Revv65
Community Member
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2024
- Messages
- 86
- Reaction score
- 94
- Location
- New Braunfels
- What state or country do you live in
- Texas
Hello all. It's been four months almost to the day since I've started this project. And what a plethora of lessons learned in such short time!
I started with a 40 gal breeder aquarium. (Had one in storage) I figured 40 gal would be a good starting point. Didn't plan on a reef tank or keeping soft inverts and corals. Just a few fish and some crustaceans to keep things simple. (Relatively speaking) I had a Fluval 307 canister filter available so I did some research to see if that would be an option to "start" my saltwater journey. I have used them for years and currently do with my freshwater tanks. With many opinions out there on that subject I gave it a go.
Cycling went as planned with a couple changes in my "normal" freshwater routine. Later, as my Cycling process was stable, I was already planning a refugium. Extra water capacity never hurt anything.
To save a lot of time I will just say my first fish purchases and introduction to my newly cycled tank went very well. Second fish purchase.....this where it all went south on a shutter.
Since that time, I built a 20 gal long as a refugium, a cycled 20 gal "Observation Tank" and an actual QT tank on standby. My crustaceans and my original Blenny that survived the two "Plagues" back to back, are thriving and I currently have 3 fish in my OT that are doing very well. Also had a few fish that never made it out of my QT at the time, as they were victims of that horrible Uronema. Truthfully I was ready to throw in the towel at that time. But I adjusted the so called QT method I was using and so far....(fingers crossed) doing fantastic. I also purchased captive bred fish and one I knew for a fact that the LFS had for a month prior to me taking it home.
Already looking to upgrade the 40 breeder to a 65 tall. Same footprint as th 40 so all I would have to change is the pump return and feed plumbing.
I wish I took more pictures earlier, but here you can see where I'm at now.
Thanks for looking!
Rich
I started with a 40 gal breeder aquarium. (Had one in storage) I figured 40 gal would be a good starting point. Didn't plan on a reef tank or keeping soft inverts and corals. Just a few fish and some crustaceans to keep things simple. (Relatively speaking) I had a Fluval 307 canister filter available so I did some research to see if that would be an option to "start" my saltwater journey. I have used them for years and currently do with my freshwater tanks. With many opinions out there on that subject I gave it a go.
Cycling went as planned with a couple changes in my "normal" freshwater routine. Later, as my Cycling process was stable, I was already planning a refugium. Extra water capacity never hurt anything.
To save a lot of time I will just say my first fish purchases and introduction to my newly cycled tank went very well. Second fish purchase.....this where it all went south on a shutter.
Since that time, I built a 20 gal long as a refugium, a cycled 20 gal "Observation Tank" and an actual QT tank on standby. My crustaceans and my original Blenny that survived the two "Plagues" back to back, are thriving and I currently have 3 fish in my OT that are doing very well. Also had a few fish that never made it out of my QT at the time, as they were victims of that horrible Uronema. Truthfully I was ready to throw in the towel at that time. But I adjusted the so called QT method I was using and so far....(fingers crossed) doing fantastic. I also purchased captive bred fish and one I knew for a fact that the LFS had for a month prior to me taking it home.
Already looking to upgrade the 40 breeder to a 65 tall. Same footprint as th 40 so all I would have to change is the pump return and feed plumbing.
I wish I took more pictures earlier, but here you can see where I'm at now.
Thanks for looking!
Rich
