had this display tank with a couch in front of it:

We fell in love with it but, being a student, I lacked the money or room for something like this.
Coincidentally, this was the same time BRStv started their 52 Weeks of reefing which I stumbled upon and followed with excitement. Shout out to the great work they are doing promoting reefing and getting people into the hobby.
Fast forward three years, when we got our first apartment, we decided to start with a small 30L (8G) nano mixed reef

For the most part it was successful, but of course to small to house any fish (or much more corals).
The biggest setback was last summer: it got to hot and one coral started dying. Thought it could be fragged to save some part of it without getting sufficiently informed → Cut it inside the tank resulting in some toxin released, killing out Xenias and a already dwindling Tubipora
Then last year there was trade show near us and we decided to take a visit. Just in case, we took the measurements of where the Aquarium could be put and since we already got the measurements why not order one
We ended up getting a ~300 L (80 G) display with a ~120 L (30 G) sump with stand.
Unfortunately our living room gets quite hot so we decided to put it into the hallway:
The benefit of this is it’s the first thing to see when coming home and also visible from my desk, the bedroom and one corner of the couch.
This thread is a journal of this tank.

Goals
Of course the primary goals is to have a nice looking reef for our enjoyment and finally get some interesting fish (see wish list) and to win a photo of the month contest
Besides that I would like to get into coral propagation and breeding some fish and cool shrimps and find some people to exchange stock with (if your are near Stuttgart, Germany shoot me a message).
In the long term, when moving to our own house, the dream is to get a larger tank into the living room which will house a yellow boxfish and a blue ribbon eel.

 

[Blenny Benny]

Equipment

Everything (except heater) should run of DC and preferrably 24V.
Since my wife and I share this hobby, no need to hide the costs for me (unlike my woodworking tools )

Aquarium (100cm x 55cm x 50cm), Sump (80cm x 40cm x 40cm) & Stand (height: 1m): 750€
2x Aqua Medic DC Runner 5.2: 285€
2x Tunze Turbelle Nanostream 6045: 250€
2x Fluval E 300 Heater: 25€
1x Inkbird dual socket controller with lab temperature probe: 45€
Lighting AquaLED: 250€

25 kg Real Reef Rock: 280€
15 kg Sand: 25€

PVC & Silicone Tubing: ~250€

Misc
Silicon mat: 10€
Tube of Aquarium safe silicone: 10€
Converted Ikea cupboard: One board for the doors and 4 hinges: 30€
2x GFCI Adapter: 32€
2x Multi outlet: 30€
10m Electric wiring 5€
Stand reinforcement 25€

 

[Blenny Benny]

Stocking - Inverts

- 3 Calcinus laevimanus hermits 10€
- 2 Black Foot Trochus 8€
- 3 Tricolor hermits 7€

 

[Blenny Benny]

Stocking - Fish

- 2 Kaudern's Cardinalfish - Hopefully a pair. 44€ (Currently in quarantine tank)

 

[Blenny Benny]

Stocking - Corals
Currently patiently waiting...
I will transfer most of the Nano tank's stock over but here are some guys that have to stay out (Zoantharia)

 

[Blenny Benny]

Whishlist

Definitly
- Midas Blenny (Did anyone have a successful pair?)
- Clown Fish pair
Once sufficiently established:
- Candy Striped Pistol Shrimp & Yasha Gobi
- Mandarin Pair

Maybe:
- Electric Indigo Dottyback
- Dwarf Flame Angel
- Coral Hawkfish

Corals:
- Hammer
- Duncan
- Rock flower anemones
- Some turqoise acropora

 

[Paleozoic_reefer]

This looks like an epic build!! What size and type of tank is it?

 

[Joekovar]

Thumbs up on the 24 VDC!

 

[Blenny Benny]

This looks like an epic build!! What size and type of tank is it?

Thanks, its a 3.2 feet x 1.8 feet x 1.6 feet custom build with an inside overflow box. More details to follow!

 

[35ppt]

Stocking - Fish

- 2 Kaudern's Cardinalfish - Hopefully a pair. 44€ (Currently in quarantine tank)

Top one is male (I see two vents), the bottom one I'm not 100% but I think I see only one vent, denoting female.

 

[Blenny Benny]

Ups wrong account.. can't delete this post.

 

[Blenny Benny]

Top one is male (I see two vents), the bottom one I'm not 100% but I think I see only one vent, denoting female.

Yes that is what I thought as well. I was a bit disappointed by the LFS owner who claimed they don't sell them in pairs (while their website listed this offer) and that they would change sex like Clowns. Luckily I had stumbled upon this post on this awesome forum here.