First Timer and Jumping In - 55 hexagon build

[dantimdad]

Awesome!

Here's hoping it's wet by Thanksgiving!

 

[RWS6605]

Lookie at what I did so far today! It’s inside, water is mixing, and rock is scaped.

!

May put some smaller pieces in the sand but this is the center piece. What do you think?

 

[RWS6605]

Well it took all day to make the water. BUT it is now full and running. Let the cycling begin!!

Still cloudy but here full light

And moon

 

[RWS6605]

I have clarity in the morning!! At least in the tank.

 

[RWS6605]

Have ordered an ATO system because I am losing about a liter everyday to evaporation. But the tank is running crystal clear!

What do you think of my rock?
Front view

Side view.

Closeup

May have a reefkeeper coming soon as well!!
Also thinking I may get a Kessil light as the fans on my blackbox are too loud! Should I got 160 or 360 tuna?

 

[RWS6605]

The colors are a bit hard to tell but here are my first water test results-
Ph- 8
Nh3 -0-0.25ppm
No3 - 0-5ppm
No2-0ppm
Salinity - 1.022-.023
Temp - 77.5

 

[RWS6605]

New additions.

Optical ATO with 11 liter reservoir!

And my first tank inhabitants. Red and blue legged hermits and a few turbo snails! Been in for 5 days and going good.

 

[RWS6605]

Not sure anyone is watching this anymore but here is today’s update.

Purchased the Kasa Smart WiFi plug on Black Friday. It came in today and in 5 minutes I had everything programmed and running in the palm of my hand.

I had too many plugs and not enough outlets so I’ll be getting a second one. Had to get some extensions for power adapters and a multi-way plug. But it is pretty cool. Can turn things of with a tap and then even set a timer to delay it coming back on. AKA - feed mode!

 

[RWS6605]

I didn’t plan to do this but....well, here they are.

My first saltwater fish. Kids named them Bubbles and Joe Cool.

Picked up a BTA as well.

Wasn’t planning to do clowns but we did anyway.

 

[rkpetersen]

Purchased the Kasa Smart WiFi plug on Black Friday. It came in today and in 5 minutes I had everything programmed and running in the palm of my hand.

Just heard about this handy device the other day. I'm not surprised that it works well. I don't have this but I do have about a dozen other Kasa smart outlets, switches and bulbs in the house, and they all work great (including with Alexa voice control.)

And I like how that tank is looking.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Not sure anyone is watching this anymore but here is today’s update.

Purchased the Kasa Smart WiFi plug on Black Friday. It came in today and in 5 minutes I had everything programmed and running in the palm of my hand.

I had too many plugs and not enough outlets so I’ll be getting a second one. Had to get some extensions for power adapters and a multi-way plug. But it is pretty cool. Can turn things of with a tap and then even set a timer to delay it coming back on. AKA - feed mode!

We're watching. I gotta get one. Nice. Thanks for sharing. I'm getting similar tank ready.

 

[rkpetersen]

I didn’t plan to do this but....well, here they are.

Daring, for such a young tank.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

I didn’t plan to do this but....well, here they are.

My first saltwater fish. Kids named them Bubbles and Joe Cool.

Picked up a BTA as well.

Wasn’t planning to do clowns but we did anyway.

Isn't there a cigarette camel named Joe cool?

 

[RWS6605]

Daring, for such a young tank.

Yea....I caved to peer pressure, namely the sad faces the kids were giving me.

The nem has found a home and seems to be happy. Moved twice but unfortunately it is on the back of the rock scape now so you can’t really see it. Funny part is it is hanging upside down from the rock!!

Still hoping it might move again. The clowns are already coming to the top at feeding time. Hoping they will pair up with the nem

Also picked up several more CUC members including an emerald crab.

Now I am on hold until March before I add anything else (at least that is the plan)

 

[RWS6605]

I feel like an idiot!! I have kept large FW tanks for years and as a result I think I let myself become overconfident with this tank.

Had a huge ammonia spike over night so I did a 20% water change today and just the pouring in of new water forced the weakened nem off the rock! I didn’t realize how bad of a shape he had gotten in just over night. I can’t believe I let myself rush this fast.

I know basic water chemistry (not a chemist though) and the cycles. Have degrees in Biology and Environmental Studies and work in the environmental protection dealing with water quality/pollution (government side not private).....this was reckless, ridiculous and completely preventable. Unfortunately McKracken paid the price for my overzealousness.

Needless to say my tank is stocked with 2 clowns, 1 emerald crab, 7 snails and about a dozen hermits. That is going to be it for several months. SLOWING down!!!

~RIP Mr. McKracken

 

[NY_Caveman]

Sorry about your loss. If you slow down it may be a good lesson. People say freshwater is easier, but I think it is just more forgiving sometimes. When starting a tank it always seems so empty, it is tough to wait. For everyone.

 

[rkpetersen]

It's always a bummer when one of our critters dies. RIP nem.

 

[RWS6605]

A small addition today. Don’t worry not any more fish...yet. Thanks to a reefer buddy I now have a ball of cheato in my sump, a sump light, and some coralline scrapings.

There may have been a half dozen small sea stars but they are smaller than a dime.

Water tests have been coming back excellent with ammonia and nitrites at zero.

Next tank additions will be a Royal Gramma and a Yellow Coris Wrasse. Likely another month or so from now.

The clowns and crabs are doing great! Kids love them.

 

[RWS6605]

Just a random photo from tonight.

This is Patrick.

 

[RWS6605]

So LA had their BYO clean up crew sale. Couldn’t resist. Picked up more dwarf blue leg and red tip hermits, dwarf zebra orange and black hermits, a Babylon snail, a few bumble bee snails, more nassarius, a fighting conch, a couple peppermint shrimp, a porcelain crab and finally a short spine urchin.

Here is a group shot while acclimating.

I really like that Babylon. Very colorful, but very fast at burrowing.