First Saltwater Tank!

PTXReef

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Hello! This is my first saltwater tank. So excited to finally get into it after a decade of freshwater !

Current Set Up (Started on 7/2019):

95 gallon wave aquarium
RedSea50 ReefLEDs (2)
Reef Octopus Classic BH-2000 HOB Protein Skimmer
AquaClear 110
AquaTop Wave Maker (2)

LiveStock (Fish):
Yellow Tang
Blue Hippo Tang
Ocellaris clownfish (2)
Yellow watchman goby
Tiger pistol shrimp
Blue legged hermits (4)
Brittle stars
Recent additions:
Mandarin goby
Cleaner shrimp

Corals:
Toxic hammer
Purple tip hammer
Frogspawn
Pink torch (cristata)
Acans (rainbows, blues, oranges)
Green favia
Green candy cane
Pulsing Xenias
Green toadstool leather
Pink finger leather
Kenya Tree coral
Green goniopora
Ricordea Mushrooms
Pocillopora
Some kind of montipora
Some kind of leptoseris

The Journey:

Day 1 (About a year ago July 2019):

Got a Used 95 Wave Aquarium. Repainted the stand and checked for leaks!
1594094538944.png


July 2019: A week later (Took me awhile to make all that RODI water to fill the tank):
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September 2019 (First fishies and corals in after diatom/algae cycle!):
-2 Ocellaris clowns
-Blue Hippo Tang
-Sailfin Tang
-Yellow watchman goby
-Tiger Pistol Shrimp
-Turbo snail

-Green candy cane
-Pulsing xenias
-Green goniopora
-Kenya tree

1594095352382.png


January 2020:
Lots more corals!
Proud of the candy cane growth (1h to 3h) and brought back the green favia (got it when it was bleached and didn't know better :rolleyes:)

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Realized I do not have many full tank shots (will definitely take more).
Flash forward to....

July 2020 (Today!):
Changing the aquascape:

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Currently trying to fatten up my mandarin goby. Have tons of pods in the tank but am not sure if he is getting what he needs. Tried can o cyclops, mysis shrimp, spiralina brine, pellets (all enriched in selcon), but have not seen him go after anything.

Also looking into getting a clam :D!


Thanks for looking!
giphy.gif
 
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PTXReef

PTXReef

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July 13th Tank Update!

1594673213675.png


Favorites (as of now):
Loving the two mandarin dragonets and obsessed with my new maxima clam!

Female Mandarin with the maxima:
1594673311753.png


Male Mandarin hunting copepods:
1594673349821.png


Favorite coral:
My toxic hammer that I got as a 1 head frag is trying to split into 3 heads :eek: !
It looks like a fidget spinner when retracted at night :p

1594673459723.png


Thanks for looking!

giphy.gif
 
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PTXReef

PTXReef

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The maxima clam is propped up away from the sand because my pistol shrimp loves to move coral around in my tank :rolleyes:. Not ideal but he sure does keep the sand clean! Only a nuisance when I see my kenya tree and a pile of acan frags in front of his burrow. Honestly looks like hes' having a yard sale...

giphy.gif
 
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PTXReef

PTXReef

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July 20th Tank Update:

A725BFF1-0A37-4FBF-A851-26812FC5B05B.jpeg


Looks about the same as a week ago but planning to add an ATO (maybe the tunze one). I’ve been religiously topping off about half a gallon before and after work. Hopping the ATO will make the process easier and water salinity more consistent. Also looking into hanna checkers because these titration color changes are so tough to read accurately.

All inhabitants have been looking happy, especially after a water change (that big pink leather was all droopy before it).

Thanks for looking! :p
 
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PTXReef

PTXReef

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July 27 updates:

Got my hanna checkers (alkalinity and calcium):

Found out my alkalinity was sitting at 6.5 dKH and calcium at ~500 ppm from the hanna checkers. Red Sea Test kits displayed ~5.6 dKH for alkalinity and ~480 ppm for calcium.

The tank consumes ~0.2-0.3 dKH a day so I’ve been dosing 0.5 tsp baked baking soda to raise the alkalinity ~0.3-0.4 dKH daily.

Tank’s current parameters:
Alkalinity: 7.7 dKH
Calcium: 575 ppm

Also changed salts:
From Instant Ocean Sea Salt to Red Sea Coral Pro
~5 gallon WC weekly to slowly raise parameters.
 

fishguy242

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hi,looks great,hows that alk level now??
 
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PTXReef

PTXReef

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hi,looks great,hows that alk level now??

I have been keeping the alkalinity at 7.7-8 dKH by doing the 5 gallon water changes every 2-3 days. Once I use up this bucket, I may change to the blue bucket with 8-9 dKH as that's what I'm targeting for the tank! Everything looks pretty happy, the only issue I am having right now is calcium testing a bit higher than I want and not knowing if my magnesium is accurate. May take some water into the LFS for testing! :)

May not change too much to chase parameters if nothing looks mad or unhealthy.
 

fishguy242

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exactly alk goes up a little cal w come down a little,slow and steady is the key :)
 
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PTXReef

PTXReef

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8/24/2020 Tank Update:

Full Tank Shot (No filters or edits on Iphone 11 camera):

1598324400704.png


Left Half Tank Shot (orange+yellow camera lens from Reefing Art):

1598324502815.png


That Toadstool leather and candy cane have grown quite a bit ;Joyful!

December 2019:

1598324663457.png


Today (4h candy cane and the toadstool in the left half tank shot hides the plug completely from Top Down view, has tripled in height):
1598324884016.png


Right Half Tank Shot (orange+yellow camera lens from Reefing Art):
1598324966932.png


Top Down View of Left Half of Tank (orange+yellow camera lens from Reefing Art):
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Top Down View of Right Half of Tank (orange+yellow camera lens from Reefing Art):
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Without the lens (pretty big difference, this is too blue):
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The Green Goni is getting huge... 6+ inches and starting to shade corals below:

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Tank parameters:
1.026, 34.0 ppt, 78.9 F (Ice Cap Salinity Pen), verified accuracy at two LFS against hanna checker and refractometers
Alkalinity: 8.1 dKH (Hanna Checker)
Calcium: 468 ppm (Hanna Checker)
Magnesium: still 1700 ppm (Red Sea Test Kit)
pH: 8.0 (API Test Kit)
Ammonia: 0 ppm (API Test Kit)
Nitrite: 0 ppm (API Test Kit)
Nitrate: 10 ppm (API Test Kit)
Phosphate: ??? (Need to get a hanna checker for this)

Currently doing daily 5g WC because I do not run carbon (most likely the cause of my tang's HLLE along with prolonged cupramine treatment) and have noticed a yellow tint in the water during WC. Going to test for phosphates/have to reduce nitrates any ways.

The tank looks pretty packed right now as I have to figure out where to place corals. Looking to have dedicated sections of the tank for hammer gardens, acan gardens, leather section, monti sections, etc ;Joyful

Also stopped the baked baking soda dosing to raise alkalinity as I have noticed a long term drop in pH. Either my eyes are going bad or the color is matching closer to 7.8-8.0 instead of 8.0-8.2 on the API Test card. Any advice in terms of dosing would be appreciated!

Thanks for looking, happy reefing!
 

El_Guapo13

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Nice tank!!! I like that it is not a standard rectangle or cube like all the rest of us have. Gives it some character.

Also, that Blue Hippo Tang is going to get huge and outgrow the tank at aome point down the road. I hope you have plans to deal with it, either by getting a much larger aquarium to house it in, or by giving it to another reefer.

giphy.gif
 
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PTXReef

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Nice tank!!! I like that it is not a standard rectangle or cube like all the rest of us have. Gives it some character.

Also, that Blue Hippo Tang is going to get huge and outgrow the tank at aome point down the road. I hope you have plans to deal with it, either by getting a much larger aquarium to house it in, or by giving it to another reefer.

giphy.gif

That is exactly the plan! Hoping to rehome the yellow tang and blue hippo tang as soon as I can find someone with either a larger tank, or it's going back to the LFS (I think they both grew almost an inch in a year). Looking to get a tiny desjardini sailfin tang but can't until the two 5'' tangs are gone! Thanks for looking!
 
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PTXReef

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Wooh, tank update time!

9/4/2020:
Moving things around and added a few more hammers!

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Full tank shot:
1599258603747.png


Equipment updates:

Added an aquatop pump on the right side of the tank to add more flow.
Got my ULR phosphorus hanna checker (2 ppb/0.002 ppm) on first check.
Calcium levels dropping to ~ 430 ppm (from 470-500 ppm)
Alkalinity steady at 7.8-8.0 dKH
Magnesium, stopped testing because unsure if test results are accurate. Will test with a new salifert kit.

Fish updates:
Blue hippo tang and yellow tang still recovering from HLLE. Added more variety and supplements in diet:
3x3 nori, seaweed delight, spirulina brine, SF Bay mysis all soaked in selcon and reef plus (fed twice a day).
Mandys/royal gramma/clownfish fat from spirulina brine.

Coral updates:
All doing well, full extended and vibrant. Only issue is the clam still battling what I suspect to be PMD.

Thanks for looking! Happy reefing! :p
 
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9/29/2020 End of the month tank update!

Fish Updates:

Rehomed the two 5'' tangs (hippo and yellow). Went to a good home in a local reefer's 180g DT.
Quarantined and introduced two new 2'' tangs (yellow belly hippo and yellow tang). Planning to rehome these again in a year or when they get aggressive/too large for my system (unless a miraculous upgrade comes through). Couldn't stay away from these little guys.

Coral Updates:
Too many sales, wallet is empty but the DT is full. Need to get rid of some corals as my QT tank is starting to become a coral bin :p o_O . All doing well except some algae growth on the goniopora.
Got a new T. noae/teardrop maxima clam:
1601444342264.png

1601444357253.png

Currently in 29g quarantine tank, checking/brushing for pyramid snails/eggs every week (suggested but I do it every day... hopefully I don't stress it out) for 6 weeks. Attached to rock rubble after 2 days (good sign) but does not seem fully extended yet.

Full tank shot:
1601444389986.png


Current Favorites (moved these to the front of the tank as shown in the FTS):
1601444431761.png


Parameters:
1.026, 34.0 ppt, 78.8F (Ice Cap Pen) [Monitored Daily]
Alkalinity: 8.0 dKH (Hanna) [Checked every other day]
Calcium: 430-460 ppm (Hanna) [Once a week]
Magnesium: Have not checked again, do not trust my kit. Need to get a new one.
ULR Phosphorus: 16-21 ppb (Hanna) [Once a week]
Nitrates: 5-10 ppm (Salifert) [Once every two weeks]
Assuming pH: 8.2, Nitrite/Ammonia: 0 ppm (These three have not deviated in the past year+ with constant checking)

Thanks for looking!
 
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10/25/2020 End of the month update:

Parameters:
1.026, 34.0 ppt, 80.2F (Ice Cap Pen) [Monitored Daily]
Alkalinity: 7.8-8.0 dKH (Hanna) [Checked every other day]
Calcium: 432-443 ppm (Hanna) [Once a week]
Magnesium: Have not checked again, do not trust my kit. Need to get a new one.
ULR Phosphorus: 14 ppb (Hanna) [Once a week]
Nitrates: 5 ppm (Salifert) [Once every two weeks]
Assuming pH: 8.2, Nitrite/Ammonia: 0 ppm (These three have not deviated in the past year+ with constant checking)

Coral Updates:
Everything is looking great! Nothing is sulking or retracted. Just monitoring the clam to make sure nothing is bothering it’s foot.

78FB3F4C-5D63-48B9-83C3-08A81FE2ED99.jpeg


Picked up a scoly (Also my first one! ;Joyful) that wasn’t doing too well from the LFS. Hopefully this guy recovers! Currently feeding it mysis once a week.

723844E7-35E2-485B-9F58-21F3B5AE7A10.jpeg


Fish Updates:
Very fat mandy bellies, looks like the copepod population is able to sustain itself even without baby brine shrimp supplementation!

New updates: My clownfish tried to eat me.



Starting to dose reef phytoplankton and spot feed with reef roids more this month! Half a cap of phyto and 1/4 tsp of reef roids per week. Not sure if this is helping the T. Noae but it has opened up more and looks happy!

Baby mysid population has grown like crazy, noticing many small dots running around in all crevices of live rock at night along with the copepods.

38F2FAF8-9A3C-411F-9E30-32B2EA106C04.jpeg


Thanks for looking and happy reefing!
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

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